Life on the Run

Over this vacation I have finally had some time to think and reflect on what series that I want to do next with The Well. I have had some time to read, study and pray, and the next series that I am going to do is going to be on the book of Jonah. I was captured with the way this story so dramatically illustrates the human condition. It shows our propensity to run both from God and from the call that God has on our life. Jonah shows the way that we even run from God in the name of religion.

The series is going to be called, "Life on the Run." I read a quote from an author and he said, "All human beings should learn, before they die, what they are running from, ad to, and why." I think that's true. I think it is a fair statement to say that we are probably all running either from or toward something. Once we figure out what we are running from or toward our life will make a lot sense.

Recession?

Here in Southern California we have been hearing a lot lately about the current economic downfall we have been experiencing. Houses are being foreclosed upon at an all-time high rate, the unemployment rates continue to rise, and poor little boys and girls can hardly afford to go to Disneyland anymore. Sad day! This economic downturn is not only effecting CA, but the rest of the nation as well. As I'm sure you read, the big three auto makers went back to congress to once again beg for a 14 billion dollar buyout (of their poorly run companies). Thanks goodness that congress once again shot them down... they will eventually give in though. These happenings are just a few examples of the signs of the times.

As a baseball fan, I'm glad to see that the current economic situation has not effected the Yankees. It amazes me that they continue to spend at an alarming rate. Just this week (in the midst of economic chaos in our country) they offered CC Sabathia a $161 million dollar deal. $24 million dollars per year. Not only are these types of contracts bad for baseball in general, they are a bad example to set for a country in peril. Personally, I hope this move comes back to bite the almighty Yankees... luckily, most of the moves they have made over the last few years have.

Milk: An Interesting Experience...

Thursday i finally finished this quarter of Seminary. It was a tough quarter. I took 4 classes which I am pretty convinced was 2 too many, but I'm done for a while! For our last class in Film and Theology we decided to go and see the movie Milk. It just came out. It has Sean Penn in it who plays Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person to hold a public office. We went to see the movie on opening night... in Hillcrest. Hillcrest, if you're not familiar is probably the most openly gay community in Southern California. Needless to say, the theater was filled with homosexuals, and they made that known throughout the movie. It was one of the most interesting experiences that I have had in a long time!

As we entered the theater we were invited to a march against prop 8. Every time the movie showed a shot of the church or religious community (which it did often to show the way that church had opposed Harvey Milk and the homosexual population in general) there was open animosity shown. People booed, gasped, etc... you could feel the disdain for the church. At one point Anita Bryant was shown (actual footage from the 70's) making the statement "We love all people, we just don't approve of the homosexual lifestyle." When she said that the theater nearly erupted with laughter. I was caught off guard. I was surprised because I think I have said nearly the same thing before. It is interesting to know that taking that viewpoint is laughable to the homosexual population.

I left the theater pretty impacted by the movie, but deeply impacted by the experience. I am convinced that the church has a very long way to go in order to make inroads into the homosexual community. Unfortunately, the passing of prop 8 didn't help that journey in any way, shape, or form. We have a lot to overcome, but as always our hope is that the light of the gospel might shine in the darkest of areas and that it might bring hope to those who need it most. May the church make inroads and show love in such a way that when we say we love... it isn't laughable.