Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

Archive for December, 2008

Dec 31 2008

I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray

Published by Kevin Bussey under Christian, Political Correctness, politics, president

President-elect Barack Obama’s choice of Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation drew one kind of protest. Whether the evangelical pastor offers the prayer in the name of Jesus may draw another. AtGeorge W. Bush’s 2001 swearing-in, the Revs. Franklin Graham andKirbyjon Caldwell were criticized for invoking Christ. The distinctly Christian reference at a national civic event offended some, and even prompted a lawsuit.

Warren did not answer directly when asked whether he would dedicate his prayer to Jesus. In a statement Tuesday to The Associated Press, Warren would say only that, “I’m a Christian pastor so I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray.”

“Prayers are not to be sermons, speeches, position statements nor political posturing. They are humble, personal appeals to God,” Warren wrote. His spokesman would not elaborate.

Evangelicals generally expect their clergymen to use Jesus’ name whenever and wherever they lead prayer. Many conservative Christians say cultural sensitivity goes way too far if it requires religious leaders to hide their beliefs.

“If Rick Warren does not pray in Jesus’ name, some folks are going to be very disappointed,” Caldwell said in a recent phone interview. “Since he’s evangelical, his own tribe, if you will, will have some angst if he does not do that.”

Advocates for gay rights protested Obama’s decision to give Warren a prominent role at the swearing-in. The California megachurch founder supported Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in his home state. Obama defended his choice, saying he wanted the event to reflect diverse views and insisting he remains a “fierce advocate” of equal rights for gays.

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a United Methodist who is considered the dean of the civil rights movement, said he hasn’t yet written the benediction for the Jan. 20 ceremony. But he said “whatever religion the person represents, I think he has a right to be true to his religion.”

Caldwell, also a Methodist, said no one from the Bush team told him what to say in his 2001 and 2005 benedictions.

The Houston pastor said he had “no intention whatsoever of offending” people when he quoted from Philippians and delivered the 2001 prayer “in the name that’s above all other names, Jesus the Christ.” In 2005, he still prayed in Jesus’ name, but added the line, “respecting persons of all faiths.” In the 2008 election, Caldwell supported Obama.

Moved in…for now

Published by Kevin Bussey under Alabama, moving

We have been nomads for the last week. Spending Christmas and a few days after in Scottsboro, AL. Then we spent 2 nights in Vestavia Hills (a suburb of Birmingham). Today we were allowed to move into our temporary apartment after 3 PM.

I’m grateful to have a place to live. But this apt. is not a place you would want to raise a family. We are literally across the highway to the Galleria, which is a large mall in Hoover. The traffic is similar to Atlanta. The place was not cleaned well. But we have a bed to sleep in.

We are desperately praying that God will send someone to buy our house in Charlotte. We need to get settled in and focusing on the ministry. I’m sure there is a reason we are here. Moving even under good circumstances is hard. But when you have to partially move and it stretches you emotionally, physically and financially it is stressful. Emotions are flowing from all. I’m sure we will look back one day and see the reason for all of this. So, I will just bend over and take it.

This has been one of the hardest moves we have experienced and it isn’t even over yet. We need our house to sell and soon. Today I will go get Bama tags and then bring in the new year in a new/old place.

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Dec 30 2008

Soldier alleges military pattern of Christian bias

Published by Kevin Bussey under atheists, military

[BreitBart.com]

An atheist soldier suing over prayers at military formations claims a larger pattern of religious discrimination exists in the military, citing attempts to convert Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan and an evangelical bias in a suicide prevention manual.The expanded lawsuit filed Monday by Spc. Dustin Chalker and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation in U.S. District Court in Kansas City also claims the military doesn’t take complaints of religious discrimination seriously enough.

The Defense Department has identified fewer than 50 complaints about alleged violations of religious freedoms during the past three years, with 1.4 million personnel in uniform, spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said.

She declined to comment on a pending lawsuit but noted that the military has policies against endorsing any religious view.

The revised lawsuit criticizes the Army’s 2008 manual on suicide prevention, quoting it as promoting “religiosity” as a necessary part of prevention and describing “connectivity to the divine” as “fundamental.”

The lawsuit cites comments from a chaplain and a second soldier in Christian missionary publications about attempts to convert Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the two soldiers’ desire to distribute Bibles.

The lawsuit also notes that in 2007, the Air Force sponsored “Team Faith,” which performs motocross stunt shows to “lead extreme sports athletes to Christ.”

The original lawsuit filed in September alleged Chalker had to attend events at Fort Riley where Christian prayers were given. Foundation president Mikey Weinstein said Chalker tried to pursue his complaints within the Army but was told they were “unfounded.”

Green Bible ?

Published by Kevin Bussey under bible

[AZ Central]

In this day and age, you can buy a Bible aimed at almost any demographic imaginable.

There are Bibles for everyone from toddlers to teenage girls to recovering addicts. There are even Bibles on disc, narrated by James Earl Jones and Johnny Cash.

But it’s the recently published Green Bible that is causing a stir in the religious community.

Supporters of the book, which highlights verses related to what believers call “God’s creation” and his desire for humans to protect it, say they hope it will encourage more Christians, particularly evangelicals, to embrace environmentalism.

“In every book of the Bible, there are references to the world and how we should take care of it,” said Rusty Pritchard, editor of Creation Care Magazine, an eco-friendly publication for evangelicals. “When you look at it through that lens, it really jumps out at you . . . that God is calling us to care for the world around us.”

But others fear the new Bible, which has been endorsed by secular groups such as the Sierra Club and the Humane Society, will mislead Christians.

“I am concerned that many who call themselves Christians, or intend to speak for Christianity, don’t interpret the Bible literally,” said James Taylor, a founding elder and Sunday-school teacher at Living Water Christian Fellowship in Palmetto, Fla. “These groups don’t have a religious focus; they have a desire to spread their environmental message.”

3/4’s home

Published by Kevin Bussey under Alabama, moving

Sunday we left Scottsboro to come to Birmingham. We can’t get into our temp.apt until Tuesday so we are staying in the home of one of Cassandra’s childhood friends. It felt good drving into Jefferson County on I-59 S. We have to turn in a contract tomorrow at the Corp.housing company. Then I would like to get car tags so I don’t have to pay the expensise NC car tax.

I have to get registered @ all of the jails (not what you think) & hospitals as a chaplain. Next week I begin rounds & calling on businesses to place additional chaplains in Alabama businesses. If you know Christian business owners or CEO’s in Alabama I would like their names so I can call them & explain what our organization does.

Please pray for our transition & the sale of our home. We appreciate all of your support. Our internet access is limited to my Blackberry until we get in the apt. Have a great week.

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