I forgot how it was to be
A human being

For someone who was not
Told me so
And I believe them
No more

Good morning world.

Have you noticed that sin isn't a big deal anymore? I mean, goodness...not sin like murder and rape and such, those are of course a big deal...

But I'm talking about sins like, debauchery...gossip...slander...malice...foolishness...lust...etc.

Lust especially. It's like no big deal now. My favorite thing is to hear guys say they struggle with lust...and you just know inside (it's a LOT worse than that...that isn't a true confession!!). See, "lust" has become a nice, tame, common, meaningless word we Christian men use to describe our struggles with sexual sin.

"lust" is a terribly vague word, and so many different sins are grouped under it...no one bats an eye if a guy says he "struggles with lust". Why is that? Because apparently all guys (girls too yada yada I'm talking about guys because I am one) struggle (to some degree or another) against this thing called lust...and so it's not that big of a thing anymore to say it. Especially in an "accountability group" These are awesome. These are where a bunch of guys sit around and say, "so...how was your week?"
"bad"
"yeah, mine too"
"I struggled with lust again"
No you didn't struggle with lust!! You freaking slept with your girlfriend!! That's fornication!! Call it what it is you pansy ass chicken!!

CAN WE ALL JUST HAVE A MOMENT OF HONESTY. We're screwed up. Big time. We REALLY sin, badly. It's embarrassing. To confess your sin should be embarrassing. If it's not embarrassing for you to confess your sin...perhaps you are not being honest. The path to humility is through the slough of embarrassment. To be humbled. Embarrassed.

Guys feel the pressure to cover up what they are really struggling with with words like "lust", because they are so ashamed that they have homosexual thoughts or that they look at porn or that they struggle with some strange perversion...and the environment is often so unwilling to allow that type of confession...that it kills honesty and authenticity.

And part of this problem comes because Christians have tamed certain sins, and demonized others. Homosexual activity is a BBAAAAAAAAAAADD sin to most Christians in America (at least), a far worse sin than PRIDE and GREED (well, that's just nationalism and capitalism in action people say...AKA non-Christian behavior). A person consumed with the worship of himself is like Satan.

But why do we casually say, "oh yeah, he struggles with pride...", but are "heartbroken" or "devastated" to hear that someone struggles with...homosexuality? We need a Biblical perspective on this! Humble yourself!

The fact is that many people sin all day long, excusing each sin by calling it something else, and then wrapping up their own diagnosis with a simple, "well, I'm only human"...and then look at a homosexual, or a rapist, or a pedophile and say, "now that guy though...he's real bad right there..."

Now, arguably murder will have further reaching social ramifications than gossip will. Yes. But in your heart, you murder people every day, it's just not practical for you to physically end their life. Because it would devastate YOUR life. Because...you don't have the guts to go through with a murder. Because...everyone who knows you would be so dissappointed in you.

You hypocrite!

"I would never commit adultery!"

Yeah, you wouldn't, because you are too damned arrogant to allow your beautiful image to be tarnished by such an act. Were no one else to know about it...hear me...were no one else to ever find out about such a thing...you would do it.

Someone said lust was like an acorn...and adultery like an oak tree. The only reason many people don't commit adultery is because they are not a good enough liar to keep it hidden!! Or they fear others would find out...or they fear getting an STD. All legitimate fears...but then they tout themselves up as if they are such a good and moral person, when in reality, Arrogance is what keeps them from more explicit sin!

Ah. so we have defined certain sins as acceptable and others as not. How did this happen? How is it that the overweight preacher stands and preaches against sexual immorality? He ought to preach to himself about gluttony while he's on the treadmill!!

How is it that Greed becomes acceptable if it's "the worthy earnings of a laborer"? Or, I tithed 10%, so I can blow the other 9 million on summer homes!? How does that happen? Devotion to wealth and the security of a job is called a "career"...

"Selfishness" is alright, because it's called "my rights".

Nationalistic, ethnocentric, exclusivistic, cruel animosity, anger, and bigotry against foreigners is ok because "this is "our" nation". It is not your nation. The dirt does not belong to you, it belongs to God. And then all people. You have no ownership of dirt. And as a Christian, you have no claim to a nation which would in any way disenfranchise you toward others thereby effectively eliminating your chance to bring them to Jesus! You have no claim before God!!

"But, but they, I mean...there's a process legally and they didn't...and well...223 years ago there were these men and they were Christians...well some of them were Deistic Masons but...you know...they sort of still believed in God...and well...and I mean, well...America belongs to those who have always been there!!" (But not the Indians!! Progress!! Manifest Destiny!! Amen!!) "Right God?" You agree with ME don't you, Creator of all matter? You are pro-America aren't you God? You like the Wal Marts and the Pornography and casual Christianity, right God? You GAVE "us" America, right? Right? You ARE a respecter of persons, are you not? You DO respect world powers, and consider the veracity of the Materialistic, Greedy, Consumeristic, Self-Worshipping, Arrogant United States of America to be MORE important than the survival of Mexican Families...right? Hmm...

So you see...certain sin is considered "bad". And others most people don't see as sin. But sin it remains.

There's more to come I suppose...

Zachary

You said He had
But your inner self
Whose souls' sand
Never showed His prints
Was more honest than you could be

You said you knew
But I found you didn't
Because others knew
And you could just tell
That...they really knew and you almost did

You said you tried
And of course - you did
And who can accuse one
Of living their life - a certain way
When life is so hard to live at all?

You never pretended
That all was fine
That you were perfect...
But where did the dishonesty come from?
The fear, the facade?
The frozen, silent, quiet, wasted life?

You said life was worth living
But for what...I was at a loss
I had to discover this for myself...
Because sand doesn't lie
As well as you taught me to

My souls' sand longs
To feel the masters feet
Walking and leaving His footprints
All over the desert of my life

To blame is meaningless
Without end, it's worth nothing
But here, to repent, to weep, to recognize
To warn, to change, to be honest for a change
To seek authenticity, reality, humility, brokenness
To love, lead, stand and exemplify
To protect, guard, teach, correct, and shape
To love. To seek truly. To read and know. To pray.

So you see, there is no anger...
For deserts do not choose their feet
But masters choose to dwell where humility lies
And cool waters quench the thirst of this place

My place, your place,

The sand of the soul.

I have talked to some American Christians recently who have expressed the following sentiments:

"It's not like it used to be in America, they've taken God out of the schools"

"They have made prayer ILLEGAL in the schools, and taken the 10 commandments from the government buildings"

"The covenant of Biblical marriage is being threatened by the recent support for homosexual marriage licenses!"

"We need to overturn Roe vs. Wade, to stop abortion in this country!"

"We need a conservative republican as president again who will appoint supreme court justices who will do this or that..."

I disagree with parts of these phrases...because I think they betray a fundamental error in thinking about Christianity and America.

"America has it's roots and foundation from Christan men, who established a country based on Biblical principles...America today is NOT what they had in mind."

Let's agree on something. America is not a Christian nation. It has been called that. And a nation which isn't Christian shouldn't be governed by Christian rules necessarily. Hear me out:

A nation should represent it's people. The "true" founders of America desired a place where people were free to worship...or not. The governing laws over the society should be ones which contribute most to the health, freedom and life of the society. (Libertarian? Yes.)

It is frankly arrogant of Christians (a portion of the population in America) to insist that the government should represent them above the other members of this society. It is one thing to make an argument for a law which has as it's purpose the health and success of this society. But it is another thing to promote certain Christian laws, ignorantly proclaiming "God said so" to people who don't believe in God, therefore the law has no relationship to them, i.e. it doesn't benefit them. Here is an example:

Homosexual "marriage".
Let's get one thing straight first - marriage is from God, and therefore speaking as a Christian about Biblical or "God-given" marriage...homosexuals CANNOT be married before God. They may have a state certificate which says they are...but when did that become legitimate marriage? Are we going to "lose" marriage if this happens? Put yourself in a homosexual couples shoes. They see no real difference between themselves and a heterosexual couple, as far as rights are concerned in this society. They believe that if they are functioning essentially as a married couple, (i.e., they do everything a hetero couple does), then they should be allowed to have the same certificate from the government which the hetero couples get. Again, this government should represent everyone in our society, for the health of the society.

Now, Biblically speaking is Homosexual activity wrong? Yes. Clearly.
Is homosexual activity something we think Jesus can change in a person? Yes, as well as all other sins regarding which Jesus will change our hearts.

Is homosexual behavior societally wrong? Less and less so, as the culture in America becomes less Christian, it is more and more acceptable to be an out-of-the-closet practicer of homosexuality. Can society pass a moral judgment on an activity? I believe the standard for such a decision must be based on the question, "does this help or hurt the society as a whole?" If a person practices homosexuality, does that interfere with your personal freedom? No. In my opinion there is no case for that argument. Now, does this mean that an "agenda" or whatever for pushing a homosexual ideology should be pushed in public schools?
(Christians...don't send your kids to secular public schools if you don't like what they are teaching!!!) Probably not.

But the question should also be asked, should we instead push a Christian "agenda" on people attending secular, government run schools? No. Because first that is not the job of the government, and secondly there is a mix of people at public schools, NOT just Christians.
The education should best represent the values of the society as a whole, and if you think that'd be a messed up school, don't send your kids to it.

Now, that touches on the issue of "God being taken out of the schools" and such...which is interesting considering that the schools are there for the society, not for the Christians in particular. Why should the Christian have any more right to protest secularism, evolution and the like than a Non-Christian has the right to protest Creationism? He doesn't have any more right, he is a citizen like the other.

When a society becomes gradually more and more Godless, as America has become...the change is reflected in the public schools. We should recognize this...but not be shocked by it because it is the natural outcome of societal change. It would be absurd if, as the culture became less and less Christian, they still clung to all the Christian cultural relics (prayer in public schools, 10 commandments over the courthouse, etc...) It is natural for the society to say, "we want the government to reflect us, not Christians, because most of us aren't Christians!" And I think that is right, it is fair for the Government to resemble those it represents.

Now; there are two types of action that we have as believers.

1. Church action (changing the society through gospel)
2. Political/societal action (changing the society through political action)

They are not necessarily interchangeable.
That is what this blog is about .

This could be confusing, let me try to clarify what I mean. What do we as Christians have in common with every other person in America? Humanity, and we're all Americans. Do we have belief in God as a unifying factor? No. Do we have Christianity as a unifying factor? No. Do we have desire to preserve freedom as a unifying factor? I would say pretty much yes. Everyone wants to be able to do whatever the hell they want, and they don't want others impeding on that freedom. This is Libertarianism. Anyone can do whatever they want, so long as it doesn't impose on others freedoms. If you want to kill other people, that impedes on their right to life, and a society in which the citizens kill each other never worked well. Thus, we have a law against it.

Now, how did that law get in there? The Bible? Yes. God is smart you see. His laws are not only good for leading us to Jesus our savior, they are also good for a society. And the reason people who don't believe in absolute truth think Murder should be outlawed is because it's bad for society. And we would agree with them right? MOST of the laws in the Old Testament specifically are good for a society. Are they all good for EVERY society EVERYWHERE? I don't think so. I think the OT laws are really a reflection of ultimate righteousness, which we will not see in a society until Jesus finally establishes His kingdom.

Consider adultery, which used to be illegal and punishable in America, and no longer is. Would it be a good thing for America to have that back as a governmental law? No. Marriage and sexual fidelity are generally seen as an agreement between two people in America (kind of...but things are even fuzzy are far as that is concerned) which can be absolved at will. The divorce rate is over 50%, people think that marital fidelity is optional. Most people in America don't think it should be illegal to commit adultery, it may be frowned upon, or seen as "unethical"...

Or consider the law, "you shall not make idols to worship". Should this be implemented in America today? If people have no belief in God, does this law apply to them? Not in every way it doesn't. Is it still sin in God's eyes for that person to worship an idol, regardless of whether they are a believer or not? Yes. Is it beneficial for that person to stop worshiping these images? Not really, unless that person comes to know Jesus through the law. That is the purpose of the law, as defined in the NT. It's purpose is to bring us to Jesus, to show us how unable we are to keep the law.

The purpose of the law is not to create a moral society.

This is important to recognize, because some Christians would be happy if the society in America were just more moral. Christian friend, what would be the benefit? What good does morality do for a soul which doesn't know Jesus? Doesn't it just produce legalism and moralism, the things which Jesus preached most heavily against? He railed against the Pharisees, the rule keepers, the law keepers, who thought they were justified by their keeping the law.

This brings me around to what I believe is the solution to these problems in the church. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, not Christian laws which everyone should obey.

You want to know something? You could make it so inconvenient to practice homosexuality in America, that it would keep people from being so public about it. You could raise the levels of stigma and hatred and social outcasting so high that people are only homosexuals secretly. "Christian" societies are like this, and America used to be like this. It used to be such a shameful thing to practice homosexuality, that people would suppress the sinful desires they had to be homosexual, or keep it hidden, while keeping up a shell of morality which is utterly false. Whitewashed tomb and all.

Now, if you are talking to an unbeliever, you should never condemn their activity without bringing them also to Jesus and the Gospel. What will happen if you condemn their behavior? They will think that if they just stopped doing this or that thing, then they could be just like you, a Christian. Is that Christianity? Is our religion a list of things to not do, and another list of things to do? Friends, that's what so many unbelievers see Christianity as, because of hypocrites like myself who have condemned non-Christians behavior without giving hope.

Legalism saves no one, only makes people either proud (because they can stop doing "Bad things"), or despairing (because they CAN'T stop doing "Bad things").

So, what is the use of reforming the society in America by any other means than the Gospel? I think there is relatively little use, because you may end up with a "moral" society, which we have had in America...but they are JUST AS HELL BOUND as the most amoral postmodern homosexual democrat(!) you ever met. Jesus hung out with democrats you know. And they loved him. I mean sinners. Same thing.

What use is a "moral" society? Is that what we're called to as Christians? Why do we think the moral, conservative, "prayer in schools" type society can be brought back if we just got the "right" Republican in office? Is our hope in political change? How could political change bring about the profusion of the Gospel in people's lives in America? Really think, what is a homosexuals reaction when they see a Christian pastor arguing against homosexual marriage, on the basis that it's Biblically wrong?!" How can we hold non-Christians to Biblical, Christian standards? Especially when it's done so devoid of love and the Gospel...it's not as if you can include a caveat in the law which says, "when you realize you can't obey this law...that should turn you to Jesus for help"

This is convoluted. I know it's confusing, but please let me know if anything I'm saying is ringing your bell!! I know there are ditches on either side of the correct path of action as far as Christianity is concerned. Am I advocating no involvement in politics? No.

Please comment, disagree, agree, or speculate with me!!

Zachary

...is embarrassing. Isn't it?

I am learning this right now. Early in my childhood I learned that how people thought I was doing, and how I was ACTUALLY doing were two different things. The art of making people believe I was living a certain way was something I quickly became very good at, and am still an expert at today.

See, it's perhaps more important to me for others to THINK I am a mature Christian, than to actually BE a mature Christian. Isn't that strange? Not really according to the Bible.

It seems to be clear in Scripture that often our motivation for doing good deeds is so that others will see them and praise us, not actually because we want to obey God.
Or perhaps the motive for NOT doing something, is that we know how much grief it would cause everyone, and we don't want that to happen.
Consider adultery. I saw something on TV recently, where a man was asked (in front of his wife) if "he would be willing to commit adultery if no one could EVER find out". His response was tragic. This is fascinating, because many Christian men don't commit adultery because they know they run the risk of being exposed...or catching a disease...or whatever the reason might be. So instead a person may resort to something more "harmless" (not really though), such as pornography, or just lusting about committing adultery. These things can be kept perfectly hidden from everyone else (with some effort to cover your tracks of course...), and most likely will not result in you catching a disease.

The problem is when our motivation for "holiness", becomes so many things other than the desire to obey God.

1 John has so much to say about "walking in the light". I take this to mean that, at the end of the day, if you are walking in the light...you have no shameful secrets or hidden things to kill your boldness. How does secret sin kill boldness? Proverbs 28:1 says that "the wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion". I have found that when there is something hidden or secret in me, it kills my boldness. I am constantly wondering, "do people know?" "did someone find out?" It is as if Satan is right there saying, "you have unconfessed sin...you are living a double life...you are a liar...". Having the secret gives Satan power.

There is so much freedom in walking in light before God and others. This means that you actually don't have it all together. That, quite frankly you have done some horrible, ugly things! Shameful things, which mean you are not a perfect little saint, you are actually a horrible sinner, who God loves...but it is a testimony to the world that His love is not upon you BECAUSE you are a good person (because...you aren't).

It is not the case, however, that God wants you to continue in those shameful practices. Exposing sin to the light tends to kill it's power over you. When you are honest with others about what you have ACTUALLY done...the grace of God can move powerfully through that. "IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to CLEANSE us from all unrighteousness."

I am learning the freedom and joy which come from being honest about my sin, particularly with my wife. The result has been confession and brokenness, but GENUINE fellowship and honesty.

As we are contemplating the call to take the Gospel to the city of Portland, God has been working on us. This is one of the ways. I feel blessed in some ways, because there is just about nothing in a person as far as sin is concerned which would shock me...because I've probably done it or contemplated doing it. Because of this, I can relate and say...God loves you despite this! And there is freedom from this, freedom by walking in the light.

Jesus walks in the light, and if we are to walk with Him, we must walk in the light ourselves. This is utterly devastating and humiliating if you have lied much of your life about your sin. Lied by letting other people believe you have it all together. This is the story of my life, but God is gracious and is giving His Holy Spirit in large doses to me. It's really embarrassing actually...just totally devastating to my self pride and esteem. But the foundation of my holiness and life must be Jesus Christ...not that I have my life together.

And God is willing to exalt the humble, but He isn't going to bless the proud.

Some questions for you to consider:

Is there something you have done, which in your mind if others knew about would humiliate and devastate you?
How much energy do you expend making sure you cover your tracks well, so that people won't see what's really going on?
If you believe you are a sinner, why is it that the only sin you want others to know about are "tame" sins, (what I mean is, to say you "struggle with lust" as a young man is not a profound nor embarrassing thing really...because, every young man "struggles with lust". What you are not saying is that you look at porn every night and contemplate visiting a prostitute...because that is just much more humiliating I guess...).

Why are we willing to be secretive and only expose that part of our sin which will not REALLY embarrass us?
We care far too much about what others think of us, more than we care sometimes about what God thinks of us.

Do you believe it would be a blessing from God for Him to expose you, so that you could walk in the light, as He is in the light? I believe that would be a tremendous blessing, and I pray for it to happen more regularly in my own life.

Please pray for:

-Continued authenticity in life
-Clear development of plans regarding church planting in Portland
-That God's Word would stick when we read it
-For opportunities to share the Gospel with others
-For boldness, knowing our authority doesn't come from us, but from God's Word

Thank you all for your prayers and friendship!

Zachary

Let me say first of all, I acknowledge what you said about headship and it's privileges. In my opinion, all those whom I sent this to are mature enough to dialogue about this issue, and so I feel this was an OK move on my part.

My apologies are there for any father who is offended I sent this to their child without consulting them first.

As far as people's traditions and beliefs, I am of the mindset that they need to be challenged when they have become a hindrance to sharing the gospel/hanging out with non-Christians. In a sense my blog was directed to those who seize up and get scared when they hear a non-Christian (or Christian for that matter) use a word that they have been wrongly taught to believe is forbidden by the Bible. I know probably all the people I sent this to are mature enough to see this, but because of the legalistic nature of the human (Christian) heart, and certain denominations within Christianity, it is profitable I believe to dialogue regarding these issues.

Your refusal to properly spell out the words we are discussing confuses me. You have stated you agree with me that,

"""In fact, swearing IS a culturally-unique idiom and is probably borne mostly out of class-segregation and condescension, not Biblical instruction. On that we agree."""

Yet you refuse to type them. You are willing to spell "bloody", which in another culture is offensive (but not mine), and yet not these other words which in certain cultures are offensive (but not mine).

"""The underlying theology beneath this "doctrine" if you will, is that Christians are to be those of "sound speech" (Tit 2:8) and to avoid "idle speech – or… "lazy" (Matt 12:36). I don't believe the "F" word is a sin because I was told so or because I think the Bible says not to use it. But in the same vein of not using God's name to swear an oath or sell something, there are some elements of our intimate lives that ought not to be used in such open, public and vulnerable ways…"""

I agree with you regarding "sound speech", that we are not to be "lazy" and etc...
However, the fact that all people go to the bathroom, and some people use that word to describe something distasteful to them...I see nothing wrong with that whatsoever. I think it is natural, human, and if anything most Christians who disdain those words use similar "sanctified" words, i.e. "crap", "dang", "shoot", and etc., which express the SAME heart intent, but somehow the rearranging of a few letters makes it alright. Hypocrisy.

People like saying these words because they are forceful off of the tongue. They are comprised of Fricatives like "k", "sh", "f", and "d", and "tch", which verbally express something better than "well golly!" I don't think this is sin, but human. These words tend to express better than any other, the reality of what the heart feels.

Regarding Jesus and religion, I would say that He responded very harshly to those who held to a man-made addition to the law, by calling them such things as "snakes", "whitewashed tombs", and my personal favorite, "your dad is Satan".

Paul as well had harsh things to say to those who valued circumcision as a rule too highly. He says essentially in Galatians, "you think you are made more holy by circumcision? Why don't you be REALLY holy and cut the whole thing off?!"

Ouch. That's harsh.

All of that is to say that I don't think respecting and loving someone necessarily entails being "proper" or "polite". Sometimes it is challenging the hypocrisy of their thinking. That's my goal. God gave me that gift I believe.

I don't think you have to include cuss words to "relate" to people. My concern is people who are afraid of those words. If you are so unfamiliar with the "lingo" of the city, and you sit to talk with someone, but are so scared by the language they naturally use that they have difficulty relating to them. I have personal experience with this, that's why it concerns me. I have told non-christians before, "hey, watch your language", or just disdained them because of the language they use. This is pharisaical, legalistic, religiosity. This is NOT the Gospel we are to live and proclaim. I am not saying that a non-Christian should not grow in the words they use, but all of that growth, comes AFTER they meet and fall in love with Jesus, NOT before.

"""Someone can say this is just a matter of interpretation… but then maybe the Gospel is too; the virgin birth; possibly the entire divinity of Christ? I have been able to be/live a witness to unbelievers without having to use language I couldn't use in church. I don't need to conform to confess. Otherwise drugs, lasciviousness, occult ritualism and other "taboos" could be acceptable, if this is what it would take to reach those who live for the world, right?"""

Well, as far as the Virgin Birth, and Divinity of Christ, I think those are relatively clear in Scripture. "occult ritualism", "lasciviousness" are both explicitly condemned. Drugs aren't. We need to use Christian Wisdom for that. Is it loving to use most illegal drugs? No. Furthermore, is it illegal to use them? Yes, and we are to be in submission to our rulers.

I am not advocating doing anything and everything to reach people. I am advocating not adding to Scripture rules which are not there, which are a MASSIVE hindrance to unbelievers. When they see us disallow cigarettes, alcohol, and cuss words...when there is no Biblical basis WHATSOEVER to outright condemn them, they see us as fools, and are completely turned away.

Instead, we need to preach the Gospel to them, which is not "fix up your life and then Jesus will like you", it's "He loves you and He will transform you into His image" - Which may or may not include giving up the formerly mentioned things.

Anyhow, those are some thoughts in response.

Zachary

P.S. The link works just fine for me.

I would like to discuss several of what I feel are inadequate reasons by which Christians don't like swearing/think it's wrong/refuse to do it themselves.

Before reading this you could quickly read this site:

http://www.greatpreachers.org/chr_cursing.html
(note the background)

1. The Bible says "you shall not take the name of the Lord in vain" therefore, any mention of the "name" of God in cussing is a sin.

Wrong.

A. The references here are pertaining to oaths/curses (actual curses you would pronounce upon someone as a way of making a promise). This is not pertaining to "cussing". Don't use the commandment, or Matthew 5:34 where Jesus says "don't swear at all. by heaven, earth, Jerusalem etc." Again, Jesus is referring to oaths here. Don't rashly take oaths, it's foolish! And you shouldn't make a promise and then swear by God to keep it, because you may not keep it, and it looks bad on God. This is not referring to using God's name in slang type conversation.

A side note: Cussing as we know it today in my opinion has morphed from actual curses (i.e. "damn you" was "may you be damned to hell"), has morphed to the more general "damn", so "damn, this is a good cup of coffee" is a natural, VERY culturally appropriate (at least Portland culture) superlative to enhance normal adjectives.


2. "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth..."

WRONG!

Who the hell defines what is wholesome? "the Bible" you say, and I agree...but quite frankly the Bible is more than silent on the particular cultural usages of words, and "unwholesome" could mean we never mention ANYTHING pertaining to ANYTHING that could be in any way construed as anything but "wholesome".

And, quite frankly I don't want the Southern Baptists to define what "wholesome" is, because I just have visions of decaf coffee, and morning quiet times, and KJV bibles just falling from the sky and smacking me in the head, and tracts being thrown in the bathroom stall at me while I'm trying to take a (CENSORED, it's unwholesome...people don't actually do what he was going to say they do...it's a lie).

The problem is taking a specific cultural issue (like cussing), and applying a moral judgment about it to all cultures everywhere. For some people, it is sinning if they say "damn", ever. In fact, there are cultures in which that is inappropriate. Portland, OR is NOT one of those cultures. It is quite unchurched.

________________________________________

Now, an actual critique of cussing could be cussing done in anger...but there the real problem is the anger...not the words being said.

Another valid critique would be it's unloving. This is valid. Love triumphs over cussing.

But, quite frankly, sometimes it is a more loving thing to let a few cuss words fly, to show you are a normal person, with normal emotions, who appreciates language and uses it like a normal human being. Sometimes we alienate ourselves from non-Christians when we act holier than God Himself. God has no explicit command not to say the word "shit" which means "crap" which means, the poop that comes from your (CENSORED)

(that's just so...so...honest, I don't know if I can handle that)

Yeah, well don't think about it then next time you're sitting on the toilet. Hey...guess what that is coming out?? SHIT!!!! Oops, you said it in your mind!

There are other examples which need similar exposition, but this should do for now.

Sometimes, what a pagan needs is someone who will sit next to them, smoke a cigarette with them and love them, and be ok with them dropping some F-bombs if you will. They should not feel pressure to conform to standards which are not even in the Bible.

Above all, I believe Love should rule in the usage of cussing. After Love has been satisfied, personal fun and convenience should be served. I believe if your coffee is really good, and you don't use appropriate superlatives to worship God for it, you are in sin. Just something to think about.

Comments are welcome, and will most likely not be met with cuss words.

Zachary

So, consider for a moment the possibility that a black man could be president in America. Think of the progress for racial unity an accomplishment like that would bring! Be willing to set aside some of your strong political views in acknowledgment that it would be tremendous for unity in America. Then vote for him, because he's going to be the democratic candidate.

In other news, MySpace has an ad which declares, "take the religion test" and "find out which religion is right for you."

Hmm...

Zachary

Argh. I just...argh. Where along the way did the Gospel of Grace get lost?

And when did freedom become legalism?

When did love turn to judgment?

I guess it was like this 2000 years ago when Paul wrote his letters to the church at Corinth, speaking about those issues which are not forbidden by Scripture, but nonetheless are wrong for some people and right for others, depending on your weakness.

I am in Tennessee, deep enough south for me...and the filthy stench of legalism rises from many Christians who have become messengers with no message of hope.

Cigarettes are in no way forbidden by Scripture, they fall under the category of "is it right for me?" And yet the false gospel of legalism preaches loudly at Covenant Transport, "Come to Jesus, but only after you have washed yourself in the filthy mire of self-improvement and legalistic moralism." Run to Him...but not quickly. Wait. Don't run yet. You should probably fix all your problems so that when you meet Him and get to know Him He will like you, and not despise you. Because, as the Bible clearly states: Jesus loves the moralistic, self-righteous people who have fixed all their problems.

FALSE.

GOSPEL.

FALSE + GOSPEL = HELL. (Gal. 1:8)

HELL.

Think about it.

Satan doesn't want you to get anything done with your life. I.E. anything productive. When people love Jesus and live their life well, other people notice! People who have decided they are going to make something of their one life...they are influential people, regardless of whether or not they love Jesus.

But when someone does both...they impact many many more people.

Has it occurred to you that perhaps Satan just wants to keep you busy doing menial tasks? Satan doesn't want you to pursue your dreams of success in this world, or to pursue your relationship with Jesus. As long as you are just barely subsisting in life...just making it from day to day...living trivially...wasting time...being lazy...

One of the enemies tactics is to distract us from the Work God wants us to do. I'm talking about building relationships, businesses, making money, becoming more disciplined, organizing...making your life more efficient...etc...reading books, growing in knowledge...

You've got probably 70-80 years to live, depending on what you do with cigarettes and bacon and your bicycle. It doesn't matter where you've come from...nothing can change the past. The question is, what are you going to do with YOUR life? You have the most control over what you become or don't become. I know we have the tendency to mourn over our past and wish things hadn't been as they were.

We have to leave the past behind, strive to grow in discipline and better living, better trusting in Jesus, better spending of our time and money, better praying for all things, better telling others about Jesus, better repenting of sin, better reading our Bibles.

This can cause legalism if not approached properly. Here's the deal:

You are perfectly free to do whatever you want. In Jesus you have the freedom to do great things in this world. It will not make God love you more, nor will it decrease your chances of going to hell. You can become a great, influential, wealthy, prayer warrior person, whatever the hell you want to do with your life. Having humility doesn't mean you can't become a great person. Just be humble when God takes you to positions of greatness and power.

Anyway, just some thoughts.