I don't like Cricket.

Imagine the following conversation:
"You should like Cricket."
"But I don't like Cricket and I don't want anything to do with it."
"But kids love Cricket."
"They have been misled. They should be playing baseball and football."
"Cricket is the most popular sport in the world."
"It's still not popular with me."
"The whole world is focused on the Cricket play-offs right now. A professional Cricket team is coming to your hometown. Cricket is everywhere. Why can't you get excited about Cricket?"
"I find it long, tedious, and filled with rules that make absolutely no sense. Plus, I don't follow a sport because it is trendy. I follow sports that appeal to me."
"You're being close-minded. Have you ever watched a Cricket match?"
"I am being opinionated. And yes, I have watched Cricket matches. It greatly contributed to my distaste for the sport."
"Fine. Then be a dinosaur."
"I like dinosaurs."

Now replace Cricket with Soccer....

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I always enjoy St. Patrick's Day. I try to eat my share of corn beef and cabbage. I listen to Irish music and enjoy reading the history of Ireland. St. Patrick is also a remarkable figure. We actually do not know a great deal about Patrick. Most of the reliable information comes from his own Confession. Beyond that his story has become shrouded in legend and myth. You can check out http://www.timothypauljones.com/2014/03/12/church-history-who-was-the-real-st-patrick/?utm_content=buffercf3a4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer or http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2014/03/17/happy-saint-patrick-2/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+between2worlds+%28Between+Two+Worlds%29&utm_content=FaceBook to separate the fact from fiction. 

What we do know is that Patrick was a missionary. He was not the first missionary to Ireland, but he was the most successful. He understood Irish culture and knew the language better than previous missionaries. Patrick trained indigenous pastors and teachers. He also kept cultural elements that were not detrimental to the Gospel. Many traditional Irish symbols and concepts were essentially baptized to further the spread of the church. 

So, there are two things that I keep in mind about St. Patrick's Day. First, it is a day to celebrate a missionary. I pray that our current missionaries are as successful as Patrick and we should certainly appreciate their service now. 

Second, it is an immigrant holiday. In Ireland the day has primarily been a religious holiday. The crazy shenanigans were created in the United States. The first St. Patrick's Day parade in New York actually occurred before the establishment of the United States! It was a celebration of Irish immigrants. St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of Irish culture and the impact of Irish immigrants on the US. The first generation of Irish immigrants were integral in building the colonies. However, successive generations fleeing famine in Ireland were met with disdain and hatred. Poor peasants seeking a new life wore clothing styles a century old and spoke a strange combination of Gaelic and archaic English. Signs were placed around major cities declaring no work or vacancies for Irish. New York and Boston eventually closed their ports to Irish ships. Politicians decried the crime brought with these immigrants and newspapers declared that the Irish should go back to Europe. But the Irish did not go home. Instead they stayed and did the jobs that no one else wanted. They worked the mines, built the railroads, and fueled the industrial machine until the next wave of immigrants arrived. Irish Americans now comprise the second largest ethnic group in the US. Several presidents of both parties have Irish ancestors. It is the story of America. Immigrants building and blending into the country while contributing something unique to the American culture. As a descendant of Irish, Scot, and German immigrants I find that worth celebrating.

Ash Wednesday 2014

For most Baptists Lent is something you clean out of the dryer. It is an old joke, but still relevant. Most Baptists do not use the liturgical calendar and traditions such as Lent may seem a little too high church for us. Though it may seem unlikely, the Baptists started out as extreme iconoclasts and the remnants of that mentality remain.
However, I do find value in Lent. Ideally it is a forty day spiritual preparation for Easter. I am pondering the ways in which we can get ready for celebrating the Resurrection. I have not thought about giving up anything, simply because I can't think of something that would have a profound impact on spiritual growth. I have a few habits that I would like to further develop and that will probably be my focus.
I am curious, though, and would love some feedback. What are you giving up for Lent and how will it help you prepare for Easter? Or, even if you are not giving up anything for Lent, are you preparing for Easter and how?

What Does the Kenyan Mall Attack Mean for America?

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/22/world/africa/kenya-mall-attack/index.html
The smoke has yet to clear over the mall in Kenya, but there is already some information emerging that there was an American connection. Al-Shaabab, a Somalian terrorist group, has claimed that at least three of the attackers are American citizens. In fact, according to Al-Shaabab at least half of the terrorist strike team is composed of citizens of Western nations like Canada and Britain.

Somali refugees have been given asylum in the West since images of starving Somali children flooded the TV in the 1990s. America temporarily got involved in trying to fix Somalia until our own troops started dying in a conflict that we didn't really understand. While we could not fix the country, we opened our doors to help as many as we could. Many Somalis embraced the American dream, but others maintained their connections to their homeland. In fact, American intelligence sources suspect that some of the Somalis radicalized and returned to Africa to fight with groups like Al-Shaabab. At this moment we cannot be sure if Americans were involved in the attack, but that scenario is certainly plausible.

If there are people living in the United States willing to attack a shopping mall in Kenya, why not here? Unfortunately an attack on an American shopping mall is not merely a fictional plot device (though it did happen in a Tom Clancy novel), but a real concern. With the Christmas shopping season just beginning, packed malls will provide an enticing target for those who want to create mayhem and bloodshed.

It is not my intent to be an alarmist. I simply want to acknowledge the potential of a serious threat and to consider what we should do in response. We should not turn to religious intolerance or racial discrimination. A Medieval crusader mentality will accomplish nothing but a continuing cycle of bloodshed.  There are some real steps that we should take in anticipation of terrorism on American soil.

First, we must be vigilant. Individual citizens can no longer turn a blind eye to suspicious behavior in the hope that someone else will respond. If you see someone acting suspiciously or something that does not look quite right, it is okay to notify mall security. If you doubt the competency of mall security, then contact local law enforcement. This does not mean that we panic over every Taco Bell bag abandoned on a table at the food court. Simply keep your eyes open and use your best judgment to make note of potential problems. Keep in mind that most malls are gun free zones (not something that I necessarily agree with) and flagrant displays of weapons is probably a danger sign (legitimate gun owners are not going to brandish weapons at JCPennys).

Second, know how to respond to a crisis. Of course, this step assumes the fruition of the worst case scenario. The first priority in a crisis is not to take photos with your phone for Twitter. Instead of reading your Facebook feed as you enter a store or office, it would be better to take note of emergency exits and resources like fire extinguishers. Unless you are a trained Army Ranger, or your name is John McClane, your primary goal in a terrorist attack is to evade and escape from the terrorists. After you have gotten to safety contact law enforcement to give them as many details as possible before you look for the news crews.

For Christians there are a few more things we must do. Above all else we must pray. Pray for safety and for peace. Pray for the salvation of those who claim to be our enemies. We must love our neighbors and be kind to those who threaten us. True Christianity when threatened does not respond with violence, but with love. With humility and respect we must share the Gospel and support those promote the Gospel. The world is a dangerous place and while we must be vigilant, we must also respond in faith.

Military Action in Syria

It appears inevitable that the U.S. will engage in some degree of hostilities in Syria. The United States opposes the use of chemical weapons, especially against civilians. There has been overwhelming evidence that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against both military and civilian opposition. Morally, many would argue, the U.S. must intervene to end the use of inhumane weapons of mass destruction.

I am not sure to what extent the U.S. should be involved in Syria. Many of the rebels are just as bad as the Syrian government. Many of the rebels are Mujaheddin cut from the same cloth as the ones we trained in Afghanistan that later carried out attacks against America. The human tragedy, though, that is occurring does call for international intervention. Unfortunately, the international community lacks the will or direction to bring any sort of resolution to the calamity. I don't see a change to the situation any time soon.

I am also not sure what the U.S. can do in the current situation. I doubt a barrage of cruise missiles is going to make any difference. The presence of the chemical and biological weapons is a grave concern and a potential threat to the U.S. and its allies. Dealing with those weapon stockpiles is just as complex as the entire question of intervention. It would take prolonged and extensive military operations to secure and properly dispose of the weapons. The U.S. at this time is not willing to commit to that.

I do know that the U.S. will soon act. I also know how many conservatives will respond. Many conservatives will argue that according to the Constitution only Congress can declare war. That is true, but they must also take the War Powers Resolution into account. According to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the President can take military action as long as he gives Congress 48 hours notice. He does not need Congressional approval for the initial action so long as he notifies them of the action. The military action is limited to 60 days with a 30 day withdrawal period, unless Congress approves further involvement. This act has been controversial since it passed and many have argued that it violates the War Powers Clause of the Constitution.However, it is the law and will remain so until the Supreme Court overturns it or Congress repeals it.

I am a conservative and I do not support the current administration. However, the War Powers Resolution has been used by both Republican and Democratic Presidents. Reagan used it on several occasions. There will be many conservatives who supported Reagan's use of these powers that will quickly condemn Obama for doing the same thing. It will sound more like partisan bickering than actual concern over the situation. Conservatives must be careful in this situation not to let their animus for Obama overrule the need for prudent action.

Again, I don't claim to have all the answers for this situation. I think that the best thing that we can do is to pray. We need to pray for wisdom for our leaders. We need to pray for true peace in the Middle East. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are in the war zone. We need to pray for doors to open for evangelism. Our calls for prayer should be greater than our criticism for the President. And that is true not only for this particular situation, but for every challenge that we face as a nation.

Christmas Already?

Perhaps you have noticed the Christmas decorations and products beginning to creep into the stores. Retailers are starting to bring out tree trimmings and are preparing for the Christmas shopping season. For many the typical reaction is an exasperated gasp of "already?" We haven't even seen the Charlie Brown Halloween Special yet, so why are we being bombarded with Christmas?
The truth is that Christmas falls within the fourth quarter of operations for most businesses. Businesses that have not fared well through the year know they have one shot to make up for the year when Christmas arrives. There are many companies that depend on a good Christmas buying season in order to survive. For that reason they will start as soon as they can to grab their share of the holiday market. And people will respond to those efforts. The average consumer may gripe about the early arrival of Christmas products, but they are more than happy to take advantage of the sales and special deals.
In a poor economy the Christmas shopping season is going to come even earlier. We can complain about the commercialization of Christmas. We can lament the loss of the reason for the season. But I would like to suggest a few things to think about before we complain to the sales clerk at the local department store.
First, none of the employees that you encounter in any local store had anything to do with the timing of the decor. Those decisions were made by highly paid executives in some distant boardroom. Complaining to a sales associate will only dampen their day. It might make you feel better, you will feel better at the expense of  someone else.
Second, we can view the early arrival of Christmas as a blessing. Early Christians often took the cultural events of their day and transformed them into opportunities to share the Gospel. Many of our Christmas traditions come from transformed pagan symbols. The Christmas tree started as pagan nature worship, but was transformed into a symbol of everlasting life. Our culture may have transformed Christmas into a commercial holiday, but we can return it to its rightful status. We can affect a change simply by the attitude we bring into the marketplace. Instead of lamenting the early arrival of Christmas, we can simply acknowledge that the Incarnation should be celebrated year round. The world may not know the real meaning of Christmas, but its early arrival is an opportunity for us to tell them the real reason to celebrate.

Meditating on Lent

One of the goals of Lent is purification. We are to examine our outward actions as well as our inward beliefs. One important task is to examine what occupies our mind. When we are not engaged in tasks, our minds default to particular thoughts and even songs. We find ourselves humming music and often we don't even realize it. Or perhaps we find ourselves rehearsing events or mulling over some problem. We let our minds wander and sometimes it serves to increase our stress. Some of the things we allow to occupy our minds are neither helpful or uplifting.

Instead of worrying about the next bill or humming the latest top 40 song, we should fill our minds with the things of God. Psalm 119:97: "O how I ^love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." The Psalmist actually delighted in thinking about God's Law all day. He would recite and think about God's word throughout his day. It was a comfort to him and strengthened his spiritual walk. We can find that same strength and comfort in God's word. How differently would we find our day if we were reciting Scripture or singing hymns throughout the day. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, ^whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is ^lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, ^dwell on these things."

In Lent we should examine what we are thinking about during our day. We need to fill our minds and hearts with the things of God. It will change not only how we view our day, but it will also change how we interact with others.

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