Five Favorites

I thought I would change up how I link to other blogs and articles at the end of the week - I read so many that to link to all that I found interesting would just be too many. Instead, I have decided to give you my five favorite of the week.

As always, just because I link to a blog (or retweet) does not mean I necessarily agree with it - just that I found it interesting. So, in no particular order -

1. "Who Are You Sleeping With? (Sex at Evangelical Colleges)" from the Save OBU (Oklahoma Baptist University) blog. Jacob Lupfer writes about the sexual pressures of being a Christian, young adult - including a aspect of that topic that I am very interested in, when Evangelicals get married very young in order to have church approved sexual relationships.

2. Rachel Held Evans wrote "Why Progressive Christians Should Care About Abortion." For so many on both sides of the debate it is a black and white issue. Held Evans does a good job, as usual, of combing her personal experience and well-sourced arguments to encourage the reader to fully consider what their position means.

3. One of the main problems I have with Evangelical Christianity is that believers of this brand of faith often believe things with little to no understanding of why they believe them. Often, either a sermon or teaching has a certain emotional appeal that they buy into, or enough repetition and the teaching is implanted. This is not unique to Evangelicalism, but certainly one of its pitfalls. Since most people do not have the vocabulary to have a "theological" discussion in the academic sense, a post like, "You Don't Have a One-Track Mind; Why Would God?" by blogger "MMCKINNISS," does a good job of challenging a belief of how God perceives time. By foregoing the bulky language of academic theology in favor of an analogy, "MMCKINNIS" makes his ideas accessible to all.

4. It is no surprise that I really like Zack Hunt's "The American Jesus" blog. One post this week addresses how to treat people who don't profess a Christian faith, but has all of the characteristics of what a Christian person is expected to have. "What Do We Do With Non-Christians Who Act Like Christians?" is a little longer but worth the read.

5. I'll end this week's Five Favorites with a lighter post from Tony Jones at Theoblogy. He posted a picture of a fourth grade science exam from a Christian school in South Carolina and used it to start a discussion about how to talk to children about science and faith. Plus, if you saw last week, I have an affinity for pictures of Jesus with dinosaurs and he ends his post with one.

Did I miss a blog or article that you found particularly interesting? Leave it in the comments.

Four Travelers On A Road (Allegory)

This story is simply that - a story, it is not a theological statement. Like any story, especially an allegory, it is supposed to get you thinking and to start a conversation. Part of that conversation will continue tomorrow with a commentary on this story.

One day, four travelers met on the road. As they spoke with one another, the travelers realized they were all traveling to the same destination.

“Maybe it would be beneficial for us to travel together, to help one another in the difficulties that lie ahead” suggested THE FIRST TRAVELER.

THE SECOND TRAVELER said, “I will only be traveling on this road when I am not appearing on my television show, recording my radio show, promoting my books or not previously booked for a speaking engagement. At those times, I will travel this road with you. Allow me to speak a blessing over you---.” With that THE SECOND TRAVELER left to attend to his various ministries.

THE THIRD TRAVELER said, “I will travel this road, since it has been ordained by God that this is my path. If it is God's will that this is your path as well, we will travel this road together.”

THE FOURTH TRAVELER said, “I will travel with you all as well – as long as there is no appearance of evil. Will you be drinking or dancing on this path? I cannot be near that for it may weaken my testimony.

So, the travelers set out on their way, walking beside one another, but not really together. THE FIRST TRAVELER walked the path, THE SECOND TRAVELER only joined them on the path when he wasn't busy attending other matters and THE THIRD and FOURTH TRAVELERS always seemed to walk the path a few paces away from everyone else.

They walked along and eventually came upon a homeless man, sitting beside the road begging for money. As they approached, the homeless man said, “Spare any change?”

THE FOURTH TRAVELER thought to himself, “I cannot give him any money, he may use it to buy drugs or alcohol. Besides, we are called to be good stewards of our finances and giving my money to this man is not a wise investment.” He said to the homeless man while tightly clutching his wallet, “I'm sorry, I have none to spare.”

THE THIRD TRAVELER pondered on it for a moment and considered various Bible verses and teachings on the poor. He thought of his own church and the people there who were less fortunate and decided that helping God's people was more important. To the homeless man he said, “I don't have anything for you now, but come to my church. Hear the Good News and we will take care of you.”

Without much thought, THE SECOND TRAVELER said, “God wants to provide for you! He wants you to have everything you need, and more! 'My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus!' For a small seed gift, I will give you this Living Water^TM. This is the Living Water of God, it will sustain you and if you truly have faith, God's blessings will flow forth!”

THE FIRST TRAVELER took what little money he had and gave it to the homeless man. “I don't have much, but you can have it. You look cold too, please take my coat to keep warm. Your shoes look worn through, and I am sure it is not easy to walk with them. Take my shoes so you may walk more comfortably. If I have anything else you may need, it is yours, just ask.”

The homeless man thanked THE FIRST TRAVELER and the travelers were on their way.

For awhile their travels were uneventful. THE SECOND TRAVELER, true to his word, would often leave to attend his own affairs only to return some time later. As the travelers walked along in awkward tension, sometimes they spoke with one another. Even when they were in agreement, which wasn't as often as they pretended, they still harbored a secret suspicion that the others had a fundamentally flawed view of their journey. Occasionally, they would rest from walking and eat with one another, but more often they just continued to walk next to one another, but not really together.

After awhile they were able to see a city down the road. As they approached, they could see some of the buildings had collapsed and fires had broken out in various places. Even nearer, the travelers could hear cries and screams of the people – some who needed help and others grieving for the dead. They continued walking and it became clear the city had suffered a devastating earthquake.

THE FIRST TRAVELER sprinted into the town and began removing rubble, searching for the injured.

From his television studio, THE SECOND TRAVELER, appeared on a news broadcast about the tragedy. He was asked what his part in the relief efforts were. “Obviously, we want to help. I see my part as spreading the word that help is needed and inspiring my viewers and listeners to be a part of that relief effort. At our revival meetings we are setting up 24-hour prayer rooms to pray for the victims of the earthquake and we are believing God for miracles. In fact, people who have taken our Miracles Class^TM are now being mobilized to go there and heal the injured, raise the dead and preach the Word of God. We have already been blessed by prophecies that God will pour out his Spirit in the wake of this tragedy and use it to bring people into the fold.”

Standing at a distance, THE THIRD TRAVELER said, “The movements of the earth are God's alone to command. Neither 'Mother Nature' nor Satan himself have the ability to move the earth without God's say-so. It is God's will for the earth to quake. And we, as people of God, must tell the world that this and every earthquake is God's divine warning for a corrupt people to repent and commit their lives to Jesus.”

Just outside the city, THE FOURTH TRAVELER shouted at rescue workers racing in to help, “Your moral depravity has brought this upon yourselves! You kill millions of babies and you wallow in your sexual depravity, but God will not be mocked! Like Sodom and Gomorrah God has brought upon you the consequences of your sin.”

The travelers wanted to continue their journey but THE FIRST TRAVELER was no where to be found on the road, so the others set off without him. THE FIRST TRAVELER stayed behind, continuing to help in the rescue efforts. When the injured and dead were accounted for, THE FIRST TRAVELER helped with the clean-up efforts. When all the rubble had been cleared, THE FIRST TRAVELER stayed to help rebuild the city. Finally, after some time, the city had been restored and THE FIRST TRAVELER set back out on the road.

Because of their other commitments, the other three travelers had not moved very far down the road. THE SECOND TRAVELER came and went in the name of expanding his ministry. THE THIRD AND FOURTH TRAVELERS progressed slowly, THE THIRD from the fear of a misstep, THE FOURTH because he often went out of his way to avoid walking with people he did not agree with.

Down the road, they encountered a woman dressed lasciviously on the side of the road. The woman asked if she could travel the road with them.

“I welcome any company on this road,” said THE FIRST TRAVELER, “You can travel with us for as long as you like.”

THE FOURTH TRAVELER loudly admonished the woman for stirring lust in the hearts of men. “Harlot! You should cover yourself, you have a responsibility to your brothers on this road to keep their thoughts pure.”

To the woman THE THIRD TRAVELER said, “Yes, cover yourself! Your dress invites men to attack you. If you had a man traveling with you this would not happen. You should not be traveling this road alone for it is dangerous and you need a man to navigate it for you. God has set up man and woman to travel the road together – the man leading and the woman helping.”

THE SECOND TRAVELER said to the woman, “I can help you. Take my Christian Leadership^TM class, and then I will hire you as my secretary.”

The travelers continued down the road and at last came to a large gate in front of a magnificent city. At the gate other travelers from many places waited to enter. At the entrance sat a man, simply dressed and carrying nothing. Some travelers rejoiced, greeting the man at the gate by name. Other travelers were confused and did not recognize the man. They looked around for the man they were expecting at the gate. Whether the travelers recognized the man or not, all were greeted by name and the gates to the magnificent city were opened. Upon entering the city, many of these travelers looked lost and confused.

They said to one another, "Who are these people?" and "This is not at all what I expected."