Upcoming series

Some of you are probably like me in that you find yourself struggling from day to day with what you are going to post on your blog – that is except for Trey who seems to have an endless supply of interesting material, or friends who would supply it for him as they did with his Bristol tickets (Yes, Trey, that may be jealousy raising its ugly head).

In my case it isn’t that I am dry of ideas because I have many thoughts racing through my mind; I simply need structure.   Well, structure is on its way.  

You can tag it as Monday’s Musings or Message from a Mad Man, but this coming Monday we will begin a series discussing freedom in Christ.   I hope this series will challenge our thinking, as such I am using the book Free in Christ by Cecil Hook as the background for this series.   There are 25 chapters, therefore this study will continue for 25 Mondays, a chapter each week.  

Let it be understood as we begin this study that I am not giving a blanket endorsement to this author or to his book.   However, as is the case with all books there is much we can learn if our introspection is honest and complete.

The author states in his preface, If, however, you are frightened, shaken or agitated by the suggestion that we in the Churches of Christ may not have all the neat answers as we have supposed, this book is not for you.   Similarly, if you are frightened, shaken or agitated by the suggestion that we may not have all the answers or have perhaps misinterpreted some passages, then this study may not be for you.   However, I do not say that as an encouragement for you to leave, as it is my hope that you will remain a reader and participant of our study, offering your insight and words of wisdom.   I fully believe that a well rounded study in this area is needed.

There are a few people that I hope will play a major part in this discussion as their knowledge of the author and book is far greater than mine.   I will not mention your names, but you know who you are.

For today, let me set the stage for our upcoming study by asking three questions:  [1] how many of you have heard of the book Free in Christ, [2] how many of you have actually read the book, and [3] what are your thoughts as we enter this study?  

Please be honest. 

Arrested for distributing tracts

My wife sent me an email containing a link to the following article.   Let me know what you think.

 TESTING THE FAITH
Giving out Gospel tracts becomes a federal case
67-year-old man jailed 2 days for violating ‘parade’ ordinance

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Posted: August 24, 2007
5:00 p.m. Eastern© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a 67-year-old Georgia man who was arrested, held in jail for two days and convicted without being given access to a lawyer for passing out Gospel tracts on a public street. The action was brought by the Alliance Defense Fund on behalf of Fredric Baumann, who was arrested on the orders of police chief Mike Eason.

The ADF said a Georgia Superior Court earlier this month agreed to its request to overturn the conviction of Baumann, “a Christian man whom Cumming police arrested in April for passing out religious literature on a public sidewalk.”

“Christians have the same First Amendment rights as anyone else in America and cannot be treated as second-class citizens,” ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman said. “The government should not force them to get special permission before practicing their constitutional right to free speech.

“The fact that the court dismissed the charges against Mr. Baumann is not just significant for him but for all citizens who cherish their First Amendment rights,” he said.

A spokesman in the Cumming police department told WND there would be no comment on the case.

The case bears a number of similarities to a case about which WND also has reported, when two members of Gideons International were arrested for handing out Bibles on public property in Key Largo, Fla.

The ADF also was involved in that case, and has reported a Florida judge dismissed all counts against the Gideons.

Bauman had been arrested April 22 for handing out the tracts outside the City of Cumming fairgrounds. Police told Baumann he was violating a city ordinance requiring organizations to obtain a permit prior to such activities.

However, the ADF said, the permit lacked definitions for its provisions, and then said it only applied to private organizations or groups of three or more persons.

The man asked several times to see the ordinance, but was refused. He then served two days in jail and was convicted before a municipal court judge, who sentenced him to time already served.

The trial came without notification to Baumann, so he had no opportunity to seek legal counsel, the ADF said.

“City officials not only acted illegally when they arrested Mr. Baumann, they denied him his constitutional right to due process under the law,” Cortman said. “We are glad that this injustice has now been reversed and that Mr. Baumann’s right to free speech has been affirmed.”

The subsequent civil rights action, then, seeks to have the ordinance, which prosecutors later admitted did not apply to Baumann, struck down. It also is seeking compensatory damages as well as punitive damage from the city.

“The city denied Mr. Baumann his constitutional right to free speech and due process under the law. We are filing a civil lawsuit to have the city’s unconstitutional ordinance struck from the books so this doesn’t happen again to Mr. Baumann or anyone else,” Cortman said.

The complaint alleges violations of free speech, due process and equal protection provisions as well as false arrest and false imprisonment.

The actual city rule reads, in its pertinent part: “Every private organization or group of private persons who wishes to use public property or public roads within the municipal limits of Cumming, Georgia, for private purposes in holding a parade, assembly, demonstration, road closing, or other activity is hereby required to have a permit from the City for the privilege of engaging in any such activity within the City, unless such a permit is prohibited under State law or the activity is otherwise exempted by law, ordinance, or other valid regulation.”

It also defines “private organization or group of private persons” as “any firm, partnership, corporation, association, or group of individuals more than three in number, or their representatives, acting as a unit.”

The law firm said besides the constitutional issues, the law on its face didn’t apply to Baumann as an individual.

The lawsuit said Bauman handed out tracts to people willing to take them, without using any amplification or hindering traffic in any way.

“At approximately 1:15 p.m., Mr. Baumann observed Chief of Police Mike Eason speaking to Mr. Baumann’s acquaintance who was distributing religious literature on the public sidewalk near Gate C. Mr. Baumann approached the pair and learned of Chief Eason’s demand that the two men immediately leave the vicinity for ‘demonstrating without a permit,’ Mr. Baumann politely inquired of Chief Eason as to whether the two men possessed a constitutional right to peaceably distribute religious literature on the public side,” the filing said.

“Chief Eason, visibly irritated at Mr. Baumann’s inquiry, abruptly stated: ‘Well, I guess he wants to get arrested.’ Immediately Chief Eason ordered Mr. Baumann to be placed under arrest for ‘demonstrating without a permit’ so as to constitute an ‘illegal demonstration.’”

The case said Baumann never was informed of his right to obtain counsel, nor did he have an opportunity to post bail.

“While incarcerated, Mr. Baumann requested use of his his reading glasses so that he could read his Bible …; this request was denied,” the filing said. He also was denied an opportunity for exercise “to offset a medical condition that causes chest congestion when he remains sedentary.”

Then without advance notice, he was taken to court where he asked the charges to be dismissed. Instead, the court listened to Eason’s testimony and convicted Baumann.

Using drama

While surfing various blogs I came across the below video clip.   Since I am a person who participates in drama and believes it can be a power tool to express powerful lessons I have decided to share this video with you.   Watch the below clip and let me know what you think of the lesson, and of the use of drama.

Frothy Christianity

As I surf the wave of religious writings in this sea of information called the internet I often find myself experiencing a plethora of emotions.   I am angered, challenged, confused, encouraged, enlightened, and frustrated; all of which makes the ride more exciting and keeps me coming back for more.  

Sometimes, however, the information that stirs up these emotions moves me to respond, to cast my thoughts into the sea to become a part of this wave of information.  Such is the case for today, as my thoughts are motivated by frustration over something I read. 

In an article entitled, Cotton Candy Religion, one author seeks to compare the religious message of today with cotton candy, stating that modern preaching of the gospel is of such a shallow, frothy nature that it would bring a snort of disgust from such a one as the apostle Paul.   He claims the strong message of the gospel has been diluted and wonders what has happened to the sledge hammer message concerning the hideous corruption of sin?  He states that the gospel has been watered down and that repentance has become a forgotten doctrine.  Well, I for one disagree with many of the thoughts presented in his message.  

First, the strong message of the gospel hasn’t been diluted.   We are still declaring the same gospel that Peter presented on the day of Pentecost, the same gospel that Paul preached to the church at Corinth.   We are still declaring that Jesus died for our sins, that he was buried in that borrowed tomb, that he rose on the third day; all of which was, and is, according to scripture. 

Second, sledge hammers aren’t always necessary to reveal the need for repentance.   Yes, there were times when Jesus cast out the moneychangers, rebuked the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and turned away those who were following him for the food he provided; but, there were also times when Jesus nurtured with actions not expected, offered a healing hand and spoke words of acceptance. 

Third, the moral condition of our country is no indication that the gospel message is weak and watered down.   Paul proclaimed the gospel to such were some of you, people who were guilty of sins typical of our modern day – adultery, fornication, homosexuality, murder and theft.  The moral condition of our country indicates that the fields are still white unto harvest, that there is need still for more workers in the fields.  

Fourth, the gospel has not always offended those who have heard it.  Jesus claimed that if he was lifted up from the earth that he would draw all men unto himself.   He offered rest for those whose burdens were too heavy.   The Ethiopian Eunich rejoiced, there was great joy in Samaria when Phillip preached Christ unto them.  It seems to me that those who were offended by him were the ones who left and followed him no more.  

As one song proclaims, the gospel message brings images that terrify and calm, creating a paradox in me, as nail pierced hands run with blood, a splitting brow forced by the thorns, his face writhing with the pain, and yet it is comforting to me.

 

I know that some will read this and object, and that is to be expected.   After all, isn’t that what I did with the article that I referenced?   Perhaps all of my ranting is just a matter of perspective, mine.  My perspective is that too often those whose religion is more about tithing the smallest of herbs and picking the speck out of another’s eyes are the ones whose religion is nothing more than cotton candy – fluff with no substance.  Isn’t that what Jesus claimed about the Pharisees?

 

What are your thoughts?

Back deck blogging

Today is Saturday.   It is 7:25 in the morning.   I am sure 7:30 isn’t early to most of you, but in my house it is, especially on Saturday.   As for me, I am an early riser.   Because of my driving an hour to work each morning, I am a conditioned riser, rolling out of bed (sometimes literally) each morning at 5:00, leaving between 5:30 and 5:45 so that I can make it to work on time. 

But, today is different, it is Saturday.   I don’t have to drive that hour to work, so I am sitting on our deck, enjoying the early morning sights and sounds nature waking up.   There are birds singing and flying overhead; squirrels barking and chasing each other through the trees.   The weather is perfect, slightly overcast and in the mid 70’s.   Everything is beautiful and peaceful.

Well, not everything.   The family who lived in the house before us had a big dog that they kept in the back yard.   Everywhere you look there are reminders that it was here, posts chewed, holes in the yard deep enough to warrant a rescue team if one of the kids fell into it and fleas.   Have you ever wondered why God created such things as chiggers, fleas and ticks?   As of yet, I haven’t found much use for either three of those things.   But, there is no denying that they exist as one just jumped up on my leg and got away before I could crush it.

Anyways, I can’t help but sit here on my deck and be amazed at the power of God for creating such an incredible world.   As the Psalmist declared, the heavens declare the glory of God, the sky proclaims the work of his hand.   Don’t believe it?   Just ask nature and you will hear the same testimony.

Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will teach you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?   In his hand is the life of every creature, and the breath of all mankind.  (Job 12:7-10).

He many not be speaking audibly to me this morning, but He is definitely speaking volumes.   All I have to do is stop, look and listen.

Isn’t God wonderful?   He created all of this, and I get to enjoy its beauty and peace.

 What about you?  What is your view of God this morning?   How is he speaking to you?