Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Social Justice Gospel or Just-Us Gospel

I've heard so much about "social justice" this week I realized that the real good news about Jesus and salvation is for "just us" in many Christian main line denominations who don't seem to want to share it--or are afraid to. It's so much easier to form a committee or group or protest than change a heart.

There used to be complaints about missionaries creating "rice Christians," people who joined the church so they could get food. These days the church lures people with promises of government block grants for housing and summer lunch programs, but they aren't allowed to share the gospel. At least the "rice Christians" got both food and the bread of life.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

United Methodists on gay marriage

From the Documents of United Methodist Church, I see no wiggle room for two men or two women, or one man and two women, or any other configuration.

We affirm the family and work to strengthen its relationships. We affirm the sanctity of marriage and shared fidelity between a man and a woman. We recognize divorce as regrettable and intend to minister to the members of divorced families. We affirm the integrity of single persons. We recognize that sexuality is a good gift of God and that sex between a man and woman is only to be clearly affirmed in the marriage bond. We recognize the tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion and urge prayerful consideration

Church and society

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Bigotry only found in Christian churches?

"Religious and human rights activists are asking U.S. churches to invite Jewish and Muslim clergy to their sanctuaries June 26 to read from sacred texts in an initiative designed to counter anti-Muslim bigotry. The initiative is called "Faith Shared:Uniting in Prayer and Understanding," and is cosponsored by the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First." As reported in Christian Century, June 14, 2011.

One could take this a bit more seriously if they were to look at bigotry, discrimination and hatred being preached in U.S. mosques against Christians and Jews.

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Churches need to separate from the state

This is wrong. Morally and ethically and pragmatically. It weakens the churches and prevents them from proclaiming their message of salvation to people who are poor, suffering and vulnerable.

From 2006 to 2010, the state spent $11.7 million on its Texas Alternatives to Abortion Services Program, with nearly $7 million of that finding its way to 33 nonprofits (all but one with Christian affiliations) via the state’s primary contractor, the nonprofit Texas Pregnancy Care Network, according to public records obtained by the Texas Independent.

The Alternatives to Abortion Program — funded by state and federal money — was created in the 2005 legislative session for “the development and operation of a statewide program for females focused on pregnancy support services that promote childbirth,” according to the contract between the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and TPCN.

Nearly all of Texas’ anti-abortion subcontractors are Christian groups | The Washington Independent

Whether it's pregnancy services, summer lunch programs, food pantries, tutoring and language services, housing programs, financial counseling or jobs programming, churches need to cut the siphon that leads to the federal and state governments' money tank. If we're not allowed to discuss Christian marriage with the recipient of counseling services, or tell Bible stories while the children eat lunch, then it's time to ask member Christians for more money and tell the feds to get out of your church.

Cross posted at Collecting My Thoughts.