Mature Christian?

A post from 07 - http://camelotsdream.blogspot.com/2007/11/being-mature-christian.html 

I attended a community leaders meeting the other night and the associate pastor presented Col 1.28 as a key scripture to support community or Sunday school.  Now as he spoke I was thinking back to my master’s thesis.  The subject was on Sunday school and the focus of that gathering.  Outreach was one, fellowship was another leg of the triangle, but for the life of me I could not remember the third but it was teaching – duh.  

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect* in Christ Jesus:

Anyway I was looking at the scripture and depending on the version or translation, the words differ.  In the NIC, KJ, NKJ, and the NLT, the word is perfect.  Whereas the NAS uses “complete,” the CEV, TEV, HSC, and ESV uses the word “mature.”  

The idea here is not to take the scripture out of context but I do want to raise some concerns that I was exposed to in my early years.  The word perfect has been a word I think as been taken totally wrong based on this scripture and the various translations.  What is “perfect?”  When I was an associate pastor in South Dakota I was in a different town at a youth function.  I took a break from it and went for a cup of coffee.  One of the men that lived in the town who went to church there was upset about his salvation experience.  “I guess I will never make it to heaven.”  What do you mean, you accepted JC as your Lord and Savior and you know you are saved by grace! “Yes, but pastor W sat down with me and told me that unless I gave up smoking and became an active member of the church, I was not going to heaven.”  Uhm, I almost went carnal and explicit at the same time.  What do you mean, here is what the scriptures say, you are saved by grace and your name is already on the invite list.  “No, according to Pastor W, I won’t make it to heaven until I am perfect and unless I am like him, I will never be perfect.”  Knowing pastor W I knew W was really stupid or he was in sin by smoking some Mexican agriculture.  Listen, the path is going to be a tough one.  It is a learning path and you need to be taught the ways to become better, more mature. And personally I would not want you to be perfect like W.  Do you feel like you are learning?  “Not really because all he is concerned about is tithing and saving. The quarterly’s not really working for me.”  I suggested a couple of other churches (outside the denomination we were associated with) where he could really learn.  

I have always had a problem with the word perfect or perfection.  I have seen those push for perfection but have not really taught or probably never really understood the concept of perfection as being one mature in the Word. These are the individuals that have a rules book of do’s and don’ts and try to keep those.

I like the word mature much better as it indicates that we are not perfect (although perfected through grace) and that we will need to mature in our Christian walk. It is true that Sunday school should be a time of learning, digging into the scriptures to assess our own lives and to see how we are growing.  As a new Christian we take to the milk and whey as we learn and develop, but like humans we grow we need more to mature.  Some individuals grow faster than others.  Some get hung up on a few choruses to reach “karma” while others eat the true meat of the scriptures putting substance to their walk.  We need to be mature and teach others maturity.  Read the scripture in context now – you will understand what I mean.  See vs 9-12.

“Nuf said.

My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian.
Robert E. Lee

From one of my other blogs - The greater good - a post from back in 2009

The question is raised – what is life all about? What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? The student states that her head is spinning out of control as she looks at what is happening in the world. She sees one side of health care reform and thinks it is very good. Yes, I am healthy, she says. But then she is exposed to the other side that speaks of how older members of society, the crippled, those born with defects could be led to suffer because the cost of caring for them will be too much. She realizes that Nana would be dead by now if there was a dollar limit on her care – basically her worth to society. 
Doc, you say that there two ways to look at this whole issue – freedom or free will and determinism. Ok, if there is free will, why are we choosing to put a price tag on life? But if it is determinism and through events this is the path that a superior being has put in motion, then we can’t stop “it” but only live it out?

From the wiki, we find that the greater good is part of the utilitarian philosophy. There we find the topics of moral worth of an action, consequentialism, happiness, pleasure, life stance and more. Just an overview of the wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism) provides some insight to some various levels of utilitarianism. One of the key issues of the greater good is whether we accomplish actions for the greater good or for our own pleasure or intentions. Whether we are talking of war or writing about health care reform, one must look at the outcome from a utilitarian perspective as to what is the greater good. Human life in total is for the greater good. Terminating a life because it is costing too much is a bit of an extreme, but there are those that look at human life in that very way. Then what is the greater good? What is the greater good of God? 
Isn't God the sugardaddy of the sky and nothing bad is to happen to us? Why then is there suffering and why are we having a discussion on whether cancer is an elective medical condition or not? What does the Bible say about the greater good? My recommendation is to read Ecclesiastes in total. As students tell me as they read the first few chapters, geez this is discouraging - even Solomon looked at life in a questioning mode. But just like any good book, be sure to read the last chapters. They provide some insight that is needed to answer this question of the greater good. 


Not much of a heavy metal guy, but I came across some Iron Maiden music whilst looking for some music videos for an upcoming philosophy class. I found the lyrics to much of the music they play. Very interesting. Here is one that seemed to fit the topic of the greater good. Ponder this…

Iron Maiden “For the Greater Good of God”
Are you a man of peace 
Or a man of holy war 
Too many sides to you 
Don’t know which anymore 
So many full of life 
But also filled with pain 
Don’t know just how many 
Will live to breathe again 

A life that’s made to breathe 
Destruction or defense 
A mind that’s vain corruption 
Bad or good intent 
A wolf in sheep’s clothing 
Or saintly or sinner 
Or some that would believe 
A holy war winner 

They fire off many shots 
And many parting blows 
Their actions beyond a reasoning 
Only God would know 
And as he lies in heaven 
Or it could be in hell 
I feel he’s somewhere here 
Or looking from below 
But I don’t know, I don’t know 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

More pain and misery in the history of mankind 
Sometimes it seems more like 
The blind leading the blind 
It brings upon us more famine, death and war 
You know religion has a lot to answer for 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

And as they search to find the bodies in the sand 
They find its ashes that are 
Scattered across the land 
And as the spirits seem to whistle on the wind 
A shot is fired somewhere another war begins 

And all because of it you’d think 
That we would learn 
But still the body count the city fires burn 
Somewhere there's someone dying 
In a foreign land 
Meanwhile the world is crying stupidity of man 
Tell me why, tell me why 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

For the greater good of God (x8) 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

For the greater good of God (x8) 

He gave his life for us 
He fell upon the cross 
To die for all of those 
who never mourn his loss 
It wasn’t meant for us 
to feel the pain again 
Tell me why, tell me why 

Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. 

The Socialist Party candidate for President of the US, Norman Thomas, said this in a 1944 speech: "The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But under the name of liberalism, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." He went on to say: "I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform." 

"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." ~~Margaret Thatcher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns-fQRnm9sk&feature=related 

Change could be good for Churches and congregants

I recently read an article that stated one should change churches every 5 years.  I laughed at that because in the 80s the same subject came up in a leadership magazine.  Being a student working on a masters in ministry I brought the article to class to share and ask opinions.  Well, that was as well received as the news of a new plant in the Dallas Fort Worth area that was going to meet in a store front in a non-traditional way and (gasp) no Sunday school, just home groups.

As I have stated in posts past, the past 4 years, or maybe last 6 years has opened my eyes to a lot of variation of worship.  We have the traditional, liturgical, and contemporary.  We wear suits and shorts, broughams and sandals, and more. 

But one of the issues we encounter is what we are used to or what we believe is the biblically approved way of worship.  “You didn’t sing the doxology after offertory. You always sing the doxology after offertory.” Of course one of my pet peeves is communion.  Oh boy, the arguments over that.  I learned quite a bit about the arguments when I took a class at Abilene Christian, which happens to be a Churches of Christ university.  Many from the Cambellite persuasion in the Christian church attend there as well.  One cup vs multiple cup vs frequency and placement in the service.

What does your financial future look like

I have to write that check to Maryland. But that is the only check I have to write which is a change from the many years past.

The bride read to me the other day a report that stated one third of the people surveyed did not have a retirement savings or a retirement plan. That is disconcerting. And it might be how the government will sell the forced retirement savings plan, similar to AHA. You have keep your current retirement plan if you like it and keep your broker type of thing.

Read that someone had a good testimony that their plan under Dave Ramsey worked for them and they are debt free. Of course there is that one 2012 post that is making its rounds on social media, again, about the evils of Dave Ramsey. (side note: I have never heard him say or have read anything about if you follow his plan you will be rich. Out of debt, yes, but never rich unless you want to be)

Well, we were doing the Dave Ramsey plan long before Dave Ramsey. I call my plan "I did not want to live like my parents" plan. I think it started when I found out my mother was spending my money I was sending back to be put in my bank account.

The plan is not unlike what you might read in the book, The Millionaire Next Door. He is the guy across the street that is still driving that buick he had when he was active duty and stationed in Alaska, and that was 30 + years ago. The Millionaire Next Door is a good book to read by the way.

1. Set money aside each payday - I tried when I was a kid with the Christmas savings the bank had but then the union would go on strike and I would have to fess up my share. But when I found out mothers are not trustworthy bankers I established an account just for savings and made a point to put in after figuring out what I was going to spend for the pay period. We did that after we were married and each raise went into savings which brings me to

2. Don't live beyond your means - oh boy, that meant we paid cash or did not get it until we could. Larger items like the rings were put on a credit system that did not allow us to have those until we had the money. But helped establish a credit report that was positive. The washer and dryer was on a 90 day same as cash. The lady at Montgomery Wards was upset when she found out what we were doing.

It also meant that we drove used but functional vehicles. We also when not renting or living in base quarters bought a house that we were comfortable with the payments, not what the real estate agent felt we could pay.

3. Pay off the credit card monthly - if you are putting more on the card than you are getting in, you are either a politician or not assessing what you are spending your money on.

4. Re evaluate educational goals - between TA, VA, grants, and accumulated savings we were able to be free of a number of degrees - ours and the kids. Community college is where I stress students starting out if they do not have full rides or tuition reductions. It also helps the student to constantly evaluate concentration and degree. One of the bigger costs is when the student changes degree focus.

5. Re assess your financial goals.

I know there is more to add but chew on this for a while.

Perfect society?

I gave my students an assignment, describe your perfect society.  This is very similar to another one I assign in my other classes, describe your perfect island.  Both are associated with some ideology of philosophy. 

Sometimes the response is “free education”. 

So my answer comes from looking at history when “education” assuming higher education was for more of an elite crowd or in some circles theological understanding.  So what is my answer (for those Bernicators), for the most part education is free.  What we do with what we learn - and how do we learn?

At this point I mention some bit of information regarding how most institutions are set up.  We [S]it in a classroom that was designed with a 1914 factory setting?  Now what do I mean?  Most classrooms were designed with the industrial age design of work practices.  I remember sitting in a classroom in Cheraw, CO waiting for the whistle to blow to let us know when it was lunch time and when it was time to be released to go home.  From kindergarten to university our classrooms are designed that way. That is unless you {gasp} enter the environment of Montessori or home school. Alternatives to such settings that I experienced with SNU, OU, and ERAU were not norms for academic institutions that are presented over by old ghostly administrators.

Spoke to a guy the other day as we were on a deck of a motel in Woodland Park as I was taking pictures of the Peak.  Retired from the NYC sanitation department at 50.  No high school education, just a degree in hard knocks.  School did not interest him and school offered him nothing that he could get on his own.  Works as a consultant.

Reminds me of a Ferrier, one that shoes horses that I met.   His education came from observation and being an apprentice.  Hate to think what he is charging now.  Blacksmiths, plumbers, and body shop owners.  I heard the advert of a place in Pueblo.  Yep, his education came from the U of Hardknocks. 

What would we use our free education to attain?  Maybe a degree in women’s study.  What will the market hold for a degree of that nature?  At a BS or BA level anyway.  Would that mean then a Masters should be free? 

Interesting how many people that I have met over the years that work as webpage designers, software designers, and computer repair that have no hard science degree, maybe some  courses necessary to complete a certification.  Trade and votech programs have seemed to work for years.  Take a look at an auto mechanic, a carpenter, landscaper, or a painter.  There was that sous chef that started out watching grammy cook and working her uncle’s small greasy spoon. 

My goal as I graduated high school was to never go back to school.  That changed when I got a taste of a non-factory set type of alternative or non-traditional school.  I pursued what I wanted with a goal in mind.  Surprisingly in many cases where I made it was not so much my degree but what I learned along the way.  A number of my jobs were more focused on what I learned on the job.

Free education? Education is never free, it takes time, effort, and a desire to learn.  Let me give you an example.  Out there right now are MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses, that are offered free or very inexpensive.  I have heard more people state that they do not have time or interest.  Yet, “give me free education.”

This is a perspective that there is an assumption that college is a necessity. It isn’t.  Just my opinion.

Education is the passport

Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.

You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.

Don’t be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn’t do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn’t know what you know today.

We are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us.

There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time.

They put your mind right in a bag, and take it wherever they want.

A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself.

If you’re not ready to die for it, put the word ‘freedom’ out of your vocabulary.

I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they’ll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action.

You don’t have to be a man to fight for freedom. All you have to do is to be an intelligent human being.

I am not a racist. I am against every form of racism and segregation, every form of discrimination. I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color.

Cornbread and Beans

In conversation it came up about some who feel that where they worship is not inviting and maybe even cliquish.  I will not disagree but it happens at schools, service organizations, and other assemblies of people. And I have left places in a very angry or irritated mood.  “Why can’t we just get along?”

I was thinking about this last week before Christmas after we went to a party of a Sunday school class that for a number of years we were actively involved until we moved away.  When we decided to attend the class again after settling in there were some changes but for those that knew us it was picking up where we left off.  Now observation was that we were kind of invading and had not done our just dues to move to an “elevated” yuk it up.

That really became obvious when we are at the party and when I could see this was not going quite like it should I did some things that were reminiscent of the old days. This little ole introvert, you ask?  Yep.  There were some side comments as to who was this guy and how would or could he do this?  Did change the mood of the party for the better now that people understood how the activity was to move along. (I really miss that triple dipped apple though, that really got things going, but…)

I had been at my first duty station for a few weeks when I made contact with a church and a couple would pick me up.  But that was not working out.  It was obviously I had a certain someone on my mind and the husband would respond “but that was back when we were in love” when she asked why she didn’t get flowers for Valentine’s Day. But that is for a different post.  So with that I called another congregation and was able to attend a church in Parker, FL. 

The pastor after church asked if I wanted to stay for dinner.  Not knowing I had someone special and he had a daughter (no that was not the reason but I like throwing it in for effects) he invited me to Sunday dinner.  Oh boy the wife was upset and I heard the “conversation” not unlike the other “conversation” about the only thing they had to offer was a plate of cornbread and beans. 

Cornbread and beans.  Now that was a meal and a half.  I never thought I would miss some home cooking like that and later on the bride and I would have single airmen and others over for a meal that sometimes was cornbread and beans.  We for a time even had that after church in Okinawa with the families and such just as a way to just get together.  Tried it in Texas but you just can’t have cornbread and beans without some good ole Joe Allen type of Texas BBQ. Mouthwatering brisket with a big baked potato and …  You know in California there is this stuff called Santa Maria BBQ that makes a grown man drool like a teething baby.

Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, it is about fitting in.  Breaking bread together and enjoying each other.  We are a scattering of introverts, extroverts, shy, boisterous, broken, fearful, someone is sitting in my seat, and some crazy humans. 

Now I failed at Dale Carnegie’s making friends and influencing people.  Well, it is not failure if you do not bother trying, ah, anyway. 

How do we create that cornbread and bean dinner?  How do we bring people in without the expectation of paying their dues or fitting in?  

Just something to think about.

Mother's Day, Birthdays, or Valentine's Day - no difference

I woke up last Thursday thinking about this but did not write out my commentary.  However I am thinking of all the men that are in “time out” or have been demoted to PCO 3^rd Class because they “forgot” about yesterday or misread the significant other.

A friend posted last week, “I may need some female advice. My wife ________ said that she "does not want anything for Valentine's Day". I think that it maybe a trap.”

Ok, well, take it from a guy (forget the female advice) that just celebrated the first date 44 years ago that without a doubt that is a trap, it is the Venus flytrap, the Praying Mantis’ final words, the reason there is an Instagram page called “miserable men”.

If you have marked on a calendar the anniversary of your first open fluctuant in company and you did not stop by Taco Bell and pick up a burrito grande to bring home, you are gum stuck to her favorite shoes.  

Unless you both signed a pre-nup that states you are excused from remembering any anniversary or Hallmark moment, you are obligated to ensure your significant other receives a reminder of such.  If you walk in the house and the wife asks where the flowers are (dozen roses) the best answer is, “I just wanted to stop before I picked up the best bouquet that will match your beautiful eyes this very moment” and then make like buttery to the nearest florist or Safeway.

Unless your religion prohibits celebration of events you must, right now, put on the smart phone ticklers that will remind you that you have to plan and if necessary purchase that anniversary, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthday, and any other day that is significant. 

And for fathers, you must show your children how to respect and honor the very person who when you first looked into her eyes and could see your children how special she is.

Dad was not one for jewelry or bling

Dad was not one for jewelry or bling.  I would suspect my mother had something to do with that, but that is another story. 

But after our visit with him in October he made a request that he wanted a necklace cross.  I was not aware of it but this is something he wanted.  A staff member of the nursing facility he was residing went to the mall to find my Dad a cross.  He wanted a gold one.  The cross she found was a designed cross with crimson and the inscription of the Lord’s Prayer. 

He made sure people that visited him saw the cross.  A grandson talked about this. 

When the body was picked up from the residence facility that cross was clutched in his hands.

He was buried wearing that cross.

I learned when taking New Testament religion at Abilene Christian was DBR.  Every Campbellite in that class used DBR.  Ok, I needed to know what they were saying because I would have to defend what I learned up north at SNU. Death, burial, and resurrection = DBR.  Not unlike what we believed but the idea that all three had to exist in order for salvation to come.  Take one out and the events would not happen as we know today.  Something we never talked about otherwise.  But something we need to know.

Resurrection does not happen unless there is death.  The burial was a must by law and through scriptures to fulfill Old Testament prophecy. So death, the burial, and with the stone rolled away, resurrection.  The death did not come but by the cross.  

Samson the sinner

Samson was not a hero

I remember growing up and hearing that Samson was a hero.  Well, this last week in our small men’s study we began our chapters in Judges written about Samson.  The question was raised, can we call Samson a hero?  My answer? No.

Who was your hero?  Ok, how do you define a hero?  I was listening to a guy on the radio talk about who his hero was, his dad.  But he stated that working with youth today so many look upon one as their hero a rap artist, a sports person, and even a drug dealer.  The heroes are those that have the money and the clothing and well, a life that is temporal. 

My hero, uhm, Superman, the George Reeves Superman.  But he committed suicide.  Superman is not supposed to die.  Hank Aaron and Willie Mays but a lot of good that was when I did not play baseball.  There weren’t too many I would say.

Utilitarianism and Today

Last Saturday in class the discussion transitioned from searching for God to Ethics.  Now ethics is one that takes everything we have discussed up to this point in the semester and develops much of how we proceed in our ideologies.  As with each class I begin with “what do you believe”, “why do you believe what you believe”, and “how do you support your beliefs”.

With ethics come 4 basic theories: Divine Command Theory, Utilitarianism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics. So we consider whether we are in harmony with God’s commands, our actions are morally right if it maximizes over all wellbeing or happiness, morally right if the motive of the action is good, or if the individual has the virtues to perform the action. 

The ideologies are virtue, right, utility, and care.  Each related to one or more of the 4 theories we discuss in ethics.  And that always raises some questions that require some serious critical thinking.  So whether you are talking politics or feminism or right-to-life we have to determine what our – OUR – reasoning be it egoism or altruism.  “Why did you work at the soup kitchen Saturday?” “Because there are so many needy people that deserve to receive a meal.” “So the push for community service as part of your annual performance eval has nothing to do with this?”

Virtue is a topic that I have heard in this political season and I must respond with my best Inigo Montoya imitation and state; “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”  There are 4 questions one should ask regarding virtuous actions; Is this who I want to be, Is this the best we can be or do, Will this policy promote the kind of community or environment we want to live in, and, What are our best purposes? Principle before privilege is one statement that is identified with virtue. Another philosopher states that an unexamined life is not worth living. 

One of my favorite topics is feminism but I won’t dwell on the topic in this discussion, except to note that many people have confused the definition of the ideology to the point of ridiculousness. However the next favorite in this study of ethics is that of utilitarianism.  And here is where I see so much happening in today’s society that seems to be revolving around the idea that everyone wants everyone else to be happy. 

One of the maxims that is identified with utility is that an act, rule, or policy is to be followed or obligatory is when compared to alternatives and if it produces the greatest utility for all involved.  So the term ‘for the greater good’ is associated with utility.  There are 3 questions to consider; what are the consequences in terms of suffering or the reverse, does any alternative action have a greater net benefit, and has the interest of every being potentially affected been equally considered?

It is these questions along with the maxim that an action is permissible that causes no harm to others and harm can only be justified by the greater good.

So I am reading all the news and thoughts about the bathroom legislation.  One side looks at this with the idea that the governing body or management has enacted a greater good policy.  I mean with one city having 26 thousand registered sex pervs to an extremely low number of transsexual, who is benefiting from the greater good argument?  Sounds like Hitler when Jews were to be exterminated for the greater good.  Who’s greater good? 

So I am reading through one of my texts I use and the basics of utilitarianism is that of human happiness is the ultimate moral good, and actions should be evaluated in the light of their consequences.  Oh boy, and there is much to be said about pleasure and happiness.  So one of the 26k sex pervs gets pleasure but will not be happy when he gets his head caved in by a former UFC fighter that saw him go into the ladies restroom after his young daughter.  Or as one philosopher stated, utilitarianism is not easily compatible with our thinking about moral rights.

There is so much more I could write on this subject but I won’t right now. 

Part II

How is utilitarianism working out?  From one of the references I used in class the authors’ states that utility desires a view or a look in to the future and determine the consequences of the actions or decisions made.  The problem is that the future is an infinite.  In other words we never see the infinite.  But let’s say the action of today is changed or undone in 5 years.  What will be the impact?  We are seeing that with our constitutional rights.  How much future do we know?

So with the basics of pain is bad and pleasure is good we seek pleasure for everyone.  One of the down ticks is that what might be pleasure for you might not equal pleasure for me.  We try to establish an objective view but then we have a problem establishing such.  And who cares if there is more pain or if there is more pleasure? 

Such a challenge and a force to be reckoned with.