The Most Important Kind of Balance
I’ve been pretty lax in my blog-posting of late, but today my heart was touched. There is a balance that is so much more important than that of our day-to-day goings on. There is a razor-sharp edge between being a hateful, judgmental, self-righteous poser, and being a soft, naive, and weak, anything-goes enabler. This is the narrow path that the Christian treads: boldly standing up for what’s right, with love.
Facebook has become the modern public forum. If anyone tells you, “it’s just Facebook,” they’re kidding themselves. What we say on Facebook matters, and that’s scary because we are removed from the immediate consequences of face-to-face dialog, and therefore more likely to say things in haste.
All this stems from a discussion started by a friend of mine and the minister at our church. He has been following a “gambling bill” that has recently passed in our state. He has (for the most part) stuck to the facts, stating that certain members of the Church voted “yes” on the bill. But the comments have gotten so ugly!
“When you shake hands with the Devil, he WILL burn your hands. They’re marked by the church, done.” What?
“The question is…are these men attending congregations which are off the deep end, doctrinally? That would go a long way to explain it. It goes hand in hand.” Yikes.
Now I’ll admit, these are the extremes of the group. Many others have sought to be peacemakers and I credit them for that.
But here is my issue: we don’t have all the facts, and this issue is far from concrete doctrinally. Number one on my “did you notice” list- this bill, from what I can tell, puts the legality of Bingo machines to vote by the people of Alabama. I am no expert, but as far as I can tell, the bill itself does not legalize gambling. I have read that it is rife with corruption, and maybe it is. I don’t know.
Number two- the Bible says nothing about gambling, as far as I can tell. Personally, I have a problem with the issue of gambling. It makes the plight of the poor far worse and plays on desperation, and brings with it all sorts of crime. The Bible does speak of greed and good stewardship, and that is why I do not gamble. But I’m not ready to say that all sin should be prevented by politicians and bills.
Now here’s the other side of the coin. Are we fighting the good fight if we try to please everyone, make everyone feel comfortable? Do we really believe that our job is to save souls, or is “church” just something we do a couple of times a week? Jesus taught us to help the poor. So when it comes time to vote, you can bet I’ll be there voting against Bingo machines in Alabama. Because those machines are nothing but thieves that prey on the poor.
There is evil in this world and I refuse to close my eyes to it. Sometimes the Devil is easy to spot. Fat cats lining their pockets with the money of poor people hoping to get lucky? Easy to see. But how about sin disguised as righteousness? The bitterness of a hardened heart lashing out at easy targets? That’s the kind of stuff the devil delights in- because it slips under the radar so very often. And it keeps people away from following Christ- because they’re turned away by the attitudes of his most vocal followers.
I have to say, it makes me nervous to put this out there. My stomach is turning flips and my hands are shaky. I suspect I’ll get some hateful comments. But such is the nature of the internet. In signing off, let me say- these are the things on my heart today. I make no claim to omniscience or rightness. I’m just worried.
Dana Ellis said,
March 31, 2010 at 6:19 pm
I think the fact that you are nervous to put this out there points to the real problem. 1 Cor. 13..
Issues can be debated. But the one thing that can not is the way that we are supposed to treat people. I understand both point of views and really each side can be a “slippery slope” so to speak. But the Bible is clear that “the greatest is love”. It is natural humanity to want a guideline to know that “we are in the right”. I think that as Christians, if we can’t look at whatever it is we’re doing and saying and honestly say that it was done or said out of love, then if it’s the Kingdom of God that we want to be glorified, then it’s time to change directions.
I just can not believe that God would find it golrifying to see hatred being spread in His name no matter what the reason.. We can hate the offense but hating the offender is wrong and frankly not following Jesus.. It just isn’t.
Thank you for stepping out there Rachel. I also can not claim rightness but I do long to be like the one that makes us right and I too, am worried.
love you!
Jamison said,
March 31, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Thankfully, I have missed said Facebook drama. However, here is my take on this issue which will surprise some folks.
First off, I am against gambling. But not for the same reasons that churches are.
I think legalized gambling does harm to a city/town/county/state. The examples are endless, and please no one cite Las Vegas.
I think gambling to the point where you are harming your family or your own mental or physical self is wrong. I think as a whole, gambling is a haven for ‘sin’. It tempts people to gain money in ways they did not work for it. I think this goes against what the Bible teaches. I also think wasting away money God has given you for stupid / selfish reasons is sinful.
But where the “churches” and I split is here… I don’t like the idea of the government getting into the business of mandating morals on a society. Sure, a ban on gambling may flow right along with my morals, but what if their next choice is not in line with mine? I mean, isn’t this why America exists? Didn’t England kind of control the churches, or even the “morals” of its citizens?
Furthermore, if gambling is a sin (Which I don’t think it is. I think being a bad steward of God’s money is a sin, and if losing 5 bucks on a poker game among friends is a sin, then spending 7 bucks to go see a dumb movie is a worse sin) then why don’t all churches band together to encourage the government to ban fornication, adultery, homosexuality, getting drunk, saying curse words, etc? Seems like those would be more noble efforts.
I think anyone who likes the idea of the government being in charge of and controlling a lottery is a fool. Just make gambling legal, let people gamble in their homes, don’t promise them 18 million dollars so that the government can tempt them into losing more money so the government can waste it. The government can’t manage what little money they have, I hate the idea of giving them more.
“But it’s for education!” so we take idiots money, build a bigger school, buy newer computers, fill the library with more books… and kids still don’t listen in school and in the inner city, getting good grades deserves insults such as “being too white”. Yeah, that works.
“But it will help pay for kids college!” A noble cause, but the easier and cheaper you made an education, the less value they have in it.
Some kids today go to college their first year on their parent’s dime and blow it on parties, getting drunk, and failing, then get kicked out. If they do this on their parents dime, how much more willing will they be able to do it when it’s a bunch of people’s dime they don’t even know?
Keep gambling illegal. I would prefer this. Or legalize gambling, but keep the government out of it, that’s my second choice. An expert can take care of all the other stuff I didn’t cover.
Making gambling legal will not make me gamble. If I want to gamble right now, I can. I can call 4 or 5 people that I know, ask them if they have a 5 bucks, and play poker with them tonight if I so choose. But I am not. And I won’t. Keeping gambling illegal won’t fill the churches with people who have seen the light. People prone to having a problem with gambling (should it become legal) are likely having some other problem/addiction they are dealing with now. At least if gambling were legal we’d know where to round up the lost souls.
Then, I just shocked most of the people I go to church with, but I guess the bottom line is that as Christians, we are free moral agents. Maybe some people need the government to keep their soul in check and I guess for those people, making all sorts of sin illegal is a good thing. But I’d like to think I am a stronger Christian than that and no thanks, I don’t need the government holding my hand up to Heaven.
Jamison said,
March 31, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Also, completely politically speaking, when I hear “But Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi allow it!” I want to barf. Why? Because the name of our country is the United STATES of America. Not “America”. Meaning, each and every state has the RIGHT to do whatever they want. State sovereignty, I love it. I love living in a state that is different! I hate the idea of doing something because “all the other states are doing it!”. The more different my state is from the rest of the country, the more I like it… well, on second though, not sure I want to live in Vermont…