(6603,35,'2012-05-08 08:00:47','2012-05-08 15:00:47','Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God Workshop will be offered online June 4 – July 6, 2012.  This course is about the spiritual practice of discussing everything with God, risking honesty to gain intimacy through loving, trusting conversations.  It’s wrestling through anger, faith, pain, hope about every aspect of our lives.  No topic, language, or feeling is unholy.  It will cover how to know you’re hearing from God and explores a variety of ways to pray. This course is an opportunity to discover for yourself the redemptive freedom that comes from being totally honest with yourself and the One who loves you best.  As you practice stepping out of your comfort zone, you will begin to experience confidence in speaking freely with God in ways that are uniquely yours.\r\n\r\nThe instructor, Joy Wilson, is the author of Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God (Civitas Press, 2011).  Prior to starting the workshop, participants need to order the book from Amazon.com.  The five-week online class is self-paced so you can participate at any time during the week.  It includes readings in the textbook, prayer practice exercises, and online interactions with other students.\r\n\r\nThe cost of the course is $69.  For additional information, go to the following link:  <a href=\"http://beadisciple.com/workshops.html#UncensoredPrayer\">http://beadisciple.com/workshops.html#UncensoredPrayer</a> .  Class size is limited, so register early.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Uncensored Prayer Online Workshop','','publish','open','open','','uncensored-prayer-online-workshop-4','','','2012-05-07 14:17:21','2012-05-07 21:17:21','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6603',0,'post','',0),(6675,178,'2012-05-15 19:25:14','2012-05-16 02:25:14','','3161361189_b009c1fdec','Photo Credit: joey lago via flickr','inherit','open','open','','3161361189_b009c1fdec','','','2012-05-15 19:25:14','2012-05-16 02:25:14','',0,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3161361189_b009c1fdec.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7349,189,'2012-07-31 10:04:30','2012-07-31 17:04:30','Explain the two words spoken by Jesus—“Follow me”—in 1000 words or less? Hmmm. Maybe I should just stop right there and let you think this through on your own.\r\n\r\nMy understanding of what it means to follow Him has changed over the years. Perhaps our understanding of “following” is <em>supposed</em> to change over time as our maturity in the Lord grows in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the ways we experience Him with others. Because I can’t claim to know <em>everything</em> about following Jesus, the best I can offer is to share <em>some</em> of the things I’ve learned about following Jesus—beginning with what “following Jesus” is <strong><em>not</em><em>.</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Following Jesus is not the same thing as: </strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Following the teachings of Jesus, or following doctrines, ,creeds, or denominational statements of faith.</li>\r\n	<li>Following a Bible Reading Plan, memorizing scripture, or claiming a “life verse”.</li>\r\n	<li>Following “religious convictions”, or acting upon those convictions, alone or as a group, purely for the sake of acting upon convictions.</li>\r\n	<li>Attending a weekly worship service, and maybe a midweek prayer meeting or Bible study, or meeting with a small group or accountability partner.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere isn’t anything wrong with doing these things. In fact, I  follow  Jesus today because others encouraged me to do these things over the course of my spiritual journey. If I’ve learned anything, I’ve learned that “Christian practices” are not the same thing as following Jesus. <em></em>I know a lot <em>about</em> <em>Jesus</em> by studying, talking about or meditating on these things—but knowing a lot <em>about Jesus</em> isn’t the same as <em>knowing Jesus</em>. It helps to know Who you’re following.<strong><em></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>“Follow me.”</em></strong>  Two words caused Simon and Andrew to drop their fishing nets.  James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went off after Him.” (Mark 1:20 Amplified). Levi, son of Alphaeus, left his tax booth: “he arose and joined Him and His disciples and sided with His party and accompanied Him.” (Mark 2:14 Amp). Philip ran to find his friend Nathanael and they too followed Him. Twelve men, in all, apparently left their life’s work to follow Jesus.\r\n\r\nI find it interesting that the Amplified Version conveys that the words “follow me” carry the connotation, “side with my party”. Against the backdrop of  Hebrew culture—oppressed by the conquering Romans, looking for Messiah to deliver the Children of Israel and fulfill all the promises of the Old Testament—we read Nathanael’s confession, “Teacher, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and the reason the twelve “followed” begins to come into focus.  Over the course of the next three and a half years, these men—and later Saul of Tarsus, among others—would come to understand that following Jesus isn’t about following teachings, doctrines, scriptures, convictions or attending religious meetings.  Men and women down through centuries found, in the Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, not <em>something</em> to believe in and follow, but rather <strong><em>Someone</em></strong> to believe in and follow.\r\n\r\nTo follow Jesus is to follow a living <strong><em>Person!</em></strong>\r\n<blockquote><strong><em> </em></strong>“And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.”__John 1:14 (Amp)\r\n\r\n“For it has <strong>pleased</strong> [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should <strong>dwell</strong> in Him permanently.”__ Colossians 1:19 (Amp)</blockquote>\r\nFollowing a living Person, who is the Christ, comes with a cost, which He explained Himself to His disciples:\r\n<blockquote>“And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, <sup> </sup>forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].” __Luke 9:23 (Amp)</blockquote>\r\nWhat do we have to gain by following this all-wonderful, all-glorious, all-divine Person? What is the outcome we look forward to? For starters, eternal life! Make that eternal, <strong><em>abundant</em> </strong>life, sustained by Christ who <strong><em>is</em></strong> our life! Many more “rewards” are promised to faithful followers who overcome the trials and temptations of this world—check out the letters to the seven churches in John’s last book!\r\n\r\nThere’s another important thing I’ve learned about following Jesus: it’s something we do <strong><em>together</em></strong>.\r\n\r\nFollowing Jesus is following a living <strong><em>Person</em></strong>…<strong><em>together!</em></strong>\r\n<blockquote>“When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory. __Colossians 3:4 (Amp)</blockquote>','','','inherit','open','open','','7337-revision-11','','','2012-07-31 10:04:30','2012-07-31 17:04:30','',7337,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/31/7337-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(6604,35,'2012-05-07 08:58:01','2012-05-07 15:58:01','','Uncensored_Portfolio_Featured_Image_Large-500x250','','inherit','open','open','','uncensored_portfolio_featured_image_large-500x250-2','','','2012-05-07 08:58:01','2012-05-07 15:58:01','',6603,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Uncensored_Portfolio_Featured_Image_Large-500x2501.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6605,35,'2012-05-07 08:56:54','2012-05-07 15:56:54','<span style=\"font-family: Calibri\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><strong>Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God Workshop</strong> will be offered online June 4 – July 6, 2012.  This course is about the spiritual practice of discussing everything with God, risking honesty to gain intimacy through loving, trusting conversations.  It’s wrestling through anger, faith, pain, hope about every aspect of our lives.  No topic, language, or feeling is unholy.  It will cover how to know you’re hearing from God and explores a variety of ways to pray. This course is an opportunity to discover for yourself the redemptive freedom that comes from being totally honest with yourself and the One who loves you best.  As you practice stepping out of your comfort zone, you will begin to experience confidence in speaking freely with God in ways that are uniquely yours.</span></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri\"><span style=\"font-size: small\">The <strong>instructor, Joy Wilson</strong>, is the author of <em>Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God</em> (Civitas Press, 2011).  Prior to starting the workshop, participants need to order the book from Amazon.com.  The five-week online class is self-paced so you can participate at any time during the week.  It includes readings in the textbook, prayer practice exercises, and online interactions with other students.</span></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri\"><span style=\"font-size: small\">The cost of the course is $69.  For additional information, go to the following link:  </span></span><a href=\"http://beadisciple.com/workshops.html#UncensoredPrayer\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">http://beadisciple.com/workshops.html#UncensoredPrayer</span></a><span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> .  Class size is limited, so register early.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>','Uncensored Prayer Online Workshop','','inherit','open','open','','6603-revision','','','2012-05-07 08:56:54','2012-05-07 15:56:54','',6603,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/07/6603-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6608,179,'2012-05-07 08:58:35','2012-05-07 15:58:35','Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God Workshop will be offered online June 4 – July 6, 2012.  This course is about the spiritual practice of discussing everything with God, risking honesty to gain intimacy through loving, trusting conversations.  It’s wrestling through anger, faith, pain, hope about every aspect of our lives.  No topic, language, or feeling is unholy.  It will cover how to know you’re hearing from God and explores a variety of ways to pray. This course is an opportunity to discover for yourself the redemptive freedom that comes from being totally honest with yourself and the One who loves you best.  As you practice stepping out of your comfort zone, you will begin to experience confidence in speaking freely with God in ways that are uniquely yours.\r\n\r\nThe instructor, Joy Wilson, is the author of Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God (Civitas Press, 2011).  Prior to starting the workshop, participants need to order the book from Amazon.com.  The five-week online class is self-paced so you can participate at any time during the week.  It includes readings in the textbook, prayer practice exercises, and online interactions with other students.\r\n\r\nThe cost of the course is $69.  For additional information, go to the following link:  <a href=\"http://beadisciple.com/workshops.html#UncensoredPrayer\">http://beadisciple.com/workshops.html#UncensoredPrayer</a> .  Class size is limited, so register early.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Uncensored Prayer Online Workshop','','inherit','open','open','','6603-revision-2','','','2012-05-07 08:58:35','2012-05-07 15:58:35','',6603,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/07/6603-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6609,179,'2012-05-07 14:16:33','2012-05-07 21:16:33','Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God Workshop will be offered online June 4 – July 6, 2012.  This course is about the spiritual practice of discussing everything with God, risking honesty to gain intimacy through loving, trusting conversations.  It’s wrestling through anger, faith, pain, hope about every aspect of our lives.  No topic, language, or feeling is unholy.  It will cover how to know you’re hearing from God and explores a variety of ways to pray. This course is an opportunity to discover for yourself the redemptive freedom that comes from being totally honest with yourself and the One who loves you best.  As you practice stepping out of your comfort zone, you will begin to experience confidence in speaking freely with God in ways that are uniquely yours.\r\n\r\nThe instructor, Joy Wilson, is the author of Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God (Civitas Press, 2011).  Prior to starting the workshop, participants need to order the book from Amazon.com.  The five-week online class is self-paced so you can participate at any time during the week.  It includes readings in the textbook, prayer practice exercises, and online interactions with other students.\r\n\r\nThe cost of the course is $69.  For additional information, go to the following link:  <a href=\"http://beadisciple.com/workshops.html#UncensoredPrayer\">http://beadisciple.com/workshops.html#UncensoredPrayer</a> .  Class size is limited, so register early.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Uncensored Prayer Online Workshop','','inherit','open','open','','6603-revision-3','','','2012-05-07 14:16:33','2012-05-07 21:16:33','',6603,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/07/6603-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6611,125,'2012-05-07 18:15:37','2012-05-08 01:15:37','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','6610-revision','','','2012-05-07 18:15:37','2012-05-08 01:15:37','',6610,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/07/6610-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6614,30,'2012-05-08 03:41:45','2012-05-08 10:41:45','<em>(Click here to read <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 1)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-1/\" target=\"_blank\">part 1</a> and <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 2)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/02/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">part 2</a>)</em>\n\nBefore we broke for lunch, Forrest and Vanessa Horn spoke to us about their journey as a married couple dealing with a cross-gender friendship. Often we hear from the people who are in the friendship, but it is more rare to hear from the spouse of the person friend. This courageous couple shared not only the beauty of a close friendship between a man and woman, but also some of the struggles that can happen between a husband and wife as a result of that friendship. Forrest had to deal with his feelings of being not enough for his wife. In one of the most touching parts of their presentation, he talked about receiving a call from Vanessa\'s friend and spending an hour on the phone with him.\n\nThey are still working through learning how to have a cross-gender friendship in their marriage, but their contribution to the weekend was a powerful reminder that we can learn, even through difficulty, how to make this happen.\n\nAfter lunch, <a title=\"Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/jim-henderson/\" target=\"_blank\">Jim Henderson</a>, author of <a title=\"The Resignation of Eve by Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Resignation-Eve-Willing-Churchs-Backbone/dp/1414337302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324679289&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_blank\">The Resignation of Eve</a>, gave his presentation. The title of his piece was \"The Only Reason Jesus Gives Us Power is to Give It Away.\" Jim focused on how the issue of power plays into that of cross-gender friendships. He reminded us that we all have some level of power afforded to us because of various life circumstances, and we must be wise with how we use that power. Aside from the fear myth, one of the biggest reasons that cross-gender friendships are so taboo is because of inequity between the sexes, especially in the church, and as a result','Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 3)','','inherit','open','open','','6480-revision-2','','','2012-05-08 03:41:45','2012-05-08 10:41:45','',6480,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/08/6480-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6615,30,'2012-05-08 04:08:46','2012-05-08 11:08:46','<em>(Click here to read <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 1)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-1/\" target=\"_blank\">part 1</a> and <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 2)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/02/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">part 2</a>)</em>\n\nBefore we broke for lunch, Forrest and Vanessa Horn spoke to us about their journey as a married couple dealing with a cross-gender friendship. Often we hear from the people who are in the friendship, but it is more rare to hear from the spouse of the person friend. This courageous couple shared not only the beauty of a close friendship between a man and woman, but also some of the struggles that can happen between a husband and wife as a result of that friendship. Forrest had to deal with his feelings of being not enough for his wife. In one of the most touching parts of their presentation, he talked about receiving a call from Vanessa\'s friend and spending an hour on the phone with him.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6405\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"157\" /></a>They are still working through learning how to have a cross-gender friendship in their marriage, but their contribution to the weekend was a powerful reminder that we can learn, even through difficulty, how to make this happen.\n\nAfter lunch, <a title=\"Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/jim-henderson/\" target=\"_blank\">Jim Henderson</a>, author of <a title=\"The Resignation of Eve by Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Resignation-Eve-Willing-Churchs-Backbone/dp/1414337302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324679289&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_blank\">The Resignation of Eve</a>, gave his presentation. The title of his piece was \"The Only Reason Jesus Gives Us Power is to Give It Away.\" Jim focused on how the issue of power plays into that of cross-gender friendships. He reminded us that we all have some level of power afforded to us because of various life circumstances, and we must be wise with how we use that power. Aside from the fear myth, one of the biggest reasons that cross-gender friendships are so taboo is because of inequity between the sexes, especially in the church. We have accepted that inequality for too long and if we want to move forward with friendship, we need to have a better understanding of how we approach power in friendship.\n\nFollowing Jim\'s talk, <a title=\"Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/kathy-escobar/\" target=\"_blank\">Kathy Escobar</a>, author of <a title=\"Down We Go by Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/35\" target=\"_blank\">Down We Go</a>, shared with us the power of healing in cross-gender friendships. Kathy said, \"I don\'t wake up thinking about cross-gender friendships, but I do think about ways we can all be set free.\" Kathy co-pastors at <a title=\"The Refuge\" href=\"http://kathyescobar.com/the-refuge/\" target=\"_blank\">The Refuge</a> with a man, and as a result, she has found that cross-gender friendships can absolutely bring healing. She said that we know how to live under and over people, but working along-side people is something that we are still learning, and her work with her male co-pastor has taught her more about the along-side work to be done.','Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 3)','','inherit','open','open','','6480-revision-3','','','2012-05-08 04:08:46','2012-05-08 11:08:46','',6480,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/08/6480-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6616,30,'2012-05-08 04:17:20','2012-05-08 11:17:20','<em>(Click here to read <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 1)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-1/\" target=\"_blank\">part 1</a> and <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 2)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/02/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">part 2</a>)</em>\n\nBefore we broke for lunch, Forrest and Vanessa Horn spoke to us about their journey as a married couple dealing with a cross-gender friendship. Often we hear from the people who are in the friendship, but it is more rare to hear from the spouse of the person friend. This courageous couple shared not only the beauty of a close friendship between a man and woman, but also some of the struggles that can happen between a husband and wife as a result of that friendship. Forrest had to deal with his feelings of being not enough for his wife. In one of the most touching parts of their presentation, he talked about receiving a call from Vanessa\'s friend and spending an hour on the phone with him.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6405\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"157\" /></a>They are still working through learning how to have a cross-gender friendship in their marriage, but their contribution to the weekend was a powerful reminder that we can learn, even through difficulty, how to make this happen.\n\nAfter lunch, <a title=\"Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/jim-henderson/\" target=\"_blank\">Jim Henderson</a>, author of <a title=\"The Resignation of Eve by Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Resignation-Eve-Willing-Churchs-Backbone/dp/1414337302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324679289&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_blank\">The Resignation of Eve</a>, gave his presentation. The title of his piece was \"The Only Reason Jesus Gives Us Power is to Give It Away.\" Jim focused on how the issue of power plays into that of cross-gender friendships. He reminded us that we all have some level of power afforded to us because of various life circumstances, and we must be wise with how we use that power. Aside from the fear myth, one of the biggest reasons that cross-gender friendships are so taboo is because of inequity between the sexes, especially in the church. We have accepted that inequality for too long and if we want to move forward with friendship, we need to have a better understanding of how we approach power in friendship.\n\nFollowing Jim\'s talk, <a title=\"Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/kathy-escobar/\" target=\"_blank\">Kathy Escobar</a>, author of <a title=\"Down We Go by Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/35\" target=\"_blank\">Down We Go</a>, shared with us the power of healing in cross-gender friendships. Kathy said, \"I don\'t wake up thinking about cross-gender friendships, but I do think about ways we can all be set free.\" Kathy co-pastors at <a title=\"The Refuge\" href=\"http://kathyescobar.com/the-refuge/\" target=\"_blank\">The Refuge</a> with a man, and as a result, she has found that cross-gender friendships can absolutely bring healing. She said that we know how to live under and over people, but working along-side people is something that we are still learning, and her work with her male co-pastor has taught her more about the along-side work to be done.\n\nKathy addressed the question of \"need\" in friendship. She suggested that need is completely acceptable, because we all have needs. However, it\'s important that we be honest about our needs and be in touch with our brokenness. Friendship can heal brokenness, but only if we know where the hurt is and are intentional those relationships. She said that we may live in the fallen world of Genesis 3, but we can taste the beauty of Genesis 1, and friendship is a part of that process.\n\nThere was a final panel discussion before we ended our time. One question asked was: Is it imperative that we have cross-gender friendships?\n\nSome responses included:\n\n<strong>Sheila Brennan</strong>: Is \"love one another\" an imperative?\n\n<strong>Jennifer Ould</strong>: Reconciliation between the genders is an imperative. And I don’t know how you do reconciliation without friendship.\n\n<strong>Kathy Escobar</strong>: We assume that whatever the current system is, is somehow right. I don’t have an agenda, but I want to be a voice into the possibility that maybe the way we’re doing it isn’t right.\n\nThere was also a question about the language used. Is cross-gender friend','Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 3)','','inherit','open','open','','6480-revision-4','','','2012-05-08 04:17:20','2012-05-08 11:17:20','',6480,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/08/6480-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(6617,30,'2012-05-08 04:20:09','2012-05-08 11:20:09','<em>(Click here to read <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 1)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-1/\" target=\"_blank\">part 1</a> and <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 2)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/02/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">part 2</a>)</em>\n\nBefore we broke for lunch, Forrest and Vanessa Horn spoke to us about their journey as a married couple dealing with a cross-gender friendship. Often we hear from the people who are in the friendship, but it is more rare to hear from the spouse of the person friend. This courageous couple shared not only the beauty of a close friendship between a man and woman, but also some of the struggles that can happen between a husband and wife as a result of that friendship. Forrest had to deal with his feelings of being not enough for his wife. In one of the most touching parts of their presentation, he talked about receiving a call from Vanessa\'s friend and spending an hour on the phone with him.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6405\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"157\" /></a>They are still working through learning how to have a cross-gender friendship in their marriage, but their contribution to the weekend was a powerful reminder that we can learn, even through difficulty, how to make this happen.\n\nAfter lunch, <a title=\"Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/jim-henderson/\" target=\"_blank\">Jim Henderson</a>, author of <a title=\"The Resignation of Eve by Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Resignation-Eve-Willing-Churchs-Backbone/dp/1414337302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324679289&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_blank\">The Resignation of Eve</a>, gave his presentation. The title of his piece was \"The Only Reason Jesus Gives Us Power is to Give It Away.\" Jim focused on how the issue of power plays into that of cross-gender friendships. He reminded us that we all have some level of power afforded to us because of various life circumstances, and we must be wise with how we use that power. Aside from the fear myth, one of the biggest reasons that cross-gender friendships are so taboo is because of inequity between the sexes, especially in the church. We have accepted that inequality for too long and if we want to move forward with friendship, we need to have a better understanding of how we approach power in friendship.\n\nFollowing Jim\'s talk, <a title=\"Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/kathy-escobar/\" target=\"_blank\">Kathy Escobar</a>, author of <a title=\"Down We Go by Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/35\" target=\"_blank\">Down We Go</a>, shared with us the power of healing in cross-gender friendships. Kathy said, \"I don\'t wake up thinking about cross-gender friendships, but I do think about ways we can all be set free.\" Kathy co-pastors at <a title=\"The Refuge\" href=\"http://kathyescobar.com/the-refuge/\" target=\"_blank\">The Refuge</a> with a man, and as a result, she has found that cross-gender friendships can absolutely bring healing. She said that we know how to live under and over people, but working along-side people is something that we are still learning, and her work with her male co-pastor has taught her more about the along-side work to be done.\n\nKathy addressed the question of \"need\" in friendship. She suggested that need is completely acceptable, because we all have needs. However, it\'s important that we be honest about our needs and be in touch with our brokenness. Friendship can heal brokenness, but only if we know where the hurt is and are intentional those relationships. She said that we may live in the fallen world of Genesis 3, but we can taste the beauty of Genesis 1, and friendship is a part of that process.\n\nThere was a final panel discussion before we ended our time. One question asked was: Is it imperative that we have cross-gender friendships?\n\nSome responses included:\n\n<strong>Sheila Brennan</strong>: Is \"love one another\" an imperative?\n\n<strong>Jennifer Ould</strong>: Reconciliation between the genders is an imperative. And I don’t know how you do reconciliation without friendship.\n\n<strong>Kathy Escobar</strong>: We assume that whatever the current system is, is somehow right. I don’t have an agenda, but I want to be a voice into the possibility that maybe the way we’re doing it isn’t right.\n\nThere was also a question about the language used. Is cross-gender friendship setting up potential walls? Should we speak in terms of family relationships (brother and sister) since that\'s more acceptable to others.\n\nJennifer suggested that family language has been okay as long as men and women are still separated. It still doesn\'t do anything to bridge the gap.\n\nMeredith Efkin stated that because that language has been used so regularly in the','Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 3)','','inherit','open','open','','6480-revision-5','','','2012-05-08 04:20:09','2012-05-08 11:20:09','',6480,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/08/6480-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6618,30,'2012-05-08 04:49:52','2012-05-08 11:49:52','<em>(Click here to read <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 1)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-1/\" target=\"_blank\">part 1</a> and <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 2)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/02/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">part 2</a>)</em>\n\nBefore we broke for lunch, Forrest and Vanessa Horn spoke to us about their journey as a married couple dealing with a cross-gender friendship. Often we hear from the people who are in the friendship, but it is more rare to hear from the spouse of the person friend. This courageous couple shared not only the beauty of a close friendship between a man and woman, but also some of the struggles that can happen between a husband and wife as a result of that friendship. Forrest had to deal with his feelings of being not enough for his wife. In one of the most touching parts of their presentation, he talked about receiving a call from Vanessa\'s friend and spending an hour on the phone with him.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6405\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"157\" /></a>They are still working through learning how to have a cross-gender friendship in their marriage, but their contribution to the weekend was a powerful reminder that we can learn, even through difficulty, how to make this happen.\n\nAfter lunch, <a title=\"Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/jim-henderson/\" target=\"_blank\">Jim Henderson</a>, author of <a title=\"The Resignation of Eve by Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Resignation-Eve-Willing-Churchs-Backbone/dp/1414337302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324679289&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_blank\">The Resignation of Eve</a>, gave his presentation. The title of his piece was \"The Only Reason Jesus Gives Us Power is to Give It Away.\" Jim focused on how the issue of power plays into that of cross-gender friendships. He reminded us that we all have some level of power afforded to us because of various life circumstances, and we must be wise with how we use that power. Aside from the fear myth, one of the biggest reasons that cross-gender friendships are so taboo is because of inequity between the sexes, especially in the church. We have accepted that inequality for too long and if we want to move forward with friendship, we need to have a better understanding of how we approach power in friendship.\n\nFollowing Jim\'s talk, <a title=\"Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/kathy-escobar/\" target=\"_blank\">Kathy Escobar</a>, author of <a title=\"Down We Go by Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/35\" target=\"_blank\">Down We Go</a>, shared with us the power of healing in cross-gender friendships. Kathy said, \"I don\'t wake up thinking about cross-gender friendships, but I do think about ways we can all be set free.\" Kathy co-pastors at <a title=\"The Refuge\" href=\"http://kathyescobar.com/the-refuge/\" target=\"_blank\">The Refuge</a> with a man, and as a result, she has found that cross-gender friendships can absolutely bring healing. She said that we know how to live under and over people, but working along-side people is something that we are still learning, and her work with her male co-pastor has taught her more about the along-side work to be done.\n\nKathy addressed the question of \"need\" in friendship. She suggested that need is completely acceptable, because we all have needs. However, it\'s important that we be honest about our needs and be in touch with our brokenness. Friendship can heal brokenness, but only if we know where the hurt is and are intentional those relationships. She said that we may live in the fallen world of Genesis 3, but we can taste the beauty of Genesis 1, and friendship is a part of that process.\n\nThere was a final panel discussion. One question asked was: <em>Is it imperative that we have cross-gender friendships?</em>\n\nSome responses included:\n\n<strong>Sheila Brennan</strong>: Is \"love one another\" an imperative?\n\n<strong>Jennifer Ould</strong>: Reconciliation between the genders is an imperative. And I don’t know how you do reconciliation without friendship.\n\n<strong>Kathy Escobar</strong>: We assume that whatever the current system is, is somehow right. I don’t have an agenda, but I want to be a voice into the possibility that maybe the way we’re doing it isn’t right.\n\nThere was also a question about the language used. <em>Is cross-gender friendship setting up potential walls? Should we speak in terms of family relationships (brother and sister) since that\'s more acceptable to others?</em>\n\nJennifer suggested that family language has been okay as long as men and women are still separated. It still doesn\'t do anything to bridge the gap.\n\nMeredith Efkin stated that because that language has been used so regularly in the Church, it has lost much of its meaning.\n\n<strong>Jim Henderson:</strong> To have people hear, we have to say things differently.\n\nBefore we wrapped up our time, Dan\'s good friend <a title=\"John Armstrong\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/john-armstrong/\" target=\"_blank\">John H. Armstrong</a> shared with us about Christian unity. He reminded us that the most important part of cross-gender friendship is <em>friendship</em>. As long as we continue to remember that, we have the upper hand in the discussion. He also shared that we need to remember that unity is not something that was intended to be partial, but rather to be complete. We can be friends with men and women because unity isn\'t bound by gender.\n\nOur time closed with the breaking of bread in communion. We were led in the liturgy by Jennifer Ould, and we were served by men and women at the conference.\n\nCommunion is such a lovely picture of sacrificial love. Jesus shared this intimate meal with his friends. They celebrated their history, and Jesus gave a picture of what was to come. There was pain and division present, but there was also an abundance of love and forgiveness.\n\nAs we contemplate cross-gender friendship,','Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 3)','','inherit','open','open','','6480-revision-6','','','2012-05-08 04:49:52','2012-05-08 11:49:52','',6480,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/08/6480-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(6620,1,'2012-05-08 04:50:27','2012-05-08 11:50:27','<em>(Click here to read <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 1)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-1/\" target=\"_blank\">part 1</a> and <a title=\"Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 2)\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/02/friendship-between-the-genders-sacred-friendship-gathering-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">part 2</a>)</em>\r\n\r\nBefore we broke for lunch, Forrest and Vanessa Horn spoke to us about their journey as a married couple dealing with a cross-gender friendship. Often we hear from the people who are in the friendship, but it is more rare to hear from the spouse of the person friend. This courageous couple shared not only the beauty of a close friendship between a man and woman, but also some of the struggles that can happen between a husband and wife as a result of that friendship. Forrest had to deal with his feelings of being not enough for his wife. In one of the most touching parts of their presentation, he talked about receiving a call from Vanessa\'s friend and spending an hour on the phone with him.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6405\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sacred-friendship.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"157\" /></a>They are still working through learning how to have a cross-gender friendship in their marriage, but their contribution to the weekend was a powerful reminder that we can learn, even through difficulty, how to make this happen.\r\n\r\nAfter lunch, <a title=\"Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/jim-henderson/\" target=\"_blank\">Jim Henderson</a>, author of <a title=\"The Resignation of Eve by Jim Henderson\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Resignation-Eve-Willing-Churchs-Backbone/dp/1414337302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324679289&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_blank\">The Resignation of Eve</a>, gave his presentation. The title of his piece was \"The Only Reason Jesus Gives Us Power is to Give It Away.\" Jim focused on how the issue of power plays into that of cross-gender friendships. He reminded us that we all have some level of power afforded to us because of various life circumstances, and we must be wise with how we use that power. Aside from the fear myth, one of the biggest reasons that cross-gender friendships are so taboo is because of inequity between the sexes, especially in the church. We have accepted that inequality for too long and if we want to move forward with friendship, we need to have a better understanding of how we approach power in friendship.\r\n\r\nFollowing Jim\'s talk, <a title=\"Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/kathy-escobar/\" target=\"_blank\">Kathy Escobar</a>, author of <a title=\"Down We Go by Kathy Escobar\" href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/35\" target=\"_blank\">Down We Go</a>, shared with us the power of healing in cross-gender friendships. Kathy said, \"I don\'t wake up thinking about cross-gender friendships, but I do think about ways we can all be set free.\" Kathy co-pastors at <a title=\"The Refuge\" href=\"http://kathyescobar.com/the-refuge/\" target=\"_blank\">The Refuge</a> with a man, and as a result, she has found that cross-gender friendships can absolutely bring healing. She said that we know how to live under and over people, but working along-side people is something that we are still learning, and her work with her male co-pastor has taught her more about the along-side work to be done.\r\n\r\nKathy addressed the question of \"need\" in friendship. She suggested that need is completely acceptable, because we all have needs. However, it\'s important that we be honest about our needs and be in touch with our brokenness. Friendship can heal brokenness, but only if we know where the hurt is and are intentional those relationships. She said that we may live in the fallen world of Genesis 3, but we can taste the beauty of Genesis 1, and friendship is a part of that process.\r\n\r\nThere was a final panel discussion. One question asked was: <em>Is it imperative that we have cross-gender friendships?</em>\r\n\r\nSome responses included:\r\n\r\n<strong>Sheila Brennan</strong>: Is \"love one another\" an imperative?\r\n\r\n<strong>Jennifer Ould</strong>: Reconciliation between the genders is an imperative. And I don’t know how you do reconciliation without friendship.\r\n\r\n<strong>Kathy Escobar</strong>: We assume that whatever the current system is, is somehow right. I don’t have an agenda, but I want to be a voice into the possibility that maybe the way we’re doing it isn’t right.\r\n\r\nThere was also a question about the language used. <em>Is cross-gender friendship setting up potential walls? Should we speak in terms of family relationships (brother and sister) since that\'s more acceptable to others?</em>\r\n\r\nJennifer suggested that family language has been okay as long as men and women are still separated. It still doesn\'t do anything to bridge the gap.\r\n\r\nMeredith Efkin stated that because that language has been used so regularly in the Church, it has lost much of its meaning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jim Henderson:</strong> To have people hear, we have to say things differently.\r\n\r\nBefore we wrapped up our time, Dan\'s good friend <a title=\"John Armstrong\" href=\"http://sacredfriendshipgathering.com/speakers/john-armstrong/\" target=\"_blank\">John H. Armstrong</a> shared with us about Christian unity. He reminded us that the most important part of cross-gender friendship is <em>friendship</em>. As long as we continue to remember that, we have the upper hand in the discussion. He also shared that we need to remember that unity is not something that was intended to be partial, but rather to be complete. We can be friends with men and women because unity isn\'t bound by gender.\r\n\r\nOur time closed with the breaking of bread in communion. We were led in the liturgy by Jennifer Ould, and we were served by men and women at the conference.\r\n\r\nCommunion is such a lovely picture of sacrificial love. Jesus shared this intimate meal with his friends. They celebrated their history, and Jesus gave a picture of what was to come. There was pain and division present, but there was also an abundance of love and reconciliation.\r\n\r\nAs we contemplate cross-gender friendship, it\'s important to recognize the pain and division that it can cause, but let us dwell on the love and reconciliation','Friendship Between the Genders: Sacred Friendship Gathering (Part 3)','','inherit','open','open','','6480-revision-7','','','2012-05-08 04:50:27','2012-05-08 11:50:27','',6480,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/08/6480-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(6629,38,'2012-05-06 22:36:51','2012-05-07 05:36:51','<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6100\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\" caption=\"Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6102\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Dome of Light in the Bahai Temple, North of Chicago\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6102\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\r\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you to Carl Marshall for his kindness, generosity, and for meeting with me to share his faith with me.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><em><strong>Hear about gurus, turbans, and the Five K\'s from </strong></em>Mandheer Singh, a Sikh gentleman from Rochester Hills next.</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jay galvin</a> (Shrine of the <em>Báb), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctot_non_def/1434223112/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ctot_not_def</a> (Dome of Light)</em> <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-28','','','2012-05-06 22:36:51','2012-05-07 05:36:51','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/06/6068-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(6630,149,'2012-05-15 12:31:48','2012-05-15 19:31:48','Recently, a close friend of mine was talking to a coworker about religion. During the course of the conversation, his coworker asserted “You know I’m a Catholic, don’t you? Well, not a practicing one.”\n\nMy friend couldn’t shake that comment. He said it gripped him, in a good way. His only response was this: “Fuck apathy.”\n\nAfter he relayed this story to me, I asked him, “What would happen if we did?”\n\n“Nothing bad.”\n\nExactly. What are we so afraid of?\n\nWhat if we rejected our indifferent, apathetic attitudes and actively pursued a life of purpose? What if we actually lived the Great Commission?\n\nForget the hot mess that is church as we know it, with its hierarchical structure, contrived relationships, systems, programs and the like, and pursue only what Jesus called us to do: “Go into the world and make disciples, and obey everything I (Jesus) have commanded you.”\n\n<a href=\"http://simplechurch.eu/team/profile/13/\">Jonathan Fokker</a> at <a href=\"http://simplechurch.eu/index.php/toolbox/full/7-basic-commands-of-obeying-jesus-out-of-love/\">Simple Church</a> puts it this way:\n\n<em>Jesus told us to make disciples by teaching them to obey His commands (Matt. 28:18-20). He also said, “If you love me, obey my commands” (John 14:15). We need to teach disciples to obey the commands of Jesus out of love. </em><strong><em>You cannot obey without love otherwise you end up in legalism. But love without obedience is no real love at all. </em></strong><em>You show your love to Jesus by obedience to Him. </em><strong><em><a href=\"http://simplechurch.eu/index.php/toolbox/full/7-basic-commands-of-obeying-jesus-out-of-love/\">http://simplechurch.eu/index.php/toolbox/full/7-basic-commands-of-obeying-jesus-out-of-love/</a></em></strong>\n\nHe goes on to break out some of the commands Jesus left us, such as: Repent, believe and receive the Holy Spirit, be baptized, break bread together (communion), pray, give and make disciples, and of course, \"Love God with everything\" and \"Love your neighbour...\"\n\nSeriously, consider what could happen if we lived the great commission and actually went through life consciously obeying Jesus and making disciples?\n\nJust the other day, I was speaking with another friend about my journey of leaving church to find Jesus, and he asked how I would know when I’d “arrived” at a redemptive destination. There are many variables and questions still to be addressed and answered. One question I wrestle with is this: “What is church?\" And, \"if I don’t know what it is, how will I know when I find it? If I don’t know where I’m going, how will I get there?”\n\nMy friend answered with this, “Church is no longer the point. Jesus is.”\n\nWhen we become buried by our cynicism, unable to move beneath the weight of our own apathy, how easy it is to miss the point. Jesus didn’t call us to build, or even go, to church. He called us to obey him and make disciples. Pretty simple. Do that and we\'ll find out what church is.','F*** Apathy','','inherit','open','open','','6626-autosave','','','2012-05-15 12:31:48','2012-05-15 19:31:48','',6626,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/09/6626-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6691,179,'2012-05-11 19:51:41','2012-05-12 02:51:41','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6648\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover-217x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"217\" height=\"300\" /></a>What would you do with three free sins?\r\n\r\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second. That question presupposes that I believe there is such a thing as sin and that under normal circumstances I have to pay someone for them.\" Agreed. So let\'s suppose you believe those things. What do you think? Three free ones, what would you do?\r\n\r\nBefore you answer, let me be clear. You may still have to suffer consequences for the three nasty things on your list, but you won\'t owe God jack. When it comes to these three sins, the slate is clean. They never show up on Santa\'s list.\r\n\r\nI\'ll go first. I\'m a pretty simple guy with common vices. I\'d get drunk, masturbate to porn and smoke a joint... not necessarily in that order.\r\n\r\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second! That\'s just not right! Masturbation and viewing pornography count as two sins.\" I understand where you\'re coming from, but I don\'t buy it. One without the other just isn\'t worth it. Press me on this and I\'ll use my second free sin on another joint, or maybe give you a purple nurple. I\'m sorry, that was harsh, but I\'m trying to get to a book review here and you keep interrupting.\r\n\r\nYou know what? Forget the three free sins. What if Jesus gave you unlimited free sins?! You still have to deal with cause and effect on this side of the veil, but God will never be angry at you for what you did or didn\'t do with your life. That\'s the heart of the message in Steve Brown\'s new book, <em>Three Free Sins: God\'s Not Mad at You</em>.\r\n\r\nAt this point I need to insert a disclaimer. I\'ve worked for Steve Brown for almost 15 years. Even so, Brandon Wallace, one of the editors at Provoketive.com, asked me to write a review of <em>Three Free Sins</em>. To me that\'s like asking Robin to review Batman\'s work. What do you expect? Robin\'s gonna tell you his boss is the coolest and he wishes he could trade in his lame uniform for one just like Batman\'s. Batman wrote the book on badass vigilante justice and that book gets five stars from the boy in green underwear, all day long. Even if <em>Three Free Sins</em> sucked, I\'d use one of my free sins and lie because Brown signs the paycheck.\r\n\r\nHowever, I don\'t have to lie. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is Steve Brown at his finest. As Steve admits, he couldn\'t have written this book even a few years ago. He had too much to lose. Today that\'s not the case. Steve\'s old. He\'s done everything he set out to do, and more. He’s a successful author, broadcaster and seminary professor. Nobody is pulling Steve’s strings and nobody has any leverage on him, so he tells it like it is. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the gospel of grace with no punches pulled, but it\'s more than that.\r\n\r\n<em>Three Free Sins</em> charts a course correction for the church. It\'s a call to abandon the fruitless efforts of sin management in exchange for a life of radical freedom, infectious joy and surprising faithfulness to God. In fact, Steve argues that the reason Christians are so bad is that we\'re trying so hard to be good, and that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don\'t get any better, Jesus will still love them anyway.\r\n\r\nWithout this focus on God\'s grace and unconditional love, the church has become filthy with the grotesque sins of self-righteousness and pride while frantically scrubbing at a few select sins with the narcissistic zeal of someone with OCD. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the pure, cleansing water of gospel sanity.\r\n\r\nNot only that, this book is funny. Steve\'s illustrations and crotchety attitude are sprinkled throughout, making <em>Three Free Sins</em> a delightful combination of revelry and revelation.\r\n\r\nPlus Steve is secretly a multi-millionaire playboy who has a jet car and a utility belt with all kinds of great gear (including shark repellant).\r\n\r\nSo, if you think God is mad at you, or you\'ve been trying really hard to make God happy and you\'re tired and want to give up, you must read <em>Three Free Sins</em>. The infectious joy of finding out God is already quite pleased with you will give you strength in your weakness.\r\n\r\nIf you think you\'ve got it all together, this book will probably just tick you off, but read it anyway. Hopefully there will come a day when you find out the truth about yourself and you\'ll remember reading a book by that old white heretic, Steve Brown. Maybe then you\'ll be able to hear the message that your sins are free because Jesus picked up the tab.\r\n\r\nWell, that\'s my book review. I\'ve gotta go finish this spliff and wash the Batmobile. Go buy a copy of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Three-Free-Sins-Gods-Not/dp/1451612265/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1336790066&amp;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Three Free Sins</em></a>. Steve has a staff to pay.','Three Free Sins: A Review of Sorts','','inherit','open','open','','6646-revision-5','','','2012-05-11 19:51:41','2012-05-12 02:51:41','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/11/6646-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6783,1,'2012-05-26 08:00:09','2012-05-26 15:00:09','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKCvf8E7V1g[/youtube]\r\n\r\nThis is probably the most powerful video I\'ve seen this year so far.\r\n\r\nVia Business Insider: \"As the war over income inequality wages on, super-rich Seattle entrepreneur Nick Hanauer has been raising the hackles of his fellow 1-percenters, espousing the contrarian argument that rich people don\'t actually create jobs. The position is controversial — so much so that TED is refusing to post a talk that Hanauer gave on the subject. National Journal reports today that TED officials decided not to put Hanauer\'s March 1 speech up online after deeming his remarks \"too politically controversial\" for the site...\".','The Rich Don\'t Create Jobs','','publish','open','open','','the-rich-dont-create-jobs','','','2012-05-25 14:44:46','2012-05-25 21:44:46','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6783',0,'post','',4),(7352,189,'2012-07-31 10:27:48','2012-07-31 17:27:48','Explain the two words spoken by Jesus—“Follow me”—in 1000 words or less? Hmmm. Maybe I should just stop right there and let you think this through on your own.\r\n\r\nMy understanding of what it means to follow Him has changed over the years. Perhaps our understanding of “following” is <em>supposed</em> to change over time as our maturity in the Lord grows in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the ways we experience Him with others. Because I can’t claim to know <em>everything</em> about following Jesus, the best I can offer is to share <em>some</em> of the things I’ve learned about following Jesus—beginning with what “following Jesus” is <strong><em>not</em><em>.</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Following Jesus is not the same thing as: </strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Following the teachings of Jesus, or following doctrines, creeds, or denominational statements of faith.</li>\r\n	<li>Following a Bible Reading Plan, memorizing scripture, or claiming a “life verse”.</li>\r\n	<li>Following “religious convictions”, or acting upon those convictions, alone or as a group, purely for the sake of acting upon convictions.</li>\r\n	<li>Attending a weekly worship service, and maybe a midweek prayer meeting or Bible study, or meeting with a small group or accountability partner.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere isn’t anything wrong with doing these things. In fact, I  follow  Jesus today because others encouraged me to do these things over the course of my spiritual journey.  “Christian practices” are not the same thing as following Jesus. <em></em>I know a lot <em>about</em> <em>Jesus</em> by studying, talking about or meditating on these things—but knowing a lot <em>about Jesus</em> isn’t the same as <em>knowing Jesus</em>. It helps to know Who you’re following.<strong><em></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>“Follow me.”</em></strong>  Two words caused Simon and Andrew to drop their fishing nets.  James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went off after Him.” (Mark 1:20 Amplified). Levi, son of Alphaeus, left his tax booth: “he arose and joined Him and His disciples and sided with His party and accompanied Him.” (Mark 2:14 Amp). Philip ran to find his friend Nathanael and they too followed Him. Twelve men, in all, apparently left their life’s work to follow Jesus.\r\n\r\nI find it interesting that the Amplified Version conveys that the words “follow me” carry the connotation, “side with my party\".  Against the backdrop of  first century Hebrew culture—oppressed by the conquering Romans, looking for Messiah to deliver the Children of Israel and fulfill all the promises of the Old Testament—we read Nathanael’s confession, “Teacher, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and the reason the twelve “followed” begins to come into focus.  Over the course of the next three and a half years, these men—and later Saul of Tarsus, among others—would come to understand that following Jesus isn’t about following teachings, doctrines, scriptures, convictions or attending religious meetings.  Men and women down through centuries found, in the Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, not <em>something</em> to believe in and follow, but rather <strong><em>Someone</em></strong> to believe in and follow.\r\n\r\nTo follow Jesus is to follow a living <strong><em>Person!</em></strong>\r\n<blockquote><strong><em> </em></strong>“And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.”__John 1:14 (Amp)\r\n\r\n“For it has <strong>pleased</strong> [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should <strong>dwell</strong> in Him permanently.”__ Colossians 1:19 (Amp)</blockquote>\r\nFollowing a living Person, who is the Christ, comes with a cost, which He explained Himself to His disciples:\r\n<blockquote>“And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, <sup> </sup>forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].” __Luke 9:23 (Amp)</blockquote>\r\nWhat do we have to gain by following this all-wonderful, all-glorious, all-divine Person? What is the outcome we look forward to? For starters, eternal life! Make that eternal, <strong><em>abundant</em> </strong>life, sustained by Christ who <strong><em>is</em></strong> our life! Many more “rewards” are promised to faithful followers who overcome the trials and temptations of this world—check out the letters to the seven churches in John’s last book!\r\n\r\nThere’s another important thing I’ve learned about following Jesus: it’s something we do <strong><em>together</em></strong>.\r\n\r\nFollowing Jesus is following a living <strong><em>Person</em></strong>…<strong><em>together!</em></strong>\r\n<blockquote>“When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory. __Colossians 3:4 (Amp)</blockquote>','','','inherit','open','open','','7337-revision-14','','','2012-07-31 10:27:48','2012-07-31 17:27:48','',7337,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/31/7337-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(7348,189,'2012-07-31 10:04:18','2012-07-31 17:04:18','Explain the two words spoken by Jesus—“Follow me”—in 1000 words or less? Hmmm. Maybe I should just stop right there and let you think this through on your own.\r\n\r\nMy understanding of what it means to follow Him has changed over the years. Perhaps our understanding of “following” is <em>supposed</em> to change over time as our maturity in the Lord grows in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the ways we experience Him with others. Because I can’t claim to know <em>everything</em> about following Jesus, the best I can offer is to share <em>some</em> of the things I’ve learned about following Jesus—beginning with what “following Jesus” is <strong><em>not</em><em>.</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Following Jesus is not the same thing as: </strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Following the teachings of Jesus, or following doctrines, ,creeds, or denominational statements of faith.</li>\r\n	<li>Following a Bible Reading Plan, memorizing scripture, or claiming a “life verse”.</li>\r\n	<li>Following “religious convictions”, or acting upon those convictions, alone or as a group, purely for the sake of acting upon convictions.</li>\r\n	<li>Attending a weekly worship service, and maybe a midweek prayer meeting or Bible study, or meeting with a small group or accountability partner.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere isn’t anything wrong with doing these things. In fact, I  follow  Jesus today because others encouraged me to do these things over the course of my spiritual journey. If I’ve learned anything, I’ve learned that “Christian practices” are not the same thing as following Jesus. <em></em>I know a lot <em>about</em> <em>Jesus</em> by studying, talking about or meditating on these things—but knowing a lot <em>about Jesus</em> isn’t the same as <em>knowing Jesus</em>. It helps to know Who you’re following.<strong><em></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>“Follow me.”</em></strong>  Two words caused Simon and Andrew to drop their fishing nets.  James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went off after Him.” (Mark 1:20 Amplified). Levi, son of Alphaeus, left his tax booth: “he arose and joined Him and His disciples and sided with His party and accompanied Him.” (Mark 2:14 Amp). Philip ran to find his friend Nathanael and they too followed Him. Twelve men, in all, apparently left their life’s work to follow Jesus.\r\n\r\nI find it interesting that the Amplified Version conveys that the words “follow me” carry the connotation, “side with my party”. Against the backdrop of  Hebrew culture—oppressed by the conquering Romans, looking for Messiah to deliver the Children of Israel and fulfill all the promises of the Old Testament—we read Nathanael’s confession, “Teacher, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and the reason the twelve “followed” begins to come into focus.  Over the course of the next three and a half years, these men—and later Saul of Tarsus, among others—would come to understand that following Jesus isn’t about following teachings, doctrines, scriptures, convictions or attending religious meetings.  Men and women down through centuries found, in the Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, not <em>something</em> to believe in and follow, but rather <strong><em>Someone</em></strong> to believe in and follow.\r\n\r\nTo follow Jesus is to follow a living <strong><em>Person!</em></strong>\r\n<blockquote><strong><em> </em></strong>“And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.”__John 1:14 (Amp)\r\n\r\n“For it has <strong>pleased</strong> [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should <strong>dwell</strong> in Him permanently.”__ Colossians 1:19 (Amp)</blockquote>\r\nFollowing a living Person, who is the Christ, comes with a cost, which He explained Himself to His disciples:\r\n<blockquote>“And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, <sup> </sup>forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].” __Luke 9:23 (Amp)</blockquote>\r\nWhat do we have to gain by following this all-wonderful, all-glorious, all-divine Person? What is the outcome we look forward to? For starters, eternal life! Make that eternal, <strong><em>abundant</em> </strong>life, sustained by Christ who <strong><em>is</em></strong> our life! Many more “rewards” are promised to faithful followers who overcome the trials and temptations of this world—check out the letters to the seven churches in John’s last book!\r\n\r\nThere’s another important thing I’ve learned about following Jesus: it’s something we do <strong><em>together</em></strong>.\r\n\r\nFollowing Jesus is following a living <strong><em>Person</em></strong>…<strong><em>together!</em></strong>\r\n<blockquote>“When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory. __Colossians 3:4 (Amp)</blockquote>','','','inherit','open','open','','7337-revision-10','','','2012-07-31 10:04:18','2012-07-31 17:04:18','',7337,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/31/7337-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(6637,179,'2012-05-10 20:12:30','2012-05-11 03:12:30','As a kid, I used to spend vast amounts of time watching movies that were inappropriate.\n\nI have a fear of clowns to this day from watching the movie “It” when I was eight.\n\nI have a fear of birds to this day from watching the movie “The Birds” when I was ten.\n\nI have a fear of giraffes to this day for no particular reason…I wish I could say it was also due to a movie.\n\nThe point is this: many of the fears that I still hold on to are due to my premature exposure to things that I did not really understand, and that I was not prepared to handle. I saw a movie presenting something typically seen as harmless, i.e. birds and clowns, in a way that made them terrifying; and because I was not knowledgeable enough to know the difference, my association with those things from then on was the scary version rather than the harmless one. Because these feelings were so deeply implanted into my little kid mind, they still determine how I react to those things instinctively even now, as an adult. Have a bird fly in front of me too close while I am walking, and I will unknowingly step into traffic to avoid it. Have a clown try and make me a balloon animal, and I will collapse into a fetal position on the floor. If ever I encountered a bird dressed as a clown, or vice versa, I think perhaps my heart would literally jump out of my mouth and run for cover.\n\nThese fears, I know, are irrational. In the part of me responsible for self-preservation, I highly doubt there is a category for circus acts or for feathered, toothless bipedals (apart from vultures…blech). But my habituated response is to fear them, and because of this my life works around these fears accordingly. I typically avoid kids’ birthday parties, and steer clear of scattered pieces of bread at parks.\n\nI say all this to pose a question: if our life can be so altered by an irrational fear, why does it seem to be so unaltered at times by the most rational fear of all? By the awe-inspiring fear that should be felt at even the mention of one Name?\n\nFear of the Lord is a far different iteration of fear. It is not that God is something to cause us to stay awake at night, flipping on our lamp every hour to make sure nothing is in our room. It is that God deserves our ultimate reverence and awe simply for the breadth of his power and might. But whereas fearing something like clowns is a response to how they could harm us, fearing God is a response to His desire to redeem us as His children, and empower us with the strength of which He is the Source.\n\nHowever in many who claim to be believers, their response to that fear is actually no response at all. Their lives are not changed, they do things no differently, than if God had nothing at all to do with them.\n\nIn essence, they believe in God but live like they don’t.\n\nHow could this happen? How could a true encounter with the God of the cosmos cause not even a ripple of change in our broken lives and how we live them?\n\nI cannot offer to know anyone’s heart or faith. It is tricky enough at times to interpret my own. But I do know this: if we have truly encountered God, in a way that we truly begin to understand His immense and passionate love for us, His creation, change is inescapable. When I was a child, I was clearly not old enough to really understand why I was scared of those movies. As I grew older, my fear of them was determined more and more unnecessary. Oppositely, when I first encountered God, though I was still not mature enough to understand my reverence of Him, that reverence was determined more and more necessary as I grew in Him. And my response? To live a life of constantly striving to show the world around me, and my God Himself, the strength of my devotion to Him through the changes I was making, through the way I was living and walking.\n\nJames talks in his epistle about disingenuous faith. He is speaking to people that claim to have encountered God, but are living as if they never had.\n\nAnd he bluntly compares them to demons.\n\nJames 2:19 – “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”\n\nThere is a challenge subtly offered here that could quite easily be overlooked. Examining our lives, and the faith that we claim…are we living as if God is as powerful as we say that He is? Because demons, in their knowledge of God, shudder.\n\nThose of us that live a life of declaring God but not devoted to God are told in Romans and Psalms that “there is no fear of God before [our] eyes.” (Psalms 36:1, Romans 3:18)\n\nJames implies, quite simply, that the fear demons hold of God, which in no way leads to salvation, still serves to cause them to shudder. How, then, should we approach a faith that claims to know God and His salvation, but causes no fear of God?\n\nWe should approach it as we do all things we claim to believe…seeing if it truly affects how we live our life, or if it is just something we have seen but not really sat and considered how truly important it is to us…like a movie seen too young.\n\n“He does not believe who does not live according to his belief.” – Thomas Fuller\n\nP.S. – I am still afraid of giraffes for no apparent reason.','Aberrance and Coherence, Giraffes and God','','inherit','open','open','','6610-autosave','','','2012-05-10 20:12:30','2012-05-11 03:12:30','',6610,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/10/6610-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6638,179,'2012-05-10 20:15:31','2012-05-11 03:15:31','','giraffe','','inherit','open','open','','giraffe','','','2012-05-10 20:15:31','2012-05-11 03:15:31','',6610,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/giraffe.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6639,179,'2012-05-07 18:16:36','2012-05-08 01:16:36','As a kid, I used to spend vast amounts of time watching movies that were inappropriate.\r\n\r\nI have a fear of clowns to this day from watching the movie “It” when I was eight.\r\n\r\nI have a fear of birds to this day from watching the movie “The Birds” when I was ten.\r\n\r\nI have a fear of giraffes to this day for no particular reason…I wish I could say it was also due to a movie.\r\n\r\nThe point is this: many of the fears that I still hold onto are due to my premature exposure to things that I did not really understand, and that I was not prepared to handle. I saw a movie presenting something typically seen as harmless, i.e. birds and clowns, in a way that made them terrifying; and because I was not knowledgeable enough to know the difference, my association with those things from then on was the scary version rather than the harmless one. Because these feelings were so deeply implanted into my little kid mind, they still determine how I react to those things instinctively even now, as an adult. Have a bird fly in front of me too close while I am walking, and I will unknowingly step into traffic to avoid it. Have a clown try and make me a balloon animal, and I will collapse into a fetal position on the floor. If ever I encountered a bird dressed as a clown, or vice versa, I think perhaps my heart would literally jump out of my mouth and run for cover.\r\n\r\nThese fears, I know, are irrational. In the part of me responsible for self-preservation, I highly doubt there is a category for circus acts or for feathered, toothless bipedals (apart from vultures…blech). But my habituated response is to fear them, and because of this my life works around these fears accordingly. I typically avoid kids’ birthday parties, and steer clear of scattered pieces of bread at parks.\r\n\r\nI say all this to pose a question: if our life can be so altered by an irrational fear, why does it seem to be so unaltered at times by the most rational fear of all? By the awe-inspiring fear that should be felt at even the mention of one Name?\r\n\r\nFear of the Lord is a far different iteration of fear. It is not that God is something to cause us to stay awake at night, flipping on our lamp every hour to make sure nothing is in our room. It is that God deserves our ultimate reverence and awe simply for the breadth of his power and might. But whereas fearing something like clowns is a response to how they could harm us, fearing God is a response to His desire to redeem us as His children, and empower us with the strength of which He is the Source.\r\n\r\nHowever in many who claim to be believers, their response to that fear is actually no response at all. There lives are not changed, they do things no differently, than if God had nothing at all to do with them.\r\n\r\nIn essence, they believe in God but live like they don’t.\r\n\r\nHow could this happen? How could a true encounter with the God of the cosmos cause not even a ripple of change in our broken lives and how we live them?\r\n\r\nI cannot offer to know anyone’s heart or faith. It is tricky enough at times to interpret my own. But I do know this: if we have truly encountered God, in a way that we truly begin to understand His immense and passionate love for us, His creation, change is inescapable. When I was a child, I was clearly not old enough to really understand why I was scared of those movies. As I grew older, my fear of them was determined more and more unnecessary. Oppositely, when I first encountered God, though I was still not mature enough to understand my reverence of Him, that reverence was determined more and more necessary as I grew in Him. And my response? To live a life of constant striving to show the world around me, and my God Himself, the strength of my devotion to Him through the changes I was making, through the way I was living and walking.\r\n\r\nJames talks in his epistle about disingenuous faith. He is speaking to people that claim to have encountered God, but are living as if they never had.\r\n\r\nAnd he bluntly compares them to demons.\r\n\r\nJames 2:19 – “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”\r\n\r\nThere is a challenge subtly offered here that could quite easily be overlooked. Examining our lives, and the faith that we claim…are we living as if God is as powerful as we say that He is? Because demons, in their knowledge of God, shudder.\r\n\r\nThose of us that live a life of declaring God but not devoted to God are told in Romans and Psalms that “there is no fear of God before [our] eyes.” (Psalms 36:1, Romans 3:18)\r\n\r\nJames implies, quite simply, that the fear demons hold of God, which in no way leads to salvation, still serves to cause them to shudder. How, then, should we approach a faith that claims to know God and His salvation, but causes no fear of God?\r\n\r\nWe should approach it as we do all things we claim to believe…seeing if it truly affects how we live our life, or if it is just something we have seen but not really sat and considered how truly important it is to us…like a movie seen too young.\r\n\r\n“He does not believe who does not live according to his belief.” – Thomas Fuller\r\n\r\nP.S. – I am still afraid of giraffes for no apparent reason.','Aberrance and Coherence, Giraffes and God','','inherit','open','open','','6610-revision-2','','','2012-05-07 18:16:36','2012-05-08 01:16:36','',6610,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/07/6610-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6715,78,'2012-05-19 17:06:06','2012-05-20 00:06:06','','The Denim Skirt Cult','','inherit','open','open','','6259491114_8ccbd6d06c','','','2012-05-19 17:06:06','2012-05-20 00:06:06','',6713,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/6259491114_8ccbd6d06c.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6641,179,'2012-05-10 20:22:29','2012-05-11 03:22:29','','apathy','','inherit','open','open','','apathy','','','2012-05-10 20:22:29','2012-05-11 03:22:29','',6626,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/apathy.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6642,179,'2012-05-09 08:09:25','2012-05-09 15:09:25','Recently, a close friend of mine was talking to a coworker about religion. During the course of the conversation, his coworker asserted “You know I’m a Catholic, don’t you? Well, not a practicing one.”\r\n\r\nMy friend couldn’t shake that comment. He said it gripped him, in a good way. His only response was this: “Fuck apathy.”\r\n\r\nAfter he relayed this story to me, I asked him, “What would happen if we did?”\r\n\r\n“Nothing bad.”\r\n\r\nExactly. What are we so afraid of?\r\n\r\nWhat if we rejected our indifferent, apathetic attitudes and actively pursued a life of purpose? What if we actually lived the Great Commission?\r\n\r\nForget the hot mess that is church as we know it, with its hierarchical structure, contrived relationships, systems, programs and the like, and pursue only what Jesus called us to do: “Go into the world and make disciples, and obey everything I (Jesus) have commanded you.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://simplechurch.eu/team/profile/13/\">Jonathan Fokker</a> at <a href=\"http://simplechurch.eu/index.php/toolbox/full/7-basic-commands-of-obeying-jesus-out-of-love/\">Simple Church</a> puts it this way:\r\n\r\n<em>Jesus told us to make disciples by teaching them to obey His commands (Matt. 28:18-20). He also said, “If you love me, obey my commands” (John 14:15). We need to teach disciples to obey the commands of Jesus out of love. </em><strong><em>You cannot obey without love otherwise you end up in legalism. But love without obedience is no real love at all. </em></strong><em>You show your love to Jesus by obedience to Him. </em><strong><em><a href=\"http://simplechurch.eu/index.php/toolbox/full/7-basic-commands-of-obeying-jesus-out-of-love/\">http://simplechurch.eu/index.php/toolbox/full/7-basic-commands-of-obeying-jesus-out-of-love/</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\nHe goes on to break out some of the commands Jesus left us, such as: Repent, believe and receive the Holy Spirit, be baptized, break bread together (communion), pray, give and make disciples, and of course, \"Love God with everything\" and \"Love your neighbour...\"\r\n\r\nSeriously, consider what could happen if we lived the great commission and actually went through life consciously obeying Jesus and making disciples?\r\n\r\nJust the other day, I was speaking with another friend about my journey of leaving church to find Jesus, and he asked how I would know when I’d “arrived” at a redemptive destination. There are many variables and questions still to be addressed and answered. One question I wrestle with is this: “What is church?\" And, \"if I don’t know what it is, how will I know when I find it? If I don’t know where I’m going, how will I get there?”\r\n\r\nMy friend answered with this, “Church is no longer the point. Jesus is.”\r\n\r\nWhen we become buried by our cynicism, unable to move beneath the weight of our own apathy, how easy it is to miss the point. Jesus didn’t call us to build, or even go, to church. He called us to obey him and make disciples. Pretty simple. Do that and we\'ll find out what church is.','F*** Apathy','','inherit','open','open','','6626-revision-3','','','2012-05-09 08:09:25','2012-05-09 15:09:25','',6626,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/09/6626-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6644,0,'2012-05-11 13:29:05','2012-05-11 20:29:05','Brandon asked me to write a review of Steve Brown\'s new book, Three Free Sins.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Erik Guzman\nAUTHOR EMAIL: erik@keylife.org\nAUTHOR URL: http://TheMerryMonk.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 71.0.69.45\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Erik Guzman\n    [Email] =&gt; erik@keylife.org\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; TheMerryMonk.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Brandon asked me to write a review of Steve Brown\'s new book, Three Free Sins.\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; The Merry Monk\n)\n','Erik Guzman - 2012-05-11 13:29:05','','publish','open','open','','6418fab9bad7f9d4992c591d7c5ab513','','','2012-05-11 13:29:05','2012-05-11 20:29:05','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=6644',0,'feedback','',0),(6643,38,'2012-05-06 22:40:43','2012-05-07 05:40:43','I pulled up to the Gurdwara in Rochester Hills, a small white and brick building. “Gurdwara” is the term for a place of worship for those of the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism\" target=\"_blank\">Sikh faith</a>. “God is One” was printed prominently on their sign near the road. Two boys playing in the parking lot pointed me to the right door and I entered the gurdwara. I was greeted by Mandheer Singh, a tall gentleman with electric brown eyes and a warm smile. Mandheer Singh is a real estate agent, is married and has two children. (Singh is the last name adopted by Sikh men to signify brotherhood and it means “lion\". Women use “Kaur” which means “Princess”.)\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5852\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"A Gurdwara\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/47450200@N02/4350484055/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5852 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/gurdwara_flickr_sohoandproud-300x184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"184\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n“Now, the first thing we do is we take off our shoes and cover our hair.” I removed my shoes and he handed me a cream-colored scarf to wear, which I place over the top of my hair and wrapped the excess around each shoulder. Mandheer Singh was wearing a black turban. “The reason we take off our shoes is because we believe God is everywhere and so this is a holy place. And the reason we cover our hair is to show modesty and respect.”\r\n<h3>About the Gurdwara</h3>\r\nMandheer Singh first gave me a tour of the gurdwara. Down one hallway was a kitchen. “This kitchen is used to make food that we serve every week for free. Everyone is welcome to eat with us. And this is consistent all across the world, so if you are traveling in a city and need food, or if you are homeless and need a meal, go to a gurdwara and they will take care of you. This is one way we give back to the community, and is one of our core beliefs.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5858\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Sikh women and children\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/graphia/5662116967/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5858\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sikh-children_flickr_graphia-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHe then showed me to the room at the end of the hall. There were several women and children sitting on the floor. “This is where the meal will be served after the service. Everyone sits on the floor during the meal to symbolize equality.” In Sikhism, women are not considered any less than men, but are regarded as complete equals in the congregation.\r\n\r\nHe then showed me to the main room down the other hallway where a service was in process, where everyone was sitting on the floor in two main sections with an aisle down the middle.  In the front of the room there was a Sikh man, a Granthi, sitting and reading from scripture.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5860\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Inside a gurdwara\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/hari_singh/6523149179/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5860\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/gurdwara_flickr_hari-singh-300x240.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"240\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n“They just finished about an hour and a half of singing hymns which are directly taken from our scriptures, and now will go for about another half hour of reading and reciting from the Guru Granth Sahib,” (which is their sacred scriptures). There is a screen with the English translation for those who aren’t familiar with Gurmukhi (the Punjabi language alphabet).\r\n<h3>Life as a Sikh</h3>\r\nMandheer Singh wasn’t always a practicing Sikh, he told me. Mandheer Singh’s parents moved from India to the US. He was born in Sacramento, and grew up in a small town in Ohio where his father worked for the Air Force as a civilian. “I grew up in Ohio, so I grew up like any other American. I watched Hulk Hogan, listened to Led Zeppelin, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, all of that.”\r\n\r\nSo how did he come to the Sikh faith? His family came into contact with a few Sikhs who were very dedicated and knowledgable about the religion, and then they went on to introduce his family to more Sikhs in the US and Canada. When he looked around he saw them were being doctors, artists, athletes, professors—fully participating citizens. “I mean, I looked at myself,” said Mandheer Singh. “I have brown skin and dark hair. I was never really going to blend in completely. So it was alright for me to blend in just a little bit less to join this faith. There was something that compelled me to it, and as I learned more about it I felt it was who I really was on the inside.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5871\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The Golden Temple (Amritsar) in the Sikhism capital, Punjab in India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/azwegers/6289556477/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5871  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/golden-temple_flickr_arian-zwegers-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMandheer Singh and his brother embraced the faith before their parents in to the faith. “He and I stopped cutting our hair and starting wearing our turbans. In fact, I remember chiding my father by saying things like ‘Why do you keep cutting your hair? Don’t you want to be respectful to the faith?’” Mandheer Singh’s father starting making notes when he would talk to people or learn about the Sikh faith. Those notes turned into a folder, which turned into a binder of its own, and now his father is one of the most highly regarded speakers and scholars of Sikhism.\r\n\r\nThe strengthening of his faith changed his desires as a person. “I stopped listening to all the bands that I used to. Like, if you were to play Run DMC right now, I’ll still know all the words, but it doesn’t feel the same to me anymore. I started listening to our hymns all the time and I just wanted to listen to them even more than everything else.”\r\n\r\nMandheer Singh went on to explain the things that Sikh men have on them at all times, known as the Five Ks.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesh_(Sikhism)\" target=\"_blank\">Kesh</a> – Uncut hair</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanga_(Sikhism)\" target=\"_blank\">Kanga</a> – A small, wooden comb (“The comb is basically supposed to show us that we are not to cut our hair, but that we are also supposed to take care of it and ourselves out of respect”)</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kara_(Sikhism)\" target=\"_blank\">Kara</a> – A metal bracelet (which Mandheer Singh said is very much like a wedding ring)</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kachera\" target=\"_blank\">Kachera</a> – A specific type of cotton briefs (which represent chastity and preparedness)</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirpan\" target=\"_blank\">Kirpan</a> – A small dagger (you may only fight in <em>defense</em>, never offense)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5864\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"A Sikh couple\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/petercastleton/5018035205/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5864\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sikh-couple_flickr_petercastleton-300x221.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"221\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe Five Ks give Sikhs a unique outward identity. “I could go into a bar or a club,” (Sikhs are not allowed to drink alcohol) “but I know that I am a walking image of the Gurus and their teachings,” he said. “I could take off my turban and bracelet, but it’s the same thing as if you were to go into a club and take off your wedding rings.”\r\n<h3>How 9/11 Affected the Sikh Community</h3>\r\nI asked about cross-discrimination and racism since September 11<sup>th</sup>, which he said did affect the Sikh community. There were some profane things written on a nearby gurdwara just a few weeks ago.\r\n\r\n“It thought it was unfair that an image I had associated all my life as holy was hijacked; literally hijacked.”\r\n\r\nMandheer Singh remembers the looks he got when he went to the gym after 9/11. He has a Sikh friend in NYC who was attacked on a subway because someone thought he was a Muslim. (“It wouldn’t be right even he had been a Muslim,” Mandheer Singh added.) The judge wanted to send the attacker to jail, but Mandheer Singh’s friend insisted instead that he serve community service at their gurdwara. After getting to know the people and who they were, the man who attacked him apologized and said, “I am so sorry, I didn’t know who you were. Had I known ... I am <em>so</em> sorry.”\r\n\r\n“I have a confession,” Mandheer Singh said to me.\r\n<blockquote>I remember going to a Chinese restaurant with a bunch of people and on our way in there were two very white people coming our direction. You know, blonde hair, blue eyes. They were just staring at us. I could feel myself tensing up and I just knew what they were thinking. As we got closer, they said, \"Hello!\" And I thought, \"I just did it to them!\" My prejudgment of them was no better than what others had done to me. And that was when I knew I couldn’t live like that anymore. I can’t assume those kinds of things of people. Walking around with a chip on my shoulder just makes things worse.</blockquote>\r\nWhen I asked him what he loved about being a Sikh, he said sheepishly, “As cliché as it is … everything. I love everything about it. It gives me such a sense of purpose and meaning in my life.”\r\n<h3>Conclusion</h3>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5856\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Khanda, a Sikh symbol\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/khanda_flickr_sikhiwiki.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-5856\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/khanda_flickr_sikhiwiki-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEveryone I interacted with at the gurdwara made sure I felt comfortable and explained whatever I wanted to know. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into before going in, as I had only studied Sikhism through a World Religion class, but the kindness of the Sikh community I visited was overwhelming. My conversation with Mandheer Singh lasted a long time and he was open to any question I had to ask.\r\n\r\nWhat’s interesting is that the kindness they displayed has been consistent across the few other Sikhs I’ve met. (For instance, my doctor is a Sikh. His kind smile puts me at ease and he very good at his job.) I was moved by their hospitality and by their emphasis on equality and community service, and I am proud to count them as my friends.\r\n\r\n<strong>Thanks to Manheer Singh, Mandeep Singh, Kulwinder Singh, and the Sikh Gurdwara of Rochester Hills for allowing me the chance to get to know them and see into their community.</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>Next, we\'ll hear from one of the most influential Jews in social media, a Rabbi in Detroit.</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: </em><em>Flickr / <em><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/graphia/5648545143/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">graphia</a> (Sikh young man), </em><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/47450200@N02/4350484055/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">sohoandproud</a> (gurdwara), </em><em><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/sikhiwiki/2300262427/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">sikhiwiki</a> (khanda, a Sikh symbol), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/graphia/5662116967/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">graphia</a> (Sikh children), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/hari_singh/6523149179/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Hari Singh</a> (inside a gurdwara), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/azwegers/6289556477/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Arian Zwegers</a> (Amritsar, the Golden Temple in Punjab)</em>','Faith Interview Series: Sikhism','','inherit','open','open','','5851-revision-25','','','2012-05-06 22:40:43','2012-05-07 05:40:43','',5851,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/06/5851-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(6648,181,'2012-05-11 19:26:35','2012-05-12 02:26:35','','Three Free Sins','','inherit','open','open','','3fsbookcover','','','2012-05-11 19:26:35','2012-05-12 02:26:35','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6649,181,'2012-05-11 19:33:50','2012-05-12 02:33:50','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6648\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover-217x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"217\" height=\"300\" /></a>What would you do with three free sins?\n\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second. That question presupposes that I believe there is such a thing as sin and that under normal circumstances I have to pay someone for them.\" Agreed. So let\'s suppose you believe those things. What do you think? Three free ones, what would you do?\n\nBefore you answer, let me be clear. You may still have to suffer consequences for the three nasty things on your list, but you won\'t owe God jack. When it comes to these three sins, the slate is clean. They never show up on Santa\'s list.\n\nI\'ll go first. I\'m a pretty simple guy with common vices. I\'d get drunk, masturbate to porn and smoke a joint... not necessarily in that order.\n\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second! That\'s just not right! Masturbation and viewing pornography count as two sins.\" I understand where you\'re coming from, but I don\'t buy it. One without the other just isn\'t worth it. Press me on this and I\'ll use my second free sin on another joint, or maybe give you a purple nurple. I\'m sorry, that was harsh, but I\'m trying to get to a book review here and you keep interrupting.\n\nYou know what? Forget the three free sins. What if Jesus gave you unlimited free sins?! You still have to deal with cause and effect on this side of the veil, but God will never be angry at you for what you did or didn\'t do with your life. That\'s the heart of the message in Steve Brown\'s new book, <em>Three Free Sins: God\'s Not Mad at You</em>.\n\nAt this point I need to insert a disclaimer. I\'ve worked for Steve Brown for almost 15 years. Even so, Brandon Wallace, one of the editors at Provoketive.com, asked me to write a review of <em>Three Free Sins</em>. To me that\'s like asking Robin to review Batman\'s work. What do you expect? Robin\'s gonna tell you his boss is the coolest and he wishes he could trade in his lame uniform for one just like Batman\'s. Batman wrote the book on badass vigilante justice and that book gets five stars from the boy in green underwear, all day long. Even if <em>Three Free Sins</em> sucked, I\'d use one of my free sins and lie because Brown signs the paycheck.\n\nHowever, I don\'t have to lie. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is Steve Brown at his finest. As Steve admits, he couldn\'t have written this book even a few years ago. He had too much to lose. Today that\'s not the case. Steve\'s old. He\'s done everything he set out to do, and more. He’s a successful author, broadcaster and seminary professor. Nobody is pulling Steve’s strings and nobody has any leverage on him, so he tells it like it is. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the gospel of grace with no punches pulled, but it\'s more than that.\n\n<em>Three Free Sins</em> charts a course correction for the church. It\'s a call to abandon the fruitless efforts of sin management in exchange for a life of radical freedom, infectious joy and surprising faithfulness to God. In fact, Steve argues that the reason Christians are so bad is that we\'re trying so hard to be good, and that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don\'t get any better, Jesus will still love them anyway.\n\nWithout this focus on God\'s grace and unconditional love, the church has become filthy with the grotesque sins of self-righteousness and pride while frantically scrubbing at a few select sins with the narcissistic zeal of someone with OCD. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the pure, cleansing water of gospel sanity.\n\nNot only that, this book is funny. Steve\'s illustrations and crotchety attitude are sprinkled throughout, making <em>Three Free Sins</em> a delightful combination of revelry and revelation.\n\nPlus Steve is secretly a multi-millionaire playboy who has a jet car and a utility belt with all kinds of great gear (including shark repellant).\n\nSo, if you think God is mad at you, or you\'ve been trying really hard to make God happy and you\'re tired and want to give up, you must read <em>Three Free Sins</em>. The infectious joy of finding out God is already quite pleased with you will give you strength in your weakness.\n\nIf you think you\'ve got it all together, this book will probably just tick you off, but read it anyway. Hopefully there will come a day when you find out the truth about yourself and you\'ll remember reading a book by that old white heretic, Steve Brown. Maybe then you\'ll be able to hear the message that your sins are free because Jesus picked up the tab.\n\nWell, that\'s my book review. I\'ve gotta go finish this spliff and wash the Batmobile. Go buy a copy of Three Free Sins. Steve has a staff to pay.','Three Free Sins: A Review of Sorts','','inherit','open','open','','6646-revision','','','2012-05-11 19:33:50','2012-05-12 02:33:50','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/11/6646-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6695,179,'2012-05-17 00:05:35','2012-05-17 07:05:35','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the current president\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\n-- <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">President Barack Hussein Obama II</a>, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\n\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\n-- <a title=\"Dr. George O. Wood\" href=\"http://www.georgeowood.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. George O. Wood</a>, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\n\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\n\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\n<ul>\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\n</ul>','Cheap Presidential Propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-autosave','','','2012-05-17 00:05:35','2012-05-17 07:05:35','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/17/6659-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6650,181,'2012-05-11 19:35:39','2012-05-12 02:35:39','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6648\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover-217x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"217\" height=\"300\" /></a>What would you do with three free sins?\r\n\r\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second. That question presupposes that I believe there is such a thing as sin and that under normal circumstances I have to pay someone for them.\" Agreed. So let\'s suppose you believe those things. What do you think? Three free ones, what would you do?\r\n\r\nBefore you answer, let me be clear. You may still have to suffer consequences for the three nasty things on your list, but you won\'t owe God jack. When it comes to these three sins, the slate is clean. They never show up on Santa\'s list.\r\n\r\nI\'ll go first. I\'m a pretty simple guy with common vices. I\'d get drunk, masturbate to porn and smoke a joint... not necessarily in that order.\r\n\r\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second! That\'s just not right! Masturbation and viewing pornography count as two sins.\" I understand where you\'re coming from, but I don\'t buy it. One without the other just isn\'t worth it. Press me on this and I\'ll use my second free sin on another joint, or maybe give you a purple nurple. I\'m sorry, that was harsh, but I\'m trying to get to a book review here and you keep interrupting.\r\n\r\nYou know what? Forget the three free sins. What if Jesus gave you unlimited free sins?! You still have to deal with cause and effect on this side of the veil, but God will never be angry at you for what you did or didn\'t do with your life. That\'s the heart of the message in Steve Brown\'s new book, <em>Three Free Sins: God\'s Not Mad at You</em>.\r\n\r\nAt this point I need to insert a disclaimer. I\'ve worked for Steve Brown for almost 15 years. Even so, Brandon Wallace, one of the editors at Provoketive.com, asked me to write a review of <em>Three Free Sins</em>. To me that\'s like asking Robin to review Batman\'s work. What do you expect? Robin\'s gonna tell you his boss is the coolest and he wishes he could trade in his lame uniform for one just like Batman\'s. Batman wrote the book on badass vigilante justice and that book gets five stars from the boy in green underwear, all day long. Even if <em>Three Free Sins</em> sucked, I\'d use one of my free sins and lie because Brown signs the paycheck.\r\n\r\nHowever, I don\'t have to lie. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is Steve Brown at his finest. As Steve admits, he couldn\'t have written this book even a few years ago. He had too much to lose. Today that\'s not the case. Steve\'s old. He\'s done everything he set out to do, and more. He’s a successful author, broadcaster and seminary professor. Nobody is pulling Steve’s strings and nobody has any leverage on him, so he tells it like it is. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the gospel of grace with no punches pulled, but it\'s more than that.\r\n\r\n<em>Three Free Sins</em> charts a course correction for the church. It\'s a call to abandon the fruitless efforts of sin management in exchange for a life of radical freedom, infectious joy and surprising faithfulness to God. In fact, Steve argues that the reason Christians are so bad is that we\'re trying so hard to be good, and that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don\'t get any better, Jesus will still love them anyway.\r\n\r\nWithout this focus on God\'s grace and unconditional love, the church has become filthy with the grotesque sins of self-righteousness and pride while frantically scrubbing at a few select sins with the narcissistic zeal of someone with OCD. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the pure, cleansing water of gospel sanity.\r\n\r\nNot only that, this book is funny. Steve\'s illustrations and crotchety attitude are sprinkled throughout, making <em>Three Free Sins</em> a delightful combination of revelry and revelation.\r\n\r\nPlus Steve is secretly a multi-millionaire playboy who has a jet car and a utility belt with all kinds of great gear (including shark repellant).\r\n\r\nSo, if you think God is mad at you, or you\'ve been trying really hard to make God happy and you\'re tired and want to give up, you must read <em>Three Free Sins</em>. The infectious joy of finding out God is already quite pleased with you will give you strength in your weakness.\r\n\r\nIf you think you\'ve got it all together, this book will probably just tick you off, but read it anyway. Hopefully there will come a day when you find out the truth about yourself and you\'ll remember reading a book by that old white heretic, Steve Brown. Maybe then you\'ll be able to hear the message that your sins are free because Jesus picked up the tab.\r\n\r\nWell, that\'s my book review. I\'ve gotta go finish this spliff and wash the Batmobile. Go buy a copy of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Three-Free-Sins-Gods-Not/dp/1451612265/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1336790066&amp;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Three Free Sins</em></a>. Steve has a staff to pay.','Three Free Sins: A Review of Sorts','','inherit','open','open','','6646-revision-2','','','2012-05-11 19:35:39','2012-05-12 02:35:39','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/11/6646-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6651,181,'2012-05-11 19:35:58','2012-05-12 02:35:58','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6648\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover-217x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"217\" height=\"300\" /></a>What would you do with three free sins?\r\n\r\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second. That question presupposes that I believe there is such a thing as sin and that under normal circumstances I have to pay someone for them.\" Agreed. So let\'s suppose you believe those things. What do you think? Three free ones, what would you do?\r\n\r\nBefore you answer, let me be clear. You may still have to suffer consequences for the three nasty things on your list, but you won\'t owe God jack. When it comes to these three sins, the slate is clean. They never show up on Santa\'s list.\r\n\r\nI\'ll go first. I\'m a pretty simple guy with common vices. I\'d get drunk, masturbate to porn and smoke a joint... not necessarily in that order.\r\n\r\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second! That\'s just not right! Masturbation and viewing pornography count as two sins.\" I understand where you\'re coming from, but I don\'t buy it. One without the other just isn\'t worth it. Press me on this and I\'ll use my second free sin on another joint, or maybe give you a purple nurple. I\'m sorry, that was harsh, but I\'m trying to get to a book review here and you keep interrupting.\r\n\r\nYou know what? Forget the three free sins. What if Jesus gave you unlimited free sins?! You still have to deal with cause and effect on this side of the veil, but God will never be angry at you for what you did or didn\'t do with your life. That\'s the heart of the message in Steve Brown\'s new book, <em>Three Free Sins: God\'s Not Mad at You</em>.\r\n\r\nAt this point I need to insert a disclaimer. I\'ve worked for Steve Brown for almost 15 years. Even so, Brandon Wallace, one of the editors at Provoketive.com, asked me to write a review of <em>Three Free Sins</em>. To me that\'s like asking Robin to review Batman\'s work. What do you expect? Robin\'s gonna tell you his boss is the coolest and he wishes he could trade in his lame uniform for one just like Batman\'s. Batman wrote the book on badass vigilante justice and that book gets five stars from the boy in green underwear, all day long. Even if <em>Three Free Sins</em> sucked, I\'d use one of my free sins and lie because Brown signs the paycheck.\r\n\r\nHowever, I don\'t have to lie. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is Steve Brown at his finest. As Steve admits, he couldn\'t have written this book even a few years ago. He had too much to lose. Today that\'s not the case. Steve\'s old. He\'s done everything he set out to do, and more. He’s a successful author, broadcaster and seminary professor. Nobody is pulling Steve’s strings and nobody has any leverage on him, so he tells it like it is. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the gospel of grace with no punches pulled, but it\'s more than that.\r\n\r\n<em>Three Free Sins</em> charts a course correction for the church. It\'s a call to abandon the fruitless efforts of sin management in exchange for a life of radical freedom, infectious joy and surprising faithfulness to God. In fact, Steve argues that the reason Christians are so bad is that we\'re trying so hard to be good, and that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don\'t get any better, Jesus will still love them anyway.\r\n\r\nWithout this focus on God\'s grace and unconditional love, the church has become filthy with the grotesque sins of self-righteousness and pride while frantically scrubbing at a few select sins with the narcissistic zeal of someone with OCD. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the pure, cleansing water of gospel sanity.\r\n\r\nNot only that, this book is funny. Steve\'s illustrations and crotchety attitude are sprinkled throughout, making <em>Three Free Sins</em> a delightful combination of revelry and revelation.\r\n\r\nPlus Steve is secretly a multi-millionaire playboy who has a jet car and a utility belt with all kinds of great gear (including shark repellant).\r\n\r\nSo, if you think God is mad at you, or you\'ve been trying really hard to make God happy and you\'re tired and want to give up, you must read <em>Three Free Sins</em>. The infectious joy of finding out God is already quite pleased with you will give you strength in your weakness.\r\n\r\nIf you think you\'ve got it all together, this book will probably just tick you off, but read it anyway. Hopefully there will come a day when you find out the truth about yourself and you\'ll remember reading a book by that old white heretic, Steve Brown. Maybe then you\'ll be able to hear the message that your sins are free because Jesus picked up the tab.\r\n\r\nWell, that\'s my book review. I\'ve gotta go finish this spliff and wash the Batmobile. Go buy a copy of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Three-Free-Sins-Gods-Not/dp/1451612265/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1336790066&amp;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Three Free Sins</em></a>. Steve has a staff to pay.','Three Free Sins: A Review of Sorts','','inherit','open','open','','6646-revision-3','','','2012-05-11 19:35:58','2012-05-12 02:35:58','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/11/6646-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6652,181,'2012-05-11 19:51:01','2012-05-12 02:51:01','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6648\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover-217x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"217\" height=\"300\" /></a>What would you do with three free sins?\n\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second. That question presupposes that I believe there is such a thing as sin and that under normal circumstances I have to pay someone for them.\" Agreed. So let\'s suppose you believe those things. What do you think? Three free ones, what would you do?\n\nBefore you answer, let me be clear. You may still have to suffer consequences for the three nasty things on your list, but you won\'t owe God jack. When it comes to these three sins, the slate is clean. They never show up on Santa\'s list.\n\nI\'ll go first. I\'m a pretty simple guy with common vices. I\'d get drunk, masturbate to porn and smoke a joint... not necessarily in that order.\n\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second! That\'s just not right! Masturbation and viewing pornography count as two sins.\" I understand where you\'re coming from, but I don\'t buy it. One without the other just isn\'t worth it. Press me on this and I\'ll use my second free sin on another joint, or maybe give you a purple nurple. I\'m sorry, that was harsh, but I\'m trying to get to a book review here and you keep interrupting.\n\nYou know what? Forget the three free sins. What if Jesus gave you unlimited free sins?! You still have to deal with cause and effect on this side of the veil, but God will never be angry at you for what you did or didn\'t do with your life. That\'s the heart of the message in Steve Brown\'s new book, <em>Three Free Sins: God\'s Not Mad at You</em>.\n\nAt this point I need to insert a disclaimer. I\'ve worked for Steve Brown for almost 15 years. Even so, Brandon Wallace, one of the editors at Provoketive.com, asked me to write a review of <em>Three Free Sins</em>. To me that\'s like asking Robin to review Batman\'s work. What do you expect? Robin\'s gonna tell you his boss is the coolest and he wishes he could trade in his lame uniform for one just like Batman\'s. Batman wrote the book on badass vigilante justice and that book gets five stars from the boy in green underwear, all day long. Even if <em>Three Free Sins</em> sucked, I\'d use one of my free sins and lie because Brown signs the paycheck.\n\nHowever, I don\'t have to lie. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is Steve Brown at his finest. As Steve admits, he couldn\'t have written this book even a few years ago. He had too much to lose. Today that\'s not the case. Steve\'s old. He\'s done everything he set out to do, and more. He’s a successful author, broadcaster and seminary professor. Nobody is pulling Steve’s strings and nobody has any leverage on him, so he tells it like it is. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the gospel of grace with no punches pulled, but it\'s more than that.\n\n<em>Three Free Sins</em> charts a course correction for the church. It\'s a call to abandon the fruitless efforts of sin management in exchange for a life of radical freedom, infectious joy and surprising faithfulness to God. In fact, Steve argues that the reason Christians are so bad is that we\'re trying so hard to be good, and that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don\'t get any better, Jesus will still love them anyway.\n\nWithout this focus on God\'s grace and unconditional love, the church has become filthy with the grotesque sins of self-righteousness and pride while frantically scrubbing at a few select sins with the narcissistic zeal of someone with OCD. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the pure, cleansing water of gospel sanity.\n\nNot only that, this book is funny. Steve\'s illustrations and crotchety attitude are sprinkled throughout, making <em>Three Free Sins</em> a delightful combination of revelry and revelation.\n\nPlus Steve is secretly a multi-millionaire playboy who has a jet car and a utility belt with all kinds of great gear (including shark repellant).\n\nSo, if you think God is mad at you, or you\'ve been trying really hard to make God happy and you\'re tired and want to give up, you must read <em>Three Free Sins</em>. The infectious joy of finding out God is already quite pleased with you will give you strength in your weakness.\n\nIf you think you\'ve got it all together, this book will probably just tick you off, but read it anyway. Hopefully there will come a day when you find out the truth about yourself and you\'ll remember reading a book by that old white heretic, Steve Brown. Maybe then you\'ll be able to hear the message that your sins are free because Jesus picked up the tab.\n\nWell, that\'s my book review. I\'ve gotta go finish this spliff and wash the Batmobile. Go buy a copy of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Three-Free-Sins-Gods-Not/dp/1451612265/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1336790066&amp;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Three Free Sins</em></a>. Steve has a staff to pay.','Three Free Sins: A Revew of Sorts','','inherit','open','open','','6646-revision-4','','','2012-05-11 19:51:01','2012-05-12 02:51:01','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/11/6646-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(6713,78,'2012-05-27 08:00:37','2012-05-27 15:00:37','I grew up in a very conservative Christian home. During my teenage years, my family fell into what my parents now refer to as \"the denim skirt cult.\" You know. The one where all the girls where long sleeves, denim skirts, and (if they are extra chaste) head coverings.\r\n\r\nGrowing up, I was taught that as a woman, modesty was my priority. Not only in how I dressed, but also in how I acted. It was important to show as little skin as possible. It was vital to keep men at an arms length (no dating!) It was wrong to wear tight clothes, or anything that even showed the form of my body--hence the skirts. It was inappropriate to be alone in the same room with a boy (not to mention the time I rode in the car with one and was grounded for two weeks).\r\n\r\nWhy all of this? Because if I didn\'t take exorbitant precautions, I might cause a man to stumble. Sexual thoughts might enter his mind and it would be all my fault. Because sex, even in thought, was wrong (outside the bounds of marriage, of course). And because men are visual and can\'t help themselves, it falls to the woman to prevent this sin from occurring.\r\n\r\nI haven\'t worn a denim skirt for over 5 years. It has taken me almost as long to recover and recalibrate my mindset from that of the \"denim skirt cult\".\r\n\r\nThat stage of my life did me far more damage than it did good. I am not against teaching modesty to young women. I\'m not even against dressing very conservatively if that is what a person is comfortable with. What I am against is the <em>way</em> modesty is taught most of the time.  I feel that when teaching modesty to young women it is incredibly important to do it for the right reasons.\r\n\r\n<em>\"To keep men from stumbling\" is not a right reason. But why? Why is this thought process wrong and how could it possibly be damaging?</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>1) Men are sexual, visual beings.</strong> They always have been, they always will be. They are attracted based on appearances. Nothing you do or don\'t do will stop them from having that natural, innate urge within them. Men are going to be attracted to women no matter what they are wearing. If a man wants to imagine what a woman looks like naked, he is going to do that whether she is wearing a bikini or burkha.\r\n\r\nThere is nothing wrong with men being attracted to women or women being attracted to men. Outside of marriage, within marriage, single people, divorced people-- there will be attraction. To say that the attraction is based solely on how a woman dresses is not only ridiculous, it is harmful and places an extraordinary burden on them.\r\n\r\n<strong>2) A woman is not responsible for what a man thinks</strong> <strong>about her or how he acts towards her. At all.</strong> Men are capable of controlling themselves.  I honestly used to think that all men were completely incapable of this. I thought that for some prehistoric reason, when they saw a pretty girl, they had no choice but to beat their chest and try to mate with her.  It was all my fault if I looked even remotely attractive and I was causing them to \"sin\" in their thoughts. Because after all, they can\'t help themselves.\r\n\r\nMen are just as capable of controlling themselves, even in their thoughts, as women are. Men are capable of taking responsibility for what they think and feel --as they should. They have God-given sexual urges and they have God-given self-control. It is up to them if they want to use the latter.\r\n\r\n<strong>3) The self-esteem of women, especially teenage girls, is already delicate.</strong> As women, we are constantly bombarded by images of flawless complexions, skinny bodies, long legs and big breasts. Society tells us that if we don\'t match up to their impossibly high standard, we aren\'t beautiful. To further exacerbate this low sense of self-worth already thrust upon is, the \"denim skirt cult\" mindset causes girls to feel guilty and sinful if they dress attractively. And I\'m not even talking about super low-cut tops and butt-cheek shorts. I\'m just talking about well-fitting, attractive clothing. For the longest time I felt an unremitting sense of guilt if I wore jeans and a t-shirt that fit well. Multiply that guilt if I put on enough make-up to make me feel like a superstar. Until two weeks ago, I hadn\'t worn a pair of regular shorts for years and years. Every time I put them on I felt gross, exposed and guilty.\r\n\r\nInstilling a sense of shame on a teenage girl for looking and feeling attractive is not healthy in any way. Making a girl shlub around in denim skirts and baggy shirts because her body is something to hide and be ashamed of is ridiculous. Telling her that SHE is to take responsibility for the thoughts and actions of the men around her is harmful and, quite honestly, has the potential to set her up for emotionally and spiritually--if not physically--abusive relationships.\r\n\r\nGirls, it is okay to dress attractively. It is okay to wear clothes that make you feel comfortable in your own skin. It\'s okay to get dressed up and feel beautiful and sexy. There\'s nothing wrong with expressing yourself through what you wear. <strong>Because it doesn\'t matter what you wear or how you act-- what a man thinks, feels, or does is his own responsibility. Not yours.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPhoto by <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellecarl/\">Michelle Carl</a>','The Denim Skirt Cult','','publish','open','open','','the-denim-skirt-cult','','','2012-05-22 21:33:47','2012-05-23 04:33:47','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6713',0,'post','',11),(6794,0,'2012-05-27 10:49:32','2012-05-27 17:49:32','reviewing Callid Keefe-Perry\'s film \"Made as Makers\"\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Kellie Gentry\nAUTHOR EMAIL: pixie.gentry@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://none\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 66.30.43.189\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Kellie Gentry\n    [Email] =&gt; pixie.gentry@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; none\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; reviewing Callid Keefe-Perry\'s film \"Made as Makers\"\r\n\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; kelliegentry\n)\n','Kellie Gentry - 2012-05-27 10:49:32','','publish','open','open','','41954dba28f866a3bd83f33ae8f7b34c','','','2012-05-27 10:49:32','2012-05-27 17:49:32','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=6794',0,'feedback','',0),(6655,38,'2012-05-09 08:48:06','2012-05-09 15:48:06','<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<h2>About Carl</h2>\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">nd</span> and March 21<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">st</span>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973.\r\n<h2>About Progressive Revelation</h2>\r\nCarl was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n<h2>Beliefs of the Bahá’í Faith</h2>\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">st</span> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh however, contains over six million words which is equivalent of more than 100 volumes.\r\n\r\n“Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.” The Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding daily life, Abdu\'l-Bahá (the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh and the perfect Bahá’í) said \"Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\'\"\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6100\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\" caption=\"Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<h2>Misconceptions</h2>\r\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain: Mt. Carmel in Haifa, Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it, which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6102\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Dome of Light in the Bahai Temple, North of Chicago\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6102\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n<h2>Gatherings</h2>\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The <strong>Devotional Gathering</strong> is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Study Circles</strong> are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Junior youth classes</strong> are available.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Children’s classes</strong> are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn, if that\'s what you\'re asking.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<h2>Conclusion</h2>\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you to Carl Marshall for his kindness, generosity, and for meeting with me to share his faith with me.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><em><strong>Hear about gurus, turbans, and the Five K\'s from </strong></em>Mandheer Singh, a Sikh gentleman from Rochester Hills next.</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jay galvin</a> (Shrine of the <em>Báb), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctot_non_def/1434223112/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ctot_not_def</a> (Dome of Light)</em> <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-29','','','2012-05-09 08:48:06','2012-05-09 15:48:06','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/09/6068-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(6657,110,'2012-05-14 03:19:11','0000-00-00 00:00:00','<blockquote>On the last day of the biggest festival, Jesus stood up in the middle of everyone and shouted out loud \"If any of you feel thirsty, come and drink from me - whoever believes in me will have rivers of living waters flowing out from them, just like the scripture says!\"</blockquote>\nI don\'t normally think of Jesus as being like one of those evangelists, you know, the ones that stand on the street corner and tell us all how we\'re going to die. Yet it seems like that\'s just what he was doing here, making a scene, getting the \'wrong kind of attention\'.\n\nWe can only understand what Jesus is saying by looking a bit deeper at the background of what is going on. It\'s sometime in September/October, and this biggest festival is Sukkot, the feast of booths - one of the ancient festivals recorded in the Torah, one that YHWH instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to celebrate every year. The <em>sukkot</em> are booths, temporary structures that have roofs made of branches, to remind the Jews that their ancestors lived in tents for 40 years as God brought them to the land he promised them. It\'s a celebration of the way God fulfilled his promises to the Jews, the late harvest celebration after all the  crops have been brought in, a time of great joy and celebration. It\'s also a time of looking forward to the time when the promise of God for a messiah will be fulfilled, when the promises of the prophets will come to fulfilment, prayers of \"hosanna\". It\'s easy to forget that hosanna is not a prayer of praise to God like \'hallelujah\', it\'s the prayer \"God save us\".\n\nOne of the central rituals of the week-long festival was the priests going down from the temple to the pool of Siloam, filling up big jugs with water and then carrying them back up the hill to the temple, along the pilgrimage road into Jerusalem, accompanied by many people singing and dancing. The  water would be poured out inside the temple as a thanksgiving offering to God, it would run down the steps, running over the massive courtyard. If like me you live in a temperate climate, it\'s easy to forget how precious water is when you live in a hot dry climate like the near east, whether Jerusalem or the wilderness where the Jews remembered their ancestors wanderings. Twice the Torah records the Israelites complaining to Moses of being so thirsty they would die - they weren\'t exaggerating, water is essential to life. Twice God provided water for them, and as they celebrate their crops for the past year, he continues to provide water. But there\'s a sense of being thirsty for more - thirsty for the coming messiah, thirsty for justice,thirsty for peace, thirsty for God\'s reign.\n\nSo as the water is being poured out and flowing down the steps, as the Jews prepare to sing, dance and play music to celebrate the blessing of God, Jesus stands up and shouts out about rivers of water coming out of those who believe in him, the Holy Spirit.\n\nThis isn\'t the first time John records Jesus talking about living water flowing out of people - in chapter 4 he describes Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman. John explains that Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans, and a good Jewish man would have kept away from any woman outside his immediate family. More than this, the woman he talks to is an outcast in her own community because they though she was immoral. As she\'s doing her daily chore of collecting water, Jesus talks to her about water springing up inside, of never being thirsty. She\'s been looking for life in all the wrong places, but now she finds life that will never run out.\n\nBut Jesus is doing something different here - this is not the water of daily chores, it\'s a break from normality, a decadent celebration of God\'s blessing and an expression of wanting more. But tomorrow it will be all over and normality will return. It looks to me like Jesus doesn\'t offer water that will never run out here. He doesn\'t want them to be stuck in a religious festival for the whole year, they are supposed to go back to normality after this celebration. He doesn\'t want them to be filled with the high of the worship all year - if anything he wants them to still be thirsty for more of God\'s action. Yet if they believe in him, \"rivers of living water will flow from within them\" - they will become a place where the thirst of others can be quenched','Thirsty for God?','','draft','open','open','','','','','2012-05-14 03:19:11','2012-05-14 10:19:11','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6657',0,'post','',0),(6658,110,'2012-05-14 03:17:58','2012-05-14 10:17:58','<blockquote>On the last day of the biggest festival, Jesus stood up in the middle of everyone and shouted out loud \"If any of you feel thirsty, come and drink from me - whoever believes in me will have rivers of living waters flowing out from them, just like the scripture says!\"</blockquote>\nI don\'t normally think of Jesus as being like one of those evangelists, you know, the ones that stand on the street corner and tell us all how we\'re going to die. Yet it seems like that\'s just what he was doing here, making a scene, getting the \'wrong kind of attention\'.\n\nWe can only understand what Jesus is saying by looking a bit deeper at the background of what is going on. It\'s sometime in September/October, and this biggest festival is Sukkot, the feast of booths - one of the ancient festivals recorded in the Torah, one that YHWH instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to celebrate every year. The <em>sukkot</em> are booths, temporary structures that have roofs made of branches, to remind the Jews that their ancestors lived in tents for 40 years as God brought them to the land he promised them. It\'s a celebration of the way God fulfilled his promises to the Jews, the late harvest celebration after all the  crops have been brought in, a time of great joy and celebration. It\'s also a time of looking forward to the time when the promise of God for a messiah will be fulfilled, when the promises of the prophets will come to fulfilment, prayers of \"hosanna\". It\'s easy to forget that hosanna is not a prayer of praise to God like \'hallelujah\', it\'s the prayer \"God save us\".\n\nOne of the central rituals of the week-long festival was the priests going down from the temple to the pool of Siloam, filling up big jugs with water and then carrying them back up the hill to the temple, along the pilgrimage road into Jerusalem, accompanied by many people singing and dancing. The  water would be poured out inside the temple as a thanksgiving offering to God, it would run down the steps, running over the massive courtyard. If like me you live in a temperate climate, it\'s easy to forget how precious water is when you live in a hot dry climate like the near east, whether Jerusalem or the wilderness where the Jews remembered their ancestors wanderings. Twice the Torah records the Israelites complaining to Moses of being so thirsty they would die - they weren\'t exaggerating, water is essential to life. Twice God provided water for them, and as they celebrate their crops for the past year, he continues to provide water. But there\'s a sense of being thirsty for more - thirsty for the coming messiah, thirsty for justice,thirsty for peace, thirsty for God\'s reign.\n\nSo as the water is being poured out and flowing down the steps, as the Jews prepare to sing, dance and play music to celebrate the blessing of God, Jesus stands up and shouts out about rivers of water coming out of those who believe in him, the Holy Spirit.\n\nThis isn\'t the first time John records Jesus talking about living water flowing out of people - in chapter 4 he describes Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman. John explains that Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans, and a good Jewish man would have kept away from any woman outside his immediate family. More than this, the woman he talks to is an outcast in her own community because they though she was immoral. As she\'s doing her daily chore of collecting water, Jesus talks to her about water springing up inside, of never being thirsty. She\'s been looking for life in all the wrong places, but now she finds life that will never run out.\n\nBut Jesus is doing something different here - this is not the water of daily chores, it\'s a break from normality, a decadent celebration of God\'s blessing and an expression of wanting more. But tomorrow it will be all over and normality will return. It looks to me like Jesus doesn\'t offer water that will never run out here. He doesn\'t want them to be stuck in a religious festival for the whole year, they are supposed to go back to normality after this celebration. He doesn\'t want them to be filled with the high of the worship all year - if anything he wants them to still be thirsty for more of God\'s action. Yet if they believe in him, \"rivers of living water will flow from within them\" - they will become a place where the thirst of others can be quenched','Thirsty for God?','','inherit','open','open','','6657-revision','','','2012-05-14 03:17:58','2012-05-14 10:17:58','',6657,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6657-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6659,134,'2012-05-20 08:00:32','2012-05-20 15:00:32','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the current president\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">President Barack Hussein Obama II</a>, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Dr. George O. Wood\" href=\"http://www.georgeowood.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. George O. Wood</a>, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','Cheap Presidential Propaganda','','publish','open','open','','cheap-presidential-propaganda','','','2012-05-17 15:13:13','2012-05-17 22:13:13','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6659',0,'post','',1),(6660,134,'2012-05-14 05:21:13','2012-05-14 12:21:13','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">current presiden</a>t\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\n-- President Barack Hussein Obama II, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\n\nObama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\n-- George O. Wood, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> general superintendent, citing 2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)\n\nObama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\n\n<em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em>','cheap presidential propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision','','','2012-05-14 05:21:13','2012-05-14 12:21:13','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6661,134,'2012-05-14 05:21:54','2012-05-14 12:21:54','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">current presiden</a>t\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- President Barack Hussein Obama II, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\nObama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- George O. Wood, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> general superintendent, citing 2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)\r\n\r\nObama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n\r\n<em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em>','cheap presidential propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-2','','','2012-05-14 05:21:54','2012-05-14 12:21:54','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6662,134,'2012-05-14 05:22:34','2012-05-14 12:22:34','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">current presiden</a>t\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- President Barack Hussein Obama II, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\nObama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- George O. Wood, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> general superintendent, citing 2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)\r\n\r\nObama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','cheap presidential propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-3','','','2012-05-14 05:22:34','2012-05-14 12:22:34','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6663,134,'2012-05-14 05:31:31','2012-05-14 12:31:31','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">current presiden</a>t\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- President Barack Hussein Obama II, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- George O. Wood, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> general superintendent, citing 2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','cheap presidential propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-4','','','2012-05-14 05:31:31','2012-05-14 12:31:31','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(6664,134,'2012-05-14 05:35:38','2012-05-14 12:35:38','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">current presiden</a>t\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- President Barack Hussein Obama II, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- George O. Wood, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','cheap presidential propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-5','','','2012-05-14 05:35:38','2012-05-14 12:35:38','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6665,134,'2012-05-14 05:42:58','2012-05-14 12:42:58','','President Barack Hussein Obama II','','inherit','open','open','','obama-looking-left','','','2012-05-14 05:42:58','2012-05-14 12:42:58','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/obama-looking-left.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6666,134,'2012-05-14 05:38:09','2012-05-14 12:38:09','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the current president\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">President Barack Hussein Obama II</a>, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Dr. George O. Wood\" href=\"http://www.georgeowood.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. George O. Wood</a>, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','cheap presidential propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-6','','','2012-05-14 05:38:09','2012-05-14 12:38:09','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(6667,134,'2012-05-14 05:48:31','2012-05-14 12:48:31','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the current president\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">President Barack Hussein Obama II</a>, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Dr. George O. Wood\" href=\"http://www.georgeowood.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. George O. Wood</a>, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','cheap presidential propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-7','','','2012-05-14 05:48:31','2012-05-14 12:48:31','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(6668,134,'2012-05-14 05:50:16','2012-05-14 12:50:16','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the current president\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">President Barack Hussein Obama II</a>, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Dr. George O. Wood\" href=\"http://www.georgeowood.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. George O. Wood</a>, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','Cheap Presidential Propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-8','','','2012-05-14 05:50:16','2012-05-14 12:50:16','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(6669,134,'2012-05-14 05:51:28','2012-05-14 12:51:28','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the current president\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">President Barack Hussein Obama II</a>, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Dr. George O. Wood\" href=\"http://www.georgeowood.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. George O. Wood</a>, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','Cheap Presidential Propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-9','','','2012-05-14 05:51:28','2012-05-14 12:51:28','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(7346,189,'2012-07-31 09:51:55','2012-07-31 16:51:55','<p>Explain the two words spoken by Jesus—“Follow me”—in 1000 words or less? Hmmm. Maybe I should just stop right there and let you think this through on your own.</p>\r\n<p>My understanding of what it means to follow Him has changed over the years. Perhaps our understanding of “following” is <em>supposed</em> to change over time as our maturity in the Lord grows in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the ways we experience Him with others. Because I can’t claim to know <em>everything</em> about following Jesus, the best I can offer is to share <em>some</em> of the things I’ve learned about following Jesus—beginning with what “following Jesus” is <strong><em>not</em><em>.</em></strong></p>\r\n<p><strong>Following Jesus is not the same thing as: </strong></p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Following the teachings of Jesus is not the same thing as following Jesus or following doctrines or creeds or denominational statements of faith.</li>\r\n<li>Following a Bible Reading Plan, memorizing scripture, or claiming a “life verse”.</li>\r\n<li>Following “religious convictions”, or acting upon those convictions, alone or as a group, purely for the sake of acting upon convictions.</li>\r\n<li>Attending a weekly worship service, and maybe a midweek prayer meeting or Bible study, or meeting with a small group or accountability partner.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>There isn’t anything wrong with doing these things. In fact, I  follow  Jesus today because others encouraged me to do these things over the course of my spiritual journey. If, I’ve learned anything, I’ve learned that “Christian practices” are not the same thing as following Jesus. <em></em>I know a lot <em>about</em> <em>Jesus</em> by studying, talking about or meditating on these things—but knowing a lot <em>about Jesus</em> isn’t the same as <em>knowing Jesus</em>. It helps to know Who you’re following.<strong><em></em></strong></p>\r\n<p><strong><em>“Follow me.”</em></strong>  Two words caused Simon and Andrew to drop their fishing nets.  James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went off after Him.” (Mark 1:20 Amplified). Levi, son of Alphaeus, left his tax booth: “he arose and joined Him and His disciples and sided with His party and accompanied Him.” (Mark 2:14 Amplified). Philip ran to find his friend Nathanael and they too followed Him. Twelve men, in all, apparently left their life’s work to follow Jesus.</p>\r\n<p>I find it interesting that the Amplified Version conveys that the words “follow me” carry the connotation, “side with my party”. Against the backdrop of  Hebrew culture—oppressed by the conquering Romans, looking for Messiah to deliver the Children of Israel and fulfill all the promises of the Old Testament—we read Nathanael’s confession, “Teacher, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and the reason the twelve “followed” begins to come into focus.  Over the course of the next three and a half years, these men—and later Saul of Tarsus, among others—would come to understand that following Jesus isn’t about following teachings, doctrines, scriptures, convictions or attending religious meetings.  Men and women down through centuries found, in the Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, not <em>something</em> to believe in and follow, but rather <strong><em>Someone</em></strong> to believe in and follow.</p>\r\n<p>To follow Jesus is to follow a living <strong><em>Person!</em></strong></p>\r\n<p><strong><em> </em></strong>John proclaimed in his Gospel, “And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.” Paul explained more simply:<br />\r\n“For it has <strong>pleased</strong> [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should <strong>dwell</strong> in Him permanently.” <strong>Colossians 1:19</strong></p>\r\n<p>Following a living Person, who is the Christ, comes with a cost, which He explained Himself to His disciples: “And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, <sup> </sup>forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].” (Luke 9:23)</p>\r\n<p>What do we have to gain by following this all-wonderful, all-glorious, all-divine Person? What is the outcome we look forward to? For starters, eternal life! Make that eternal, <strong><em>abundant</em> </strong>life, sustained by Christ who <strong><em>is</em></strong> our life! Many more “rewards” are promised to faithful followers who overcome the trials and temptations of this world—check out the letters to the seven churches in John’s last book!</p>\r\n<p>There’s another important thing I’ve learned about following Jesus: it’s something we do <strong><em>together</em></strong>.</p>\r\n<p><sup> “</sup>The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,<sup> </sup>and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. <sup> </sup>For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. <sup> </sup>For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. <sup> </sup>For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope <sup> </sup>that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. <sup> </sup>For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. <sup> </sup>And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.__Romans 8:16-23 (ESV)</p>\r\n<p>Following Jesus is following a living <strong><em>Person</em></strong>…<strong><em>together!</em></strong></p>\r\n<p>“When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory.<strong> </strong><strong>__Colossians 3:4 (Amplified)</strong></p>\r\n','','','inherit','open','open','','7337-revision-8','','','2012-07-31 09:51:55','2012-07-31 16:51:55','',7337,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/31/7337-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(7000,182,'2012-06-17 16:09:43','2012-06-17 23:09:43','I grew up with a fairly vague idea of what it meant to be a pilgrim.\n\nThe only times I heard about pilgrims was each year at Thanksgiving.\n\nAll I knew was that pilgrims wore funny hats and ate turkey dinners. Later on, I heard about the book Pilgrim\'s Progress and concluded that being a pilgrim must have something to do with English history. I did not see that pilgrims and pilgrimages had anything to do with me or my everyday life.\n\nMy life has become a journey, a pilgrimage. I am moving from a focus on attaining tangible results to exploring spiritual depth. In beginning to recognize and appreciate my journey, I am gaining an understanding of what pilgrimage means. My pilgrimage is teaching me the meaning of being a pilgrim.\n\nPeople who take pilgrimages erase the boundary between what we see as sacred and what we see as everyday life. While they set out on a path to reach a specific destination, the lessons and development the pilgrimage has for them come from the journey. They receive their benefits along the way. Wise pilgrims find spiritual depth each day, each step, of the pilgrimage.\n\nI am a spiritual director. I help people find ways to discover and explore their own spiritual depth. I listen to their stories, ask them questions, and help them gain fresh insights in new ways. Together, we find what is sacred in the everyday. We explore ways to practice living in God\'s loving presence.\n\nEach person with whom I work is a pilgrim on their own pilgrimage. I help them find the lessons of each day, each step.\n\nOften we sit and talk. There is something about sitting with someone at a table that builds community. It is like taking a break at the end of a day, resting and reflecting in preparation for continuing the journey. Some people prefer to sit and talk; others need a rocking chair to help them find their rhythm. For others, it is more helpful to take a walk.\n\nWalking can be more helpful than talking. I meet with some people who, as I guide their steps down the sidewalk, are more able to engage with their own stories. Walking helps them remember the narrative of their experiences, and to put the pieces together in new ways. Walking gets their blood flowing, and they become more aware of where their story has taken them. Walking helps them talk about the connections between the sacred and the everyday.\n\nI work with a few people who take the opportunity to walk and explore silence.\n\nWe begin with some talking and listening, and them we take to the sidewalk. We agree where we will go, and we do not talk to each other until we reach where we are going. Our intention is to be open to the life around us, and our pilgrimage has a great deal to teach us. We interact with other pedestrians, and with drivers, without talking to them. We are more aware of the sights and sounds all around us. We smell the aromas of the coffee houses and the florist shops that we pass. We feel the warmth of the sun, or the humidity in the air, more clearly each time. The mountains in the distance bring to mind passages from the Psalms. The people we encounter remind us of the depth and diversity of God\'s love for us.\n\nEach of our senses is a way for God to remind us how close God is to us.\n\nOn our pilgrimage, there is nothing we can do or say that will bring God closer, and nothing that will move us away from God. Our pilgrimage is not about reaching a destination, either a location or a level of achievement. Our pilgrimage is about what we learn and gain along the way.\n\nEach day, each step, suggests new ways for us to explore God\'s loving presence.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[Image by <strong><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/nnova/\" target=\"_blank\">nicolasnova</a></strong>]','Pilgrimage on the Pavement','','inherit','open','open','','6998-revision','','','2012-06-17 16:09:43','2012-06-17 23:09:43','',6998,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/17/6998-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(7001,182,'2012-06-17 16:11:05','2012-06-17 23:11:05','I grew up with a fairly vague idea of what it meant to be a pilgrim.\n\nThe only times I heard about pilgrims was each year at Thanksgiving.\n\nAll I knew was that pilgrims wore funny hats and ate turkey dinners. Later on, I heard about the book Pilgrim\'s Progress and concluded that being a pilgrim must have something to do with English history. I did not see that pilgrims and pilgrimages had anything to do with me or my everyday life.\n\nMy life has become a journey, a pilgrimage. I am moving from a focus on attaining tangible results to exploring spiritual depth. In beginning to recognize and appreciate my journey, I am gaining an understanding of what pilgrimage means. My pilgrimage is teaching me the meaning of being a pilgrim.\n\nPeople who take pilgrimages erase the boundary between what we see as sacred and what we see as everyday life. While they set out on a path to reach a specific destination, the lessons and development the pilgrimage has for them come from the journey. They receive their benefits along the way. Wise pilgrims find spiritual depth each day, each step, of the pilgrimage.\n\nI am a spiritual director. I help people find ways to discover and explore their own spiritual depth. I listen to their stories, ask them questions, and help them gain fresh insights in new ways. Together, we find what is sacred in the everyday. We explore ways to practice living in God\'s loving presence.\n\nEach person with whom I work is a pilgrim on their own pilgrimage. I help them find the lessons of each day, each step.\n\nOften we sit and talk. There is something about sitting with someone at a table that builds community. It is like taking a break at the end of a day, resting and reflecting in preparation for continuing the journey. Some people prefer to sit and talk; others need a rocking chair to help them find their rhythm. For others, it is more helpful to take a walk.\n\nWalking can be more helpful than talking. I meet with some people who, as I guide their steps down the sidewalk, are more able to engage with their own stories. Walking helps them remember the narrative of their experiences, and to put the pieces together in new ways. Walking gets their blood flowing, and they become more aware of where their story has taken them. Walking helps them talk about the connections between the sacred and the everyday.\n\nI work with a few people who take the opportunity to walk and explore silence.\n\nWe begin with some talking and listening, and them we take to the sidewalk. We agree where we will go, and we do not talk to each other until we reach where we are going. Our intention is to be open to the life around us, and our pilgrimage has a great deal to teach us. We interact with other pedestrians, and with drivers, without talking to them. We are more aware of the sights and sounds all around us. We smell the aromas of the coffee houses and the florist shops that we pass. We feel the warmth of the sun, or the humidity in the air, more clearly each time. The mountains in the distance bring to mind passages from the Psalms. The people we encounter remind us of the depth and diversity of God\'s love for us.\n\nEach of our senses is a way for God to remind us how close God is to us.\n\nOn our pilgrimage, there is nothing we can do or say that will bring God closer, and nothing that will move us away from God. Our pilgrimage is not about reaching a destination, either a location or a level of achievement. Our pilgrimage is about what we learn and gain along the way.\n\nEach day, each step, suggests new ways for us to explore God\'s loving presence.\n\n[Image by <strong><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/nnova/\" target=\"_blank\">nicolasnova</a></strong>]','Pilgrimage on the Pavement','','inherit','open','open','','6998-revision-2','','','2012-06-17 16:11:05','2012-06-17 23:11:05','',6998,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/17/6998-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7014,183,'2012-06-19 10:10:21','2012-06-19 17:10:21','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/The-Van-Atlanta-cover.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7011\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/The-Van-Atlanta-cover.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"576\" height=\"459\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m a big guy.  I\'m loud. I like to think I\'m a likable guy.  This^ picture of me is very indicative of my personality.  I love everyone I meet.  I like to keep my arms open.  Sometimes I say I\'ve been hurt. But I\'ve got clothes on my back, I don\'t go hungry and I have a warm bed and a beautiful wife.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7012\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear-168x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nThis is Bear.   He\'s homeless.  He lives in the woods.  He\'s a Vietnam Veteran who was honorably discharged after the war.  He\'s a good guy.  Sometimes, he\'d help me when I was trying to help others.  He is a nice guy.  He packed up all his belongings and moved out of the Atlanta area.\n\nWhen folks ask me \"Why The Van?\", I show them a picture of Bear. Why The Van?  Because folks like Bear go cold every night.  Folks like Bear feel like society has moved along and left them behind.  Folks like Bear get depressed.  Folks like Bear need things nad don\'t have the money (or ability) to get those things.\n\nYet, folks like Bear are made in the image of God.  \"Why The Van?\"  Becuase I couldn\'t not do it.  \"Why the van?\"  Because when I drive down the streets of Atlanta and I see folks camping out because they don\'t fit the qualifications for or can\'t afford the shelter, my heart breaks.  \"Why the van?\"  Because that 12 year old boy who is homeless because his dad is in prison needs to know that my God does more than comfort his soul.\n\nWhy the van?  Because Jesus told me to. And Jesus continues to tell me to do it.   Every time I see a gleam of hope in a woman\'s eyes who just got her first tampon in 3 months, Jesus tells me to keep doing it.  Every time I can give a man a clean shirt and pair of pants so that he can have some clean clothes to wear to work, Jesus tells me to keep going.\n\nIn the book of John, we hear about the \"abundant life\" of which Jesus spoke.  I used to wonder why I wasn\'t receiving that abundant life.  And that\'s because abundant life wasn\'t meant for the individual.  It\'s not meant for you or me.  Abundant life only comes when we work together.  Abundant life is for the community, when we work to restore God\'s kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.\n\nWe hear about Heaven and how it\'s a place of no tears, no sickness, no pain and no shame.  And then, on Sunday mornings we pray for God\'s kingdom to come to earth.  We sing songs begging God for Heaven.  I\'m here to tell you: Folks, it\'s our job to create Heaven.  It\'s our job to take the shame of our neighbors away.  It\'s our job to forgive the sins of our neighbors and work for justice.\n\nYou want Heaven?  You want to make \"God\'s Kingdom come\"?  Well, I have bad news for you.  God\'s kingdom wears a t-shirt and work boots, not a 3-piece suit.\n\nWe are the agents of change.  God called us to do much more than sitting on a church pew once a week.  God is calling us to change someone\'s life.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nGod called me to The Van Atlanta.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nWhat is He calling you to?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou can follow The Van ATL on <a href=\"http://twitter.com/thevanatl\">twitter</a>, like us on <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>and read more about <a href=\"http://theoneinc.org\">The Van</a>.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you want to help us reach the homeless of Atlanta and meet their basic needs, you can donate funds, give us clothing or hygiene items by contacting us on our <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>page.\n\n&nbsp;','Why The Van','','inherit','open','open','','7010-revision','','','2012-06-19 10:10:21','2012-06-19 17:10:21','',7010,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/19/7010-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(7015,183,'2012-06-26 08:22:27','2012-06-26 15:22:27','I\'m a big guy.  I\'m loud. I like to think I\'m a likable guy.  This picture of me is very indicative of my personality.  I love everyone I meet.  I like to keep my arms open.  Sometimes I say I\'ve been hurt. But I\'ve got clothes on my back, I don\'t go hungry and I have a warm bed and a beautiful wife.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7012 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear-168x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"300\" /></a> This is Bear.   He\'s homeless.  He lives in the woods.  He\'s a Vietnam Veteran who was honorably discharged after the war.  He\'s a good guy.  Sometimes, he\'d help me when I was trying to help others.  He is a nice guy.  He packed up all his belongings and moved out of the Atlanta area.\n\nWhen folks ask me \"Why \'The Van\'?\", I show them a picture of Bear. Why \"The Van\"?  Because folks like Bear go cold every night.  Folks like Bear feel like society has moved along and left them behind.  Folks like Bear get depressed.  Folks like Bear need things and don\'t have the money (or ability) to get those things.\n\nYet, folks like Bear are made in the image of God.  Why \"The Van\"?  Because I couldn\'t <em>not</em> do it.  Why \"The Van\"? Because when I drive down the streets of Atlanta and I see folks camping out because they don\'t fit the qualifications for, or can\'t afford, the shelter, my heart breaks.  Why \"The Van\"? Because that 12-year-old boy who is homeless because his dad is in prison needs to know that my God does more than comfort his soul.\n\nWhy \"The Van\"? Because Jesus told me to. And Jesus continues to tell me to do it.   Every time I see a gleam of hope in a woman\'s eyes who just got her first tampon in 3 months, Jesus tells me to keep doing it.  Every time I can give a man a clean shirt and pair of pants so that he can have some clean clothes to wear to work, Jesus tells me to keep going.\n\nIn the book of John, we hear about the \"abundant life\" of which Jesus spoke.  I used to wonder why I wasn\'t receiving that abundant life.  And that\'s because abundant life wasn\'t meant for the individual.  It\'s not meant for you or me.  Abundant life only comes when we work together.  Abundant life is for the community, when we work to restore God\'s kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.\n\nWe hear about Heaven and how it\'s a place of no tears, no sickness, no pain and no shame.  And then, on Sunday mornings we pray for God\'s kingdom to come to earth.  We sing songs begging God for Heaven.  I\'m here to tell you: Folks, it\'s our job to create Heaven.  It\'s our job to take the shame of our neighbors away.  It\'s our job to forgive the sins of our neighbors and work for justice.\n\nYou want Heaven?  You want to make \"God\'s Kingdom come\"?  Well, I have bad news for you.  God\'s kingdom wears a t-shirt and work boots, not a 3-piece suit.\n\nWe are the agents of change.  God called us to do much more than sitting on a church pew once a week.  God is calling us to change someone\'s life.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nGod called me to The Van Atlanta.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nWhat is He calling you to?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou can follow The Van ATL on <a href=\"http://twitter.com/thevanatl\">twitter</a>, like us on <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>and read more about <a href=\"http://theoneinc.org\">The Van</a>.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you want to help us reach the homeless of Atlanta and meet their basic needs, you can give funds, give us clothing or hygiene items by contacting us on our <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>page.\n\n&nbsp;','Why The Van','','inherit','open','open','','7010-autosave','','','2012-06-26 08:22:27','2012-06-26 15:22:27','',7010,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/19/7010-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7024,179,'2012-06-19 10:12:52','2012-06-19 17:12:52','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/The-Van-Atlanta-cover.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7011\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/The-Van-Atlanta-cover.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"576\" height=\"459\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m a big guy.  I\'m loud. I like to think I\'m a likable guy.  This^ picture of me is very indicative of my personality.  I love everyone I meet.  I like to keep my arms open.  Sometimes I say I\'ve been hurt. But I\'ve got clothes on my back, I don\'t go hungry and I have a warm bed and a beautiful wife.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7012\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear-168x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThis is Bear.   He\'s homeless.  He lives in the woods.  He\'s a Vietnam Veteran who was honorably discharged after the war.  He\'s a good guy.  Sometimes, he\'d help me when I was trying to help others.  He is a nice guy.  He packed up all his belongings and moved out of the Atlanta area.\r\n\r\nWhen folks ask me \"Why The Van?\", I show them a picture of Bear. Why The Van?  Because folks like Bear go cold every night.  Folks like Bear feel like society has moved along and left them behind.  Folks like Bear get depressed.  Folks like Bear need things nad don\'t have the money (or ability) to get those things.\r\n\r\nYet, folks like Bear are made in the image of God.  \"Why The Van?\"  because I couldn\'t not do it.  \"Why the van?\"  Because when I drive down the streets of Atlanta and I see folks camping out because they don\'t fit the qualifications for or can\'t afford the shelter, my heart breaks.  \"Why the van?\"  Because that 12-year-old boy who is homeless because his dad is in prison needs to know that my God does more than comfort his soul.\r\n\r\nWhy the van?  Because Jesus told me to. And Jesus continues to tell me to do it.   Every time I see a gleam of hope in a woman\'s eyes who just got her first tampon in 3 months, Jesus tells me to keep doing it.  Every time I can give a man a clean shirt and pair of pants so that he can have some clean clothes to wear to work, Jesus tells me to keep going.\r\n\r\nIn the book of John, we hear about the \"abundant life\" of which Jesus spoke.  I used to wonder why I wasn\'t receiving that abundant life.  And that\'s because abundant life wasn\'t meant for the individual.  It\'s not meant for you or me.  Abundant life only comes when we work together.  Abundant life is for the community, when we work to restore God\'s kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.\r\n\r\nWe hear about Heaven and how it\'s a place of no tears, no sickness, no pain and no shame.  And then, on Sunday mornings we pray for God\'s kingdom to come to earth.  We sing songs begging God for Heaven.  I\'m here to tell you: Folks, it\'s our job to create Heaven.  It\'s our job to take the shame of our neighbors away.  It\'s our job to forgive the sins of our neighbors and work for justice.\r\n\r\nYou want Heaven?  You want to make \"God\'s Kingdom come\"?  Well, I have bad news for you.  God\'s kingdom wears a t-shirt and work boots, not a 3-piece suit.\r\n\r\nWe are the agents of change.  God called us to do much more than sitting on a church pew once a week.  God is calling us to change someone\'s life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGod called me to The Van Atlanta.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat is He calling you to?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can follow The Van ATL on <a href=\"http://twitter.com/thevanatl\">twitter</a>, like us on <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>and read more about <a href=\"http://theoneinc.org\">The Van</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you want to help us reach the homeless of Atlanta and meet their basic needs, you can give funds, give us clothing or hygiene items by contacting us on our <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>page.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why The Van','','inherit','open','open','','7010-revision-3','','','2012-06-19 10:12:52','2012-06-19 17:12:52','',7010,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/19/7010-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7016,183,'2012-06-19 10:11:01','2012-06-19 17:11:01','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/The-Van-Atlanta-cover.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7011\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/The-Van-Atlanta-cover.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"576\" height=\"459\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m a big guy.  I\'m loud. I like to think I\'m a likable guy.  This^ picture of me is very indicative of my personality.  I love everyone I meet.  I like to keep my arms open.  Sometimes I say I\'ve been hurt. But I\'ve got clothes on my back, I don\'t go hungry and I have a warm bed and a beautiful wife.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7012\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear-168x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThis is Bear.   He\'s homeless.  He lives in the woods.  He\'s a Vietnam Veteran who was honorably discharged after the war.  He\'s a good guy.  Sometimes, he\'d help me when I was trying to help others.  He is a nice guy.  He packed up all his belongings and moved out of the Atlanta area.\r\n\r\nWhen folks ask me \"Why The Van?\", I show them a picture of Bear. Why The Van?  Because folks like Bear go cold every night.  Folks like Bear feel like society has moved along and left them behind.  Folks like Bear get depressed.  Folks like Bear need things nad don\'t have the money (or ability) to get those things.\r\n\r\nYet, folks like Bear are made in the image of God.  \"Why The Van?\"  Becuase I couldn\'t not do it.  \"Why the van?\"  Because when I drive down the streets of Atlanta and I see folks camping out because they don\'t fit the qualifications for or can\'t afford the shelter, my heart breaks.  \"Why the van?\"  Because that 12 year old boy who is homeless because his dad is in prison needs to know that my God does more than comfort his soul.\r\n\r\nWhy the van?  Because Jesus told me to. And Jesus continues to tell me to do it.   Every time I see a gleam of hope in a woman\'s eyes who just got her first tampon in 3 months, Jesus tells me to keep doing it.  Every time I can give a man a clean shirt and pair of pants so that he can have some clean clothes to wear to work, Jesus tells me to keep going.\r\n\r\nIn the book of John, we hear about the \"abundant life\" of which Jesus spoke.  I used to wonder why I wasn\'t receiving that abundant life.  And that\'s because abundant life wasn\'t meant for the individual.  It\'s not meant for you or me.  Abundant life only comes when we work together.  Abundant life is for the community, when we work to restore God\'s kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.\r\n\r\nWe hear about Heaven and how it\'s a place of no tears, no sickness, no pain and no shame.  And then, on Sunday mornings we pray for God\'s kingdom to come to earth.  We sing songs begging God for Heaven.  I\'m here to tell you: Folks, it\'s our job to create Heaven.  It\'s our job to take the shame of our neighbors away.  It\'s our job to forgive the sins of our neighbors and work for justice.\r\n\r\nYou want Heaven?  You want to make \"God\'s Kingdom come\"?  Well, I have bad news for you.  God\'s kingdom wears a t-shirt and work boots, not a 3-piece suit.\r\n\r\nWe are the agents of change.  God called us to do much more than sitting on a church pew once a week.  God is calling us to change someone\'s life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGod called me to The Van Atlanta.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat is He calling you to?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can follow The Van ATL on <a href=\"http://twitter.com/thevanatl\">twitter</a>, like us on <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>and read more about <a href=\"http://theoneinc.org\">The Van</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you want to help us reach the homeless of Atlanta and meet their basic needs, you can donate funds, give us clothing or hygiene items by contacting us on our <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>page.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why The Van','','inherit','open','open','','7010-revision-2','','','2012-06-19 10:11:01','2012-06-19 17:11:01','',7010,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/19/7010-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7258,12,'2012-07-21 16:59:28','2012-07-21 23:59:28','','betrayal','','inherit','open','open','','betrayal','','','2012-07-21 16:59:28','2012-07-21 23:59:28','',7257,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/betrayal.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7002,0,'2012-06-17 18:29:22','2012-06-18 01:29:22','Hi,\r\n\r\n\r\nI\'d like to inquire about doing a sponsored blog post-about 150-300 words that talks a little bit about cars and automobiles and links back to our site http://www.metronissanredlands.com. We are a car dealership and thought we might be a good fit for your readers/visitors on http://provoketive.com/.\r\n\r\nHere\'s a list of some blog post titles we\'ve done in the past:\r\n\r\n- What To Look For When Buying A New Car\r\n- 2012 Cars That Look Good And Saves You Gas\r\n- Reasons Why Buying New Cars Is Better Than Used\r\n\r\n\r\nOur budget is around $15 for the post. Is this something you\'d be open to?\r\n\r\nAlso if you have some other sites just send them over and we might be interested in doing a sponsored post on there as well!\r\n\r\n\r\nRegards,\r\n\r\nVanessa\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Vanessa\nAUTHOR EMAIL: nissanredlands@acuramail.com\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: [Provoketive Magazine] Contact Us\nIP: 110.55.141.131\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Vanessa\n    [Email] =&gt; nissanredlands@acuramail.com\n    [Comment] =&gt; Hi,\r\n\r\n\r\nI\'d like to inquire about doing a sponsored blog post-about 150-300 words that talks a little bit about cars and automobiles and links back to our site http://www.metronissanredlands.com. We are a car dealership and thought we might be a good fit for your readers/visitors on http://provoketive.com/.\r\n\r\nHere\'s a list of some blog post titles we\'ve done in the past:\r\n\r\n- What To Look For When Buying A New Car\r\n- 2012 Cars That Look Good And Saves You Gas\r\n- Reasons Why Buying New Cars Is Better Than Used\r\n\r\n\r\nOur budget is around $15 for the post. Is this something you\'d be open to?\r\n\r\nAlso if you have some other sites just send them over and we might be interested in doing a sponsored post on there as well!\r\n\r\n\r\nRegards,\r\n\r\nVanessa\n)\n','Vanessa - 2012-06-17 18:29:22','','publish','open','open','','cad13fcb33bc73b83c6d0de6325e89a8','','','2012-06-17 18:29:22','2012-06-18 01:29:22','',16,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=7002',0,'feedback','',0),(7003,179,'2012-06-19 08:31:11','2012-06-19 15:31:11','Dear American Church,\n\nHi, how are you? It\'s been a while since we last talked. How\'s Vacation Bible School coming along? This will be my first year volunteering, so I\'m excited!\n\nListen, uh, I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but we need to talk.\n\nIt\'s no secret that you\'re not doing so well these days. It seems like everyday I read a new story about how more and more young people are leaving you. In fact, if I can be frank, I\'ve come pretty close to doing the same. I feel like you just can\'t keep up, and you don\'t know what to do with yourself.\n\nThat\'s why I\'m writing you this letter. I think you can do better. You just need some help figuring out how.\n\nNow this is just one person\'s opinion, so don\'t take my word as gospel (forgive the pun). But I figure since I am technically a part of you, my opinion\'s just as valid as the next person\'s.\n\nFirst, let me tell you what I don\'t need from you:\n\n1. I don\'t need any more fancy-schmancy-mega-church-big-stage-full-scale-production worship services. I know you thought they made you look hip and cool for the young people, but honestly they make you look stupid. If I wanted to see a big production, I would go see a movie.\n\n2. I don\'t need any more rigid doctrine. Don\'t get me wrong, I\'m not anti-doctrine or anything like that. But too much doctrine takes all the mystery and discovery out of the Gospel. That stuff might work for the Calvinists, but to me it\'s just putting God in a tiny box.\n\nNow here\'s what I do need: <strong>God\'s love</strong>.\n\nThat\'s the whole reason why I haven\'t left you. I\'ve seen God\'s love shine in you and through you many times, so I know that you have the ability to show God\'s love to the world. You just have trouble expressing that love.\n\nAnd unfortunately I can\'t give you a list of things to do in order to let God\'s love shine through you. To be honest, I\'m still trying to figure out how to let God\'s love shine through me! So maybe we can work on it together. What do you say?\n\nYour friend,\n\nTravis','Dear American Church: We Need To Talk!','','inherit','open','open','','6976-autosave','','','2012-06-19 08:31:11','2012-06-19 15:31:11','',6976,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/19/6976-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7004,179,'2012-06-19 08:35:46','2012-06-19 15:35:46','','letter','','inherit','open','open','','letter','','','2012-06-19 08:35:46','2012-06-19 15:35:46','',6976,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/letter.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7005,179,'2012-06-15 16:05:53','2012-06-15 23:05:53','Dear American Church,\r\n\r\nHi, how are you? It\'s been a while since we last talked. How\'s Vacation Bible School coming along? This will be my first year volunteering, so I\'m excited!\r\n\r\nListen, uh, I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but we need to talk.\r\n\r\nIt\'s no secret that you\'re not doing so well these days. It seems like everyday I read a new story about how more and more young people are leaving you. In fact, if I can be frank, I\'ve come pretty close to doing the same. I feel like you just can\'t keep up, and you don\'t know what to do with yourself.\r\n\r\nThat\'s why I\'m writing you this letter. I think you can do better. You just need some help figuring out how.\r\n\r\nNow this is just one person\'s opinion, so don\'t take my word as gospel (forgive the pun). But I figure since I am technically a part of you, my opinion\'s just as valid as the next person\'s.\r\n\r\nFirst, let me tell you what I don\'t need from you:\r\n\r\n1. I don\'t need any more fancy-schmancy-mega-church-big-stage-full-scale-production worship services. I know you thought they made you look hip and cool for the young people, but honestly they make you look stupid. If I wanted to see a big production, I would go see a movie.\r\n\r\n2. I don\'t need any more rigid doctrine. Don\'t get me wrong, I\'m not anti-doctrine or anything like that. But too much doctrine takes all the mystery and discovery out of the Gospel. That stuff might work for the Calvinists, but to me it\'s just putting God in a tiny box.\r\n\r\nNow here\'s what I do need: <strong>God\'s love</strong>.\r\n\r\nThat\'s the whole reason why I haven\'t left you. I\'ve seen God\'s love shine in you and through you many times, so I know that you have the ability to show God\'s love to the world. You just have trouble expressing that love.\r\n\r\nAnd unfortunately I can\'t give you a list of things to do in order to let God\'s love shine through you. To be honest, I\'m still trying to figure out how to let God\'s love shine through me! So maybe we can work on it together. What do you say?\r\n\r\nYour friend,\r\n\r\nTravis','Dear American Church: We Need To Talk!','','inherit','open','open','','6976-revision-3','','','2012-06-15 16:05:53','2012-06-15 23:05:53','',6976,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/15/6976-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7006,179,'2012-06-19 08:39:08','2012-06-19 15:39:08','I grew up with a fairly vague idea of what it meant to be a pilgrim.\n\nThe only times I heard about pilgrims was each year at Thanksgiving.\n\nAll I knew was that pilgrims wore funny hats and ate turkey dinners. Later on, I heard about the book \"Pilgrim\'s Progress\" and concluded that being a pilgrim must have something to do with English history. I did not see that pilgrims and pilgrimages had anything to do with me or my everyday life.\n\nMy life has become a journey, a pilgrimage. I am moving from a focus on attaining tangible results to exploring spiritual depth. In beginning to recognize and appreciate my journey, I am gaining an understanding of what pilgrimage means. My pilgrimage is teaching me the meaning of being a pilgrim.\n\nPeople who take pilgrimages erase the boundary between what we see as sacred and what we see as everyday life. While they set out on a path to reach a specific destination, the lessons and development the pilgrimage has for them come from the journey. They receive their benefits along the way. Wise pilgrims find spiritual depth each day, each step, of the pilgrimage.\n\nI am a spiritual director. I help people find ways to discover and explore their own spiritual depth. I listen to their stories, ask them questions, and help them gain fresh insights in new ways. Together, we find what is sacred in the everyday. We explore ways to practice living in God\'s loving presence.\n\nEach person with whom I work is a pilgrim on their own pilgrimage. I help them find the lessons of each day, each step.\n\nOften we sit and talk. There is something about sitting with someone at a table that builds community. It is like taking a break at the end of a day, resting and reflecting in preparation for continuing the journey. Some people prefer to sit and talk; others need a rocking chair to help them find their rhythm. For others, it is more helpful to take a walk.\n\nWalking can be more helpful than talking. I meet with some people who, as I guide their steps down the sidewalk, are more able to engage with their own stories. Walking helps them remember the narrative of their experiences, and to put the pieces together in new ways. Walking gets their blood flowing, and they become more aware of where their story has taken them. Walking helps them talk about the connections between the sacred and the everyday.\n\nI work with a few people who take the opportunity to walk and explore silence.\n\nWe begin with some talking and listening, and them we take to the sidewalk. We agree where we will go, and we do not talk to each other until we reach where we are going. Our intention is to be open to the life around us, and our pilgrimage has a great deal to teach us. We interact with other pedestrians, and with drivers, without talking to them. We are more aware of the sights and sounds all around us. We smell the aromas of the coffee houses and the florist shops that we pass. We feel the warmth of the sun, or the humidity in the air, more clearly each time. The mountains in the distance bring to mind passages from the Psalms. The people we encounter remind us of the depth and diversity of God\'s love for us.\n\nEach of our senses is a way for God to remind us how close God is to us.\n\nOn our pilgrimage, there is nothing we can do or say that will bring God closer, and nothing that will move us away from God. Our pilgrimage is not about reaching a destination, either a location or a level of achievement. Our pilgrimage is about what we learn and gain along the way.\n\nEach day, each step, suggests new ways for us to explore God\'s loving presence.\n\n[Image by <strong><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/nnova/\" target=\"_blank\">nicolasnova</a></strong>]','Pilgrimage on the Pavement','','inherit','open','open','','6998-autosave','','','2012-06-19 08:39:08','2012-06-19 15:39:08','',6998,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/19/6998-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7007,179,'2012-06-19 08:44:32','2012-06-19 15:44:32','','sidewalk','','inherit','open','open','','sidewalk','','','2012-06-19 08:44:32','2012-06-19 15:44:32','',6998,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/sidewalk.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7008,179,'2012-06-17 16:13:11','2012-06-17 23:13:11','I grew up with a fairly vague idea of what it meant to be a pilgrim.\r\n\r\nThe only times I heard about pilgrims was each year at Thanksgiving.\r\n\r\nAll I knew was that pilgrims wore funny hats and ate turkey dinners. Later on, I heard about the book Pilgrim\'s Progress and concluded that being a pilgrim must have something to do with English history. I did not see that pilgrims and pilgrimages had anything to do with me or my everyday life.\r\n\r\nMy life has become a journey, a pilgrimage. I am moving from a focus on attaining tangible results to exploring spiritual depth. In beginning to recognize and appreciate my journey, I am gaining an understanding of what pilgrimage means. My pilgrimage is teaching me the meaning of being a pilgrim.\r\n\r\nPeople who take pilgrimages erase the boundary between what we see as sacred and what we see as everyday life. While they set out on a path to reach a specific destination, the lessons and development the pilgrimage has for them come from the journey. They receive their benefits along the way. Wise pilgrims find spiritual depth each day, each step, of the pilgrimage.\r\n\r\nI am a spiritual director. I help people find ways to discover and explore their own spiritual depth. I listen to their stories, ask them questions, and help them gain fresh insights in new ways. Together, we find what is sacred in the everyday. We explore ways to practice living in God\'s loving presence.\r\n\r\nEach person with whom I work is a pilgrim on their own pilgrimage. I help them find the lessons of each day, each step.\r\n\r\nOften we sit and talk. There is something about sitting with someone at a table that builds community. It is like taking a break at the end of a day, resting and reflecting in preparation for continuing the journey. Some people prefer to sit and talk; others need a rocking chair to help them find their rhythm. For others, it is more helpful to take a walk.\r\n\r\nWalking can be more helpful than talking. I meet with some people who, as I guide their steps down the sidewalk, are more able to engage with their own stories. Walking helps them remember the narrative of their experiences, and to put the pieces together in new ways. Walking gets their blood flowing, and they become more aware of where their story has taken them. Walking helps them talk about the connections between the sacred and the everyday.\r\n\r\nI work with a few people who take the opportunity to walk and explore silence.\r\n\r\nWe begin with some talking and listening, and them we take to the sidewalk. We agree where we will go, and we do not talk to each other until we reach where we are going. Our intention is to be open to the life around us, and our pilgrimage has a great deal to teach us. We interact with other pedestrians, and with drivers, without talking to them. We are more aware of the sights and sounds all around us. We smell the aromas of the coffee houses and the florist shops that we pass. We feel the warmth of the sun, or the humidity in the air, more clearly each time. The mountains in the distance bring to mind passages from the Psalms. The people we encounter remind us of the depth and diversity of God\'s love for us.\r\n\r\nEach of our senses is a way for God to remind us how close God is to us.\r\n\r\nOn our pilgrimage, there is nothing we can do or say that will bring God closer, and nothing that will move us away from God. Our pilgrimage is not about reaching a destination, either a location or a level of achievement. Our pilgrimage is about what we learn and gain along the way.\r\n\r\nEach day, each step, suggests new ways for us to explore God\'s loving presence.\r\n\r\n[Image by <strong><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/nnova/\" target=\"_blank\">nicolasnova</a></strong>]','Pilgrimage on the Pavement','','inherit','open','open','','6998-revision-3','','','2012-06-17 16:13:11','2012-06-17 23:13:11','',6998,'http://provoketive.com/2012/06/17/6998-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7010,183,'2012-06-21 08:00:57','2012-06-21 15:00:57','I\'m a big guy.  I\'m loud. I like to think I\'m a likable guy.  This picture of me is very indicative of my personality.  I love everyone I meet.  I like to keep my arms open.  Sometimes I say I\'ve been hurt. But I\'ve got clothes on my back, I don\'t go hungry and I have a warm bed and a beautiful wife.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7012 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear-168x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"300\" /></a> This is Bear.   He\'s homeless.  He lives in the woods.  He\'s a Vietnam Veteran who was honorably discharged after the war.  He\'s a good guy.  Sometimes, he\'d help me when I was trying to help others.  He is a nice guy.  He packed up all his belongings and moved out of the Atlanta area.\r\n\r\nWhen folks ask me \"Why \'The Van\'?\", I show them a picture of Bear. Why \"The Van\"?  Because folks like Bear go cold every night.  Folks like Bear feel like society has moved along and left them behind.  Folks like Bear get depressed.  Folks like Bear need things and don\'t have the money (or ability) to get those things.\r\n\r\nYet, folks like Bear are made in the image of God.  Why \"The Van\"?  Because I couldn\'t <em>not</em> do it.  Why \"The Van\"? Because when I drive down the streets of Atlanta and I see folks camping out because they don\'t fit the qualifications for, or can\'t afford, the shelter, my heart breaks.  Why \"The Van\"? Because that 12-year-old boy who is homeless because his dad is in prison needs to know that my God does more than comfort his soul.\r\n\r\nWhy \"The Van\"? Because Jesus told me to. And Jesus continues to tell me to do it.   Every time I see a gleam of hope in a woman\'s eyes who just got her first tampon in 3 months, Jesus tells me to keep doing it.  Every time I can give a man a clean shirt and pair of pants so that he can have some clean clothes to wear to work, Jesus tells me to keep going.\r\n\r\nIn the book of John, we hear about the \"abundant life\" of which Jesus spoke.  I used to wonder why I wasn\'t receiving that abundant life.  And that\'s because abundant life wasn\'t meant for the individual.  It\'s not meant for you or me.  Abundant life only comes when we work together.  Abundant life is for the community, when we work to restore God\'s kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.\r\n\r\nWe hear about Heaven and how it\'s a place of no tears, no sickness, no pain and no shame.  And then, on Sunday mornings we pray for God\'s kingdom to come to earth.  We sing songs begging God for Heaven.  I\'m here to tell you: Folks, it\'s our job to create Heaven.  It\'s our job to take the shame of our neighbors away.  It\'s our job to forgive the sins of our neighbors and work for justice.\r\n\r\nYou want Heaven?  You want to make \"God\'s Kingdom come\"?  Well, I have bad news for you.  God\'s kingdom wears a t-shirt and work boots, not a 3-piece suit.\r\n\r\nWe are the agents of change.  God called us to do much more than sitting on a church pew once a week.  God is calling us to change someone\'s life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGod called me to The Van Atlanta.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat is He calling you to?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can follow The Van ATL on <a href=\"http://twitter.com/thevanatl\">twitter</a>, like us on <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>and read more about <a href=\"http://theoneinc.org\">The Van</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you want to help us reach the homeless of Atlanta and meet their basic needs, you can give funds, give us clothing or hygiene items by contacting us on our <a href=\"http://facebook.com/thevanatl\">facebook </a>page.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why The Van','','publish','open','open','','why-the-van','','','2012-06-20 11:46:52','2012-06-20 18:46:52','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=7010',0,'post','',0),(7011,183,'2012-06-19 09:38:01','2012-06-19 16:38:01','','The Van Atlanta cover','','inherit','open','open','','the-van-atlanta-cover','','','2012-06-19 09:38:01','2012-06-19 16:38:01','',7010,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/The-Van-Atlanta-cover.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7012,183,'2012-06-19 09:44:03','2012-06-19 16:44:03','','Bear','','inherit','open','open','','bear','','','2012-06-19 09:44:03','2012-06-19 16:44:03','',7010,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Bear.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7013,183,'2012-06-19 09:44:44','2012-06-19 16:44:44','','bear','','inherit','open','open','','bear-2','','','2012-06-19 09:44:44','2012-06-19 16:44:44','',7010,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/bear.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7259,12,'2012-07-21 17:00:39','2012-07-22 00:00:39','','peterdenies','','inherit','open','open','','peterdenies','','','2012-07-21 17:00:39','2012-07-22 00:00:39','',7257,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/peterdenies.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7260,12,'2012-07-21 17:02:17','2012-07-22 00:02:17','','dives','','inherit','open','open','','dives','','','2012-07-21 17:02:17','2012-07-22 00:02:17','',7257,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/dives.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7261,12,'2012-07-21 17:01:15','2012-07-22 00:01:15','Everyone knows the story of Judas. He was the great betrayer of Christ. For silver, for mere money, he betrayed the Savior. For him, there was no Disney ending. There was suicide. There was no chance to redeem himself.\n\nEven at one point, he realized his error. In Matthew 27, it says: <em>\"Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, <strong>he changed his mind</strong> and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, <strong>\'I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.\'</strong> They said, \'What is that to us? See to it yourself.\' And <strong>throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.</strong>\"</em> (ESV)\n\nThere was not a happy ending for Judas. A man who had walked with Jesus for years and yet let deceit enter his heart.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/peterdenies.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7259\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/peterdenies-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>There\'s another betrayal of sorts mentioned of a disciple before Jesus dies. It is of one of the three disciples who are closest to Jesus. It is, of course, Peter, who denied Christ three times: <em>“\'Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.\'” Peter said to him, \'Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.\' Jesus said, \'<strong>I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.</strong>\'\"</em> (Luke 22:31-34 ESV)\n\nPeter\'s denial wasn\'t as strong as Judas\' betrayal. But at that moment, it must have felt like it. Think about it for a moment. Peter had heard all of the teachings of Christ. Even this one: <em>\"So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.\" </em>(Matthew 10:32-33 ESV)\n\nAfter the death of Christ, Peter must have felt the lowest of low. We know that he did. In John 21, we find the disciples out fishing. Peter must have still felt the sting of his betrayal and denial. The disciples went out to fish. They were returning to their pre-Jesus careers.\n\nSuddenly, on the shore, appeared Jesus. He said, \"Not catching anything? Try the other side of the boat.\" They didn\'t recognize him. Surely they were thinking, \"What do you think? That we\'ve been casting on one side of the boat?\" When they did, they caught so many fish they couldn\'t hold them.\n\nSuddenly, Peter realized it was Jesus. It was a moment only Scripture could capture. Hold that thought.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Pastor-Finding-Restoration-Broken/dp/0615567096/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1342915058&amp;sr=8-2\">I was in a position almost three years ago when I fell from ministry.</a> I had committed adultery while pastoring a church. A lot of people told me I didn\'t deserve the love of God ever again. That God could never use me again. I believed them. There I sat, in a proverbial boat, like Peter. I wondered where God was. Surely He was out there. Surely the Savior who had called me had not given up on me.\n\nI was the one who had denied Him. I was the one who had walked away from Him and His calling. I was the one who had fallen. Had He seen it coming? He had seen Peter\'s fall. But what was the purpose? It was still my fault.\n\nWhen I was called to ministry, the passage that God had laid on my heart was from John 21. Maybe again I would find solace from it. And I did.\n\nIn John 21, when Peter realized it was Jesus standing on the shore, he learned to follow again. He didn\'t wait for the boat to get to shore.\n\nHe jumped it the water and swam. Peter was like that. Impetuous. Guns blazing. He wanted to be where Christ was. He knew he had messed up, but he knew even more that he wanted to be where His Savior and friend was. So he jumped out of the boat and swam to Him.\n\nThen came the famous restoration of Peter. I won\'t go over it again for you here. But when Peter followed boldly by jumping out of the boat, after his miserable failure of denying Christ, Jesus restored Him.\n\nSimilarly, when we fail Christ, He\'s waiting on us. To swim to Him. To get out of the boat of our regular routine and follow Him anew. That\'s where I found Him after I fell. I had to have courage to seek Him out. When I did, He restored me. Fully, completely. He forgave me. What else did I expect from the merciful Christ?\n\n___________________\n\nRay Carroll is author of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Pastor-Finding-Restoration-Broken/dp/0615567096/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1342915058&amp;sr=8-2\">\"Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken World.\"</a> He blogs at <a href=\"http://www.fallenpastor.com\">www.fallenpastor.com</a>.','Following Christ After Extreme Failure','','inherit','open','open','','7257-revision','','','2012-07-21 17:01:15','2012-07-22 00:01:15','',7257,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/21/7257-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6999,182,'2012-06-17 16:05:32','2012-06-17 23:05:32','','2923844987_71a1a7bf34','','inherit','open','open','','2923844987_71a1a7bf34','','','2012-06-17 16:05:32','2012-06-17 23:05:32','',6998,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2923844987_71a1a7bf34.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6683,178,'2012-05-19 08:00:51','2012-05-19 15:00:51','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way; s<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">pirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning; society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\r\n\r\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\r\n\r\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades and, not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\r\n\r\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\r\n\r\nIn turn, this line-in-the-sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many churchgoers are going through the motions, giving little thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How does this current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\r\n\r\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals dissipating.  To some extent,the Religious Left has been muted.\r\n\r\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\r\n\r\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views. On a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the various progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a>,</span></strong> a Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\r\n\r\nThe inherent connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice. As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></strong></span>,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has long been closely tied with the Religious Left.  He states:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em></p>\r\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be Religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\r\n\r\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\r\n\r\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\r\n\r\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><em><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></em></strong></span>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\r\n\r\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\r\n\r\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has the potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\r\n\r\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','publish','open','open','','turning-up-the-volume-on-the-muted-religious-left-2','','http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\nhttp://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793','2012-05-19 08:54:40','2012-05-19 15:54:40','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6683',0,'post','',7),(6684,178,'2012-05-15 19:34:58','2012-05-16 02:34:58','','3161361189_b009c1fdec','','inherit','open','open','','3161361189_b009c1fdec-2','','','2012-05-15 19:34:58','2012-05-16 02:34:58','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3161361189_b009c1fdec1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6685,178,'2012-05-15 19:34:02','2012-05-16 02:34:02','','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-revision','','','2012-05-15 19:34:02','2012-05-16 02:34:02','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/15/6683-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6686,178,'2012-05-15 19:35:59','2012-05-16 02:35:59','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way.  <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">Spirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning. Society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\n\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\n\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades, and not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\n\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\n\nIn turn, this line in the sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many church-goers are going through the motions, without much thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\n\n<strong><em>So, how does the current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\n\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals are dissipating.  The Religious Left has been muted.\n\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\n\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views.\n\nOn a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the number of progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a></span></strong> in Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\n\nThe close connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives and religion also bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice.  As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em>Prophetic Encounters,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has been closely tied with the religious Left.  He states:\n\n<em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em>\n\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\n\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\n\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\n\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <em>Prophetic Encounters</em>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\n\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\n\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\n\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-revision-2','','','2012-05-15 19:35:59','2012-05-16 02:35:59','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/15/6683-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6687,178,'2012-05-15 19:42:33','2012-05-16 02:42:33','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way; s<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">pirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning; society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\r\n\r\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\r\n\r\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades and, not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\r\n\r\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\r\n\r\nIn turn, this line-in-the-sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many church-goers are going through the motions, giving little thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How does this current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\r\n\r\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals are dissipating.  To some extent,the Religious Left has been muted.\r\n\r\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\r\n\r\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views. On a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the various progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a>,</span></strong> a Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\r\n\r\nThe inherent connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice. As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em>Prophetic Encounters,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has long been closely tied with the Religious Left.  He states:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em></p>\r\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\r\n\r\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\r\n\r\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\r\n\r\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <em>Prophetic Encounters</em>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\r\n\r\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\r\n\r\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\r\n\r\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-revision-3','','','2012-05-15 19:42:33','2012-05-16 02:42:33','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/15/6683-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6688,178,'2012-05-15 19:48:24','2012-05-16 02:48:24','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way; s<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">pirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning; society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\r\n\r\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\r\n\r\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades and, not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\r\n\r\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\r\n\r\nIn turn, this line-in-the-sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many churchgoers are going through the motions, giving little thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How does this current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\r\n\r\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals are dissipating.  To some extent,the Religious Left has been muted.\r\n\r\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\r\n\r\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views. On a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the various progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a>,</span></strong> a Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\r\n\r\nThe inherent connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice. As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></strong></span>,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has long been closely tied with the Religious Left.  He states:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em></p>\r\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be Religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\r\n\r\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\r\n\r\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\r\n\r\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><em><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></em></strong></span>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\r\n\r\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\r\n\r\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has the potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\r\n\r\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-revision-4','','','2012-05-15 19:48:24','2012-05-16 02:48:24','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/15/6683-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(6692,179,'2012-05-17 00:00:19','2012-05-17 07:00:19','','3freesins','','inherit','open','open','','3freesins','','','2012-05-17 00:00:19','2012-05-17 07:00:19','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3freesins.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6693,179,'2012-05-17 00:02:46','2012-05-17 07:02:46','What would you do with three free sins?\n\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second: That question presupposes that I believe there is such a thing as sin and that under normal circumstances I have to pay someone for them.\" Agreed. So let\'s suppose you believe those things. What do you think? Three free ones, what would you do?\n\nBefore you answer, let me be clear. You may still have to suffer consequences for the three nasty things on your list, but you won\'t owe God jack. When it comes to these three sins, the slate is clean. They never show up on Santa\'s list.\n\nI\'ll go first. I\'m a pretty simple guy with common vices. I\'d get drunk, masturbate to porn and smoke a joint... not necessarily in that order.\n\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second! That\'s just not right! Masturbation and viewing pornography count as two sins.\" I understand where you\'re coming from, but I don\'t buy it. One without the other just isn\'t worth it. Press me on this and I\'ll use my second free sin on another joint, or maybe give you a purple nurple. I\'m sorry, that was harsh, but I\'m trying to get to a book review here and you keep interrupting.\n\nYou know what? Forget the three free sins. What if Jesus gave you unlimited free sins?! You still have to deal with cause and effect on this side of the veil, but God will never be angry at you for what you did or didn\'t do with your life. That\'s the heart of the message in Steve Brown\'s new book, <em>Three Free Sins: God\'s Not Mad at You</em>.\n\nAt this point I need to insert a disclaimer. I\'ve worked for Steve Brown for almost 15 years. Even so, Brandon Wallace, one of the editors at Provoketive.com, asked me to write a review of <em>Three Free Sins</em>. To me that\'s like asking Robin to review Batman\'s work. What do you expect? Robin\'s gonna tell you his boss is the coolest and he wishes he could trade in his lame uniform for one just like Batman\'s. Batman wrote the book on badass vigilante justice and that book gets five stars from the boy in green underwear, all day long. Even if <em>Three Free Sins</em> sucked, I\'d use one of my free sins and lie because Brown signs the paycheck.\n\nHowever, I don\'t have to lie. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is Steve Brown at his finest. As Steve admits, he couldn\'t have written this book even a few years ago. He had too much to lose. Today that\'s not the case. Steve\'s old. He\'s done everything he set out to do, and more. He’s a successful author, broadcaster and seminary professor. Nobody is pulling Steve’s strings and nobody has any leverage on him, so he tells it like it is. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the gospel of grace with no punches pulled, but it\'s more than that.\n\n<em>Three Free Sins</em> charts a course correction for the church. It\'s a call to abandon the fruitless efforts of sin management in exchange for a life of radical freedom, infectious joy and surprising faithfulness to God. In fact, Steve argues that the reason Christians are so bad is that we\'re trying so hard to be good, and that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don\'t get any better, Jesus will still love them anyway.\n\nWithout this focus on God\'s grace and unconditional love, the church has become filthy with the grotesque sins of self-righteousness and pride while frantically scrubbing at a few select sins with the narcissistic zeal of someone with OCD. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the pure, cleansing water of gospel sanity.\n\nNot only that, this book is funny. Steve\'s illustrations and crotchety attitude are sprinkled throughout, making <em>Three Free Sins</em> a delightful combination of revelry and revelation.\n\nPlus Steve is secretly a multi-millionaire playboy who has a jet car and a utility belt with all kinds of great gear (including shark repellant).\n\nSo, if you think God is mad at you, or you\'ve been trying really hard to make God happy and you\'re tired and want to give up, you must read <em>Three Free Sins</em>. The infectious joy of finding out God is already quite pleased with you will give you strength in your weakness.\n\nIf you think you\'ve got it all together, this book will probably just tick you off, but read it anyway. Hopefully there will come a day when you find out the truth about yourself and you\'ll remember reading a book by that old white heretic, Steve Brown. Maybe then you\'ll be able to hear the message that your sins are free because Jesus picked up the tab.\n\nWell, that\'s my book review. I\'ve gotta go finish this spliff and wash the Batmobile. Go buy a copy of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Three-Free-Sins-Gods-Not/dp/1451612265/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1336790066&amp;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Three Free Sins</em></a>. Steve has a staff to pay.','Three Free Sins: A Review of Sorts','','inherit','open','open','','6646-autosave','','','2012-05-17 00:02:46','2012-05-17 07:02:46','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/17/6646-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6694,179,'2012-05-16 14:32:45','2012-05-16 21:32:45','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6648\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3FSBookCover-217x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"217\" height=\"300\" /></a>What would you do with three free sins?\n\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second: That question presupposes that I believe there is such a thing as sin and that under normal circumstances I have to pay someone for them.\" Agreed. So let\'s suppose you believe those things. What do you think? Three free ones, what would you do?\n\nBefore you answer, let me be clear. You may still have to suffer consequences for the three nasty things on your list, but you won\'t owe God jack. When it comes to these three sins, the slate is clean. They never show up on Santa\'s list.\n\nI\'ll go first. I\'m a pretty simple guy with common vices. I\'d get drunk, masturbate to porn and smoke a joint... not necessarily in that order.\n\nNow, you may say, \"Hold on a second! That\'s just not right! Masturbation and viewing pornography count as two sins.\" I understand where you\'re coming from, but I don\'t buy it. One without the other just isn\'t worth it. Press me on this and I\'ll use my second free sin on another joint, or maybe give you a purple nurple. I\'m sorry, that was harsh, but I\'m trying to get to a book review here and you keep interrupting.\n\nYou know what? Forget the three free sins. What if Jesus gave you unlimited free sins?! You still have to deal with cause and effect on this side of the veil, but God will never be angry at you for what you did or didn\'t do with your life. That\'s the heart of the message in Steve Brown\'s new book, <em>Three Free Sins: God\'s Not Mad at You</em>.\n\nAt this point I need to insert a disclaimer. I\'ve worked for Steve Brown for almost 15 years. Even so, Brandon Wallace, one of the editors at Provoketive.com, asked me to write a review of <em>Three Free Sins</em>. To me that\'s like asking Robin to review Batman\'s work. What do you expect? Robin\'s gonna tell you his boss is the coolest and he wishes he could trade in his lame uniform for one just like Batman\'s. Batman wrote the book on badass vigilante justice and that book gets five stars from the boy in green underwear, all day long. Even if <em>Three Free Sins</em> sucked, I\'d use one of my free sins and lie because Brown signs the paycheck.\n\nHowever, I don\'t have to lie. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is Steve Brown at his finest. As Steve admits, he couldn\'t have written this book even a few years ago. He had too much to lose. Today that\'s not the case. Steve\'s old. He\'s done everything he set out to do, and more. He’s a successful author, broadcaster and seminary professor. Nobody is pulling Steve’s strings and nobody has any leverage on him, so he tells it like it is. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the gospel of grace with no punches pulled, but it\'s more than that.\n\n<em>Three Free Sins</em> charts a course correction for the church. It\'s a call to abandon the fruitless efforts of sin management in exchange for a life of radical freedom, infectious joy and surprising faithfulness to God. In fact, Steve argues that the reason Christians are so bad is that we\'re trying so hard to be good, and that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don\'t get any better, Jesus will still love them anyway.\n\nWithout this focus on God\'s grace and unconditional love, the church has become filthy with the grotesque sins of self-righteousness and pride while frantically scrubbing at a few select sins with the narcissistic zeal of someone with OCD. <em>Three Free Sins</em> is the pure, cleansing water of gospel sanity.\n\nNot only that, this book is funny. Steve\'s illustrations and crotchety attitude are sprinkled throughout, making <em>Three Free Sins</em> a delightful combination of revelry and revelation.\n\nPlus Steve is secretly a multi-millionaire playboy who has a jet car and a utility belt with all kinds of great gear (including shark repellant).\n\nSo, if you think God is mad at you, or you\'ve been trying really hard to make God happy and you\'re tired and want to give up, you must read <em>Three Free Sins</em>. The infectious joy of finding out God is already quite pleased with you will give you strength in your weakness.\n\nIf you think you\'ve got it all together, this book will probably just tick you off, but read it anyway. Hopefully there will come a day when you find out the truth about yourself and you\'ll remember reading a book by that old white heretic, Steve Brown. Maybe then you\'ll be able to hear the message that your sins are free because Jesus picked up the tab.\n\nWell, that\'s my book review. I\'ve gotta go finish this spliff and wash the Batmobile. Go buy a copy of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Three-Free-Sins-Gods-Not/dp/1451612265/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1336790066&amp;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Three Free Sins</em></a>. Steve has a staff to pay.','Three Free Sins: A Review of Sorts','','inherit','open','open','','6646-revision-6','','','2012-05-16 14:32:45','2012-05-16 21:32:45','',6646,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/16/6646-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(6696,179,'2012-05-14 05:51:37','2012-05-14 12:51:37','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the current president\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">President Barack Hussein Obama II</a>, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Dr. George O. Wood\" href=\"http://www.georgeowood.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. George O. Wood</a>, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','Cheap Presidential Propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-10','','','2012-05-14 05:51:37','2012-05-14 12:51:37','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/6659-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(6697,178,'2012-05-19 08:55:54','2012-05-19 15:55:54','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way; s<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">pirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning; society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\n\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\n\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades and, not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\n\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\n\nIn turn, this line-in-the-sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many churchgoers are going through the motions, giving little thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\n\n<strong><em>How does this current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\n\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals dissipating.  To some extent,the Religious Left has been muted.\n\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\n\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views. On a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the various progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a>,</span></strong> a Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\n\nThe inherent connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice. As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></strong></span>,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has long been closely tied with the Religious Left.  He states:\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em></p>\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be Religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\n\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\n\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\n\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><em><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></em></strong></span>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\n\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\n\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has the potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\n\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-autosave','','','2012-05-19 08:55:54','2012-05-19 15:55:54','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/17/6683-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6698,38,'2012-05-17 08:27:17','2012-05-17 15:27:17','','SLG_banner','The SLG Banner','inherit','open','open','','6698','','','2012-05-17 08:27:17','2012-05-17 15:27:17','',6187,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SLG_banner.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6700,38,'2012-05-16 07:10:47','2012-05-16 14:10:47','[caption id=\"attachment_6153\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Rabbi Jason Miller\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi-jason-miller-2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6153 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi-jason-miller-2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Rabbi Jason Miller\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nRabbi Jason Miller grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He attended James Madison College at Michigan State University where he graduated with a degree in International Relations. He then went to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York where he became an ordained Rabbi and earned a master’s degree in Education.\r\n\r\nI asked Rabbi Jason how he came to the Jewish faith. “I was raised in the Jewish faith,” he told me. When he was in college he became involved in the Jewish community on campus. “That led me to make the decision that after I graduated I would attend rabbinical school instead of law school.”\r\n\r\nHow does one practice the Jewish faith on a daily basis? Rabbi Jason replied: “I’m an observant Jew. I have daily prayer, I keep kosher, Sabbath and all the Jewish holidays.”\r\n\r\nA misconception that people have about him when he talks about being a Rabbi is that people automatically think he must be in charge of a large congregation. He is not, but is instead a businessman and social media guru. “I’m a teacher, entrepreneur, businessman, visiting Rabbi at several congregations, and I perform ceremonies for life cycle events,” Rabbi Jason said.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6151\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Synagogue of Pécs in Hungary\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/synagogue-hungary_flickr_Emmanuel-Dyan.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6151\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/synagogue-hungary_flickr_Emmanuel-Dyan-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe Huffington post named Rabbi Jason as one of the top ten most influential Jews in social media and he recently won a Jewish Influencer award from the National Jewish Outreach Program. He <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-jason-miller\">writes articles</a> for The Huffington Post and has a <a href=\"http://blog.rabbijason.com/\">personal blog</a> which he has run since 2003. He took over the family business, Access Computer Technology, from his father in 2010. The company began in 1994 and provides IT support, social media marketing, and website design/build. He also owns Kosher Michigan, a kosher certification agency.\r\n\r\nI asked him how social media interacts with his faith and he said, “Through social media, the global Jewish community appears smaller than it used to be. Traditional borders and barriers that have kept us from each other have virtually disappeared. We’re becoming much more interconnected educationally, religiously, socially, and culturally.”\r\n<h2>About Judaism</h2>\r\nJudaism is an Abrahamic faith and is one of the oldest surviving monotheistic faiths in the world. <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism\">According to Wikipedia</a>, in 2010 there were an estimated 13.4 million Jews around the world, 42% of which live in Jerusalem and another 42% of which live in the United States or Canada.\r\n\r\nLife cycle events in the Jewish faith include things like birth and the first month of life (ritual circumcision on the eighth day for baby boys), bar and bat mitzvahs, divorce, marriage, and death and grieving.\r\n\r\nRabbi Jason Miller loves being a part of the Jewish faith. He said “I love the time-honored traditions, celebrations, and also the emphasis on education.”\r\n\r\nJudaism does not have a set of things you absolutely have to believe to be a Jew, but there is a list of 13 principles that encompass the most widely accepted principles written by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon.  These principles work hand-in-hand with the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_Commandments\">10 Commandments</a>.\r\n<h2><strong>13 Principles of Faith</strong></h2>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>God exists</li>\r\n	<li>God is one and unique</li>\r\n	<li>God is incorporeal</li>\r\n	<li>God is eternal</li>\r\n	<li>Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other</li>\r\n	<li>The words of the prophets are true</li>\r\n	<li>Moses\' prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets</li>\r\n	<li>The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses</li>\r\n	<li>There will be no other Torah</li>\r\n	<li>God knows the thoughts and deeds of men</li>\r\n	<li>God will reward the good and punish the wicked</li>\r\n	<li>The Messiah will come</li>\r\n	<li>The dead will be resurrected</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6157\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A synagogue in Budapest\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/synagoge_flickr_parissharing.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6157 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/synagoge_flickr_parissharing-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nRabbi Jason does not believe this personally, but the reason you will sometimes see the word “God” written by Jews with the dash in place of the “o” is because according to some Jewish traditions one should not speak or write the name of God frivolously, which is the third commandment. Also, it is rooted in a respect for God; His name is to remain sacred and not spoken unless in prayer or recitation. Substitutions like “Hashem” are sometimes used in place of God’s name.\r\n\r\nOne of the core tenets of the Jewish faith is that Jews do not believe that Jesus was/is the Messiah (which is a Christian belief). In one of his most recent articles written for The Huffington Post called “<a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-jason-miller/jesus-we-can-finally-talk_b_1241538.html\">Jesus, We Can Finally Talk about Jesus</a>”, Rabbi Jason Miller talked about how at the end of his time at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he was asked to do a presentation for a group of undergrads at The College of St. Elizabeth.\r\n<blockquote>In preparation for my visit [the teacher] asked the students to submit a list of five questions each that they would like me to consider. Without any exaggeration, a full 90 percent of the students included at least one question about Jesus Christ in their list. […] Many of the women in that class at the College of St. Elizabeth were surprised to learn that Jews do not consider Jesus to be the messiah and the entire class was shocked to discover that Jesus\' teachings were not part of the required coursework I was doing in my rabbinical school studies.</blockquote>\r\n<em>Kosher</em> (“kashrut” in Hebrew) is a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods\">set of dietary laws</a> for those of the Jewish faith to ensure that their food is fit to eat, though the work can also mean things that are proper, legitimate, or approved for use. From a historical context, this code was a way of ensuring <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods#Ritual_slaughter\">humane slaughtering</a>, kept the Jews from eating animals prone to infection, and kept their food disease free.\r\n<h2><strong>Holidays</strong></h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6160\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A Rabbi in traditional dress\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi_flickr_molotalk.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6160 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi_flickr_molotalk-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nJews celebrate a lot of holidays throughout the year and the celebrations can vary from group to group, but here are a few of the top holidays that are celebrated by almost all of them.\r\n\r\n<strong>Passover</strong> – This holiday commemorates the Israelite’s exodus from a tyrannical reign in Egypt. This holiday lasts seven days for Israel and for the Reform Movement, and eight days for all other Jews. Passover begins on the first full moon in April.\r\n\r\n<strong>Rosh Hashanah</strong> – This is the Jewish New Year according to the Judaic calendar. It lasts between one to two days and falls between Labor Day and Columbus Day. (On the site <a href=\"http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayg.htm\">JewFAQ.org</a>, they mention that ‘You\'ve heard of \"twice-a-year Christians’ who go to church only on Christmas and Easter? ‘Twice-a-year Jews’ go to synagogue only on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Yom Kippur</strong> – This holiday occurs on the ninth day after the first day of Rosh Hashanah. It is a somber holiday that is used as an annual day of repentance for sins that have been committed throughout the previous year.\r\n\r\n<strong>Chanukkah (Hanukkah)</strong> – This is the festival of lights which starts sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Chanukkah is in memory of the Israelites\' rededication the temple in Jerusalem after a successful revolt against Seleucid Greeks.\r\n\r\nHis faith has helped him through difficult times in his life through learning what it means to truly engage with faith, through connecting with G-d in prayer, and through reliance on the community. He said, “Here in Detroit we have a very close-knit community that transcends denominations and different walks of life. It’s wonderful.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6161\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A Star of David, a symbol of Judaism\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/star-david_flickr_Klearchos-Kapoutsis.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6161 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/star-david_flickr_Klearchos-Kapoutsis-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the central ideas that originates from Jewish culture is that of <em>chesed</em>, which roughly means “loving-kindness” and going the extra mile to take care of others. I have heard translated to mean “Love God, Love Man”. Another key idea is <em>tikkun olam</em> which means “repairing the world”. Basically, Jews aren’t supposed to simply focus on self-preservation but work for the healing and restoration of the world we live in. Followers of the Jewish faith are to build their lives on these two ideas and show love and kindness to everyone they interact with.\r\n<h2>Conclusion</h2>\r\nRabbi Jason Miller has devoted his life to the Jewish way of life and connecting the community. Through social media he is doing his part to bring the Jewish world together. Through his companies he is working to better the lives of Jews and non-Jews alike in Detroit. And through his writing he is challenging and inspiring fellow Jews and Detroiters.\r\n\r\n<strong>I appreciate Rabbi Jason taking the time to talk to me and I hope that someday it is be said of me that I have done even a fraction of what he has for his community.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Ever met a Druid? Now you\'ll get the chance to! We\'ll hear from Robert, a Neopagan Druid from Plymouth, Michigan.</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/3380936274/\" target=\"_blank\">david_shankbone</a> (A Jew kissing the Wailing Wall) <a href=\"http://www.rabbijason.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Jason Miller</a> (used with permission), Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmanueldyan/5131506614/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Emmanuel Dyan</a> (Syangogue in Hungary), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/14599621@N02/4185625144/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Chatham University JKM Library</a> (Nazareth), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/parisharing/6809648392/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ParisSharing</a> (synagogue in Budapest), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/molotalk/5895823303/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">molotalk</a> (Rabbi), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/klearchos/3065649911/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Klearchos Kapoutsis</a> (Star of David)</em>','Faith Interview Series: Jew','','inherit','open','open','','6108-revision-22','','','2012-05-16 07:10:47','2012-05-16 14:10:47','',6108,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/16/6108-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(6701,38,'2012-05-06 22:58:23','2012-05-07 05:58:23','Deanna Ogle conducts a series of interviews with different religious groups around metro Detroit to give you insight into the faiths of your neighbors, and so you can hear their stories for yourself.\r\n\r\nThis world is full of religious diversity. How do we learn to live peaceably with the people around us when our faith might differ from theirs? Deanna Ogle says that one way, is through learning about the faith communities of the world.  If you learn about them, you will have more context for your neighbor\'s beliefs. Then we can stop fearing each other, clear up misconceptions, and bring truth and redemption back into the conversation in the public and private square.\r\n\r\nSo why should you be interested in interfaith dialog? Find out why it\'s important for the world today and how it can bring freedom to the conversation.\r\n\r\n[<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/07/faith-interview-series-introduction\">INTRODUCTION</a>]\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith began with a man in 19th century Persia who explained that he was the promised one of all religions. Carl Marshall, a gentleman living in Detroit, Michigan explains how he first came to this faith, what it means to him, and what the followers of Bahá’í are all about.\r\n\r\n[BAHA’I POST COMING 5/9/2012]\r\n\r\nEver heard of gurus or wondered why Sikh men wear turbans? Mandheer Singh of Rochester Hills, Michigan brings us into his house of worship, talks about his community and their beliefs, and talks about his journey from only knowing of a few Sikhs while growing up in Ohio to living as a devout Sikh in Michigan with his family.\r\n\r\n[SIKH POST COMING 5/11/2012]\r\n\r\nThe Huffington Post has named Rabbi Jason Miller, a Jew living in Detroit, one of the most influential Jews in social media. Find out more the Jewish faith, how social media is changing the face of Judaism today, and about what it\'s like being a business man and Rabbi living in Detroit.\r\n\r\n[JEWISH POST COMING 5/14/2012]\r\n\r\nDruids are a part of the pagan community that is alive and well today. I speak with Rev. Rob Henderson, the leader of a Neopagan Druid community in Plymouth, Michigan. He talks about how he first found out about paganism, his congregation, and about what the Druids of Shining Lakes Grove, ADF believe.\r\n\r\n[NEOPAGAN DRUID POST COMING 5/16/2012]\r\n\r\nTwo men, one faith: Dr. Bob Cornwall, an author and pastor of Troy, Michigan and Curt Motsinger, an elder and school teacher in Waterford, Michigan speak about their journeys through the Christian faith, about their beliefs, and about how its affected their lives.\r\n\r\n[CHRISTIAN POST COMING 5/18/2012]\r\n\r\nDo Muslim women feel oppressed because of their headscarves? What is the Sharia really about? And what about terrorism? Find out more about the true beliefs of Muslims living in the United States today from Saeed Khan, a professor at Wayne State University, and Tuba Rizvi, a student from Dearborn, Michigan.\r\n\r\n[MUSLIM POST COMING 5/21/2012]\r\n\r\nPadma Kuppa\'s faith was sent to front street when she attempted to help organize a National Day of Prayer event in Troy, Michigan but barred from participating because she was not of the \"correct\" faith. Hear about what Hindus believe, her passion for interfaith efforts, and about the kind of misinformation being spread in this country about the Hindu faith.\r\n\r\n[HINDU POST COMING 5/23/2012]\r\n\r\nZen Buddhism is more than sitting and humming on a cushion on the floor. So what is it really about? Find out from Gwen, Jaye, and Nancy, three Zen Buddhists of Thich Nhat Hahn\'s tradition from Ferndale, Michigan, what Buddhist mean to them, what they believe, and how it has transformed them as people.\r\n\r\n[HINDU POST COMING 5/25/2012]\r\n\r\nSo now that you\'ve read these articles and learned more about your neighbors, what are you supposed to do with this knowledge? Don\'t let it waste away. Find out practical ways you can take action and can help this world be a brighter place with what you\'ve learned.\r\n\r\n[CONCLUSION POST COMING 5/28/2012]','Faith Interview Series: An Interfaith Dialog','','inherit','open','open','','6495-revision-9','','','2012-05-06 22:58:23','2012-05-07 05:58:23','',6495,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/06/6495-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(6702,38,'2012-05-17 08:33:05','2012-05-17 15:33:05','Deanna Ogle conducts a series of interviews with different religious groups around metro Detroit to give you insight into the faiths of your neighbors, and so you can hear their stories for yourself.\r\n\r\nThis world is full of religious diversity. How do we learn to live peaceably with the people around us when our faith might differ from theirs? Deanna Ogle says that one way, is through learning about the faith communities of the world.  If you learn about them, you will have more context for your neighbor\'s beliefs. Then we can stop fearing each other, clear up misconceptions, and bring truth and redemption back into the conversation in the public and private square.\r\n\r\nSo why should you be interested in interfaith dialog? Find out why it\'s important for the world today and how it can bring freedom to the conversation.\r\n\r\n[<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/07/faith-interview-series-introduction\">INTRODUCTION</a>]\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith began with a man in 19th century Persia who explained that he was the promised one of all religions. Carl Marshall, a gentleman living in Detroit, Michigan explains how he first came to this faith, what it means to him, and what the followers of Bahá’í are all about.\r\n\r\n[<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/09/faith-interview-series-the-bahai-faith/\" target=\"_blank\">THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH</a>]\r\n\r\nEver heard of gurus or wondered why Sikh men wear turbans? Mandheer Singh of Rochester Hills, Michigan brings us into his house of worship, talks about his community and their beliefs, and talks about his journey from only knowing of a few Sikhs while growing up in Ohio to living as a devout Sikh in Michigan with his family.\r\n\r\n[<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/11/faith-interview-series-sikhism/\" target=\"_blank\">SIKHISM</a>]\r\n\r\nThe Huffington Post has named Rabbi Jason Miller, a Jew living in Detroit, one of the most influential Jews in social media. Find out more the Jewish faith, how social media is changing the face of Judaism today, and about what it\'s like being a business man and Rabbi living in Detroit.\r\n\r\n[<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/14/faith-interview-series-jew/\" target=\"_blank\">JUDAISM</a>]\r\n\r\nDruids are a part of the pagan community that is alive and well today. I speak with Rev. Rob Henderson, the leader of a Neopagan Druid community in western Michigan. He talks about how he first found out about paganism, his congregation, and about what the Druids of Shining Lakes Grove, ADF believe.\r\n\r\n[<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/16/faith-interview-series-neopagan-druid/\" target=\"_blank\">NEOPAGAN DRUID</a>]\r\n\r\nTwo men, one faith: Dr. Bob Cornwall, an author and pastor of Troy, Michigan and Curt Motsinger, an elder and school teacher in Waterford, Michigan speak about their journeys through the Christian faith, about their beliefs, and about how its affected their lives.\r\n\r\n[CHRISTIAN POST COMING 5/18/2012]\r\n\r\nDo Muslim women feel oppressed because of their headscarves? What is the Sharia really about? And what about terrorism? Find out more about the true beliefs of Muslims living in the United States today from Saeed Khan, a professor at Wayne State University, and Tuba Rizvi, a student from Dearborn, Michigan.\r\n\r\n[MUSLIM POST COMING 5/21/2012]\r\n\r\nPadma Kuppa\'s faith was sent to front street when she attempted to help organize a National Day of Prayer event in Troy, Michigan but barred from participating because she was not of the \"correct\" faith. Hear about what Hindus believe, her passion for interfaith efforts, and about the kind of misinformation being spread in this country about the Hindu faith.\r\n\r\n[HINDU POST COMING 5/23/2012]\r\n\r\nZen Buddhism is more than sitting and humming on a cushion on the floor. So what is it really about? Find out from Gwen, Jaye, and Nancy, three Zen Buddhists of Thich Nhat Hahn\'s tradition from Ferndale, Michigan, what Buddhist mean to them, what they believe, and how it has transformed them as people.\r\n\r\n[HINDU POST COMING 5/25/2012]\r\n\r\nSo now that you\'ve read these articles and learned more about your neighbors, what are you supposed to do with this knowledge? Don\'t let it waste away. Find out practical ways you can take action and can help this world be a brighter place with what you\'ve learned.\r\n\r\n[CONCLUSION POST COMING 5/28/2012]','Faith Interview Series: An Interfaith Dialog','','inherit','open','open','','6495-revision-10','','','2012-05-17 08:33:05','2012-05-17 15:33:05','',6495,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/17/6495-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(6703,179,'2012-05-17 15:12:16','2012-05-17 22:12:16','','volume','','inherit','open','open','','volume','','','2012-05-17 15:12:16','2012-05-17 22:12:16','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/volume.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6704,179,'2012-05-15 19:48:59','2012-05-16 02:48:59','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way; s<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">pirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning; society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\r\n\r\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\r\n\r\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades and, not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\r\n\r\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\r\n\r\nIn turn, this line-in-the-sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many churchgoers are going through the motions, giving little thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How does this current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\r\n\r\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals are dissipating.  To some extent,the Religious Left has been muted.\r\n\r\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\r\n\r\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views. On a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the various progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a>,</span></strong> a Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\r\n\r\nThe inherent connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice. As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></strong></span>,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has long been closely tied with the Religious Left.  He states:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em></p>\r\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be Religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\r\n\r\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\r\n\r\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\r\n\r\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><em><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></em></strong></span>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\r\n\r\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\r\n\r\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has the potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\r\n\r\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-revision-5','','','2012-05-15 19:48:59','2012-05-16 02:48:59','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/15/6683-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6705,179,'2012-05-17 15:12:53','2012-05-17 22:12:53','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way; s<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">pirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning; society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\r\n\r\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\r\n\r\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades and, not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\r\n\r\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\r\n\r\nIn turn, this line-in-the-sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many churchgoers are going through the motions, giving little thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How does this current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\r\n\r\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals are dissipating.  To some extent,the Religious Left has been muted.\r\n\r\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\r\n\r\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views. On a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the various progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a>,</span></strong> a Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\r\n\r\nThe inherent connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice. As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></strong></span>,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has long been closely tied with the Religious Left.  He states:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px;\"><em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em></p>\r\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be Religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\r\n\r\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\r\n\r\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\r\n\r\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></em></strong></span>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\r\n\r\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\r\n\r\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has the potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\r\n\r\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-revision-6','','','2012-05-17 15:12:53','2012-05-17 22:12:53','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/17/6683-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(6706,179,'2012-05-17 00:06:56','2012-05-17 07:06:56','I try to keep my political beliefs to myself, unless I\'m with others who think like I do. I\'ve been trying to avoid the following, but I\'m troubled by the cheap political stand that the current president\'s pulled out of his bag of tricks.\r\n<blockquote>\"[Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others. But, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\'s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.And I think that\'s what we try to impart to our kids and that\'s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\'ll be as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I\'ll be as president.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Barack Hussein Obama II\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\" target=\"_blank\">President Barack Hussein Obama II</a>, <a title=\"Transcript: Robin Roberts ABC News Interview With President Obama - ABC News\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-robin-roberts-abc-news-interview-president-obama/story?id=16316043\" target=\"_blank\">ABC News interview, 05/09/2012</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a></blockquote>\r\nIt\'s presidential campaign season (empty promises and other lies) and he now claims to be in favor of gay marriage. It\'s a mere political stand to secure the <em>gay vote</em>. Why couldn\'t he come out before or after the elections with this comment? He\'s even tried to manipulate the Scriptures to back up his support to gay marriage.\r\n<blockquote>\"The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God. Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, it still doesn\'t change what God\'s Word clearly states. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Dr. George O. Wood\" href=\"http://www.georgeowood.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. George O. Wood</a>, <a title=\"Assemblies of God\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Assemblies of God</a> <a title=\"General Superintendent\'s Office\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/index.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">general superintendent</a>, citing <a title=\"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance</strong>\r\n<a title=\"Obama Uses Scripture to Justify Same-Sex Marriage Stance\" href=\"http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance\" target=\"_blank\"> http://www.charismanews.com/us/33390-obama-uses-scripture-to-jusify-same-sex-marriage-stance</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage</strong>\r\n<a title=\"AG opposes President Obama\'s stance on same-sex marriage\" href=\"http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.ag.org/top/News/index_articledetail.cfm?targetBay=c97d4d5c-a325-4921-9a9e-e9fbddd9cdce&amp;ModID=2&amp;Process=DisplayArticle&amp;RSS_RSSContentID=22566&amp;RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1184&amp;RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3359&amp;RSS_Source=</a></blockquote>\r\nI understand that gay marriage and other rights are important for the <a title=\"LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT</a> community and that many religious groups are against this <em>life style</em> (lack of tolerance, such an un-Christian attitude), but I don\'t see it as a political issue. Of course, any politician who refuses to answer is immediately as being against gays, civil liberties and/or whatever other term the <em>liberal</em> media wants to use (agendas).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><em>As a disclaimer, I must emphasize that I\'m not saying anything against or in favor of gay marriage. I\'m barely criticizing the current president\'s cheap attempt to secure votes. I\'ll go on record saying that I\'m against this president\'s manipulation of the American society specially as it affects the global attitude towards America and/or its influence on other countries (copying, cloning effect).</em></li>\r\n</ul>','Cheap Presidential Propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','6659-revision-11','','','2012-05-17 00:06:56','2012-05-17 07:06:56','',6659,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/17/6659-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(6707,38,'2012-05-17 08:28:13','2012-05-17 15:28:13','[caption id=\"attachment_6188\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Rev. Rob Henderson\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rob-henderson_stand.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6188\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rob-henderson_stand-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe sun was out in Downtown Plymouth. The town was full of people bearing possibility and happiness. It was late Saturday afternoon the day before the Christian holiday, Easter. The park in the center of town was full of dogs, families, and people climbing in trees and the restaurants had their sidewalk tables out. The sun warmed the skin on my face as I walked down the street to Starbucks.\r\n\r\nI found Rev. Rob Henderson, Senior Druid of <a href=\"http://www.shininglakes.org/\">Shining Lakes Grove, ADF</a> sitting to one side of the store on his laptop. He has lived in Michigan as long as he can remember. He grew up in the Ann Arbor area and studied Computer Science at the University of Michigan.\r\n\r\nShining Lakes Grove was founded in 1993 and it was well established by the time Rob joined the group in 1996. They currently have about fifteen members spread across lower Michigan. He was raised Catholic but his family “had pretty much exited the faith by the time I was ten or eleven, and then I wandered around aimlessly for a bit,” he told me.\r\n\r\nRob first became interested in Druidism when he met some pagans in his teen years. They told him about paganism and explained the beliefs. “It seemed to be who I was, and I thought ‘Well, they seem like nice, stable, well-adjusted people,’” Rob chuckled. “You know, I think I’ve reached the point where I’ve been a Druid for half my lifetime.” He also dabbled in occultist/ceremonial magic for a while, but quickly realized it wasn’t for him before moving completely into Neopagan Druidism.\r\n\r\n“So, what exactly do you believe?” I asked him.\r\n“Well, we are a orthopraxis belief system, so it’s more about right worship and practice than right belief.”\r\n<h2>About Shining Lakes Grove</h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6698\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The SLG Banner\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SLG_banner.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6698\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SLG_banner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nShining Lakes Grove is a part of the ADF, which stands for A Druid Fellowship, the largest Neopagan Druidism organization in the world. According to <a href=\"http://www.adf.org/\">their website</a> ADF is “a completely independent Druid tradition” with over 4500 cumulative and 1100 current members across the globe.\r\n\r\nOn their website, <a href=\"http://www.adf.org/about/basics/beliefs.html\">ADF says</a> that “We believe in a multiplicity of gods and goddesses, as well as lesser beings, many of whom are worthy of respect, love and worship. […] While some of us believe in a ‘Supreme Being,’ Neopagan Druidism is emphatically polytheistic.”\r\n<h2>Neopagan Druid Beliefs</h2>\r\nRob explained to me that there are three types of entities that he and his fellow Druids worship, which are\r\n\r\ncollectively referred to as “the Kindreds”: nature spirits, ancestors (direct, inspired, local, etc.), and deities, the latter of which includes Indo-European gods of the Celtic, Norse, Hellenic, Roman, Vedic and Slavic traditions.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6196\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"&quot;It must be Beltaine, the trilliums are everywhere!&quot;\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/trillium_flickr_tasitch.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6196\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/trillium_flickr_tasitch-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDruids have home worship on a weekly—or in Rob’s case, daily—basis by doing things like burning incense or lighting and candle and praying or meditation. They don’t gather as a group on a weekly basis because distance is an obstacle, so they gather for eight High Days throughout the year.\r\n\r\nThree Cranes Grove, another ADF Grove located in Columbus, Ohio explains what the eight High Days celebrate:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.threecranes.org/hhd.html#samhain\">Samhain</a> (November 1<sup>st</sup>) – The New Year celebration related to Halloween, The Festival of the Dead, and in the Greek tradition the beginning of Demeter’s mourning during her daughter’s six month spell in Hades</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.threecranes.org/hhd.html#wisolstice\">Winter Solstice</a> (around December 22<sup>nd</sup>) – The celebration of the return from darkness and rituals are performed to bring back the sun that has been hidden, and God was conceived on the Winter Solstice</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.threecranes.org/hhd.html#imbolc\">Imbolc</a> (February 1<sup>st</sup>) – This celebration focused on the fact that the first signs of life are starting to come back into the world, and it’s important to join with friends to warm your heart even if the Earth will remain cold for a while.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.threecranes.org/hhd.html#spequinox\">Spring Equinox</a> (around March 21<sup>st</sup>) – This is the celebration of the start of the light half of the year, gardening and planting is commenced, and according to some traditions, the God begins to court the Goddess.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.threecranes.org/hhd.html#beltaine\">Beltaine</a> (May 1<sup>st</sup>) – This holiday focuses around fertility and the joining of new life (which is said to be the marriage date of God and Goddess and is chosen to be the wedding day of many Neopagans), many times includes a maypole dance.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.threecranes.org/hhd.html#susolstice\">Summer Solstice</a> (June 22<sup>nd</sup>) – Height of the year, celebration of the middle of the year and the hill downward toward Autumn and Samhain</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.threecranes.org/hhd.html#lughnassad\">Lughnassad</a> (August 1<sup>st</sup>) - Beginning of the harvest, is associated with the god Laugh, and the continuing marriage of the God and Goddess</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.threecranes.org/hhd.html#auequinox\">Autumnal Equinox</a> (around September 22<sup>nd</sup>) – The beginning of the dark half of the year, the approach and the beauty of Fall, and preparations for the chill that is coming.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6203\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A maypole during Beltaine\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/maypole_flickr_intangiblearts.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6203\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/maypole_flickr_intangiblearts-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nShining Lakes Grove is about to celebrate Beltaine in a few weeks. “We just celebrated Spring Equinox a couple of weeks ago, so my friends and I remark that we were confused when grocery stores still had egg dying kits around. ‘Why are these still here? We already celebrated! Oh, that’s right, Easter!’”\r\n\r\n“Is Beltaine the one with the Maypole?” I asked. Rob said, “Yes!” He told me the Norse had a mythical concept of a World Tree, which in modern times is represented by a wooden pole, called a bilé, used in all Druid rituals including the Maypole celebrations. According to Norse traditions the bilé was made out of an Ash tree, but the members of the Shining Lakes Grove didn’t want to kill a tree to create one. Instead, they used a Quaking Aspen, which has multiple trunks, so they were able to create a bilé while leaving the tree remain intact and alive.\r\n\r\nRob isn’t sure whether or not his community will have a maypole dance as the owner of their sacred grove passed away and they have to relocate, “which is a shame, because I really liked the owner and we had developed good relationships with the land spirits there.”\r\n<h2>Misconceptions</h2>\r\nHe talked about how people were kind towards him when they find out he is a pagan, but he thinks that might be part of living in Ann Arbor, a rather spiritually open city. I mentioned that the influx of college students from the nearby university probably helped, but he said, “Actually, we don’t get that many college-aged students. It seems like college-aged people want more <em>energy-</em>based types of spirituality, with stuff like Chi and combining personal energy and focusing it on something.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6208\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Druids out for a dance during Beltaine\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/druids-dance_flickr_Shadowgate.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6208 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/druids-dance_flickr_Shadowgate-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEnergy combining was the only concept of paganism that I really had, so I asked Rob how the energy-based types differed from Druidism. He said “We are building a modern religion based on Indo-European cultures by incorporating elements from their languages, beliefs and practices because none of them really left us a robust enough system to have a standalone religion. Druidism is based on of the concept of giving and receiving and building relationships.” Giving and receiving is exhibited through giving offerings and forms of worship (which include song, dance, group and individual praise) so the Kindreds will help the Druids in their lives. The building of relationships takes place with the Kindreds and with each other as a community.\r\n\r\nThere are several misconceptions about the Neopagan Druid community, one of which is that all Druids are men. “There is evidence in ancient texts that there were female Druids. We believe in the equality of women. They are welcome to participate equally and be clergy,” which almost half of the Shining Lakes Grove Clergy are. Druids have no prejudice as far as race, gender, or sexual orientation. “All are welcome to be a part of our community,” he told me.\r\n\r\nThe other misconception is that people think when Druids use the words “offerings” or “sacrifices” that they mean blood offerings. “The ADF specifically bans blood offerings. Any kind of blood offering: animal, human, and even cutting yourself for rituals is prohibited. One of the ADF’s main goals is to be a religion for the 21<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">st </span>century.” ADF Druids use grains, incense, oils, and even art as offerings.\r\n<h2>Conclusion</h2>\r\nOn <a href=\"http://adf.livejournal.com/151342.html\">ADF’s Livejournal</a>, a member by the username <em>filiavallis</em> <a href=\"http://adf.livejournal.com/151342.html\">said</a>:\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6205\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A Druid at the Stonehenge Summer Solstice (2009)\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/druid_flickr_vintagedepot.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6205 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/druid_flickr_vintagedepot-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n“And the last time a couple of representatives of one of our local churches came around […] we stood and talked about Druidism for about forty-five minutes. They’d never met or talked to anyone on a Druid path before. So now, for good or ill, whatever preconceptions they had of ‘Pagan’ are at least partially superseded by the picture of a slightly grubby, cheerfully talkative, and generally rather ordinary suburban housewife-and-mom with some unusual but rational &amp; understandable ideas &amp; beliefs.”\r\n\r\nThis is what I found in Rob Henderson. While I was completely unfamiliar with the Druid path before speaking to him, I found Rob to be a very thoughtful, kind, and intelligent person. His beliefs, while very different from the traditions I grew up in, were rooted in the understanding and study of ancient cultures that allow him to appreciate nature, seasons, history and the way the world works together.\r\n\r\nRight before we parted ways, Rob added that Shining Lakes Groves is open and welcomes visitors even if they are unfamiliar with pagan practices. “You don’t have to know how to do rituals or know how to meditate to be a part of our community. We want people to know that we welcome them and that you don’t have to be an experienced Druid to join.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Thanks to Rob Henderson for being willing to meet with me, and for talking to be about the Druid path, ADF, and his own community, Shining Lakes Grove, ADF. I look forward to future interactions and conversations with him and his fellow Druids.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Find out what robins have to do with Christianity in our next article with a pastor and author from Troy, and a teacher and elder from Waterford, Michigan.</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Mannanan Shrine, Rev. Rob Henderson, SLG Banner (used with permission courtesy of Shining Lakes Grove, ADF), Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/tasitch/24606530/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Tasitch</a> (Trilliums), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/intangible/2467735011/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">IntangibleArts</a> (Maypole), <em> <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/shadowgate/3512844987/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Shadowgate</a> (Beltaine dancing),</em> <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintagedept/3645742207/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">vintagedepot</a> (Stonehenge Druid)</em>','Faith Interview Series: Neopagan Druid','','inherit','open','open','','6187-revision-25','','','2012-05-17 08:28:13','2012-05-17 15:28:13','',6187,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/17/6187-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(6709,0,'2012-05-18 10:46:36','2012-05-18 17:46:36','Spirituality\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Greg Richardson\nAUTHOR EMAIL: StrategicMonk@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://StrategicMonk.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 99.99.57.99\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Greg Richardson\n    [Email] =&gt; StrategicMonk@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; StrategicMonk.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Spirituality\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; StrategicMonk\n)\n','Greg Richardson - 2012-05-18 10:46:36','','publish','open','open','','f611fc458179669c0de282d956d3974b','','','2012-05-18 10:46:36','2012-05-18 17:46:36','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=6709',0,'feedback','',0),(6710,178,'2012-05-17 15:13:10','2012-05-17 22:13:10','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way; s<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">pirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning; society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\r\n\r\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\r\n\r\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades and, not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\r\n\r\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\r\n\r\nIn turn, this line-in-the-sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many churchgoers are going through the motions, giving little thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How does this current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\r\n\r\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals are dissipating.  To some extent,the Religious Left has been muted.\r\n\r\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\r\n\r\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views. On a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the various progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a>,</span></strong> a Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\r\n\r\nThe inherent connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice. As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></strong></span>,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has long been closely tied with the Religious Left.  He states:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em></p>\r\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be Religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\r\n\r\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\r\n\r\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\r\n\r\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><em><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></em></strong></span>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\r\n\r\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\r\n\r\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has the potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\r\n\r\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-revision-7','','','2012-05-17 15:13:10','2012-05-17 22:13:10','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/17/6683-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(6711,178,'2012-05-19 08:54:12','2012-05-19 15:54:12','The evidence is indisputable: Religiosity is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-religion-in-america-in_b_843801.html\">declining</a></span></strong> in a major way; s<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">pirituality</a></span></strong> is not. Religious affiliations and church attendance is waning; society’s belief in God or a higher power is as strong as ever.\r\n\r\nWhat, then, accounts for the considerable disparity between religiosity and spirituality?\r\n\r\nWell, for one thing, the number of <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://americangrace.org/blog/?p=1793\">irreligious individuals has exploded</a></span></strong> in the past two decades and, not surprisingly, the vast majority of the irreligious are political moderates or liberals who see organized religious as a largely Republican institution.  The media and religious extremists have left us considering only two options available: the Religious Right or the Irreligious Left.\r\n\r\nWe are resigned to believing that there are few options for religious liberals.  <em>You are either with us or against us</em> is the message hurled by religious zealots and secularists alike, and this hard-line attitude has caused many to declare that “if this is religion, it’s not for me.”\r\n\r\nIn turn, this line-in-the-sand mentality, has created societal complacency with respect to religion.  Many churchgoers are going through the motions, giving little thought to what their faith means to them and the larger world.  Countless others are writing off organized religion as an unnecessary, and oftentimes dangerous, institution that divides rather than unites.   Others still have fallen out of religion, gradually, due to lifestyle challenges and a lack of motivation.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How does this current shift in American religiosity affect society as a whole, particularly with respect to politics, social justice, and environmental preservation?  </em></strong>\r\n\r\nWell, the decline in religiosity and the nature of the decline – particularly in the decline among would-be religious liberals – has had, and will continue to have, profound effects on our society.  The voices of the Religious Right and traditional religion are getting stronger, with the voices of the would-be religious liberals dissipating.  To some extent,the Religious Left has been muted.\r\n\r\nGiven that <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm\">research indicates</a></span></strong> that churchgoing Americans are more engaged members of their community, combined with the fact that a large number of liberal Americans are leaving organized religion as a result of their aversion to conservative religious options, the Left’s social and religious beliefs are inadequately represented within American society.\r\n\r\nThe polarizing messages of a Religious Right versus the Irreligious Left are not only damaging to the advancement of political and social change, but they are ignorantly narrow-minded.  These messages fail to take into account the number of outspoken religious liberals who are committed to the advancement of an open-minded and respectful faith – individuals like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://alise-write.com/\">Alise Wright</a></span></strong> and <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/\">Justin Lee</a></span></strong>, who write extensively about reconciling their devout faith with their socially liberal views. On a larger scale, the polarizing messages fail to take into account the various progressive and liberal religious options available to individuals who seek to practice an authentic faith without the archaic dogma of traditional religion – churches like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.newchicagochurch.com/\">Urban Village Church</a>,</span></strong> a Methodist emerging congregation in Chicago, and liberal religions like <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://www.uua.org/\">Unitarian Universalism</a></span></strong>, a non-Christian liberal denomination that promotes diversity and acceptance.\r\n\r\nThe inherent connection between religion and radical social justice initiatives bolsters the potential influence of religious liberals on social justice. As Dan McKanan points out in his book <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></strong></span>,</em> throughout American history, radicalism and social activism has long been closely tied with the Religious Left.  He states:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em>“…leftist activism is almost a form of religion.  It occupies much of the same psychological and sociological space.  People are drawn to religious communities and radical organizations in order to connect their daily routines to a more transcendent vision of heaven, salvation or a new society.  Both religion and radicalism offer individuals powerful new identities – as “children of God” or “class-conscious workers” or “New Negros.’  In order to extend this power, radicals build organizations – social reform societies, utopian communities, third parties – that have many churchlike qualities.”</em></p>\r\nUnfortunately, the disengagement of the would-be Religious Left and the submission of religious liberals to a traditional (often conservative) religion has exacerbated the silence of religious liberalism from American politics and tampered with its ability to facilitate liberal social change.\r\n\r\nWould-be religious liberals, religious seekers, and reluctant churchgoers can no longer afford to quietly acquiesce to a traditional religion or withdraw from religion.  Doing so only intensifies religious polarization and stereotypes of a Secular Left and a Religious Right.\r\n\r\nIf only a small number of religious liberals were to become engaged in a progressive religious community that merged their spirituality and faith with their social and political values, our nation could experience profoundly beneficial grace and social change.  Polarization would be diminished; cooperation would be encouraged.\r\n\r\nAs Dan McKanan discusses in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong><em><a href=\"http://www.hds.harvard.edu/multimedia/video/prophetic-encounters-religion-and-the-american-radical-tradition\">Prophetic Encounters</a></em></strong></span>, engaging the religious liberals is essential to promoting social, environmental and human justice.  Without the engagement and participation of religious liberals, the voice of the Religious Right will continue to be amplified, with the voice of the would-be Religious Left muted.\r\n\r\nHope is not lost, however.  By increasing awareness of the religious options available through progressive religion and liberal churches, the Religious Left may be reinvigorated and unsilenced.\r\n\r\nProgressive religion holds a powerful role in American religious evolution.  It has the potential to grab the hearts, minds, and voices of the silent Religious Left.  It has the ability to create a renewed emphasis on the importance of religious community.  It has the capacity to inspire community service.  It has the power to redefine the way that we think about religion so that we can harness the positive impact of religion and dispel with harmful stereotypes and stigma of organized religion.\r\n\r\nYou see, religion, ultimately, boils down to <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/05/01/the-smallest-church-in-the-world/\">community</a></span></strong> – not the frequency of church attendance or the specific rituals practiced.  By refocusing religion on the communities that it creates, and not the rules and fears and judgments <em>some</em> religions impose, we can rid ourselves of the rigid characterizations that many of us have come to associate with religion and turn up the volume on the political and social capacity of the Religious Left.','Turning Up the Volume on the Muted Religious Left ','','inherit','open','open','','6683-revision-8','','','2012-05-19 08:54:12','2012-05-19 15:54:12','',6683,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/19/6683-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(6716,78,'2012-05-19 16:42:32','2012-05-19 23:42:32','','The Denim Skirt Cult','','inherit','open','open','','6713-revision','','','2012-05-19 16:42:32','2012-05-19 23:42:32','',6713,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/19/6713-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6717,78,'2012-05-19 17:08:13','2012-05-20 00:08:13','','The Denim Skirt Cult','','inherit','open','open','','6713-revision-2','','','2012-05-19 17:08:13','2012-05-20 00:08:13','',6713,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/19/6713-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6718,78,'2012-05-19 17:19:27','2012-05-20 00:19:27','I grew up in a conservative Christian home. During my teenage years, my family fell into what my parents now refer to as \"the denim skirt cult\". You know. The one where all the girls where long sleeves, denim skirts, and (if they are extra chaste) head coverings.\r\n\r\nGrowing up, I was taught that as a woman, modesty was my priority. Not only in how I dressed, but also in how I acted. It was important to show as little skin as possible. It was vital to keep men at an arms length (no dating!) It was wrong to wear tight clothes, or anything that even showed the form of my body--hence the skirts. It was inappropriate to be alone in the same room with a boy (not to mention the time I rode in the car with one and was grounded for two weeks).\r\n\r\nWhy all of this? Because if you didn\'t take exorbitant precautions, I might cause a man to stumble. Sexual thoughts might enter his mind and it would be all my fault. Because sex, even in thought, was wrong (outside the bounds of marriage, of course). And because men are visual and can\'t help themselves, it falls to the woman to prevent this sin from occurring.\r\n\r\nI am now happily married with a daughter of my own and I haven\'t worn a denim skirt for over 5 years. It has taken me almost as long to recover and recalibrate my mindset from that of the \"denim skirt cult\".\r\n\r\nThat stage of my life did me far more damage than it did good. And today, I feel that when teaching modesty to young women it is incredibly important to do it for the right reasons.\r\n\r\n<em>\"To keep men from stumbling\" is not a right reason. But why? Why is this thought process wrong and how could it possibly be damaging?</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>1) Men are sexual, visual beings.</strong> They always have been, they always will be. They are attracted based on appearances. Nothing you do or don\'t do will stop them from having that natural, innate urge within them. Men are going to be attracted to women no matter what they are wearing. If a man wants to imagine what a woman looks like naked, he is going to do that whether she is wearing a bikini or burkha.\r\n\r\nThere is nothing wrong with men being attracted to women or women being attracted to men. Outside of marriage, within marriage, single people, divorced people-- there will be attraction. To say that the attraction is based solely on how a woman dresses is not only ridiculous, it is harmful and places an extraordinary burden on them.\r\n\r\n<strong>2) Men are capable of controlling themselves.</strong>  I honestly used to think that all men were completely incapable of controlling themselves. I thought that for some prehistoric reason, when they saw a pretty girl, they had no choice but to beat their chest and try to mate with her.  It was all my fault if I looked even remotely attractive and I was causing them to \"sin\" in their thoughts. Because after all, they can\'t help themselves.\r\n\r\nMen are just as capable of controlling themselves, even in their thoughts, as women are. Men are capable of taking responsibility for what they think and feel --as they should. They have God-given sexual urges and they have God-given self-control. It is up to them if they want to use the latter. A woman is not responsible for what a man thinks about her or how he acts towards her. At all.\r\n\r\n<strong>3) The self-esteem of women, especially teenage girls, is already delicate.</strong> As women, we are constantly bombarded by images of flawless complexions, skinny bodies, long legs and big breasts. Society tells us that if we don\'t match up to their impossibly high standard, we aren\'t beautiful. To further exaserbate this low sense of self-worth already thrust upon is, the \"denim skirt cult\" mindset causes girls to feel guilty and sinful if they dress attractively. And I\'m not even talking about super low-cut tops and butt-cheek shorts. I\'m just talking about well-fitting, attractive clothing. For the longest time I felt an unremitting sense of guilt if I wore jeans and a t-shirt that fit well. Multiply that guilt if I put on enough make-up to make me feel like a superstar. Until two weeks ago, I hadn\'t worn a pair of regular shorts for years and years. Everytime I put them on I felt gross, exposed and guilty.\r\n\r\nInstilling a sense of shame on a teenage girl for looking and feeling attractive is not healthy in any way. Making a girl shlub around in denim skirts and baggy shirts because her body is something to hide and be ashamed of is ridiculous. Telling her that SHE is to take responsibility for the thoughts and actions of the men around her is harmful and, quite honestly, has the potential to set her up for emotionally and spiritually--if not physically--abusive relationships.\r\n\r\nGirls, it is okay to dress attractively. It is okay to wear clothes that make you feel comfortable in your own skin. It\'s okay to get dressed up and feel beautiful and sexy. There\'s nothing wrong with expressing yourself through what you wear. <strong>Because it doesn\'t matter what you wear or how you act-- what a man thinks, feels or does is his own responsibility. Not yours.</strong>','The Denim Skirt Cult','','inherit','open','open','','6713-revision-3','','','2012-05-19 17:19:27','2012-05-20 00:19:27','',6713,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/19/6713-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6719,78,'2012-05-19 17:29:35','2012-05-20 00:29:35','I grew up in a conservative Christian home. During my teenage years, my family fell into what my parents now refer to as \"the denim skirt cult.\" You know. The one where all the girls where long sleeves, denim skirts, and (if they are extra chaste) head coverings.\r\n\r\nGrowing up, I was taught that as a woman, modesty was my priority. Not only in how I dressed, but also in how I acted. It was important to show as little skin as possible. It was vital to keep men at an arms length (no dating!) It was wrong to wear tight clothes, or anything that even showed the form of my body--hence the skirts. It was inappropriate to be alone in the same room with a boy (not to mention the time I rode in the car with one and was grounded for two weeks).\r\n\r\nWhy all of this? Because if I didn\'t take exorbitant precautions, I might cause a man to stumble. Sexual thoughts might enter his mind and it would be all my fault. Because sex, even in thought, was wrong (outside the bounds of marriage, of course). And because men are visual and can\'t help themselves, it falls to the woman to prevent this sin from occurring.\r\n\r\nI haven\'t worn a denim skirt for over 5 years. It has taken me almost as long to recover and recalibrate my mindset from that of the \"denim skirt cult\".\r\n\r\nThat stage of my life did me far more damage than it did good. And today, I feel that when teaching modesty to young women it is incredibly important to do it for the right reasons.\r\n\r\n<em>\"To keep men from stumbling\" is not a right reason. But why? Why is this thought process wrong and how could it possibly be damaging?</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>1) Men are sexual, visual beings.</strong> They always have been, they always will be. They are attracted based on appearances. Nothing you do or don\'t do will stop them from having that natural, innate urge within them. Men are going to be attracted to women no matter what they are wearing. If a man wants to imagine what a woman looks like naked, he is going to do that whether she is wearing a bikini or burkha.\r\n\r\nThere is nothing wrong with men being attracted to women or women being attracted to men. Outside of marriage, within marriage, single people, divorced people-- there will be attraction. To say that the attraction is based solely on how a woman dresses is not only ridiculous, it is harmful and places an extraordinary burden on them.\r\n\r\n<strong>2) A woman is not responsible for what a man thinks</strong> <strong>about her or how he acts towards her. At all.</strong> Men are capable of controlling themselves.  I honestly used to think that all men were completely incapable of controlling themselves. I thought that for some prehistoric reason, when they saw a pretty girl, they had no choice but to beat their chest and try to mate with her.  It was all my fault if I looked even remotely attractive and I was causing them to \"sin\" in their thoughts. Because after all, they can\'t help themselves.\r\n\r\nMen are just as capable of controlling themselves, even in their thoughts, as women are. Men are capable of taking responsibility for what they think and feel --as they should. They have God-given sexual urges and they have God-given self-control. It is up to them if they want to use the latter.\r\n\r\n<strong>3) The self-esteem of women, especially teenage girls, is already delicate.</strong> As women, we are constantly bombarded by images of flawless complexions, skinny bodies, long legs and big breasts. Society tells us that if we don\'t match up to their impossibly high standard, we aren\'t beautiful. To further exacerbate this low sense of self-worth already thrust upon is, the \"denim skirt cult\" mindset causes girls to feel guilty and sinful if they dress attractively. And I\'m not even talking about super low-cut tops and butt-cheek shorts. I\'m just talking about well-fitting, attractive clothing. For the longest time I felt an unremitting sense of guilt if I wore jeans and a t-shirt that fit well. Multiply that guilt if I put on enough make-up to make me feel like a superstar. Until two weeks ago, I hadn\'t worn a pair of regular shorts for years and years. Every time I put them on I felt gross, exposed and guilty.\r\n\r\nInstilling a sense of shame on a teenage girl for looking and feeling attractive is not healthy in any way. Making a girl shlub around in denim skirts and baggy shirts because her body is something to hide and be ashamed of is ridiculous. Telling her that SHE is to take responsibility for the thoughts and actions of the men around her is harmful and, quite honestly, has the potential to set her up for emotionally and spiritually--if not physically--abusive relationships.\r\n\r\nGirls, it is okay to dress attractively. It is okay to wear clothes that make you feel comfortable in your own skin. It\'s okay to get dressed up and feel beautiful and sexy. There\'s nothing wrong with expressing yourself through what you wear. <strong>Because it doesn\'t matter what you wear or how you act-- what a man thinks, feels or does is his own responsibility. Not yours.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPhoto by <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellecarl/\">Michelle Carl</a>','The Denim Skirt Cult','','inherit','open','open','','6713-revision-4','','','2012-05-19 17:29:35','2012-05-20 00:29:35','',6713,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/19/6713-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(6891,134,'2012-06-05 08:00:44','2012-06-05 15:00:44','Last night, I watched the movie <a title=\"Repeaters (2010)\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1580426/\" target=\"_blank\">Repeaters</a> (2010). In this movie, three recovering drug addicts are given the chance to relive the same day over and over. I won\'t get into details (no spoilers). Just check out the movie.\r\n\r\nWhat wouldd you do if given the chance to <a title=\"Predestination paradox\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predestination_paradox\" target=\"_blank\">relive the same day and over</a> (<a title=\"Time loop\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_loop\" target=\"_blank\">time loop</a>)? In the movie, one of the main characters drowned and a another is fatally shot. The next morning, they were alive and ready to relive the same day.\r\n\r\nThis concept\'s been used in several other stories like\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a title=\"The X-Files (TV Series 1993&amp;ndash;2002)\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106179/\" target=\"_blank\">The X-Files</a> – <a title=\"&quot;The X-Files&quot; Monday (TV episode 1999)\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0751163/\" target=\"_blank\">Monday</a> (1999),</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series 1987&amp;ndash;1994)\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092455/\" target=\"_blank\">Star Trek: The Next Generation</a> – <a title=\"&quot;Star Trek: The Next Generation&quot; Cause and Effect (TV episode 1992)\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162905/\" target=\"_blank\">Cause and Effect</a> (1992) and <a title=\"&quot;Star Trek: The Next Generation&quot; Time Squared (TV episode 1989)\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708827/\" target=\"_blank\">Time Squared</a> (1989),</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Red Dwarf\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094535/\" target=\"_blank\">Red Dwarf</a> – <a title=\"&quot;Red Dwarf&quot; White Hole (TV episode 1991)\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684187/\" target=\"_blank\">White Hole</a> (1991),</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Groundhog Day (1993)\" href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/\" target=\"_blank\">Groundhog Day</a> (1993)</li>\r\n	<li>as well as numerous others TV episodes and movies.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe idea in all these stories is to correct an error or group of. What would you if you were given the chance to relive one day to correct a very bad mistake you\'ve done?','Correcting a Wrong','','publish','open','open','','correcting-a-wrong','','','2012-06-04 19:01:07','2012-06-05 02:01:07','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6891',0,'post','',3),(6720,78,'2012-05-19 17:30:13','2012-05-20 00:30:13','I grew up in a very conservative Christian home. During my teenage years, my family fell into what my parents now refer to as \"the denim skirt cult.\" You know. The one where all the girls where long sleeves, denim skirts, and (if they are extra chaste) head coverings.\r\n\r\nGrowing up, I was taught that as a woman, modesty was my priority. Not only in how I dressed, but also in how I acted. It was important to show as little skin as possible. It was vital to keep men at an arms length (no dating!) It was wrong to wear tight clothes, or anything that even showed the form of my body--hence the skirts. It was inappropriate to be alone in the same room with a boy (not to mention the time I rode in the car with one and was grounded for two weeks).\r\n\r\nWhy all of this? Because if I didn\'t take exorbitant precautions, I might cause a man to stumble. Sexual thoughts might enter his mind and it would be all my fault. Because sex, even in thought, was wrong (outside the bounds of marriage, of course). And because men are visual and can\'t help themselves, it falls to the woman to prevent this sin from occurring.\r\n\r\nI haven\'t worn a denim skirt for over 5 years. It has taken me almost as long to recover and recalibrate my mindset from that of the \"denim skirt cult\".\r\n\r\nThat stage of my life did me far more damage than it did good. And today, I feel that when teaching modesty to young women it is incredibly important to do it for the right reasons.\r\n\r\n<em>\"To keep men from stumbling\" is not a right reason. But why? Why is this thought process wrong and how could it possibly be damaging?</em>\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong>1) Men are sexual, visual beings.</strong> They always have been, they always will be. They are attracted based on appearances. Nothing you do or don\'t do will stop them from having that natural, innate urge within them. Men are going to be attracted to women no matter what they are wearing. If a man wants to imagine what a woman looks like naked, he is going to do that whether she is wearing a bikini or burkha.\r\n\r\nThere is nothing wrong with men being attracted to women or women being attracted to men. Outside of marriage, within marriage, single people, divorced people-- there will be attraction. To say that the attraction is based solely on how a woman dresses is not only ridiculous, it is harmful and places an extraordinary burden on them.\r\n\r\n<strong>2) A woman is not responsible for what a man thinks</strong> <strong>about her or how he acts towards her. At all.</strong> Men are capable of controlling themselves.  I honestly used to think that all men were completely incapable of controlling themselves. I thought that for some prehistoric reason, when they saw a pretty girl, they had no choice but to beat their chest and try to mate with her.  It was all my fault if I looked even remotely attractive and I was causing them to \"sin\" in their thoughts. Because after all, they can\'t help themselves.\r\n\r\nMen are just as capable of controlling themselves, even in their thoughts, as women are. Men are capable of taking responsibility for what they think and feel --as they should. They have God-given sexual urges and they have God-given self-control. It is up to them if they want to use the latter.\r\n\r\n<strong>3) The self-esteem of women, especially teenage girls, is already delicate.</strong> As women, we are constantly bombarded by images of flawless complexions, skinny bodies, long legs and big breasts. Society tells us that if we don\'t match up to their impossibly high standard, we aren\'t beautiful. To further exacerbate this low sense of self-worth already thrust upon is, the \"denim skirt cult\" mindset causes girls to feel guilty and sinful if they dress attractively. And I\'m not even talking about super low-cut tops and butt-cheek shorts. I\'m just talking about well-fitting, attractive clothing. For the longest time I felt an unremitting sense of guilt if I wore jeans and a t-shirt that fit well. Multiply that guilt if I put on enough make-up to make me feel like a superstar. Until two weeks ago, I hadn\'t worn a pair of regular shorts for years and years. Every time I put them on I felt gross, exposed and guilty.\r\n\r\n\r\nInstilling a sense of shame on a teenage girl for looking and feeling attractive is not healthy in any way. Making a girl shlub around in denim skirts and baggy shirts because her body is something to hide and be ashamed of is ridiculous. Telling her that SHE is to take responsibility for the thoughts and actions of the men around her is harmful and, quite honestly, has the potential to set her up for emotionally and spiritually--if not physically--abusive relationships.\r\n\r\nGirls, it is okay to dress attractively. It is okay to wear clothes that make you feel comfortable in your own skin. It\'s okay to get dressed up and feel beautiful and sexy. There\'s nothing wrong with expressing yourself through what you wear. <strong>Because it doesn\'t matter what you wear or how you act-- what a man thinks, feels or does is his own responsibility. Not yours.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPhoto by <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellecarl/\">Michelle Carl</a>','The Denim Skirt Cult','','inherit','open','open','','6713-revision-5','','','2012-05-19 17:30:13','2012-05-20 00:30:13','',6713,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/19/6713-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6724,179,'2012-05-22 21:11:41','2012-05-23 04:11:41','I grew up in a very conservative Christian home. During my teenage years, my family fell into what my parents now refer to as \"the denim skirt cult.\" You know. The one where all the girls where long sleeves, denim skirts, and (if they are extra chaste) head coverings.\n\nGrowing up, I was taught that as a woman, modesty was my priority. Not only in how I dressed, but also in how I acted. It was important to show as little skin as possible. It was vital to keep men at an arms length (no dating!) It was wrong to wear tight clothes, or anything that even showed the form of my body--hence the skirts. It was inappropriate to be alone in the same room with a boy (not to mention the time I rode in the car with one and was grounded for two weeks).\n\nWhy all of this? Because if I didn\'t take exorbitant precautions, I might cause a man to stumble. Sexual thoughts might enter his mind and it would be all my fault. Because sex, even in thought, was wrong (outside the bounds of marriage, of course). And because men are visual and can\'t help themselves, it falls to the woman to prevent this sin from occurring.\n\nI haven\'t worn a denim skirt for over 5 years. It has taken me almost as long to recover and recalibrate my mindset from that of the \"denim skirt cult\".\n\nThat stage of my life did me far more damage than it did good. I am not against teaching modesty to young women. I\'m not even against dressing very conservatively if that is what a person is comfortable with. What I am against is the <em>way</em> modesty is taught most of the time.  I feel that when teaching modesty to young women it is incredibly important to do it for the right reasons.\n\n<em>\"To keep men from stumbling\" is not a right reason. But why? Why is this thought process wrong and how could it possibly be damaging?</em>\n\n<strong>1) Men are sexual, visual beings.</strong> They always have been, they always will be. They are attracted based on appearances. Nothing you do or don\'t do will stop them from having that natural, innate urge within them. Men are going to be attracted to women no matter what they are wearing. If a man wants to imagine what a woman looks like naked, he is going to do that whether she is wearing a bikini or burkha.\n\nThere is nothing wrong with men being attracted to women or women being attracted to men. Outside of marriage, within marriage, single people, divorced people-- there will be attraction. To say that the attraction is based solely on how a woman dresses is not only ridiculous, it is harmful and places an extraordinary burden on them.\n\n<strong>2) A woman is not responsible for what a man thinks</strong> <strong>about her or how he acts towards her. At all.</strong> Men are capable of controlling themselves.  I honestly used to think that all men were completely incapable of this. I thought that for some prehistoric reason, when they saw a pretty girl, they had no choice but to beat their chest and try to mate with her.  It was all my fault if I looked even remotely attractive and I was causing them to \"sin\" in their thoughts. Because after all, they can\'t help themselves.\n\nMen are just as capable of controlling themselves, even in their thoughts, as women are. Men are capable of taking responsibility for what they think and feel --as they should. They have God-given sexual urges and they have God-given self-control. It is up to them if they want to use the latter.\n\n<strong>3) The self-esteem of women, especially teenage girls, is already delicate.</strong> As women, we are constantly bombarded by images of flawless complexions, skinny bodies, long legs and big breasts. Society tells us that if we don\'t match up to their impossibly high standard, we aren\'t beautiful. To further exacerbate this low sense of self-worth already thrust upon is, the \"denim skirt cult\" mindset causes girls to feel guilty and sinful if they dress attractively. And I\'m not even talking about super low-cut tops and butt-cheek shorts. I\'m just talking about well-fitting, attractive clothing. For the longest time I felt an unremitting sense of guilt if I wore jeans and a t-shirt that fit well. Multiply that guilt if I put on enough make-up to make me feel like a superstar. Until two weeks ago, I hadn\'t worn a pair of regular shorts for years and years. Every time I put them on I felt gross, exposed and guilty.\n\nInstilling a sense of shame on a teenage girl for looking and feeling attractive is not healthy in any way. Making a girl shlub around in denim skirts and baggy shirts because her body is something to hide and be ashamed of is ridiculous. Telling her that SHE is to take responsibility for the thoughts and actions of the men around her is harmful and, quite honestly, has the potential to set her up for emotionally and spiritually--if not physically--abusive relationships.\n\nGirls, it is okay to dress attractively. It is okay to wear clothes that make you feel comfortable in your own skin. It\'s okay to get dressed up and feel beautiful and sexy. There\'s nothing wrong with expressing yourself through what you wear. <strong>Because it doesn\'t matter what you wear or how you act-- what a man thinks, feels, or does is his own responsibility. Not yours.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nPhoto by <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellecarl/\">Michelle Carl</a>','The Denim Skirt Cult','','inherit','open','open','','6713-autosave','','','2012-05-22 21:11:41','2012-05-23 04:11:41','',6713,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/20/6713-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6725,78,'2012-05-19 17:31:13','2012-05-20 00:31:13','I grew up in a very conservative Christian home. During my teenage years, my family fell into what my parents now refer to as \"the denim skirt cult.\" You know. The one where all the girls where long sleeves, denim skirts, and (if they are extra chaste) head coverings.\r\n\r\nGrowing up, I was taught that as a woman, modesty was my priority. Not only in how I dressed, but also in how I acted. It was important to show as little skin as possible. It was vital to keep men at an arms length (no dating!) It was wrong to wear tight clothes, or anything that even showed the form of my body--hence the skirts. It was inappropriate to be alone in the same room with a boy (not to mention the time I rode in the car with one and was grounded for two weeks).\r\n\r\nWhy all of this? Because if I didn\'t take exorbitant precautions, I might cause a man to stumble. Sexual thoughts might enter his mind and it would be all my fault. Because sex, even in thought, was wrong (outside the bounds of marriage, of course). And because men are visual and can\'t help themselves, it falls to the woman to prevent this sin from occurring.\r\n\r\nI haven\'t worn a denim skirt for over 5 years. It has taken me almost as long to recover and recalibrate my mindset from that of the \"denim skirt cult\".\r\n\r\nThat stage of my life did me far more damage than it did good. And today, I feel that when teaching modesty to young women it is incredibly important to do it for the right reasons.\r\n\r\n<em>\"To keep men from stumbling\" is not a right reason. But why? Why is this thought process wrong and how could it possibly be damaging?</em>\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong>1) Men are sexual, visual beings.</strong> They always have been, they always will be. They are attracted based on appearances. Nothing you do or don\'t do will stop them from having that natural, innate urge within them. Men are going to be attracted to women no matter what they are wearing. If a man wants to imagine what a woman looks like naked, he is going to do that whether she is wearing a bikini or burkha.\r\n\r\nThere is nothing wrong with men being attracted to women or women being attracted to men. Outside of marriage, within marriage, single people, divorced people-- there will be attraction. To say that the attraction is based solely on how a woman dresses is not only ridiculous, it is harmful and places an extraordinary burden on them.\r\n\r\n<strong>2) A woman is not responsible for what a man thinks</strong> <strong>about her or how he acts towards her. At all.</strong> Men are capable of controlling themselves.  I honestly used to think that all men were completely incapable of this. I thought that for some prehistoric reason, when they saw a pretty girl, they had no choice but to beat their chest and try to mate with her.  It was all my fault if I looked even remotely attractive and I was causing them to \"sin\" in their thoughts. Because after all, they can\'t help themselves.\r\n\r\nMen are just as capable of controlling themselves, even in their thoughts, as women are. Men are capable of taking responsibility for what they think and feel --as they should. They have God-given sexual urges and they have God-given self-control. It is up to them if they want to use the latter.\r\n\r\n<strong>3) The self-esteem of women, especially teenage girls, is already delicate.</strong> As women, we are constantly bombarded by images of flawless complexions, skinny bodies, long legs and big breasts. Society tells us that if we don\'t match up to their impossibly high standard, we aren\'t beautiful. To further exacerbate this low sense of self-worth already thrust upon is, the \"denim skirt cult\" mindset causes girls to feel guilty and sinful if they dress attractively. And I\'m not even talking about super low-cut tops and butt-cheek shorts. I\'m just talking about well-fitting, attractive clothing. For the longest time I felt an unremitting sense of guilt if I wore jeans and a t-shirt that fit well. Multiply that guilt if I put on enough make-up to make me feel like a superstar. Until two weeks ago, I hadn\'t worn a pair of regular shorts for years and years. Every time I put them on I felt gross, exposed and guilty.\r\n\r\n\r\nInstilling a sense of shame on a teenage girl for looking and feeling attractive is not healthy in any way. Making a girl shlub around in denim skirts and baggy shirts because her body is something to hide and be ashamed of is ridiculous. Telling her that SHE is to take responsibility for the thoughts and actions of the men around her is harmful and, quite honestly, has the potential to set her up for emotionally and spiritually--if not physically--abusive relationships.\r\n\r\nGirls, it is okay to dress attractively. It is okay to wear clothes that make you feel comfortable in your own skin. It\'s okay to get dressed up and feel beautiful and sexy. There\'s nothing wrong with expressing yourself through what you wear. <strong>Because it doesn\'t matter what you wear or how you act-- what a man thinks, feels or does is his own responsibility. Not yours.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPhoto by <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellecarl/\">Michelle Carl</a>','The Denim Skirt Cult','','inherit','open','open','','6713-revision-6','','','2012-05-19 17:31:13','2012-05-20 00:31:13','',6713,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/19/6713-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(7345,189,'2012-07-31 09:51:44','2012-07-31 16:51:44','Explain the two words spoken by Jesus—“Follow me”—in 1000 words or less? Hmmm. Maybe I should just stop right there and let you think this through on your own.\r\n\r\nMy understanding of what it means to follow Him has changed over the years. Perhaps our understanding of “following” is <em>supposed</em> to change over time as our maturity in the Lord grows in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the ways we experience Him with others. Because I can’t claim to know <em>everything</em> about following Jesus, the best I can offer is to share <em>some</em> of the things I’ve learned about following Jesus—beginning with what “following Jesus” is <strong><em>not</em><em>.</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Following Jesus is not the same thing as: </strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Following the teachings of Jesus is not the same thing as following Jesus or following doctrines or creeds or denominational statements of faith.</li>\r\n	<li>Following a Bible Reading Plan, memorizing scripture, or claiming a “life verse”.</li>\r\n	<li>Following “religious convictions”, or acting upon those convictions, alone or as a group, purely for the sake of acting upon convictions.</li>\r\n	<li>Attending a weekly worship service, and maybe a midweek prayer meeting or Bible study, or meeting with a small group or accountability partner.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere isn’t anything wrong with doing these things. In fact, I  follow  Jesus today because others encouraged me to do these things over the course of my spiritual journey. If, I’ve learned anything, I’ve learned that “Christian practices” are not the same thing as following Jesus. <em></em>I know a lot <em>about</em> <em>Jesus</em> by studying, talking about or meditating on these things—but knowing a lot <em>about Jesus</em> isn’t the same as <em>knowing Jesus</em>. It helps to know Who you’re following.<strong><em></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>“Follow me.”</em></strong>  Two words caused Simon and Andrew to drop their fishing nets.  James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went off after Him.” (Mark 1:20 Amplified). Levi, son of Alphaeus, left his tax booth: “he arose and joined Him and His disciples and sided with His party and accompanied Him.” (Mark 2:14 Amplified). Philip ran to find his friend Nathanael and they too followed Him. Twelve men, in all, apparently left their life’s work to follow Jesus.\r\n\r\nI find it interesting that the Amplified Version conveys that the words “follow me” carry the connotation, “side with my party”. Against the backdrop of  Hebrew culture—oppressed by the conquering Romans, looking for Messiah to deliver the Children of Israel and fulfill all the promises of the Old Testament—we read Nathanael’s confession, “Teacher, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and the reason the twelve “followed” begins to come into focus.  Over the course of the next three and a half years, these men—and later Saul of Tarsus, among others—would come to understand that following Jesus isn’t about following teachings, doctrines, scriptures, convictions or attending religious meetings.  Men and women down through centuries found, in the Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, not <em>something</em> to believe in and follow, but rather <strong><em>Someone</em></strong> to believe in and follow.\r\n\r\nTo follow Jesus is to follow a living <strong><em>Person!</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em> </em></strong>John proclaimed in his Gospel, “And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.” Paul explained more simply:\r\n“For it has <strong>pleased</strong> [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should <strong>dwell</strong> in Him permanently.” <strong>Colossians 1:19</strong>\r\n\r\nFollowing a living Person, who is the Christ, comes with a cost, which He explained Himself to His disciples: “And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, <sup> </sup>forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].” (Luke 9:23)\r\n\r\nWhat do we have to gain by following this all-wonderful, all-glorious, all-divine Person? What is the outcome we look forward to? For starters, eternal life! Make that eternal, <strong><em>abundant</em> </strong>life, sustained by Christ who <strong><em>is</em></strong> our life! Many more “rewards” are promised to faithful followers who overcome the trials and temptations of this world—check out the letters to the seven churches in John’s last book!\r\n\r\nThere’s another important thing I’ve learned about following Jesus: it’s something we do <strong><em>together</em></strong>.\r\n\r\n<sup> “</sup>The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,<sup> </sup>and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. <sup> </sup>For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. <sup> </sup>For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. <sup> </sup>For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope <sup> </sup>that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. <sup> </sup>For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. <sup> </sup>And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.__Romans 8:16-23 (ESV)\r\n\r\nFollowing Jesus is following a living <strong><em>Person</em></strong>…<strong><em>together!</em></strong>\r\n\r\n“When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory.<strong> </strong><strong>__Colossians 3:4 (Amplified)</strong>','','','inherit','open','open','','7337-revision-7','','','2012-07-31 09:51:44','2012-07-31 16:51:44','',7337,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/31/7337-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(6727,12,'2012-05-30 08:00:22','2012-05-30 15:00:22','I remember the touching story of the \"Good\" Samaritan growing up in Sunday School. Jesus told it in response to a question asked him - <em>\"Who is my neighbor?\"</em> Dude gets beat up while traveling home. He\'s left for dead by the side of the road. A priest and a Levite both pass him by and ignore the heck out of him.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/flannel.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6731\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/flannel.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"202\" /></a>The third man who passes by is a Samaritan. As a child, we learned that we should all be like that Samaritan and help people in need as the teacher pasted the little flannel picture of the Good Samaritan on the board.\r\n\r\nThen I went to Seminary. I remember the class well. It was hermenutics taught by Dr. Robert Stein. His first statement was, <em>\"Where does the Savior ever call the Samaritan \'good\'?\"</em>\r\n\r\nOh, snap. Never noticed that. He then informed us of how the Jewish audience hearing the parable would have been aghast hearing that a Samaritan would have been the one who had stopped to help in the first place. In those days, the Samaritans were viewed as <em>\"half-breeds.\"</em> They were ascended from the Assyrians and had married Jewish people. Many Jews hated them.\r\n\r\nTherefore, for Jesus to put a Samaritan as the hero of the story was a stunner. It offended his largely Jewish audience. Especially when he asked the man who had posed the original question, <em>\"Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”</em> (Luke 10:36 ESV) The man couldn\'t even bring himself to say the word <em>\"Samaritan.\"</em> Instead, he said, <em>\"The one who showed him mercy.\"</em>\r\n\r\nOver the past two years, I\'ve been trying to find my place in the world after I fell from ministry. There were days I didn\'t want to go into Wal-Mart or Kroger for fear of seeing someone I might know. I thought being in public was a disgrace to myself. Over time, this feeling went away as I grasped the full forgiveness of God.\r\n\r\nI did struggle with how to help other people. I wanted to minister. I always kept the <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Pastor-Finding-Restoration-Broken/dp/0615567096/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334197768&amp;sr=8-1\">words of Hershael York from my book in the back of my mind</a>, <em>\"Your repentance has to be more notorious than your sin.\"</em> So, for the past two years, I\'ve been an ear for fallen pastors, tried to keep my head above water, and tried (sometimes on target) to do the right thing.\r\n\r\nTwo things happened recently that might sound like a humble brag, but they\'re not. They struck a chord in me.\r\n\r\nTwo weeks ago, I was driving down a long stretch of interstate and saw a car broken down. Now, my mother, God rest her soul, always told me to never stop in such a situation. I can hear her now, <em>\"It\'s a trap!\"</em> Or maybe that was Admiral Ackbar. Anyway, something within me told me to stop for this 1987 Buick Century.\r\n\r\nI got out and five people got out. They looked worse for wear. One was on a cell phone. I asked them if a tow was coming. No, apparently, they couldn\'t get a tow. The car was overheated. I\'ll be honest, they didn\'t smell too great. Amazingly, enough, I had a brand new container of coolant in my car and I went to get it. The car still didn\'t start. The guy who was there said, <em>\"We need some tape to tape up this pipe.\"</em> Amazingly, again, I had trainer\'s tape (for my job) and got some.\r\n\r\nWhile he was taping, I began talking to a young woman. She said, <em>\"Thank you for stopping. We\'ve been here for an hour. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/broked.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-6732\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/broked.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"194\" /></a>No one has stopped. Five people have honked. Even a state trooper. I just got out of the hospital after having a miscarriage.\"</em>\r\n\r\nThe guy said, <em>\"I\'m done, let\'s start it up!\"</em> It started. Every one in the car hugged me. And I hugged back, choking back tears.\r\n\r\nA few days later, I was in the IGA parking lot and I swear it was the same 1987 Buick Century. It was a young couple and they pulled up next to me. The young woman was in the drivers seat and her husband was leaned back in the passenger seat, seemingly embarrassed. She said, <em>\"I wouldn\'t normally asked, but we\'re on empty. We have no money. If you just have a dollar, please.\"</em>\r\n\r\nI said, <em>\"I\'m sorry,\"</em> as I opened my wallet. <em>\"I don\'t carry cash.\"</em> I went into the store and couldn\'t stop thinking about them. I could almost hear God say, <em>\"Get them money.\"</em> I got to the checkout and said out loud to the cashier (who must have thought I was nuts) <em>\"I can get money off my debit card!</em>\" She said, <em>\"Yes, you can, sir.\"</em>\r\n\r\nI ran back out to the parking lot but didn\'t see them. But I turned to my right and they were sitting there talking to another woman who was trying to get away from them. I ran over to them and gave them the cash. She said, <em>\"Are you serious?\"</em> I said, \"<em>Yes ma\'am! God be with you.\"</em> She yelled out the loudest, <strong><em>\"Hallelujah!\"</em></strong>\r\n\r\nI looked over and her husband was smiling and crying.\r\n\r\nThat\'s when it hit me. I was the Samaritan. I was the half-breed. Rejected by many, but still very useful to God. Surrounded by neighbors in need.','Hey, Wait! I\'m The Samaritan!','','publish','open','open','','hey-wait-im-the-samaritan','','','2012-05-25 14:44:30','2012-05-25 21:44:30','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6727',0,'post','',13),(6728,12,'2012-05-20 18:10:46','2012-05-21 01:10:46','I remember the touching story of the \"Good\" Samaritan growing up in Sunday School. Jesus told it in response to a question asked him - \"Who is my neighbor?\" Dude gets beat up while traveling home. He\'s left for dead by the side of the road. A priest and a Levite both pass him by and ignore the heck out of him.\n\nThe third man who passes by is a Samaritan. As a child, we learned that we should all be like that Samaritan and help people in need','Hey, Wait! I\'m The Samaritan!','','inherit','open','open','','6727-revision','','','2012-05-20 18:10:46','2012-05-21 01:10:46','',6727,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/20/6727-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6730,12,'2012-05-20 18:45:27','2012-05-21 01:45:27','','century','','inherit','open','open','','century','','','2012-05-20 18:45:27','2012-05-21 01:45:27','',6727,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/century.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6731,12,'2012-05-20 18:51:07','2012-05-21 01:51:07','','flannel','','inherit','open','open','','flannel','','','2012-05-20 18:51:07','2012-05-21 01:51:07','',6727,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/flannel.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6732,12,'2012-05-20 18:53:02','2012-05-21 01:53:02','','broked','','inherit','open','open','','broked','','','2012-05-20 18:53:02','2012-05-21 01:53:02','',6727,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/broked.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6733,12,'2012-05-20 18:53:15','2012-05-21 01:53:15','I remember the touching story of the \"Good\" Samaritan growing up in Sunday School. Jesus told it in response to a question asked him - <em>\"Who is my neighbor?\"</em> Dude gets beat up while traveling home. He\'s left for dead by the side of the road. A priest and a Levite both pass him by and ignore the heck out of him.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/flannel.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6731\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/flannel.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"202\" /></a>The third man who passes by is a Samaritan. As a child, we learned that we should all be like that Samaritan and help people in need as the teacher pasted the little flannel picture of the Good Samaritan on the board.\n\nThen I went to Seminary. I remember the class well. It was hermenutics taught by Dr. Robert Stein. His first statement was, <em>\"Where does the Savior ever call the Samaritan \'good\'?\"</em>\n\nOh, snap. Never noticed that. He then informed us of how the Jewish audience hearing the parable would have been aghast hearing that a Samaritan would have been the one who had stopped to help in the first place. In those days, the Samaritans were viewed as <em>\"half-breeds.\"</em> They were ascended from the Assyrians and had married Jewish people. Many Jews hated them.\n\nTherefore, for Jesus to put a Samaritan as the hero of the story was a stunner. It offended his largely Jewish audience. Especially when he asked the man who had posed the original question, <em>\"Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”</em> (Luke 10:36 ESV) The man couldn\'t even bring himself to say the word <em>\"Samaritan.\"</em> Instead, he said, <em>\"The one who showed him mercy.\"</em>\n\nOver the past two years, I\'ve been trying to find my place in the world after I fell from ministry. There were days I didn\'t want to go into Wal-Mart or Kroger for fear of seeing someone I might know. I thought being in public was a disgrace to myself. Over time, this feeling went away as I grasped the full forgiveness of God.\n\nI did struggle with how to help other people. I wanted to minister. I always kept the <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Pastor-Finding-Restoration-Broken/dp/0615567096/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334197768&amp;sr=8-1\">words of Hershael York from my book in the back of my mind</a>, <em>\"Your repentance has to be more notorious than your sin.\"</em> So, for the past two years, I\'ve been an ear for fallen pastors, tried to keep my head above water and tried (sometimes on target) to do the right thing.\n\nTwo things happened recently that might sound like a humble brag, but they\'re not. They struck a chord in me.\n\nTwo weeks ago, I was driving down a long stretch of interstate and saw a car broken down. Now, my mother, God rest her soul, always told me to never stop in such a situation. I can hear her now, <em>\"It\'s a trap!\"</em> Or maybe that was Admiral Ackbar. Anyway, something within me told me to stop for this 1987 Buick Century.\n\nI got out and five people got out. They looked worse for wear. One was on a cell phone. I asked them if a tow was coming. No, apparently, they couldn\'t get a tow. The car was overheated. I\'ll be honest, they didn\'t smell to great. Amazingly, enough, I had a brand new container of coolant in my car and I went to get it. The car still didn\'t start. The guy who was there said, <em>\"We need some tape to tape up this pipe.\"</em> Amazingly, again, I had trainer\'s tape (for my job) and got some.\n\nWhile he was taping, I began talking to a young woman. She said, <em>\"Thank you for stopping. We\'ve been here for an hour. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/broked.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-6732\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/broked.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"194\" /></a>No one has stopped. Five people have honked. Even a state trooper. I just got out of the hospital after having a miscarriage.\"</em>\n\nThe guy said, <em>\"I\'m done, let\'s start it up!\"</em> It started. Every one in the car hugged me. And I hugged back, choking back tears.\n\nA few days later, I was in the IGA parking lot and I swear it was the same 1987 Buick Century. It was a young couple and they pulled up next to me. The young woman was in the drivers seat and her husband was leaned back in the passenger seat, seemingly embarrassed. She said, <em>\"I wouldn\'t normally asked, but we\'re on empty. We have no money. If you just have a dollar, please.\"</em>\n\nI said, <em>\"I\'m sorry,\"</em> as I opened my wallet. <em>\"I don\'t carry cash.\"</em> I went into the store and couldn\'t stop thinking about them. I could almost hear God say, <em>\"Get them money.\"</em> I got to the checkout and said out loud to the cashier (who must have thought I was nuts) <em>\"I can get money off my debit card!</em>\" She said, <em>\"Yes, you can sir.\"</em>\n\nI ran back out to the parking lot but didn\'t see them. But I turned to my right and they were sitting there talking to another woman who was trying to get away from them. I ran over to them and gave them the cash. She said, <em>\"Are you serious?\"</em> I said, \"<em>Yes ma\'am! God be with you.\"</em> She yelled out the loudest, <strong><em>\"Hallelujah!\"</em></strong>\n\nI looked over and her husband was smiling and crying.\n\nThat\'s when it hit me. I was the Samaritan. I was the half-breed. Rejected by many, but still very useful to God. Surrounded by neighbors in need.','Hey, Wait! I\'m The Samaritan!','','inherit','open','open','','6727-revision-2','','','2012-05-20 18:53:15','2012-05-21 01:53:15','',6727,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/20/6727-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6734,179,'2012-05-22 21:20:28','2012-05-23 04:20:28','I remember the touching story of the \"Good\" Samaritan growing up in Sunday School. Jesus told it in response to a question asked him - <em>\"Who is my neighbor?\"</em> Dude gets beat up while traveling home. He\'s left for dead by the side of the road. A priest and a Levite both pass him by and ignore the heck out of him.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/flannel.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6731\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/flannel.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"202\" /></a>The third man who passes by is a Samaritan. As a child, we learned that we should all be like that Samaritan and help people in need as the teacher pasted the little flannel picture of the Good Samaritan on the board.\n\nThen I went to Seminary. I remember the class well. It was hermenutics taught by Dr. Robert Stein. His first statement was, <em>\"Where does the Savior ever call the Samaritan \'good\'?\"</em>\n\nOh, snap. Never noticed that. He then informed us of how the Jewish audience hearing the parable would have been aghast hearing that a Samaritan would have been the one who had stopped to help in the first place. In those days, the Samaritans were viewed as <em>\"half-breeds.\"</em> They were ascended from the Assyrians and had married Jewish people. Many Jews hated them.\n\nTherefore, for Jesus to put a Samaritan as the hero of the story was a stunner. It offended his largely Jewish audience. Especially when he asked the man who had posed the original question, <em>\"Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”</em> (Luke 10:36 ESV) The man couldn\'t even bring himself to say the word <em>\"Samaritan.\"</em> Instead, he said, <em>\"The one who showed him mercy.\"</em>\n\nOver the past two years, I\'ve been trying to find my place in the world after I fell from ministry. There were days I didn\'t want to go into Wal-Mart or Kroger for fear of seeing someone I might know. I thought being in public was a disgrace to myself. Over time, this feeling went away as I grasped the full forgiveness of God.\n\nI did struggle with how to help other people. I wanted to minister. I always kept the <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Pastor-Finding-Restoration-Broken/dp/0615567096/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334197768&amp;sr=8-1\">words of Hershael York from my book in the back of my mind</a>, <em>\"Your repentance has to be more notorious than your sin.\"</em> So, for the past two years, I\'ve been an ear for fallen pastors, tried to keep my head above water, and tried (sometimes on target) to do the right thing.\n\nTwo things happened recently that might sound like a humble brag, but they\'re not. They struck a chord in me.\n\nTwo weeks ago, I was driving down a long stretch of interstate and saw a car broken down. Now, my mother, God rest her soul, always told me to never stop in such a situation. I can hear her now, <em>\"It\'s a trap!\"</em> Or maybe that was Admiral Ackbar. Anyway, something within me told me to stop for this 1987 Buick Century.\n\nI got out and five people got out. They looked worse for wear. One was on a cell phone. I asked them if a tow was coming. No, apparently, they couldn\'t get a tow. The car was overheated. I\'ll be honest, they didn\'t smell too great. Amazingly, enough, I had a brand new container of coolant in my car and I went to get it. The car still didn\'t start. The guy who was there said, <em>\"We need some tape to tape up this pipe.\"</em> Amazingly, again, I had trainer\'s tape (for my job) and got some.\n\nWhile he was taping, I began talking to a young woman. She said, <em>\"Thank you for stopping. We\'ve been here for an hour. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/broked.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-6732\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/broked.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"194\" /></a>No one has stopped. Five people have honked. Even a state trooper. I just got out of the hospital after having a miscarriage.\"</em>\n\nThe guy said, <em>\"I\'m done, let\'s start it up!\"</em> It started. Every one in the car hugged me. And I hugged back, choking back tears.\n\nA few days later, I was in the IGA parking lot and I swear it was the same 1987 Buick Century. It was a young couple and they pulled up next to me. The young woman was in the drivers seat and her husband was leaned back in the passenger seat, seemingly embarrassed. She said, <em>\"I wouldn\'t normally asked, but we\'re on empty. We have no money. If you just have a dollar, please.\"</em>\n\nI said, <em>\"I\'m sorry,\"</em> as I opened my wallet. <em>\"I don\'t carry cash.\"</em> I went into the store and couldn\'t stop thinking about them. I could almost hear God say, <em>\"Get them money.\"</em> I got to the checkout and said out loud to the cashier (who must have thought I was nuts) <em>\"I can get money off my debit card!</em>\" She said, <em>\"Yes, you can, sir.\"</em>\n\nI ran back out to the parking lot but didn\'t see them. But I turned to my right and they were sitting there talking to another woman who was trying to get away from them. I ran over to them and gave them the cash. She said, <em>\"Are you serious?\"</em> I said, \"<em>Yes ma\'am! God be with you.\"</em> She yelled out the loudest, <strong><em>\"Hallelujah!\"</em></strong>\n\nI looked over and her husband was smiling and crying.\n\nThat\'s when it hit me. I was the Samaritan. I was the half-breed. Rejected by many, but still very useful to God. Surrounded by neighbors in need.','Hey, Wait! I\'m The Samaritan!','','inherit','open','open','','6727-autosave','','','2012-05-22 21:20:28','2012-05-23 04:20:28','',6727,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/20/6727-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6735,0,'2012-05-20 19:46:21','2012-05-21 02:46:21','Social Justice, Serving the poor.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Terry Smith\nAUTHOR EMAIL: Tsmith0095@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://tsmith0095.wordpress.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 72.152.117.137\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Terry Smith\n    [Email] =&gt; Tsmith0095@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; tsmith0095.wordpress.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Social Justice, Serving the poor.\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; tsmith0095\n)\n','Terry Smith - 2012-05-20 19:46:21','','publish','open','open','','db555816c60b8dcb7091f53f56fc6b85','','','2012-05-20 19:46:21','2012-05-21 02:46:21','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=6735',0,'feedback','',0),(6737,0,'2012-05-21 05:34:59','2012-05-21 12:34:59','Social Justice, Serving the poor.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Terry Smith\nAUTHOR EMAIL: Tsmith0095@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://tsmith0095.wordpress.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 72.152.117.137\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Terry Smith\n    [Email] =&gt; Tsmith0095@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; tsmith0095.wordpress.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Social Justice, Serving the poor.\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; tsmith0095\n)\n','Terry Smith - 2012-05-21 05:34:59','','publish','open','open','','1498843bc7de384b778abf2b40fc1748','','','2012-05-21 05:34:59','2012-05-21 12:34:59','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=6737',0,'feedback','',0),(6800,182,'2012-05-28 16:10:39','2012-05-28 23:10:39','','7221740978_a9e190a72f','','inherit','open','open','','7221740978_a9e190a72f','','','2012-05-28 16:10:39','2012-05-28 23:10:39','',0,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/7221740978_a9e190a72f.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6742,38,'2012-05-21 10:08:11','2012-05-21 17:08:11','','meee','Tuba Rizvi with her cousin','inherit','open','open','','meee','','','2012-05-21 10:08:11','2012-05-21 17:08:11','',6166,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/meee.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6743,38,'2012-05-06 23:00:52','2012-05-07 06:00:52','[caption id=\"attachment_6172\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Saeed Khan\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/S.Khan-photo.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6172\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/S.Khan-photo-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSaeed Khan is a professor at Wayne State University, a PhD candidate, and a Muslim living in greater Detroit.  Saeed was born in Pakistan, raised in England, but has lived in the United States most of his life. He spent time in Houston, New York City, and then moved to Michigan where he is now. He attended Michigan University for his undergraduate degree and practiced law for a while after receiving a law degree from Cooley Law School.\r\n\r\n“Once 9/11 happened, I realized there was a need for not only getting into the public debate, but helping to really reshape the contours of the public debate.”\r\n<h2>The Transformative Power of Education</h2>\r\nSaeed developed a relationship with some of the professors at Rochester College, a local evangelical Christian university, and has been teaching once a quarter at the school for their World Religions class.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6170\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A mosque in Ghadames\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mosque-ghadames_flickr_david-stanley.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6170 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mosque-ghadames_flickr_david-stanley-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"A mosque in Ghadames\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n“My policy—which is the same wherever I go—is that no question is out-of-bounds and I’ll be there to answer the last question. I would not it want it to be said of us that we were being evasive, or lecturing at length but avoiding the 800-pound gorillas in the room.”\r\n\r\nLast year Rochester College had a “Muslim and Christian Interaction” course based on Miroslav Volf’s book “<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Allah-Christian-Response-Miroslav-Volf/dp/0061927082/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1335241235&amp;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\">Allah: A Christian Response</a>”. It was such a successful course that they will be having it again at the Rochester College campus in the fall and they will using it as a model to open similar classes at evangelical universities across the country. Saeed told me about an incredible story about one student who was dramatically changed by this course.\r\n<blockquote>One gentleman in his first journal entry (one of the required assignments) wrote \"I can’t help but think that I see the devil standing next to Professor Khan when he lectures.” I couldn’t put a name to face, however, as to who had written the entry. A few weeks later, one of the students came up to me and asked if he could talk to me after class. I put two and two together and realized that this was the author of the journal entry. After witnessing to me and telling me his testimony, he said that he felt he had become a better Christian and a better person as a result of the class. And he actually admitted his flaws of having been so judgmental and so sanctimonious that he was alienating people. From going from the start where he thought the devil was standing next to me lecturing to having that kind of moment, and being honest about it was to me one of the most powerful things I’ve experienced in a long time. It’s something that I talk about when I talk about this class and the transformative power that it’s had.\"</blockquote>\r\n<h2>About Islam</h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6174\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The Quran, the Islamic holy scriptures\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/quran_flickr_insansains.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6174\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/quran_flickr_insansains-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIslam is an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion with roughly 1.25 billion followers spread throughout the world. It is the second largest religion with 21% of the Earth’s population, meaning almost 1 in 5 people are Muslim, with the highest concentrations of adherents being in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Iran.\r\n\r\nI also interviewed Tuba Rizvi, a young Muslim woman who I met through school. Tuba was born in Pakistan, was raised in Saudi Arabia, and then came to the United States as a sophomore in high school.\r\n\r\n“The foundation of Islam is believing in the Oneness of God: the fact that God has no preceding or succeeding family and the fact that he is All-Knowing and has control over everything. Muslims are required to pray five times a day, we have several rules we are to abide by,” she said. A few of which are: not eating meats that aren’t slaughtered properly (called <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallal#Dhabiha:_method_of_slaughter\"><em>halal</em></a>, similar to the Jewish <em>kosher</em>), abstaining from alcohol and keeping sex within the bounds of marriage. “Islam also has several sects, just like many other religions do. The two most common ones are the Sunni, the more dominant sect, and the Shia, which I belong to.”\r\n<h2>Islam and Everyday Life</h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6169\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Tuba Rizvi\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/tubarizvi.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6169\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/tubarizvi-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nUnlike Saeed who said that he was practically born into Islam, Tuba has a slightly different story. While she has been Muslim her whole life, she has only been a <em>fully practicing</em> Muslim since December 2011. She decided to embrace her Muslim roots during the first month of the lunar Islamic calendar, Muharram, which is a time of mourning for the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson for Shias.\r\n\r\n“During Muharram, I just sat there and thought to myself, if someone as great as the grandson of our Prophet sacrificed his entire family just to save Islam in its true form, then I don’t understand why I should give up on my religion so quickly.”\r\n\r\nHer new commitment to Islam changed her a lot as a person, as it affects almost everything she does during the day. “It made me more aware of my choices as a Muslim. What I wear, what I do during the day, what I eat, basically everything I do is influenced by my faith. Islam is not just a religion, it is a lifestyle.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6181\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Muslim women out on the town with friends\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/muslim-women-hijab_flickr_taufiq-at-eyecreation.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6181\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/muslim-women-hijab_flickr_taufiq-at-eyecreation-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTuba said that she had a hard time deciding to wear her Hijab (the Arabic word for the Islamic headscarf). “I was so scared to go out there with a scarf on my head, especially in America, a country with so many islamophobes,” she said. “It took everything in me to start wearing the Hijab here. Thankfully though, I have yet to face severe discrimination. Mostly I have met people who are really great about everything. They ask me questions, which makes me happy because they are not jumping to conclusions but instead trying to learn more about my religion.”\r\n<h2>Islam and Femininity</h2>\r\nI asked her how she felt when someone told her that she is oppressed because she is wearing her Hijab. She said, “At first I used to find it annoying … Now I just find it humorous. It’s funny someone would tell me that my personal decision to cover my body was more oppressive than a woman struggling to fit into societal standards of beauty.” Tuba continued:\r\n<blockquote>I do not think I am being oppressed, if anything I am the opposite of oppressed. A hijab is my <em>choice</em>. Despite the stigma attached to that little piece of cloth I carry around with me, my decision to wear the hijab liberates me. My body is mine, and I choose not to share it with anybody except the man I plan to fall in love with. I want to be judged by what is <em>in</em> my head, not by what’s on it. If trying not to fit into the plastic mold that our society has carved for us is oppressive, then I guess I am oppressed.</blockquote>\r\n<h2>Islam and Terrorism</h2>\r\nTuba said something very poignant to me about this subject:\r\n<blockquote>Muslims are <em>not</em> terrorists. In fact, terrorism has no religion. There have been so many times I have seen people crack bomb jokes and think it is funny. It’s not. I would also like to let everybody know that we are overly sensitive to this topic, and people still seem to push our buttons, knowing that we are sensitive. This is because, like I said, Islam is not just our religion, it is our lifestyle, and making fun of our religion is like making fun of our lives. No one likes being told that their whole life is a joke. People are always misquoting the Quran, saying that it promotes violence and the killing of everyone who is not Muslim, when in actuality our Holy Book says that a man who kills another man is not a Muslim at all.</blockquote>\r\n<h2>About Sharia</h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6177\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A Muslim woman and her boy\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/muslim-woman-boy_flickr_amrufm.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6177\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/muslim-woman-boy_flickr_amrufm-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the big messages being heralded throughout the political landscape is the attempt to ban the Sharia. I knew enough about the Sharia to know the perception of it was incorrect, but I asked Saeed to explain it a little bit better to me. “<em>Sharia</em> basically means ‘law’. I would say it’s more of a code, but it’s a fairly encompassing code which has in it dimensions of the legal and dimensions of ethics,” he said. The Sharia was instrumental in reshaping culture during the time of Muhammad.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6178\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"105\" caption=\"The star and crescent, a symbol of Islam\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/star-and-crescent_wikipedia-commons.png\"><img class=\" wp-image-6178 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/star-and-crescent_wikipedia-commons-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"105\" height=\"105\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n“Generally when a non-Muslim hears about Sharia, they tend to think corporal or capital punishment, cutting off the hands for thefts, cutting off the head for murder, stoning to death for adultery. And then it extends into ‘Well then, what would be asked of a non-Muslim?’ If you ask a Muslim what they think of Sharia, he or she will say that it conducts their code of conduct, it tells them when and how to pray, when and how to fast, how to deal with my family and community, and what to eat and what not to eat. It’s much more of an ethical impetus.”\r\n\r\nSaeed said that the trouble in the debate about Sharia comes when Muslims tell people not to think of Sharia so violently and Americans say “No, we know what Sharia is about,” the trouble is that both parties are right. He said: “The ideas about the corporal punished <em>are</em> part of Sharia the same way that up until recently in the arc of American history, a black man and a white woman couldn’t get married in Mississippi.”\r\n<blockquote>One of the things that scares people about Sharia is the enforcement issue. There is no enforcement of Sharia in America except through the honor system of the individual. I mean, even the local imam has no authoritative jurisdiction over you. And they are also worried that maybe Muslims here will be taking direction from Saudi Arabia or Iran which are considered the centers of Islamic culture, but no one would even give them the respect to do that. So what I think it comes down to is ‘What provisions does the American legal system make for Sharia?’ And it does already in the same way it does Jewish law and Christian law. I mean, people don’t find it a contradiction in this conversation that people have off for Easter. They are worried that sharing the space with others will mean the eroding of Christian culture, and I don’t really see that being under threat by anyone other than Christians.</blockquote>\r\n<h2>Conclusion</h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6179\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A Muslim man praying\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/muslim-man-praying_flickr_dvidshub.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6179\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/muslim-man-praying_flickr_dvidshub-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne thing that I love about Islam is the commitment to prayer. It makes me feel weird sometimes about my own faith because if Muslims stop what they are doing five times a day and stop and pray… That’s quite a bit of commitment. Why aren’t I doing that?\r\n\r\nBoth Saeed and Tuba are remarkable, personable people. Saeed is doing so much good work speaking all over the world on behalf of Muslims and interfaith efforts.  Tuba has infectious laughter, is wonderful to be around and is incredibly smart.\r\n\r\nSaeed and Tuba answered any questions I had to ask them, which is key to building a healthy and loving respect that can exist between people of very different backgrounds. I know this is only scratching the surface and I can’t wait to get to know both of them and their cultures better.\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you to Saeed Khan and Tuba Rizvi for talking to me about themselves, their beliefs, and their beautiful cultures.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Hindus worship cows?\" No, not exactly. Hear why from our next interviewee, Padma Kuppa, a Hindu and Patheos blogger from Troy, Michigan.</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/hashir/363218273/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">hashmil</a> (Nimal Road Mosque in Colomo), Saeed Khan (used with permission), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidstanleytravel/5282815849/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">David Stanley</a> (Mosque in Ghadames), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/47018070@N08/4412748105/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">insansains</a> (the Qur\'an), Tuba Rizvi (used with permission), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/txh62/3177087544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">taufiq @ eyecreation</a> (Muslim girls wearing hijab), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/amrufm/578107847/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">amrufm</a> (Muslim woman and boy), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/amrufm/578107847/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Wikipedia Commons</a> (the star and crescent), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/dvids/6074152050/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">DVIDSHUB</a> (Muslim man praying)</em>','Faith Interview Series: Muslim','','inherit','open','open','','6166-revision-19','','','2012-05-06 23:00:52','2012-05-07 06:00:52','',6166,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/06/6166-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(7268,12,'2012-07-23 23:33:10','2012-07-24 06:33:10','','paternos','','inherit','open','open','','paternos','','','2012-07-23 23:33:10','2012-07-24 06:33:10','',7267,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/paternos.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7269,12,'2012-07-23 23:34:21','2012-07-24 06:34:21','','paterno2','','inherit','open','open','','paterno2','','','2012-07-23 23:34:21','2012-07-24 06:34:21','',7267,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/paterno2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7270,12,'2012-07-23 23:35:52','2012-07-24 06:35:52','','pennstate','','inherit','open','open','','pennstate','','','2012-07-23 23:35:52','2012-07-24 06:35:52','',7267,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/pennstate.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7271,12,'2012-07-23 23:34:41','2012-07-24 06:34:41','I love writing on Provoketive. I\'m pretty conservative. And there are people who write on here who are less conservative than me. Good for them. They have a voice. I\'m about to write something that may not be very popular. And I\'m glad I have a place to write it.\n\nToday, several things happened in reaction to the <a href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/22/us/penn-state-paterno-statue/index.html\">Freeh Report</a> in regards to lack of institutional control at Penn State. Specifically, head coach Joe Paterno\'s role in lack of reporting the child molestation that had been occurring for more than a decade there while coach Jerry Sandusky was having his way with underage kids.\n\nLet me say this - that is disgusting. There is no way I tolerate that. I have seen it happen first hand in my life and I wanted justice right away.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/paterno2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7269\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/paterno2-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" /></a>I don\'t know what to think about Joe Paterno. He\'s gone. Shortly after he resigned, he died. All his life all he knew was football and caring for football players. What I do know is this - we are most often remembered for what we do at the end of our lives than what we do for the bulk of our lives.\n\nLet me say this as well. I am an Arkansas Razorback fan. I have no axe to grind either way. Arkansas has had its own <a href=\"http://fallenpastor.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/the-sins-of-bobby-petrino/\">problems with Bobby Petrino</a> this off-season, that\'s for sure.\n\nThe now famous \"<a href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/22/us/penn-state-paterno-statue/index.html\">Freeh Report</a>\" documents that Paterno held back information that could have stopped child abuse. We all know that it looks like there was institutional freaking problems in reporting these things. Absolutely. It makes me sick. We all have the same questions - \"Why wouldn\'t you have said something?\" \"What was you freaking deal?\" \"Doesn\'t your silence make you the same as the perpetrator?\"\n\nSlow your roll for a second.\n\nI know it\'s hard. It\'s hard for me. These men got their day in court. Nothing can erase what happened to them. Sandusky got his trial and will be off to hard time. Justice is served. Yet, the NCAA stepped in. What was their ruling? $30 million for however long. Fine. But the NCAA has never stepped in for a criminal ruling. What else? Scholarship reductions in the future.\n\nLast of all, let\'s take down the statue of Joe Paterno. I don\'t know how I feel about that one. I really don\'t.\n\nLet me explain that. Seriously. As a sports fan. What if that happened at my campus?\n\nTen years ago, Beaver Stadium, held over 100,000 fans. They weren\'t screaming and cheering for a man who was concealing pederasty. For a second, let\'s take Joe Paterno out of the question. Most fans don\'t even show up to cheer for the coach. They show up to cheer on the athletes. They were there to cheer on the athletes who showed up in August when no one was around, who put up with two-a-days, vomited, worked hard, and ran their guts out trying to beat their rivals.\n\nFans show up to cheer a team. You want to take down Joe Paterno\'s statue? Fine. But don\'t hamstring the athletes who are there now who didn\'t rape kids in the shower. Don\'t stain the education and pride those kids feel because they still want to be part of Penn State. Penn State is bigger than Joe Paterno. It\'s bigger than Sandusky. All the NCAA did today was say that Penn State is equal to those two.\n\nDon\'t hurt those kids for the next four years by taking away their bowl games and money. Let those kids play. They have heart and drive. Let the legal system take care of the people who are really guilty of the crimes involved. Take care of the administrative figures who turned a blind eye to what was going on.\n\nBut, by God, don\'t hurt a bunch of 18-21 year olds who had no idea what was going on behind their backs while a bunch of evil adults were making decisions. The NCAA should be ashamed. Let Penn State live. Let them rise out of this like a Phoenix. Let the new coach and players make their mark on society. Let them say that this is a temporary setback that they had nothing to do with.\n\nTear down the statue if you have to. But this is a new day for Penn State. Let the new players make that statement. Don\'t let it be a death knell for a bunch of kids who had nothing to do with it.','Joe Paterno And Villification','','inherit','open','open','','7267-revision','','','2012-07-23 23:34:41','2012-07-24 06:34:41','',7267,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/23/7267-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6745,183,'2012-05-24 08:00:55','2012-05-24 15:00:55','The Christian Church has been converting people since the Council of Nicea.  But, how does a church grow its membership and get people to buy into its vision when it doesn\'t use the fear of Hell to coerce others into action?\r\n\r\nWhat does the Church have to do to survive?\r\n\r\nWhere does the Church go from here?\r\n\r\nWhat will we do when we can no longer pay the mortgage on the building?\r\n\r\nThese are questions we might ask ourselves when we look at the Church as buildings.  It\'s no secret that churches all over the country are being foreclosed on.  So, what\'s the answer?\r\n\r\nThe answer is.... The Church is not a building. Do you want to the Church to survive?  Then, we have to convince the Church of this fact.  We have to lose our love affair with addresses and fall in love with zip codes again.  When Paul wrote to churches, he didn\'t write to \"The Church on Jones Street\".  He wrote to \"The Church at Phillipi (Thessalonica, Colossae, etc...)\".  These first churches were not individual buildings but more like Presbyteries or Diocese.  They served huge areas.  Their focus was not a building.  Their focus was people.\r\n\r\nSo, here I am.  I am talking to your Church.  I am talking to the people you worship with every Sunday.  SAVE YOUR CITY! Make your city whole.  When the prison guard in Acts 16 was saved, \"everyone who lived in his house was saved\" according to Paul and Silas.\r\n\r\nI tell you, Church, it\'s time to claim salvation over your city.  I\'m not talking about \"saving from sins\".  I\'m talking about the \"preservation from destruction or failure\" or \"deliverance from danger and difficulty\", according to <a href=\"http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvation\">Meriam-Webster</a>.\r\n\r\nIt\'s time for us, as the Church to get off our high horse and help the man in the ditch who is dying as the religious walk on by him.  It\'s time that we lose our religious piety and pick up the Cross of Jesus (His life and His death) and we start feeding the poor, clothing the naked and freeing the prisoners.\r\n\r\nGod is calling us, those who are called by the name of Christ, to continue the work of Christ.\r\n\r\nWe do that through relationship.  We can only have relationship with those in need when we forsake our buildings, because our homeless and poor friends and neighbors don\'t want the Jesus we\'re giving away.  Our Jesus doesn\'t look like Jesus in Luke 4 (Isaiah 61). There, Jesus says that God has anointed him to preach good news for the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, bring liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison for those who are bound.  I have no problem saying that if the message you hear on Sunday mornings does not sound like Luke 4, it is not the message of the Gospel. And when Jesus says, \"When I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me...\", I think he\'s saying  when good news for the poor is preached, when the brokenhearted are bound up, when the captives have liberty, and the prisons are empty, then there is no way He will not be glorified.\r\n\r\nChristians, this is our call.  If you ever wonder what it means to be a Christian, look at these verses.  Jesus says to go out and make disciples of all nations.  This is not a call to go out and get the nations to walk down an aisle and pray a sinner\'s prayer.  Another word for disciple is apprentice.  I grew up hearing disciple defined as a \"learned do-er\".  We do what Christ did.  Christ never had an altar call.\r\n\r\nYou want to know why the institutional church is failing?  It is trying to complete a job it was never given.\r\n\r\nSodom was not a town where many modern day Conservative Christians would want to live.  The main religion was Moon Worship.  Men often had sex with men and women with women.  But, through the Prophet Ezekiel, God said that the sin of Sodom was its greed.  The sin of Sodom was its inhospitality to strangers.  The greatest sin in Sodom?  It had too much money and refused to share with the poor.\r\n\r\nCould the same not be said about modern day Churchianity?  We try so hard to make the next mega-church.  Why don\'t you just try to love your neighbor as yourself?  Serving our neighbor is a call so close to the heart of God that for a church to ignore it is blasphemy.  It\'s really the main thing Jesus spoke about.\r\n\r\nSo, why aren\'t we doing it?\r\n\r\nYou want to save your church?  Then, save your city.  Fall out of love with your address and fall back in love with your zip code.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What Should The Church Be Doing?','','publish','open','open','','what-should-the-church-be-doing','','','2012-05-22 21:33:43','2012-05-23 04:33:43','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6745',0,'post','',8),(6746,183,'2012-05-21 11:52:18','2012-05-21 18:52:18','','Provoketive2','Image from my friend, David Hayward (@nakedpastor; http://nakedpastor.com)','inherit','open','open','','provoketive2','','','2012-05-21 11:52:18','2012-05-21 18:52:18','',6745,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Provoketive2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6747,183,'2012-05-21 12:56:48','2012-05-21 19:56:48','<img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-6746\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Provoketive2-300x232.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"362\" height=\"270\" />\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe Christian Church has been converting people since the Council of Nicea.  But, how does a church grow its membership and get people to buy into its vision when it doesn\'t use the fear of Hell to coerce others into action?\nWhat does the Church have to do to survive?\n\nWhere does the Church go from here?\n\nWhat will we do when we can no longer pay the mortgage on the building?\n\nThese are questions we might ask ourselves when we look at the Church as buildings.  It\'s no secret that churches all over the country are being foreclosed on.  So, what\'s the answer?\n\nThe answer is.... The Church is not a building. Do you want to the Church to survive?  Then, we have to convince the Church of this fact.  We have to lose our love affair with addresses and fall in love with zip codes again.  When Paul wrote to churches, he didn\'t write to \"The Church on Jones Street\".  He wrote to \"The Church at Phillipi (Thessalonica, Colossae, etc...)\".  These first churches were not individual buildings but more like Presbyteries or Diocese.  They served huge areas.  Their focus was not a building.  Their focus was people.\n\nSo, here I am.  I am talking to your Church.  I am talking to the people you worship with every Sunday.  SAVE YOUR CITY. Make your city whole.  When the prison guard in Acts 16 was saved, \"everyone who lived in his house was saved\" according to Paul and Silas.\n\nI tell you, Church, it\'s time to claim salvation over your city.  I\'m not talking about \"saving from sins\".  I\'m talking about the \"preservation from destruction or failure\" or \"deliverance from danger and difficulty\" according to <a href=\"http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvation\">Meriam-Webster</a>.\n\nIt\'s time for us, as the Church to get off our high horse and help the man in the ditch who is dying as the religious walk on by.  It\'s time that we lose our religious piety and pick up the Cross of Jesus (His life and His death) and we start feeding the poor, clothing the naked and freeing the prisoners.\n\nGod is calling us, those who are called by the name of Christ, to continue the work of Christ.\n\nWe do that through relationship.  We can only have relationship with those in need when we forsake our buildings, because our homeless and poor friends and neighbors don\'t want the Jesus we\'re giving away.  Our Jesus doesn\'t look like Jesus in Luke 4 (Isaiah 61). There, Jesus says that God has anointed him to preach good news for the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, bring liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison for those who are bound.  I have no problem saying that if the message you hear on Sunday mornings does not sound like Luke 4, it is not the message of the Gospel. And when Jesus says, \"When I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me...\", I think he\'s saying  when good news for the poor is preached, when the brokenhearted are binded up, when the captives have liberty and the prisons are empty, that there is no way He will not be glorified.\n\nChristians, this is our call.  If you ever wonder what it means to be a Christian, look at these verses.  Jesus says to go out and make disciples of all nations.  This is not a call to go out and get the nations to walk down an aisle and pray a sinner\'s prayer.  Another word for disciple is apprentice.  I grew up hearing disciple defined as a \"learned do-er\".  We do what Christ did.  Christ never had an altar call.\n\nYou want to know why the institutional church is failing?  It is trying to complete a job it was never given.\n\nSodom was not a town that many modern day Conservative Christians would want to live.  The main religion was Moon Worship.  Men often had sex with men and women with women.  But, through the Prophet Ezekiel, God said that the sin of Sodom was its greed.  The sin of Sodom was its inhospitality to strangers.  The greatest sin in Sodom?  It had too much money and refused to share with the poor.\n\nCould the same not be said about modern day Churchianity?  We try so hard to make the next mega-church.  Why don\'t you just try to love your neighbor as yourself?  Serving our neighbor is a call so close to the heart of God that for a church to ignore it is blasphemy.','What Should The Church Be Doing?','','inherit','open','open','','6745-revision','','','2012-05-21 12:56:48','2012-05-21 19:56:48','',6745,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/21/6745-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6748,183,'2012-05-21 13:02:32','2012-05-21 20:02:32','&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe Christian Church has been converting people since the Council of Nicea.  But, how does a church grow its membership and get people to buy into its vision when it doesn\'t use the fear of Hell to coerce others into action?\nWhat does the Church have to do to survive?\n\nWhere does the Church go from here?\n\nWhat will we do when we can no longer pay the mortgage on the building?\n\nThese are questions we might ask ourselves when we look at the Church as buildings.  It\'s no secret that churches all over the country are being foreclosed on.  So, what\'s the answer?\n\nThe answer is.... The Church is not a building. Do you want to the Church to survive?  Then, we have to convince the Church of this fact.  We have to lose our love affair with addresses and fall in love with zip codes again.  When Paul wrote to churches, he didn\'t write to \"The Church on Jones Street\".  He wrote to \"The Church at Phillipi (Thessalonica, Colossae, etc...)\".  These first churches were not individual buildings but more like Presbyteries or Diocese.  They served huge areas.  Their focus was not a building.  Their focus was people.\n\nSo, here I am.  I am talking to your Church.  I am talking to the people you worship with every Sunday.  SAVE YOUR CITY. Make your city whole.  When the prison guard in Acts 16 was saved, \"everyone who lived in his house was saved\" according to Paul and Silas.\n\nI tell you, Church, it\'s time to claim salvation over your city.  I\'m not talking about \"saving from sins\".  I\'m talking about the \"preservation from destruction or failure\" or \"deliverance from danger and difficulty\" according to <a href=\"http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvation\">Meriam-Webster</a>.\n\nIt\'s time for us, as the Church to get off our high horse and help the man in the ditch who is dying as the religious walk on by.  It\'s time that we lose our religious piety and pick up the Cross of Jesus (His life and His death) and we start feeding the poor, clothing the naked and freeing the prisoners.\n\nGod is calling us, those who are called by the name of Christ, to continue the work of Christ.\n\nWe do that through relationship.  We can only have relationship with those in need when we forsake our buildings, because our homeless and poor friends and neighbors don\'t want the Jesus we\'re giving away.  Our Jesus doesn\'t look like Jesus in Luke 4 (Isaiah 61). There, Jesus says that God has anointed him to preach good news for the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, bring liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison for those who are bound.  I have no problem saying that if the message you hear on Sunday mornings does not sound like Luke 4, it is not the message of the Gospel. And when Jesus says, \"When I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me...\", I think he\'s saying  when good news for the poor is preached, when the brokenhearted are binded up, when the captives have liberty and the prisons are empty, that there is no way He will not be glorified.\n\nChristians, this is our call.  If you ever wonder what it means to be a Christian, look at these verses.  Jesus says to go out and make disciples of all nations.  This is not a call to go out and get the nations to walk down an aisle and pray a sinner\'s prayer.  Another word for disciple is apprentice.  I grew up hearing disciple defined as a \"learned do-er\".  We do what Christ did.  Christ never had an altar call.\n\nYou want to know why the institutional church is failing?  It is trying to complete a job it was never given.\n\nSodom was not a town that many modern day Conservative Christians would want to live.  The main religion was Moon Worship.  Men often had sex with men and women with women.  But, through the Prophet Ezekiel, God said that the sin of Sodom was its greed.  The sin of Sodom was its inhospitality to strangers.  The greatest sin in Sodom?  It had too much money and refused to share with the poor.\n\nCould the same not be said about modern day Churchianity?  We try so hard to make the next mega-church.  Why don\'t you just try to love your neighbor as yourself?  Serving our neighbor is a call so close to the heart of God that for a church to ignore it is blasphemy.  It\'s really the main thing Jesus spoke about.\n\nSo, why aren\'t we doing it?\n\nYou want to save your church?  Then, save your city.  Fall out of love with your address and fall back in love with your zip code.\n\n&nbsp;','What Should The Church Be Doing?','','inherit','open','open','','6745-revision-2','','','2012-05-21 13:02:32','2012-05-21 20:02:32','',6745,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/21/6745-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6749,183,'2012-05-24 09:35:22','2012-05-24 16:35:22','The Christian Church has been converting people since the Council of Nicea.  But, how does a church grow its membership and get people to buy into its vision when it doesn\'t use the fear of Hell to coerce others into action?\n\nWhat does the Church have to do to survive?\n\nWhere does the Church go from here?\n\nWhat will we do when we can no longer pay the mortgage on the building?\n\nThese are questions we might ask ourselves when we look at the Church as buildings.  It\'s no secret that churches all over the country are being foreclosed on.  So, what\'s the answer?\n\nThe answer is.... The Church is not a building. Do you want to the Church to survive?  Then, we have to convince the Church of this fact.  We have to lose our love affair with addresses and fall in love with zip codes again.  When Paul wrote to churches, he didn\'t write to \"The Church on Jones Street\".  He wrote to \"The Church at Phillipi (Thessalonica, Colossae, etc...)\".  These first churches were not individual buildings but more like Presbyteries or Diocese.  They served huge areas.  Their focus was not a building.  Their focus was people.\n\nSo, here I am.  I am talking to your Church.  I am talking to the people you worship with every Sunday.  SAVE YOUR CITY! Make your city whole.  When the prison guard in Acts 16 was saved, \"everyone who lived in his house was saved\" according to Paul and Silas.\n\nI tell you, Church, it\'s time to claim salvation over your city.  I\'m not talking about \"saving from sins\".  I\'m talking about the \"preservation from destruction or failure\" or \"deliverance from danger and difficulty\", according to <a href=\"http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvation\">Meriam-Webster</a>.\n\nIt\'s time for us, as the Church to get off our high horse and help the man in the ditch who is dying as the religious walk on by him.  It\'s time that we lose our religious piety and pick up the Cross of Jesus (His life and His death) and we start feeding the poor, clothing the naked and freeing the prisoners.\n\nGod is calling us, those who are called by the name of Christ, to continue the work of Christ.\n\nWe do that through relationship.  We can only have relationship with those in need when we forsake our buildings, because our homeless and poor friends and neighbors don\'t want the Jesus we\'re giving away.  Our Jesus doesn\'t look like Jesus in Luke 4 (Isaiah 61). There, Jesus says that God has anointed him to preach good news for the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, bring liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison for those who are bound.  I have no problem saying that if the message you hear on Sunday mornings does not sound like Luke 4, it is not the message of the Gospel. And when Jesus says, \"When I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me...\", I think he\'s saying  when good news for the poor is preached, when the brokenhearted are bound up, when the captives have liberty, and the prisons are empty, then there is no way He will not be glorified.\n\nChristians, this is our call.  If you ever wonder what it means to be a Christian, look at these verses.  Jesus says to go out and make disciples of all nations.  This is not a call to go out and get the nations to walk down an aisle and pray a sinner\'s prayer.  Another word for disciple is apprentice.  I grew up hearing disciple defined as a \"learned do-er\".  We do what Christ did.  Christ never had an altar call.\n\nYou want to know why the institutional church is failing?  It is trying to complete a job it was never given.\n\nSodom was not a town where many modern day Conservative Christians would want to live.  The main religion was Moon Worship.  Men often had sex with men and women with women.  But, through the Prophet Ezekiel, God said that the sin of Sodom was its greed.  The sin of Sodom was its inhospitality to strangers.  The greatest sin in Sodom?  It had too much money and refused to share with the poor.\n\nCould the same not be said about modern day Churchianity?  We try so hard to make the next mega-church.  Why don\'t you just try to love your neighbor as yourself?  Serving our neighbor is a call so close to the heart of God that for a church to ignore it is blasphemy.  It\'s really the main thing Jesus spoke about.\n\nSo, why aren\'t we doing it?\n\nYou want to save your church?  Then, save your city.  Fall out of love with your address and fall back in love with your zip code.\n\n&nbsp;','What Should The Church Be Doing?','','inherit','open','open','','6745-autosave','','','2012-05-24 09:35:22','2012-05-24 16:35:22','',6745,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/21/6745-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6750,183,'2012-05-21 13:04:31','2012-05-21 20:04:31','[caption id=\"attachment_6746\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Image from my friend, David Hayward (@nakedpastor; http://nakedpastor.com)\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Provoketive2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6746\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Provoketive2-300x232.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"232\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Christian Church has been converting people since the Council of Nicea.  But, how does a church grow its membership and get people to buy into its vision when it doesn\'t use the fear of Hell to coerce others into action?\r\nWhat does the Church have to do to survive?\r\n\r\nWhere does the Church go from here?\r\n\r\nWhat will we do when we can no longer pay the mortgage on the building?\r\n\r\nThese are questions we might ask ourselves when we look at the Church as buildings.  It\'s no secret that churches all over the country are being foreclosed on.  So, what\'s the answer?\r\n\r\nThe answer is.... The Church is not a building. Do you want to the Church to survive?  Then, we have to convince the Church of this fact.  We have to lose our love affair with addresses and fall in love with zip codes again.  When Paul wrote to churches, he didn\'t write to \"The Church on Jones Street\".  He wrote to \"The Church at Phillipi (Thessalonica, Colossae, etc...)\".  These first churches were not individual buildings but more like Presbyteries or Diocese.  They served huge areas.  Their focus was not a building.  Their focus was people.\r\n\r\nSo, here I am.  I am talking to your Church.  I am talking to the people you worship with every Sunday.  SAVE YOUR CITY. Make your city whole.  When the prison guard in Acts 16 was saved, \"everyone who lived in his house was saved\" according to Paul and Silas.\r\n\r\nI tell you, Church, it\'s time to claim salvation over your city.  I\'m not talking about \"saving from sins\".  I\'m talking about the \"preservation from destruction or failure\" or \"deliverance from danger and difficulty\" according to <a href=\"http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvation\">Meriam-Webster</a>.\r\n\r\nIt\'s time for us, as the Church to get off our high horse and help the man in the ditch who is dying as the religious walk on by.  It\'s time that we lose our religious piety and pick up the Cross of Jesus (His life and His death) and we start feeding the poor, clothing the naked and freeing the prisoners.\r\n\r\nGod is calling us, those who are called by the name of Christ, to continue the work of Christ.\r\n\r\nWe do that through relationship.  We can only have relationship with those in need when we forsake our buildings, because our homeless and poor friends and neighbors don\'t want the Jesus we\'re giving away.  Our Jesus doesn\'t look like Jesus in Luke 4 (Isaiah 61). There, Jesus says that God has anointed him to preach good news for the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, bring liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison for those who are bound.  I have no problem saying that if the message you hear on Sunday mornings does not sound like Luke 4, it is not the message of the Gospel. And when Jesus says, \"When I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me...\", I think he\'s saying  when good news for the poor is preached, when the brokenhearted are binded up, when the captives have liberty and the prisons are empty, that there is no way He will not be glorified.\r\n\r\nChristians, this is our call.  If you ever wonder what it means to be a Christian, look at these verses.  Jesus says to go out and make disciples of all nations.  This is not a call to go out and get the nations to walk down an aisle and pray a sinner\'s prayer.  Another word for disciple is apprentice.  I grew up hearing disciple defined as a \"learned do-er\".  We do what Christ did.  Christ never had an altar call.\r\n\r\nYou want to know why the institutional church is failing?  It is trying to complete a job it was never given.\r\n\r\nSodom was not a town that many modern day Conservative Christians would want to live.  The main religion was Moon Worship.  Men often had sex with men and women with women.  But, through the Prophet Ezekiel, God said that the sin of Sodom was its greed.  The sin of Sodom was its inhospitality to strangers.  The greatest sin in Sodom?  It had too much money and refused to share with the poor.\r\n\r\nCould the same not be said about modern day Churchianity?  We try so hard to make the next mega-church.  Why don\'t you just try to love your neighbor as yourself?  Serving our neighbor is a call so close to the heart of God that for a church to ignore it is blasphemy.  It\'s really the main thing Jesus spoke about.\r\n\r\nSo, why aren\'t we doing it?\r\n\r\nYou want to save your church?  Then, save your city.  Fall out of love with your address and fall back in love with your zip code.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What Should The Church Be Doing?','','inherit','open','open','','6745-revision-3','','','2012-05-21 13:04:31','2012-05-21 20:04:31','',6745,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/21/6745-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0);
