Tuesday, April 15, 2008

justice revival



we found three babysitters so we can attend the justice revival. STOKED. i've been reading Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne and man, as expected, i'm being greatly challenged by it. sometimes i get hopeless, or am tempted to get hopeless, about the lax attitude (at best) towards social justice of the modern christian church. in fact i can't sit here in good conscience and say that i don't feel that the church actually commits quite a few social crimes against people (um hi, hating gay people) such things make me sick and sad and even at times embarrassed to be associated with the evangelical movement. i dislike that i feel that i have to convince people that i'm not a bigot when a person gets to know me and naturally it comes out that im a follower of Jesus. and while christianity has been the springboard for innumerable charities and social causes (red cross, salvation army, etc. etc.) i still feel angry and sad that, and this is the part i get up on my high horse i think, the church doesn't behave nicely. notice how i am putting myself into a position to determine the politics of people? really, this should be the job of Jesus, period and yet i don't feel we are taking that seriously. if we took the bible seriously poverty would be wiped out, orphanages wouldn't need to exist, every one would be part of a human family, LOVE WOULD REIGN in our hearts instead of power-lust. don't we get that God and injustice are morally opposed to one another?

8 comments:

Olive said...

thank you for the link! i hadnt seen that particular one just yet!

Maria. said...

Jenny-
God is on the move and I am brought to tears over the video of justice revival. We are participating in World Vision's 30 Hour Famine this weekend with our youth and I KNOW THAT THE LORD IS ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING HUGE IN AMERICA, SOON! He is preparing us for it and I am so thankful to see you and David are going! I will be praying for this weekend!

Hippy- Dippy Ness said...

Jenny, have you looked at the book, "Blue Like Jazz?" It's a good book about nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality. It was written by a man from Houston, and my favorite chapter from the book is called, "Love." In it he describes how for a good amount of time he lived with hippies in the woods, and how the hippies were the most loving people he had ever met because they loved unconditionally with no limits, unlike some Christians he had met. It's a good read. Oh, and I hope Olive had a wonderful 1st birthday!! :) :)
-Nessa

Kathy Campbell said...

Hi, you don't know me but I've been reading your journal for a while now.

I just wanted to say that I completely agree and can become so disheartened when I think about it. Jesus came to earth for all of us (ZOMG yes, even homosexuals) and guess what? He loves us all, no matter what! It's amazing when I speak to someone about my beliefs and they don't understand how I can be Christian and still be friends with almost anyone and love everyone. I have been blessed though to have people see that love and pass it on.

In fact, today was one of those days and your post made me much less jaded today. So thank you. What a God thing.

kasandora said...

wow, finally a christian I agree with...

and the 1 year montage of olive was beautiful....

I promise that I only internet stalk you about once a week...hehehe

Olive said...

maria - i am so happy that such a thing is happening, and in my own community!


hippy-dippy - i have yet to have a negative experience with a hippy in terms of them loving on people in real and genuine ways.


kat - i rest easy knowing that we serve a God who loves us all just as we are. that doesnt mean he's always thrilled with our choices or always agrees with what we feel but yes, loves us just where we are!


cassandra - stalk away! :)

saltycanvas said...

Hi Jenny!
Great post... I'm am always left at a crossroad when we talk about God loving everyone no matter who they are, then immediately we find it okay to turn around and somehow finish the sentence with "except homosexuals, suicidals, etc. etc. etc.." My reverend is a lesbian...and she is amazing.

It's funny you know. I've gone my whole life knowing that there was a God and knowing that he loved me regardless, but have never had that spiritual moment where i knew everything would be okay. This past weekend, my life-partner (aka boyfriend) got in a car accident. I knew where the accident was but couldn't find him anywhere. When I finally found him, he was okay but I needed to go to work. I got to work and my boss told me I should go sit down for a little while. In the staff room, I found the Bible. I opened it to a random part and found the "Prayer of Faith". I was comforted immediately, and when I looked to see what scripture I was reading, it was from 'James', which is my boyfriends name. I knew everything would be alright.

God works in funny ways!

Anonymous said...

GO JENNY!!!!