I normally clean these up, but here is an unedited parent moment.
I heard Jay Allen crying and went to investigate. He told me that James hit him in the back and Carlie witnessed the whole thing, so I convened court.
James and Jay Allen were both defendants and Carlie was, as far as I knew, the innocent witness.
When questioned about why he hit his brother, James said Jay Allen had hit him first. I looked disapprovingly at Jay Allen and he said that was true, but it was an accident. He "barely hit" James while trying to get him to take his turn in the game they were playing.
I turned to the witness. Carlie confirmed this account and went into a lengthy explanation of the game and its rules to explain what Jay Allen had done. I only pretended to listen to all this background information, so I am unable to share it with you.
Getting closer to the truth, I then asked James, "Where did Jay Allen hit you?" James pointed and said, "In the penis."
We all broke up laughing and court was dismissed with no punishments handed out. I did know that James could say, or even knew that word, since girl parts are still "boomies" and "a china".
Again, James has joked his way out of trouble. This is a definite trend and I am trying without any success to stop it. James just gets funnier as we try to be firm in our discipline. Based on my experience, it seems that James will almost definitely grow up to be a police officer and run for sheriff one day (like his uncle AJ, in case you don't know the family well enough to catch that reference).
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Those Crazy Baptists!
I had to promise not to use names when I shared this story, but this is a good one. I work with a female officer at work who is also a Southern Baptist. The two of us are nearly twins in thought and action. She is currently in Hawaii on temporary duty and found herself at a luau with some over aggressive Jehovah Witnesses. They witnessed her to death and she was determined to fend them off (if not outright offend them). Reaching into the Baptist specific, THOU SHALT NOT's, she declined alcohol to offend them and chose to dance in the classic Hawaiian style. Now, that was a brave choice because her left foot is currently in a walking cast due to a torn Achilles tendon. She was in a good bit of pain when I talked to her, but quite proud of herself and quite satisfied that her Jehovah Witness Luau partners were sufficiently put off with her. If I could only type her laughs into this page, everybody who has ever attended a Baptist church could laugh themselves silly - I did.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Health and Wellness Issues
I have had an up and down flu season. I have been down hard with the flu once, had another mild case, and missed the Army ten miler because of it. James and Jay Allen both had a case of it, with James spraying our dinner with chocolate milk a few weeks ago. The wet rainy weather has brought us more cold and coughing and I am tired of it. Cammie has been sick two or three times herself and Carlie had a bad cold a couple of weeks ago. We need sunshine and health.
In trying to get back to normal, I decided to take my Army Physical Fitness Test this Thursday. I always enjoy preparing for an APFT and have lost about nine pounds since last week in preparing for this one. I am hungry and lean, but I am not full speed and I do still have a cough. So, I wanted to check in at the clinic to make sure that I wouldn't collapse a lung while running Thursday morning. In the DC area, this can be a logistical feat on par with keeping up with Patton's advance. I had to get reassigned from one clinic to another, which took four phone calls and one hour. Since my family already goes to this new clinic, I told the person on the phone that I knew most of the doctors were from India, but if she could assign me to one from Southern India, I think he could understand my Alabama accent better. She laughed, but I think she complied. I then had to go claim my medical records, which took an hour of driving and 15 minutes on site. The young sailors manning the records section had mine ready, so once I arrived they stuck my records out the service window and I picked them up like I would grab a super-sized value meal from my favorite fast food restaurant. I was pumped up at this show of military efficiency that is so rare in DC (Good job, Navy)! I was smoking! Now, just a 45 minute drive to the new clinic to hand over my records and get checked out.
As I was plugging my address into the GPS, I looked at my medical records and noticed something disturbing. For twenty years, I have worn my blood type on my dog tags as O-Negative. I looked down at my medical records and saw prominently written, O-Positive! What in the wide world of sports was going on? I confirmed with two competent medical authorities that your blood type can not just change. Navy, what have you done to my records? This was the most disturbing development in my records since I PCS'ed (the military term for "moved") from Fort Benning with somebody else's medical records - I will stop and explain that before I continue.
In 2002, I went to see the doctor with some severe allergies. He asked me some strange questions that caused me to glance at the records he had on me. Correct last name, correct last four of my social, but wrong soldier. So, there was a Sergeant Benefield at Fort Benning who shared my last four. That was interesting, but no harm done. The doctor quickly saw the mistake and exchanged his records for mine in the first minute of the appointment. I was thereafter careful to check the name on my records and cracked them open every time to make sure I had my own.
When I PCS'ed in 2003, I did indeed crack open my records and checked to make sure the Benefield listed on the outside was described as Eric J. on the inside. Good to go! I hand carried the records to Robbins Air Force Base and in-processed flight medicine right away.
As they were entering my information into the medical system, the records clerk asked me how I liked Augusta, Georgia. I answered, "Don't know, never been there." He responded, "Weren't you born there?" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I grabbed my records back and looked at the top few pages. Eric J. - just as it should be. But, after the first 5-10 pages, Sergeant Benefield! They had been mixing and matching our records for over two years! I would have thought that the medical geniuses who were looking right at me would have picked up on the fact that I am not a 6'4" black man, but at least they figured out that I was not born in Augusta. And I bet Sergeant Benefield was relieved at his next medical appointment to hear that his cholesterol was much better and he could come off the meds, but bad news - the Army had transformed him into a white man!
So now, after the Military medical system has changed my race (and Sergeant Benefield's), they have now changed my blood type! For twenty years, O-negative. Now, O-Positive! When was the mistake made? So today, after the doctor (from Southern India) assured me that I wouldn't collapse my lungs running Thursday, I asked the doctor how this could happen. She was not sure, but sent me to the lab to get blood-typed. People with twenty years service don't get blood-typed, so I am sure Ahmed, the lab technician, is now convinced I am some kind of secret operative or in some kind of military witness protection program. To be fair to Ahmed, I am confused myself.
So, I had to get blood drawn. I am not an "easy stick" and today was not a good day. Ahmed stuck my left arm and began moving that needle as if he had hooked a small mouth bass and was trying to pull it out of my arm. With as little emotion as possible, I told Ahmed, "That is mighty painful." He had trouble understanding me and asked, "It hurts?" I said, "Yes it does. I will jump and down and yell as if I were being tazed if that helps paint the picture." He quickly withdrew the needle and explained that my vein rolled. Oh, well, if I had known that, I would have brought my own clothes pin to hold it in place, but I really had no idea that my blood type was in question and that I would have blood drawn! I just came in with a cough!
Ahmed stuck me in the right arm with great efficiency, drew my blood, and sent me on my way. I did have bandages on both arms, but he gave me a Dragon Tales band-aid for my left arm and that made the small-mouth bass boo-boo all better.
So tonight, I sit here at home unsure if I am positive or negative. Based on past experiences with military medicine, I am braced for any result. I wouldn't be surprised to get my results back and learn that I am pregnant! White to black, negative to positive, why not dad to mom? Just kidding. I just had to share this crazy day with my friends so something good (like a smile or laugh) could come of it.
In trying to get back to normal, I decided to take my Army Physical Fitness Test this Thursday. I always enjoy preparing for an APFT and have lost about nine pounds since last week in preparing for this one. I am hungry and lean, but I am not full speed and I do still have a cough. So, I wanted to check in at the clinic to make sure that I wouldn't collapse a lung while running Thursday morning. In the DC area, this can be a logistical feat on par with keeping up with Patton's advance. I had to get reassigned from one clinic to another, which took four phone calls and one hour. Since my family already goes to this new clinic, I told the person on the phone that I knew most of the doctors were from India, but if she could assign me to one from Southern India, I think he could understand my Alabama accent better. She laughed, but I think she complied. I then had to go claim my medical records, which took an hour of driving and 15 minutes on site. The young sailors manning the records section had mine ready, so once I arrived they stuck my records out the service window and I picked them up like I would grab a super-sized value meal from my favorite fast food restaurant. I was pumped up at this show of military efficiency that is so rare in DC (Good job, Navy)! I was smoking! Now, just a 45 minute drive to the new clinic to hand over my records and get checked out.
As I was plugging my address into the GPS, I looked at my medical records and noticed something disturbing. For twenty years, I have worn my blood type on my dog tags as O-Negative. I looked down at my medical records and saw prominently written, O-Positive! What in the wide world of sports was going on? I confirmed with two competent medical authorities that your blood type can not just change. Navy, what have you done to my records? This was the most disturbing development in my records since I PCS'ed (the military term for "moved") from Fort Benning with somebody else's medical records - I will stop and explain that before I continue.
In 2002, I went to see the doctor with some severe allergies. He asked me some strange questions that caused me to glance at the records he had on me. Correct last name, correct last four of my social, but wrong soldier. So, there was a Sergeant Benefield at Fort Benning who shared my last four. That was interesting, but no harm done. The doctor quickly saw the mistake and exchanged his records for mine in the first minute of the appointment. I was thereafter careful to check the name on my records and cracked them open every time to make sure I had my own.
When I PCS'ed in 2003, I did indeed crack open my records and checked to make sure the Benefield listed on the outside was described as Eric J. on the inside. Good to go! I hand carried the records to Robbins Air Force Base and in-processed flight medicine right away.
As they were entering my information into the medical system, the records clerk asked me how I liked Augusta, Georgia. I answered, "Don't know, never been there." He responded, "Weren't you born there?" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I grabbed my records back and looked at the top few pages. Eric J. - just as it should be. But, after the first 5-10 pages, Sergeant Benefield! They had been mixing and matching our records for over two years! I would have thought that the medical geniuses who were looking right at me would have picked up on the fact that I am not a 6'4" black man, but at least they figured out that I was not born in Augusta. And I bet Sergeant Benefield was relieved at his next medical appointment to hear that his cholesterol was much better and he could come off the meds, but bad news - the Army had transformed him into a white man!
So now, after the Military medical system has changed my race (and Sergeant Benefield's), they have now changed my blood type! For twenty years, O-negative. Now, O-Positive! When was the mistake made? So today, after the doctor (from Southern India) assured me that I wouldn't collapse my lungs running Thursday, I asked the doctor how this could happen. She was not sure, but sent me to the lab to get blood-typed. People with twenty years service don't get blood-typed, so I am sure Ahmed, the lab technician, is now convinced I am some kind of secret operative or in some kind of military witness protection program. To be fair to Ahmed, I am confused myself.
So, I had to get blood drawn. I am not an "easy stick" and today was not a good day. Ahmed stuck my left arm and began moving that needle as if he had hooked a small mouth bass and was trying to pull it out of my arm. With as little emotion as possible, I told Ahmed, "That is mighty painful." He had trouble understanding me and asked, "It hurts?" I said, "Yes it does. I will jump and down and yell as if I were being tazed if that helps paint the picture." He quickly withdrew the needle and explained that my vein rolled. Oh, well, if I had known that, I would have brought my own clothes pin to hold it in place, but I really had no idea that my blood type was in question and that I would have blood drawn! I just came in with a cough!
Ahmed stuck me in the right arm with great efficiency, drew my blood, and sent me on my way. I did have bandages on both arms, but he gave me a Dragon Tales band-aid for my left arm and that made the small-mouth bass boo-boo all better.
So tonight, I sit here at home unsure if I am positive or negative. Based on past experiences with military medicine, I am braced for any result. I wouldn't be surprised to get my results back and learn that I am pregnant! White to black, negative to positive, why not dad to mom? Just kidding. I just had to share this crazy day with my friends so something good (like a smile or laugh) could come of it.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The thirteen fallen
If you watch the news or read it on the Internet, the only name you will likely see associated with the Memorial Service at Fort Hood today is President Obama's. He will be there, but let us remember the thirteen who will not be there because of Major Hasan.
I have attended a few memorial services over the years and have some advice for all attending, including those who don't like to jump to conclusions.
The Army is a family and there were thirteen deaths in our family last week. Our comradeship and loyalty to one another transcends any political differences and we have been betrayed by Major Hasan and his loyalty to his ideology. The thirteen fallen all made sacrifices to serve and it cost them their lives in a very tragic and unforeseen (by most of us) way. There is going to be a tremendous sorrow at the service, but there is also an unfailing sense of mission. That sense of mission is going to create a ravenous hunger for victory in the Global War on Terror and justice against Major Hasan and all who hold his murderous views. Let us also pray that the president will share that hunger and soon decide whether to send the additional troops to Afghanistan as the ones serving there now fight with resources that do not match their commander's strategy. Let us also pray that the commander in chief will commit to allowing the Army to secure its own force and deny membership to anybody who shares Hasan's views so this doesn't happen again. If just three more soldiers in the Army believe as he does, when will they strike and how many will they kill? My Army does not tolerate those who hate other soldiers and we should not create a blind spot for weirdos like Hasan.
Here are the names of the thirteen who will never share another Thanksgiving or Christmas with their families this side of Heaven. You may have a hard time finding these names elsewhere, so I have provided them in hopes that you will pray for their families as you join with yours in the upcoming holidays.
* 1. Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, 55, Havre de Grace, Md.
* 2. Maj. Libardo Caraveo, 52, Woodbridge, Va.
* 3. Cpt. John P. Gaffaney, 54, San Diego, Calif.
* 4. Cpt. Russell Seager, 41, Racine, Wis.
* 5. Staff Sgt. Justin Decrow, 32, Plymouth, Ind.
* 6. Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, Kiel, Wis.
* 7. Spc. Jason Hunt, 22, Tillman, Okla.
* 8. Spc. Frederick Greene, 29, Mountain City, Tenn.
* 9. PFC Aaron Nemelka, 19, West Jordan, Utah
* 10. PFC Michael Pearson, 22, Bolingbrook, Ill.
* 11. PFC Kham Xiong, 23, St. Paul, Minn.
* 12. Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, Chicago, Ill.
* 13. Michael G. Cahill, Cameron, Texas [civilian]
I have attended a few memorial services over the years and have some advice for all attending, including those who don't like to jump to conclusions.
The Army is a family and there were thirteen deaths in our family last week. Our comradeship and loyalty to one another transcends any political differences and we have been betrayed by Major Hasan and his loyalty to his ideology. The thirteen fallen all made sacrifices to serve and it cost them their lives in a very tragic and unforeseen (by most of us) way. There is going to be a tremendous sorrow at the service, but there is also an unfailing sense of mission. That sense of mission is going to create a ravenous hunger for victory in the Global War on Terror and justice against Major Hasan and all who hold his murderous views. Let us also pray that the president will share that hunger and soon decide whether to send the additional troops to Afghanistan as the ones serving there now fight with resources that do not match their commander's strategy. Let us also pray that the commander in chief will commit to allowing the Army to secure its own force and deny membership to anybody who shares Hasan's views so this doesn't happen again. If just three more soldiers in the Army believe as he does, when will they strike and how many will they kill? My Army does not tolerate those who hate other soldiers and we should not create a blind spot for weirdos like Hasan.
Here are the names of the thirteen who will never share another Thanksgiving or Christmas with their families this side of Heaven. You may have a hard time finding these names elsewhere, so I have provided them in hopes that you will pray for their families as you join with yours in the upcoming holidays.
* 1. Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, 55, Havre de Grace, Md.
* 2. Maj. Libardo Caraveo, 52, Woodbridge, Va.
* 3. Cpt. John P. Gaffaney, 54, San Diego, Calif.
* 4. Cpt. Russell Seager, 41, Racine, Wis.
* 5. Staff Sgt. Justin Decrow, 32, Plymouth, Ind.
* 6. Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, Kiel, Wis.
* 7. Spc. Jason Hunt, 22, Tillman, Okla.
* 8. Spc. Frederick Greene, 29, Mountain City, Tenn.
* 9. PFC Aaron Nemelka, 19, West Jordan, Utah
* 10. PFC Michael Pearson, 22, Bolingbrook, Ill.
* 11. PFC Kham Xiong, 23, St. Paul, Minn.
* 12. Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, Chicago, Ill.
* 13. Michael G. Cahill, Cameron, Texas [civilian]
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Recognizing Evil, from the Heart of a Troubled Christian
Christians must have the courage to call evil by its name. What happened at Fort Hood this week is evil and it should make us angry. Hate like we saw at Fort Hood is always evil. That covers a lot of ground, but let’s walks some of that ground.
Hatred of homosexuals is evil. Racism is evil. Anti-Semitism is evil. Communism is evil. Millions have been murdered in the name of all these brands of hate. As Christians, we are commanded not to murder and there were no caveats for people who do not believe the way we do. We are likewise called to love all people, but we are not called to love all ideologies or all actions. The Bible, the sword of truth, clearly tells us that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus came to Earth to save each of us from our wickedness, not to rename our wickedness. Attack wickedness with the truth!
Since we struggle with what to name this current brand of hate and wickedness, I am going to define the hatred of all who do not follow Islam as “Infidelism”. Infidelism is just as evil as racism, anti-semitism, communisim or any other "ism" that diminishes God’s truth.
Infidelism’s evil was on full display at Fort Hood, Texas this week. I am no longer shocked by evil, but I have been shocked by the unwillingness by so many to call this brand of hate evil. The gunman at Fort Hood is not a good guy who snapped and did something that he regrets and feels remorse for. The gunman at Fort Hood did not commit an act that put him at odds with his beliefs. The gunman at Fort Hood had hate in his heart and acted on that hate. He acted on that hate in a deliberate, methodical, and predictable way. To be angry about what this man did is not hate, but so many seemed to be confused about who the haters are in this situation.
Where did Hasan’s hate come from? His hate came from the lie of Infidelism. Hasan fed that Infidelism for many years and that he acted upon it this week. How did Hasan feed his infidelism? The complete answer to that is still being pieced together, but there are many who are already rushing to dumb down any role radical Islam might have played in shaping Hasan’s views. Ralph Peters wrote an excellent article about this that you can read at http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/fort_hood_xjP9yGrJN7gl7zdsJ31vnJ .
With full conviction that Hasan’s beliefs are a lie, what is the source of that lie? Jesus tells us in John 8:44 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Jesus is telling us that murder and lies are related because they have the same father in the Devil. We should never forget that.
Jesus is the truth and had no problem calling a lie a lie. Christians know the truth and must be diligent to recognize (and attack) lies. There is no way to reconcile a lie with the truth. When we defend lies, we are trying to serve two masters, the father of truth (God) and the father of lies (Satan). We are to boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus and defend it from Satan's lies. Christians must attack the lies of the world in order to protect the people who are being lied to. People’s eternity depends on knowing the truth. There is only one way to Heaven, one way to the Father and that is through Jesus. He can save anybody and everybody, but we know that everybody will not choose him. I don’t want anybody to miss knowing Jesus because I didn’t have the courage to attack the particular lie they believe.
I have no problem condemning the lie of Infidelism and calling it evil. I am on firm Biblical ground in doing so. What I can not answer is whether Infidelism is a legitimate teaching of Islam. Muslims are divided on the issue of Infidelism. I know many peace loving Muslims who believe hate is wrong and evil as I do. Their beliefs seem to be more in line with the Christian’s Holy Bible than their own Koran, though. I do know there is Infidelism in a literal interpretation of the Koran and it is hard to follow how peace loving Muslims get around those passages of the Koran. Joel Rosenberg wrote about this in his book, “Inside the Revolution.” He explains the Muslim difference of opinion and measures each side against the Koran. Every Christian (and every other Infidel) should read Rosenberg’s book. Rosenberg even addresses Jesus’s relationship with Muslims. According to hundreds and hundreds of (mostly former) Muslims, Jesus wants them to follow him and has done miraculous things to communicate that to them. Out of obedience to Jesus and out of love for Muslims, I want them to follow him, too.
Righteous anger is not hate, but a loving response on behalf of those who have been wronged. I have experienced much grief, anxiety, and anger over what has transpired at Fort Hood. I am still waiting for the all the names of the dead and wounded to be released as of this writing and do not know whether I will see the names of my friends and former soldiers on that list. As I would not expect somebody to rush into a funeral home to tell a grieving family that the murderer of their loved one is really a good guy, I am likewise not ready to hear a defense of anything about Major Hasan. As I would not expect somebody to rush into the funeral home to tell a grieving family that they are just as evil as the murderer who took their loved one from them, I am not ready to be tolerant of the claim that Christianity is just as evil as Major Hasan’s Infidelism and other arguments of moral equivalency. I am angry and grieved and unwilling to apologize for that. Some may ask, “What about love your enemies and turn the other cheek and forgiveness?” I believe in and live all those scriptures. I do love and pray for enemies, but I don’t excuse evil behavior in that process. Turn the other cheek does not mean to let a gunman kill innocent people - the highest expression of love is to lay down your life for another person. Ironically, Hasan's hate gave some the opportunity to express the highest form of love. I have never withheld forgiveness to anybody who has asked me for it and have extended forgiveness to some who have not asked for it. Major Hasan need not ask for my forgiveness, but for God’s and for the forgiveness of the families of the dead. What a victory for Christ if Major Hasan awoke from his coma, showed remorse, asked forgiveness, changed the beliefs that he acted upon that black day, and gave his life to Christ. I would surely celebrate his decision. What a victory for justice if Major Hasan awakes from his coma and is put to death by a court-martial for his crimes. I would surely celebrate the decision of the court martial. Those outcomes are not mutually exclusive.
My faith and Major Hasan’s faith are mutually exclusive. When I tell you that I follow Jesus, there are clear expectations of me based on what Christ taught us in the Bible and a long, long history of good works in Jesus name. If somebody tells you that he follows Muhammad, is there any way to be sure what that means given the disagreement between Muslims on that very point? When Hasan chants Allahu Akbar as he murders innocents and his cleric says that his actions were unrelated to Islam, the truth of what Islam teaches is hard to discern.
The truth of the Christian faith is that our savior died for us and asks us to live for him. If there was another way to Heaven, God would have never sent Jesus to live, suffer, and die the way He did. If we say there are other ways, we cheapen that sacrifice and we disrespect the truth. If we passively let others believe something different, we have betrayed Jesus as surely as Judas did. The Devil will constantly whisper lies in our ears and give us opportunities to betray our Savior just as he was present when Judas betrayed Christ. We must be on guard against even the most subtle of lies by constantly proclaiming the truth.
In proclaiming the truth, disagreement is not hate. To disagree with Muslims is not hate. To disagree with fellow believers is not hate, but to disagree with the truth is to be wrong. Paul writes to the New Testament churches in complete disagreement with some of their practices and some of the beliefs that creep into their fellowship. Paul holds them accountable to the true meanings of the teachings of Christ and warns them not to stray from them. Since Paul’s time, the church has been a self correcting body based on its obedience to the Bible. That process will continue because as the world changes its truth from day to day, God’s truth is eternal. The entire body of Christ is responsible to guard God’s truth.
God gives each of us a platform from which to guard and proclaim his truth and his love with other believers and non-believers. Each of us are responsible for the platform we are given. I use my Facebook, my blog, and Twitter as part of my platform. I share my daily walk with all who are interested. I do so thoughtfully, prayerfully, and with great diligence to honor what God has done in my life. It is my goal to encourage parents and spouses, challenge believers to walk closer to God, pray for friends, and deepen my own understanding of God’s word. I am always looking for the lessons God wants us to learn from our lives. I share them when I find them. I routinely share my shortcomings in the hopes that others who suffer those shortcomings will likewise turn to God to overcome them. I am responsible for what is presented from my platform and must forewarn all that I am not willing to allow them to use my platform without exercising editing privileges. I do this to protect the clarity of my message. If I find myself in disagreement with my pastor, I do a lot of reading of the Bible before I go back to the pastor. I do not stand up in church to voice my disagreement right there, but go point to point (in person or via email) to reconcile our points of view and gain clarity. I respect the pastor’s platform. I would challenge every believer to likewise honor the platform that God gives you and never take lightly what you present as truth.
There are thirteen grieving families and thirty more families at Fort Hood who need our prayers and need the truth. I take that very seriously and promise to show the courage to do anything I can to prevent this from happening again.
Hatred of homosexuals is evil. Racism is evil. Anti-Semitism is evil. Communism is evil. Millions have been murdered in the name of all these brands of hate. As Christians, we are commanded not to murder and there were no caveats for people who do not believe the way we do. We are likewise called to love all people, but we are not called to love all ideologies or all actions. The Bible, the sword of truth, clearly tells us that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus came to Earth to save each of us from our wickedness, not to rename our wickedness. Attack wickedness with the truth!
Since we struggle with what to name this current brand of hate and wickedness, I am going to define the hatred of all who do not follow Islam as “Infidelism”. Infidelism is just as evil as racism, anti-semitism, communisim or any other "ism" that diminishes God’s truth.
Infidelism’s evil was on full display at Fort Hood, Texas this week. I am no longer shocked by evil, but I have been shocked by the unwillingness by so many to call this brand of hate evil. The gunman at Fort Hood is not a good guy who snapped and did something that he regrets and feels remorse for. The gunman at Fort Hood did not commit an act that put him at odds with his beliefs. The gunman at Fort Hood had hate in his heart and acted on that hate. He acted on that hate in a deliberate, methodical, and predictable way. To be angry about what this man did is not hate, but so many seemed to be confused about who the haters are in this situation.
Where did Hasan’s hate come from? His hate came from the lie of Infidelism. Hasan fed that Infidelism for many years and that he acted upon it this week. How did Hasan feed his infidelism? The complete answer to that is still being pieced together, but there are many who are already rushing to dumb down any role radical Islam might have played in shaping Hasan’s views. Ralph Peters wrote an excellent article about this that you can read at http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/fort_hood_xjP9yGrJN7gl7zdsJ31vnJ .
With full conviction that Hasan’s beliefs are a lie, what is the source of that lie? Jesus tells us in John 8:44 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Jesus is telling us that murder and lies are related because they have the same father in the Devil. We should never forget that.
Jesus is the truth and had no problem calling a lie a lie. Christians know the truth and must be diligent to recognize (and attack) lies. There is no way to reconcile a lie with the truth. When we defend lies, we are trying to serve two masters, the father of truth (God) and the father of lies (Satan). We are to boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus and defend it from Satan's lies. Christians must attack the lies of the world in order to protect the people who are being lied to. People’s eternity depends on knowing the truth. There is only one way to Heaven, one way to the Father and that is through Jesus. He can save anybody and everybody, but we know that everybody will not choose him. I don’t want anybody to miss knowing Jesus because I didn’t have the courage to attack the particular lie they believe.
I have no problem condemning the lie of Infidelism and calling it evil. I am on firm Biblical ground in doing so. What I can not answer is whether Infidelism is a legitimate teaching of Islam. Muslims are divided on the issue of Infidelism. I know many peace loving Muslims who believe hate is wrong and evil as I do. Their beliefs seem to be more in line with the Christian’s Holy Bible than their own Koran, though. I do know there is Infidelism in a literal interpretation of the Koran and it is hard to follow how peace loving Muslims get around those passages of the Koran. Joel Rosenberg wrote about this in his book, “Inside the Revolution.” He explains the Muslim difference of opinion and measures each side against the Koran. Every Christian (and every other Infidel) should read Rosenberg’s book. Rosenberg even addresses Jesus’s relationship with Muslims. According to hundreds and hundreds of (mostly former) Muslims, Jesus wants them to follow him and has done miraculous things to communicate that to them. Out of obedience to Jesus and out of love for Muslims, I want them to follow him, too.
Righteous anger is not hate, but a loving response on behalf of those who have been wronged. I have experienced much grief, anxiety, and anger over what has transpired at Fort Hood. I am still waiting for the all the names of the dead and wounded to be released as of this writing and do not know whether I will see the names of my friends and former soldiers on that list. As I would not expect somebody to rush into a funeral home to tell a grieving family that the murderer of their loved one is really a good guy, I am likewise not ready to hear a defense of anything about Major Hasan. As I would not expect somebody to rush into the funeral home to tell a grieving family that they are just as evil as the murderer who took their loved one from them, I am not ready to be tolerant of the claim that Christianity is just as evil as Major Hasan’s Infidelism and other arguments of moral equivalency. I am angry and grieved and unwilling to apologize for that. Some may ask, “What about love your enemies and turn the other cheek and forgiveness?” I believe in and live all those scriptures. I do love and pray for enemies, but I don’t excuse evil behavior in that process. Turn the other cheek does not mean to let a gunman kill innocent people - the highest expression of love is to lay down your life for another person. Ironically, Hasan's hate gave some the opportunity to express the highest form of love. I have never withheld forgiveness to anybody who has asked me for it and have extended forgiveness to some who have not asked for it. Major Hasan need not ask for my forgiveness, but for God’s and for the forgiveness of the families of the dead. What a victory for Christ if Major Hasan awoke from his coma, showed remorse, asked forgiveness, changed the beliefs that he acted upon that black day, and gave his life to Christ. I would surely celebrate his decision. What a victory for justice if Major Hasan awakes from his coma and is put to death by a court-martial for his crimes. I would surely celebrate the decision of the court martial. Those outcomes are not mutually exclusive.
My faith and Major Hasan’s faith are mutually exclusive. When I tell you that I follow Jesus, there are clear expectations of me based on what Christ taught us in the Bible and a long, long history of good works in Jesus name. If somebody tells you that he follows Muhammad, is there any way to be sure what that means given the disagreement between Muslims on that very point? When Hasan chants Allahu Akbar as he murders innocents and his cleric says that his actions were unrelated to Islam, the truth of what Islam teaches is hard to discern.
The truth of the Christian faith is that our savior died for us and asks us to live for him. If there was another way to Heaven, God would have never sent Jesus to live, suffer, and die the way He did. If we say there are other ways, we cheapen that sacrifice and we disrespect the truth. If we passively let others believe something different, we have betrayed Jesus as surely as Judas did. The Devil will constantly whisper lies in our ears and give us opportunities to betray our Savior just as he was present when Judas betrayed Christ. We must be on guard against even the most subtle of lies by constantly proclaiming the truth.
In proclaiming the truth, disagreement is not hate. To disagree with Muslims is not hate. To disagree with fellow believers is not hate, but to disagree with the truth is to be wrong. Paul writes to the New Testament churches in complete disagreement with some of their practices and some of the beliefs that creep into their fellowship. Paul holds them accountable to the true meanings of the teachings of Christ and warns them not to stray from them. Since Paul’s time, the church has been a self correcting body based on its obedience to the Bible. That process will continue because as the world changes its truth from day to day, God’s truth is eternal. The entire body of Christ is responsible to guard God’s truth.
God gives each of us a platform from which to guard and proclaim his truth and his love with other believers and non-believers. Each of us are responsible for the platform we are given. I use my Facebook, my blog, and Twitter as part of my platform. I share my daily walk with all who are interested. I do so thoughtfully, prayerfully, and with great diligence to honor what God has done in my life. It is my goal to encourage parents and spouses, challenge believers to walk closer to God, pray for friends, and deepen my own understanding of God’s word. I am always looking for the lessons God wants us to learn from our lives. I share them when I find them. I routinely share my shortcomings in the hopes that others who suffer those shortcomings will likewise turn to God to overcome them. I am responsible for what is presented from my platform and must forewarn all that I am not willing to allow them to use my platform without exercising editing privileges. I do this to protect the clarity of my message. If I find myself in disagreement with my pastor, I do a lot of reading of the Bible before I go back to the pastor. I do not stand up in church to voice my disagreement right there, but go point to point (in person or via email) to reconcile our points of view and gain clarity. I respect the pastor’s platform. I would challenge every believer to likewise honor the platform that God gives you and never take lightly what you present as truth.
There are thirteen grieving families and thirty more families at Fort Hood who need our prayers and need the truth. I take that very seriously and promise to show the courage to do anything I can to prevent this from happening again.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Halloween highlights
The Scooby Doo gang went to the Fall Festival at church and then around the block for trick or treating. Things went fairly well.
Freddie did almost get into a fight with a speeding hybrid car that was endangering the kids, though. I am not sure how scary it is to have Fred from Scooby Doo step in front of your car and yell for you to slow down, but that was somebody's Halloween fright. You usually don't see somebody drive that fast in our neighborhood without a pizza sign on their car, so not sure who that was - maybe I scared off some criminals looking to steal sunglasses and GPSes.
Freddie also had to stare down a mean dog barking at the kids! Did he think Scooby was real? He was probably harmless, but he seemed to be trick or treating with us - not cool for Dad or Fred.
Scooby, Shaggy, and Daffney all had excellent manners (I know -it shocks me, too), but Daffney and Shaggy did take off with Hannah Montana and Bumble Bee and leave Scooby with Freddy. Little brother and Dad just aren't very cool no matter how they are disguised. We stayed within hand grenade range, though.
Freddy did have to carry Scooby's candy bucket and eventually had to carry Scooby on his shoulder. Fred got Scooby-tooted, but Scooby did issue a "Scuse me."
Velma sent a half eaten moon pie home with some kid(our neighbor) by mistake. Hopefully we don't get tricked for that, but I think we are safe.
There was one Halloween trick.
Jay Allen has a very accurate inventory of his Halloween candy. If somebody takes a single piece, he knows. This morning, he came to the family and wanted to know why he only had seven packs of Whoppers when he had eight at bedtime last night. There was a moment of silence, and then the culprit confessed. Cammie did it! I found some Whoppers on the way home from work and replaced the stolen goods - so Cammie owes me.
That is all. Until next Halloween - BOO!
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