Shlog Section-f

Hey, I know the ACLU is more than a little wrong at times.  I’m no expert really on them and their positions etc, but I know enough to get that impression.

What I don’t get is what these guys in Texas thought they were accomplishing by mocking the ACLU like this…

And the Young Conservatives group at the University of Texas has erected what it calls an “ACLU Nativity Scene.” It features “Gary and Joseph” instead of Mary and Joseph to symbolize ACLU support for homosexual marriage. The three wise men are Stalin, Lenin and Marx because — says the chairman of the Young Conservatives — the ACLU founders were supporters of Soviet-style communism. And the angel is Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Texas ACLU executive director Will Harrell disputes the accuracy of the scene — but tells a local TV station that “the first amendment protects parody as well.”

Huh?

This is why so many people think politics is just plain stupid.  It seems sometimes like one big game of “I know you are but what am I” doesn’t it?  What does this accomplish?  ACLU supporters aren’t going to suddenly see this nativity scene and decide, “Wow, you know what?  I’m an idiot for supporting the ACLU.  Can I join the Young Conservatives instead?” And the folks against the ACLU don’t benefit from it either...or do they?

Does this make any sense to you?

Frankly, it sounds more like a fraternity prank than the actions of an “intellectual” collegiate organization.

It just seems like their time could have been better used…

actually, I find it mildly amusing.

While I guess I can see what they were aiming at, I think it is in VERY POOR taste.  It is a mockery to Christians to display something like that and certainly doesn’t do anything to show the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

Beth

to me it feels like an act of selfishness.... “let me hurt the other guy to make me look better.” or “lets turn the meaning of chrsistmas off Christ and onto ourselves” etc.  not to mention that their act will now turn people away from the true meaning of the holiday anyway. 

What do people think they will accomplish by these things. What will most people say “Oh there goes those Christian’s again” Ya wonder why it’s so hard to witness to people anymore? This is one of the small reasons why people don’t want to accept. Most people just want acceptance, we don’t have to love their sin but we do need to love the people despite their sin. I could spout more but I’ve got to go and pick my parents up.

Does this action taken by that group of kid’s (and yes I mean kids) surprise me.  No.  The thing is it seemed as though they did not think this out.  How would the ACLU be insulted by this?  They are a organization that preaches free speech.  The only group that would be insulted by this action would be the church itself. 

I have come to believe that politics of today is about destroying your opponent.  I look back to this years election in Wisconsin. The governor and his opponent spent the last election calling each other liars and thieves.  They hardly discussed the issues.  How could someone make a wise vote if they do not know where the two opponents stood on the issues?

Aims, I do agree with you that some people are going to think that we Christians are at it again.  I think the harm done to our witness is done by our hypocrisy.  We as a church say help those who are poor and disadvantaged and yet we the body of Christ drive nice cars and live in big homes.  The church has pastors who call on us to give our money to the church and yet the pastor is wearing a Rolex worth more then most people make in a year.  It seems the we as the body of Christ do not to live by what we preach. 

I remember a sermon that my pastor made this summer.  He said that if all the people who attend church and called themselves Christians would properly tithed to their churches and if the churches made it a priority the effects of poverty would be wiped out.  He also said that there would be enough money left over to still support our own local churches.

So let me get back on topic.  The ACLU is not hurt by this action and neither is the conservative party.  No one was going to stop supporting the organizations that they believe in.  The only group hurt by this childish action is the church.

Thomas

Once upon a time, in a high school far far away, I was a debate geek.  I wasn’t even on the team but I was asked by their coach to “spar” with them.  (Band didn’t leave time for joining the team or else I probably would have and brought my nerd quotient even higher.)

Doing that a little taught me a lot about convincing people that my position is right.  I don’t choose to remember most of it but I did learn it.  And one thing I learned was that in an argument with two sides, members of each side are unchangeable - or at least debaters should treat them that way.  It takes too much time and effort to convince the absolutely opposed that you’re right.

The middle is where effective debaters aim their words.  The middle is the largest group as well.  People who join a club like Young Conservatives or a coalition like the ACLU are diametrically opposed to each other.  Members will never convince members they are mistaken.  Richard Dawkins (a renowned atheist) will never convince clergy he’s right and clergy will never convince him.  Though in matters of spirituality I’m not sure there is a “never.” But you get my point.

And when the two extreme sides of a debate aim their guns at convincing each other and not the middle they ALWAYS lose most of the middle.  The middle would rather leave the debate, turn off the TV, walk away from the manger, stop voting altogether than to pick either side.

The nativity scene guys hurt themselves, I think.  They amused themselves and their side of the debate but they lost the middle.

There’s a good lesson in this I think for evangelism too.  Not sure what it is yet, but I smell it.

Not a direct reply, but I thought I’d toss this log on. I read an interesting Christian/ACLU related blog post today:

http://helives.blogspot.com/2006/12/kudos-for-aclu.html

“A second grader in public school in New Jersey was prevented by school officials from singing “Awesome God” at a talent show. The reason given was the religious content of the song. You can read about it here [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53335], in a report from the conservative/Christian WorldNetDaily.

What the WorldNetDaily report doesn’t mention is the brief filed by the ACLU on behalf of the student.”

When I see things like this, I often wonder if more wouldn’t by accomplished through prayer.

There was a poll of couple of years back that asked Pastors what they would do different if they could do it over again. All but one answered by saying they would work less and pray more.

What would happen if the “Church” would use a little knee power?