Paul Tillich, the systematic theologian, in DYNAMICS OF FAITH, proposed that whatever one's ultimate concern is, whatever gets a person's devotion, energy, focus and dedication, is his/her god.
For believers in Jesus, idolatry is putting more importance on anyone or anything than LOVING GOD AND LOVING NEIGHBOR AS SELF...
I believe we have THREE IDOLS in America...
WEALTH (Mammon) ... becomes the GREATEST concern over God or other human beings for some, driving them and demanding their devotion, energy and focus. When wealth is it, no matter what one has is not enough, because there is MORE out there to be had. When wealth is it, one is never satisfied, because that would mean not always striving to give one's life over to having MORE of it. When wealth is it, no matter what the spiritual Teachings or Commands are regarding the use of possessions in that person's faith system, he/she will do anything to get more, intentionally, systematically, ruthlessly, corruptly or even violently if necessary. It becomes the master of that person's life and drives him/her to unconscionable acts and immoral behavior for the sake of MORE, always MORE.
POWER ... specifically, power or control over others, becomes of greater concern for some than following their God or living the teachings of their faith system regarding other people and how we are to treat them. When power is one's god, no matter how much self-control one has is good enough, for the real test of power is how many other people one controls. When power is it, those devoted to obtaining and wielding it will stop at nothing to get or keep it. Whoever gets hurt in the process is just collateral damage for the greater good - that person controlling everything and everyone around them for their own sense of power. Others are sacrificed on the alter of this god, but the cold, hard heart that is left within the body-tomb of the devotee does not notice, because the lives of others are of no value to him/her.
PRESTIGE/POSITION ... recognition, fame, celebrity become of great concern for some, and the need to be in and/or stay in the spotlight drives them in everything they do. They don't care if it is negative attention, as long as eyes, minds and hearts are focused on them. They don't care who else might be overshadowed, even if they are of great value to others, as long as they maintain their high status and place of honor. Self-importance is a fierce god, worthy of underhanded, hurtful and deceitful practices because the end (being noticed and/or publicly loved) justifies the means. This fickle god drives many to outrageously self-destructive lives as its required sacrifice of devotion.
When one gives one's devotion, energy, focus and dedication to any one of these as their god, we see things like we see -
TRAMPLING OTHERS' SAFETY FOR ONE'S OWN, PERSONAL RIGHTS
TRAMPLING OTHERS' ECONOMIC WELL-BEING FOR ONE'S OWN
PROFIT
TRAMPLING THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS TO GET OR KEEP POWER
ATTACKING OTHERS TO MAKE ONESELF FEEL OR LOOK GOOD
IGNORING OTHERS IN NEED, BECAUSE THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT
WHAT MATTERS
TAKING CARE OF SELF AND THOSE JUST LIKE SELF AT THE COST
OF PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE ELSE AROUND YOU
VILIFYING "THOSE PEOPLE" AND SCAPEGOATING THEM TO
CREATE FEAR AND THEREFORE CONTROL OVER OTHERS,
JUSTIFYING ONE'S HATRED/BIGOTRY ALONG THE WAY
BEING DISLOYAL TO OTHERS, AS LONG AS YOU GET WHAT YOU
WANT FOR YOURSELF
SYSTEMATICALLY AND INTENTIONALLY KEEPING OTHERS DOWN
SO YOU CAN APPEAR TO BE HIGHER, OR GET MORE OR HAVE
CONTROL OVER THEM
POLLUTING ONE'S OWN EARTH, SKY, WATER FOR MORE PROFIT
INVADE OTHER NATIONS JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN
America has many gods, and MANY of those who confess the name of Jesus and offer Him Adoration, Praise and their Tithes, give Him lip service only, while giving their TRUE LOVE -
devotion, energy, focus, dedication to their REAL ULTIMATE CONCERNS.
"By their fruits you will know them."
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Jesus
Pastor Jamie
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
religious freedom?
So, they feel that if they are not allowed to discriminate against gay and lesbian folk or others, then society is infringing upon their religious freedom, and specifically, "Christian Liberty".
I would like to know what "religion" they are practicing. It is NOT Christianity, because this is in NO way the way of THE CHRIST.
Their rhetoric is persecution-oriented, but not at the people they want to persecute. They are claiming to be persecuted against because they are not allowed to discriminate against others. These poor, persecuted beings want the religious freedom to live out their hatred, bigotry and discrimination without any response by society.
They follow the heritage of those who persecuted non-believers and Jews in the inquisition, Muslims in the Crusades, the Native Americans in the land they arrived on to ESCAPE persecution, Africans in the slave trade, African-Americans after, women, now the LGBT community and countless others in their path. They certainly have lived up to the standard that hateful people have set for generations, using the name of Jesus freely as they hate. But they are NOT Christians.
They can call themselves HATEFUL Jewish believers or HATEFUL Paulites (because Paul had his issues at times, but even Paul, when talking about Christian Liberty was addressing not having to live by dietary codes, and said that "we preach Christ and Him crucified" - not hatred) or they can call themselves HATEFUL anything else... maybe HATEFUL, IGNORANT MISBELIEVERS. But they are NOT Christians.
I think we have to get rid of that word. The good news, is that it has covered a large umbrella of believers for many centuries. The bad news is that it has been hi-jacked by HATEFUL people. Labeled as such, out of their duplicity, innocent folk do not see them coming, and they DO NOT REPRESENT THE CHRIST in their hatred. They do not follow THE CHRIST.
We are PEOPLE OF THE WAY OF JESUS, who live according to Jesus' command to live Agape Love (active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy - Luke 10:25-37). We do not expect that our "religious freedom" will allow us to deny people contraceptives or pap smears who work for us (as SOME "Christian" employers insist is their right in the face of the ACA), or to not hire folks for our chicken restaurants (closed on Sundays because of our beliefs, but discriminatory in our hiring practices), or to refuse service to people who do not believe like us, or are not our same sexual orientation. We welcome EVERYONE, because we are taught that by THE CHRIST. Our Christian Freedom is about living the Love of God freely, without hesitation or reservation, and certainly without discrimination.
I do not know what religion they practice, but they do not follow the Jesus of the Gospels, neither His teachings nor examples, so they should not use the name "Christian".
Pastor Jamie
I would like to know what "religion" they are practicing. It is NOT Christianity, because this is in NO way the way of THE CHRIST.
Their rhetoric is persecution-oriented, but not at the people they want to persecute. They are claiming to be persecuted against because they are not allowed to discriminate against others. These poor, persecuted beings want the religious freedom to live out their hatred, bigotry and discrimination without any response by society.
They follow the heritage of those who persecuted non-believers and Jews in the inquisition, Muslims in the Crusades, the Native Americans in the land they arrived on to ESCAPE persecution, Africans in the slave trade, African-Americans after, women, now the LGBT community and countless others in their path. They certainly have lived up to the standard that hateful people have set for generations, using the name of Jesus freely as they hate. But they are NOT Christians.
They can call themselves HATEFUL Jewish believers or HATEFUL Paulites (because Paul had his issues at times, but even Paul, when talking about Christian Liberty was addressing not having to live by dietary codes, and said that "we preach Christ and Him crucified" - not hatred) or they can call themselves HATEFUL anything else... maybe HATEFUL, IGNORANT MISBELIEVERS. But they are NOT Christians.
I think we have to get rid of that word. The good news, is that it has covered a large umbrella of believers for many centuries. The bad news is that it has been hi-jacked by HATEFUL people. Labeled as such, out of their duplicity, innocent folk do not see them coming, and they DO NOT REPRESENT THE CHRIST in their hatred. They do not follow THE CHRIST.
We are PEOPLE OF THE WAY OF JESUS, who live according to Jesus' command to live Agape Love (active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy - Luke 10:25-37). We do not expect that our "religious freedom" will allow us to deny people contraceptives or pap smears who work for us (as SOME "Christian" employers insist is their right in the face of the ACA), or to not hire folks for our chicken restaurants (closed on Sundays because of our beliefs, but discriminatory in our hiring practices), or to refuse service to people who do not believe like us, or are not our same sexual orientation. We welcome EVERYONE, because we are taught that by THE CHRIST. Our Christian Freedom is about living the Love of God freely, without hesitation or reservation, and certainly without discrimination.
I do not know what religion they practice, but they do not follow the Jesus of the Gospels, neither His teachings nor examples, so they should not use the name "Christian".
Pastor Jamie
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
injustice
How can a person be found guilty for the attempted murder of those he fired at, but NOT the murder of the one in the SAME car that he killed? Florida... white man... young black men as victims...
The audacity, arrogance and hubris of a false sense of entitlement and superiority has come to this, repeatedly.
The belief that one must have a gun to get along in this world, and not just have one to defend one's home, but have it ON YOU, so that you can, in an instant, fall back on THAT as your default in conflict, rather than other means... is INSANE...
More insane is that the NRA is so powerful that sensible screenings are NOT required for a period of time, so people can REACT almost instantly by buying a gun to ATTACK others...
... and carry them now in GA in BARS and CHURCHES...
Even MORE insane... that it is allowed to buy weapons that can shoot over 30 rounds... one per second, in a crowded school, mall or other public space...
Our society is becoming more violent and volatile.
Our fear turns to hatred quickly.
Our defense within our home turns to carrying and using the gun outside the home quickly.
... and we return to DODGE CITY, where everyone carries and uses...
There is a REASON why that evolved into LAWS being used instead of guns to settle disputes...
Some are de-evolving, and would have the rest of society do the same...
... and the courts are on their side, at least if they are white and male, and especially if their victims are young, black and male...
NO MORE.
NO MORE.
NO MORE.
Pastor Jamie
The audacity, arrogance and hubris of a false sense of entitlement and superiority has come to this, repeatedly.
The belief that one must have a gun to get along in this world, and not just have one to defend one's home, but have it ON YOU, so that you can, in an instant, fall back on THAT as your default in conflict, rather than other means... is INSANE...
More insane is that the NRA is so powerful that sensible screenings are NOT required for a period of time, so people can REACT almost instantly by buying a gun to ATTACK others...
... and carry them now in GA in BARS and CHURCHES...
Even MORE insane... that it is allowed to buy weapons that can shoot over 30 rounds... one per second, in a crowded school, mall or other public space...
Our society is becoming more violent and volatile.
Our fear turns to hatred quickly.
Our defense within our home turns to carrying and using the gun outside the home quickly.
... and we return to DODGE CITY, where everyone carries and uses...
There is a REASON why that evolved into LAWS being used instead of guns to settle disputes...
Some are de-evolving, and would have the rest of society do the same...
... and the courts are on their side, at least if they are white and male, and especially if their victims are young, black and male...
NO MORE.
NO MORE.
NO MORE.
Pastor Jamie
Sunday, February 16, 2014
All about Agape Love
I believe this life with one another, even with strangers and enemies, is about us learning how to live Agape Love to perfection.
What I see, is that people who God loves and who I am called to love are being hurt by others whose driving force in life is, instead - greed, lust for power and/or an obsession with prestige/position. It would not matter to me, because I believe that God takes care of these things, except that SO MANY people are being hurt...
kept away from the table
kept down economically
kept back intellectually
kept out politically
kept at bay socially
kept from working
kept from empowerment
kept from having an equal chance in life
kept from having ENOUGH
And this is being done intentionally, systematically, malevolently, deceitfully, insidiously, sometimes brutally... so that someone else can have more wealth, power or position for themselves and those just like them... much more than they need...
I cannot stand idle... I cannot remain silent... I cannot turn a blind eye, hoping to get more for myself... I cannot pretend that this is alright or natural... I cannot participate actively or by my inactivity with this unconscionable, immoral way...
So, sometimes what I write or say or send along on Facebook or teach or preach may seem harsh, but being an advocate... standing with... means standing up against evil... exposing works of darkness and INSISTING on something different... not always pretty or pleasant... but I MUST do that, in order to be Agape Loving of MANY whom God loves...
Pastor Jamie
What I see, is that people who God loves and who I am called to love are being hurt by others whose driving force in life is, instead - greed, lust for power and/or an obsession with prestige/position. It would not matter to me, because I believe that God takes care of these things, except that SO MANY people are being hurt...
kept away from the table
kept down economically
kept back intellectually
kept out politically
kept at bay socially
kept from working
kept from empowerment
kept from having an equal chance in life
kept from having ENOUGH
And this is being done intentionally, systematically, malevolently, deceitfully, insidiously, sometimes brutally... so that someone else can have more wealth, power or position for themselves and those just like them... much more than they need...
I cannot stand idle... I cannot remain silent... I cannot turn a blind eye, hoping to get more for myself... I cannot pretend that this is alright or natural... I cannot participate actively or by my inactivity with this unconscionable, immoral way...
So, sometimes what I write or say or send along on Facebook or teach or preach may seem harsh, but being an advocate... standing with... means standing up against evil... exposing works of darkness and INSISTING on something different... not always pretty or pleasant... but I MUST do that, in order to be Agape Loving of MANY whom God loves...
Pastor Jamie
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Resident Aliens and Most Vulnerable
From the nation that
wiped out whole families, tribes and nations of those who lived here originally...
split families in slavery, believing people to be property, all for profit...
interred (Japanese-American) families in camps during WWII...
while fighting those who wiped out and split up families of people, because
THEY were EVIL...
cut food stamps and other aid to families... ongoing... including now...
continue to pay a sub-survival wage to working parents in families...
do all they can to keep families from getting the healthcare they need...
NOW splits up families again because of the deportation of parents and other family members...
while courting immigrants who are the brightest and best away from their homelands...
and while still exploiting those same immigrants for cheap labor across the country,
as we have for generations...
Yet, many of the same ones who advocate this, support it and vote for it...
claim to be the "Family Values" folks... really?
"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest (keep everything you have been blessed with for yourself). You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them (provide) for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:9,10
"When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as a CITIZEN among you; you shall LOVE the alien AS YOURSELF, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:33,34 (PORTIONS of this Levitical Code are OFTEN quoted in order to judge others, but this one, strangely is skipped)
"You shall not withhold the wages of the poor and needy laborers, whether others of your land or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily, before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt." Deut. 24:14-15
"You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow's property in pledge. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt (once an alien in a foreign land) and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this." 24:17, 18
Regarding tithes... "When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, giving it to the Priests, the aliens the orphans and the widows (most vulnerable), so that they may eat their fill within your towns, then you shall say to the Lord your God: "...I have obeyed the Lord my God, doing just as you have commanded me." Deuteronomy 26:12-14
... and MANY more references in the Law of Moses...
"For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly with one another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods ( like Mammon - wealth, Mars - power, Bacchus - self indulgence) to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever." Jeremiah 7:5-6
"Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place. For if you will indeed obey this word... But if you will not heed these words, I swear by myself, says the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation." Jer. 22:3-5
There are MANY on the "right" who claim that we are a cursed nation because of this or that.. they NEVER equate our economic, political or climate woes to how POORLY we treat the resident aliens or the most vulnerable among us. We treat them SHAMEFULLY... and God is not pleased.
"Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land... "make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the refuse of the food." The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: surely I will NEVER FORGET any of their deeds." Amos 8:4-7
Jesus (fulfiller of Law and Prophets, Judge of the living and dead, and once an alien in Egypt - a refugee in a foreign land) puts it this way...
"'You that are ACCURSED, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they (the goats) also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and DID NOT TAKE CARE OF YOU?' Then Jesus will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did NOT DO IT FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU DID NOT DO IT FOR ME.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous (ones who DID care for the most vulnerable, including the resident alien) into eternal life."
Matthew 25:31-46
So, wanna be right with God? Take care of the most vulnerable, including the Resident Alien. Treat everyone with equal Justice. If you speak against, vote against, have attitudes against, refuse to help them to keep some more for yourself... you CANNOT be right with God, that is, if you believe JESUS.
Pretty simple, really.
Pastor Jamie
wiped out whole families, tribes and nations of those who lived here originally...
split families in slavery, believing people to be property, all for profit...
interred (Japanese-American) families in camps during WWII...
while fighting those who wiped out and split up families of people, because
THEY were EVIL...
cut food stamps and other aid to families... ongoing... including now...
continue to pay a sub-survival wage to working parents in families...
do all they can to keep families from getting the healthcare they need...
NOW splits up families again because of the deportation of parents and other family members...
while courting immigrants who are the brightest and best away from their homelands...
and while still exploiting those same immigrants for cheap labor across the country,
as we have for generations...
Yet, many of the same ones who advocate this, support it and vote for it...
claim to be the "Family Values" folks... really?
"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest (keep everything you have been blessed with for yourself). You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them (provide) for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:9,10
"When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as a CITIZEN among you; you shall LOVE the alien AS YOURSELF, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:33,34 (PORTIONS of this Levitical Code are OFTEN quoted in order to judge others, but this one, strangely is skipped)
"You shall not withhold the wages of the poor and needy laborers, whether others of your land or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily, before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt." Deut. 24:14-15
"You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow's property in pledge. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt (once an alien in a foreign land) and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this." 24:17, 18
Regarding tithes... "When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, giving it to the Priests, the aliens the orphans and the widows (most vulnerable), so that they may eat their fill within your towns, then you shall say to the Lord your God: "...I have obeyed the Lord my God, doing just as you have commanded me." Deuteronomy 26:12-14
... and MANY more references in the Law of Moses...
"For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly with one another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods ( like Mammon - wealth, Mars - power, Bacchus - self indulgence) to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever." Jeremiah 7:5-6
"Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place. For if you will indeed obey this word... But if you will not heed these words, I swear by myself, says the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation." Jer. 22:3-5
There are MANY on the "right" who claim that we are a cursed nation because of this or that.. they NEVER equate our economic, political or climate woes to how POORLY we treat the resident aliens or the most vulnerable among us. We treat them SHAMEFULLY... and God is not pleased.
"Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land... "make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the refuse of the food." The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: surely I will NEVER FORGET any of their deeds." Amos 8:4-7
Jesus (fulfiller of Law and Prophets, Judge of the living and dead, and once an alien in Egypt - a refugee in a foreign land) puts it this way...
"'You that are ACCURSED, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they (the goats) also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and DID NOT TAKE CARE OF YOU?' Then Jesus will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did NOT DO IT FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU DID NOT DO IT FOR ME.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous (ones who DID care for the most vulnerable, including the resident alien) into eternal life."
Matthew 25:31-46
So, wanna be right with God? Take care of the most vulnerable, including the Resident Alien. Treat everyone with equal Justice. If you speak against, vote against, have attitudes against, refuse to help them to keep some more for yourself... you CANNOT be right with God, that is, if you believe JESUS.
Pretty simple, really.
Pastor Jamie
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