And what president would not proclaim a NDP?  Especially considering this “Fun Fact” also found on the site – “33 of the 44 U.S. Presidents have signed proclamations for National Prayer. Four of the Presidents who did not sign a proclamation died while serving in office.”   Apparently not declaring a NDP can lead to divine wrath.  In what way is that a “fun” fact?

I don’t think I will wait for the NDP.  I need to pray now.

After graduating from high school in Michigan, Mary (not her real name) decided to spend some time as a nanny before going to college. She responded to an ad and arrived at the appointed time to a wealthy home in a north Chicago suburb. The horror was just beginning. The ad agency was only a front, and Mary was abducted to be a sex slave. Five years later she was able to sneak a postcard out of the Cincinnati bar where she was being held with just her initials on it. Stirred with hope, her family went to the bar. By the time police arrived, she was gone. Two years later, the FBI finally found and freed her, to return to her home – pregnant and addicted to heroin.

This is not an isolated incident; it is one of the world’s 27 million most terrifying secrets: that there are more people in slavery today than at any other time in human history. Yes, you read that right, 27 million. And it is not just in foreign countries. There are 300,000 young women, ages 10-17, who are trapped in sex slavery in North America.

When I learned this, I was as shocked as you may be right now. I thought that through the work of people like William Wilberforce and John Woolman that slavery had been abolished. It looks different now, but slavery continues to thrive, as slave traders in 2007 making more money than Nike, Google and Starbucks combined.

Then, I hear a national media personality proclaim that we should flee from any church that speaks of “social justice.” I am not sure what he meant by social justice, but I think I know what God means when he says things like, “”Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6, NIV) or “…And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice” (Micah 6:8, NASB) or the words of Jesus, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind…” (Luke 4:12, NIV) There are numerous other passages, such as Amos 5:7-27 and Isaiah 1:12-17 that make it clear that God expects faithful worshipers to seek justice. And this is not just “Old Testament stuff” as Jesus makes clear in the parables of the good neighbor in Luke 10:25-37 and the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46.

As followers of Christ, can we turn a blind eye to fellow human beings who are bought, sold and used? Can we claim to love God and speak for him when we fail to speak for those who have no voice? While the issue seems overwhelming, you can make difference. Learn more about the issue by talking to your pastor or visiting some of these websites: International Justice Mission (ijm.org), Not for Sale (notforsalecampaign.org) or Call + Response (callandresponse.com). Read a book on the topic, such as Not for Sale by David Batstone or Renting Lacy by Linda Smith. Write to your elected officials to raise the awareness. Buy products that are certified slave free. Pray about how you can be involved. There are many other ways listed on the websites above. There are 27 million people out there like Mary, and with God’s help, you can make a difference in their lives. God calls us on us to “let justice roll on like a river” (Amos 5:24), and that river begins with us.

If you are in the area, our church will be hosting a showing of Call + Response on April 14th.  For more details check out covchurchcheboygan.com

Lucado ties biblical stories with each of these fears and points us to lessons in those stories for fearless living.   The thoughts are easy to understand and told with Lucado’s signature flair for story-telling.   At the heart of fearless living is trusting God, and Lucado brings the reader back to that central idea again and again.

The book is a fast read, right around 200 pages including a helpful discussion guide that offers some questions for further discussion on each chapter.  All in all, it’s a great book that offers some solid, biblical counsel for dealing with fears.  It’s not overly deep and the answers at times are little on the simple side, but if you or someone you know is struggling with fears, this is a great first book to read.

• As a whole I like the TNIV, and think it’s a good translation.   It provided a good balance of trying to convey another language into English.
• I think much of the “controversy” was not so much about the actual science/art of translation as about other issues, such as suggestions that using gender-neutral language will lead to ordaining homosexuals  (yes, I’m serious – see this interview with Wayne Grudem)  Such sensationalism did little to help the issue.
• I’m a little disappointed in CT; this article seems to have been written to create a little bit of controversy.  Viral marketing by Zondervan?

The thought that occurred to me as I read the announcement about the new translation was “Now, what translation am I going to use for memory work and with my family?”   I have long used the NIV and a little over a year ago, the congregation I serve purchased NIV Bibles for use in worship to replace the NLT ones that were there.  I wondered afterwords if we should have gotten TNIV, but the NIV was much more widely used so we went with that.   At home however, we had begun to use the TNIV.   Personally I had also begun to use the TNIV for my own devotional reading and was beginning to use it for the discipline of Scripture memory.

I understand the desire by publishers to produce new translations to reflect changes in the English language but I wonder about the effect the multiplicity of translations has on the spiritual formation of the church as a whole.  I am convinced that some of the central spiritual disciplines are reading Scripture and memorizing Scripture.   The goal of the new translations (ESV, HCSB, TNIV) has been to encourage people to read their Bibles more and to provide people something they enjoy reading more and also will understand better.  I am all for that, though I wonder how many folks really need another translation (or specialty Bible) more than they need to simply read the ones that they have.

Now, finally getting to the point.  I first started using the NIV for memorization.  I have recently switched to the TNIV.  Now, will I switch to NIV2011?  What translation will I use with my kids?  And more than just for me and my family, I think about the church as a whole when we use so many different translations.  There is something powerful about being with Christians from other congregations and parts of the country and being able to say the Lord’s Prayer together.  Or to sing a song together where we all know the words.  But, what happens when we begin to all use different translations.  Will my kids grow up with another translation, such that we won’t be able to say the 23rd psalm together when I am old and perhaps sitting in a nursing home?  Or, in my own congregation, we have been trying to memorize some Scripture together as a body.  Even though we use the NIV as our standard translation, we have folks who use KJV, NLT and RSV.   Which means for them, when we memorize Scripture and recite it together on Sunday morning it’s not the same thing they read when they come to the passage in their Bible.

I don’t know what it all means, but I wonder if publishers think about any of these things when they are creating new translations?  Because I do.

Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study.

American Idol and its clones are not on my list of shows to watch for any number of reasons.  One of them being the way in which so much is based on preconceived ideas of what talent is, and more specifically, what talent looks like.  I had an advantage over the audience sitting there that night because the fact that it was posted on YouTube and Warnock’s brief comments changed my expectations.   I knew to expect a surprising and powerful performance.

It was fascinating to watch the video and to see the faces of the crowd and the judges as Susan began to share her story and her dreams.  There was a look of disdain, of disbelief, of denial.  The faces of those watching said, “Why is this woman up here wasting our time.”  What led them to these conclusions, what caused them to think that Susan Boyle had no talent.  Could it be that she is 47 years old, and does not look like most of the singing stars that the world knows and loves so much?  Could it be that she did not emanate stage presence, but in fact seemed a bit uncomfortable and maybe even odd?  Was it the little hip wiggle that she gave that made Simon fidget and want to write down a no before the first note passed her lips?

Then, she begins to sing.  And the crowd swings wildly the other direction.  The eyes that were rolling fill with tears.  The mouths that snickered shout with enthusiasm.  How fickle the crowds.  It is ironic, fitting maybe, that this performance took place on April 11th, the Saturday of Holy Week, a week in which Christians often remember the fickle crowds of Jerusalem which hailed Jesus on his entrance into Jerusalem on (Palm) Sunday and then called for his crucifixion or simply abandoned him by the end of the week.  Appearances and the way we think things should be shape us and prejudice in so many ways.

Susan Boyle sang and transformed an audience.  She sang and stunned three judges.  Simon jokes that he saw it coming.  Is his humor just an attempt to maintain himself at the center of attention, or is it an attempt to deflect the discomfort that he feels deep inside because he knows the wrong that he has done.  What wrong?  The wrong so many of us commit.  OK, let’s call it sin.  We look at people and we decide their value, their worth, their motives, their intents based on what we see.  The young woman in Wal-Mart with a child.  The African-American man driving the nice car in the suburban neighborhood.  The nervous looking Middle Eastern man at the airport.  The well-dressed woman sitting at the table in the restaurant.  We look and we think we know what is going on in their hearts.  We think we know them.  Like the audience thought it knew Susan Boyle.

Let us stop for a moment and give people the same chance that Susan Boyle was given.  Let them open their lives to us, to share their dreams, to see who they truly are, to see who God created them be, to see the imago dei inside each of them.   Amanda made the comment “I am so thrilled, because I knew that everybody was against you…”  Let us not be like that.  Let us, by the grace of God, by the power of the Spirit, be the Christ followers who are not against people.  Let us be for people.   May you see the face of Christ in everyone you meet, and may everyone you meet see the face of Christ in you.

We are introduced to these key themes primarily in the scenes that take place on the Cylon Basestar between Ellen and Cavill/1/John.   We learn that the 7 (actually eight) human cylon models were created by those known as the final five.  Some of them, John in particular, are not very happy with their creators.  John feels he has been limited, given an inadequate body and construction for what he longs to do.  he resents the emotions and the limitations that have been placed upon him, the way in which he has been made to look like a human, the very beings that he hates for their enslavement of the centurions.  I always had the sense that Cavill/John was devious and cruel, but here we begin to see the full extent.  The scenes need to be watched to truly see their power.  Some of the lines that are worth noting:
John to Boomer about Ellen, “Stay and have a heart to heart with your creator.  Ask her why she made you the way you are. Self-destructive …  Tell her how extraordinarily happy this makes you”

Then this exchange:
Boomer: “Don’t you feel the slightest bit of remorse for what you did to him?  What you did to us?”
Ellen: “No.  Because he’s wrong, Boomer.   There’s no need for remorse and blame.  We didn’t limit you.  We gave you something wonderful.  Free will.  The ability to think creatively.  To reach out to others with compassion and love.”
Boomer:  “Love?  Who?  Humans?  Why would I want to do that?  Who would I want to love?”

and this one:
Ellen (to John): “You see, you claim to be a perfect machine, but you are driven by the most petty of human emotions: jealousy and rage.  I know what you did to Daniel.  (Discussion of Daniel).  I knew it was John.  Sadistic.
John:  “And who made me?  That’s what we’re dancing around here, isn’t it?  If I am so irredeembable, if I’m such a mistake, if I’m so broken, then whose fault is that?  It’s my maker’s fault!  And that’s not God.  That’s you.  This is on you.”
Ellen:  “No, no.  John, God, no.  You have done terrible things.  But you are not a mistake.  If you could just accept yourself as what you are – the boy I made.  You can be good.  You can be anything.  I love you John, because I made you.”

What is the relationship between a creator and its creation?  Do we blame God for the way we are?  Is it justifiable to say, “It’s not my fault, this is simply how God made me.”  How often have you heard the argument?  Does such an argument truly work?  I think that what is suggested by these scenes is right – that though we may be limited by our creator, we have been given free will and are ultimately responsible for our behaviors.  I am not suggesting that this gives a completely biblical view of the relationship between God and humans, between Creator and creations, but it is some powerful material.  I’m not sure BSG was trying to take one side or the other in the argument, but these scenes seem to point very much toward the idea that we cannot blame the creator for who we are.  If nothing else, what a line ‘I love you because I made you.”

Beyond this creator/creation theme, this episode returns to the whole issue of reconciliation and memory.  We hear John talk about how he chose not to simply explore and marvel at being such an incredible machine because “justice pulled him back”, he could not, or would not forget that his centurion forebears had been enslaved by humans.  We have these themes echoed, or amplified if you will, in the discussions between Tryol, Tigh, Tory and Anders as Sam begins to recover memories.  Tigh says, “It all traces back to us.”  The others say no, the humans are at fault and then there is this great line from Tigh, “You point a finger back far enough and some germ gets blamed for splitting in two. No!  Maybe we share the guilt with the humans but we don’t get to just shove it off on them.”   One of the key lines in this issue of reconciliation is this from Anders, “The centurions had a single, loving god.  Ellen said it changed everything.  If the cylons embraced love and mercy, then the cycle of violence could end.”   Once again, I think of Miroslav Volf and his books.  Maybe that can be by first book – Miroslav Volf and Battlestar Galactica – The End of Humanity: Remembering Rightly in a World of Cylons and Humans.   Here is a great quote from The End of Memory:

What does it take to remember for good, to remember in salutary rather than destructive ways?  How can we help memory become a bridge between adversaries instead of a deep and dark ravine that separates them?   How can former enemies remember together so as to reconcile, and how can they reconcile so as to remember together?

So say we all!

Gaeta has certainly become more of a leading figure and it seems that the events of the webisodes “Face of the Enemy” have pushed him over the edge.  Any thoughts of working with the Cylons have fallen to the wayside and he seems determined to make sure it does not happen, no matter the cost.  This returns us to a theme that has recurred several times over the course of the series, namely “can those who were once enemies become friends?” 

For Felix, there seems to be no question: any thought of working with the Cylons is anathema.  His betrayal by the Number 8 which we see in “Face of the Enemy“  has led him to the point where he cannot and will not trust the Cylons.  And anyone who would side with the Cylons better watch out.  This question of whether or not peace can come between groups that have fought and hated each other is one that has faced humanity for most of history.  The healing of old wounds and mending of damaged relationships can only happen in the context of trust and forgiveness.  It is these two elements which are lacking greatly in the BSG universe.  And it is ultimately the lack of trust and forgiveness which drives the characters into many of the troubles they find themselves in.   Gaeta here is a prime example as we see him perhaps unable to forgive himself as well as unable to trust the Cylons, having been betrayed by one.  Once again, I am reminded of Miroslav Volf’s Exclusion and Embrace and his penetrating look at our ability or inability to embrace the other.  Volf’s conclusion is that we because of God’s embrace of us we have no choice but to do so, and can do it only through the power of the cross.

We return to Baltar and his religious ramblings where it appears that he also has become disenchanted.  God is no longer love, but God is now guilty of the problems that the people are facing.  He tells his disciples that God is the one who needs forgiveness.  The basic argument is this:  1)  We are in this horrible situation and there must be a reason.  2)  We didn’t do anything to deserve it.  3)  Therefore, God is wrongly punishing us and needs our forgiveness.  Not the first time such thinking has taken place.  I wonder what has led Baltar to believe that they have done nothing wrong.  Although this is not surprising because Baltar has convinced himself that his role in the genocide of humanity was merely a mistake, and that he did nothing “wrong”.  This makes one ask the question of if he did nothing wrong in the first place, why did he work so hard to cover it up?  Perhaps because he thought others would not understand.  What we really see is that over time Baltar had to find a way to justify himself – he could not be excused, he could not find a way to be forgiven, and so his only choice was to convince himself and others that he had done no wrong and therefore did not need to be forgiven.  This is the trail we take when we see no opportunity or possibility for forgiveness: to convince ourselves that we don’t need forgiveness.

If one of the show’s driving thoughts truly is to explore what it means to be human (which Ronald D. Moore has suggested several times) then they have hit the mark here because forgiveness and the ability to forgive are a part of being human.  The question which remains unanswered by BSG is how can we forgive?  I am not sure that the show has really answered that.  Most of the episodes of forgiveness were driven merely by pragmatism (which makes you wonder if it truly is forgiveness) except for perhaps the episode in which Roslin saves Baltar from bleeding to death  (BSG 411 – The Hub).

For random stuff, one of my favorite scenes in this episode is when the Hitei Kan jumps away and Adama quips, “You know, there are days when I really hate this job.”  It was a great line and fit so much better than what I might have expected the writers to do – have Adama slam his fist down and yell “Frak!”  This proves my point that you can do a lot without using frak.

Then, there was what I think was perhaps one of the worst scenes of the series: Roslin running through the corridors of Galactica.  I think the writers were trying to show us something about Roslin and her frame of mind and decisions she was making but it all it did for me was make me want to yell, “Run, Forrest, Run!”

Looking forward to where the writers will take us in the next episode.  So say we all!

While the episode was full of revelations and also introduced many new questions, the thing that struck me most was the theme of hope or, more accurately, the loss of hope.  Since the Cylons destroyed the 12 colonies and the humans escaped and sought refuge in earth, the dream of earth has been a major driving force in keeping them going.  Perhaps we might better say that what has given them strength and courage to continue on their journey was the belief, the hope, that they would find a place to call home, to settle down, to stop running and try and regain some of what was lost – it was not Earth, per se, as the majority of people were willing to settle on New Caprica (“Lay Down Your Burdens”).  

What we see in this episode is that, as this final dream, the dream of settling down on Earth is crushed, so too is the spirit of the people to go on.  Humans and cylons wander aimlessly across the beach on which they have landed trying to take in this new reality.  Roslin stumbles with what words to offer the crew when she returns to Galactica.   As BSG continues to address the issue of what it means to be human, I want to look at three characters/storylines and what they might suggest about the question, “What do you do when hope dies?”

Adama provides an interesting figure because it was he who first gave the fleet something to live for, something to fight for with his speech of how he woudl lead the people to a place called Earth.  At the time he did not even believe that Earth existed, but it was a story for people to cling to, a beacon of light in the midst of a storm.   He justifies this initial lie with the thought that the people needed something to believe in.  The suicide of Dualla along with the end of the dream pushes Adama over the edge.  He gets drunk and storms off to Tigh’s office where he tries to commit suicide by cylon (there is a great little bit when he walking down the corridor and passes two guys brawling and he simply just walks on by).  Here is the one who has held the fleet together and he simply seems to fall apart as hope is gone.

During the course of the episode we see Dualla and Lee starting to rekindle some of the old flame.   At first it seems that there is hope in the midst of the loss, that even though times are tough there is power in a relationship.   Hope has been born in the face of despair, she wants to remember the day forever.  Then, in one of the most stunning BSG moments, she puts her pistol to her head and ends the day and her life.  With the dream of a new life gone, there is no more hope and Dee chooses not to go on.

In the midst of all the gray and black, Helo and Athena offer a bright spot.  Although no one knows what will come next, they take the time to play with Hera, to have fun with her and also spend some time together.  This is the only thing close to a healthy relationship in the whole show and here we see that one of the thing that gives us strength is our relationship with others, in particular our family.

The ongoing theme of the show is what it means to be human.  In this episode, the writers give us a chance to see how humans handle despair and the loss of hope.  The one thing that strikes me is that we learn what happens when we place all of our life’s hopes on one single thing, on a solitary dream.  When that dream is taken away, there is little to do but despair.  This is a powerful reminder to us all to think about where we place our hope.  What happens when we place our hope in some thing of this world, some dream that we think we can achieve – a particular job, a retirement that looks just so.  Even the recent stock market collapse has set people into rethinking a lot of things because those things that they put hope in.  For the follower of Jesus, we must remember that we have a hope in something that is certain, a God whose promises do not fail.  (Romans 8:23-25  , 2 Corinthians 3:11-13).

All in all – a great episode, one of the reasons that I like BSG so much with one minor quibble, the continued and seemingly increasing use of the word frak.   The dialogue at one point goes something like this.  “Frak you.  You don’t know when to keep your frakkin’ mouth shut and follow orders. “  In the course of this brief encounter we hear frak at least 5 times.  This will probably be the topic of a separate post but a few brief thoughts.  Do people swear?  Yes, especially under pressure.  My point is that it often seems forced.  It strikes me as lazy writing – “We need Adama to be mad.  I know, let’s have him say frak.”  It also does not challenge the actors at all.   But, more some other time.

Many questions remain:  How did Kara’s viper (and Kara?) end up on earth when they were so far away when it exploded?  How did they know that all the bones were cylon ones?  Didn’t earlier shows suggest that they had no way to know who was a cylon?  So, who or what is Starbuck?  Where are the other cylons?  How do these timelines and stories all go together?

But for now – we will be waiting for the next episode.  So say we all!

[This was an article I wrote for the Cheboygan Tribune.  I also posted it over at my church's website.]

For many, the day after Thanksgiving is the day to wake early and, armed with sale ads, stake out the stores for the best bargains on what has come to be known as Black Friday. The name apparently refers to retailers moving from being in the red to in the black (i.e. making a profit). In the Christian church calendar, Black Friday this year falls two days before the start of Advent, the days of preparation before the celebration of Christmas. Here in America, shopping and Christmas go together like hamburger and french fries. [Warning: I am going to say some things now that may make you a little uncomfortable, make you squirm a little and maybe even consider changing the way you do things. Please keep reading.]

Every year people tell me how overwhelmed they are by the shopping and the chaos of the Christmas season. Credit card bills soar. Stress levels peak. in the midst of it all, we lose sight of what matters most – that God put on flesh and bones and moved into the neighborhood (John 1:14, The Message) – that Jesus, the Son of God became a man to live among us and die for us. But don’t we give gifts to remember God’s gift to us? Yes, but do you really want me to think that anyone is thinking of God’s gift to us as they rip open the 86 elaborately wrapped packages under the tree? Do you want to try and convince me that the diamond earrings, 18V cordless drill, iPod, Barbie and Halo III help anyone grasp the height, depth and width of God’s love and sacrifice? Do I really think that a bigger present is going to lead my child into worship of God? What kind of character am I forming in myself and my family by shopping and spending?

Perhaps another Friday will help us regain perspective, what we know as Good Friday. Good Friday refers to the day on which Jesus was crucified, offering his life up as a sacrifice, demonstrating the way of discipleship, providing atonement for our sins and reconciling the world to God. What looked to the world like weakness was God’s greatest display of his glory. What seemed to be powerless was, along with the resurrection, the most powerful moment in history. What are you shaped by – the cross or the cash register?

Let me suggest a few simple steps that you might take to help you focus on Jesus this season, to turn from the idol of consumerism and worship the one who alone is worthy of praise. First of all, I give you permission to spend less this Christmas. Not just because the economy is bad but because it will be good for your soul. It will be an opportunity to say “I will not be a part of a consumer culture that seeks happiness in material things. I will not go into debt (further) and be farther into bondage into the empire of this world which worships wealth and power. Instead, I will worship the one who came helpless in poverty” Second, because God’s gift of his Son was relational and personal, when you do exchange gifts, make them something personal and relational in nature. Make something yourself. Put together a scrapbook. Record yourself reading for your grandchild, or yourself laughing. Rediscover the joy of giving less expensive gifts that are more meaningful and relational in nature. Third, remember the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40). Give some of the money that you saved to those in need, whether it be through local or global ministries. Help the local Salvation Army pay someone’s heating bill or help provide a well for a village through Living Waters, Int’l. Sponsor a Compassion Child or buy some extra groceries for the food pantry. That kind of giving will be an incredible act of worship and will shape your heart to be like Christ. Black Friday or Good Friday? Which one will start your holiday season?