We interrupt this broadcast

With a new work schedule, and an hour drive to my new job, family dinners are few and far between. When my wife and I were first married, a change occurred.  I went from being a chef wannabe, to an observer.  Not only did my wife love to cook, she loves to cook for me and her family, a job she does very well.  And if you've lived in a multicultural home, you know that's no easy task.

As Americans, we have a very diverse menu.  Due to our immigrant beginnings, we claim some Italian, some Mexican, some Chinese, and Several other countries' as ours.  If your not used to eating such a varied smorgasbord, it's a lot to learn so I help where i can.  The wife appreciates the break, and I LOVE to cook and to entertain my family.

The girls worked late the other night, and with a couple of new summer recipes, we had a spontaneous late night dinner date as a family.  Short a few items, I ran to the store.  As I parked my car, I noticed the SUV parked next to me.  A massive beast of a truck, my eyes ran over the rear bumper, and I noticed several stickers.  One warned the reader of touching God's anointed, the other seemed to confess their love of God, the third I think was a warning to the devil for ignoring the other two stickers.

 After purchasing what I needed, I went out to my car to find the owner of said SUV unloading their things.  On a whim, I offered to take her cart for her, because well that's what I do.  She said thank you, finished loading her things, and I took the cart.

When I returned, she thanked me again, and handed me a tract about God's love.  I confess I didn't read it.  It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her that I knew God, but something in her eyes told me she wasn't interested.  So, I politely accepted and gave her my thanks,

As I drove home, the irony was smacking.

She loudly professed her faith, both through the literature and the stickers.

I chose not to speak mine, but only show it.  Granted in a very small way, but just the same, I want my actions to speak louder than my words.

Down the road, an earth mover pushed dirt in what was going to be a church parking lot.  For what it's worth, the church has been in construction for years.  My heart felt a tug as i imagined the parishioners scraping, saving their money as their pastor told them a new home was needed.  Only put your trust in God a little more, and we may actually finish the building.

For me, that is where Christianity and mainstream religion has gone completely off the reservation.

It's like putting the cart before the horse.

It's become about Sunday specials, about the lessons we teach or the products we sell.  Somehow, we've found it necessary to have church buildings, choirs, and Sunday school?  Why?  None of that stuff is Biblical, yet its existence is held sacred.  No clue why.

Christians have become so engrossed in politics, they forget about God. They've based and poke fun of LGBTQ and every other belief/lifestyle/choice that they don't agree with, it's almost like we live in the time of the Holy Crusades.

I've sat through services where, when giving is low, the pastor practically begs his congregation to give more.  We have full time pastors who "dedicate" themselves to ministry, without working, but are forced to beg for increased tithing to maintain the lifestyle. Attendance records are talked about like numbers at a sales meeting.  Then, they talk about furthering the cause of Christ, impressing on  audiences that God could return at any time and again, more money is needed.  In this economy, with folks losing jobs and homes left and right.

And the result? We've taught our congregations how to look, sound, and think like Christians, without showing them how to be one.  Just because it sounds and walks and talks like a duck . . . . .

Even sadder is the religious right, or left, is quick to judge the same world they live in, and yet refuse to make a difference.  They wait for the mountain to move before acting out of love for their neighbor.  You must change and accept Christ before you are worthy they say.  I've yet to find this illustrated anywhere in God's Word.  But apparently it's there . . . .maybe in Hezekiah?

And yesterday, as Susy Spiritual drove away, I was both amazed and enlightened.  This is what Christianity has come to.  A gimmick, a bumper sticker, a piece of paper.

And the world wants no part of it.  Nor should they.

The reality is, no buildings are needed.  No bus ministries, no special groups - heck i'd even through no small groups in there.  No seminaries, no special singing groups, no city on the hill mentality which seems to permeate every major Christian sect.  In fact, that is where we have gone wrong.

I'm not sure, nor am I sure how, but Christians have become afraid of the world and the changing arena they live in.  The easy answer is to retreat to a church, a building, a circle where it's safe, hold each other's hands and sing Kumbiya.

But that is not what the Bible says to do. And Christianity is paying the price as a result. So what are we to do?

Christianity has been compared to alot of things.  Jesus' comparisons stuck out to me over the years, a He calls us light and salt. If you've been involved in Christianity as long as I have, you heard this preached on. And alliterated.  And illustrated. and twisted and turned every which way.  We Christians have a way of overcomplicating things.  And there's a problem with that, because it's an extremely simply principle.  Christ even told us that God uses the simple to confound the wise.

Light and salt are completely inanimate objects.  They do not speak, do not make a sound, but their very existence affects a change. They don't stand on a street corner and judge the world for its wrongdoing.  Not its job. They don't stand behind a pulpit as the organ plays, begging for decisions.  Again not its job. It doesn't put bumper stickers or tracts in your face.  It doesn't talk about what you wear, or drink, or do.

It just exists and changes the world it's placed in.  Put salt on a wound and it impacts the area that it's in.  It doesn't preach to the wound, it treats the wound, cleans it by it's very existence.  The light doesn't tell the darkness it's coming, it is just there.  Their very existence and only their existence, brings change.  So what if we focused on that?

What if we lived every day with love, and allowed God to be the only judge?  What if we passionately loved our families and cared for our neighbors, letting our actions tell the story? What if we stopped telling people we were Christians?  Would they notice by the way our lives our lived? What happened if we loved our families like we were supposed to- wouldn't that be testimony in and of itself?

(i hear the religious right grumbling - that's because they must "do" something).  Let me you in on a little secret - God doesn't need any of us to do his work.  None.  He doesn't need church buildings, or beautiful choir robes or special offerings.  He doesn't need school buses or colleges, or special schools to show his grace and love.  He needs none of it.

[Sad part is, you know this.  You teach it, you hit people the head telling your congregations God doesn't need them.  So let me get this right - he only needs you to tell them? The hypocrisy is smacking.]

What he does want us to do is to actually love those around us, like he did.  He of all people could have harshly judged the prostitute, the beggar, the robber, the most vile of society.  But he didn't - he loved them. And so should you. and that's all you should be doing.  Go ahead, I'll wait. Just let that sink in.

You see, it's true.  He'd rather you be sincere and loving. and caring, and by your love for others, effecting a change.  And Lord knows we need as much of that as we can.  There's enough destruction Christianity has done.  Pastor running off with the deacon's wife.   Embezzling, swindling, betrayal, judging - it's all there in the church

But the living part - well, I've seen more of that outside of the church then in it. Which is completely sad.  It seems those that live the faith you won't see in church on a Sunday morning.  They've seen enough hypocrisy for a life time. And to be honest, so have I.

But in the off chance you do want something new, consider this.

What if you chose to live the life instead of talk about it?  Not a word unless you're pressed.  Yes, Peter tells us to be ready.  Yet you seem to take creative license and judge everyone around you.  Not always with your words, but if looks could kill . . . .

But maybe, just maybe if you just live it.  Well, maybe then you'll see the changes you so desperately hope for.  And who knows?  You might actually enjoy the life God has given you.

So go ahead, why not give it a try?

Land of the Free

I'm writing this post, in part, as a response of what we have seen in America these last few weeks.

Whether you realize it or not, there is much racial unrest in the country right now.  And many fear for the future of America.

The reality is that racism, whether blatant or hidden,  has been prevalent for years in America.  Whether it was the Irish who came to our shore in the early twentieth ceuntry, or the massive droves of slaves stolen from their homes and shipped thousand of miles away, some form of racial tension has always been present.   Currently there are several multiracial tensions before our collective eyes, including both the black and Hispanic community.

This is a hard fact for many Americans to accept.  Many want to pretend that there isn't unrest here in the good ole USA. I mean after all we are America.  We are the greatest country in the world, masters of our domain and rulers over all we see.  When a country needs help, we send troops or aid because we are "America" and we are "awesome."  When the Olympics come every four years, some of our athletes thump their chests while proudly wearing the flag as a cape, seemingly portraying visions of a superhero.

The harsh reality is that American is not as great as some would like to think.  Children are killing each other; both physical and sexual abuse occur daily within our golden shores.  Many have lost the respect for authority, in part fueled by years of misappropration of funds and policital corrutpion.  May will say we are the greatest in the world, but if the reality of death that currently surrounds us raises too many challenges to our greatest for it to be true.

For several years know, I've followed several topics, including immigration.  Thanks to social media, WITHOUT FAIL, every time an article is posted, questioning what is to be done with those here, both legally and illegally, entitled White America reels their collective head.  Whether it's the image of a young many burning an American flag, or an oped on the Hispanic community, their "patriotic sentiments" come spewing forth.  I am both constantly amazed and embarassed at the hate portrayed in their speech.  They denounce the homosexual and berate him for his sexuality, using vitriolic words to support their "love" of America.  They berate the illegal alien, who is hear working to prevent their family from dying of starvation, calling them names and telling them they do not belong in "their" house.  They make fun of the Asian liquor store owner, or the 7-11 clerk whose skin color and speech are different than yours.

Sometime time ago, I was talking with a co-worker.  He was, or I should say is, from the US, who professed his love of America and the Seattle Mariners.  He would comment, quietly of course, that he didn't like black people, and that people with tattoos were not to be trusted.  I listened to him because, well I had to as he was a supervisor until one dayI just couldn't take it anymore.

In front of me, I saw in part what is wrong with our country.  The hate, the prejudice,the old school mentality.  Refusing to accept things for what their current state, always wishing we could go back to the better days.  When America was so white that even our apple pie tasted better.  I had heard this long enough and finally had had my fill.  I looked him squarely in the eyes, and with the calmes of tones said.

"The white America you think you knew does not exist anymore."

And furthermore, it never did.

The history of early U.S. exploration is well documented all across the land.  Early explorers in hope of new lands free from religious persecution, brought hope aas well as sickness from Eurpoe as they arrived in the new land.  Over time they kicked out the then inhabitants of the land, and forced them to live in groups.  They escaped religious persecution only to institute racial prejudice in favor of a better tomorrow.

But your average red white and blue American chooses to ignore that.  Rather they prefer to thump their chest, proudly proclaiming to be part of great America.  They bash the media, they bash liberalism and anything that challenges their point of view.  If you don't agree, then leave their country because the USA is not the place for you.

Such bigotry was not the intent of the founding fathers that White America so proudly supports.  George Washington said in a letter to a Hebrew congregation, "The citizens of the United States of America have the right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and communities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were by the indulgence of one class of citizens that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support." Entitled White America - even the father of our country denounces your ways.

An even greater offense, however, is the degradation of human sacrifice made by the members of our military.  Whether white or black, or yellow or red, straight or not, if you live in America - someone died for you to live freely today.  Free to live in a nation absent of prejudice, hate, or fear.  They died for their American, and their America is supposed to be great.

When you choose to be hateful, to be prejudice, to promote an elitist American mindset, you do the greatest of disservice to our brothers and sisters who died so that we may live.  When you refuse to recognize the brokenness of our current immigration system, you belittle their sacrifice.  Shame on you. I'm sure they were very proud of the colors of their country.  And I'm not talking about the red, white and blue.  I'm talking about red, yellow, black, and brown.

Upon the eve of election, I am saddened.  We are in a sorry state of affairs.  The choices for presidential candidates presented before us would be humorous if it all wasn't so tragic.  Yet the reality is,  no matter how many promises are made, the form of our government prevents one man or woman from changing so much.

And our government is at a gridlock because many Americans struggle with their national identity.  So many have yet to accept the truth as they go to the store and are in a restaurant with their friends.  As they drive along the highway, or stop to see our national landmarks, there is one prevalent truth:

White America does not exist. 

And it never has.