Go Home Anthony, We'll Call If We Miss You

It’s not like, he said during his news conference, he was cyberstalking little girls. Then, realizing he had no idea what he was talking about, Mr. Weiner quickly added, “At least, to the best of my knowledge they were all adults.” 

Disclaimer: I have a sordid past. 21 years of drinking and drugging leaves you with some heavy baggage and while I've been clean and sober 22 years some of it still weighs on my heart. In fact though, I can tell you from experience that if you feel your private behavior is such that it must be kept secret lest it ruin your career and destroy your marriage, you can hardly be surprised when that behavior comes to light and promptly begins ruining your career and destroying your marriage.

You're not a victim here Tony, your friends, constituents, and wife have the right to judge you by your personal behavior. Had you listed cyberadultery on your wife of a few months as a favorite hobby on your campaign brochures and then won reelection in a landslide you'd be home free. But you didn't. Now you're paying the price for behavior you obviously knew would bring shame on you if discovered and a lot of us just want you to go away. 

We're not buying that your personal moral code of conduct should have nothing to do with our evaluation of your work as a congressman. You knew when running for office that you would be held to a higher standard of conduct, so quit whining. The fact that you've committed no crime doesn't mean there's been no harm. 

Go home Anthony, we'll call if we miss you.

Stupid is Bipartisan

With an apology to my fellow believers, we've got a situation on our hands that cries out for a Darwinian solution. In order to ensure the survival of our species it's imperative that congressman Anthony Weiner's DNA
not escape into the gene pool. Leaving aside for a moment the immoral nature of his behavior, we can't afford much more stupidity in our species, so in this case I'd urge Weiner to consider a vasectomy, preferably after he resigns.

What is it about stupid sexual peccadilloes that do not recognize party lines? Did Weiner not read about his fellow married NY congressman (a republican) who just recently lost his job after sending suggestive photos to a total stranger? Should congressmen not be allowed to own smartphones? "OH, you're a congressman, I'm sorry but we're going to have to confiscate your iPhone." For that matter we should probably have Twitter and Facebook accounts designed with special filters for politicians. Maybe accounts that prevent photos from being uploaded and sent to females. Make 'em use the post office, they can use the money.

This is like a full-employment act for comedians, except for many of us it's not funny.

Like A Moth To Flame

"You never have to advertise a fire."~Leonard Ravenhill

 By now the commentary on Weinergate is reaching a frenzy with congressman Anthony Weiner's admission that he did indeed send lewd photos over Twitter, and that he has conducted erotic electronic correspondence with numerous other women, both before and after his marriage last summer. It has been examined from every possible angle, Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative, and religious.  The late night comedians have struck gold.

So there's no need for me to get in the game, before this is over a national forest is going to die in order to provide enough paper to print the reactions, and don't even think about the web pages created in the feeding frenzy. And yet, I fear I can't help myself, I'm drawn to it like a moth to flame. How can a congressman do something so stupid? Will congressman Weiner change his mind, do the right thing by his constituents, and resign?

So here's what I'm thinking about this putrid intrusion on my psyche. When I was drinking I thought that the Ten Commandment types were buzz killers out to ruin my fun, but it turns out that there are hugely practical benefits to moral living.  Don't get me wrong, Paul spoke truth: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21

But the consequences of immoral living are not solely eternal, there are prices to be paid right here, right now. Weiner will pay, but so will his wife, those who played with him knowing he was married, and finally us. I guess a shower would be good right about now. 

 

The Unchurch

Satan watches for those vessels that sail without a convoy.~George Swinnock

I believe with all my heart that Christians need to be among a community of believers. Alone with my Bible I am not safe, it is only when I am exposed to the thoughts of other believers on a regular basis that my daily scripture readings stay centered in the Word of God, not the thoughts of man.

That being said, a community of believers can take many forms. A large formal worship experience that lifts up the spirits of thousands might cause a brother or sister to shrink in horror at the perceived lack of intimacy. I attended a service this morning that would have appalled the "Suit and Sunday Dress" crowd, all sandals, shorts, and tattoos, and if respect was a matter of dress code we would have needed to excommunicate these folks. But the Lord was there.

 Who ever said that church needed to be a one size fits all kinda deal anyhow? Or that we all needed to worship in the same fashion? Not Jesus. It's the content of the worship that matters. Since when is it mandatory that the leader of the flock needs to be a degreed person, that new believers need to undergo some sort of incubation period before they're allowed to have real responsibilities? 

 The one thing I think we're lacking today is the unchurch. A place of worship run by the inmates, where energy, commitment, and effort matter more than degrees and titles. A place where the church bashers can go, after all they're not Jesus bashers they just believe that man has screwed up a perfectly good Savior. Of course the traditionalists recoil in horror at the thought of "laypeople" running a church but that's okay, these folks aren't coming to any church and don't intend to. But they deserve to hear the gospel in a way they can understand no less than anyone else so what the hell, let's give it to them. 

It's gonna be a glorious mess but we've already got plenty of that in so called traditional pulpits.

Things That Annoy Me

1) Polls showing that Americans associate Christianity with the Republican Party.
2) Christians falling for politicians who court us every four years then do nothing until the next election cycle.
3) The concept of Oprah as a spiritual guide.
4) Rapture freaks. It's coming so shut up and get out of your pew and do some witnessing!!
5) Folks who claim to have gone to heaven or hell and are back to sell us DVD's and books about the trip.
6) Prosperity preachers.

There's more but I don't want to come across as cranky........

Don't Hijack My Witness

“I’m very concerned about the politicization of the faith. . . . I think being owned by a party is dangerous.” Jim Daly...President Focus on the Family

 Jesus did not say "Go ye into all the world and legislate".... as a Christian I may not share your beliefs on gay marriage, immigration, taxes, Medicare , Social Security, or any number of issues in the public square. I expect that your faith will inform your vote as will mine, but that doesn't mean we'll agree on those issues. So don't go forming groups that claim to speak for Jesus or other believers on political matters.

Why Paul, Where'd That Come From?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.Galatians 5:22-24

I love this passage in scripture, when I can live this way life is so much more graceful. But Galatians 5 shows Paul in all his magnificent humanity. Just a few verses earlier (vs. 12) he expresses his frustration with Peter and the elders in Jerusalem over the circumcision controversy in a decidedly unfruitful way, by suggesting that the pro-circumcision crowd emasculate themselves.

That's the way my demonstration of faith goes all too often. I'll be sailing peacefully along and suddenly I'm a snarling mess, merrily creating the impression that I'm well short of fruitful living. Which I am. Fortunately with Christ I get an opportunity for forgiveness and a fresh start. If I'm willing to change Jesus forgives and heals.