I am humbled by all the comments and e-mail I’ve received. I am deeply touched by your concern for me and desire to see this blog continue.
I don’t plan to stop blogging. My critics would love that, but they won’t get the satisfaction. In fact, I didn’t mean to give anyone the impression that I wanted to stop blogging because of negative criticism. Why I’m blogging is the issue.
When I first started this blog almost a year ago, I didn’t know it would grow as it has. It was to be an extension of my column, but this site has become so much more. In the process, it’s taken on a life of its own and I let it become an idol. While I believe I’ve done some good things here, they mean nothing if I don’t stay connected to the One who makes it all possible.
Some of you sense my political burn out and suggest I narrow the blog’s focus and concentrate on two or three topics. Others sense the inner conflict of blogging about contentious political topics and incorporating my faith into the mix. While I believe Christians should be engaged in the culture, doing so with political rhetoric may not be the best way to go about it. In that regard, I may consider maintaining two blogs: one for social commentary from a Christian point of view and the other exclusively for devotional purposes.
God is interested in our hearts. The questions for me: Where is my heart and why am I doing this? While I want to believe I’m blogging about Christ out of love for those who need to hear it, sometimes I don’t. Bear with me as I learn to do everything I do, including blogging, for Christ.
Some of you cited a passage that I know I need to mediate on. 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13:
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Loving those who hate you is something I don’t think non-Christians can fully understand. I don’t fully understand it, but that’s the beauty of following Christ. If you think Christianity is a man-made religion, think again.
What man-made religion requires its followers to love enemies as we love ourselves? It’s counterintuitive. I think love has been missing in my writing, and that may be one of the causes of my confusion. If I respond in kind to my detractors, what good does my writing serve? It attracts readers but doesn’t edify.
If I share the Gospel, even if I rightly handle the word of God, what good is it if I hate those who also hate me? I’d be nothing more than a clanging cymbal, and the world has enough of those already.
Thank you for reading my blog and sharing this walk with me. All that’s left to say is…I’m back.
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An interesting take on leadership and IQ on Back of the Envelope. La Shawn Barber blogs about sharing the truth in love. What a wonderful reminder! Michel [...]
I pray this morning that God reveal his will to you, even as we speak. Where two or more agree together, it will be done. Anyone out there with me?
Circa Bellum
It is good to see you back!
Concerning your consideration of running two different blogs, I say “why separate them?” You are who you are, after all, and your unique viewpoint is why I read your blog in the first place. Not all of your readers are devout followers of organized Christianity. Count me as one. Speaking for myself only, I appreciate reading your perspective quite honestly, and hope to be able to continue to do so.
Again, welcome back! We have missed you.
La Shawn,
Don’t look at blogging as ‘loving those that would hate you’ (if I read that correctly), but rather (IMHO) look at it as ‘confronting fear(s)’ and meeting them head-on.
At least, that’s what I consider those that do not like what I have to say; dealing with them in a manner that uses logic and intellect isn’t anything except confronting the fear that would take away from the person that I am and will become.
I might be out-on-line, but to me, everything has a ’silver lining’ and I really try to find it…..
Welcome back, LaShawn!
It’s good to see you’re back. In these times of very harsh political rhetoric, it’s good to see someone considering what Scripture has to say about how we act and what we say as we participate in the political process.
In Christ,
Evon
I agree with Michael E. Cummins. Keep them as a single blog. If you can group them by departments do that.
I think we. as christians, need to show both sides of ourselves more. There is a real tendency to just talk about politics and social commentary or just talk about Christ without modern application. The truth is that they have to go together. In order for people, especially non-christians, to understand what we are talking about they need to understand the God we serve.
Otherwise you get pigeonholed, as Evangelical Outpost was recently, for being a “christian” site that talks more about conservative politics than Christ.
So glad you’re back. I see no conflict between sharing your faith, and standing up for the values we believe in politically. John Kerry is the one who denies his faith by claiming he cannot let it interfere with the way he governs.
I think one should govern by their faith, and honor their faith by respecting the rights and opinions of others while at the same time not endorsing them.
In my blog, I openly share my thoughts on the news, my faith, my family, my hobbies, and my views, as I don’t feel like a man conflicted. I am far from perfect, but I strive every day to become the man God wants me to be.
Seeing the fruits of your labors, it is easy to see you are becoming the woman God wants you to be, and it is beautiful.
Remember, loving our enemies does not include letting them walk all over us. The greatest heroes in the Bible fought back, with slings, and jawbones in addition to faith and wisdom.
Tell them how to get to heaven, but if they mock us and our God, don’t hesitate to give ‘em hell.
Thanks, everybody. I will carefully consider all options. We’re blessed to live in a country that allows religious freedom!
God’s grace is wonderful.
I appreciate your return.
Take Care
Michael
La Shawn,
I’m glad to see you’re back. God has given you a special gift and it’s exciting to see how he has put it to use. I’m glad that the time of retreat offered a fresh perspective on where God wants to you to go.
I believe that as Christians we have an obligation to share our faith and our worldview as shaped by God’s Word. There are those that will say faith and politics don’t mix. I must disagree. Our faith shapes how we respond to political issues. It doesn’t automatically mean that we will favor one candidate over another or one political party over another. Our faith does shape how we respond to each other and to the world.
If I have learned anything over these past several months it is this: God’s people can no longer remain silent. It’s time for us to stand up and make our voices heard.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
Thanks, Tom. What I meant by the politics and faith comment is that angry rhetoric doesn’t work, and I tend to get angry. I want to demonstrate the truth without getting caught up in the bickering. I wholeheartedly agree that our faith shapes our response to political issues. If we want to follow biblical principles, it can’t be any other way. Thanks for reading!
Welcome back “LB”, missed the bold blogging, it’s time for Christians to make a stand (can’t depend on Jesse or Al to stand for Truth), I heard the statistic that 15 out of 60 million Christians voted in the last election. Someone with some foundation as a Christian in the political arena must get the word out. You see true persecution will grow in abundance if the wrong folk are elected into office, and no one with a godly background voted them in or said anything before it was to late. All sober Christians must put off dividing the church because of traditional teachings and stand up for the truth of God’s word. To long have I seen churches divide over teachings, and can’t come together when it time to overcome the real enemy. I’m amazed at how the Christian community went to bat for Clinton, even when he committed adultery in one of our top official capacities. Now, President Bush gets in to office, shows nothing but character and those same Christians hate him. Go figure, if Saddam’s time was numbered and it was God’s plan to up root him, someone had to be used. So LB, you are in a position to educate those who will be brand new to the rhetoric we hear from many hateful politicians. Take this hateful donkey by the ears and bring it to the altar. I believe the Lord is looking for someone to stand up to a system that is corrupt at best….continue to blow the trumpet.
La Shawn:
We will support your decisions, whatever they might be. In the meantime, we have nine days left to save the country.
For some perspective on what to expect in the final 9 days of the campaign and how to respond to surprises from the Democrats and/or terrorists, check out the Final Week at http://cassandra2004.blogspot.com/2004/10/final-week.html.
Or click on my name in this comment.
La Shawn, I get the same way in response to hard-headedness / intentional ignorance / anger. God has really helped me to step away when my response is anger rather than seeing the person as someone created in His image. It’s a tough lesson to learn, and I’m far from finished myself.
Welcome back.
Welcome back, La Shawn
LaShawn, your thought to maintain two blogs is exactly how I have handled matters. I have a religious blog (Spiritual Woman) and a political blog (Pajama Pundit, at http://pagejunkie.typepad.com/pajama_pundit/). I have briefly stated my beliefs on the latter, but I don’t delve into them as frequently as you do here. Nevertheless, you must consider how rare, and how valued, your viewpoint is. I certainly value your perspective and input, and wish to keep receiving your wisdom.
Hey, so great to see a new post from you! And the spirit of it was very sweet. It is a difficult line to walk: finding the right balance of “turn-the-other-cheek&a-soft-answer-turneth-away-wrath” and “the-carpenter-clearing-the-temple-with-a-whip-of-those-who-would-desecrate-it”…. We do need to avoid contention whenever possible, but I think the need to stand up to evil in the world has never been greater. You are an inspiration to me, and obviously many, many more.
Peggy
La Shawn,
Welcome back! Now that you have done some introspection and are up and running again, I suspect we will see the return of the trolls who were so conspicuously absent from the list of well-wishers in the comments to your last post. Some people never learn! But, as Christians, we shall continue showing them that there is in fact another way. Hopefully, we will be able to lift them up without them pulling us down first.
May God bless you in all of your future endeavors.
Tom B.
LaShawn,
You Wonderful Rightwing God Fearing Blog Babe….Love them, yes, but don’t forget this either.
Psalm 139:17-24: “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Keep on bloggin’
Hugh McBryde
“Loving those who hate you is something I don’t think non-Christians can fully understand.”
Its a well established Buddhist doctrine. I’ve heard the Dalai Lama teach: “my enemy is my teacher.”
Great to see ya back La Shawn!
La Shawn,
I can relate to your heartfelt concern for your ultimate motivation. There is a fine line between defending the Gospel and the Word of God and slamming its detractors for fun.
I often find rest in reviewing the foundational principles in our shared faith: God’s Sovreignty, Election, Irresistable Grace, PREservation of the saints. Sounds like maybe you’ve done that.
Welcome back.
I’m so very glad you’re back, La Shawn.
Your decision to go on retreat, specifically to meditate on WHY you are blogging, but also to ask yourself that important question we must all ask ourselves, whether we are doing the right thing at the right time, brought to mind this poem by a great American poet who just passed away this week.
PROSPECTS
We have set out from here for the sublime
Pastures of summer shade and mountain stream;
I have no doubt we shall arrive on time.
Is all the green of that enameled prime
A snapshot recollection or a dream?
We have set out from here for the sublime
Without provisions, without one thin dime,
And yet, for all our clumsiness, I deem
It certain that we shall arrive on time.
No guidebook tells you if you’ll have to climb
Or swim. However foolish we may seem,
We have set out from here for the sublime
And must get past the scene of an old crime
Before we falter and run out of steam,
Riddled by doubt that we’ll arrive on time.
Yet even in winter a pale paradigm
Of birdsong utters its obsessive theme.
We have set out from here for the sublime;
I have no doubt we shall arrive on time.
~ Anthony Hecht
>>God is interested in our hearts. The questions for me: Where is my heart and why am I doing this? While I want to believe I’m blogging about Christ out of love for those who need to hear it, sometimes I don’t. Bear with me as I learn to do everything I do, including blogging, for Christ.< <
I suppose the question is, does your writing glorify God? I mean, we all have our off days, but IN GENERAL, does it glorify Him?
Does your writing ever cause a fellow believer to stumble?
These are all important questions.
For me, when I was blogging solely politics, I had to answer no to the first two questions, and yes to the last one. So I stopped. Now I feel like I can strike a more proper balance, but for a long time, I just stayed away.
Let God guide your heart and your typing fingers.
I’m glad your staying with us. The blogging world would be much emptier without your insight.
Welcome back, La Shawn! You serve as a reminder to me that I shouldn’t give up on my blog either, despite my recent burnout on things political. As to whether you should write two blogs or one, I would prefer that you keep one blog. Seperating posts on Christianity from posts on politics won’t address what you have confessed to be the root of the matter: an unloving spirit. I don’t claim to have mastered that area of my life either, but I know that we can’t separate our faith from our views (even in the discussion of them) and remain completely honest with ourselves and others.
That’s my 2 cents, anyhow.
Actus: “‘Loving those who hate you is something I don’t think non-Christians can fully understand.’
Its a well established Buddhist doctrine. I’ve heard the Dalai Lama teach: ‘my enemy is my teacher.’ ”
I would respectfully contend that *respecting* one’s enemies (as Buddhism, from my reading of it, seems to prescribe) is not exactly the same as *loving* one’s enemies. It’s one thing to act non-hostilely toward one’s enemies, to respect their abilities, to be committed to learning from them, and to not wish them especial harm. It’s another thing entirely to actively wish them well, to seek their good (so long as they are not harming others in the pursuit of it), and to want them to be reconciled with God as much as you are (provided you believe in God; I would have put this in a more faith-neutral way if I could conceive of one that communicated the idea more generally).
Christians are called to *love* their enemies, which is a difficult prospect when one is living in Christ, and (I would contend) is impossible without Christ.
I look forward to future visits to your blog. May God continue to use you to touch the lives of others.
Glad to see you are not going away. I know what you mean though. Keeping a blog going everyday, especially with the quality of yours, is hard work. I’ve had to let mine slack off quite a bit lately so I can concentrate on a book that I am under contract for. But I try to do what I can, and that is all we can or should expect. So whatever you are able or inclined to produce will be good. Just don’t let it get to where it isn’t fun anymore.
Also, I would encourage you to not separate the spiritual from the political. It seems to me that this is just what the liberal secularists want, a compartmentalization of our faith from our politics, work, etc. One of the things I really like about your blog is that you show by example how spirituality and and the issues we face in the world are related to each other. Of course, you should do what you feel led to do. If you do two different blogs I’ll just have to read them both. But that’s my 2 cents worth.
Well I for one La Shawn am sooooo relieved to see you back. I was not looking forward to the next step, for which I was prepared to take, of shameless begging and groveling in public.
Thank you for letting me retain some measure of my self respect.
Yea! Welcome back! In a time of sincere soul-searching, I propose this deliciously ironic blog title/motto:
“LaShawn Barber: God Fearing Blog Babe”
hat tip: Hugh McBryde; Comment by Prakk
While I believe Christians should be engaged in the culture, doing so with political rhetoric may not be the best way to go about it. In that regard, I may consider maintaining two blogs: one for social commentary from a Christian point of view and the other exclusively for devotional purposes.
I’ve had the same thoughts myself.
Thank, Jim. It’s good to be back. A little private begging would have been sufficient, by the way.
“God Fearing Blog Babe” I’ll bet no one’s ever even heard that before! You guys might be on to something.
Thanks for the welcoming, everyone. I plan to stick around as long as I’m able or until a nice book deal comes through. It could happen!
Glad to see you back. I come here for spiritual uplifting and great common sense. You are such a positive force for God and good on this site…dare I say, it just maybe your ministry. God Bless and thanks for being here for me. Anita
La Shawn, I am truly glad you are back – refreshed and ready to go! Remember that even our Lord had to get away now and then to talk to His Father – and He is our prime example. We ’seniors’ need you, La Shawn. Don’t leave us now!! There are enough old folks out there messing things up – let’s hear it for the younger folks – I am praying you all don’t let us down as badly as we have let you all down.
I’m not sure Paul was telling the Corinthians to love their enemies. I think he might have been admonishing them that what you think, what you do, what you say or what you believe means nothing without love as the eternal and overriding basis for all thought and action. I believe that love is the love of God. To love God is to hate those who hate God. Psalm 139:21-22: “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.” I realize that Jesus instructs us to love “our” enemies (Mathew 5:44). Not His enemies, however. Those, you hate “with perfect hatred.” The trick, sometimes, is in separating the two if they deserve to be separated.
Welcome back. Ignore the trolls.
AWG:
‘It’s another thing entirely to actively wish them well, to seek their good (so long as they are not harming others in the pursuit of it), and to want them to be reconciled with God as much as you are ‘
Buddhists also believe in being compassionate, unconditionally. I don’t know where your conception of buddhism comes from, but you must have one, as you rule it out as a possible way to love an enemy.
I think some strains of tibetan buddhism even teach that the goal of a practicioner should not be salvation, but the salvation of others.
“If there is love, there is hope that one may have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity, real peace. If the love within your mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education or material comfort you have, only suffering and confusion will ensue”
His Holiness the Dalai Lama from ‘The little book of Buddhism’
buddhism.kalachakranet.org/immeasurables.html
La Shawn,
Peter loved Jesus deeply, but in an imperfect human moment, hacked off the ear of the temple guard at Gethsemane. Our Christian struggle with loving those who hate and despitefully use us will always, in this world, cause conflict within our spirit.
Verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 13 that you posted is eloquently translated in the New Living Bible “now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we shall see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.”
The “then” is when we see our Lord face-to-face. What a glorious goal to “endure” for.
LaShawn,
Welcome back to your “blog family”! As I read of your decision to take some time to listen to God’s direction for you, in regard to this blog, I felt the need to holler: “Don’t go, stay and share your knowledge and insights with us”! But God – held me back from my tendency to direct other people’s lives. (yes, I admit it.) Isn’t He wonderful! Thank you for being a bold woman of faith. We’ll be praying for the strength that only He can provide.
ggalco
Welcome back, LaShawn. Thank you for being light in this ever darkening world. You are an encouragement to us all.
May God bless you in all your endeavors in life.
Glad the hiatus was restorative and resulted in your return
hereon. They tell me God works in mysterious ways, seems as
though they might be right. Make the world better a better
place young lady, you being here is a fine start.
Welcome back La Shawn,
As noted by some, if there ever was a time to make a stand, it is now — better late than never. For too long we’ve been content to rationalize on politics as, ‘Oh well, I’m not of this world, just passing thru…’. Granted, we can all pick on things that Bush has “failed” us, but think about it. If it is true that approximately 4 million fundamentalists stayed away from 2000 elections, then it is we Christians who have failed Bush by not giving him the support he needed from us. Remember when he was mocked for saying Jesus was his favorite philosopher? We’ve reaped the so called disenfranchised elction/selection by our apathy. Imagine what compromises Bush may have been able to avoid had we rallied behind him? I admit that I didn’t vote cause I couldn’t stomach Gore, yet I distrusted Dubya, figuring him to be a chip off the block.
In considering the political landscape, Bush is indeed the best thing we have and more than ever, he needs our support, if for no other reason than to declare to the rest of Americans and the world at that that this is the direction we as Christians want to go — towards a more Godly nation, after all it’s our vote too. While we may quibble about various denominational priorities, sKerry has no convictions and as a result, will do nothing to enhance our morals, either for ourselves nor for the environment in which we have to raise our families. Actually, a sKerry admin won’t necessarily be the end of the world as we know it, since he’s been a shirking do-nothing all of his life, why would he do any different as president? cHillary on the other hand would be dangerous to us in that she passionate about what she believes in and will do whatever she can to promote her ideology cum religion.
Again, we are at a critical juncture in that how we vote next week and in 08 will set our political tone for another generation or so, what with upcoming the SCOTUS appointments. This will also be determined by what party rules the house and congress. Liberal Christians are only decieving themselves if they think that socially activist government is the way forward or that somehow, we should just get along by being tolerant of sin and immorality. Yet, more of this will prevail if we don’t make our voices heard.
La Shawn, I would humbly suggest that you keep your blogging soapbox at the same corner, thus discussing the spiritual application of Biblical doctrine to current politics. This is something that you have a talent for, so why break it up into two different blogs. I think Romans 10:14 is applicable to your dilemna. Although most have heard of Christ, or even claim to be Christians, most do not appropriately know of him or erronously attribute certain traits that are directly at odds with the Scriptures.
Rom 10:14 – How then shall they call on him in whom they, have not believed?…. St. Paul having observed, that whoever, Jew or Gentile, believe in the Lord and call upon his name, shall be saved. Since there can be no true calling upon God without faith, no faith without hearing, no hearing without preaching, and no preaching without a divine mission. Every man calls upon the “God” he believes in, and him only, the critical question being which “God”? The God that created heaven and earth and sent his only begotten son to die for our sins or a satanic construct?
and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? the meaning is, that there is no faith in Christ without hearing of him; this is true whether it is in human faith, so in divine faith, there may be believing without seeing, but not without hearing. For example, it is generally accepted that Julius Caesar, Henry VIII, Abraham Lincoln did indeed exist, though we never saw them, having heard of them thru credible written reports handed down to us; and so there is faith in Christ without seeing him with our bodily eyes, though not without hearing of him.
and how shall they hear without a preacher? or there is no hearing without, preaching; there may be reading without it, and this ought to be where there is preaching, to see that what is preached is agreeably to the Scriptures; but there is no hearing the word explained without preaching; explaining the word is preaching. There is no hearing of Christ, and salvation by him, without the preaching of the Gospel; the usual and ordinary way of hearing from God, and of Christ, is by the ministry of the word: this shows not only the necessity and usefulness of the Gospel ministry, but also points out the subject matter of it, which is Christ, and him crucified. They that preach ought to preach concerning the person of Christ, his offices, grace, righteousness, blood, sacrifice and satisfaction, otherwise men may hear the preacher, and not hear Christ.
Regardless of the election outcome, we need to proclaim the Word of God as the Truth and call for repentance. For that, there ought not be any shame if God is at odds with modernist thinking.
La Shawn-
Welcome back. I am just an echo of so many others who find your blog refreshing. Let me also add my support to those who would like you to “integrate” faith and politics. Much of the troubles with votes alluded to above stem from the tendency to put “Christian” activities in a little box that we open once or twice or even three times a week.
So many nominal Christians have been bullied into believing that their “beliefs” are irrelevant and that “you can’t legislate morality”. The Bible says that as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. You cannot separate your real (internalized) beliefs from your life. You can separate mere intellectual beliefs. That is where Mr. Kerry is. From his comments, he has never internalized any of the lessons he learned as an altar boy.
The second fallacy is one that liberals shout, but don’t even really believe themselves. If they really believe that you can’t legislate morality, what it the rationale for “hate crime” laws.
I happened to watch Jerry Falwell & Jesse Jackson on some Sunday morning program — CNN I think. Anyway, it was interesting to watch Jesse actually squirm when Jerry praised his anti-abortion speech of so long ago. Then Jesse tried to say that his Christview hadn’t changed, rather he opened his mind to the evolving worldview. But Jerry had him pegged as selling his ministry out to the Democratic party.
Too bad Jesse was so open-minded that his “brain” leaked out, cause his speech was indeed eloquent.
I kept skipping past LaShawn Barber on my Favorites List. I was afraid I’d see the dreaded word ‘hiatus’; and then a few days later, something more permanent.
You put great effort into your blog. You have proven that you can attract and hold a diverse and devoted readership. That’s worth knowing, isn’t it? But whatever you do, don’t go at it so strenuously that you burn out.
You don’t have to do everything. Just say what’s important, and what you feel in your heart. You’re here for a reason.
Don’t fall into the trap that has tripped up far too many by feeling that you have to separate and compartmentalize your faith as something separate and apart from your everyday or political life.
While I don’t believe as you do, I still admire your willingness to share your inner journey with us in a most honest and articulate way.
Anyone can blog about politics, and nowadays they seem to. Many people are now blogging about religion or their beliefs and philosophies. But few combine them in as thought-provoking a fashion as you do.
Please continue your blog as you have been, a single shining stream with multiple facets.
La Shawn, sorry I’m late to this post – haven’t had a chance to do a whole lot of blogging the past couple of days (real life intrudes!) but I wanted to wish you a welcome back also.
Thank you Lord for returning LaShawn, so soon. I just recently found this “Corner” and it has been a refreshing source for biblical Christian viewpoints in political matters. LaShawn, I believe your blogs reflect that you put Christ first in your blogs nevertheless, I know only the Lord and you know your heart. Again, thanks for the quick return to your blog and Stay Bold!! Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free.
Sincerely, from someone who looks forward to your POV, Debra
How on earth are you able to think so clearly before eight in the morning? I have barely begun moving by then and am not fully functional before ten. Some would say I’m never fully functional.
LaShawn
My second comment on your site welcomes you back to the blog world. Please know that I feel certain that God has drawn me to your blog for spiritual reasons. I too have been struggling with anger in some of my comments. In fact, several people have commented on my fiery rhetoric and sharp rejoinders when making my conservative points at my two favorite blogs. I do try to be gentle and succeed most of the time but still those instances when I indulge my razor tongue make me ashamed and feeling less than the example that I know the Lord would have me be. So I’m astounded to learn that this has been your recent struggle too and you’ve decided to beef up your determination to love and to gently attempt to edify your detractors or just plain mean opponents.
I’ve been sensing that there are people out there who are fighting God determinedly and are actually yelling at Christians on blogs to make sure they don’t let God get a toe-hold. Thank you so much, LaShawn, for helping me to see that we are commanded to reach the unsaved even through the internet by using love, respect and by maintaining our own dignity by not responding in kind to hatred. I will try to employ these tools as I comment elsewhere and particularly when I meet “the dark side” of the internet.
I’ll be baaack…
Allan – I do my best thinking early in the morning. Five o’clock in the morning any day of the week is my favorite time.
I’ve been sensing that there are people out there who are fighting God determinedly and are actually yelling at Christians on blogs to make sure they don’t let God get a toe-hold.
That’s exactly it, Jane. But they’re missing with the wrong Christian!
Actus: “Buddhists also believe in being compassionate, unconditionally.”
Ah, yes, but compassion, while commendable, is not the same as love:
[all of the following definitions are from dictionary.com]
compassion: (n) 1: a deep awareness of and sympathy for another’s suffering [syn: compassionateness] 2: the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it [syn: pity]
love: (n)A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness.
Also related to the Christian concept of love is Charity:
Charity: The theological virtue defined as love directed first toward God but also toward oneself and one’s neighbors as objects of God’s love.
I’m not contending that non-Christians in general and Buddhists in particular are thoroughly incapable of expressing compassion and mercy toward their enemies, or that Christians infallably express a “solicitude arising from a sense of oneness” toward their enemies. (I’m also not addressing for the moment the outworkings of such love in extreme cases such as wartime, as that would require a lot more space than these comments afford me
) What I *am* saying is that such a deep and abiding solicitude for others is not possible under human strength alone. Buddhists love their enemies as well as anyone can under his or or own strength (better than many, in fact), but the ability to love others to the degree that Christians are commanded to do comes only from God.
‘What I *am* saying is that such a deep and abiding solicitude for others is not possible under human strength alone. Buddhists love their enemies as well as anyone can under his or or own strength (better than many, in fact), but the ability to love others to the degree that Christians are commanded to do comes only from God.’
well, perhaps I just know more about buddhists than you do. I think the descriptions of the two, christian love and buddhists compassion, are interchangeable.
I’m really glad to read that you’re not going anywhere! I only recently stumbled across your blog (it’s been about a month or so now), and I really appreciate what you’ve had to say.
“well, perhaps I just know more about buddhists than you do.”
Perhaps you do. Though I have attempted to educate myself as much as possible in regard to belief systems other than my own, I don’t claim to be a font of knowledge about Buddhism. My ignorance of Buddhism’s minutae, however, doesn’t disqualify me from distinguishing between compassion and Charity.
“I think the descriptions of the two, christian love and buddhists compassion, are interchangeable.”
You are entitled to think that if you so choose. I would, however, contend that you are mistaken.
Actus, AWG,
2 questions for you both:
In Christian theology, what is the ultimate source and goal of Christian love?
In Buddism, what is the ultimate source and goal of Buddist compassion?
If only that would stump it, SCSIwuzzy, but he’ll come up with some “enlightenment” kind of answer. The problem with man-made religions is that all roads lead to man. What else could man come up with? I can’t wait for the answer.
LB,
I know the answers (oh, the benefits of a BA path that led to… nothing : )… but I am waiting for the rest of the class to discuss.
There is quite alot to learn from Buddism, IMO. But at the same time, the more one learns about another religion, the more one is forced to evaluate personal faith and religion.
SCSIwuzzy, it would seem to me that in Buddhism, the ultimate source and goal of compassion is to get thru the, IIRC, 7 stages to nirvana. However, as my grandmother describes it to me, it’s almost like that classic game of luck, strategy, and determination, Sorry.
The ‘gooder’ you are, the stronger your karma and with luck, you’ll progress thru multiple lifetimes until you reach nirvana. However, you could also be demoted to a lower life form for simply the bad luck/karma of being guilty of some intangible offense.
Hence, the Buddhist is vegan and doesn’t kill even the smallest gnat, because for all you know, your brother in a past life could have been reincarnated as that gnat buzzing around your ear and trying to laying some good karma on you.
As I’ve told her again & again, that notion doesn’t make any sense. As gentle as the Dalai Lama is, the fact that he lives and breathes means that thousands of lifeforms die daily at his hand, either directly or indirectly. Taken to its logical conclusion, and knowing what we know now about the mirad of microscopic creatures, we would all constantly devolve into a single cell ameoba, and then nothingness. This is simply a critical flaw that Buddha could not have known about when he established his religion.
Although dear old Grandmother knew the Bible inside out, she was a lifelong Buddhist, because she simply can’t accept that God’s grace is simply there for the taking/believing. Barring a deathbed conversion, she died convinced that she’s one step closer to nirvana.
Well at least they hav,nt started feeding christian to the lions but just wait they will probibly start persicuting them again they have all ready went and punished people in france for daring to critisize gays and islams but france has already taken a step into socialism when they elected fransiun meteran and who else has come since then we dont want a socialist goverment in the USA and thats why we should get ourselves out of the UN
“In Christian theology, what is the ultimate source and goal of Christian love?”
The answer to this, of course, is God himself. It is the outworking of God’s love for humanity that allows people who accept that love to be changed by it. God’s love enables us to seek God’s best for ourselves and others, and to draw nearer to God himself. In effect, the ultimate source of Charity is God, and its ultimate goal is to reconcile ourselves with God and to help others to do the same.
“In Buddism, what is the ultimate source and goal of Buddist compassion?”
The answer to this one would be the Self, if Buddhism acknowledged that the concept of “self”. The stated goal of Buddhist compassion is to eliminate confusion and engender clarity of perception, in order that the Buddhist might progress on the path to enlightenment. Such compassion, then, is born of the Buddhist’s will and self-effort.
And that is why I contend that Charity is not interchangable with compassion. While the external effects might be similar, the source and motivation of each is markedly different: for Buddhist compassion it is self-effort to the end of personal enlightenment, while for Christian Charity it is God working in the hearts of believers to the end of drawing those believers to him.
I will agree that Buddhism engenders many positive qualities: discipline, compassion, the denial of hedonistic tendencies, and even-temperedness, among others, Further, it pursues those qualities probably about as well as any human-invented religion could hope to do. However, it also assuages humanity’s inherent fear of death with the false promise of nigh-infinite chances to get things right, entices its practitioners to practice its virtues for fundamentally selfish reasons, and can only offer the cold promise of “enlightenment” in the place of deep, abiding love. It can offer no objective evidence for its claims (as Christianity can, through documentary, historical, and archaological evidence), but relies strictly on the personal experiences of its practitioners to support its claims. As I see it, compared to a host of other man-made systems, Buddhism isn’t bad. However, when it is compared with Christianity, Christ’s way emerges as the better of the two.
La Shawn: “The problem with man-made religions is that all roads lead to man.”
But what do you say to people crippled with logic and deprived of evidence who wonder the same thing about Christianity, and the others?
Should too much intellectual energy be given to debating the immortal battle-of-beliefs? I envy all that have found theirs and show it by their love-light.
I have too struggled with what you are going through. I began my blog because I was mad and frustrated to learn that my entire life was a lie and that I had been living in ultimate sin. I also started it to educate others and as a sounding board for my thoughts. I spoke out of love as I wrote my columns but readers claimed that I was writing with malice. It is just the passion that the Lord has bestowed upon our hearts to hate sin, hate liberalism, and hate secularism. Can all that hate consume our love for Jesus Christ and others? I don’t think so but sometimes it is the hate of sin that comes out rather than the love for others, even though by hating sin we love others and we hate sin because we love others. But unfortunately others can’t see nor understand it. Also you are right, if you are kind and loving it will attract others, but if you don’t tell them the Truth of the Word and His ways, then we are not truly loving them because God is love, Jesus is God and Jesus is the Word. Therefore the Word is love and that is what we must share: At All Cost!!! The Truth of the Word is love, plain and simple. Let you love continue to shine and bless our lost nation. God Bless
Thanks for your thoughtful words Ajhankin. Can you see from the comments here the ’struggle’ goes on even after one has chosen their spiritual path? Many within the same religion, much less those with different religions, don’t seem to be satisfied until ‘everyone’ agrees with their interpretation of what God wants from them.
Most, especially the major religious sects, believe ‘only’ theirs is the right way and all others are fakes and must be resisted with argument, and at the extremes, destroyed.
This is not necessary and will not lead to happiness in your faith. If you have found yours, be thankful and let it show with your happiness, peace and respect of others. This is the best way to attract others to your way. They will ‘want some of what you got’ as Tracy Chapman would say.
PS: Our Nation is not lost. Our times, compared to those living during Biblical times, is like the difference between heaven and hell here on earth. Cheer up and enjoy what you have, not necessarily what you plan to get later.
LaShawn,
Welcome back.
Thanks, DarkStar.
Today the co-pastor of the church I attend preached on “forgiveness.” I thought about your blog entry.
Strange that one…
DarkStar – One of the hardest things for us to do is forgive one another. At least for Christians, it is important to remember than God forgave us. And we are no more deserving of it than we believe others are. I’m guilty.
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