Our laws don't dictate our call to a Christ-like life

A few days ago, gay marriage became legal in all 50 States of the United ones of America. It is heralded as a victory of human rights. It is also considered by a few to be a victory against Christians, conservatives, and the like. Many Christians are indeed "outraged", worried about the moral pulse of the nation. I have then also seen those in strong favour of marriage equality take the SCOTUS ruling as an opportunity to deride Christians in general. Seems both sides can make generalisations, can they? But this isn’t the point.

After the announcement of the ruling, and with Facebook bleeding rainbow, I began to think about my reaction to all of it. My initial reaction was one of indifference; calling neither for fire and brimstone nor a gay pride victory parade. Ashleigh, my fiancé, brought up the news when we chatted other day, giving me the first time vocalise my sentiments. Again, it was one of indifference. I do not think it is right, but I won't stop people from it, nor raise a stink of it. It affects me in no way at all.

I further mused about how Christians should react to sweeping legalised gay marriage. I believe it is well understood and for the most part widely practiced that Christians do love and care for their gay friends, family, and general public. But it seems to me that some - not most, but certainly not least enough to not be glanced over - Christians, or conservatives to put it even more broadly, are still hung up on putting a ban on gay marriage. For them, the nine supreme justices suddenly morphed in the Nazgul, beckoning the dark ages.

This is a post for those who feel our Christian way of life is under siege. It is not so.

I will be putting aside the legal and Constitutional arguments from either point of view. Representatives of Idaho insist the Supreme Court is stepping over the toes of the states deciding what marriage is to be. On the other side, as a friend pointed out, the Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment (Section I) protect the rights of the minority "from the whims of the majority," as the friend said. A debate on the Constitutional logistics of the decision is not my focus. Also, a discussion on proposed bills on the protection of religious expressions - like ones introduced in Idaho and elsewhere to protect your local Christian florist from sprucing up a gay wedding - will not be had here. (Though, in short, I do find it fair that a Christian business should not be punished for not accepting to cater to something they don't believe in; but then again, what a wonderful ministry opportunity it is for a Christian pizza parlour to serve a wedding they don't agree with!)

My focus is how should Christians be acting and reacting to legalized gay marriage? Similar questions circulate around in congregations across the country/world. The easy answer is love all like Jesus loved all. The just as easy answer is to continue to live your life in Christ no matter what is going on around you.

Jesus indeed is the supreme model of unconditional and brotherly love. Jesus conducted his love without the need of grand law or legislation. I argue that Jesus makes it clear that the worship of the Lord and the practice of government and law are separate things (give to Caesar what is Caesar's, give to God what is God's). Therefore, as Christians, we don't need Christian-inspired laws surrounding us to act and be and do what Christ calls us to do.

Let's take for example the call for how slaves were to conduct themselves whilst in servitude as described in Colossian 3:22-24. Whether slaves were considered in this context to be indentured, willing servants of a master or as freedom-less humans treated like cattle, as we typically view slavery in modern terms, Jesus' point is still the same: to do everything "with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord," whether the master's eyes are on them or not. This is an address on holy living, on how to inject Christ-likeness into the world.

Jesus did not come into the world to abolish the Roman Empire and establish a new government. His love and message did not evade the traitorous tax collectors of the region, nor the sick, the prostitutes, or the Romans themselves. Jesus had no need to rewrite the way of life in the harsh Roman Empire to establish the Kingdom of God.

Jesus' call to his followers was to act like himself, express Godly love and care to everyone despite the system of governance and life they currently were in. Indeed, the hardships for the young church only got worst during Paul's ministry when Roman emperors made it a point to find and kill Christians. Amidst the hunt for Christians, Paul and the early writers maintained the original message of Jesus: live with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. They perpetuated the address of injecting Christ-likeness into their world seeking to reject Christ.

If Jesus were to first arrive in this world today, he would not be seeking to overturn the ruling of legalized gay marriage, pot smoking, or whatever. The message would be the same: live with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. We need to inject Christ-likeness into our world today. We don't need laws and legislations to do it.

And let's put down the narrative that there is persecution of Christians in the United States today. We have known all along that we will be social pariahs for following Jesus. The Man himself said in John 15:18-19 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to this world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Go talk to Iraqi Christians about persecution.

We have nothing to complain about.

Slaves were called to act like Christ in a time of systemic slavery. Christians were called to act like Christ in a time of systemic persecution of their church. We are called to be like Christ in a time of systemic religious freedom. God’s kingdom does not need any sort of political framework.

Yay or nay with your personal views to legalized gay marriage, our call is the same:

Be a Christian through your actions, not through our legislation.

Tim and Eric’s Awesome – and likely unintended - tribute to Robin Williams

The passing of Robin Williams has shocked and saddened everyone who has every enjoyed any one of his movies or stand-up routines. The fact that such a beloved, hilarious, and memorable icon in our culture has passed on at his own will – by suicide – is incomprehensible by many. How is it possible for anyone to reach the depths of the darkest places our human mind and souls can descend to is beyond me. With Robin Williams, these questions are magnified. The man who brought so much laughter and joy was trapped in his own self-doubt and misery. Like it says in Proverbs 14:13, "Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief." (Thank you Mr. DeVore for pointing out this verse).

 
Often the passing of a loved one or revered one allows us to celebrate that one's life, even in the midst of sorrow and grief. Something that I have really enjoyed hearing in the last few days from all those who were close to Robin Williams was that he was a man who deeply and truly cared for those around him. British actor Giles Matthey, who worked with Williams in 'Boulevard', to be released later this year, talked with the BBC about the selflessness and kindness of the veteran actor. Williams wrote the letter of recommendation to help get Matthey is US green card. Matthey explained elsewhere of how Williams would come to him, a self-proclaimed rookie actor, to work on Williams' lines with him. These are just a few examples of many from the people who knew Williams best. No matter what Williams was struggling with, he expressed care for everyone around him. He put others first.

 
Hearing and learning about this gentle and caring side of Robin Williams made me think of a certain episode of the Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! show. Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim's 12-minutes of absurdity filmed in PSA-quality taping episodes often features celebrity look-a-likes (also alongside real actors like Zach Galifianakis, Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly).

 
A Season 2 episode titled 'Robin' had, you guessed it, a Robin Williams look-a-like (played by David Born). In the episode, Eric - feeling his comedy just hasn't been up to par and has been hampering Tim's comedic prowess - gives Tim the gift of (a) Robin Williams. Tim has a show scheduled in a few days, but he finds his off-the-wall and over-exuberant Robin is too much to handle. The two, it appears, cannot work together. Come show time, Robin is nowhere to be found, leaving Tim helpless in front of a packed and disappointed full house. However, Tim realises that he didn't need Robin in the first place, but rather his friend Eric. A humbled Eric joins Tim on stage and the show goes on splendidly (in a Tim and Eric-sort of way).

 
Towards the end of the episode, Robin appears in the back corner of the theatre. Eric sees him and he realises what Robin has done for him. He mouths "thank you" with sincerity. Robin smiles back. "You're welcome," he says. Robin's work is complete.

 
If you watch the episode (the link is below), you will see that I may have over-dramatized it considering, well, it's a Tim and Eric episode. And trying to find deeper meaning from a 12-minute Adult Swim show may be a cause for concern for some of you. But I think there is some value behind this episode. Whether Heidecker and Wareheim and the Robin impersonator Born intended it, the episode characterized the genuine care and the want to be a helping hand to others that the real Robin Williams was to so many. It would have been disappointing, knowing what I know now of the real Robin Williams, if the Tim and Eric episode went with a different route with the character of Robin.

 
Robin William's impact on the people around him and within the industry must have been profound. So profound, in fact, that a Tim and Eric episode starring a Robin impersonator was able to capture the warmth, exuberance, and fatherly care the real Robin had.

 
So, Tim and Eric, great job. I always knew I could extract truth from your show.

 
I encourage you to watch the Robin episode here on Adult Swim. If you wish to skip to the Robin bits only*, fast forward to 1:04-2:11, 4:30-to end of first segment, then 3:39 in the second segment till the end of the episode.

 
*I do not want to be liable for any consequences that may happen to the un-initiated of Tim and Eric's humour.

 

Let’s start small. And easy. Something we all agree on.

For my first post, I want to ease myself in. Start light, and get a good stretch for the long haul.

Let's talk about Israel and Gaza.

"Really? This is like pulling a hamstring on your first day of water aerobics."

Yes, I didn't think I would start here either, but the current conflict, crisis, confrontation – call it whatever – has been weighing heavy on my mind the last few weeks. Indeed this Middle East sibling feud has given me confusion and heartaches throughout my life. This particular round of the bout, however, has caused me to take a step back from where I used to stand to reflect and readjust my feelings, only to find myself back to where I started. In a way, my mind has circled the wagons of public discourse on this issue only to cautiously come back to my original stance. Let me give some background before I spill my thoughts on the Israel-Gaza conflict:

I grew up in a Christian home and attended Christian private schools up until college. I am forever grateful for this. Once I left the immediate shelter and environment of a Christian culture and entered the scary secular world of Idaho State and beyond, my faith and relationship with Jesus Christ has grown tremendously because of the foundations and anchors in Christ I was lovingly – and not forcibly – raised in. However, I do feel that as a side-effect of a Christian education can be coming to the belief that Israel can do no wrong. They are, of course, the protagonists of the Old Testament. All of the Bible stories you are told throughout Sunday school and my school detailed the great triumphs of the Israelites, God's chosen people. They were the Good Guys in the Good Book. Sure, they screwed up, but that was the lesson for the day: Israel messed up real bad. But we do too. God forgave them because they believed. God will forgive us too if we believe.

The struggle of the Israelites and the Jewish people does not stop the Bible. History following the time of Jesus shows us the struggle of the Jewish people. Anti-Semitism was every in Europe. The entire world, really. The word Holocaust is enough to remind people of the atrocities done to the Jews (and many other people groups deemed "lesser" by the perpetrators). So in the wake of the World War II, when the Jews are given a share of the small desert place they once called home and can once again call it their home, people like me celebrate and rejoice.

The Good Guys have been given back their homeland! They have returned to their ancestral home, their Promised Land. [I understand there is a deeper debate about who really has the rights to the land of Israel. This is for another post a different time.]

Now they must defend it at all costs. This is where my inner-conflict has begun, and this where I will begin to discuss the point of this post. I have always defended Israel on any measure they have taken to defend their people and land. I believe, also, that it is their legitimate right to have that land [this should indicate where I stand in the deeper debate I had just mention – again, for a different time]. Israel has the right to defend itself, especially when their neighbour's government is legislated to build their version of an Islamic kingdom on the bones of the Jews.

But is seems Israel's reactions and plan to counter the rocket attacks and tunnel infiltrations by Hamas, the radical governing body of the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, is becoming a bit heavy-handed. It reminds me of any recent Marvel™ or other superhero films where the good guy defeats the bad guy after an epic fight, yet the entire metropolis has been levelled. You can't assume everyone in those skyscrapers had left for safety by then. The recent news of schools and shelters marked by the United Nations as safe haven being obliterated by Israeli Defence Force missiles has made me pause for a second. If the shelling of these school, without a "knock on the roof," is evidence that the IDF has become a little trigger-happy, then it must be time for an Israeli-supporter like myself to say, "Hey now, slow down a bit, guys."

As of 3 Aug, Israel has begun to pull back some of its forces from the Gaza border, which is a bit of a good sign. But on the same day, another strike hits near a UN school, killing 10 and adding to the death toll which has reached nearly 2,000 people. Understand that I deplore the way Hamas conduct themselves not just in combat but in everyday operations that they call 'governance.' Hamas using their civilians as "human shields" is a cowardly and selfish way to conduct war (they even appear to fire nearby the press). Yet, at some point, you have to say that Israel needs to stop firing at these human shields, right? Of course, it is not that simple.

I worry for Israel like I worry for a friend who is making some bad choices. Probably a more apt description of how I feel about Israel now would be to find out one of your all-time heroes – be it an athlete, your dad, another relative, a teacher, whoever – had done something quite egregious that it leaves of a major scratch on the way you now look at him/her. I myself have never been to Israel, but from an outside perspective, I see it as the lone democratic hub of the Middle East. Take a look at the political complexion of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament. It is as diverse as any democratic legislature out there. Though without an official constitution, Israel provides human rights to all through its Human Dignity and Liberty declaration. Tel Aviv looks to be as hip, progressive, and liberal as San Francisco. These are the things I want Israel to defend. This is the Israel that God promised Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you… and all people will be blessed through you."

But as of now, it seems the IDF and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have pressed on the accelerator too hard. It has been difficult having to step back and (re)assess this conflict. Stepping out into the big and scary world to Idaho State was one small step. Studying abroad in the United Kingdom has been a whole new step. I don't have enough eyes to be opened to new ideas and perspectives. I am not so sure I would have seen a Free Palestine student rally take place in Jerome, ID as I have at Durham University. There, a young Palestinian woman stood up a recounted the injustices done to her and her family while living in the West Bank. I am not so sure I would have had a Palestinian cab driver give me an emotional appeal for his people after taking me home after a night out had I stayed in Idaho. There was conviction in what he said, even though wanted to fight back with "stones against Israel's sticks."

Hamas is evil for using people such as them as human shields. Israel needs to stop shooting at these shields. But of course it is not that simple. I think Israel has shown levels of restraint as they have taken seats at the negotiating table only to have Hamas come by and dump their drink on them. This conflict has become an endless cycle of wait and aim, shoot and blame.


The outrage shown by the world of seeing dead children and innocent civilians in rubble is rightly appalling. As one writer from the Huffington Post notes, both sides are to blame for their deaths and are guilty of human rights violations, but pointing the finger at the other is not getting anywhere. Like everyone else, though, his only solution is to have both sides figure out a deal to end the shooting. So far no good. What we are seeing here is a massive-scaled war conducted in (or towards) such a small and densely populated space. There are strong accusations of pro-Israel bias in the media. Al Jazeera has covered plenty on the issue of "who is winning the media battle." This source here makes the case of rampant Western media support for Israel. The writer mainly points out that the BBC only bring on guests with pro-Israel stances into their news broadcast discussions and she cites plenty of cases to make her point. I think my response to her is that the BBC's images of the carnage speaks for the plight of the Palestinian people. Also, who would be willing to step up to defend Hamas in the Western media?

It seems to be a pipe-dream that Israel would gain the rights to all the lands and absorb everyone in their state. Sure, Israel wants to be a Jewish state, but I feel that is only by name, as much we call the United States or the United Kingdom a Christian nation. The rights of the Palestinians of what would-be former Gaza and the West Bank will be free-living and free-thinking people like all Israelis in this state of Israel. Perhaps some sort of devolved regional system could be put in place. Who knows? The only way that can happen is if the likes of Hamas is taken down and its ideologies booted far from the region.

Until then, I can't help up but think Israel need to ease up a bit. Dead Palestinian children is a public-relations ploy that is working against Israel's favour. I surely understand, however, that Israel cannot sit back outright. They know all too well what happens when those who wish to curse Israel get the chance to do so. Israel is in the power seat in this region. Being the "better man" and finding a way to minimize innocent casualties surely is going to take a lot of determination and patience on their part. That's what they are going to have to do.

 

 

 

 

Introduction

Options, data, and pizza.

 
I want to begin by saying the title of this blog is completely inspired the brilliance of my good and longest-tenured friend David Beukers. He is a man of whimiscal wit, joyful goofiness, admirable talent, and even more admirable intelligence. The title of this blog was once inside-joke/catchphrase he had devised whilst we were playing Mario Kart 64 one New Year's Eve night. Those familiar with the game know Mario narrates every selection you make through the menu screens. So David, as he does so well, mimicked the moustachioed main character, then reached for a slice of pizza, continuing in the mimicry. The move was sheer brilliance.
Anyways, David is a music-man. And you can find his work here.
I have been meaning to start this blogging phenomenon for quite some time. To steal a line from the great animated cartoon show Adventure Time, I feel that I am a man with an approximate knowledge of everything. I am no genius. I do not tout to be one. I do not have a general theme for this blog. Of course they will be things of my interest, but I have no idea where this blog will go. I apologise ahead of time for the lack of structure. In all, I just want to contribute to the public discourse on a number of things that I have find interesting enough to cause me to think for a bit. They include, but are not limited to: news, international affairs, video games, Christianity, religion in general, sports, animated television shows, classical music, and movies. I hope you enjoy my contributions. I hope I don't offend anyone. I hope I convince everyone to conform my worldview. I hope you won't disagree with me. I want to be friends with everyone.

 
No, really. I hope you enjoy and I hope I can start healthy conversations on anything I will talk about.