The Pope

I read an interesting article in one of the latest issues of "The Week" on the Pope.

He recently made his first visit to the US and wasted no time stirring things up.

Among the many things he addressed, he emphasized obedience and authority, and spoke out against "cafeteria catholics"; those catholics who follow and obey only the tennets they chose and go to confession only when it is convenient.

Pope Benedict was speaking to what he sees as a tendency for catholics to treat their religion as a private matter, whereas catholics need a faith that permeates every aspect of their lives.

Now although I don't necessarily subscribe to this "brand" of Christianity, the Pope's comments struck home for me.

As a product of the University of California education system, subjective truth and cultural relativism where fairly mainstream ideas. What one person holds as a personal truth may not in fact be a personal truth for someone else. What developed was an environment where there was no objective truth.

But as Christians, we hold our faith to be "the one" objective truth. The cornerstone of our beliefs are in the resurrection and our salvation that results in our recognition and acceptance. This is a non negotiable in Christian faith.

So in times such as these, where "life is cheap, sex is meaningless, and nothing is Holy" it is refreshing to hear the pope argue that Christianity is more than a religion, it is a culture. In some ways it is comforting to have a stubborn Pope in a world of moral relativity.

Spiritual Flakes

Did I tell you how much I like the magazine "The Week".

The latest issue had an article about "Spiritual Flakes". The article was based around the statistical figure that 44% of people will change affiliations with religious denominations in their lifetime.

Now if your like Bobby, you would say that isn't significant because "denomination" could mean that they switched from an Assemblies of God church to a Four Square Church, or in my case, a Non Denominational Church (Which surprisingly is a denomination) to an Assemblies of God Church. I would agree with this to a point, but it doesn't make for interesting conversation.

What's interesting is the way Church has turned into a product that is openly bought and sold on the free market. It's church capitalism, where consumer's vote with their feet, and when they don't like something, they move on and consume something else.

This is all fine and dandy if you view church as a product being sold to its congregation, but church is anything but this. Church is not a product being sold to it's congregation, but instead a product of it's congregation.

Spiritual Flakes would be a funny cereal name.

The Week

For Christmas my Aunt Laura and Uncle Philip gave me a subscription to a magazine called "The Week". This is a great magazine and I highly recommend it. "The Week" pulls the best in all US and Foreign media and puts it into one weekly magazine. It is a great idea if you think about it.

Well I got my first issue last week, and I have been reading through it and really enjoy it. At the very least it is a good bathroom read. I came across an article that I found hilarious, and I wanted to share it.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20071217-1127-ca-brf-norcal-coffeepolice.html

Its an article about police pulling people over and giving them Starbucks Gift Cards. I freak out when I get pulled over, wondering what I did and how I am going to talk my way out of the ticket I am probably going to get. The last thing I would need is to deal with that stress only to find out I am getting a Starbuck's Gift Card. Ridiculous. There has got to be a better way to establish some goodwill between the police department and the motoring public.