A couple of weeks ago, I talked about admiring acts of kindness that actually require some effort (vs. reaching in your wallet and pulling out a twenty). I still feel that way, even after reading this story.
On the surface, Rebecca Kennel is just giving out hugs. Simple, right? But think. Hugging complete strangers, in my opinion, is HARD. It requires effort, throwing out your space bubbles and social boundaries, and just letting it rip.
Her hugs look like good ones, too; no double-shoulder pat-pats for Rebecca.
Earlier today I was wondering if there was a consensus out there as to people’s favorite gospel. Short answer: no. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are all chosen and for many different reasons. I surfed around a bit and found this post to best illustrate my point. Yes, I know it’s three years old, but they had the same Gospels way back in 2007 that we do now.
Scroll down to see the 47 comments and you’ll see what I mean.
In the foreword of our book we wrote, “One final point. No one really knows if the words you see in What He Said are what He actually said! We don’t have any voice recordings or transcripts from the Year 1, and Jesus didn’t keep a journal. Further, scholars have documented how the Bible changed over the years as generations of scribes laboriously made copies (from copies) for their particular Christian communities.”
Along these lines, L. Michael White, a professor of Classics and Christian Origins at the University of Texas at Austin, recently published a new book called Scripting Jesus: The Gospels in Rewrite. In the book, White:
“demonstrates that each of the four gospel writers had a specific audience in mind and a specific theological agenda to push, and consequently wrote and rewrote their lives of Jesus accordingly—in effect, scripting Jesus to get the desired audience reaction.”
The Rev. Howard Bess, in this article, talks about forgetting about retribution and revenge. And argues that what Jesus preached at the end of the Sermon on the Mount was going completely against the grain of what anyone—including God—practiced or believed at the time (or now). Here’s what Jesus said:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.” — Matthew 5:38-39
Jesus believed in forgiveness, not in sin as a debt to be repaid. Bess titles his article, “How Christianity Lost Jesus” and feels that the western world in this century has embraced “an eye for an eye” in utter rejection of what Christ taught. How did it happen? Read the article and see his description of how Paul’s theology trumped Jesus’ teachings. Bess closes with:
“There is no evidence that the practice of ‘eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ ever produced an honorable result, made people more whole with lives that are more satisfying, or produced a society that is good for all.”
There are different definitions for “Social Justice” out there, but I found a nice, objective one at BusinessDictionary.com:
“Fair and proper administration of laws conforming to the natural law that all persons, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, possessions, race, religion, etc., are to be treated equally and without prejudice. See also civil rights.”
Seems like something we would all be in favor of, right? Well, not all of us, apparently. Glenn Beck recently told his listeners to “to leave any church that teaches social justice, and to report its pastor to church authorities.”
If you would like to tell Mr. Beck how you feel about Social Justice and pass along the fact that Jesus was a fan (of Social Justice, not of Glenn Beck), the good folks at Sojourners have an online “Take Action” form.
Shane Claiborne is the co-founder of The Simple Way and the author of several books, including Jesus for President, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers and The Irresistible Revolution. After watching the video below, I think he would really like What He Said.
Health care reform is grinding down the home stretch with detractors and supporters on both sides. Especially within the Catholic Church. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has come out against the bill, saying it is contains a “backdoor subsidy of abortion.”
But nuns have a different view. 60 leaders of women’s religious orders representing 59,000 nuns have signed a letter proclaiming their support for reform:
“Despite false claims to the contrary, the Senate bill will not provide taxpayer funding for elective abortions. It will uphold longstanding conscience protections and it will make historic new investments … in support of pregnant women. This is the real pro-life stance, and we as Catholics are all for it.”
One other thought (Go, nuns!):
“We are the ones who work every day with people who are suffering because they don’t have health care. We cannot turn our backs on them, so for us, health care reform is a faith-based response to human need.” – Sister Simone Campbell
The Wichita Eagle periodically publishes questions from readers that the Rev. Billy Graham then answers. Some of the questions are more interesting/thought-provoking than others. Like this one:
DEAR REV. GRAHAM: If Christianity is true, then why are most of the so-called “Christians” I know hypocrites? I’d rather be a complete unbeliever (which I am) than someone who claims to be a Christian but doesn’t act like it. At least I try to be a good person, and they don’t. —J.H.
Ethnic violence between the Muslim North and Christian South in Nigeria broke out over the weekend with 500 deaths, many of them women and children driven from their homes by fire and then killed by machetes. This time the attackers were Muslim herdsmen and the victims were Christian. The attack was apparently launched to avenge January’s violence, when Christians did the killing.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:43-45
Many people might be surprised to learn that “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name. As in, you wouldn’t instruct your young children to address Him as Mr. Christ in a chance encounter on Main Street. You shouldn’t even address him as Jesus Christ. Jesus the Christ is correct.
“Christ” is actually Jesus’ title and means, in Greek, “the anointed one.” I learned some things in this article.
Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on. — Mark 12:43-44
On the surface, Rebecca Kennel is just giving out hugs. Simple, right? But think. Hugging complete strangers, in my opinion, is HARD. It requires effort, throwing out your space bubbles and social boundaries, and just letting it rip.
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