Being Loved

God spoke through my fortune cookie a few days ago. It said...

Love is being offered to you, be affectionate in return!

These last few days have been remarkable. Last Thursday I began my return trip to Colorado with my family. As we drove through Texas on Thursday, a drive that is usually bland and boring, my eyes were captivated by the beauty of the land. The hot summer day was then met by a refreshing storm that quenched the dry Texas soil and refreshed my soul. Thursday evening, we pulled into our camping spot in Caprock Canyon State Park near dusk. As the sky grew dark, we were greeted by a lightning storm in the distance that was more beautiful than any firework show. At the same time, stars began to light up the sky; leaving me in awe because the panhandle of Texas reveals a myriad of stars that are never seen from the metro area of San Antonio and Austin. I drifted to sleep that night feeling loved by my Creator. The next morning, I woke early to go run. I set off on a trail through the state park not knowing what to expect. I was left speechless. I ran on a trail that followed the rim of a canyon with beautiful red stones, before spitting me into another beautiful area of the park that crossed creek beds and showed glimpses of other canyon walls in the distance. It was breath-taking.

Later that day, we entered Colorado where I was greeted by pine trees and mountains. It felt like God was welcoming me back to Colorado. During the drive, I started to feel a slight amount of apprehension about returning to school. However, I then looked out my window to see one of the fullest rainbows I have ever viewed. I felt God smiling at me through that rainbow and telling me, "I have a purpose for you being here; don't feel apprehensive about the future. Welcome back."

Over the last few days I have gotten to catch up with old friends and make new friends. I have been awed by the beauty of God's creation in Clear Creek Canyon, beautiful trails near Colorado Springs, and in the nature surrounding the small mountain town of Silver Plume Colorado. I have felt God embracing me.

I am sharing all of this, not because I want to brag about the beautiful things that I have been blessed to see, but rather because God has been speaking to me so powerfully. All things created point back to their creator. I have felt God acting as my lover trying to woo me. It has been a remarkable feeling. As my senses are brought alive by nature, human relationships and even a fortune cookie, I know that God is loving me. These glimpses of beauty are signs of God's love being offered to me.God gives me grace that is greater than anything that I can imagine. I am often too prideful to accept it, so I try to earn God's love. However, His love cannot be earned; it is given freely because of Jesus Christ. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that I cannot repay God, and that there is no debt for me to work off. However, I can understand a fortune cookie that reminds me "love is being offered to you, be affectionate in return!"

Therefore, I hope to be affectionate to God.  He has already given me the gift that I must learn to accept. I can do nothing to earn His love, but I can be affectionate in return. I can praise Him and I can spend time with God. This summer I have felt convicted about not being personal with God. I have repeatedly felt a need to enter into a personal relationship with Him through prayer. Now, I feel it again, and now I understand that God is my lover. More than ever, I want to talk to Him; more than ever, I want to be affectionate in return.

A New Democracy

A friend of mine recently solved our political problems when she said:

If you don't like abortion, don't have one.If you don't like gay marriage, don't have one.If you don't like guns, don't buy one. 
I know I know, it's genius. They clearly need me in the world of politics right now. 

     -Missy Glasenapp

As simple and as silly as it sounds, I think there is some truth to what she said. I feel that we have turned democracy into a game of power and force. Rather than doing good for all people, we have turned democracy into a struggle to persuade others to take up our cause, and in doing so, we force our desires on those who don't agree with us. In other words, we have become focused on creating the right political climate for our individual lifestyle, and each one of us is fighting to impose this political climate on all people, despite the fact that doing so will actually be detrimental to many other people. This climate has made the powerful more powerful, and the weak more weak. Historically, large corporations have used political influence to buy their wants at the expense of their laborers and smaller businesses. Similarly, enforcing traditional marriage on homosexual individuals only makes these people feel more ostracized, shamed, unloved and unworthy than they already feel. 

Although about 4 percent of the general population is believed to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ), numerous studies and surveys during the last decade have shown that sexual minority youth become homeless at a disproportionately high rate, with shelters in some cities reporting that they account for up to 40 percent of their residents.*

My point is that although conservatives are only trying to uphold traditional marriage - a noble cause in itself - doing so may hurt those who are already hurting deeply. Thus, we should not only keep ourselves in mind during politics, but others too, even our "enemies."

Forcing our political desires on others is a problem for our society and nation, and a problem for those of us who claim to be Christ-followers. Jesus never told us to force others to do what is morally right - whether that be enforcing a proper marriage, banishing abortion and guns, etc. Instead, he taught us to love through personal relationships, and he saved us to live free of the chains of injustice. Our salvation may mean that we are living without guns and violence, our salvation may mean that we are pro-life, and for some it may mean upholding traditional marriage, but being saved does not give us the right to dictate the lifestyle of others. If anything, doing so only angers others. Outside of a friendship in which giving advice is acceptable, people do not want to be told by others how to live. In the words of Art Alexakis (the lead singer of Everclear):

I hate those people who love to tell you Money is the root of all that kills They have never been poor They have never had the joy of a welfare christmas 

               [Song: I will buy you a new life] 

As Christians, I believe that the poor and marginalized should be dear to our hearts. Rather than recruiting a majority to side with us and win political battles, I believe that we should engage in politics with the marginalized in mind. We should not only do what we think is right for ourselves, but for others, too. This can allow us to lift others up through politics, rather than just crushing our opposition. Besides, (for those of you who are conservative,) helping the poor can aid some republican causes in the long run. If we focus on taking care of neglected kids, kids in foster care, high-school drop-outs, and others without a strong support system, the rate of teenage pregnancies will decrease, as well as the number of abortions. 

The route to decrease abortion and strive for other political victories is not going to be direct. We won't solve the problems of the world and change other peoples' hearts with the cast of a ballot. However, deciding to engage in personal relationships and voting for programs that are relationally based can go a long ways to impact the world and save others from injustice. I think we should give people the freedom to decide on guns, abortions and marriage; not because every decision for these choices is morally acceptable, but rather because we should allow our love to transform instead of making our ballot force. 


 *Ryan, Kevin, and Tina Kelley. Almost Home. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012. 184. Print.

Guatemala

     One week ago I returned from my trip to Guatemala. The trip was short - 13 days - but it was very sweet. The trip was a great intercultural experience, a short Spanish immersion experience, a crash course in Christian missions, a friend-forging experience with great people from the U.S. and Canada and Guatemala, and a retreat with my God.

     In Guatemala, we worked with a long-term missions organization called Students International. Students International is a terrific organization that is organized in a beautiful way to bring about God's work. I might write more about the organization at a later time, but for now you can get more info on Students International (SI) at: http://www.stint.com/about/si. SI has had a presence in the community of Magdalena which is nestled in the mountains of Guatemala for around 15 years - give or take a few years. SI employs long-term missionaries who work in various ministry sites in Magdalena throughout the year, and each summer students from the U.S. and Canada come to assist the ministry during 9-day or 13-day stints.

     I traveled to Guatemala with a team of 8 from Colorado Christian University. We were joined in Guatemala by a team of 10 students from a school in Montreal. Each one of us was placed in a ministry site - such as education, art, microfinance, media, etc. I was placed in the Child Sponsorship ministry site. These ministry sites were our work locations during each day of our time in Guatemala. At night, we would stay with host families - 2 or 3 students stayed with each family.

     To give you a better idea of what our time looked like in Guatemala, here is a brief overview of our daily schedule. Each morning we would wake up on our own and get ready for the day - i.e. brush teeth, possibly shower, possibly run, and hopefully pray some. At 6:30am, we would eat breakfast with our host families. At 7am, we would meet with the rest of the American and Canadian students at Pastor Mario's house - the pastor of the local evangelical church - for an hour and a half of worship, devotional, quiet time and group prayer. Then, we would work in our ministry sites from 9am-3pm. Sometimes we would have a group activity in the afternoon - staff testimony, group game of fútbol, or a team meeting - and other times we would just hang out with our host families until our 6pm dinner. Following dinner, we usually talked with our host families for an hour or so, and would then fall asleep early - 9pm or so.

     The highlight of my trip was the time that we spent with our host family, and the resulting relationship that was developed. However, I also  had a blast in my ministry site. In the child sponsorship site my main activities were the following - attend recess each day with the the two local schools who have students in our sponsorship program, deliver birthday presents to students in the child sponsorship program, translate letters from kids into English for their sponsor families in the U.S., etc.

     Now that you have a gist of what my trip looked like, here are some of the cool ways that I heard God speak (taken straight from my travel journal)...

5/28/13

Augustine [the father of our host family] said some really cool stuff. He talked about how he wanted to go to high school when he was growing up, but never could because his family did not have enough money. While he was not able to go to high school, he decided that he wanted his kids to one day have the opportunity to have an education and he made sure they did. He worked hard and was able to pay for the education of all three of his children. Furthermore, we also heard about how he built his family's house. The family started out living in one tiny room - about ten years ago. Bit by bit, Augustine built the first floor and then the second floor, completing the house 5 years ago. It was cool to hear him speak about God's blessing. He said that some years are tough and challenging and other years are full or blessings. Both the years of challenges and of fruit are part of life and we must be patient through it all.

5/30/13

Though the family lives humbly compared to the lifestyle of most Americans, Augustine is willing to share what he has with others. In reference to hosting us and helping others, he says, "It is a blessing to share with others the gifts that God has given us."

6/3/13

Listening to Augustine pray for breakfast this morning had a great impact on me. He has done this before, but it really struck me today. Not only does Augustine thank God for the blessings he/we have and ask for God's care in this day, but he also prays for the poor and suffering. Specifically, Augustine prays for those without food, sick children in hospitals, and orphans. He prays this with such humility and sincerity that I am awe-struck. I over look the suffering people in the world that I do not personally know. I do not think about or pray for them. But, how necessary it is that these people be dear to our hearts. Praying for these people also puts life into perspective. There is so much greater things to worry about in the world than my little discomforts. 

6/6/13

I felt especially blessed to have been a part of the two home visits we went on today... The second home visit was to inform a family that one of their sons was now going to be sponsored. When we arrived to visit the family, they were in the process of shelling peas and had to finish within the hour. So, we sat down and began to help them shell the peas. The family is large, but it was a blessing to meet them all. They are struggling financially, but they have a joy within their hearts. First of all, their hospitality was amazing. Despite their economic hardship, they brought us juice and crackers. This was a true blessing. 

Second, it was really cool to see what the mother was doing with her two oldest children - who are in 4th and 5th grade. She had given both of them money as an investment for a project. One of the sons used that money to buy 6 chickens for 7Q a piece. He raised the chickens for 6 weeks and then was able to sell them, making close to 50Q on each chicken. Now he has bought 11 more chickens. The other son, bought a pig and is in the process of raising it. In any case, it was amazing to see the innovative lesson that the mom was giving her children, and the results that were being brought about from their projects. 

Furthermore, it was really cool to hear the mother's gratitude for the sponsorship of one of her sons. She said that the family had been hurting financially last year, and then God had provided by having someone sponsor her two oldest sons. Unfortunately, that sponsor was unable to continue sponsoring the kids and backed out. Now, the family is struggling financially again, but once again, she recognizes that God has provided by sending a sponsor for her son. 

All in all, I had a great trip and a great experience. I fell in love with the people of Guatemala and their culture. I am deeply touched by the love that they have for one another, for their visitors and for God. They are the hardest-working people I have ever met, yet they never complain. They are always content and grateful to God for all that they have. They also place a huge importance on their family; it was amazing to witness how the strength of their family unit was the basis of their success in life. Furthermore, they have a deep sense of love and desire to help others - students visiting from abroad, the poor and hungry, sick neighbors, etc. The people I encountered in Guatemala had tremendous servant hearts. They loved others deeply, and always loved and recognized God before all things. I certainly have some lessons to learn from the lifestyle of the Guatemaltecos. Thank you God for this experience.

 

The Church is Messy - Part Two

     Sometimes I do not know what to think about the church. At times, it seems like we have it all backwards. We, as U.S. Christians, welcome imperialistic military developments that murder thousands of people in Iraq and Afghanistan, celebrating their "defense of the U.S.." We, as Christians, tend to be the most prejudiced, racist and anti-homosexual. We are pro-guns and pro-judgment. We tend to fight our battles with the military and with politics; whatever happened to peaceful revolutions and transformative grace? In the words of Tony Campolo, "If we were to set out to establish a religion in polar opposition to the Beatitudes Jesus taught, it would look strikingly similar to the pop Christianity that has taken over the airwaves of North America" (Claiborne 269).

     While I am making large generalizations, there is no doubt that the church has huge flaws. These scars can be seen throughout history - The Crusades, The Spanish Inquisition, etc. - and still today. Thus, on behalf of the church, I would like to say that WE (CHRISTIANS) ARE HYPOCRITES AND SINNERS; WE ACKNOWLEDGE TRUTH WITH OUR WORDS AND OFTEN DENY GOD'S TRUTH IN OUR ACTIONS. WE ARE FLAWED AND MESSY PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF A MESSY AND FLAWED CHURCH.

     

     I say this for two reasons. The first reason is, "If people really knew what idiots we are, in all our brokenness and vulnerability, they would know that they can give this thing a shot too" (Claiborne 254). Thus, I hope that people realize that their imperfections call them to be a part of the church (which is very messy itself). (For more on this, see my post titled "The Church is Messy - Part One"). Second, I want to acknowledge the truth of Brennan Manning's words: "The greatest cause of atheism is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny him with their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." In acknowledging, this truth I hope that "the world would be willing to listen to a church on its knees, a church that doesn't pretend to be perfect or to have all of the answers" (Claiborne 251).

     Basically, I want to recognize the fact that the church is very messy and very flawed. As a result, it is easy for us to become disenchanted with the church. (I know that I do frequently). In the rest of this post, I hope to clarify that the flaws of the church or of Christianity are not the flaws of God. Furthermore, the church is a beautiful community that beckons those of use that are disenchanted to join in.

     The Church is the body and bride of Christ. It is the community of Christ-believers and Christ-followers. While the church is vital to God's work, it does not mean that all actions of the church are condoned by God. Rather, the church is the community that God gives us to interact together and to grow towards fulfillment in Christ. Thus, this community will get many things right and other things wrong. This community is necessary though because God has called us to not only enter into relationship with Him, but also to have relationship with one another.

     While reflecting on the last year, I have discovered that my approach to college was much like the approach that many of us take to the church. By this I mean that I expected Colorado Christian University to be an institution that represented God's desire, and the beliefs of the church in a well-balanced, unbiased manner. In other words, I expected my university to be perfect and I expected it to teach all the things I held to be important. Likewise, we expect the church to be the perfect representation of God's will and we expect it to satisfy us with what it teaches and how it acts. However, we overlook the fact that we were made to contribute to the church and likewise I have been called to contribute to CCU. The messiness of the church begs for our involvement in the church. We shouldn't disengage because of the messiness of the church; instead, wherever the church lacks or needs revival and revolution, we are called to action and engagement. Similarly, instead of becoming disenchanted with some of the stances, policies and actions of my school and its members, I now realize that I can use this opportunity to instruct others and to help our school draw closer to God. We are all a part of the body - that is the church - and thus we must play our role in instructing and edifying other parts to make the body the best it can be.

     My Cross-Country Coach frequently tells me, "The church is messy. That is why it is appealing to me." He is absolutely right. The church is messy because it is not perfect. In fact, nothing in this world is perfect. However, when we - the members of the body, the church - come together and learn and grow from each other we draw closer to what we were made to be; we move closer to our potential as the church and as the children of God. This is the true beauty of the church.

Source

Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006. Print.

The Church is Messy - Part One

     An excerpt from Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution:

A few years back, I was talking with a homeless guy in an alley downtown, and he started sharing with me about God. He was familiar with the Bible but kept talking about "the Christians" in the third person. A little confused, I finally asked him, "Are you not a Christians?" "Oh no," he said, "I am far too messed up." I asked him what he thought a Christian is, and he said, "Someone who's got their stuff together and has things figured out." I confessed that I must not be a Christian either and that I wasn't sure that I had ever met one. (Claiborne 245)

     Sometimes we shy away from the church because we feel that we are not worthy. However, we need to recognize that the church is not perfect. In fact, we can see that the church has been messy throughout history. The Apostle Paul was a persecutor and murderer of Christians, and then God made Paul one of the best spokesmen for the Gospel. There is not always a clean and definite switch in behavior as occurred as Paul's conversion. In fact, things are usually much more messy - like David committing adultery and murdering one of his soldiers during his reign as king over Israel. God used David before this incident and continued to use him afterward (what a messy situation). God also used Moses to lead Israel despite the fact that Moses had killed an Egyptian and was a timid man. Furthermore, even after God had consecrated Noah and his family, Noah engaged in debauchery and drunkenness. The point is that the church is messy. 

     While it is easy to understand that the church is messy, it is hard to accept. In my own life, I have been committed to righteous living and appeared to be on the straight and narrow before slipping up and giving into temptation, or rejecting God's call to love someone else. When these instances occur, I can't help but feel lost. How can the Holy Spirit dwell within me even when I screw up badly? Sometimes I wonder, is the Holy Spirit even within me or have I falsely claimed to be a follower this whole time? Though I doubt at times and fall short, I do believe that I am a follower of Christ. Moreover, being a part of the church does not entitle me to any amount of perfection. I am imperfect and so is the church. The fact of the matter is we can commit ourselves to holiness over and over, we can consecrate ourselves to the Lord, but at the end of the day, our life in this world will still be messy to one extent or another. 

     While this may seem like a reason to despair, we should find comfort in the fact that we are not alone. We are flawed beings, but so are many of the "heroes" of the Bible. Many people that have answered God's call have fallen short, and thus we should not lose heart when we mess up, fall, and hit bumps in the road. We should realize that our messiness is an invitation into the church, not an exclusion from it. Jesus said, "... It's not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick... I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matt. 9:12-13). Thus, when we fall short, we should realize our need for Christ's grace and redemption, and the community of the church. Because we are messy people, we belong in the messy church.

Back On My Feet

     5:30am Wednesday I start my summer internship with Back On My Feet in Austin. Back On My Feet, for those of you that haven't heard, is a homeless running ministry. And yes, I am stoked...

BoMF Background

     Here is a little bit of background info on the organization...

     BoMF was started in 2007 in Philadelphia. Since that time, it has grown to 10 different U.S. cities, including Austin, TX, which launched its chapter in January of this year.

     BoMF isn't about creating homeless people that run, it is about transforming and empowering "homeless" people through running. It is about changing peoples' self-perception, giving them confidence, giving them community, giving them identity, and hope for the future. 

     BoMF transforms people through the acquisition of commitment and dedication (there is something to say about people who are willing to wake up at 5:30 am 3-4 times a week to run). It changes people through the supportive community of caring people found in each running group, which is made up of residential (homeless) members and non-residential (volunteer) members. People are changed as they set and achieve goals and discover the successful results of hard work. Furthermore, there is also something to be said about the actual aspect of running and its effect on life. There is a connection between physical health and emotional/mental health. Running serves as an outlet for negative emotions, a source of positive high emotions, and has many positive effects on the brain, including capacity to learn, etc. Finally, BoMF provides financial and educational resources, as well as assistance in gaining jobs and housing that contributes to members' external success.

     Here is how it works. People that have been in homeless shelters for a month or more are given the opportunity to join BoMF. To join, they must commit to the 3 practices a week as well as other guidelines, fill out a goals sheet and take an initial survey. After a month of attending 90% of practices, members are moved to the "Next Steps" phase of the program. During this phase, members are evaluated in order to determine the best way to go about gaining a job and housing, as well as any training/education and finances that will be needed to do so. Success through the program is measured when individuals achieve occupational and housing independence.

Why I Care

     First of all, I love to serve people. Second of all, I love to run. Thus, I love to serve people through running.

     In all seriousness though, running has been a major part of my life for the last 7+ years. Running has had a major impact on me: giving me confidence and happiness; testing my physical, emotional and mental limits; teaching me life lessons; and giving me a connection to nature, other runners, and God. After relationships with others - including friends, family and God - running has been the most transformational thing in my life. Thus, I want to see other people enjoy the power of running too; I want to see this gift change the lives of other people.

     I believe in serving others, especially the poor and marginalized. The God that I love is a God of hope and restoration, redemption and salvation. I believe in this ministry and the redemption that it brings to the lives of broken people. While this organization may not proclaim to be "Christian," their work is very much God's work. Thus, I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part, however small, of a group and community with such a large and meaningful purpose.

     During my time with BoMF, I will gain experience working in a non-profit organization, working with volunteers, and interacting with homeless. I hope to gain experience that would be of value in leading a non-profit organization in the future and in leading a running ministry. Furthermore, I expect to be challenged in this internship as I come face-to-face with people that I often overlook and dehumanize. I know that I will learn a lot from the people I interact with, and I am looking forward to gaining a new perspective on God and life.

     In any case, I am blessed to have this opportunity. Thank you God! And, I welcome you to participate too. Feel free to contact me if you want to come walk/run any Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning!

     God is good!


If you want more info on BoMF, go to their website at http://www.backonmyfeet.org/
To hear the awesome story of BoMF founder Anne Mahlum, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVWCqCe1D8Y

The American Church Is NOT Persecuted

     I consider myself Christian. However, I do not connect with much of the rhetoric used by other Christians. At times, this reticence makes wonder if I want to stop calling myself a Christian, and just call myself a follower of Christ. While, I do not do this, I do have difficulty espousing conservative views because of rhetoric used. I often can't even get to the point of considering the true subject because I am so hesitant to be part of a movement that is so polarized. This post will look at how rhetoric used by some Christians - especially by some conservative Christians - is wrongly phrased in such a way as to claim persecution; and as a result, how this rhetoric creates polarization and hinders dialogue on key issues.

     Many Christians claim that those of the opposing view are infringing on Christians' rights. I have heard far too many speakers this year claim that the liberal agenda aims to extinguish Christianity. I will admit that some movements in our nation are trying to oust the influence of Christianity, and other religions, from government. Nevertheless, I do not see this issue being a form of persecution as much as I see it being a confusion over the meaning of the separation of church and state. (Defining what it means for the church and state to be separated is another topic for another day.) In any case, I think that the issue between the stereotypical liberal population and the stereotypical conservative Christian population is a difference in opinion and should be treated as such; not treated as an attack against one's religion. 

     The fact of the matter is that I have never heard of white middle- and upper-class citizens, who are a majority group, being persecuted. The Christians in our nation claiming persecution are some of the wealthiest, most comfortable people to have ever walked this planet. While some of their beliefs are threatened by dissenting opinions, this is not a form of persecution. Claiming this to be a form of persecution is a problem that is two-fold - it prevents dialogue to resolve the issue, and also loses potential supporters for their cause.

     The first problem is summarized clearly in a CNN article by John Blake:

[Candida Moss, a New Testament professor at the University at Notre Dame,] says ancient stories of church persecution have created a contemporary cult of bogus Christian martyrs. She says too many American Christians are acting like they’re members of a persecuted minority, being thrown to the lions by people who simply disagree with them. 

She cited former Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. Romney claimed last year that President Barack Obama was waging a “war against religion,” and Santorum said the gay community “had gone out on a jihad” against him. Other Christians invoke images of persecution when someone disagrees with them on controversial issues such as abortion or birth control, says Moss, whose "The Myth of Persecution" was recently released.

The problem with invoking persecution is it implies your opponents are evil – and no common ground can be found with evil,  Moss says. 

“When someone is persecuting you" she says, "there is no room for dialogue."¹

    Rhetoric of persecution inhibits the occurrence of beneficial dialogue. People who feel persecuted are not going to listen to another viewpoint. They take up a defensive stance, and cling to their belief without thoughtful consideration. Thus, American Christians who claim persecution avoid dialogue.

     Similarly, the extreme stance adopted by American Christians leads the "liberal" side to become polarized too. This side takes up a more extreme stance in reaction to the appearance of hatred and lack of respect demonstrated by the American Christians. Thus, neither side considers the opinion of the other; they become more and more firm in their stance. However, true dialogue will only ensue when we can consider and articulate both sides of the issue.

     The second issue with persecution rhetoric is that it scares away potential supporters of the cause. People, like me, who are on the fence about many issues develop an aversion towards sides that are too extreme. Thus, I have developed a reluctance toward conservative stances because of their rhetoric. The development of this aversion can be better explained in the words of Donald Miller:

... most pro-life representatives have gone the way of Malcolm X, not Dr. King. I’ve had more than a few conversations with pro-life leaders whose tone is so condescending and arrogant that even I, who mostly agreed with them, had trouble offering public support because doing so might be confused with supporting their attitude toward those who disagree, an attitude that has proven time and time again to [be] ineffective in instigating change....

This kind of tone makes more objective people want to disassociate from the movement and it’s the main reason the movement is having trouble gaining any kind of traction.²

     Christians who are serious about affecting change need to drop the defensive stance and move towards an offensive strategy. This offensive strategy is not an aggression towards those of the opposition, but rather a movement to act in ways that align with our Christian beliefs. In terms of key issues, this offensive strategy includes, respecting all people by listening to their views - even if they differ from one's own opinion - and carefully considering their viewpoint. It also means supporting lifestyles that conform with one's beliefs. In the case of those that are pro-life this means supporting adoption, supporting programs for teen-mothers and single-mothers, and having compassion on pregnant women who are troubled.

       The point is that the vast majority of Christians in America are not persecuted. Claiming persecution is not only a lie, but it also damages the resolution of conflict. Furthermore, there is a more effective manner of conflict resolution found in working towards what one believes to be right while respect those that disagree.*

*I highly recommend that you read Donald Miller's blog from April 22 - http://storylineblog.com/2013/04/22/talking-points-for-the-pro-life-movement/


Sources:
     1. Blake, John. "Christ was persecuted, but what about Christians?." CNN Belief Blog. CNN, 30 Mar 2013. Web. Web. 31 Mar. 2013. <http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/30/christ-was-persecuted-but-what-about-christians/?iref=allsearch>.
     2. Miller, Donald. "Does the Pro-Life Movement Need a New Strategy?." Storyline. Storyline, 22 Apr 2013. Web. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. <http://storylineblog.com/2013/04/22/talking-points-for-the-pro-life-movement/>.