What Makes A Cult? Definitions and Analysis

Argh, the title sounds like a college paper!

I have always been a little reluctant to call the ICOC a cult, for many reasons: I loved the people with all my heart, and most of them are incredibly sincere; and they do teach a lot of truth about the gospel, more than many modern churches (it's just that little "we're the One True Church and We're Here to Control You" thing that gets in the way). Regardless of my reluctance in the past to name them as such, though, they are a cult.

Rick Ross, an internationally known cult expert and watchdog, describes a cult below.

Webster's Dictionary defines a cult as:

'1. A formal religious veneration 2. A system of religious beliefs and rituals also its body of adherents; 3. A religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious: also its body of adherents; 4. A system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator; 5. a: A great devotion to a person, idea, thing; esp.: such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad, b: A usually small circle of persons united by devotion or allegiance to an artistic or intellectual movement or figure.'

This definition obviously could include everything from Barbie collectors to old 'Deadheads,' 'Trekkies' to diehard Elvis fans. American history might also include within such a definition the devoted followers of Mary Baker Eddy the founder of Christian Science, or the Mormons united through their devotion to Joseph Smith. Both these religious groups were once largely regarded as an 'unorthodox or spurious.' However, the most important concern today is not simply who might be somewhat 'cultic' in their devotion now or historically, but what groups might represent potential problems regarding personal or public safety. That is, groups that are potentially unsafe and/or destructive.

Psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton, who wrote the definitive book about thought reform (often called 'brainwashing') also wrote a paper about cult formation. Lifton defined a cult as having the following three characteristics:

A charismatic leader, who increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally sustained the group lose power.

A process [is in use] call[ed] coercive persuasion or thought reform.

Economic, sexual, and other exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie.

Frankly, the ICOC has all of this down pat, and more.

A Charismatic Leader: Well, the church didn't believe in spritual gifts (ho HO!! I am a crackup!), but Kip McKean was definitely a charismatic leader--people in the church talked about him like the was the very next thing to God. He and his wife were regularly featured in the church's magazine, Inside Out, and from what I could tell, we were all supposed to be in total, slack-jawed AWE. Kip McKean started the church out of the old, dead COC, and now we are alive! We're so thankful we're not like all those dead churches! Our own leaders (each person has an individual "discipler," and there are many other leaders over them) were to be revered and strictly obeyed. Disobeying an authority was disobeying God. I loved my discipler beyond words...she symbolized to me all the love, beauty and purity that I had not had before I was saved, but now did have in Jesus. It tore my heart out to have her friendship taken away when I was "marked" (church members have nothing to do with non-members unless the non-member is interested in "doing the studies" and "becoming a disciple").

Coercive Persuasion: In other words, how the cult convinces you to do things you would never do otherwise. This reminds me of one of the incidents that really opened my eyes to what was going on. Our youth leader, Kit, was "challenging" us about evangelism. The ICOC is VERY, VERY big on walking up to people you don't know and trying to get them to come to church with you. Kit was trying to get us to kind of "pledge" a number of people we'd promise to talk to the next day, and people were throwing out numbers ("30!" "50!" "100!") in a little game of spiritual one-upsmanship. I was frightened...the numbers kept going up. I honestly didn't want to be obligated to walk up to 100 people and try to get them to come to church. There was a small silence after a few people had pledged, and then Kit looked around the room, clearly disappointed. "Well, I see how many people in this room have faith," he said. Something in me snapped. How many have faith?! I have to talk to 30, 50 or 100 people tomorrow or I don't have faith? Something was awry. But the pressure was there, and constant.

Exploitation of Group Members: I saw some of this myself, and some I heard about from other former members. I myself saw the coersion (a form of exploitation, IMO), the sleep deprivation, and the housing situation (many disciples were required to live with several other disciples and give the rest of their money to the church). The disciples were all so, so tired. Many of them were college students not doing well in classes because they were constantly involved with church-REQUIRED activities. Sure, no one would beat you up if you didn't attend something or weren't involved in something, but you'd be seen as someone who is "falling away" and in need of help or discipline. Involvement was non-negotiable and as demanding as a hungry newborn. Other ex-members describe being told when they could and could not have relations with their spouse and how they could spend the money in their checking account. MANY ex-members report being "encouraged" to give almost all of their money to the church. Kip and his ilk lived like KINGS. My question was and still is: where is room in all of that for the Holy Spirit to do His work? The disciplers did all of it for Him.

In my post-ICOC years I made my way to organizations like REVEAL, whose name is an acronym: "Research, Examine, Verify, Educate, Assist, Liberate." Resources from REVEAL and posting to newsgroups helped me understand what had happened to me, and the magnitude of what was happening to others.

What Makes a Cult? My Own Story

PART A

When I was a new freshman at the University of Georgia, by all accounts my life looked great: I was an A student with a stable home, I came into the University with college credits and a partial scholarship, and I had friends from home who were attending UGA.

But I became involved in a cult, and strangely enough, I can't untie completely the threads of that cult and my very real salvation. That cult was the International Church of Christ (ICOC or Boston Movement).

*Let me hasten to say here that ICOC is NOT the same thing as the mainline Churches of Christ. I grew up in a church similar to that (from the same Restoration Movement) and there are many people who love the Lord in those churches. Right, JP?

I have mentioned in previous posts that my B.C. days were not good; suffice it to say that I was headed to hell in a handbasket. However perfect the honor-student veneer was on the outside, the inside was crumbling. The ICOC stepped in at exactly the right time: I was vulnerable, somewhat alone, and I had a realization that my life was NOT what I wanted it to be. I was not the person I wanted to be. I felt soiled and depressed. When I looked at my own life I didn't recognize myself.

Just at that time, I met Kimberly. Actually, I'd already met her. We went to a professor's party together, and I remember her trying to tell me that the Bible was true. I spat, "The Bible is full of CONTRADICTIONS!" (Mind you, I couldn't have named one. I have no idea why I said that.)

Soon after that conversation, though, I changed my mind, because God reached down and helped me see myself: I saw clearly that everything I'd done was a big dungheap. I deserved nothing and was sullied and broken. I knew, beyond a doubt, that Jesus was real and I needed Him, or I'd never be clean.

Kimberly invited me to study the Bible with her just at that time. I was very excited, but a little trepidatious. I knew nothing of the ICOC; I assumed she went to a "normal" church and that our Bible study was going to be a one-on-one dialogue. Instead, I was met by both Kimberly and the woman who discipled her, the college pastor's wife. Over the course of the next week or so they took me through eight studies that everyone goes through who becomes a member of the church (that's another post in itself).

I became enthralled with the church and its people. They were so loving to me and excited about me. (I later learned this is something done to new recruits called "love-bombing".) The guys in the group showed their interest and asked if I was yet a "disciple" (so they could date me; you are only allowed to date within the group). Something was always happening. I finished the studies and was baptized, a requirement to become a disciple. The ICOC believes you are not saved unless you are baptized with them.

I began to notice how very tired many of the brothers and sisters were--they faked an energy and enthusiasm that, for some of them, was strained. They rose very early to meet or pray, and were required to stay up late evangelizing or fellowshipping. There was a drive to all of it that was exciting...but it wasn't the Holy Spirit.

Meanwhile, my parents were quite frightened. Even my phone demeanor had changed to a fake, monotone voice that scared them. They went to the local TV station to do research on my group and discovered that the ICOC was gaining wide recognition as a cult, particularly on college campuses.

My leaders told me they were my new family, and they gave me instructions about what to do if my parents tried to kidnap me (they would come and get me if I could escape and call them from a pay phone). I began to feel uneasy, but they said that my parents were instruments of Satan since they were not a part of the church. They told me my parents would try to get me to leave the church. If I did that, I would no longer be a Christian.

I had been in the church about two or three weeks at this point.

My parents did indeed try to convince me of the danger the church presented, but to me this seemed to be evidence of what my leaders had warned about.

This is where the "stable home" did have a reward. I am an only child, and my parents and I had always been extremely close. It was so painful to think of them as Satan's unwitting minions. The church had warned me that I would have to cut ties with my parents: fewer, if any, visits would be chaperoned by another church member. For my safety.

Finally, the week after my parents' visit, I left the ICOC. And went back. And then left for good. The pull on my heart that the church had was palpable--I felt physically affected by the separation. I wondered if I was going to hell. It was a long, long time before I could look at certain verses that they had falsely interpreted and understand them correctly.

I want to look at the idea of cults again in another post, but I wanted you to know my story first (this is quite an abbreviated version). Maybe you can see why it's hard for me to tell people about how I got saved: it's so complicated!

To Will and to Act

Many of you know my approach to the Bible by now. I believe all Scripture is true, and it's all there for a purpose, even if I don't fully understand every aspect of that purpose (which is true for all of us--now we see through a glass darkly, but then we will know even as we are known).

Paul wrote to Timothy,

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17).

He was writing, of course, about the Old Testament, but we know his words also apply to the New Testament. How awesome that the words Paul wrote to Timothy about the OT were also true of his own letters! What a mighty God!

Since the Bible is completely trustworthy and true, I don't argue with it. I generally dislike labels (like Calvinist, Arminian, charismatic, etc.) because almost inevitably that label has some baggage I don't want to communicate to others about my beliefs. I understand they can be useful shorthand at times, but they chafe me. I can tell you this: what I do want is to seek to understand ALL Scripture by the Holy Spirit. Whether or not I completely understand what God is saying, whether or not I happen to like what He's saying (in my flesh), whether or not my pastor/best friend told me something different.

I passionately love God's Word. I don't want any doctrine of man to stand in the way of my understanding of it. It's easy (and tempting) to start identifying with a label and allow a certain system of understanding Scripture to color the way you see the entire Bible. I believe, though, that those systems usually wind up limiting our understanding of God and His Word. I'm talking about Arminianism and Calvinism, but not just those. When I review the doctrines, am I on a certain side of the fence? Yes. Am I going to allow either of those sets of doctrines to define how I am permitted to view Scripture? No.

I was thinking about all of these things as I drove to work today and meditated on one of my favorite Scriptures. It reminds me of the great mystery, greatness, and sovereignty of God:

Phil 2:12-13
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

In these verses I see an admonition to continue working out my salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord. I also see--and this was really the scripture I was meditating on today--that God Himself works in me to want to do, and to DO, what He wants me to do (the Kristen paraphrase). I have always found that astounding, and immensely comforting.

This scripture means that I can ask the Lord to soften my heart. I can ask Him to help me WANT and DO His will. It's not on my shoulders! I can take His yoke on without feeling a heavy burden. He is the one who is able to bear the load I would otherwise carry--or rather, that I am not even capable of carrying. I identify with the father who wanted his son healed and cried to the Lord, "Help my unbelief!" I absolutely do believe in a measure of free will given to us by God, but that does not preclude His working IN us. He can work in us to accomplish His purposes. He gives faith as a gift. I see this interplay of our will, God's will, God's purposes, and the work of the Holy Spirit as a great and beautiful mystery that unfolds in our lives as we walk with Jesus and obey Him.

My page has a disclaimer that I am not reformed, which I put up because I'm not a Calvinist, and most of the Christian blogosphere is (or so it seems). I am taking it down, not because any of my beliefs have changed, but because I want what I write to speak for itself. I am not here to teach doctrine, but I hope to be understood as someone who loves the Word of God and lets it and the Holy Spirit alone be her instructors.

Just Before the Hunger: A Visit with Terri

How can anyone claim this woman is in a persistent vegetative state? It's nothing more than a sickening lie of monstrous proportions.

Please read this article by Terri's lawyer, Barbara Weller. An excerpt (emphasis mine):

Terri was sitting up in her lounge chair, dressed and looking alert and well. Her feeding tube had been plugged in around 11 a.m. and we all felt good that she was still being fed. Suzanne and I were talking, joking, and laughing with Terri, telling her she was going to go to Washington D.C. to testify before Congress, which meant that finally Terri’s husband Michael would be required to fix her wheelchair. After that Suzanne could take Terri to the mall shopping and could wheel her outdoors every day to feel the wind and sunshine on her face, something she has not been able to do for more than five years.

At one point, I noticed Terri’s window blinds were pulled down. I went to the window to raise them so Terri could look at the beautiful garden outside her window and see the sun after several days of rain. As sunlight came into the room, Terri’s eyes widened and she was obviously very pleased. At another point, Suzanne and I told Terri she needed to suck in all the food she could because she might not be getting anything for a few days. During that time, Mary Schindler, Terri’s mother, joined us for a bit, and we noticed there were bubbles in Terri’s feeding tube. We joked that we didn’t want her to begin burping, and called the nurses to fix the feeding tube, which they did. Terri’s mother did not come back into the room. This was a very difficult day for Bob and Mary Schindler. I suspect they were less hopeful all along than I was, having lived through Terri’s last two feeding tube removals.

Suzanne and I continued to talk and joke with Terri for probably an hour or more. At one point Suzanne called Terri the bionic woman and I heard Terri laugh out loud heartily for the first time since I have been visiting with her. She laughed so hard that for the first time I noticed the dimples in her cheeks.

The most dramatic event of this visit happened at one point when I was sitting on Terri’s bed next to Suzanne. Terri was sitting in her lounge chair and her aunt was standing at the foot of the chair. I stood up and learned over Terri. I took her arms in both of my hands. I said to her, “Terri if you could only say ‘I want to live’ this whole thing could be over today.” I begged her to try very hard to say, “I want to live.” To my enormous shock and surprise, Terri’s eyes opened wide, she looked me square in the face, and with a look of great concentration, she said, “Ahhhhhhh.” Then, seeming to summon up all the strength she had, she virtually screamed, “Waaaaaaaa.” She yelled so loudly that Michael Vitadamo, Suzanne’s husband, and the female police officer who were then standing together outside Terri’s door, clearly heard her. At that point, Terri had a look of anguish on her face that I had never seen before and she seemed to be struggling hard, but was unable to complete the sentence. She became very frustrated and began to cry. I was horrified that I was obviously causing Terri so much anguish. Suzanne and I began to stroke Terri’s face and hair to comfort her. I told Terri I was very sorry. It had not been my intention to upset her so much. Suzanne and I assured Terri that her efforts were much appreciated and that she did not need to try to say anything more. I promised Terri I would tell the world that she had tried to say, ”I want to live.”

As usual, Catez has all the details (she's an amazing researcher!).

Amy and Kristen

Amy and Kristen
Originally uploaded by Walking Circumspectly.

So I Met Amy the Humble Today...

I'll give you a blow-by-blow, because heaven knows what SHE'LL write.

First, I will go ahead and confess something to you. You will probably never have occasion to be intimately acquainted with my punctuality, but I'm confessing nonetheless: I am freakishly early for things. Amy and I agreed to meet in Santa Barbara at 11 AM. When was I there?

Yep, 9 AM. So, I had a little while to look around. Praise God, it wasn't raining (just a little misty) at that time, and downtown Santa Barbara, I discovered, is absolutely beautiful. Like an idiot, I forgot my digital camera, so the only picture I have to share with you is the one Amy e-mailed me of us.

I don't know how she felt, but to me she immediately seemed like an old friend.

We met at a healthy-food restaurant, Sojourner Cafe, and sat there forever. Our server(s)probably hated our guts. Our waitress must have come back five times before we ordered our food. Amy or I would grimace apologetically and say, "Um, sorry, we're still not ready..."

I'm going to steal (I mean, um, borrow) an idea that we joked about while we were talking.

10 Things You Didn't Know about Me and Amy, Especially Amy:

1. Amy has the clearest green eyes you've ever seen. They look like the water in the Gulf.

2. She tried to take PICTURES of the MENU for Molly because dishes included tofu.

3. Did I mention I was two hours early?

4. Girlfriend is BOLD. She doesn't mind asking a stranger to take a picture, or an elderly lady if she wants to get in front of her in the Rite Aid line, or the Starbucks barista if he will PLEASE HAND HER A STRAW. And she's got volume to back it up. Don't let her "Prairie Muffin" look fool you--this chick can get it DONE.

5. She is a financial whiz. I knew when she used the term "realized gain" that she is waaaaay out of my league.

6. We are, in fact, not bottomless pits. I regret to inform you that we could not finish our hot fudge sundae. (Random detail: one of the topping options was carob sauce. Ewwww. Amy said, "What's carob?" I answered with a sneer, "Fake chocolate.")

7. Amy thought my voice was going to be high and squeaky (!!!). Au contraire.

8. Amy and Greg's answering machine is in French. I am not kidding.

9. I needn't have worried that we'd have nothing to say, or about awkward pauses. (Can you say two chatterboxes? I knew you could.)

10. Proverbs 31:16 "She considers a field and buys it..." Um, she really does.

You know how sometimes you build up expectations of someone and then...you're kind of disappointed? That did not happen today. :) She's everything you think she is and more. It was my honor to make her acquaintance.

Amy also wrote about our day. DON'T LISTEN TO HER! That whole "axe" thing was JUST A BIG MISUNDERSTANDING...

Lord Willing...

I will post pictures of my visit with Amy tomorrow. You know, the one who's so humble.

She is afraid that I might be, you know, an axe murderer, or a MAN, or something. I hastened to tell her I am not. The other Amy can tell her I am not, for sure.

You guys are all jealous of me! I'm going to get to see the other side of the face of Amy the Humble!!

Terri's Fight Continues, with the Clock Ticking

*New Information Added at Article's End*

I haven't blogged about Terri, perhaps because others like Catez have done such an incredible job (Catez regularly writes stimulating posts that are comprehensive and timely, such as her recent science and Christianity showcase).

But that doesn't mean that I, along with thousands of other Christians around the country, haven't been praying for her and thinking of her as these precious days pass before her feeding tube is scheduled to be removed. CNN is reporting that the House of Representatives has subpoenaed Terri and her parents to appear before Congress next week:

"The congressional action is a last-ditch attempt to block the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube....The U.S. Supreme Court late Thursday rejected an emergency appeal by Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, to stop the tube's removal. Meanwhile, legislation that would keep her alive has appeared to stall in Florida's Legislature and in Congress."

I first learned about Terri's horrific plight from Lisa Ruby, who writes at Liberty to the Captives. She's been following the Shiavo case for a long time--long before I heard anything about Terri in the mainstream press.

Addition (10:30 PM Pacific): Terri's feeding tube was removed today. Please check out Laura's account of what Terri said right before the feeding tube was removed...Laura, who has been a part of the protest outside the Florida courthouse, was right outside. Here's part of what Laura wrote:

"We are now in Pinellas Park, at the hospice where Terri lives. Her feeding tube was removed after quite a bit of tug-of-war between different government entities. But before this, Terri actually said "I want to live." From what we heard standing outside, Terri was asked if she wanted to live shortly before her feeding tube was removed. When the answer was affirmative, they asked her to repeat one word at a time: I want to live. Apparently, she spoke each word clearly, and she yelled the word WANT so loudly that the police officers in the hall hurried into the room to see what was going on! More about this over at The Empire Journal. Nevertheless, they pulled the tube out."

(Thank you, Carmon, for pointing me to Laura's site.)

Let's keep praying for sweet Terri and her family.

A Little Change is Better than None

So, I installed Haloscan comments. They seem to be working. Your (and my) previous comments have not been deleted, just hidden. I'll work on that. But in the meantime, if you've wanted to add two cents (or three, if you're Molly) go ahead and try it. I double-dog dare you.

LISTEN...there's something you need to know:

1. Haloscan only allows 1000 characters per comment, but unlimited comments. If you're verbose, just comment twice or however many times you need to say what you want.

2. Rachel, the guru of my blogging existence, altered my template so you can see previous comments. Just click on "view and leave comments" to see old Blogger comments, new Haloscan comments, or to write a new comment. :)

Hopefully, I'll be moving soon, and this will all be a fading memory.

On Being a Berean

Well, as you can see, the topic for today is...

What? What's that you say?

You want to know if I am planning on leaving Blogger? Why, YES I AM!!! More to come on that soon. But if you've wanted to leave a comment and couldn't (sorry, Amy and whoever else that has happened to), those days of misery are almost over!

But back to the topic for today (that no one will probably be able to comment on).

Some of the best instruction that can be given to a new believer, in my opinion, is to search the Scriptures and NOT simply embrace whatever teaching comes down the pike, even from a beloved pastor or friend. When we disciple folks, we tell them, "Don't just listen to us; see if what we're saying is in the Bible." Then we show them where some of the earliest disciples did just that when Paul spoke to them.

Acts 17:10-12
As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

Notice anything?
1. They were willing to receive the Word of God, willing to listen.
2. They were excited about the good news being preached.
3. They compared what was being taught to the Scriptures.

Over and over the Word admonishes us to guard against false teaching, and to study the Word ourselves to ensure we know the Truth and can defend it (as Christy and rev-ed were pointing out the other day).

2 Tim 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Heb 3:14
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Heb 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

If we will but read (or hear), the Holy Spirit will perform surgery on us with that piercing sword, healing our hardened hearts. We'll be able to see and hear what pleases the Lord if we know His Word and are open to listening to His Spirit.

Eph 5:8-11
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Let us find out what pleases the Lord through His Word, and through obeying His command to test and approve what is good:

Rom 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I submit to you that our minds are renewed daily by spending time with the Lord, denying ourselves, taking up our crosses, following Him, and meditating on His Word. Let us encourage one another to seek the Truth.

Psalm 1:1-2
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 119:15-16
I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.

What Does Submission Look Like?

Jodi commented after yesterday's post:

"If you think about it, I'd be interested in what submitting to your husband means to you in everyday life. What are some examples of circumstances where you would submit but someone else might refuse to? As I said, I'm still learning..."

First, Jodi and everyone else, I gotta tell you that I am not the poster child for this. I just feel like I have so far to go, many times (kind of like what Christy was saying about feeling like you're at "square one" after a petty quarrel). So I write this to all of us, to encourage us and challenge us, not as someone who's got it all figured out and does it right every time (I know, shocker).

To me a big part of submission is recognizing that Ryan is the leader and acting accordingly. He is the head of me, as Christ is the head of the church (1 Cor 11:3), and the Word instructs me to obey him as unto the Lord (Eph 5:22), a phrase you do not see applied to the husband's submission to the wife (the mutual submission referenced in the preceding verse). I am charged with helping him (Gen 2:18) fulfill his calling before the Lord. Part of that calling, de facto, is leadership over his household.

Okay, that's still abstract, and you wanted to know how it works out in real life. I can only speak for my own situation, but for us things come up daily--situations that need to be resolved, decisions that need to be made, plans that need to be implemented. Ryan trusts me, for example, with our finances, and I am the one who enters everything into Microsoft Money. We've worked it out where we don't have to "ask" each other about every little thing we buy ("Honey, can I go to Starbucks this morning? Thanks!"), but in bigger things, we do. He wouldn't buy some pricey gadget without talking to me first (um, generally). ;-) Ryan and I are both satisfied with this arrangement. But let's say that he felt we were spending too much money, and he felt led to take the financial "reins" and (horrors!) halt our Starbucks forays. Sure, I can tell him what I think (respectfully), but ultimately it's my duty and role to say, "Okay, sweetie--we'll do what you think is best." It is his duty not to be unloving and harsh, and to make decisions he thinks are the best for our family and are in God's will.

So many of the specifics are going to depend on the personality and preferences of you and your husband. Some men much prefer for their wives to make the "little" decisions, like where to eat when they go out, what's for dinner (can you tell I am hungry?), clothing, and bigger ones, like keeping track of the finances. Other men like to have a say in what goes on even in little things, and that's okay, too, as long as he is loving to his wife and she respectful to him.

The hard part is being obedient and loving when the other person isn't, er, being everything God calls them to be at that moment. If I am selfish and petulant, for example, it doesn't automatically throw God's Word out the window and give Ryan license to be harsh and unloving. Loving one another with God's love means that even when your spouse is stumbling, you're looking to Jesus (not your spouse) for strength and guidance. We are all responsible to the Lord for our individual walk with Him (we can't blame bad attitudes and disobedience on anyone else, even our spouse who is dropping the ball). Ryan and I have had talks about this recently, as at times (GASP!) one or the other of us drops the ball. We HAVE to be rooted in Christ, deny ourselves, and take up our crosses to do any of this according to the will and Word of God.

I don't know if I gave you instances where others would "refuse to submit." The whole thing is a heart condition: how willing is the husband, and how willing is the wife, to be like Jesus? Many times, either you realize what God is calling you to be as a man or woman in Christ, and you're willing to do as He asks, or you're going to demand your "rights" and, basically, not do things the way God lays out.

Rachel had some incredible answers to her friend Jenn's questions about Christianity--and her response related to this topic, which is far more stellar than my above ramblings, can be found here (the last comment posted so far).

Also, Molly had an incredible series on marriage that had a huge impact on me. It's one of the first posts I read of hers.

Addendum: Matthew McDill also has some insights in his March 14th post.

Guys, I don't know if I presented this one clearly, so please ask for clarification if something seems wack. I am a little foggy and not feeling tip-top, so go easy. :)

Our friends' son, Gabe, reacting to his first cookie. A picture of pure, unadulterated delight. 

Should False Teachers Be Named?

The bottom line right away: um, yes. But I have a better answer than that.

To get into my topic, I've got to introduce a neat couple who both blog: Jason and Brandy. They're already linked on my sidebar. Jason recently wrote about false teaching, and his sweet wife brought up a question I hear a lot. She wrote,

"Did the Lord really name names, Mike? Think about that before you answer. Did He really name specific names? Groups of people (Sadducees and Pharisees) yeah sure. But specific people's names? And Paul? Did he? By all means, if they did, please provide the Scripture. I make no claims to my memory being the greatest, so if I'm all for learning if I'm correct or not.....I just never remember either Jesus Christ nor Paul (not that they are on the same level) naming specific names as you are suggesting that they did. Oh, yeah. Would you mind posting the Scripture or Scriptures that back your point -- the one saying it's ok to point out specific people and to name them by name and to point them out as false teachers."

It's an excellent question, because often people do not think you can name names. This particular thread had an interesting discussion about Benny Hinn, but he won't be my subject today. Let's examine the Scripture to see whether false teachers can ever be named specifically.

Certainly there are many general warnings against false teaching. Jesus' Olivet Discourse and Jude come to mind immediately:

Matt 24:11, 23-24
And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray....Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Jude 3-4
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Here the Holy Spirit did not name names. There are times to give general warnings, especially when many teachers, perhaps, are spreading a particular false teaching. It's always the principalities involved with whom we are at war, not a person, so we should take care to direct our ire at the lies of the enemy.

However, we'd be missing part of the scripture, and an important tool for keeping the body of Christ clean and safe, if we skimmed over the verses where Paul does mention a couple of people--by name for the purpose of warning the flock against their teaching.

2 Tim 4:14-15
Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

2 Tim 2:16-18
Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

1 Tim 1:19-20
Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

It's not like these verses are preached a lot, so I can totally understand why Brandy would have the questions she did.

I gave an example in the comments section of their post that I want to expound on a bit (some of you have probably heard it before!). If I found out that there had been a psycho putting cyanide in bottles of Tylenol, and those bottles were headed for a CVS near your house, would I tell you, "Hey...you might want to watch out. I heard some pain relievers might be poisoned or something"? Or would I say, "There are bottles of Tylenol poisoned with cyanide headed for your neighborhood CVS!"?

You guessed it...I'd tell you specifically what the problem is, why, and how to avoid it. That's what I see Paul doing here.

As for Jesus, honestly, since the Sadducees and Pharisees were known to everyone and taught more as a group than as individuals, I think He was kind of calling them out when He taught the disciples about them:

Matt 16:11-12
'How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.' Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Brandy correctly pointed out that Jesus specifically warned against them. I think we have the same heart on the issue, but I just wanted to clarify, for anyone who wonders about this, that from the Word of God you can support exposing false teachers.

We can never support doing things--even 'righteous' things--out of spite or hatred, and God knows our hearts anyway. Naming names should be done in a way that is grounded and reasoned from the Word of God, with the purpose of helping God's children not to be led astray from the truth, as Jude wrote. It should not be done simply to humiliate, to threaten, or cast a pall on someone with whom we simply disagree in the Lord. We must, though, know the Truth well enough to know when it is being attacked, and defend it without compromise. Paul is a good example of this love and firmness in action.

Morro Bay--overcast but beautiful 

Overlooking Pismo Beach, by the cliffs. We walked down those stairs to the beach. 

Pismo bird (anyone care to identify this cute guy who was running from the surf?) 

As Unto the Lord

Yep, you guessed it...this post is about submission, headship, and mutual marital love. I thought it a timely subject after our talk about headcovering, where the discussion, by the way, is still going on. It is truly a pleasure to dialogue with such wonderful brothers and sisters. As always when I tackle a subject WAY too big for me to handle in a post, the disclaimer applies (see "Heads and Hair" post). Boy, I need to just tack it at the bottom of this blog!

I'll start by laying out my understanding of the Word of God as it applies to this subject. I am sure that it falls under normal, "conservative" Christian standards, but you can't take anything for granted nowadays. :)

Beginning with the last passage we examined, it's apparent that "man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man" (1 Cor 11:8). In the beginning, God saw that it wasn't good for man to be alone, and He made woman to be a helper suitable for the man (KJV "help meet for him"). In marriage, as we learn in the New Covenant scriptures, we have a glimpse into a beautiful mystery--the mega musterion.

Ephesians 5:22-33
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Notice something? Both the man and the woman are given a charge: she is to respect and submit to him, and he is to love her as Christ loved the church (wow--blows me away every time).

Some people emphasize one of these dicta to the exclusion of the other (and it happens on either "side"), which is mighty sad. Those who "kick against the goads" miss the beautiful picture God is painting in a Christian marriage. We are a reflection, a shadow, a picture, an image of the relationship between Jesus and the Church! For this reason, even though we are heirs together of God's grace and completely equal at the foot of the Cross, God has called women to submit to their husbands, to reflect the headship we already briefly examined in 1 Cor 11 and to be an example to all the world, and even to angels, of God's plan, His mercy, and the beautiful fruit that the Gardener's hands produce.

Look at the example of Christ, who submitted to the Father though He, Jesus, is God in the flesh!

Phil 2:5-8
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!

How awesome is that? What a mighty God, yet He was willing to humble Himself to the point where He would call Himself a worm (while on the cross--given prophetically in Psalm 22). My heart is so full when I read that; I feel I could burst. Truly our Lamb is worthy of all the worship we can give Him.

And what is our pride but a bunch of filth? It should be laid on the dungheap, right next to our righteousness (Isa 64:6). If God Himself could lower Himself a little lower than the angels, can we, women, submit to our husbands as unto the Lord, which God has called us to do? Can this be part of our "reasonable service" to One so worthy of devotion (Rom 12:1)?

Men are also called to love their wives as Christ loved the church (oh! Evan had a wonderful, related post here), and that should be just as emphasized as the wife's role of submission. However, I am going to let the brothers handle admonishing one another there. :) But without both the man and the woman submitting to GOD'S design for them in marriage, the picture is woefully incomplete. And remember, while the woman is to submit to her husband as unto the Lord, the husband is also called to engage in mutual submission with his wife (Eph 5:21).

I do want to address something about the Ephesians passage, though, that should not escape our notice: "as unto the Lord." When we consider what it means to obey or to submit, this cannot be left out of the discussion. I once read a book called Me? Obey Him? with which I disagreed at points. The author contended that if a husband asks a wife to sin, she is to obey. I believe this violates a higher law: that we must obey God rather than man if the two are in conflict. We have an example of this in Acts 5:27b-29:

...the high priest questioned them, saying, 'We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.' But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men.'

I believe this applies to women who are asked, for example, to murder their babies, to commit adultery, and the like. We may not sin against God in the name of obeying Him; we obey as unto the Lord, or rather, as though He were asking. He would not ask me to sin against Him. He would not violate His own holy nature. It is not hard, I think, for a disciple who knows and loves Jesus to see His heart on this subject. When has He ever cared more about the jot and tittle than the principle and the fruit?

I can recommend Martha Peace's book The Excellent Wife, and I am currently reading Debi Pearl's Created to Be His Help Meet, which I love so far.

My primary encouragement to women is to embrace the example of Christ, whose glorious humility and loving obedience pleased the Father. Let's throw off the shackles of feminism with its serpentine claims and embrace the role our Father has lovingly carved out for us.

Update and Strange News

Ryan and I went to the beach (again) this weekend. Pictures coming soon. Is there anything that's a whole lot better than walking on the beach? And, as I am discovering, CA beaches are great places to find shells, sand dollars, and COOL rocks (I was an avid geologist when I was, um, 8).

In much more sobering news, I suppose everyone with a TV has been hearing a lot this weekend about this story. As some of you know, I am from Atlanta, so the story held special interest for me. I know a court reporter there; we used to work together as voicewriters and scopists at a transcription company that is now defunct. (If the name of the stenographer who was killed has been released, please tell me so I'll know whether it was my friend.)

Brian Nichols was captured this weekend thanks to the efforts of Ashley Smith, a woman who gained the trust of this killer, talked to him about God, and convinced him to release her (she then called 911).

Dan at Getting Elected has some commentary on this story. I am so thankful that Brian was captured peacefully; I just wish that the whole thing could have been prevented. The things Ashley told Brian are interesting ("'You're here in my apartment for some reason,' she told him, saying he might be destined to be caught and to spread the word of God to fellow prisoners. She told him his escape from authorities had been a 'miracle.'"). I don't know that I agree with that, but I am profoundly thankful he has been caught, and the events of this weekend do seem to have happened by God's mercy!

I am brewing up a post on husbands and wives, which I hope to post later today.

Yesss! Or, No.

Edited from the original post to say: okay, comments are only intermittently working and I don't have ANY IDEA why. I just tried them and they do seem to be working. Wes and Jenna were able to post, so try your hand at it, too.

I am seriously thinking about moving to another service, like Amy is also talking of doing. I can't deal!

I'm going to leave "Heads and Hair" as the most current post today (um, besides this one), because I have a feeling that more people will want to comment than have been able to so far. Either that, or you're reeling from my dizzying scholarship. HA!

Also, more links have been added to the sidebar.

Oh, one more thing--I wanted to share a song the Lord gave me in the car this morning. It's simple, but it reminded me of the post about worry and anxiety:

You will keep in perfect peace
Him whose mind is stayed on You
You will keep in perfect peace
Him whose mind is stayed on You

Lord, please hide me in the fold
of the shadow of Your wings
You will keep in perfect peace
Him whose mind is stayed on You

I had such peace after singing that several times! God is awesome; He knows what we need, when we need it, and how to give it.

Heads and Hair

Continuing on the 'controversial issues' kick I am apparently on lately, let's talk about 1 Cor 11:2-16. As always, I issue the following disclaimers: I do not know everything and don't claim to; this is NOT an exhaustive treatment of the topic at hand; and I totally understand (especially on this issue) that everyone's in a different place or may have a differing interpretation. (Imagine that was said VERY QUICKLY by the guy who used to do the UPS (?) commercials in the 80s. If you're too young to know what I am talking about, don't let me know.)

First, our text on this fine day:

1 Cor 11:2-16 NASB
Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering. But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.

I first examined this passage about three years ago. Before that time, if I had read it at all, I skimmed it, thinking, "that has nothing to do with me." About three years ago, though, I read it again--and this time I knew that it had at least something to do with me. It's in there for a reason.

I'll start by commenting on the text briefly, and then addressing some common arguments. As usual, I'll give you the bottom line right away. ;-)

After reading this passage myriad times and pondering (seemingly) every conceivable interpretation, my husband and I came to the conclusion that I should cover my head in the assembly of believers, and particularly where there might be praying or prophesying going on (I'll try to comment later on the practicalities of this).

Paul gives several reasons why women should cover their heads:
1. Headship. Man is the head of woman as Christ is the head of the church.
2. Covering glory of man before God. The woman is the glory of man, and her hair is her glory--covering the hair/head hits two birds with one stone. You'll see that the angels do something similar in God's presence in Isaiah 6:1-2. I admit, this is deep stuff, but we shouldn't let that make us give up trying to understand what's being said and commanded here.
3. Creation order. Woman was created for man's sake.

Do you notice anything about the reasons Paul gives? I do--they are universal and time-transcending. Nothing has changed regarding any of those reasons, which is why I reject the argument that this passage is cultural and has no practical modern application. Paul was perfectly capable of telling the Corinthian believers, "Hey, since your town does things this way, let's not offend anyone...keep their custom even though you're free in Christ not to." Nope. He is issuing a command based on things that do not change. Not only that, but he stresses that this is the way things are done in all the churches.

In the course of doing my research on this topic, I took a gander at what the early church fathers had to say about this. One of the primary interpretations I encountered is that the "covering" spoken of throughout the passage is supposed to mean a woman's long hair. Now, I do agree that a woman should have long hair if she can, but that is not the covering being described here. In fact, the Greek katakalupto, used in most of the verses for various forms of "to cover," is not even the same word as is used when Paul says a woman's hair is "given to her as a covering" at the end of the passage. That word is peribolaion, and Paul is using the woman's hair as a natural example of the covering required by God in His presence.

But back to the early church fathers. When I was examining the issue, trying to determine whether Paul meant a veil or hair, it occurred to me that if this was truly a Christian custom in the first centuries, the leaders would have surely mentioned it. Well, they did. You can read some of the early church fathers' commentary here.

"Around the year 200, at Carthage, North Africa, Tertullian wrote a tract entitled, The Veiling of Virgins. Tertullian makes the argument that the passage applies to all females of age—not just to married women. Of course, Tertullian’s personal view is of little concern to us. But what is so valuable about this work of his is that he discusses the practices of different church in various parts of the world. Here are some key excerpts from his work:

'I also admonish you second group of women, who are married, not to outgrow the discipline of the veil. Not even for a moment of an hour. Because you can't avoid wearing a veil, you should not find some other way to nullify it. That is, by going about neither covered nor bare. For some women do not veil their heads, but rather bind them up with turbans and woollen bands. It's true that they are protected in front. But where the head properly lies, they are bare.' (snip)

Clement of Alexandria, an elder writing from Egypt around the year 190, counseled: 'Let the woman observe this, further. Let her be entirely covered, unless she happens to be at home. For that style of dress is grave, and protects from being gazed at. And she will never fall, who puts before her eyes modesty, and her shawl; nor will she invite another to fall into sin by uncovering her face. For this is the wish of the Word, since it is becoming for her to pray veiled.' [Clement, The Instructor 3.12]"

Do we have to dress like first-century Christians? I don't think so. But there is ample evidence that the first Christian women DID veil their heads.

Bruce Terry provides some wonderful scholarship and insight in his work:

Five Myths about Corinthian Headwear
and
Aspects of Culture at Corinth

So, what does that mean for the modern church?

1. No, it doesn't mean--to anyone I've ever met--that you aren't saved if you don't practice this.
2. This is a New Testament, apostolic command. Why don't we obey it? Just consider: could it be because of Western pop culture, vanity, fashion, and feminism? Ask your grandmother whether women used to wear hats to church. Yep, they did. When did it stop? Depending on where you live, anywhere from the 1950s-60s (I'd love a correction from anyone old enough to know for sure). Anyway, it was still a tradition up until very recent times. I don't know if people knew why they were doing it, but the tradition came from this passage.

Unfortunately, the plain facts are that every Christian isn't going to see this passage this way--and I don't think that's the end of the world. I think anytime we disregard a command of God (or explain it away, etc), we miss out on tremendous blessing. It is freedom, not bondage, to obey God.

Sometimes people bring up things like "Greet one another with a holy kiss" and point out that no one does that in Western culture. As my pastor says, if a man came up to give him a holy kiss, he'd feel a little uncomfortable! :-) But I don't see that as having any bearing on this command. In my view, God wants us to greet each other warmly, as family in Christ should. I don't think, though, that the headcovering passage has the same cultural flexibility, if you will, because the reasons for doing it are clearly stated.

So, do I veil? Well, I have some veils from Jerusalem that I love (by the way, headcovering for women is still an Orthodox Jewish practice...hmmmm). I don't wear those to church, though, because it'd stick out like a sore thumb! I am the only woman in my church who holds this belief. So I wear hats every week; that's my "cultural accomodation." If it was good enough for ladies for hundreds of years, it's good enough for me. Truthfully, I see the veil as even more Biblical and love wearing them and thinking of the old paths:

Jer 6:16
Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

I actually don't talk about this that much. I wanted to share it with you guys, though. No one at my church (with the exception of my husband and two approving brothers) really knows why I am wearing hats when I am there--I don't want to stir up controversy in my local assembly.

Mrs. Jennifer P. and Molly have both blogged about this before. I am slow...sorry!

I reserve the right to come back and add things I forgot! :)

Dave Black weighs in

Dave Black has a contribution to our LOTR and What Glorifies God? discussions. He broadens the scope of what we've been talking about and offers some great insights. I agree with him wholeheartedly...the question is not "How close can I get to the world and still be a Christian?" but "Lord, how can I know You more? How can I serve You? What do You want from my life?"

Dave also provides some thoughts on Christian women sharing their thoughts via blogging, via Steve Atkerson:

Obviously, women should not take on the role of authoritative instructors of doctrine, nor should they take on roles that would put them in positions of authority reserved for men in the church (e.g., the position of elder, judging prophecy, disputing with a teacher, making decisions by consensus). On the other hand, that a woman is not to teach does not mean that men have nothing to learn from women. The many prophecies given by God to women illustrate this (Ac 2:17; 1Co 11:3-16). Often my wife has shared with me her insights into Scripture – insights I had never before seen and which helped me in my understanding of a text. Although people do 'learn' from prophecy (1Co 14:31), “prophets” are not fundamentally 'teachers' (1Co 12:28-29). Even singing can be a form of teaching (Col 3:16) if we learn from the lyrics, but a singer is not really a teacher. An informal sharing of insights and thoughts does not place either person in the official role of 'teacher.' While not permitting women to teach or the have authority of a man, we must be careful not to limit other ministries that are completely open to women. The church would be severely crippled without their input!

I am thankful for all of my friends here--I've rarely seen a discussions like these that did not devolve into namecalling or useless wrangling about hurt 'feelings'. I appreciate the caliber of our talks here, and the kind spirit that everyone has brought to the table.

Wonderful News!

Please go check out the wonderful story of Azanaw (now Bereket) at Dave Black Online. Praise the Lord! God is awesome!

Open Letter to My Brothers

Dear brothers in the Lord,

When I started this blog, like many of us, I was talking only to one or two random people who happened to accidentally drop by. Since the readership has grown a little bit and we have a diversity of readers now, I wanted to clarify something just so there's no misunderstanding.

I'll tell you the bottom line right away: I am not trying to teach you. I love, love, love discussing the Bible (can you tell?), and I don't think it's wrong for all of us to do that together. But I want you to know my heart, and to know that I do know the scriptures on this subject. I do NOT see this blog as my "pulpit" from which I am preaching. I see it as an opportunity to dialogue with brothers and sisters, to learn more about God and His Word myself, and to forge relationships built on mutual encouragement and sharpening.

1 Tim 2:8-14
I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.

Now, I do think that the command to remain quiet primarily is meaning a church service, but I do not at any time want to teach or exercise authority over men.

Disciple means "learner" and "follower." I learn so much from ALL OF YOU (men and women) in your blog posts and your comments here. I just wanted you, brothers, to know that in no way do I seek to be any kind of leader over men.

I guess the apostles didn't foresee the creation of the internet and blogging, that would put men and women in situations where they can all talk as a group without physically being in the same room! :) I think it's great. I think it presents wonderful opportunities for growing together, for thinking about different perspectives, and for digging into our OWN BIBLES to "see whether these things are so." But there are PLENTY of women out there who are leaving their places in God's order and rebelling against His commands in this area, and I do not want to be one of them. (My thoughts on feminism, in part, are here.)

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. The discussion is so much richer for it. And by the way, no one wrote to harass me about teaching men...it was just on my heart to clarify this.

In Jesus,
Kristen

Be Anxious for Nothing

Anxiety, worry, stress, self-reliance, frustration. Sound familiar? They do to me. Giving my cares and worries to the Lord is a constant battle for me. Actually, I haven't known many people who won't admit that it's a struggle for them, too.

Philippians 4:5-7
Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Why do we allow ourselves to become anxious and worried when the God who created us has declared to us that He cares and wants to hear us?

To really examine that, I think we have to look at several causes of anxiety, worry, and frustration. Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list, just a brief look at some of my thoughts on the subject.

1. Rebellion; entertaining rebellious thoughts; harboring anger and resentment.

When I was thinking about this topic, Cain actually came to my mind first. Remember what the Lord told him before he killed Abel?

Genesis 4:4b-7
And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.'

Why had his face fallen? Because he was resentful: the LORD accepted Abel's offering and not his. When I was a new believer, I thought this was arbitrary and wondered why God accepted one and not the other--was it the kind of offering? What?

No--Abel's sacrifice was accepted because of his faith, as we learn in Hebrews:

Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.

And Cain's works were evil, whereas Abel's were righteous (through faith, as we just saw), so Cain became angry. There is a lesson there for us, that we must cling to the Lord. We are not so unlike Cain that we could never follow that path--so we are warned by John to love one another and live righteously. The world will hate this.

1 John 3:11-13
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

But look at the love and mercy God displayed toward Cain even as Cain stewed in the first throes of murderous rebellion! Even then the Lord reached out to Cain, instructing him in righteousness, though Cain chose not to heed.

How does that relate to me, to us? I don't know about you, but there are many times that I am tempted to sit and stew in anger, worry, or frustration. I don't believe Cain's sole emotion as his countenance fell was anger: anger is preceded, usually, by some form of frustration (this is most likely in Cain's case) or worry.

2. Taking on a burden too big to carry.

This is probably my primary struggle--well, never mind, I struggle with all of these! :-) We load ourselves with burdens and then wonder why our shoulders hurt. What did Jesus say?

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

We were never made to carry emotional and spiritual burdens. God made us to seek Him.

Psalm 94:18-19
If I should say, "My foot has slipped,"
Your lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up.
When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,
Your consolations delight my soul.

Psalm 139:23-24
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.

The Lord alone is able to take our burdens. He wants to--He is our Shepherd and Comforter, Father, Friend.

Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!

3. Seeking to control everything rather than seeking the Lord's will in every situation.

When Jesus visits Mary, Martha and Lazarus, without fail I see myself in Martha--but I want to be Mary.

Luke 10:38b-42
And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'

There are SO many things to point out in this passage! First, notice Martha not only does not choose "the good portion"--she tries to tell the Lord what to do! ("Tell her to help me.") ACK!

Martha is really reamed sometimes in sermons, but she was a righteous woman doing a "righteous" thing (showing hospitality to a stranger, serving guests)...but it wasn't the best thing to be doing at the time, nor was it done in love and peace, but in perfectionism and self-will. God shows up on our doorstep, and what do we do? Freak out about making everything perfect, BEING perfect. And in the process we're screw-ups.

The bottom line is that we cannot control anything except ourselves, and that by the Spirit (Gal 5:23). We must be in the life-giving Vine to have the peace that comes from knowing Him, being still, and recognizing what's important in any situation God puts us in.

Psalm 46:10-11
Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

May the Lord help us all to seek Him in everything and be anxious for nothing.

Bird 

At Leo Carillo state park on Sunday 

All Things Are Permissible

In recent discussions, some have mentioned 1 Cor 6:12-13 as a scripture they turn to when thinking about our liberty as Christians. I'd like to exhort all of us to take a close look at this passage to see what Paul's saying.

1 Cor 6:12-13
'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful for me,' but I will not be enslaved by anything. 'Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food'--and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

This is often interpreted in the modern church to mean that truly, ALL THINGS, no matter what is referenced, are lawful for the Christian. Proponents of this teaching usually attempt to back it up by saying that since Jesus died for us, there is no law for the Christian, only grace.

I contend, however, that the "all things" means things that are not sinful. Otherwise, this scripture is a license to sin, and we know this cannot be. The New Testament makes it clear time and again that lawlessness is condemned specifically in the New Covenant (Matt 7:23, 13:41, Rom 6:19, 2 Cor 6:14, etc) and is used to describe those who are disobedient to the Word and will of God. Though we are cleansed from sin through the blood of Christ, we must abide in Him (John 15), and we may not live in habitual, unrepentant sin (Heb 10:28-30).

As with any exposition of scripture, it's important to check out the context. Paul just finished warning the Corinthians about sins that lead to death, after chastising them for suing one another before unbelievers:

1 Cor 6:8-11
But you yourselves wrong and defraud--even your own brothers!

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

And such were some of us! Thank the Lord for His blood!

Allow me to share A.T. Robertson's commentary on and exposition of the Greek in this passage. A.T. Robertson was one of the foremost Greek scholars of the last century.

"Lawful (exestin). Apparently this proverb may have been used by Paul in Corinth (repeated in Matthew 10:23), but not in the sense now used by Paul's opponents. The "all things" do not include such matters as those condemned in chapter 1 Corinthians 5; 1 Corinthians 6:1-11. Paul limits the proverb to things not immoral, things not wrong per se. But even here liberty is not license. But not all things are expedient (all ou panta sumperei). Old word sumperei, bears together for good and so worthwhile. Many things, harmless in themselves in the abstract, do harm to others in the concrete. We live in a world of social relations that circumscribe personal rights and liberties. But I will not be brought under the power of any (all ouk egw exousiasqhsomai upo tinoß). Perhaps a conscious play on the verb exestin for exousiazw is from exousia and that from exestin. Verb from Aristotle on, though not common (Dion. of Hal., LXX and inscriptions). In N.T. only here, 1 Corinthians 7:4; Luke 22:25. Paul is determined not to be a slave to anything harmless in itself. He will maintain his self-control. He gives a wholesome hint to those who talk so much about personal liberty."

Note what he says: the "all things" does not include things that are displeasing to God--more specifically, that transgress His law. Paul is actually warning those who participate in sexual immorality, not telling them they have a license to do so because "all things are permissible". This is a gross error in the teaching of the modern church.

1 Cor 6:13-20
'Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food'--and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh." But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

This is not written to discourage anyone. I hope that seeing the truth of what the Word is saying is edifying and encouraging, as it is for me! How wonderful that we serve a Lord who warns and reproves us--a loving Father who desires the best for us!

LOTR and Stories Like It

Since this topic came up in the comments of yesterday's post, I'd like to address it. My dear Holly wrote, "I am curious as to what others of you feel about Lord of the Rings. I know what I think...but perhaps I am misguided." (What an awesome attitude! Holly rocks!)

I'm going to give my honest and wildly unpopular (SHOCKER!) opinion. It is one that gave my own flesh much pain, since I have always loved stories like this. Since I believe the Word of God speaks to it, though, it is not a "gray" area to me.

God tells us very clearly throughout the Bible what He thinks of witchcraft, sorcery, and (as I wrote yesterday) syncretism. Witchcraft is an abomination to Him:

Deut 18:9-12
When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Gal 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Rev 9:20-21
The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

As Lani declared in the comments yesterday, there's "plenty of witchcraft going on in [LOTR]." And in The Chronicles of Narnia, and in Harry Potter.

Putting ALL FEELINGS aside, all of your "love" for the books and movies, can you really justify putting witchcraft before your (and your children's!) eyes?

1. "But it's CHRISTIAN! It has themes of good and evil! It has a Christ figure!"

First, I highly recommend this article, which goes into greater depth and states the entirety of the problems better than I.

There is no such thing as "good" and "bad" magic. All magic (sorcery, witchcraft) is of the devil and is clearly condemned by God. This takes us back to yesterday's points: is God glorified in the midst of abomination? Does He USE abominations to GLORIFY Himself? Answer carefully.

Rearding themes: Take it from a former English teacher--you can produce "themes" of good and evil in almost any work. You can find a Christ figure in tons of English lit. What does that really mean? Does God sanction witchcraft in this instance, but it's an abomination in others?

God does not change (James 1:17). What was detestable to Him still is. When I realized that, I knew I could never look at The Chronicles of Narnia, LOTR, or anything that contains sorcery the same way. Regardless of how much I 'loved' Aslan. As I distanced myself from them, I began to see other theological problems with them (which are out of the scope of this article).

2. "But I am not participating in witchcraft! I am just watching it."

We must not become neo-gnostics and separate our earthly activities from our "spritual" reality. What we DO, what we set before our eyes, does affect our spiritual condition. We cannot countenance, even approve, of abominations and emerge unscathed. The little foxes spoil the vineyard, and putting a "God-stamp" on witchcraft does not sanctify it.

I pray with all my heart that my brothers and sisters would seek the Lord on this. I pray for discernment, wisdom, and a love for truth for all of us. May the Lord lead us into all truth by His Spirit.

I am not saying, "Do not touch!" to the things that God does not mention. But we ARE to separate from unholy things.

Rev 18:4-5
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
"Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;
for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.

Psalm 101:7
No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

2 Cor 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

There's a lot more to say, but perhaps this is enough for now. I know I am treading on many of my beloved family's toes, and I hate to do that. But I hate deception and the tactics of the enemy much more.

ADDENDUM: Holly brought up a great point to me privately that I want to address. I am writing primarily here about entertainment--seeking to amuse ourselves. I am NOT writing about education. I would teach my children about Greek myths, for example. We would study all about what other cultures believe(d), etc. At an age-appropriate time, we'd examine what cults and the occult teach, and how what they teach compares to the Word. That is not my subject here.

I am also not saying that all entertainment is horrible. I do think Americans are obsessed with being entertained, but that's another post. ;-) Amusement is not sinful! But indulging our flesh in obviously sinful images and music is not pleasing to God.

Jodi made a good point, too, that I agree with. There are neutral things--movies, for example, that do not contain things that grieve the Spirit. We must all seek the Lord about how we spend our time and what we participate in; He will never lead us astray. But we must listen to Him, and not ourselves. Sometimes the voice of the flesh is so much louder than the still, small one of the Spirit. We must conquer and quiet the flesh (again, by God's grace and empowerment) in order to hear Him.

What Glorifies God?

Jodi wrote a post called "Faith and Entertainment" in response to what I've written on the subject. Jodi is a friend I met online through a parenting board, where we've both gone through struggles with infertility. I am VERY happy to report that Jodi and her husband Steve are close to adopting a child from Ukraine. :) (You can read all about her adoption journey on her blog, which is devoted primarily to that.)

I'd like to respond to a little of what she said. Anyone can see that we radically disagree on the subject, but rather than tackle lots of individual media (though I may touch on one or two), I want to look at a foundational question that she and I are answering differently: what truly glorifies God? How can He be glorified?

First, I believe that the only way we can investigate the question and arrive at an answer is through searching the Scriptures. A lot of other things try to get in the way of Biblical analysis: experiences, emotions, memories. Entertainment is designed to manipulate those things, and it doesn't make us idiots if we are manipulated. It makes us human. The only way, however, that we can know what glorifies God is by seeing what He says.

I believe that God is not glorified by abominable things, or through media that contain abominable things. This was one of the first realizations I had about media that led to my choice to abstain from most of it. Can God truly be glorified in a film, show, or song that:

Uses His name in vain?

Exodus 20:7
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Contains fornication or adultery?

1 Cor 10:8-9
We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents...

Matt 5:28
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Mixes Christian things with pagan things?

2 Kings 17:7-8
And this [Exile] occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced.

Ezekiel 14:3-5
Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the LORD will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.'

Syncretism is "combination of different forms of belief or practice." God doesn't like it at all.

Let's take a specific example that Jodi used: The Matrix. Many Christians like this movie, and five years ago I could have written the entirety of her post myself. But I changed, and my view of God and His Word changed. I described that in another post. When I look at The Matrix now, I don't believe for a minute that it's something God is behind. I experienced the same thing Jodi describes while watching it, and my emotions were...very 'pumped up'. I see where Christians are drawing their analogies between the Christian life and the world described in the movie. But there's more to it than that.

In The Matrix, there are New Age themes (a perfect example is the scene where Neo goes to meet the Oracle, and different children, one made to look like a Buddhist monk, are practicing their telekinetic powers), the name of the Lord is taken in vain, other curse words are uttered, and syncretism is a major motif. Sure, there are a lot of Biblical references. We must not forget that Satan is a master of manipulation and disguise. He quoted SCRIPTURES to JESUS trying to deceive HIM! How much more easily are we deceived into thinking that something is from God?

2 Cor 11:14-15a
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.

The truth of the matter is that we, as followers of Jesus, must peel back the layers, the appealing packaging, to examine the contents of the box. God is not glorified in something that profanes His name and mixes other religious traditions with His ways and His Word. (In the second Matrix film, there is a scene at a temple in Zion that, I am told, pretty well represents ancient pagan worship! It's also the scene where Neo and Trinity, um, consummate their relationship.) No matter what we experience or where we try to fit in a Biblical analogy, I do not believe God is in approval of such things as these.

There's more I'd like to address in subsequent posts. We'll talk later about 'everything' being permissible.

Judaism/Christianity: Origins and Praxis

For anyone interested, here is the link to our discussion of Judaism and Christianity on Shane's forums (though Erik is helping lead the discussion). I highly recommend Shane's blog as well. He has some great insights and a wonderful testimony from the Lord--a good brother in Jesus!

Sharing What God Has Done

Dave Black kindly published the "Movies, Media and Me" article here. Dave, I appreciate your support and your wisdom.

Discussion(s)

Just a note: Monday's discussion is still going strong.

Also, if you haven't had a chance, check out Molly's ongoing series on disciplining children, which has spanned several days. It's the best treatment of the subject I've seen in a long time.

Love and Good Works

The Christian life--specifically, the interaction of brothers and sisters in Christ--has been on my mind. I love this verse and return to it in my mind often:

Hebrews 10:24
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works..." (KJV: 'provoke one another').

The "stir up" or "provoke" is paroxusmos, from paroxuno:

to make sharp, sharpen
to stimulate, spur on, urge

Isn't that a beautiful thought! 'What can I do to sharpen my brother? What can I do to spur my sister on in love? What can I do to stimulate my brother to good works?' It's a lifelong, joyful task, given by the Lord: a way to take up our cross daily, which involves self-denial and submission of our will to Jesus. As we deny ourselves and follow Him, He shows us how to fulfill His law of love:

Matt 16:24-25
Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'

Gal 6:2-3
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

I want to do this more in my own life, by the Spirit's prompting. So often it's far too easy to get bogged down in the daily grind. Lord, help me remember to show kindness to my Family, and to listen for Your voice.

Gal 6:9-11
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Maybe someone who knows Greek, or has the resources to find out, can tell us more about paroxusmos.

"president" of his church

Don't know if you guys saw this. The BTK Killer was apprehended recently and today was charged with 10 murders. He was, by the way, caught after emerging from years of hiding to taunt police with his eluding them for so long. Be sure your sins will (someday) find you out.

"He was trusted as a Cub Scout leader, respected as a churchgoing family man and accepted as a regular guy with a secure marriage, a steady job and all the other trappings of middle-class success.

He was also, according to police, an insatiable murderer who tortured and killed strangers over 17 years, boasting about his crimes in taunting, gruesome letters and poems that he mailed to police and the news media."

I read this yesterday:

"He recently became president of his Lutheran church council....'When we found out, all we could say was that it's impossible, it couldn't be,' said Freyja Carlsted who attends church with Rader and has known him for 30 years. She said Rader's wife, Paula, is 'wonderful.'

Clark, the pastor, said Rader has always seemed like a 'family man.' Clark said he has seen nothing 'that would even tend to lead to these accusations.' He said he is in touch with the family, which is in seclusion. Rader became president of Christ Lutheran Church in Park City in January, and under the church's rules he will remain president, Clark said."

I think that last sentence is the most shocking. I guess they are complying with 'innocent until proven guilty.' But still.

What is the 'president' of a church anyway? Betcha don't have a scripture for that one...