The Daily Detour

Thank you to our veterans

Utmost respect for those among us who have served in harm's way is a continuing theme here at TDD. This morning, I had the privilege of joining my Mom and Dad at Kingsway Christian School for the Veteran's Day celebration that the children put on. It was a very touching tribute to the 40+ veterans in attendance, from WWII to Iraq and Afghanistan. It was so encouraging to see the children developing the necessary respect for America and the military men and women who has served it so faithfully. (Thank you, Mom and Dad, for your service in Vietnam.)

As I reflect back on the significance of this Veteran's Day, I can only wish that we treated every day as Veteran's day. We have so much to be thankful for, so much that we take for granted. So, thank you to all of you who have sacrifically served all of us.

The post by Jules Crittenden which I linked to back in March of 2007 is worth reading again. Thus, I close with a portion of that TDD post:

...I thank the Lord Almighty for the substitutionary sacrifices of those of you who willingly stand in harm's way on our behalf (and to your families who bear that unseen burden). It is because of you that we enjoy the freedoms we have, even the freedom shared by that forgettable sub-set of our culture who protest your efforts to afford us those freedoms. And I echo the comments of Jules Crittenden who wrote of those who serve, "John Eade and all others, living or dead, where do we get such men? Why do we deserve them?" Why indeed. To those of you who stand courageously against the forces of evil in our world, thank you. We are not worthy of you.

Truth and Islam in light of Ft. Hood

Last week, I talked about the need to examine the tragedy at Ft. Hood in light of the truth, which is proving increasingly difficult in our politically-correct culture. We ignore the true motivation behind the shootings at our peril.

It seems others are drawing similar conclusions. Over at Politics Daily, Jeffrey Weiss writes a very fair-minded assessment of this situation in light of other killings in the name of Islam. Part of his analysis correctly acknowledges that most Muslims could be considering peace-loving people. But as he points out,

And yet, there is that small fraction of Muslims who take another, horrible meaning from their sacred texts and act upon it. Consider that if only one-tenth of one percent of Muslims in the world hold to that violent ideology, that's a million people.

Weiss makes an interesting comparison with the other shooting that happened in Orlando a day after the Ft. Hood massacre.

The other terrible shooting in America last week happened in Orlando. From the details now available, a man named Jason Rodriguez killed one person and wounded five others. In the aftermath of that event, I can find no stories asking Hispanics about any sense of responsibility they might share. Nor, given the statistical probability about the religious beliefs of American Hispanics, have Catholics been asked for a reaction...

And when he started shooting, I can find no account that says he shouted anything about La Raza or Jesus.

But in Fort Hood, the shooter himself introduced his religion into the narrative. That's the difference. And it's a difference that matters.

My point exactly! We can't ignore the difference any more than we can treat cancer like a common cold. If we're dealing with a common cold, then fine. But if the reality is much more serious than a common cold, what good comes from ignoring it? 

"Tear down this wall!"

On June 12, 1987, then-President Ronald Reagan stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate of the Berlin Wall and famously challenged Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev, "Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" In the light of history, those forceful words from President Reagan foreshadowed the eventual collapse of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago today--on Nov. 9, 1989--and ushered in the ultimate demise of the Soviet empire and communism.

The fall of the Berlin Wall was a visual symbol of the humanity's universal quest for liberty. And it essentially demonstrated the bankruptcy of the Marxist worldview. In my own brief analysis of the fatal flaw of Marxism (or "Critical Theory" as it is termed in academic circles), I asserted that those who promote the Marxist worldview fail to account for the fallen human condition. This was one of the fundamental ideas I posed in a doctoral essay on the subject:

According to Crotty (2003) the assured hope of Marxist theory is that “the conflict today between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat will lead to the development of a socialist, then communist, world, a classless society born of an emancipatory process and offering true freedom to all.” (p. 119) Such a vision has a certain attraction that would be the envy of any person. Who would not want to live in such a world?

The fulfillment of such a dream, however, appears to be based on the humanistic assumption that humanity, if given true freedom, will choose the good. But, is that an accurate reflection of human nature? Theoretically speaking, for example, what happens when the proletariat overthrows the fetters placed on them by the bourgeoisie? What restraints are there to prevent them from evolving into the new bourgeoisie?

There seems to be an underlying assumption embedded in Critical Theory which suggests that such a reality would never come about, because those who have been oppressed—through classism, racism, sexism and the like—will utilize the lessons learn through their collective experiences to create a better world for all people.

I would concur that the improvement of our world is possible to a degree, and we should all certainly use our experiential understandings about life to pursue such an end. However, is the inherent nature of humanity really bent toward to the good—and therefore, is utopia on earth ever truly possible? In his letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton Lord Acton contends that “All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Federer, 2000, p. 2) In this statement Lord Acton is not speaking about a particular class of people. Rather, his statement is inclusive in its illumination of the human condition, a condition that cannot be overlooked when considering Marxist theory. Because Marxist theory is based on a theological ideology of atheistic humanism, the efforts at such a communal utopia will always be hindered by the inherent nature of humanity, an obstacle which inevitably begins to erode the very foundation of the theory itself.

Ironically, history has shown the problems with Marxist ideology. And yet, there are those in our own country, who continue to embrace the supposed utopia that Marxism promises to bring. At some point, we must ask ourselves why people are risking their lives, for example, to come from Cuba to the United States, and not the other way around?

Pursuing Truth in the Ft. Hood tragedy

As the investigation into the Ft. Hood massacre continues, it is interesting to note some of the developments. One of the biggest ones to grab the nation's attention is that Major Nidal Malik Hasan was not only a fervent practicing Muslim, but that during the shootings he reportedly uttered the words, "Allahu Akbar!" ("God is great!") in Arabic, the same phrase often used by Islamic jihadists who engage in suicide bombings.

Obviously, the development of this particular angle on the story is raising a number of questions and concerns that require our attention. But unfortunately, it seems that most of the national news coverage is shying away from the Muslim connection in an apparent politically-correct effort to keep the peace (with FOX News being the notable exception).

As I was talking with a good friend of mine this morning about this incident, the subject of Truth came up. I mentioned to him that the tendency in our culture to diminish the idea of absolute Truth has put us all at greater risk. For if we are unwilling to face the Truth of a given situation, then we are unable to identify dangers and seek justice.

The Truth is, Major Hasan's motivation may have nothing to do with his devotion to Islam. And if so, then we can (and should) explore other possibilities. But if, however, his motivation was driven by his Muslim ideology, our unwillingness to acknowledge the Truth of that reality is our fault. And as I've said many times before, we ignore the Truth at our peril.

Tragedy at Ft. Hood

The news broke across the nation earlier today that an Army psychiatrist, Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Ft. Hood, allegedly killing 12 soldiers and wounding an additional 31 people. The investigation is ongoing as people are trying to comprehend exactly what happened and the motive behind the attack. It is the worst mass shooting on a military base in U.S. history.

These kinds of attacks--be it tragedies like Columbine or Virginia Tech--are always horrific. But especially where our military personnel are concerned. It is difficult enough knowing that such noble men and women are voluntarily putting themselves in harm's way. When that harm is perpetrated on a military base, a place of safety and security, the tragedy is that much more inconceivable. And for the families who already live in a state of concern for the safety of their loved ones overseas, to have such violence brought home is almost too much to bear.

For those of us not directly involved in this situation, at the very least let us keep this entire situation (and all of those affected by it) in our prayers. It will be difficult to try to understand the "why's" behind this senseless tragedy. We may never find sufficient answers to the many questions that we have. But I cannot imagine trying to deal with this kind of situation without being able to reach out beyond ourselves to God. There is at least some comfort in knowing that as the final Judge to who we are all held accountable, he will bring ultimate justice in the end. And beyond that, He is able to provide the victims and their families the "peace which transcends all understanding" (Phil. 4:7).

The biggest small election in the country

If you're not a political junkie who regularly keeps your ear to the ground on all things political, then you may not be aware of the fact that there are elections going on across the United States today. The most significant are the governor races in Virginia and New Jersey, as well as, the special election to fill New York's vacant House seat in District 23. President Obama has campaigned aggressively for the Democrats in these races. Therefore, they are particularly telling, because many political pundits are evaluating the results as a referendum on Obama and his decreasing political capital.

Many people see these races as a precursor to the mid-term elections in 2010. (The risk is how Obama's efforts will be affected by these races, especially if the Democrats lose.) What do you think?

UPDATE: Reports are in that Republican candidate Bob McDonnell has won the Virginia governor's race, and that New Jersey's Democratic incumbent candidate, Jon Corzine is in a fight for his political life.

UPDATE: 11:03 p.m. I'm off to bed, but not before hearing that incumbent governor Jon Corzine just conceded the New Jersey governor's race to his Republican challenger, Chris Christie. Things are not looking good for the "hope and change" agenda it seems (especially since Obama carried both Virginia and New Jersey just one year ago). We'll see what the coming months bring...

Should we do away with Christianity?

If you follow the line of reasoning of militant atheists like Sam Harris and his "end of faith" thesis, then the answer is "Yes!" In fact, I was listening to the Dennis Miller radio show last Friday. I caught part of his interview with atheist author Christopher Hitchens and Pastor Douglas Wilson. They spent that part of the program debating the fundamental question, "Is Christianity good for the world?" It is a question that they debate in more detail in their new documentary, "Collision".

So, what do you think--Is Christianity good for the world or not? Why? 

Understanding light and darkness

I just finished a teaching lesson on the importance of Christians engaging in our culture in positive and restorative ways. As a part of that lesson, I highlighted the correlation between light and darkness. I wanted to bring them to your attention for consideration.

"You are the light of the world," Jesus said in Matthew 5:14.

We often hear this admonition that we are the light, shining God's light into a darkened world. And indeed, that is true. That is why Paul exhorted the Philippian church to live their lives in such a way that they "shine like stars in the universe" (Phil. 2:15).

Scan the latest news headlines and you will quickly identify the gradual moral deterioration taking place in our culture. It is easy to become despondent at what we see happening before us. And in our search for solutions, we are quick to point out the many people and institutions who are contributing to our cultural demise. But in that evaluation we often overlook the one group of people who most directly affect the outcome--US. Consider this:

What is the correlation between light and darkness? Which entity influences the other? Put another way, imagine you are standing in a brightly lit room on a dark night. If you opened the door, would the darkness spread into the room from the outside, or would the light move from inside the room out into the darkness? Which is affected by the other?

What does this understanding about the relationship between light and darkness tell us about our role as light in the darkness? Simply put, if a godless presence appears to be darkening our cultural landscape, what is the reason? It is not because the darkness is actually advancing--darkness, after all, is influenced by light, not the other way around. It is actually because we, the light, are retreating.

Columnist Cal Thomas makes a compelling point on this subject when he writes,

"Culture is starving because too many with a worldview that differs from the prevailing one have withdrawn their nurturing influence. It doesn't help when such people are persuaded it is better to criticize institutions and their products rather than go them one better...Might we please see less energy (and money) spent on criticizing what others produce and more channeled into developing better lawyers, professors, philosophers, artists, journalists and filmmakers?"

What are we each doing to influence our culture toward the Good?

Carving out margin in life

Anyone who has heard me speak more than once has probably heard me describe one of the ways I've come recognize God's voice. There is so much 'noise' in life that hearing His still small voice is difficult at best. Instead, for me, there is the repeated emphasis on a particular idea in a relatively short period of time. Lately, the message has been about "margin". It's an ongoing conversation that began just prior to Catalyst.

Down at Catalyst I had a lunchtime conversation with my good friends, Tim and D.J., and the subject of creating "margin" in life came up. I told them that "the only time I find margin is when I sit in the bathroom long enough that my legs fall asleep." They laughed heartily until I told them it was true. (Ask Jean :).

Since we got back from Catalyst, the subject of "margin" has come up repeatedly in a variety of contexts and conversations. At some point, God has been trying to get my attention.

And He had to use extreme measures--as in the series of events that have converged in our lives over the last couple of weeks--to grab me by the collar. As I just shared with an audience last week, if God has to use something like a near-fatal car accident to wake you up, then something is wrong. Because if that's what it takes, then it means I'm not listening for His promptings the way I should be on a daily basis.

I'm still processing what the pursuit of "margin" looks like for me, and our family. And as I get more clarity, I'll bring some thoughts to you all. For the time being, I'm begun to recognize the non-stop pace that has come to define my existence to this point. I need a lot more tortoise in my life and much less hare. My life idles in 3rd gear, and it has begun to wear down my engine. But more than that, it has forced me to reevaluate every area of my life. Because it is a pace that is ultimately unsustainable.

Perhaps you find yourself in a similar life situation. I would encourage, even urge, you to carve out some space and step back to reevaluate your own pace of life. It may seem difficult to find the time to do that, but I guarantee, you and your family will be better off for it.

UPDATE: I just ran across this article by Mark Batterson of National Community Church in Washington D.C. which talks about this issue of "margin".

M.I.A. but not forgotten...hopefully

Sorry for the extended absence, friends, but I've been forced into survival mode for a while.

Ever have one of those periods that borders on the catastrophic--and forces you to reevaluate many things, even your whole life? I've only had a few in my truly fortunate 36 trips around the sun. But this last week happened to be one. The least significant of events has been the last few days which find me battling my annual bout of strep throat (a 102.7 degree fever, chills, severe sore throat, the usual...). But that has been coupled with a series of other things which have significantly compounded our life situation at the moment.

Last week, Caleb and I survived a very serious car crash, which totaled the vehicle I was driving. But for God's grace, we were not seriously injured (though Caleb did have to have a couple of stitches over his right eye). Had the point of impact with the other vehicle been a few feet either way, we would have either hit the other driver head-on, or he would have hit us directly where Caleb was sittting. Either one of us could have been seriously hurt or killed. Beyond all of this, there are some other more significant things that I'm having to deal with as well. So, for those of you who are inclined to pray, I and my family would covet your prayers right now as we slowly, but surely, navigate these circumstances which have converged at this time and seek to fully embrace all that God is trying to teach us.

Thanks for your patience. I'll be back as soon as I can.