tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591058027712196623.post3933317946509054908..comments2023-02-02T05:18:40.234-05:00Comments on Mr. Garner Goes To Washington: To Group Or Not To Group - There Is No QuestionUnexplained Caseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399455073170218148noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591058027712196623.post-6414369630968883942011-11-28T07:53:56.663-05:002011-11-28T07:53:56.663-05:00Well, cleanliness AND Macs are next to Godliness.....Well, cleanliness AND Macs are next to Godliness...but that's another blog post for another time. ;)Rick Garnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02549697947866066232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591058027712196623.post-79191318864382747352011-11-27T15:53:38.107-05:002011-11-27T15:53:38.107-05:00Surely you don't mean to suggest that Mac user...Surely you don't mean to suggest that Mac users have no preferential treatment with Jesus! Goodness, Ricky G!! How could you?!?!?! LOL!! ;-)Angiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06155134213128405386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591058027712196623.post-26258445531212418022011-11-27T10:40:11.893-05:002011-11-27T10:40:11.893-05:00Thanks, as always, for sharing your thoughts, Angi...Thanks, as always, for sharing your thoughts, Angie!<br /><br />To your first point, I'm happy to have a dialog with anyone about this topic. Which often happens in this comment section with my posts. My initial mission was to get the reactions of those who might appear "like minded" and see if their reactions were similar or different.<br /><br />For the second point, it is a dangerous place to be because aligning politics with faith stereotypes and presumes. Sadly, these presumptions are made often due to our inability to separate the two. There are some who would argue that their politics are meshed with their faith. I agree that one's faith will impact their political views...because one's faith should impact every area of their life. However, sometimes, there are things in life that simply are "there" and have no eternal value or opinion. Kinda like what brand of electronic I prefer has no bearing on Kingdom activities. <br /><br />To your third point, we do need to focus more on love and less on labels. We need to associate with different people. We need to try and understand another's view rather than judge. We also need to stop allowing terms to bother us. If someone referred to me right-wing, fundamental, or evangelical...my first reaction should be understand why they wish to refer to me as such instead of being offended or pleased. That creates a dialog instead of an emotionally charged moment. Perhaps how I view those terms aren't the same or we simply have a misunderstanding. <br /><br />Good stuff, Ang.Rick Garnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02549697947866066232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591058027712196623.post-81590318986976793192011-11-26T23:14:06.251-05:002011-11-26T23:14:06.251-05:00OK...I have digested this a bit. And here's my...OK...I have digested this a bit. And here's my thoughts, in no particular order...<br /><br />1. VERY cool idea to get a diverse group (somewhat) of thinkers to respond to your questions. That alone shows that you don't mind crossing groups, giving up a bit of comfort that comes from likenesses, for the sake of thinking deeply about things. I love that about you. It challenges me to do the same. I wonder, though, if you'd asked a Muslim or atheist about their take on those terms if there might be any food for thought there?? I'm thinking that might be a good idea. Can you make that happen, Ricky G??<br /><br />2. I think it is a very dangerous and slippery slope for Christians individually, and more importantly as a group, to become closely aligned with any political agenda. The terms "right-wing" and "Christian" really have no business of being associated with one another. Not that God has no place in politics...I don't mean that at all. But when we are lumped as a group toward one political agenda, such as conservativism for example, it makes it seem like we're saying (or others are saying on our behalf) that GOD HIMSELF favors that agenda. And I just think that's a dangerous place to tread. None of us truly knows and acts with the heart and mind of God. Does God support life? Absolutely! But does he love and offer grace to those who take lives - murderers, abortionists. Absolutely! We have no political movement, party, association that I know of that could tolerate both of those views and legislate accordingly. I believe our greatest role as Christians in politics (besides those of us who run for office) is to pray for wisdom for those who lead, that they would seek the mind of God and act accordingly. <br /><br />3. I agree with you that we spend far too much time dividing ourselves. These terms are divisive in and of themselves. They cause strong reactions when they are used, likely because of the media's use of them in less than flattering manners. If we spent even HALF the time we do dividing ourselves working on building bridges to one another instead, I think Christ could be at work in and through us as His followers in ways that we have yet to imagine! This is one of the most important lessons I've learned this summer as God began a work in my life and moved me from one church to another. To me, it comes down to one word. LOVE. If I love like Jesus did, then I act more like He did. If I only SAY I love others not like me, then I don't act like Jesus when it counts. I'm one of the Christian hypocrites we all get accused of being from time to time...the ones that non-believers use as the excuse as to why they'd never want to be part of my group...Right Wing, Evangelical Fundamentalist Christians! Jesus INTENTIONALLY hung out with people completely different from Himself from time to time, and then kept close to Him those who shared His same core beliefs and purpose. He did this as a model for us, I believe. We need to BE love for this world...love as an ACTION verb, not a feeling. That only happens when we intentionally reach out and understand one another rather than judge. <br /><br />So...that's my reaction.Angiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06155134213128405386noreply@blogger.com