Trying to follow

I know, I haven’t done a podcast in about a week, but I’m ready to start doing them more frequently. The plan is to do one daily podcast, somewhere between 1-5 minutes. Currently there are a great many way’s to get the podcast, which you can find on the Podcast page. I did want to share one exciting new way to catch up on the latest podcast: Call in!

Sitting bored at the bus stop, waiting room, work, rush hour traffic? Call +1 (818) 688-2764 and listen to the latest Thoughts on the Journey Podcast from me!

It works and sounds great, and hopefully it’ll be a worthwhile little tidbit to get you thinking and challenge you a little.

Let me know what you think of the new feature.

Oh, and really, there’s more blogging to come too.

Let me start by saying briefly that I did not vote for Ford or Corker in the Tennessee Senate race. I think the bi-partisan government is horrible for the people of this country and given the opportunity I’ve decided not to vote for Republicans or Democrats.

I don’t watch TV so I didn’t see much of the smear campaign that occured back and forth between Ford and Corker before the election. From what I’ve heard though, both the gentleman seem like pretty poor candidates. But if I had to choose between the two, I would have voted Ford. And here’s why: Because he is black.*

“But, what if he’s not as good of a candidate? Race shouldn’t matter anymore! Isn’t that reverse discrimination?”
Those are just some of the things you might be thinking in response, and you might be right (I haven’t totally settled my mind on this).
The reality is media, I’m beginning to realize, is ten times more powerful then our government and senators. The reality is that even if Ford wasn’t the best candidate, A hundred more young black youth will rise up behind him with aspirations to be a senator. One reason I believe there are so many great athelete’s of color, is that sports was one of the first places young children saw heroes that looked like them.
With Nancy Pelosi becoming the first female speaker of the house, thousands more young girls will grow up with aspirations to be politicians, and they’ll be darn good ones too.

If 2008 brings us a President that is not a white male, I think it will be one of the best steps in our history. And if they don’t do the best job in the whole world (can you do much worse?), so what? The impact it would have on the youth of this country would change our world. I truly believe that.

*Harold Ford, Jr. is actually mixed race, but for the purposes of this discussion, I’m going with the word that most people, including the youth that I am concerned about will describe him as: black.

Click on the Links above to find great images

How do we truly love our neighbor? If I may contextualize a bit: Jesus says do as the homosexual prostitute did when he, not judging or condemning, had compassion and cared for the needs of the church-goer who had been left for dead in the alley outside of the ministry she worked at, even after a fellow church member and a pastor drove by. (LUKE 10:30-37).
Some in our community feel that loving your neighbor is best done by voting yes on Amendment 1, I’m fearful of that action. We must be very clear that Amendment 1 is NOT a stand against homosexuality as sin, but a political statement concerning the rights of those already practicing homosexuality. It is already illegal for same-sex couples to marry in Tennessee, the amendment merely attempts to change the wording to directly prohibit. This is not a definitive statement, only a few thoughts.
Jesus’ public condemnations where almost always directed to the Religious authorities within the religious community that he was a part of. In the early church we see most rebuking and moral standards being dealt with within the church, not to non-Christians. Paul even says, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?” (I Cor. 5:12)
The Support for Amendment 1 is coming primarily from churches. The loudest statements being made by churches in Tennessee are a statement to oppress homosexuals (it’s not to “support family,” just ask a homosexual what they think). If this is passed it will define any many minds a view of Christianity and Church in direct relation to this issue. Literally using a secular governments physical force and laws to mandate religious views.
How did Jesus address the idea of using physical punishment to uphold morality? He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone.” (Jn. 8:7) We are not to use the law as a means to force adherence to our moral standards. You want to love your neighbor who is a homosexual? Go hang out with them, be with them. Work with One-in-Teen, sit at the bedside of someone dying of AIDs whose family has disowned him or her. That is where you can share Christ love.
Before we try and take the speck out of others eyes (and I think by “brothers” Jesus meant other believers), have we made sure there is not a plank in our own? I’m not sure exactly how we go about doing that but I have some ideas of statements that we could make to the greater community that would at least be a step in that direction.
I have two suggestions for possible proposals and resolutions that I think we can as a Christian body collectively pass and send to every major organization that is fighting for gay rights. First as it relates to the support of marriage. I think we can be humble and admit that Christians have not been a very good example of the sanctity of marriage. We can let the world know that we know that we too are sinners and fail to live up to God’s ideals. We can explain to others that God is and will forever be the one who has defined marriage, and no matter what we the church or the rest of the world does we cannot change that. And we can commit to being an example in years to come of what true marriage is, as a union before God.
The second statement I think we can make, relates to the homosexual people who this impacts. We, the church, have been a horrible example of Christ love to the homosexual community for years. Christ would have sat by the bedside of dying homosexuals in the height of AIDs in this country, yet we stood outside with signs saying they would burn in hell (or we passively stood by while those statements where made). We can beg forgiveness from the homosexual community for the hurt and hatred that has been dealt to them by members of the Christian community. We can commit to spending much more time personally showing and spreading the love of Christ in genuine ways to people who practice homosexuality.
If you believe it is best and most loving to vote Yes on Amendment 1, then I pray you are doing equally as much to assure the that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons know the love of Christ. I fear the repercussions of living in this state if the Marriage Amendment is passed. How will I remain in this community? How will I tell my homosexual friend that I chose to remain a part of a community that voted in a way that to her shows so much hate? Lord help me.

(edited from a previous writing)

It appears Habitat for Humanity in Nashville is right in the midst of a major building project. This week they are building ten homes in the Providence Park neighborhood, “the nation’s largest contiguous all-Habitat community.”

First of all, let me say that I think it is wonderful that these families are having homes provided for them. I think Habitat is doing some amazing things through out the country and for that they should be commended.
I’m also curious about the “all-Habitat community.” I wonder what sort of implications that type of development has. From my understanding Habitat primarily builds home for lower income families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to become home owners. That seems to translate into a low tax base for that community (i.e. a low income neighborhood). Once the Habitat spotlight leaves the neighborhood, will it be faced with all the extensive problems that typically face low income neighborhoods?
I really don’t mean this as a critique. Rather, I’m just curious about if those sorts of aspects have been thought about in regards to this project or others like it. In the past I’ve tried to research a little about gentrification, housing and location and I haven’t come up with many clear answers on any of it.

Tomorrow I’ll post about another Nashville area project that is going on and the troubling things it acknowledges about our geographic layout.