Sunday, May 31, 2015
Monday, May 25, 2015
Sold Out or Sold Out?
It seems these days, all the religious folk know each other's lingo and the secular world is filled with Biblical experts who don't choose to embrace a Scriptural lifestyle while enabling them to judge all believers. The world is getting to be a confusing place to exist. I found myself only half interested in a group discussion in social media today. As the comments droned on and on, I found myself really disgusted that I had ever entered a comment at all. Sometimes I simply erase my comments, but this particular thread wasn't even worth going back to. Oh the little boxes on my news feed would pop up and say someone had mentioned me in a comment, but it just didn't matter. There are so many more important things a servant of the Most High could and should be doing, besides debating Hebrew and Greek jots and tittles.
One of the simplest statements that we should really address and assess, personally is: "Sold Out." Are we sold out? Or have we sold out? It's so easy to confuse the statement or misunderstand the inference, especially when we want to feel religiously right. How easy it is to consider oneself a "teacher" or even "rabbi" on social media, expounding the difference between jots and tittles, while those who do not have eyes to see and ears to hear, remain blind and deaf or literally: starve and drown! This week has been particularly troublesome in this area.
Have we sold out? I'm beginning to wonder. As we discuss hermeneutics and eschatology, who is tending to the widows and orphans? As we chastise others for their lack of compassion for the homeless and hungry, how expensive is our dinner? As we debate the latest "revelation" of "love thy neighbor vs. the law," what does it really cost to share the Good News with our neighbors? I am personally, so tired, of those who would attack the 1%, while having their luxury cars and hobby supplies. Just who is standing in the gap on behalf of the land? Although I agree that no one needs a CEO salary in the millions, folks really don't NEED two vehicles, unless two people are heading opposite directions to work every day. And as much as I would like to judge the capitalists, entitlementalists annoy me too, even if it's not a recognized word . . . yet.
Judging Joel Osteen and Oprah is Scriptural according to righteous judgement, but if one isn't living according to Scripture, there is no claim to "righteous judgment." Secular folks, or religious folks, name-calling those who disagree with them are still hypocrites. At least the Pharisees thought they were being devout! We simply cannot be "sold out" to Messiah, if we've sold out in any area of compromise or self-righteousness.
One of the simplest statements that we should really address and assess, personally is: "Sold Out." Are we sold out? Or have we sold out? It's so easy to confuse the statement or misunderstand the inference, especially when we want to feel religiously right. How easy it is to consider oneself a "teacher" or even "rabbi" on social media, expounding the difference between jots and tittles, while those who do not have eyes to see and ears to hear, remain blind and deaf or literally: starve and drown! This week has been particularly troublesome in this area.
Have we sold out? I'm beginning to wonder. As we discuss hermeneutics and eschatology, who is tending to the widows and orphans? As we chastise others for their lack of compassion for the homeless and hungry, how expensive is our dinner? As we debate the latest "revelation" of "love thy neighbor vs. the law," what does it really cost to share the Good News with our neighbors? I am personally, so tired, of those who would attack the 1%, while having their luxury cars and hobby supplies. Just who is standing in the gap on behalf of the land? Although I agree that no one needs a CEO salary in the millions, folks really don't NEED two vehicles, unless two people are heading opposite directions to work every day. And as much as I would like to judge the capitalists, entitlementalists annoy me too, even if it's not a recognized word . . . yet.
Judging Joel Osteen and Oprah is Scriptural according to righteous judgement, but if one isn't living according to Scripture, there is no claim to "righteous judgment." Secular folks, or religious folks, name-calling those who disagree with them are still hypocrites. At least the Pharisees thought they were being devout! We simply cannot be "sold out" to Messiah, if we've sold out in any area of compromise or self-righteousness.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Business Values in a Free Market
What happened to being able to conduct business according to your moral values? What's so wrong with a business person with personal values? I'd rather do business with someone who valued their own integrity and reputation. In the past several months, I've taken note of more than one situation in which someone claiming to stand on Biblical principles is sued, threatened, or fined, while those who oppose are actually lauded and applauded.
Last week we ran a couple of links in which one company was fined for refusing service. When that news hit social media, a gofundme page was set up. Gofundme, however; took the page down. The claim was made that the people could keep what had been collected, but gofundme was not willing to "do business" in this case. Let's consider for a moment that this online collection company undoubtedly has every possible loophole included in its "terms of service" and let's even assume someone actually read the entirety of the terms of service page before hitting "I agree," something is still missing. Gofundme is not a religious organization, and it does make a percentage from each donation, but since the fine had to do with a state law, Gofundme had a way out. I haven't checked to see if there are any gofundme pages to raise bail or pay a traffic ticket . . . gofundme has already lost my business.
The point I'm making here is honesty and integrity are being legislated out of doing business. I'll be crass and crude for just a moment. I saw the photo of the two lesbians who targeted this small business. I've also seen the photo of the florist that was targeted for refusing service for a gay wedding. You can't tell me there isn't a gay florist nearby that would have been happy to provide arrangements, bouquets/boutonnieres for the wedding. That is not being stereotypical, or maybe it is. In my previous town, I frequently did business with a florist who was openly gay. I never asked him to make arrangements for a wedding, though. But this isn't about me, this is about some companies being able to choose who they do business with, while others are not able to choose.
Now on to my crass, crudeness. That baker could have simply told the two women she would bake their cake, but . . . A friend of mine suggested he would take photos of a gay wedding but tell them upfront, every dime he made would be donated to an organization that speaks out against the LGBT agenda. That's one idea. Another one, since you know you'd be targeted, is to make just enough comments as to cause them to wonder if you'd put anything unpleasant in their cake . . . then after they paid for the cake and had it analyzed, the cake would be ruined but no unpleasant additive would be found. Then, of course, there might be the temptation to just get on their level, smile sweetly, take their detailed order, and lick the beaters . . . before making the cake.
To legislate against values and integrity could have some very disturbing results that congest the court system for years to come.
Last week we ran a couple of links in which one company was fined for refusing service. When that news hit social media, a gofundme page was set up. Gofundme, however; took the page down. The claim was made that the people could keep what had been collected, but gofundme was not willing to "do business" in this case. Let's consider for a moment that this online collection company undoubtedly has every possible loophole included in its "terms of service" and let's even assume someone actually read the entirety of the terms of service page before hitting "I agree," something is still missing. Gofundme is not a religious organization, and it does make a percentage from each donation, but since the fine had to do with a state law, Gofundme had a way out. I haven't checked to see if there are any gofundme pages to raise bail or pay a traffic ticket . . . gofundme has already lost my business.
The point I'm making here is honesty and integrity are being legislated out of doing business. I'll be crass and crude for just a moment. I saw the photo of the two lesbians who targeted this small business. I've also seen the photo of the florist that was targeted for refusing service for a gay wedding. You can't tell me there isn't a gay florist nearby that would have been happy to provide arrangements, bouquets/boutonnieres for the wedding. That is not being stereotypical, or maybe it is. In my previous town, I frequently did business with a florist who was openly gay. I never asked him to make arrangements for a wedding, though. But this isn't about me, this is about some companies being able to choose who they do business with, while others are not able to choose.
Now on to my crass, crudeness. That baker could have simply told the two women she would bake their cake, but . . . A friend of mine suggested he would take photos of a gay wedding but tell them upfront, every dime he made would be donated to an organization that speaks out against the LGBT agenda. That's one idea. Another one, since you know you'd be targeted, is to make just enough comments as to cause them to wonder if you'd put anything unpleasant in their cake . . . then after they paid for the cake and had it analyzed, the cake would be ruined but no unpleasant additive would be found. Then, of course, there might be the temptation to just get on their level, smile sweetly, take their detailed order, and lick the beaters . . . before making the cake.
To legislate against values and integrity could have some very disturbing results that congest the court system for years to come.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Banking Fees
It's not bad enough that interest rates are flat and have been for years, while banks think of more and more fees to add for "their services."
It's bad enough that many actually have to pay an ATM service charge to receive their automatically deposited, hard earned money.
In the link below, it's reported that one bank will actually be charging for cash deposits.
http://www.naturalnews.com/049566_bank_deposits_money_cash_crisis.html
It's bad enough that many actually have to pay an ATM service charge to receive their automatically deposited, hard earned money.
In the link below, it's reported that one bank will actually be charging for cash deposits.
http://www.naturalnews.com/049566_bank_deposits_money_cash_crisis.html
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