Maybe I Was Right

Before I went on vacation, I was thinking about what is wrong with culture today and hit upon the idea that a lack of character maybe behind a great deal of today’s problems both within and outside of the Church.  This was more so driven home to me when I picked up the newspaper in Tucson.

Commanding a great deal of the paper was the story of an Army officer whom had met a local woman over the internet.  They corresponded for some length of time before they both flew to meet one another.  They hit it off great and before he was shipped off to Afghanistan – they became engaged.

Their internet relationship grew to the point of inappropriate emails, and here is where the woman’s brother steps in, he smelled a rat and began a simple internet investigation.  Near as he could find – the guy was already married with a family.

Devastated, the woman called the base in Afghanistan and asked if the man was married – the chatty party on the other end not only told her that he was but that he was currently in Tokyo with his wife on R&R.

And, oh by the way, he was the camp chaplain…..

I had to read this story three times, not believing my eyes!  Here is a man supposedly representing God and His work, whom is involved in adultery, pornography, deceit and lying at the very least.  What a witness!

Is it any wonder this kind of situation occurs when we have no qualification of character expected from our shepherds?

I am absolutely flabbergasted…….

Churches really need to brush up on their qualifications for anyone in leadership or eldership (hint: read the Timothy’s and see what is not happening today in the Church!).

Clueless In Seattle

This a little long but trust me, it will be worth it.  I will continue posting the little stories about people I have met.  But this is just too priceless to not post today!!!!!

So, I went down to the front desk to get a paper and a pleasant young lady presented herself.  “You know, you seem to be a really nice guy.”

Arching my eyebrows, I wonder where this is going, “So I am told, but you have only seen me at best a few times.  What makes you think I am nice at all?”

“The maid told me.”

Uh?  “The Spanish lady?  I do not think I have said much more than ‘hi’ to her.”

“She is Mexican and she says you are nice.”

“Okay, I will bite.  How does she know I am nice?”

“She just does.”

“But, how?”

“She says you have not had any visitors…..”

Pregnant pause on her side told me the meaning was buried in this conversation somewhere and probably dealt with women.  I cleared my throat, “So, you get very many nice guys through here?”

“No, you might be the first.”

“Yeah, traveling guys are pretty awful lot if you ask me.”

“Could you talk to a friend of mine?”

“What is up?”

“Uhm, she just needs someone to talk with and since you are a nice guy….. well, maybe you could help her….”

My brain attacked this one from about a dozen different angles.  “Okay, can she meet me for dinner in the restaurant?”

“I will see…”

Scene change.  Inside of restaurant, 5:00.  Two young women were there to meet me.  They introduced themselves, the female in question was quite a nice looking Asian – I was to learn she had been a beauty queen and did not doubt that…

“I need your help.”

“Well, what is it you think I can help you with?”

“I have overstayed my student visa and I can not go back home without my college degree!”

“How long were you here?”

“Four years.”

“How much more do you have to go?”

“Two years.”

“What happened?”

She looks down and turns red.  Friend chimes in, “Too much partying.”

“Ouch!  You know I do have some friends at the State Department, but I really do not know if they can help you….”

“No, no, no official!  I will be in bigger trouble if the Ambassador finds out!”

“Why would he care?”

“My father is very important in the Thai government.  He would hear instantly if something went wrong with my education!”

“So, what is it you are thinking of doing then?”

“I will marry you and in two years leave you to go back home.”

“Marry ME!”

“Yes, it is ok.  I will give you $5,000 to marry me now.  And I will even go on honeymoon with you – if you want.  I can even cook and clean for you for two years….”

Here I was forced to interrupt.  “I think marriage is a very sacred thing and I should only marry the woman I will spend my life with.”

“You not gay are you?”

“No, but this is not a good idea!”

“If you no marry me, probably someone else will and he will probably take my money and beat me.”

“You get beaten a lot?”  I was thinking of the beatings her father should have given her!

She made a disgusted sound. “No!  We are talking about you marry me!”

“I can not.  And really think this is a bad idea…”

She looks at her friend, “What am I to do?  You found me honest man!”  Turning to me, “I might be able to get you more money through my mother.  How much do you want?”

“No amount of money could buy me,” my soul shuttering at how much I could really use some cash this Christmas, “I can only marry for love and for a lifetime.”

“No, no, no, no!  Only two years then I go away.”

“Well, what if you found that you loved me in return?  You would not stay?”

Now she looked at me indignantly.  “No, I am engaged to rich man back in Thailand.  I go home and marry him in two years!”

Okay, us silly westerners both stared at her with open mouths. 

That one was worth the cost of three dinners just for its pure entertainment value…..  I will probably still be laughing over this one thirty years from now (might even kick myself later on in the day…)

Humanities

I was never awarded my doctorate in theology, because I never was awarded my master’s in apologetics, because I never finished either of my bachelor degrees in computer science nor apologetics.  There is this little course requirement called Humanities…..

I failed to see in 1975 what music, pottery, basket weaving or human sexuality had to do with computer science.  Well, the latter one might have prepared me for office politics I guess!  Anyway, I just flat refused to play the game.  Twenty years later when I had my doctorate requirements exceeded in apologetics, my dean asked me to please get the humanities credit done.  I just can not.  I have twice the credits to receive any degree in any of these subjects, plus 33 years experience as well – but still will not compromise myself to get that silly piece of paper – if I have to take humanities.

Humanities is not exactly a Soviet plot but it is a fascist requirement of a bureaucracy gone mad with power.  Welcome to even Christian education, where apparently taking human sexuality will help me be a better Christian or a more effective witness because I now understand I am a sexual animal and should breed like one at every opportunity!  (Since this is family oriented, I will pass on what I might have said.  Grrr!)  Or better yet the thought that someone with documented “no musical ability” should take piano or guitar to get the credits!  Like either of those classes would be passed by someone whom is rhythmically challenged?

So, why did this come up?  Because I hate psychology.  Every person I know whom has ever taken any psychology class ends up trying to “fix” everyone around them.  And with that said, I picked up two books for my trip which I have now completed. 

The first, Drawing On The Artist Within, opened very interestingly and closed very interestingly as well.  To bad the majority of the book had to occur though.  I thought it was about Drawing – not the psychology of drawing.   It delved far too deeply into psychology and brain function to be of any interest to me.  However, what it left for me to think on for many hours was how well they could show me all of those traits about myself which set me apart from my peers through all of my life.  If I could add the now interesting little test on the web which showed I was pretty balanced between my left and right brain (and I sort of made fun with at the time) – it all makes much more sense now at how God saw fit to create me.  What makes me – me: the artist within and the dark reflective side that scares me at times.  It scares me because I have always understood that side and the natural man it controls.

The second book was of more interest, Art & Fear.  I will probably read this one another two or three more times just to understand it more fully.  Written by artists, for artists, about artists and why we are successful or fail. 

Probably not their intention, but I started to understand more fully the differences between the European mindset and the American.  For the natural man it is Culture versus “ME”.  Why Americans must run red lights, block intersections, race for parking spots, take handicapped parking for a “quickie” in the store/library/whatever.  It is all about “ME”.  And though that is not the purpose of the book – it lays it bare so plainly.

Fascinating.

The Image of God

You and I are made in the image of God.  If you are lucky, you look nothing like me and may have even gotten a date while in high school!  We both have fingers and toes, etc.  But, that is not what the Bible is talking about when we are told in whose image we are made.  Each of us has a spirit and that spirit is what is in the image of God.  (Yes, I know, if you are of an American 20^th century faith system, you may well believe God has fingers and toes….  We must respectfully disagree at this point – but keep reading anyways.)

So, if we are created in the image of God, then it stands to reason this must make us as humans to have an inherent value before God – and should before one another as well.  Where am I going with this?

Well, I have been rather troubled this year over the handling by the press, talking heads and just general discussions with friends over the deaths of James Brown, Gerald Ford and Saddam Hussein.   And here are my concerns:

James Brown was a talented singer many will concede.  However, I can remember never having heard a single positive thing about this man.  Troubling thing to say, but bad press generally does get the reader’s attention.  With all of his problems revolving around drugs and violence I have read about, I would not want him for a neighbor!

Gerald Ford has been constantly lauded as the bringer of peace and closure to the Nixon era.  I wonder how many actually remember his tenure in office?  We can thank him for the assassination of the president of Chile and decades of bloody rule following American intervention there.  We can thank him for the mess in Iran and Iraq.  And let us not forget his pardoning of Nixon for obstruction of justice and letting the little guys take the fall.  Of course, he also bombed flat Cambodia over the taking of a spy ship – good job!  So, at least he did one thing right in my book.  But then he allowed the military to throw the book at the commander of the ship, for following orders!  Outside of his office work, he was on the Warren Commission which botched the Kennedy assassination investigation leaving us with more questions than answers over what really happened and why did the US government need to lie?  Yeah, quite a resume.  With his elitist attitudes and dishonesty, I would not want him for a neighbor either!

And now we reach Saddam.  There is no question he should have been brought down decades ago, maybe never even allowed into power – he could have been stopped rather easily were it not for the Cold War.  How many millions’ blood are on his hands?  We may never know.  And the press cheered his departure or at least has made the most out of it.  Definitely, I would move out of the neighborhood if he moved in!

What does this have to do with the image of God?  Well, do we honor that image when we lie about the deceased?  Man seems to want to remember well about everyone once they die – unless, of course, they have already been vilified publicly - like Hitler, Stalin or Mao.  I am sure families have shed tears, perhaps in secret, for each of these men – as well they should.  Life is precious, even for the likes of Saddam.  I do not moan the loss of life for someone like Saddam, but I do for the possible loss of their soul into eternity.

I would not claim to know the spiritual state of James Brown or Gerald Ford prior to their deaths.  Due to the culture in which they have lived, they had ample opportunity to have made their peace with God. 

And, what of someone like Hussein?  I wonder if anyone in the Army units which held him offered to speak with him about salvation.  I know this is so terribly politically incorrect of me to even think!  The world wanted him dead and they got it.  But, even a man of such destruction, as he was, still needs to hear the word of the true God and was deserving of our prayers.

Take a moment today and remember the leaders of your country, state, city, church, etc in prayer – for God’s wisdom to be theirs, for their salvation as needed, for the softening of their hearts.  Then, remember your enemies in prayer – anyone whom you dislike, pray for them!  And if you are like the many, pray for God to open you heart, to respect that image of Himself.

Remember, prayer changes things …….

Honey, Cover Those Up!

I learned on Saturday what Diedre had been up to last week.  She had taken oldest daughter off to get photographs of grandmother with OD and the baby.  Diedre is often intuitive and was thinking my grandmother would not be able to make Christmas with the family as my uncle is planning!  Of course, no one ever tells me anything around here!

I guess she is right from the pictures she showed me.  Grandmother is not conscious most of the time these days.  The visit did not go very well as grandmother could not stay awake and even fell asleep while holding the baby.  She also did not recognize OD, which upset her from what I was told.

So, Saturday night Diedre and I are sitting in a pub (family and food area, booze on the other side of a short wall) discussing this.  I was of course a little sorrowful.  Eventually, two bosomy young women came in and sat at the table next to us.  Now mind you it was obvious these young women were looking for action and had dressed most, uhm, provocatively with not much left inside their blouses.

Our food eventually arrives and I said a short, quiet blessing over it, as I always do.  Now I hear this, “Oh my God!” from the table next to us and turn to see young woman number one hastily buttoning her shirt while number two has grasped her breasts crying, “But, I have no more buttons!” and rushes out of the dining area, closely followed by the other.  Everyone had a great laugh over that one!  A few teenage boys looked dejected though.

So I guess the best way to encourage modesty, is through prayer?

Later Diedre commented that I had shown amazing restraint by not staring at them as every other male was doing.  But, you know honestly, I was in so much pain by then nothing would have turned my head except a morphine dispenser!  Besides, what did those young women have to offer?  I will stick to my belief that a woman dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt is the best looker around…  (Of course, that would also be no woman I have ever met.)

I know, I know, I am twisted, warped, sick, demented.