Currently Reading Red Moon Rising: How 24-7 Prayer is Awakening a Generation By Peter Greig, Dave Roberts see related

What if….the “commentary (ie the way people  present their interpretation of an event, a person or situation)”  we have been shown about Jesus is wrong.  Before I get accused of being a heretic, let me elaborate.  What if parts, not all that have been passed down about Jesus has been so corrupted, watered down, misguided because of personal and political agendas, and manipulated for personal comfort that it does not really hold true to the original.  NOTE:  I am not speaking of orthodoxy (right thinking in line with God and His Word) but orthopraxy (the way we live out God and His Word) It is like when someone does a cover of a song, the words are the same, at least for the most part, but the music and melody line are changed.  It just doesn’t sound right. 

I think it is possible for that to have happened to us.  That we have so created a christian sub-culture, that is like a bad cover of the original.  In my reading, wrestling and praying, my desire has been piqued to explore this, because if there are things that we are doing as Christ followers that we are not supposed to be doing then we need to stop.  If there are principles and philosophies that we embrace that are not of Jesus, then we need to let them go without a second thought.  If there are clichés that we hold as truth because our sub-culture has taken them up as it’s mantra, but is not of Jesus, then we need not to fall in line with the beat of the sub-culture, but in line with Jesus.

Jesus is there, calling, singing his original.  I think this is the song that haunts our hearts, it is song that we hear when we look around our churches, families and the larger faith communities, and something does not set right deep within in us. He is calling us to come home….

Softy and tenderly Jesus is calling

Calling for you and for me

See on the portals, he is waiting and watching

Watching for you and for me

Come home, Come home,

Ye who are weary come home

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling

Calling Oh sinner come home

Currently Watching Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith By Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen see related

I figured today would be as good as any other day to make my blog entry.  So here it goes.

I went to see Star Wars Episode III:  Revenge of the Sith.  It was really good what I got to see of it.  ATTACHMENT was a main a theme, and I had a lot of good stuff to think and on.  It is a must see for the simple fact that it is the end of an era of for a generation of star wars fans and star wars freaks (see www.force.net).

I will not go on about that, but I want to go on about my son. I love him, I love him like I have loved no other.  Today he had one of his first passages in his life as young Parido.  He got his first lightsaber.  He also got a few toys, actually today he got more toys then he has ever received from his mom and I (only about 20 bucks worth --thanks parido and clark's for hooking us up with all the other toys young parido has). 

I wanted this day to special for my son, I wanted him to be able to say that I went to movie to see a star wars movie in the theater.  He was so freaking cute carrying in his little lightsaber into the theater with his blanky.  I wanted him to have these toys, (daddy will keep some in his office so that won't get lost) so that he can remember this day.  I want him to have exposure to many stories of heroes and villains, good and evil, to draw from as he goes through life.  The star wars movies have shaped my heart, as has great tales of the lord of the rings, and braveheart.  I love these stories because they are epics.  And all epics are mirrored on person of Jesus.  I want my son to know Jesus to love him, I want my son to be brave and courageous.. I want him to fight the good fight. 

Star Wars have provided me with a window into what it looks like to follow Jesus and to be a brave and courageous warrior for the Kingdom, and I want my son to see Jesus and what it looks like to be brave young man of the Kingdom.

Be brave my young parido, be alert,
stand firm in the faith,
be strong and courageous…

I am proud to be your father, young one.  And I hope the lightsaber, and the other toys will help you to remember that...

Let me let you into the my crazy world….

I have had a crazy question floating around in my head the past day or 2.  the question is this, and I will warn, it is not a easy question to answer:

Would you rather be THE POPE or a JEDI KNIGHT?

I am still wrestling with this one.  I would love to be either, I truly would.  Let me give you some pro's and con's of both:

Pro's for the pope

• Over a billion people follow you
• Your words are infallible when it comes to teachings on moral and ethics
• You hold the most historic position in the world (can you name one position that a longer and broader history)
• You get a cool shepherd's crook thingy
• You get to design your own ring
• People kiss that ring
• You have like one outfit you wear all the time
• You get to ride in the pope-mobile (the big bubble car)
• You become a saint when you die
• You can make others' saints
• You get to live in one of the most historically rich cities in the world and have inside access to ancient and secret documents

Con's for the pope

• You have to pretty stinking old to be a pope
• It looks like it would be hard to make jokes, because people would take you so seriously all the time
• You only have like one outfit
• When you die, that just lay you out without a coffin (that just seems weird)
• Can't be married (unless you convert after you are already married, wink, wink SB)

Pro's for the Jedi Knight

• You get to use a light saber (coolest and most elegant weapon in history)
• You get to say call things like "do or do not, there is no try"
• You get to manipulate people with Jedi mind tricks -- "you will give me the keys to your car."
• You get to fly space ships
• You get to have a cool astromech droid (R2-D2)
• You get a cool cape to wear (I guess you get that if you are pope too)
• You disappear when you die -- unless you are of the dark side
• You get make threats you can back up
• You get to use a light saber (you also get to build it..yeah)

Con's for the Jedi Knight

• Brown is the only color you can wear
• You can not be married
• You can not own possessions (this could be a pro also)
• You are not real (since Jedi's knights are just make believe, sorta)

The reason I even ask the question is for this simply reason.  I have been entranced by the goings on of the Pope. It is truly a cool thing with lots of tradition, and some where in all of that is that we miss the protestant church which is the majesty and the mystery of God.  I love that and there seems a lot of surrounding the Pope.

I love Jedi Knight's also.  I love reading the books.  I have enjoyed the books as much or more than all the movies, and it gives me perspective on things that lead to death (ie the dark side) -- fear, anger, pride…Good stuff, stuff worth thinking on.

In the end, I would choose to be me… but I would love to have more awe and wonder at the holy God I serve, and I would love to be more brave, more of a warrior, and less controlled by the things of the dark side --fear, anger and pride

kp