My Prayer for America

This Easter helped me put some things I’ve been thinking about into perspective.

I realize that we’re up against some seriously evil powers intent on destroying everything decent in our nation, with good people and institutions all that stands in their way. However, we can’t defeat those who wish us harm all by ourselves, and must turn to God if we expect to win this fight for the soul of America.

So here is my heartfelt prayer for this country of ours:

J.E. Dyer: “We need to find ways… to disentangle ourselves from what is Evil in our culture.”

If you give the daily headlines even minimal attention, then you probably heard about the murder of Australian baseball player Chris Lane a few weeks back. Tragic, horrible, and yet completely unsurprising, given the level of morality (or lack thereof) which exists in some corners of our society today.

But just because Mr. Lane’s teenaged killers are no longer being discussed on a daily basis, we cannot let the lesson of his death drop by the wayside, as well. To that end, please take a moment to read a wonderful homily on this by J. E. Dyer, whom we have linked several times previously.

A brief quote:

“…Evil can’t be domesticated.  We are fooling ourselves if we think we can laugh with it, subsidize it, refuse to name it, and yet not have it come back around to smack us down. 

You may be surprised to learn this INCREDIBLY FAMOUS GUY is a Christian AND a Capitalist…

From the:  “If you only read, listen to, or watch the MSM, then you probably missed this story” department.

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THIS man is famous. WORLD famous. His birth name is Paul David Hewson.

You may well ask:  “Who the heck is Paul David Hewson”?  Well, perhaps you know him by his more recognized pseudonym:

Bono.

Mr. Hewson (on the far right), pictured with three other dudes I don’t recognize….

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Lead Singer for the über rock group, U2.

Activist.

Seriously, it’s hard to imagine anyone who hasn’t heard of him. Even if you never followed the music, you should certainly remember his much heralded and well-reported missions to Africa.

What you MIGHT have missed were 2 recent stories about Bono:  The Christian, and its powerful sequel, Bono:  The Capitalist.

On June 25th, Bono was a guest on the “Focus on the Family” radio program.  The entire interview is definitely worth reading, but this one excerpt stood out to me (emphasis mine):

Jim Daly of FOTF: So often those that struggle with accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior — it’s the idea that He’s the Messiah. In fact, you were asked about that by a journalist. How did you respond to that?

Bono: Jesus doesn’t let you off the hook. The Scriptures don’t let you off the hook so easily. So, Jesus died on a cross with “King of the Jews,” as the Messiah. In fact, if He’d just given that bit up, you know, [He] would not have had the crucifixion. And Pilate was saying it’s unnecessary. Everyone was, “this is kind of mad.” Because when people say, you know, “good teacher,” “prophet,” “really nice guy,” and this is not how Jesus thought of Himself.  

So, you’re left with a challenge in that, which is either: Jesus was who He said He was, or a complete and utter nut case. You have to make a choice on that.

And I believe that Jesus was the Son of God.

Wow…

I’d actually heard about this a few weeks back while listening to our local K-LOVE affiliate. Then I turned on the local news, …then the “other” MSM stations, …Radio, …TV, …

***insert sound of crickets chirping here***

Hmmm, why wouldn’t they report such a thing?

Oh. Yeah:

I guess Bono just didn’t “come out” with the appropriate type of news that fit the predetermined, MSM narrative.

***sigh***

Then one morning, I woke up to the following clip on ‘Fox and Friends’. The actual speech is nearly an hour in length (you can see it all HERE), but this segment really struck me:

Isn’t this news? In our hyper media-ized world, everything a celebrity says, does, wears or buys at the store is news these days. And here we have Bono, …BONO!…, saying in effect that Aid is a stop-gap, only, and Capitalism takes far more people out of poverty than Aid does.

***crickets begin chirping again, louder this time***

No matter.

This message will still get out, whether or not the press ignores it. As a result, some folks will actually be inspired to examine these topics, perhaps for the first time. Minds which have heretofore been closed to the inherent truths of both Christianity and Capitalism will be opened.

And won’t that be A Beautiful Day?

Three Lies About Christianity, à la Bill Whittle

Yesterday JTR posted a wonderful stirring speech by Bill Whittle, in which the compelling and TRUE statements he made were rewarded with more than one standing ovation from the audience at this year’s Western Conservative Summit.

Among the most eye-opening points he made was that our culture, for the past 40 years, has been instilling three false ideas into our minds:

• Wealth is un-earned;
• Everyone is special;
• Let us (“liberal” government) help you.

He unpacks his ideas about cultural decay and how to fight it, in that speech–which you should really go and watch (it’s Sunday, you’ve got time, right?).  But as I listened to him yesterday afternoon, it occurred to me that a similar set of lies has paralyzed the Church and kept it from being effective:

Pentagon: Soldiers may be prosecuted for “Promoting their Faith”

Say goodbye to Father Mulcahy.

It seems that the remaking of our military by Obama & Company has taken a decidedly darker turn, as they are now seeking to criminalize expressions of faith.

From WeaselZippers:

The Pentagon has released a statement confirming that soldiers could be prosecuted for promoting their faith: “Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense… Court-martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis…”. 

College kids told to “stomp on Jesus” in class…

***NOTE: This story has now been updated twice. The first update is HERE.

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Why am I not surprised by this stuff anymore?

From the Daily Caller:

A student at Florida Atlantic University has charged that his professor in intercultural communications class told the whole class to write the name JESUS in bold letters on a piece of paper, then drop the papers and stomp all over them.

The alleged incident happened three weeks ago on the Davie, Florida campus of FAU, according to WPEC-TV. Junior Ryan Rotela, a devout Mormon, is the student making the charge.

(…)

“Going God’s Way…” – (The Next Generation of Catholic Priests)

Of all the movies I’ve ever watched in my life, ‘Going My Way‘ may be the single most influential for me.

If you’ve never seen it (and please, please tell me that you have), it was made back in 1944 and told of a young priest (Bing Crosby) who’s brought in to help save an ailing parish and its elderly pastor (Barry Fitzgerald). That year it was the highest-grossing picture, was nominated for ten Academy Awards, and won seven…including Best Picture.

Wow, how times have changed.

Today this film is often rejected for being too schmaltzy, and certainly too “pro”-Catholic Church. Of course, when compared to the way the Church is portrayed in cinema and on TV these days, I guess that last criticism must be true. Think about it: it actually shows priests tending to their community, telling jokes and being all-around decent human beings.

The horror!!

Being What I’m Not

Feeling a little “old” lately.  Aches and pains where they didn’t used to be. Pounds where they didn’t used to be.  And less energy than there used to be.  But I have a 20-month-old granddaughter who loves to run and climb and play, and I am the one who chases and catches and plays with her, even when I don’t feel like it.  In this midst of this, I ponder a truth of my faith.

We are in Christ, “a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Paul says.  Gone, huh?  But here we sit with the same  arthritic knees and itchy scalps we had yesterday.  We ‘re still nearsighted and lame, we sport migraines and backs that ache.  We wander through the world, disliking our jobs and struggling to pay the mortgage.  “O, I have bought the mansion of a love but not possessed it.  And though I am sold, not yet enjoyed,”  moans Juliet after her marriage, while she’s waiting for her wedding night.   We are the bride of Christ…but while the wedding photos are faded, the honeymoon always seems to be just over the horizon.

The spiritual reality is that we have been bought with a price, but too often it’s easier to feel like we’re still on the shelf.  And so we have to act, think, speak “as if”…as if there has been a real transformation. Our trouble is that we see through a foggy, splotchy mirror, badly in need of resilvering.  We get glimpses of who we really are, but until the Son burns off the mist in that yet-to-be Day, we won’t get a clear view.

I don’t feel like a new creation today.  Or most days.  Truthfully, I feel like it a few minutes out of a few days.  Does that count?  I try to act like a new creation all the time…to be what I’m not.  How to do that without just being phoney is the big question.  I’ve been taking it for granted that we can do it.  But today I’m facing it head on:  “Be what you’re not” is ringing in my ears (or is it the phone, and my hearing is slipping again?) and I have to ask, “How do I do that?”  Because although we’re called out, to be separate from the world, “holy” as God is holy…we’re still here.  I live in a neighborhood, in a town, in a state, in a country, in a world…in which most of the humans are not saints, in any sense of the word. I rub elbows with them in Wal-Mart, walk by them at the park, idle behind them while we watch a slow train passing.  There is no place I can go to claim my sainthood certificate and set up my small shop surrounded by other saints, away from the world at large.  Most of the time, I look more like the world than I care to admit.  Being what I’m not…sometimes it feels forced and unfamiliar.  Getting better, but not always by much.  I’d rather read a book than write or call or go and visit someone.  I’d rather take a nap than read a book.  Oh, help–an apple turnover would trump a nap right now. “Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Here’s a thought:  Being what I’m not means seeing myself as God sees me.  He sees a reality which is ultimate, and for my timeless Creator it’s right now even though I’m still waiting for its arrival.  Being what I’m not means living in hope: my faith in my Faithful God–what He’s said and done, and my trust in what He’s promised to do.  I don’t see it yet, but He does, and I’m supposed to believe Him.

Come to think of it, it’s rather the same way that we look at our kids.  They’re goofy and gangly, have issues with skin and hair and vocal range.  They make stupid choices, have trouble being logical.  But we see something in them that hasn’t fully emerged yet, like the finished masterpiece trapped in marble before the sculptor chisels it free.  They may not believe it will ever happen, but we do.  And maybe we treat them more like a masterpiece, and less like a lump of stone.  More like what they’re not, but what they will be: a new creation.  Just the way our Father treats us.

Oh.  “Father, I believe.  Help my unbelief.  Help me to be, and to become, what I’m not…yet.”