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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Shame on Congressman Tom Tancredo

Six men and boys have been arrested for the late-nigh shootings of three young black persons in Newark, New Jersey and a United States Congressman from Colorado grand stands on the steps of the Newark City Hall, hundreds of miles away from his district. Republican Tancredo blames Newark and its political leaders for the murders. Tancredo's tortured logic asserts that the residents of this urban center are complicit "in the murders because they had declared Newark a 'sanctuary' for immigrants." (New York Times, August 21, 2007, p. B3). Isn't this blaming the victims? Do the people of Newark need a presidential candidate riding (flying) into town to add to the pain and despair they feel as they are forced to come to terms almost daily with so many deaths on their streets? Has Tancredo lost his mind? Mr. Tancredo needs to go back to his war room and search for ways to heal America and not do more harm.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

When Churches Play God

Wheat and Tares: Matthew 13:24-30

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

High Point Church in Arlington, Texas canceled a memorial service for Cecil Howard Sinclair because he was gay. You might say that they are not desiring to mix a tare among wheat. The writer of Matthew 13 warns of the harm that is done when householders attempt to seperate wheat from tares. Matthew writes, "Let both grow together until the harvest." When is the harvest? I believe that Matthew has in mind what Christians call "the end time." Matthew saves the task of seperating for the Lord of the harvest. Churches and preachers are not stand-ins for the Lord of the harvest. In determining who gets to be in and who is to be kept out, churches are doing great harm to the whole field. I think that the Lord of the harvest is God. God will "...say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." Now I bet that most people sitting in church think that they are wheat and some other people (in this case, gays) are "tares." At harvest time look for some major surprises!