Funny how when people around the world think of Americans, they think of massive wealth, and a society where people are self centered. The thing is, they are right. Americans do have wealth, incrementally more than most nations. But the self centered issue kind of hits a sore spot. I think it's probably more of a generational thing, but I'm seeing it from several different generations.
I started watching a TV Show called 'Selfie', about a girl -Eliza Doolittle who has a huge problem, she can't see beyond herself. She is attached to her phone telling her 'friends' about herself, but can't form any meaningful or real relationships with people. She's constantly competing against "friends" we can't see, and turning away any kind of friendship with people in her office. My point is Eliza is our society today, people in love with themselves, but they can't see beyond the mirror they hold. Is it easy to unconditionally love yourself?
When I was a kid, I learned the 'Golden Rule', do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When Jesus spoke those words, I'm sure the people who heard them said... "What?" The nation of Israel was invaded by the Romans, it was every man for himself. Did this include the Romans, or just other Jews? Jesus answered "Love your Enemy as yourself". You see there is a paradox here, If you love other people deeply, without condition, you are demonstrating and expressing the love that God shows to us.
Americans are self centered, but on general, some of the most generous people in the world live in America. Though the media jabs and makes fun of us, let's put down our phones and computers and start sitting down and talking instead of texting.
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Advent is Upon Us
Advent again is almost upon us, normally the season of Christmas starts
about an hour after the thanksgiving turkey has been devoured. Actually it seems like they were putting up the Christmas decorations even before Halloween. This year I have a plan - a plan to look forward as I reflect back upon Christ's Birth. Advent can be really special if we seek to make it special. I'm not going to focus on wants, but what we've already been given, and use that for His glory. As I put this plan together, I've also included links to videos of performances of the Messiah, the best music focusing on the person of Jesus Christ. Written by George Frederic Handel, this oratorio was first performed as a benefit to support a hospital in Ireland. By playing small sections of this I hope to inoculate a younger generation to the enjoyment of great music. Each video I picked is different, from different places in the world, and different styles to see the global impact that G.F. Handel made.
So please follow along with our family as we prepare for Advent.
Instructions for Advent Family Study:
2) The Advent candles are a set of 3 purple candles, one rose, and one white colored candles, that are in a wreath or centerpiece to the table. Candles are progressively lit, week after week. Check out Google Shopping
3) Plan ahead, make sure you have the hymn printed out and maybe download the midi file or an actual recording. have your computer or MP3 player ready so everything goes smoothly.
4) Make sure everyone is prepared for what will happen, delegate responsibilities to the children and adults: light the candle, read, lead the hymn, or pray.
5) This is a form of liturgy, a way to organize your study and focus on the scripture, don't limit yourself to doing just the framework, I'm looking for ideas to make these lessons come to life for my family. Maybe it might be a craft project, or a new song, or an illustration.
6) Depending on your children's age and temperament, adjust.
7) Most of all: Be consistent!
Click here for a PDF File of the Plan
or see below
I pray that this Advent will be a very Christ focused time of the year for all of us. May we desire more of Him in our every day lives.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Should Christmas only be about Christmas?
There is a cultural war brewing in America. Each year we see traditions such as nativities, Christmas tree lighting change to holiday displays and holiday lighting. The word Christmas - which comes from Christ Mass, the celebration of Christs birth seems to be offensive to those of no or little faith. The desire of change is to create a pure commercial holiday, with out Christ. How will the next battle of this war be waged?
I just finished reading an article by Rebecca Hagelin, It's worth the time, she's done a great job of laying out the battle lines -> We need Christmas now more than ever.
I just finished reading an article by Rebecca Hagelin, It's worth the time, she's done a great job of laying out the battle lines -> We need Christmas now more than ever.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
How would your life change if you knew God didn't exist?
We are all confronted with a life of constant churn, trying to survive to the next day. Day after day I'm faced with moral challenges, dealing with things such as need, wants and desires. I'm confronted with an advertisement system which tells me "if it feels good, do it" but a struggle with a moral consequence to that action. I was taught that stealing, slander, cheating on my wife, murder, envy, not honoring my parents, and respectful speech of God is the moral standard set down by my Christian worldview. When I'm needing money, I don't rob a bank because of my moral standard.
Does a belief in God truly affect our moral decisions? According to The Pew forum on Religious and Public life 88% of Americans are sure or fairly sure that God exists. 57% of Americans feel that you need a belief in God to have a moral standard. The funny thing is the generational gap trend is showing that this is also a changing perspective. In the US 61% of the people over the age of 40 that were surveyed and only 51% of the people between the ages of 18-39 said there must be a belief in God to be moral. That means the trend is moving to a belief system which doesn't rest upon a higher moral authority.
In my last blog I talked about altruism, and how I don't believe that any human is selfless. I think that from the infant to the oldest of us, we are all selfish by nature. When we were born, we didn't desire the best for our parents, all we thought about was our needs: Food, warmth, and comfort. My argument is that if we are left to our natural desires, without some kind of external influence in our lives, we would have no moral standard. Even those who claim "there is no god", live under the shadow of His presence.
So lets just pretend we live in a world where God never existed, there never was a god. What would this world look like, how would it function, what would be the norms and morals of this society? What would the standard of human value be based upon? What is the worth of a person, merely what they are capable of producing? What would be the purpose of living?
Does a belief in God truly affect our moral decisions? According to The Pew forum on Religious and Public life 88% of Americans are sure or fairly sure that God exists. 57% of Americans feel that you need a belief in God to have a moral standard. The funny thing is the generational gap trend is showing that this is also a changing perspective. In the US 61% of the people over the age of 40 that were surveyed and only 51% of the people between the ages of 18-39 said there must be a belief in God to be moral. That means the trend is moving to a belief system which doesn't rest upon a higher moral authority.
In my last blog I talked about altruism, and how I don't believe that any human is selfless. I think that from the infant to the oldest of us, we are all selfish by nature. When we were born, we didn't desire the best for our parents, all we thought about was our needs: Food, warmth, and comfort. My argument is that if we are left to our natural desires, without some kind of external influence in our lives, we would have no moral standard. Even those who claim "there is no god", live under the shadow of His presence.
So lets just pretend we live in a world where God never existed, there never was a god. What would this world look like, how would it function, what would be the norms and morals of this society? What would the standard of human value be based upon? What is the worth of a person, merely what they are capable of producing? What would be the purpose of living?
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