Comments on: How Far Will We Go?

By: Christian Carnival CLXIV

Christian Carnival CLXIV — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:46:24 +0000

[...] Bald Man presents How Far Will We Go?, as he sees the witness of Jesus calling Christians to more than the American Dream, but to live in [...]

By: Bald Man

Bald Man — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 05:59:33 +0000

Sorry, I have an addendum…

I don’t hold the Republican party in any special contempt; they’re doing what political parties do: pursue power and wealth through the political process. My contempt is aimed at the religious figureheads who were either duped themselves or chose to dupe their followers.

By: Bald Man

Bald Man — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 05:56:30 +0000

That, my friend, it a great question; and one many Christians – including myself – are asking.

My short and customarily cynical response is that the Religious Right have allowed Christianity to be defined by a hand full of issues – abortion, gay rights, state sponsorship of religious iconography. They have have not lost the forest for the trees; they have lost the forest for the rocks and missed the trees altogether. I think… I hope they are discovering that the Republican Party has no real allegiance to them. They are simply a constituency that was successfully manipulated for political and financial gain.

By: Rantz Grotto

Rantz Grotto — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 21:38:48 +0000

I think in light of the conversation here, I would like to ask how it is that the Christian religion can group itself with the Republican party here in the US. To me this seems to be a classic example of what you are saying about the American Dream and the Christian Ideal going in opposite directions. How can big business which is all about making money at the expense of the people be in bed with Christianity which is all about helping their fellow man and doing the right thing and charity? The following article brought this idea to me again today.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070319/ap_on_re_us/religious_right;_ylt=Ammnnn70nEUUh7ESlEgUb3kDW7oF

By: rantz grotto

rantz grotto — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:40:44 +0000

No, her influence can’t be denied. She is as you said, one of the most powerful people in the US today. And while I wish I could agree with more of her philosophies, she is not total evil either, just… mostly evil.

By: Bald Man

Bald Man — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:41:19 +0000

Rantz,
Fair enough. But agree or disagree with her opinions, I don’t think her influence can be denied.

By: Rantz Grotto

Rantz Grotto — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:25:31 +0000

Baldman: I’ll try and keep my true thoughts about the most racist and sexist woman to walk the airwaves to myself, or at least until I write up my blog I’ve been planning to post for a while now.

By: Norm

Norm — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:15:22 +0000

To further elaborate on the rich young man. His unhappiness was that he was not willing to give up his riches because that involved sacrifice. Jesus said that one must be willing to give up everything to follow him. That is sacrifice. He also said we are not to store up our treasures on earth where moth and rust corrupts and robbers break in to steal, but to lay up our treasures in heaven where nothing is stolen or can it be polluted, because where our hearts are there our thoughts will be. [Literaly speaking] To follow the Lord one must be willing to make sacrifices whatever they may be for each one individually. If our hearts were totally on the returning King and the coming kingdom, then we would accept that we are just pilgrims here for a short time in light of our eternal rewards to come.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 01:33:23 +0000

Hey B-Man, let me elaborate.

I think the distinction is important. The man could have kept his wealth, thereby maintaining his ability to give lots in the future. (This seems to be similar to an argument being made here. We justify our pursuit of wealth by talking about all the good we can do with it.) So in a strange way he may have been perserving his “giving power” by walking away.

Instead, I think this is about being obedient, and following Jesus. (I don’t think I’m being clear about that, but that’s the best I can do at the moment!)

By: Bald Man

Bald Man — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 01:23:12 +0000

Norm,
I’ll add my kudos to your closing remark, too. James wasn’t just making it up was he?

Mike,
Since you make a distinction between “giving” and “Jesus,” can you elaborate on what the differences are, particularly since giving seems so central to following Jesus?

Rantz,
Funny you should mention Oprah. I consider her the senior pastor of the nation’s largest congregation. She says, “Read this book,” and millions do. I doubt there is a single more influential voice among American women. Imagine if she upped the ante and challenged her massive audience to take a few specific steps with regard to serving “the least?” Write your senator; give to this charity; boycott this business. Maybe she’s headed down that road, but I suspect she has greater sway than even she suspects.

As far as why hundreds of millions lack clean water, rudimentary education and basic health care, I’m far more cynical than you. I think I’ll make that a separate post, but it boils down to the global reach of the new American Dream and the consolidation of power into the hands of those most indoctrinated by it.