Hot Issues
Going Green – God’s Way
Posted by: Kaylan Christopher on October 6, 2008 Hot Issues •
It seems everyone I know is “going green” these days—whether that means carpooling to work, adding recycle bins to their home decor, or something else to help the environment. I have to admit: I’ve even been convinced to join the cause.
Barna posted an article recently citing the results of a study that advertising is boasting environmental friendliness as well as the presidential candidates through offering the best energy proposals. And, among them, are evangelicals, who are some of the top supporters:
“One of the intriguing findings of the research is that millions of evangelicals—often perceived to be on the sidelines of the green movement—have become more environmentally conscious in the last year. …
“Most Christians are not satisfied to be mere observers of the green movement. Three-quarters of self-identified Christians (78%) agree they would like to see their fellow Christians take a more active role in caring for God’s creation in a way that is both informed and biblical. Among evangelicals, 90% would like Christians to take a more active role in caring for creation, with 67% agreeing strongly.”
So what does the Bible say about being good environmental stewards? We do know God gave Adam dominion over “the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth” (Genesis 1:26; also see Genesis 1:28-30).
From this, we can see that God entrusted the earth to us—to our care and protection. So I don’t think He meant for us to squander away or harm the earth and things of it that He has provided for our well-being.
As a matter of fact, we can see proof of this in the New Testament. Jesus and the disciples fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. When the crowd was full, He told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted” (John 6:10-12).
As “going green” becomes more prevalent in our society, economy, political discussions, and such, let’s remember to take the first steps in showing others how much God’s gifts of creation and provision mean to us.
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Now that’s the way to do it…
Posted by: Kaylan Christopher on September 21, 2008 Hot Issues •
Recently, I read an article through Baptist Press titled “Marriage Digest: New poll shows California marriage amend. trailing” (written by Michael Foust). It talked about a new poll that showed a proposed constitutional marriage amendment in California losing, saying, “the results could have been influenced by a new ballot titled that amendment supporters say is biased.”
Apparently, 1,047 people were polled and it resulted in 54 percent opposing the initiative (Proposition 8) while 40 percent supported it (according to the Public Policy Institute of California.)
Currently, same-sex “marriage” is now legal in California. But the amendment would reverse the California Supreme Court’s decision. This battle has obviously not been won. There’s still a lot to be done in seeing marriage, as defined by God and revealed in the Bible, protected in this state.
However, I’m encouraged by the group that’s backing Proposition 8—ProtectMarriage.com. I went to their website after reading this article and have been keeping up with their blog. On September 15, they wrote:
“Today marked another Vote Yes on Prop. 8 Walk Day. We took to our neighborhoods and encouraged our friends and neighbors to vote YES on Prop. 8. It’s amazing to think that by devoting just a few hours of time on Saturdays we’ve managed to reach more than a million voter households in California.”
Their grassroots effort has been incredible. In a blog posted even before this one, they discuss the success of their town hall meeting encouraging others to vote “yes” for this amendment.
I wonder if we had this much momentum in our everyday interactions with others—at home, in our jobs, at the grocery store, etc.—how would they be affected by the truth of God’s Word? Could our simple grassroots effort cause them to vote values according to truth and Scripture?
It’s something to think about.
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Be a Changer
Posted by: Kaylan Christopher on September 15, 2008 Hot Issues •
All politics aside, I like Sarah Palin, the woman. I like her because she’s real. I like her because she’s got problems just like everyone else. I like her because she seems to do everyday stuff that most Americans do—like taking family vacations, dealing with teenagers who make wrong decisions, eating red meat, etc.
This mother of five is being railed for having little or no foreign policy experience, but she’s a changer. She’s known for shaking things up. And she jumped on the Republican ticket and has created quite the frenzy nationwide. She brought her imperfect family to the Republican convention and bared her real identity to the world.
This isn’t a campaign message. I don’t say all of this to tell you to vote for Sarah Palin. I say this because I admire her attitude and determination. I admire her genuine attempt to be as real as she can be in front of people while standing firm on her convictions. I admire the fact that she is supporting her family in the ups and downs. She has made me want to find out more about her because she seems genuine and approachable.
As believers in Jesus Christ, it would do us good to have the same attitude and drive when it comes to our faith and changing the world.
How radical do we need to get in order to cause others to want to know more about who we are and Who makes us what we are? Can we also let them know we’re real people who deal with the same real stuff they do but stand strong on our convictions and faith? Is it possible for us to say to the world, “We deal with hard stuff too, but we believe in One who sees us through it.”
All politics aside, I like Sarah Palin, the woman. She can be an inspiration to us all to stand up for and share what you believe in, be exactly who God created you to be—flaws and all, vote your values, shake things up, and be a changer.
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Us vs. Them
Posted by: Kaylan Christopher on September 15, 2008 Hot Issues •
I think it’s important that I bring up this issue. Lately, it seems as though many of my Christian friends have made it seem that if you’re not Republican, then you’re not Christian. If you’re a Democrat, then you’re a liberal and “one of them.” It didn’t settle well with me when the discussions began a few weeks ago and it still doesn’t settle well with me now.
I think we have to be careful about getting into this mindset of “us” and “them.” Sure, each party takes on an overall personality—including certain values, beliefs, and opinions. But this isn’t good vs. bad or pure vs. evil election.
Today, many younger Christians—who are completely committed to the faith—are concerned with “issues” more than I’ve ever seen. They are concerned with uniting to: fight poverty and hunger, end the war, stop sexual trafficking, genocide, and slavery, prevent diseases, defend the innocent, care for the orphaned and widowed, protect the environment, and more.
They’re about living out their faith visibly for the world to see. They’re about building bridges between the “us” and “them” that others have created. They’re about introducing people who have no hope to a God who can give them hope. They’re about throwing out the other rulebooks and focusing on the absolute truth in God’s Book.
Many people I know were upset when they found out their favorite Christian author, Donald Miller, prayed at the Democratic National Convention recently. They feared he had joined “the dark side.” But I saw it as an opportunity for this incredible leader to share truth and Christ with those who some believe are only focused on a desire to skew the truth and allow the rules of morality to be bent.
So I caution you to use your words wisely when sharing your opinions with others. I warn you to not buy into the “us” and “them” mindset that’s been conjured up. Instead, I implore you to build bridges with others who believe differently than you, vote your values, and find every possible way you can to share Jesus with those who don’t know Him—whatever their political affiliation.
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It’s just the beginning…
Posted by: Kaylan Christopher on September 7, 2008 Hot Issues •
People magazineprinted this account recently:
“Saturday evening was full of love, laughter, and a few tears for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who exchanged personal wedding vows in front of their closest family and friends at their home in L.A.
“In an exclusive interview and photos, DeGeneres, 50, and de Rossi, 35, share the most romantic moments of the night with People magazine.
“‘What can I say? I’m the luckiest girl in the world,’ says DeGeneres. ‘She’s officially off the market. No one else gets her. And now she’ll cook and clean for me.’
“Amid candles and flowers by Mark’s Garden, both brides, wearing designs by Zac Posen, sat on floor pillows along with author Wayne Dyer, who officiated the ceremony.
“‘The love we felt from the people surrounding us, and the love we have for each other, made this the most beautiful and emotional day,’ says de Rossi. ‘And one that we’ll never forget.’”
This issue can’t be pushed onto the back burner any longer. The issue of homosexual marriage is upon us. What are we going to do?
I know people who say, “They deserve to be happy too!” In the beginning, I got called a bigot and right-wing nutjob all the time for denouncing this view. Now, a lot of times, I attempt to let my voice be heard—but in a more subtle, non-judgmental way.
Is that a good or bad approach? I don’t know. I’m still not quite sure how to handle those friends of mine who believe that homosexual marriage should be legal throughout the entire United States. I know what I believe, but I have to be careful how I handle those conversations.
After reading this article, I realized that I can’t ignore these conversations anymore. The more I ignore them, the more I become one more person who is not standing up against it.
I truly DO believe that everyone deserves to be happy in love—but in the context of a biblical relationship, a godly marriage, which can only exist when a man and woman are united in the bonds of matrimony.
I don’t have the answers. But I am looking for feedback, and I’m sure there are other Christians who feel this same way. How do we speak against homosexuality in the love of Christ? How do we stand against accepting this way of life without inheriting the names “bigot” and “judgmental?” How do we speak truth into our culture without turning the world off of Christianity and Jesus?
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Down to the Wire: Obama vs. McCain
Posted by: Kaylan Christopher on September 4, 2008 Hot Issues •
This past month, Barna put out an article on the results of a nationwide survey of people’s candidate preference. It said:
“The dominant reasons for voters supporting Barack Obama are his efforts to introduce change or new ideas (listed by 28% of his likely voters); his affiliation with the Democratic Party (15%); his positions regarding the economy (14%); his stand on the war (10%); and voters liking him as a person (10%).
“The primary reasons why John McCain’s supporters back him include his experience (24%); his affiliation with the Republican Party (14%); the perception that he knows what America needs (13%); and his stands regarding the economy (10%).”
Among evangelicals, Barna says, “83% are likely to vote in November” and “nearly one-quarter of this segment (23%) is still undecided about who they will vote for.”
“For the most part, the various faith communities of the U.S. currently support Sen. Obama for the presidency. Among the 19 faith segments that The Barna Group tracks, evangelicals were the only segment to throw its support to Sen. McCain.”
This is all fine and great. It looks like people are divided—some are rooting for Sen. Obama and others are diehard McCain fans. But the most important question remains: Are you voting for the person or for the values you believe in?
Recently, I had a conversation with several friends about their candidate choices. Some were decidedly for McCain and the others for Obama. Then, I asked, “Do their values align with yours?”
Some responded that they did and the others (the majority) had decided upon one candidate or the other merely because they were attracted to the person they portrayed themselves to be.
As we near the day when all will be decided don’t get caught up in the hype. Do your research and make sure you know what you believe according to God’s Word. Ask yourself if the candidate you’re leaning toward is going to implement the values you truly believe in. Ask yourself what the long-term effects of their presidency may hold for our country. Then, pray and ask God to reveal whom you should cast your vote for.
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Voting Your Genes?
Posted by: K.D. Hastings on July 16, 2008 Hot Issues •
Whether you vote or stay home on Election Day is at least in part a function of your genetic makeup. That’s the upshot of a study out of the University of California at San Diego.
According to a report in Scientific American and elsewhere, scientists are suggesting “the desire to vote or abstain from politics might largely be hardwired into our biology.”
Factors such as age, gender, race, education and income, among other socioeconomic indices, had only a tiny impact on the likelihood that person would vote, the investigators said in the review of behavior of identical and fraternal twins.
James Fowler of the California school said this genetic predisposition to interact socially is so strong that even when an individual knows their vote won’t matter, they still vote: “It’s almost like voters are programmed to keep voting, even when their common sense tells them it is probably useless.”
But even if researchers are able to prove that hereditary directs one’s level of political involvement, that doesn’t excuse qualified Americans from exercising their civic responsibilities. It can’t be an excuse or a person permission to say, “I couldn’t vote if I wanted to do. I can’t bring myself to pull that lever.”
The scientists in this study admitted that even if there was a biological connection, environment (one’s surroundings and upbringing, not the climate) plays a key role in one’s voting habits.
Americans seem to concoct enough reasons not to vote without taking their genome into consideration. We have a civic and spiritual obligation to not only vote, but to inject our biblically influenced convictions into the political and public policy process. We need to be focused on voting our God’s values, not our genes.
The study was originally detailed in American Political Science Review.
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A Message of Hope and Change?
Posted by: Kaylan Christopher on July 8, 2008 Hot Issues •
All the media outlets are calling it “Obama’s Message of Hope & Change.” I’ve heard about it, but I still don’t know exactly what its supposed to look like.
What’s the message this presidential hopeful is trying to convey? And why is it attracting so many people across America—especially young people?
I say this because I’ve heard a similar message of change before from previous candidates. So is this completely different? Is Obama merely marketing himself to the American people with a catchy slogan? Or is he for real?
There’s no doubt, most of his speeches leave people “feeling good.” But is that all they’re good for? Or are Americans just so ready for a new president, they’ll stand behind the first smooth-talker that comes along?
I’m interested in finding out more of why young Americans are so drawn to this candidate. True, most teens and young 20-somethings have only ever known two names—Clinton and Bush—to assume the position of “most powerful leader of the free world.” So maybe we can find some sense in this: perhaps they’re ready to take a chance on a new name.
Sure, times have changed. This generation is not like each of the three before it. Nor will the next be like today’s generation. Ideas and views will change as each new election rolls around. And, in the future, new issues will arise and trump the priority of those that haunt us today.
But there’s one thing that won’t change or disappear—God’s Word. It stands firm, consistent, proved, and most importantly, it clearly spells out the one true message for hope and change only found in Jesus Christ.
Will our country ever finally realize that all the answers to these seemingly complicated issues lie in the Word of God? Will this generation and the next and the last ever come to fully understand that the fresh change and hope they’ve been waiting and searching for is found in Jesus?
Let’s hope so. I pray so.
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Guess who threw out the race card?
Posted by: K.D. Hastings on June 23, 2008 Hot Issues •
There is hardly nothing more vexing than when one person asserts that another person is a bigot, unless of course it is true.
How do you defend against such an accusation that you discriminate—if only in your mind—against others because of their race or ethnicity? There is no card you can carry that attests to the fact you are a fair-minded person or that a decision you made was not based on another person’s skin color.
That’s what makes Senator Barack Obama’s recent comments so insidious.
““We know what kind of campaign they’re going to run. They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. ‘He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?’” Obama said June 20 at a fundraiser in Jacksonville.
He has preemptively interjected the race card into this year’s presidential contest. At least for those who support him, this will be lens through which they will view all criticisms of their candidate.
Unfortunately it is common in politics for extraneous issues to cloud the decision-making process. Some individuals are keen on throwing up smoke screens to confuse and delude voters, seeking to make things an issue that shouldn’t be an issue and to take attention off matters that should be an issue.
A candidate’s race, ethnicity, sex, age, religion or socioeconomic status should not be a basis for disparaging the candidate. It is important for a voter to consider the whole of candidate. If, for a example, a candidate is an elderly Asian woman who owns a multinational corporation and attends a Lutheran church, it doesn’t mean that the candidate’s positions are not to be evaluated vis-a-vis God’s Word, even if you are not an older American or Asian or Lutheran or a woman or a person of means.
We should hope for a high standard of decorum among voters and among the candidates.
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2008 Presidential Election: Another Y2K?
Posted by: Kaylan Christopher on June 13, 2008 Hot Issues •
Do you remember toward the end of 1999 when people around the world began to slip into mass hysteria because rumor had it that the world would end at midnight on January 31 at the start of the new millennium?
I remember it. People were freaking out so bad that it even started to scare me a little. You could go to the grocery store and see empty aisles where cases of water and essentials used to sit. Gas prices rose. People stocked up with loads of non-perishables. And some of the crazies even gathered together to welcome in extraterrestrials they believed would take over the earth.
I wouldn’t say that this year’s election will have the same effect on people, but more than once, I’ve heard people around me express the nervosa they’ve developed around which candidate will win and what will happen once he takes power. Again, I’m noticing increasing intensity in end times talk and panic rising in the voices of those believers who think this is it for us and our freedoms as followers of Christ.
Just this week, Barna came out with some statistics about the current presidential election status and said this:
“Unless Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama commits political suicide between now and Election Day, the Senator from Illinois is in a very comfortable position to win the November race against Republican challenger John McCain. A new survey from The Barna Group, exploring the voting preferences of registered voters who are likely to vote in the upcoming election, found that not even the existing strong support of the evangelical community will be enough to lift the Republican hopeful over the top. … The Christian community in the U.S. has largely shifted its loyalty to the Democratic nominee in this year’s race.”
Already, people are stressing over the rise of terrorism, natural disasters, and persecution of believers. So I can only imagine that once some of my friends find out about this, they are going to panic and question what’s in store for their futures. For others, it’s not going to bother them at all. And for some Americans, this is the best news they’ve heard in eight years.
For me, no matter how worked up I may get over the way the world is going, I have to keep one thing in mind—God is sovereign in all situations and nothing that happens in our lifetimes will take Him by surprise. He holds the past in His hands, is powerfully moving in the present, and is in complete control of our future.
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