Miss California and Gay Marriage

The world is now fully aware that 2009 Miss California, Carrie Prejean, does not support gay marriage. So what exactly is the big deal? This is it: Carrie Prejean shocked the gay-marriage-supporting-community by nearly winning the 2009 Miss America Padgent. It wouldn't have mattered what Carrie's views were as long as she stayed out of the spot light. But now that she has the opportunity to say outloud what the majority of Americans think - chiefly that marriage should only be between one man and one woman - she is a threat. And the way that you deal with threats is to try to eliminate it. And so today, the many loud voices of Hollywood have launched an all out attack on Carrie's lack of intelligence, homophobia, backwards Christian beliefs, and value as a human being. Why? Because she said outloud something that Perez Hilton didn't want to hear. This, apprently, is what tolerance looks like.

So what success will this approach of attacking your opponents bring the Gay Marriage lobby? None...that is unless their attempts to silence those who disagree with them, by intimidation, works. I find it quite ironic that during a week when the President has come out strongly against the practice of defeating your enemies through torture that we have a high profile example of doing the same thing in the name of tolerance and equal rights. So look out world, hate in the name of love has found a new cause.

Vision with Charles "Mask" Lewis, Jr.

I'm guessing that most of you who read this blog are not familiar with the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. It is a lot of blood and guts, and I'm not necessarily recommending it as a new hobby. However, one of the early dreamers behind the development of MMA as a self-sustaining industry was Charles "Mask" Lewis, Jr. He was well known for his face paint and all-out-there personality. And he co-founded a product line called TapouT with a few friends in those early years. "Mask" died in a car accident this week, and his memoiral service was held at the Crystal Cathedral in southern California.

I came across this video of the last interview that "Mask"gave before his death. And in it he talks about what it means to believe in the vision that you have. I think that "Mask" well articulates the needed commitment to see a vision become a reality.

Quote: The Fellowship of the Rings

Okay...I am hooked on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" triliogy as portrayed by Peter Jackson's recent movies. I was watching the first, The Fellowship of the Rings, and was struck again by this interaction between the unlikely hero - Frodo Baggins - and the wise Gandolph the Grey.

(Frodo) "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

(Gandolph) "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you."

The pain and suffering that Frodo had to endure, which was of no fault of his own, was very real and scarry! There was nothing 'happy' to say that would retranslate his situation into an 'acceptable' scenario. And yet, Frodo (representing all of us) still had a choice of what do with the time that he had.

Even in the face of suffering, I have a choice. It is still difficult, but choices still face us. Frodo chose his path voluntarily at the council in Rivendale to take the ring of power to Mount Doom. What a freightening choice, and yet what a courageous one. As I think about Gandolph's sage advice, I wonder if I too will make such a courageous choice when faced with such daunting odds.

Sleep Running Dog

Occasionally I enjoy posting a fun story or video. My wife sent me this one of a dog sleep running. Poor guy!

Faith ~ a Gift or a Response?

I have been thinking quite a bit as of late regarding the nature of that thing that we call "faith." It is widely used to describe a person's 'beliefs' about all things spiritual or supernatural. Those things which we believe that surpass the realm of the natural which science can measure and probe, are relegated to the category of 'faith.'

Within the evangelical Christian community (if I may be so bold as to assume that this group actually is a 'community') there is a debate that continues to broil over this issue of faith. The fault line of this disagreement is often located in Ephesians 2:8-9 where the Apostle Paul wrote "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast."

The question that is raised is in regards to the 'gift' that is mentioned. Is grace the gift? Is faith the gift? Or are both grace and faith the gift? The issue that is debated is based upon the understanding that faith is the gift that Paul references "...so that no one can boast" of their faith. This leads many then to say that a person is given faith by God and consequently it is not something that can be lost or walked away from.

As I have been studying faith, as revealed in the letter James wrote, faith appears quite strongly to be a response from a person to the saving grace of God revealed in Jesus. Rather than being a gift that is given from God to a person, faith appears to be the response of the person to God. And consequently, it is something that we are to continue to respond in (persevere) as we choose to following Jesus throughout our life.

Where does this leave us then in regards to loosing or walking away from this faith? It appears to me that since faith is a way of responding to God, then it would be possible for a person to stop responding in this way. Does that mean that they have "lost their salvation?" Thankfully I'm not the one that has to decide that for myself or anyone else. However, the call is to follow God in confidence, having faith that he really does know what he is talking about. That is a response of a living faith as revealed in the Scriptures. And that leads me into a relationship with the God who holds my future.