Part 2: Facing the Hard Stuff

Derek Webb's Mockingbird cd came out in 2005 and has caused a lot of tension by many people w/in and w/out the church. While touring, he has had people walk out in the middle of the concert due to the very confrontational words from the album. (Check out this little article from Relevant Magazine that talks about the album) As I sat in the auditorium of the George Bush library at Texas A&M a couple of days ago, he told us that after we yelled out some requests and he wrote some down on his notepad to play that Sandra McCracken (his wife) and the bass player (sorry, forgot his name) would come back out and they'd play the Mockingbird album the whole way through. He took some time to talk about how strongly he felt about some things that the church has been inconsistent--to put it in my own words--in dealing w/ some issues and neglecting others. He feels that dialogue about these issues and what we must do about them must begin now, if not continue. He feels so strongly about them that he has created a website where he encourages anyone and everyone to go to and download and listen to the Mockingbird cd. He said, "I don't care what you do afterwards; throw it away, pass it on, burn it for others, but let's please confront these issues!" He made sure we knew he was extremely pro-piracy on this and to burn thousands of copies if we so desired.

As I sat there and listened to the words of his songs I felt he had finally written down all of my thoughts and feelings for the past couple of years! I also sat there and watched as some people grew a little antsy and decided they couldn't take it anymore and left. But, as I watched this happen I began to think about how much the Bible makes me want to do the same. If we read the words of Christ and truly try to live them out in this world, we soon realize how difficult it really is! If you really do think and feel like being a follower of Christ is easy then, as Derek Webb so poignantly put it, you might want to step back and ask if it really is Jesus you're following! So, here are a few of my "rants"--for lack of better words--about a few things that have been on my mind and heart for a good long while and more thoughts about specifics will come soon enough.

The thing that has been the most perplexing to me over the past few years is how many times I've been asked quite brashly if I'm a liberal or a democrat bc of how I feel about certain issues. If by being pro-nonviolence, pro-dignity of human life, pro-life throughout a whole person's life, pro-wrestling w/ what it looks like to live out the two greatest commandments of 1) loving God w/ all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and 2) loving my neighbor as myself; if by trying to be all of these things is liberal or democratic, then I will proudly wear that label!

However, that's the problem that has been becoming more and more of one among Christians today. When did God ever become a republican or a democrat?! When did revenge ever become justified by God? Where do you get your proof text for that? Am I saying that I have all of these figured out and believe that there should never be any accountability for other's wrong-doings to others? Absolutely not!! What I am doing is recognizing that this is something that is not black and white and seeking and praying desperately that we will all come into dialogue about these things in a mature fashion instead of quickly and constantly name calling or labeling others, especially Christians! Another very powerful song of Derek Webb's on the cd Mockingbird is called "Love Is Not Against The Law." What a great statement in itself!

There are so many other issues that need to be addressed and I have issues w/, but I really am having trouble right now being able to concentrate on just a few of them. There are so many inconsistencies that are being accepted by so many Christians in America today and I actually find it almost funny--if it weren't so sad and ironic--how the people and pastors preaching so vehemently about the problems w/ "American Christianity" are actually the ones who have subscribed to it most! Today's "American Christianity" is one that has all of this fundamentalist, political agenda attached to it that continues to mix church w/ state--all the while complaining about how state has mixed w/ church--by pledging allegiance first and foremost to a flag and then maybe to Jesus (if not preceded by a few choice issues that serve as a default to fall back on if faced w/ an issue they'd rather play "if I don't acknowledge it, it's not there").

I'd love to hear other's comments and questions to me about these things and welcome both pro and con! If I'm confronted w/ a single issue I probably can better address it and feel like this dialogue is so important to have w/ people on all sides, especially we Christians.

I know this is a departure from a lot of my normal writing entries, but I decided to venture out and confront something that has been and is the topic of so many discussions these days, especially w/in the church that is always trying to figure out what the heck Jesus would do! I now welcome any and all questions and/or comments. As a great bumper sticker I saw on a car the other day said, "God bless the whole world!...No Exceptions!!"