Closet Christian

I can never understand "Christian-based" hate groups. It's very oxymoronic. Isn't it? How can you be Christian and hate your brother, when Christ has called you to to love all your brothers, especially those marginalized, and even your enemies? I'll give them one thing though, they are right about the country changing as far as being taken over. But, I argue that it has NOTHING to do with sexual preferences, race, religious views, or ethnicity. It has to do with ignorance, misinformation, misconceptions, and backwards ideology perpetrated by media. We are not one another's enemies. We are all people trying to make it in the world, people, just people.

My thoughts and ideas make me a very isolated and unpopular person in this backward town. Unfortunately in this primarily Christian town, my Christianity is frowned upon and unacceptable.

"I do not believe in the death penalty, because Christ tells me I should forgive my brethren." I live in a prison town, and I have lost my guard friends because of that statement. I also believe that God has told us not to take a life. He, and only He, is to avenge. I also believe the death penalty allows some victim's families to live with guilt because they fought for the death penalty. Often it creeps in slowly as they realized that these are people. They become at odds with Christ. I also believe the death penalty allows the criminal to get off easy. They never have to live with the guilt of their crimes. The taking of a loved one is a life sentence for the victim's family and a travesty for all involved. It should be  life sentence for the perpetrator, as well.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

~ Romans 12:17-21

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

~ Matthew 6:14-15

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

~ Mark 11:25

"Although I support the use of guns and bows for hunting for food, I believe that assault rifles should be outlawed, and hunting should only be done for food not for sport." Again, I have lost many "Christian" friends from this statement. New Oxford American Dictionary defines assault as, "make a physical attack on," and assault rifle as, "a rapid-fire, magazine-fed automatic rifle designed for infantry use." There is no reason for an individual to have an assault rifle other than to kill mass numbers of people. It is not logical to use an assault rifle as a hunting rifle. Once we start saying it is okay for the general public to have public access to military weapons, our problems grow and even more mass numbers of people begin to die. We would not want our neighbor to have a bomb designed to kill mass numbers of people, we would not allow our neighbors to have a rocket launcher, would not allow our neighbors to carry hand grenades, so why do we allow assault rifles? I agree that each person has the right to own a handgun, rifle, shot gun, bow, and crossbow, but assault rifles I will never get behind. For a matter of fact, my home has weapons, but they are not weapons of mass destruction. A gun used wisely does not kill a man, and just because we have been given dominion over the animals of Earth, we have been warned to care for it and its lifeforms.

"Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'"

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 

~ NIV Genesis 1:26-30

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 

~ NIV Genesis 2:15

Remember, love one another. I do. ♥

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

~ 1 John 3:11-16

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

~ John 13:34-35

Tenacious Hospitality: Welcoming the Unwelcomed

The lecture was presented by Maleesa Breeding and Dana Hood with guest speaker Suzetta Nut. Dr. Hood explained the purpose of the lecture as how society places the people who are grieving on the margins. She stressed that the lecture does not give answers, but only generates more questions. The lecture is based on the ongoing grief parents of children with special needs face. The first question Dr. Hood asks the audience is how Romans 12:9-16 can teach us what God has called us to do. The section of the scripture she stressed is to be willing to “associate with people of low position.”

Next, Dr. Hood read some quotes from the people who are part of these families. This part of the lecture evoked an emotional response from both the audience and myself. To me, it was more personal. I have thought and said many of the words that were up on the screen and entered my ears. My son is a child with a disability. I felt a sense of relief to realize that I am not alone in my struggles.

After the voices of the families were discussed, Dr. Hood explained that these families are involved in a never-ending cycle of the five stages of grief: denial/isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. I partially agree with this. However, as we later discussed in my special education class, most families do not go through an acceptance phase. It is more of a resolution/pro-active stage of grief. To reach acceptance is the same as saying overcoming. When a child is disabled, the family can never overcome or accept the disability; because it would mean that the disability will eventually end. The disability never ends, and the affected family must learn to deal with the disability through resolution. However, Dr. Hood did state that the five stages of grief model is “too simple.” She stated that many families are faced with a sense of hopelessness, especially at times of transitions.

The next section of the lecture focused specifically on Suzetta Nut, the mother of a child with a disability as well as a gifted child. Suzetta is the children’s minister at Highland Church of Christ. She said there is no end to disabilities; and because of this parents often learn to do things they never thought they could. Suzetta talked about the fatigue, financial, and emotional stress on the families. She stressed there is typically two ways that parents approach dealing with a child with special needs. They either act the victim, or they push through and pretend as if all will be well. Suzetta later introduces a third way that parents approach the issue. This approach is one that most parents take only after the other two approaches fail. This is when the parents reach an understanding that their child will never be like other children.

As I stated earlier, parents get to a point of resolution. The third approach of Suzetta Nut’s testimony is where the resolution stage happens. I personally have taken a pro-active approach on my most recent journey through the stages of grief. I have begun to question my previous decisions to try to make my son like everyone else through the use of medications. I realize now that my son was made by God and in the state that God has intended. Who am I to question that? Like Suzetta, I have told everyone to stop praying for my son to be better and just to pray that I can cope with the disability in a compassionate, loving manner. Just as Suzetta does, I also look as my son’s life and his accomplishments as a miracle of God. Suzetta’s experiences have reached me. I know that I can face anything as long as I keep faith in God, and remember that my son is a child of God.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ~ Romans 12:9-16