A Thorn in the Flesh

The United Methodist Church is preparing for 2008 General Conference (the gathering of our denomination’s leadership that meets every 4 years), occurring this coming spring.

As United Methodists prepare for this significant event in the life of our Church, there are some perennial issues that are already arising. Let me explain:

Westboro Baptist Church’s Farewell to Falwell

Long-standing Baptist icon and well-publicized  activist Jerry Falwell died May 15, 2007.  News reports have said that the likely cause of death was related to heart problems.

I am not a Falwell fan.  But I’m not a Falwell-hater, either.  I don’t agree with everything has said or done in life, but I also don’t think he “got it all wrong.”  I respect him for having the strength to stand firm in his convictions about life and faith, and I hope he finds the eternity he so strongly believed in and dedicated his life to telling others about.

I’m not writing today to talk much about the late Rev. Falwell.  That’s being done, and quite well, by many others. 

From “Christ and Culture” to “Christ and Coffee”

The title of my post may seem a little flip, and guess it is.  I don’t mean any disrespect to my brother and sister Christians who are raising Cain over Starbucks’ “philosophical” coffee cups.  Yet, hearing all of this fuss gives me a sense of concern.

I can’t say that I like it when someone denigrates the Christian faith, or those who claim it, because I do not.  On the other hand, have we become so thin-skinned that we only react with outrage at things that are so very obviously designed to stir the pot?

What ever happened to the art of apologetics — the reasoned, intelligent defense of your beliefs?  Have we slid so far down the slope into hopeless reactivity that we will never see the light of day again?