Technical Issues

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Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Thrombosis and Haemostasis

According to an Israeli doctor, Jesus died of a pulmonary embolism. Professor Benjamin Brenner wrote in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (I just like saying that) that Jesus’ death was probably caused by a bloodclot from His leg that spread to His lungs.

I always find it fascinating when people attempt to explain Biblical events in terms that are easy for us to understand. I understand that in this case the good doctor published this diagnosis not to prove or disprove the Bible, but to educate people on long haul flights about the dangers of a pulmonary embolism. There have, however, been many searches undertaken to prove different events, even to the point of trying to find Noah’s Ark. It seems that people may be looking for some validation for their faith, something tangible they can grab hold of. No matter what they find, I’m afraid this search will prove fruitless.

Nothing that we can understand will ever explain what happened on the cross.

Imagine this scenario. You’re in court, guilty of all charges against you and the judge is about to pronounce your sentence, death. However, instead of pronouncing sentence the judge comes down from the bench, and he takes the punishment for your many crimes and frees you.

That is such a weak illustration. Can you blame me? The God incarnate in Jesus Christ is impossible for humans to quantify. Man-made gods are easily explainable, capricious, vengeful deities, who sneer at your best attempts, and crush you for your worst. These gods are seen everywhere, even Christian churches. They do not, however come close to representing the real God.

Jesus is God, the real God.

Still, we need to try don’t we? We love to be able to explain and understand things. Many people judge Christianity to be false because it doesn’t make sense. I say it must be true for the same reason.

God is love.

You and I love people and things because we find them attractive, God loves us despite our unattractiveness.

Amazing isn’t it?

Maybe the medical explanation is that Jesus died of a bloodclot. You and I know the reality, He died for love.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Persecution and Prayer Alert

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Which Theologian Are You?

You scored as Anselm. Anselm is the outstanding theologian of the medieval period.He sees man’s primary problem as having failed to render unto God what we owe him, so God becomes man in Christ and gives God what he is due. You should read ‘Cur Deus Homo?’ Anselm 93% Jürgen Moltmann 80% Karl Barth 67% John Calvin 67% Jonathan Edwards 53% Charles Finney 40% Martin Luther 33% Augustine 33% Friedrich Schleiermacher 33% Paul Tillich 0%

Which theologian are you?
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Interestingly, I thought I was going to come out Martin Luther. I am not too familiar with Anselm, I must study him some more.

Apparently we have a lot in common.

Comments? Email Me:pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

The Happy Eunuch

“Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:30-39 NIV, emphasis mine).

Joy, a characteristic of many (if not all) of the early Christians. What was significant about this particular believer, why was he so joyful? To find the answer to this question we must begin by looking back into the law that God gave to Moses:

“Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles” (Leviticus 21:17-20, emphasis mine).

No man who shared the condition of the eunuch would be allowed to go into the sanctuary of the temple and make an offering to God. Under the law, the man from Ethiopia would always be excluded from having a relationship with God. However, under the new covenant brought into force by Jesus, and explained by Phillip, our friend from Ethiopia would not only be able to enter into a relationship with God, but would have assurance of his sins being washed away.

That is a lot to be happy about!

Why don’t we modern followers of Jesus know this same joy? As Gentiles, under the old covenant, we were just as much on the outside as any eunuch. Under the new covenant, we have the same assurance of forgiveness that Phillip’s friend from Ethiopia has. However, most Christians plod through life, head down, with as much joy in their gait as the condemned on his way to the gallows.

What is it that destroys our joy? I have a few theories (I bet you’re shocked!), that I’d like to share.

Doctrinal infighting. We spend so much time arguing with each other about who is right, how could we not help but be stressed out? We’ve put so much stock in the need for our particular school of theology to be the “right” one, maybe if we begin to practice a little more deep ecclesiology, we’ll be a bit happier.

Worldliness. Now I personally don’t think that a bit of worldliness is a totally bad thing. Understanding our culture will help us relate to it in ways that are relevant and new. However, when too much of our hope and joy is caught up in this world and what it offers, we can’t help but be disappointed. It’s impossible to not have life get you down from time to time, just remember where your final destination, and real inheritance is.

That’s it, short and sweet. Two ways that I believe our joy as believers could be increased. Release yourself from man-made burdens you weren’t meant to carry and go on your way rejoicing, just like our friend from Ethiopia.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Bunk

This is not the post I had originally written for today. The post I had prepared was an insightful commentary on conservative and liberal Christians. It applauded a different way, the way of middle ground. It was well written, interesting, and stunk of spiritual superiority.

It was a bunch of bunk.

As Jesus said “No one is good—except God alone” (Mark 10:18 NIV). All we think we know, all of our impressive exegesis, all the hours we spend squinting at God’s Word looking to “prove” our position and to “disprove” the position of others, amounts to a drop of water in Niagara Falls.

And that ain’t much.

Tonight I was reading the Ragamuffin Gospel again, for about the fifteenth time. If you haven’t read this book, run, don’t walk to your local bookstore. It is the second most important book I have ever read (behind the Bible). It healed my image of God and gave me a new understanding of Christianity. I can not emphasize enough how important I believe it is for you to read this book.

Can you get that I want you to read it?

As I was reading, my heart once again was captured by the greatness of the Gospel. I am renewed by the realization “that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-40).

I have an increased sense of mission. Like when I first believed, I want everybody to hear this Good News for themselves. I have come to the realization though, that the best way to share this News is by entering into authentic relationships with people, without ulterior motive. Live the Good News as best you can, while being an authentic human being.

Maybe one day I’ll get there.

In the meantime, I’m going to attempt to stop waste so much time pointing out where others are “wrong.” What I need to do is be more focused on making my own way, while respecting the way of others.

Wish me luck.

Comments? Email Me:pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Jesus Loves Pornstars

XXXchurch.com the #1 Christian porn site!

With that catchy, and controversial slogan, Mike and Craig have been serving as missionaries to people on both sides of the porn industry. Their website has been online for a few years now, reaching out to those who find themselves unable to stop viewing pornography, and to those who make their living in the porn industry.

Not surprisingly, they have made their share of enemies along the way. Interestingly, however, the majority of those who have spoken out against what they are doing are Christians. In fact they have an entire section on their site dedicated to just a portion of the hatemail they receive (which I have to admit I wish they updated more often, I find it strangely entertaining). By far the great majority of emails are from angry Christians who object to them using Christianity and pornography in the same breath.

Recently the missionaries from xxxchurch were at the Erotica LA convention. They spent the weekend sharing Gods love with people through conversation and giving out t-shirts and New Testaments. One of their booths is pictured below.

On their blog Mike and Craig have posted reflections from themselves and those who accompanied them to LA. Some of the more compelling quotes:

“The girls where like a machine. People can come up and grab touch and take a picture with.”

“With going to this convention I feel I did pay a price. The images I can picture in my mind now are disturbing and sad.”

“While walking through the show my soul is being suffocated slowly and the only way to breath is to step away from the beautiful facade of the porn industry.”

There is a lot more on their blog, take a minute and read it.

It took a lot of courage for these missionaries to go into the lion’s den. I am convinced that if Jesus were here today, this is where He would be. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matthew 9:12). We can’t be afraid to go where the need is, even if that place is outside of our personal paradigm.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Free To Tell Her Story

Late today Mukhtaran Bibi has had her travel restrictions lifted after pressure from the US Government.

Well done Washington.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Raped, Kidnapped and Silenced

June 14, 2005

Mukhtaran Bibi in September 2004
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

No wonder the Pakistan government can’t catch Osama bin Laden. It is too busy harassing, detaining – and now kidnapping – a gang-rape victim for daring to protest and for planning a visit to the United States.

Last fall I wrote about Mukhtaran Bibi, a woman who was sentenced by a tribal council in Pakistan to be gang-raped because of an infraction supposedly committed by her brother. Four men raped Ms. Mukhtaran, then village leaders forced her to walk home nearly naked in front of a jeering crowd of 300.

Ms. Mukhtaran was supposed to have committed suicide. Instead, with the backing of a local Islamic leader, she fought back and testified against her persecutors. Six were convicted.
Then Ms. Mukhtaran, who believed that the best way to overcome such abuses was through better education, used her compensation money to start two schools in her village, one for boys and the other for girls. She went out of her way to enroll the children of her attackers in the schools, showing that she bore no grudges.

Readers of my column sent in more than $133,000 for her. Mercy Corps, a U.S. aid organization, has helped her administer the money, and she has expanded the schools, started a shelter for abused women and bought a van that is used as an ambulance for the area. She has also emerged as a ferocious spokeswoman against honor killings, rapes and acid attacks on women. (If you want to help her, please don’t send checks to me but to Mercy Corps, with “Mukhtaran Bibi” in the memo line: 3015 S.W. First, Portland, Ore. 97201.)
A group of Pakistani-Americans invited Ms. Mukhtaran to visit the U.S. starting this Saturday (see www.4anaa.org). Then a few days ago, the Pakistani government went berserk.

On Thursday, the authorities put Ms. Mukhtaran under house arrest – to stop her from speaking out. In phone conversations in the last few days, she said that when she tried to step outside, police pointed their guns at her. To silence her, the police cut off her land line.

After she had been detained, a court ordered her attackers released, putting her life in jeopardy. That happened on a Friday afternoon, when the courts do not normally operate, and apparently was a warning to Ms. Mukhtaran to shut up. Instead, Ms. Mukhtaran continued her protests by cellphone. But at dawn yesterday the police bustled her off, and there’s been no word from her since. Her cellphone doesn’t answer.

Asma Jahangir, a Pakistani lawyer who is head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said she had learned that Ms. Mukhtaran was taken to Islamabad, furiously berated and told that President Pervez Musharraf was very angry with her. She was led sobbing to detention at a secret location. She is barred from contacting anyone, including her lawyer.

“She’s in their custody, in illegal custody,” Ms. Jahangir said. “They have gone completely crazy.”

Even if Ms. Mukhtaran were released, airports have been alerted to bar her from leaving the country. According to Dawn, a Karachi newspaper, the government took this step, “fearing that she might malign Pakistan’s image.”

Excuse me, but Ms. Mukhtaran, a symbol of courage and altruism, is the best hope for Pakistan’s image. The threat to Pakistan’s image comes from President Musharraf for all this thuggish behavior.

I’ve been sympathetic to Mr. Musharraf till now, despite his nuclear negligence, partly because he’s cooperated in the war on terrorism and partly because he has done a good job nurturing Pakistan’s economic growth, which in the long run is probably the best way to fight fundamentalism. So even when Mr. Musharraf denied me visas all this year, to block me from visiting Ms. Mukhtaran again and writing a follow-up column, I bit my tongue.

But now President Musharraf has gone nuts.

“This is all because they think they have the support of the U.S. and can get away with murder,” Ms. Jahangir said. Indeed, on Friday, just as all this was happening, President Bush received Pakistan’s foreign minister in the White House and praised President Musharraf’s “bold leadership.”

So, Mr. Bush, how about asking Mr. Musharraf to focus on finding Osama, instead of kidnapping rape victims who speak out? And invite Ms. Mukhtaran to the Oval Office – to show that Americans stand not only with generals who seize power, but also with ordinary people of extraordinary courage.

E-mail: nicholas@nytimes.com

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The Jesus Creed

We have confidence in Jesus who healed the sick, the blind, and the paralyzed, and even raised the dead.

He cast out evil powers and confronted corrupt leaders. He cleansed the temple. He favored the poor. He turned water into wine,walked on water, calmed storms.

He died for the sins of the world, rose from the dead, ascended to the Father, and sent the Holy Spirit.

We have confidence in Jesus who taught in word and example, sign and wonder. He preached parables of the kingdom of God on hillsides, from boats, in the temple, in homes, at banquets and parties, along the road, on beaches, in towns, by day and by night.

He taught the way of love for God and neighbor, for stranger and enemy, for outcast and alien.

We have confidence in Jesus, who called disciples, led them, gave them new names and new purpose and sent them out to preach good news. He washed their feet as a servant. He walked with them, ate with them, called them friends, rebuked them, encouraged them, promised to leave and then return, and promised to be with them always.

He taught them to pray. He rose early to pray, stole away to desolate places, fasted and faced agonizing temptations, wept in a garden, and prayed, “Not my will but your will be done.” He rejoiced, he sang, he feasted, he wept.

We have confidence in Jesus, so we follow him, learn his ways, seek to obey his teaching and live by his example. We walk with him, walk in him, abide in him, as a branch in a vine.

We have not seen him, but we love him. His words are to us words of life eternal, and to know him is to know the true and living God. We do not see him now, but we have confidence in Jesus.

Amen.

From the Emergent Convention, May 2004

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com