Mosque Fire

This past weekend, 3 individuals were charged with burning down a mosque here in Columbia and painting swastikas on the property. I am really saddened (and shocked!) by this recent event. I made some comments for a paper about it. See the link below:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080211/NEWS06/802110356

I read a few of the comments about the article and let me respond to them by saying that respecting someone else's religion is not the same as endorsing it or even agreeing with it. Respecting someone else's beliefs means realizing that those beliefs were not created in a vacuum but that there is a lifetime of experience associated with those beliefs. I shouldn't expect to change people by condemning their beliefs. I don't change my beliefs when people condemn me. All condemnation does is strengthen my beliefs and makes be even more stubborn about them. But I should seek to understand and relate to someone else's beliefs and show them that I care about their past and that I care about their future. Perhaps then beliefs and behaviors would change in that kind of respectful and caring environment.

I also don't think it's fair to lump all Muslims into one group. It is way to easy to overgeneralize and put someone in a box. I would hope that when someone sees that I label myself a Lutheran, that they don't overgeneralize and write me off as a old, 1940's, jello-eating man who chants and worships using page 5 and 15 every-other week.

Maybe I'm being too simplistic. Maybe I'm living in a dream world. But I do hold out hope that by having an open and honest discussion that hearts might be changed for Christ.

Golden Compass II

Talked about The Golden Compass to my congregation yesterday. I think it's important to talk about what is out there in the world and not isolate ourselves from the world even if we don't agree with all the views that are out there. These books/movies are what people are exposing themselves to and it's a great bridge to talk about God, souls, death, etc. Besides, if major religious organization are going to ban a movie and call me a "bad" Christian if I see it, it emboldens me even more to see what all the "hub-bub" is all about.

I'm impressed my larger church body and their approach to this controversial topic. Here are a few links that may help you in discussing this subject:

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=12833
http://www.cph.org/cphstore/pages/resources/compass/


I believe more and more that institutional and organized religion all too often squashes creativity and imagination. Now, I may disagree with Pullman's theology and views about God, but it does force me and stretch my faith. It makes me take a deep look into what I truly believe and how I communicate my beliefs to someone else.