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Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.

Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Opus 2012-53, Compromise: A Survival Trait of Freedom

Do you get tired of being in the minority?  Get used to it.  I live in the People’s Republik of Kalifornia.  I do not have one federal or state representative that agrees with me on anything important.  Locally I think there is one school board member who might have his head on straight.  I keep voting and speaking up but I am used to being ignored.

We who are believers are always going to be a minority.  In terms of salvation, Jesus said it this way,
(Matthew 7:14 NASB)  "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
I don’t believe the difficulty is actually in finding it.  I think that it is simply a matter of being willing to admit I am a sinner and in need of grace.  In our culture that is offensive.  It offends my self-worth and damages my self-esteem.

The principle of being the “few” applies to more than the Marines.  The political gate is also narrow and hard to find, for the same reasons.  People who believe in eternal values and God’s version of morality will always be in a minority.  If you don’t believe that, listen to “conservatives” talk about what they call “social issues.” 

Minorities have a need to work in coalitions.  I am afraid we are in a position which means we must always compromise and take half a loaf, not in our personal moral behavior but in our political demands.  Until the elites gained control and started trashing the Constitution with impunity, we lived in a form of government that had built in checks to keep the majority from tyrannizing the minorities.  The Founding Fathers were aware they were building such a system.  Maybe because the Founding Mothers told them to make it so.

The purpose of minorities is not to force others to adopt their ways but to maintain their freedom to believe as they believe, in spite of others and in the midst of others.  Therefore there is more diversity when you have minorities that are strong.

So don’t despair.  Don’t give up.  Don’t be a Gloomy Gus.  If you want to know how bad it can be, read the book of Revelation.  Don’t forget to read the final chapters and find out who wins.  You see at the end of the game it is not the team that had the best polls or the most fans that wins.  It is not even the team with the most yards gained or the best looking quarterback.  The winner is the one who has the most points on the scoreboard.

We don’t need everyone doing it our way.  We simply need enough power to keep them from forcing us to do it their way.

homo unius libri

2 comments:

  1. The ability to compromise is not a virtue; it is a weakness. The left doesn't but insists that the right does. And the right is happy to oblige and proud of it. It is the political equivalent of the second law of thermodynamics. Everything is running down. Kalifornia is all the evidence you need.

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  2. But are we not weak?

    I see you point and raise you. Is it not possible to advance the cause of righteousness a half-step at time? We could take a lesson from the left: Take a half step and never give it up. Go for the second half step later.

    Of course there are areas we can never compromise. I am expecting the new curriculum in our schools to have a heavy dose of homosexuality to be taught. I know I cannot teach it as just another choice. I don't know the form it will take but I will probably follow a formula of reading what the book says as a quote, expressing my disagreement and having a discussion about the why's and wherefore's. I do that now because the issue of homosexual marriage comes up on a regular basis.

    I am aware that some of us will be going down in flames. I just want to make sure I am persecuted for His righteousness sake, not my pride.

    Maybe there is a better word than compromise. I know that the schools have taken and blessed "collaboration." I am sure you learned that word was a death sentence in France after World War II.

    So many words, so little time. On to work.

    Grace and peace.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.