One for the road...

How to be a good fundamentalist...

I raised in my last post some Qs that were buzzing around in my head about what does a good/+ive christ centred faith look like, especially when I engage with issues of culture, sexuality, abortion etc?  I feel I am always in danger of majoring in the minors and being a fundamentalist about gnat issues, altho maybe they feel camel sized to me.

I'll put my cards on the table and say that for me a faith that is formost is generous, humble, honest, gracious, giving, and self-sacrificing would be my fundamentals rather than one that withdraws or focuses on moral behaviour of others. 

I've engaged my thinking more by setting out some thoughts on this guest post on Jason Clark's site: forget other people trying to kill me for my faith, I have enough trouble trying to do it myself . 

I wrote this post as part of the theme  on Jason's site this week considering theplace of martydom in 21st century western christianity.  I also wrote it in response to a great Q that Duncan asked about how giving up our freedoms speaks to issues like alcohol abuse or abortion.

In the post I pose myself some questions which stop me from just taking a relatively easy moral stance (e.g. i'm not a homosexual so taking a position on their morality costs me nothing in terms of my own sexual freedom or I'm not a woman so abortion is not  choice that i will face).  Instead, i challenge myself to start my moral quest with me, to leave my moral entrenched position behind and decide if I will give of myself and my freedoms?  After all, if i'm not prepared to give in a way that costs me why should i expect anyone else too...

I find myself running aground as I readSt Paul's declaration that:

 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

What would it mean if my selfish I no longer lived?  What does it mean to be crucified with Christ, to be broken by others for others?  What would my faith be like if I loved others and gave myself for them?

Fundamentally, being part of the (self-sacrificing) solution rather than just identifying/labelling a (moral) problem seems to me to be Christ-like fundamental way to go.  But you may disagree?

Run with it...

Ah I am on holiday this week!  I love the UK weather - grey!  I love my list of jobs to do - none!  I love that i've set the kids clock back by an hr each night so they get up at 8 thinking it is 7! 

Running...

I am starting to gear up for running the marathon - I am meant to be doing a half marathon in sept but it looks like I will be on holiday for that!  Nevermind, as part of my training I have started using Map My Run which not only maps where I run (using google maps), works out the distance, calories burnt off, average pace etc but acts as a training diary as well.

Reflecting...

I wrote a guest piece for Jason Clark's site last week, asking the Q: "are we fundamentalist enough?" It was prompted by a documentary I watched which was occassionaly scary and often quite hyped!  The question is whilst it is easy to be offensive and the label fundamentalist carries such -ive connatations, what does a healthy christian fundamentalist look like/sound like/be like?  If someone was following me around with a camara what would I say/do?  It prompted 4 questions in my mind:

1. what does our views of sexuality sound/look like?
2. what do we think of science/arts/culture - how are we shaped and shape?
3. how do we treat/interact with other religions/beliefs
4. what do we campaign for/protest about/involve ourselves in?

Engaging...

Interestingly there is a a great week of thought over at Jason's this week: a faith to live for... a faith to die for?  We have a guest author Craig Hovey, who is exploring where martyrdom fits into our western christianity?  Worth stopping by and engaging with!

some more good (& v funny) reasons not to judge...

unless you want to be judged in similar circumstances ;)

Who are the 21st century western riders of the apocalypse???

I have just written a guest post for Jason Clark's site on why I am sick and tired of being sick and tired (you might guess i've been ill this week!:)

As part of my post I speculate on what the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse might be for us 21st century western types.  Traditionally based on the desription of the riders in revelation chapter 6, they are known as war, pestilene, famine and death. 

My own take on  rechristening these fab foursome was: sick; tired; stressed and busy.

I'd be interested in hearing if you have your hobby horse candidates to go riding on into town with this possy..?