Anger and Intoleration - Where is the Love?

Recently been brought to my attention that I have an anger issue. I agree and I am working on it. One of the deadly sins is "wrath" and I have a history of exhibiting such sinful behavior. However, while the anger I may express may not be of God, there are good reasons to become angry. There IS a good kind of anger [which I confess I have not exhibited]. A righteous anger. It is the anger that Jesus had in dealing with the Pharisees and the Sadducees (to the point of calling them hypocrites to their faces) and with the merchants at the temple (who fashioned a whip and basically beat them out of the temple, overturning their tables, furious for "turning [His] Father's house into a marketplace." [John 2:16])

How do we reconcile this with the Man who would have us turn the other cheek, to give double what a thief would demand of us, and to walk an extra mile when forced to walk one? How are they compatible? How can such actions, like those listed above, be of a man Christians believe to be Love incarnate? Where is the love in this?

We are taught that love is patient, is kind, slow to anger and generous in mercy. Love is concern for our well-being. We are shown that we are loved by the opportunities we are given every day to repent from our sins and return to God. When we deserve to be struck down, He does not do so. Love is shown to be forgiving.

Love shows itself in the actions of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Out of love, He made the free-choice to sacrifice Himself on a cross. We did not deserve it. He did not deserve to die. But he chose to embrace that death, that pain, and the shedding of His blood so that we may have the opportunity to acquire eternal life.

An act of Love: an innocent man dies so that those who are guilty may be forgive.

So we are shown that this Love is a passionate love. It strives to its very limit in giving, in sacrifice. It is a jealous love for He longs us for Himself. He did not die so we could have cars, luxury, and endless buffets of food. So that we may worship false idols or evil spirits. Rather, He died so that we may spend eternal life with HIM.

Should we not be angry, then, if there are any influences, any words, any music, anything that may lead a person away from Christ? Should we not be furious when we find that our generation is embracing promiscuous sexuality, drug abuse, drunkenness, violence, greed, corruption, injustice, social apathy, gluttony, idleness because of a very convincing and entertaining entertainment industry? Should we not be angry with those responsible? Should we not be angry with ourselves?

Should good men do nothing in the face of such a deceitful and subtle force? Should we stand by and merely bow our heads when confronted with such a distortion of the truth? Should we be tolerant of that which is sinful and that which is evil because it is inconvenient for us to speak out? Because we may face isolation, ridicule and persecution? Because we may be made to be outcasts? "No servant is above his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you too." (John 15:20) Do you not know that the Pharisees, the Sadducees were provoked to sinful rage because of His convicting words? That they plotted to kill Him, Jesus, for speaking the truth, that they were hypocrites and had made their religion into an opportunity for thievery?

He did not tell them "nice things." He told them the truth. "This is wrong." And they sought to kill him for it.

Would it have been more loving to tell them what they wanted to hear? That what they were doing was okay? No, for the belief in the Judeo-Christian God means a belief in absolute values of right and wrong. It is not loving for me to allow you to continue in error, without a word of protest, without a fight. St. Paul, before an entire congregation of believers, REBUKES St. Peter for not living according to the truth. (Gal 2:11-21) He also tells us of anger: "Be angry, and sin not." (Eph 4:26)

[We must remind ourselves then that though there is such a thing as righteous anger, we can agree that we hardly live up to it. Our anger is a worldly anger, brought on by pride and wrath, and rarely guided by God. Ours is usually meant to build ourselves up and tear others down. Righteous anger seems to be of the kind that stands for goodness, for truth, and the honor of God, while still remembering that all people are children of God and loved immensely by Him]

Let us allow ourselves to be angry at the state of the world. At the state of our country. Let us get angry that suicide rates continue to rise, men continue to die for unjust wars and our families, our loved ones, are being deceived by the devil into believing that all things are permissible, and that love means to "live and let live". But by doing nothing, by not preaching the truth, we discover that that "love" is false and we are allowing ourselves to "live and let DIE."

For the wages of sin are death. (Rom 6:23)

We must therefore be unafraid to speak out against that which is evil. To be unafraid to declare that abortion is wrong, the homosexual act an act against nature, and sex to be saved until marriage. We must get in the faces of those who are spreading lies and false gospels, that all religions are okay and that all lead to the same God. This is incompatible with Christianity, as it stands with the Holy Bible. For Jesus says that '...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6)

That statement, by Jesus Christ, the subject of the Christian Bible, the New Testament, shows that there is no tolerance [or acceptance] for any other religions because they cannot all be true. With Jesus Christ, it is one or the other. It is true or it isn't. And regardless of how we feel about the it, we must either accept it or reject it. Because the gospel is uncompromising. It is Jesus or nothing.

[This is a basic understanding and only of my own opinion. It is definitely open to much error. I understand that the Catholic church leaves some leniency towards the Jewish and the Muslim faiths (for both worship a monotheistic God) and anyone who is truly seeking God. If they are ignorant in the ways and teachings of Christ, I don't believe they are held responsible, or condemned, for not knowing.

But that doesn't mean that Catholics, or Christians, say it's okay therefore to become a Muslim or a Jew. We cannot deny our Lord and Savior. We confess Him as the Son of God, as the only way to eternal life. And Muslims and Jews, out of ignorance, do not recognize Jesus Christ as the messiah foretold in scripture or as the Son of God as Christians have testified.]

To return to my introductory point, the anger I have shown to my loved ones, regardless of the issue, has not been a righteous anger. It's been prideful, impatient and unkind. To the ones who have been victims of my random spats of rage, please forgive me. I am sorry for hurting you. Please pray for me that I may begin to live, truly, according to the truth and according to the faith I profess. Please.

All honor, credit, and praise be to God. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Straight-UP (Music)

I tend to be pretty reserved with my opinions, with my thoughts and with my theories about society, politics, and mainstream media. I do so usually out of embarrassment - it is hard to share theories when they're rather radical. However, as time progresses, the evidence continues to point to the obvious: there is something very wrong and very off about popular culture and its relation to the rest of the world. I'll focus on that which I actually study: music.

We adore Kurt Cobain, a man infamous for his heroin addiction and insanity. We recite his lyrics like prayers, calling his music beautiful. It is not. It is designed and written to NOT be beautiful. Call it art, call it music, but don't call it beautiful. It is depressing, angry and ugly. His lyrics express a tortured soul and his actions confirmed it - he shot himself with a shotgun. Why would I want to absorb the art of a man so obviously jacked up? Because I can relate to it? Shouldn't I be trying to transcend the ugliness?

Such is the state of music nowadays. Radio plays what it will. "Say Aah" was a top 10 hit, about the exploits of a guy trying to get some girl drunk on her birthday. Obviously, her being drunk is for her own good. His intentions must be pure...

Then there's Lady Gaga. Kanye West. Madonna. Trend of ex-Christians selling their souls and their faith for fame and success. Lady Gaga admits to cocaine usage, ignoring what her young fans, the impressionable ones, might do with the information. She swallows a rosary while wearing a latex nun suit and dons an upside cross on her crotch. Still she sells albums. Still she's a superstar. She has insulted Jesus Christ and the Christian faith - where is the boycott of her music?

[We have become afraid of standing up for what's right. We have allowed evil to roam free, unchecked. And yes, it is evil to commit sacrilege. To blaspheme.]

Kanye repeats the word "satan" in his latest 35 minute music video THREE times in a row. I'm sure it's not THAT symbolic, his courting the angel who falls from the sky. Or the "Power" music video, where he stands in front of two horned woman-beasts while wearing a gold necklace featuring the "eye of Horus". Symbolically linking him to the Egyptian gods Horus and Ra...

Madonna is old news but her history is there. Kissing a depiction of St. Martin de Porres, receiving the stigmata, and singing in front of burning crosses. She has recently released a hits album called "The Immaculate Collection.

Marilyn Manson's hit album was called "Antichrist Superstar."

Stone Sour has a hit song called "Through the Glass." It is sung by Corey Taylor, lead singer of Slipknot, a band known for adorning their albums with Satanic symbolism. Their lyrics have often depicted satanic ideas. Slipknot is now on mainstream radio...

[EDIT: I'll include my theory. Mainstream media, television, music, movies, literature, art... All of it is being influenced by higher worldly powers to push and spread a subtle, discreet and shrewd form of propaganda. One that has us embracing sin and rejecting virtue.]

Jay-Z's hit "New York State of Mind" contains these interesting lyrics: "Hail Mary to the city, you're a virgin / And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church ends." Jay Z may say he has a relationship with God (and that may be true). But this is blasphemy. Jesus CAN save you. Life STOPS when the church ends, as in when you cease to pray, and cease to try, and cease to seek after God... when sin is embraced, the reward is death. Life begins with Christ.

Listen: I write this primarily for Christians who I believe will actually pay attention. Or should. Because we are to have no association with darkness. "What harmony is there between Christ and Belial [Satan]?" (2 Cor 6:15)

We must avoid all of this music. Regardless of how much we like it, how good it makes us feel, how catchy the song is... There's no reason for us to listen to music written and performed by people who willingly blaspheme against God and against the faith.

I do believe there is a setting and a place for music, secular and sacred. Sacred, obviously, is reserved for praise and worship, for Sunday services and church services, for the community of Christ and those who seek goodness and God. Sacred, by definition, means devoted, dedicated to God.

Secular music serves its purpose. It gives us something to dance to, to listen to, to relate to, to cry to... However, we must be watchful about what the lyrics, if any, are conveying. Or what the music itself seems to compel us to do. Christian musicians should be mindful of this when trying to approach the secular [in my opinion]. If we are to write secular music, let it be for the glory of God. Let it lead others to Christ.

Our entire purpose in life, our reason for being, is to love, worship, adore and be in communion with God. And our mission, to those who have been baptized, to those who profess the faith, is to bring others in. To bring EVERYONE in.

"Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves." (Mat 10:16)

All honor, credit, and praise be to God. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

j

j

A Case for Child Sponsorship

Online, there are many detractors and arguments against child sponsorship. It's something I've heard before from others on a personal level: why apply band-aid to something that obviously needs stitching? As in, why tackle the small issues when we should try to fix the overall underlying issue? General poverty. Etc.

Arguments like this can lead many to simply not give a dime.

I'm reminded of the parable of the good Samaritan:

"In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins [Greek: two denarii] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (NIV)

Now, the Samaritan did not do as the priest and the Levite did. He ALSO did not make some comment like, "You know, it would be better if I spent my resources ending poverty so people would not be compelled to rob others. Therefore, I will not lend my compassion to this bleeding man and will instead work to end the overall problem at hand!"

Perhaps he went on to fix the BIG picture. Regardless, he took the time to help the neighbor who needed it. Will the neighbor get robbed again? Possibly, the underlying problem was never fixed. However, it's extremely important that the man was taken care of.

I offer suggestions and different websites for people to help in the hope that ONE OF THEM will speak to a person's heart. Some tackle community issues like sanitary water and some are simple child sponsorships. A band-aid is better than allowing the wound to be exposed and possibly infected. What little good we can do will not be in vain.

God willing, it will inspire us and provoke us to do more.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love God

Under Construction

College Life

It's been a long time coming...

I'm hoping this is one of those "multiply the talents" kind of thing. This fall, I'll be embarking on a full-time, 15-hour college semester. And for the first time, I'm pretty serious about it.

The goal is to earn a Bachelor of Music degree either in performance or composition (leaning towards the latter but we'll see). And maybe, God willing, I'll be able to become the music coordinator of a parish. That would be amazing.

Maybe I'll write hymns. Or liturgical pieces. Who knows?

The best is yet to come.

A Dream or Two

Several crazy dreams through the night. Both challenging.

The first consisted of an atheist arguing against the existence of God. He used physics to prove his point (the deal-breaker was a missing integer or something). And then he began to question the idea of a "loving" God.

"If God is so loving, why are there children suffering at this very moment?" To let them suffer, to let them die... What was interesting was the way he described it. "As they're in pain, it's as if the entire time God is saying, 'I love you, I love you, I love...'"

I forget the man's name. I think it was similar to Richard Dawkins.

The other had me leading a man to his death and then stealing his money. There was this attack of conscience and the only relief was to admit to the crime and take the punishment.

I will address the first dream at another time; it must be answered.