culture

Christians and Halloween: Let Each Be Convicted in Their Own Mind

Lisa SpencerLeave a comment

Should Christians avoid Halloween, turn the lights out and shun it as evil? Isn’t it afterall a celebration of darkness given its roots? Don’t its historic roots matter? This is something I was taught for years. I avoided it but admittedly went through some angst when my son was little. The more I wrestled with the issue, the more I realized that what was celebrated today was removed from whatever it once may have been. Nor did this have any meaning to little kids knocking on my door looking for candy. And so many cute costumes, too.

By the time I heard this lecture below by Dr. Mark Young, an overseas missionary for many years, former DTS professor in cross-cultural studies and current president of Denver Seminary, it pretty much confirmed why I have no problem with Halloween.

He makes a good case I think. But I’ve also come to learn that some Christians cannot disassociate the holiday from evil and so choose not to participate. I’ve come to learn that I should not encourage them in any way to do that for to do so, might cause them to stumble. Continue reading →

More Conundrums: Homosexuality and the Church

Lisa Spencer2 Comments

Well, here’s a touchy subject and one that I think the church has not handled particularly well nor have individual Christians handled well in the public sphere. In fact, I’d say the treatment of this particular subject has been handled rather hypocritically. Yes, I said that. But when I started this blog, I made a commitment to address issues in a straight-foward manner and to express what I really thought about them.

First off,  homosexuality is a sin. It says so in the bible. (If you are a Christian and deny the authority of the bible, then that is another subject altogether). There’s been a lot of hermeneutical gymnastics to make it say otherwise. Leviticus 18 is not a good argument nor is saying that Jesus never addressed homosexuality. Of course he did in Matthew 19:4-9. If he says that marriage has from the beginning been between one man and one woman, there is no default position of what he really meant. It is what it is.

We also can’t look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and the list of transgressions and turn that into exceptions. Romans 1:21-32 also identifies that when God’s creation denies the truth that He reveals within them, creature worship can result in same sex attraction.

But here’s the thing. Homosexuality is not the only sin mentioned in the bible nor is it classified as an unpardonable sin. In fact, if you look at the passages mentioned in the last paragraph, this particular sin is included in a list of other sins. That means we can’t highlight one above the other as if it is deserving of some special treatment. Continue reading →

Lessons from the Runway: Delusions and Community

Lisa SpencerLeave a comment

I don’t care for many reality shows but I confess to being a Project Runway fan and it’s a diversion from my the crime drama genre I like so much.  If you are not familiar with the show, 16 aspiring designers are given challenges each week to show their proficiency and creativity as a designer.  The ultimate goal is to win the prize of $100,000 to start their own line, a spread in a popular magazine and the notoriety that goes with it  Now in it’s 10th season, there is something about the combination of watching the creative process and the human dynamic unfold with each episode. Most of the designers come with some pretty well established experience. Some have worked with well known designers. And all of them think they are the next best thing out there.

The human dynamic that emerges on the show is fascinating. Some are consistently good and their work speaks for itself.  They may toot their own horn and even sound obnoxious in the process. But when their work product stands to their words, it is validated.  For the most, however, there exists a fair amount of delusion among many of the contestants who take aim at other designers and their supposedly inferior work.

Tim Gunn serves as mentor and fashion guru who lends a critical eye to designer’s products while they are in progress. Sometimes he has to tell that overly confident designer that there is something not working right with their design. He gives them some suggestions on how they can rethink the design to something that is more likely to wow the judges. For the most part, I have found myself in agreement with his input. The camera does not lie. If something doesn’t look right, it doesn’t look right no matter how much the designer engages in self-exaltation. Continue reading →

A Christian’s Conundrum of Politics And Theology

Lisa Spencer3 Comments

What is a conundrum? For the purposes of this post I’ll go with “a confusing or difficult problem or question”, according to Dictionary.com. It’s what happens when weighing two options, both of which have benefits and costs. The goal is to determine what will have the maximum benefit with the least amount of costs.

I have a some conundrums, both in politics and theology. The conundrums create tension, especially in light of competing views. Politics first. I’ve long since been a registered independent because my convictions concerning governance of the economy and society have never squarely fit into a partisan system. I’m a believer in the free market and understanding the significance of capitalism as the engine of the economic sustenance. Government intervention is needed as a regulator of the capitalists enterprise. Otherwise, greed would undermine the benefits of the capitalist system.

But on the other hand, government does have the responsibility to all of it’s citizens. Optimum government occurs when the economic engine has the maximum benefit for all society.  Here is where I turn socially moderate and deem some social programs necessary for the sake of the whole. I’ve worked in the non-profit sector for the past two decades on behalf of low-income, disenfranchised and poorly skilled citizens. The superficial remedy of employment is tremendously challenging for some for a variety of reasons that are sourced in disabling conditions. Now that is more than just physical ability but socio-economic factors that are deeply rooted in cultural fabrics.  Government intervention is needed to maximize what is beneficial for the whole of society. Continue reading →