Thinking You're Right...Even When You're Wrong

Photo Credit: cowboycoffee

We live in turbulent times. We see it everywhere we look...

We find ourselves in the throes of a contentious presidential election season.

Our nation's ugly legacy of racism has confronted us as a people yet once again.

We're experiencing profound challenges to long-held societal assumptions about religion and sexual identity.

As Bob Dylan once said, "The times they are a-changin."

So how do we respond when faced with differing opinions and listening to the perspectives of others that are different than our own?

Sadly, the stance that many of us take is to dig in our heels, shout down our opponents and ignore that which challenges what we think to be true. Many of us are not even willing to consider the reality that we could be wrong about things we are positive to be true. And when we encounter those that challenge our deeply cherished beliefs, we are more likely to enter a debate rather than a conversation.

Rather than demonstrating a humility that considers where someone else is coming from, we discount others without pause. This is not to suggest we live without convictions. But the more secure I am in my beliefs and opinions, the less threatened I should feel by those that see things differently.

As a Christian with strong convictions, I hope that my most deeply cherished beliefs are grounded in the character of God and based in the trustworthiness of the Holy Scriptures. Furthermore, those beliefs are shaped by my experiences, the perspectives of those I know to be trustworthy and that which seems to be true.

All too often those that claim to be followers of Christ express opinions about things like race and politics in a manner that has little to do with Jesus and everything to do with what their parents taught them and the cultural norms they inherited.

I am continually shocked when I see people I know to be otherwise kind and friendly turn into downright nasty when encountering those with whom they disagree. This is not wise. It does not honor God. And its not befitting for those who name the name of Christ. We must do better.

Unfortunately, when we think that we are right and that everyone else is wrong about a given issue, we're particularly susceptible to approach others in a dismissive and condescending manner. But I believe that it's possible to have strong certainty about something yet still interact with others in a humble and gracious way.

Perhaps Julia Galef has an appropriate suggestion for us.

In a recent TED Talk video, Galef illustrates the difference between soldiers -- those prone to defend their viewpoint at all costs -- and scouts -- those spurred by curiosity. You can watch the video here.

In her closing, Julia says this:

"If we want to really improve our judgments as individuals and as societies, what we need most is not more instruction in logic or rhetoric or probability or economics, even those things are quite valuable.  

What we most need to use those principles well is "scout mindset." We need to change the way we feel. We need to feel proud instead of ashamed when we notice we might have been wrong about something. We need to learn how to feel intrigued instead of defensive when we encounter information that contradicts our beliefs.  

Do you yearn to defend your own beliefs...or do you yearn to see the world as clearly as you possibly can?"

This is a good question for us to ask ourselves. Do we actually want to learn what is true or do we only desire to defend that which we already believe?

If what we already believe is the truth, then we have nothing to fear. We will become even more secure in that belief knowing it is on a solid foundation.

But if what we think to be true is false, then wouldn't any thinking person what to know this?

Knowing the truth and the exploration of the truth should not be feared. Jesus himself said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32) As someone that seeks to love God with my heart, soul, strength and mind, I can be secure in holding by beliefs while at the same time carrying myself in a charitable manner with those that believe differently.

How A Lesbian Professor & Malcolm X Helped Lead Me To Christ

Photo Credit: Vectorportal

I have a lesbian political science professor and a black Muslim minister to thank (at least partially) for the circumstances that led me to become a follower of Jesus. It seems that God often chooses to work in ways that seem peculiar to us but, thankfully, He does his thing just the same.

Although I grew up going to church each Sunday and was raised by two Christian parents, my faith was not on a solid foundation when I entered college in the fall of 1991. If you asked me back then, I would have said I believed that I was a Christian and that I believed in God. But it was soon revealed that the beliefs I had been exposed to as a child had never fully been internalized.

Based on the things I saw as a college freshmen going on around me in the residence halls and what I was being taught in the classroom, Christianity was not something that anyone seemed to be taking all that seriously. I experienced a growing dissatisfaction as I dealt with the tension of seeking to be a good and moral person but not fully understanding the reasons behind why I would want to live a good and moral life.

I enrolled in an Introduction to Political Science the second semester of my freshmen year that challenged my belief system in ways that I had never previously encountered. Midway through the semester, my professor had the whole class engage in a learning exercise dealing with rights for the gay and lesbian community. Half the class was assigned to a group that was to advocate for the rights of gays and lesbians and the other half of the class was assigned to a group that would argue against these same rights. I was placed in the pro gay rights group.

This exercise forced me to defend things that I didn't agree with and, frankly, made me quite uncomfortable. I was frustrated and found myself getting defensive as my professor attacked traditional views on God and sexuality. But as the assignment carried on, I found myself questioning my beliefs about religion and morality in ways that I never had before. By the end of the class, I came to a striking realization. I genuinely felt that my parents were sincere in their beliefs about Jesus but I was no longer sure I felt the same way.

As the summer months gave way to the fall and the beginning of another school year, I was seriously questioning what I believed about God, the Bible and the Church. As someone that had been interested since childhood in the black community and the Civil Rights movement, I borrowed a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X from a roommate. I devoured the 500 page book in a handful of days.

As I read about the discrimination that Malcolm faced throughout his life, my strong sense of justice was aroused. Putting myself in his shoes, I realized that I probably wouldn't think too highly of white people either if I had experienced the same things he had gone through. Furthermore, my pre-9/11 self silently wondered if Islam might be more accepting of people of all races in ways that I hadn't seen lived out among some of the Christians that I had experienced.

I was at a crossroads and unsure of what to do. Though I rarely prayed, I prayed this prayer one evening,

"God, I need you to show me if Christianity is true. Because, if you don't, I'm just going to do what everyone else is doing and do my own thing."

Fortunately for me, our God is a gracious and patient God...and He quickly answered my prayer. My youth pastor from high school, Gary, wrote to me periodically. Several weeks before I had requested some resources as a result of a weird conversation about angels and demons I had with a drunk girl on my dorm floor late one Saturday night. The books arrived shortly after my "ultimatum" prayer.

One of the books was too theological in nature and over my head. But the other book, Under Siege by Josh McDowell and Chuck Klein, was what God used to bring me to Himself. I related to the protagonist in the story and Christianity was presented in a way I had never previously understood it to be -- a personal relationship with God through Christ.

The book contained this explanation of the Gospel and I was awakened to the fact that I was a sinner in need of a savior and I placed my faith in Christ and committed to live for Him the best I knew how at that moment.

There was a contact form in the back of the book that said to call a phone number if the reader wanted to get connected to Christians on their campus. I called the number, gave them my information and within a couple of weeks, a couple of guys from Campus Crusade for Christ showed up at my door and sat down to talk with me. The rest, they say, is history.

I learned long ago that God can use the most unexpected people and the most unexpected things to bring people to Christ. Even people that might seem opposed to the Gospel still operate under the sovereignty of God. For me, I'm eternally grateful that God brought me into the classroom of that Poly Sci prof and that the story of Malcolm X found it's way into my hands.

As I look back on that time of my life, I find I have an incredible amount of respect for both my professor and Malcolm for boldly living out their beliefs. It encouraged me to do the same. Contrary to what one might normally assume, those encounters didn't lead me away from Christ but actually brought me closer to Him. And thank God they did.

Can One's Religious Beliefs Excuse Them From Their Job?

Photo Credit: King County, WA

What is going on in Kentucky concerning county clerk Kim Davis issuing marriage licenses is an important matter. It is likely, though, that few of us (including me) have a deep understanding of how the law works in these types of cases.

I would suspect that many of us have strong biases in this particular situation and are likely primarily focused on "our side" winning and not necessarily attuned to what the law requires.

A country that values religious freedom as well as the civil rights of all its citizens ensures that cases like this bring with it many questions. This is not a simple matter.

I found this article from Eugene Volokh in The Washington Post to be helpful for me in grasping some of the legal issues related to this case. Things are not "cut and dry" here but Volokh's insights helped me in gaining a greater sense of the issues at play.

Here's a highlight:

"Under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act, both public and private employers have a duty to exempt religious employees from generally applicable work rules, so long as this won’t create an “undue hardship,” meaning more than a modest cost, on the employer. If the employees can be accommodated in a way that would let the job still get done without much burden on the employer, coworkers, and customers — for instance by switching the employee’s assignments with another employee or by otherwise slightly changing the job duties — then the employer must accommodate them. (The Muslim flight attendant I mentioned above, for instance, claims that she has always been able to work out arrangements under which the other flight attendant serves the alcohol instead of her.) 

Thus, for instance, in all the cases I mentioned in the numbered list above, the religious objectors got an accommodation, whether in court or as a result of the employer’s settling a lawsuit brought by the EEOC. Likewise, the EEOC is currently litigating a case in which it claims that a trucking company must accommodate a Muslim employee’s religious objections to transporting alcohol, and the court has indeed concluded that the employer had a duty to accommodate such objections. But if the accommodation would have been quite difficult or expensive (beyond the inevitable cost that always come when rearranging tasks), then the employer wouldn’t have had to provide it. 

Now I’m not saying this to praise the law, or to claim that it’s demanded by vital principles of religious principles. One can certainly argue against this approach, especially as applied to private employers, but also as applied to the government. 

The government is barred by the Free Exercise Clause from discriminating based on religion, but the government has no constitutional duty to give religious objectors special exemptions from generally applicable rules. Maybe it (and private employers) shouldn’t have such a statutory duty, either. But my point so far has been simply to describe the American legal rule as it actually is, and as it has been for over 40 years (since the religious accommodation provisions were enacted in the 1972 amendments to Title VII)."

(HT: @spulliam for the article link)

Richest Americans Donating Less, Poor Give More To Charity

Photo Credit: Tax Credits

From Forbes.com:

"In the wake of the Great Recession, the richest Americans are donating less to charity, while the poorest are giving more, according to a new study. 

In a report released today, the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that Americans who earned at least $200,000 gave nearly 5% less to charity in 2012 than in 2006. 

Higher-income people tend to give proportionately less during tough economic times, says Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy. 

“The downturn was a shock to so many of them, and they’ve been nervous and cautious,” she says. 

The shift has likely meant less money flowing into universities, hospitals and cultural institutions, which the wealthy tend to patronize. Lower- and middle-income donors often give to social service organizations, Palmer says. In part because these groups have had fewer dollars to give, those organizations have still faced a squeeze. 

Unlike their wealthier counterparts, low- and middle-income Americans — those who made less than $100,000 — gave 5% more in 2012 than in 2006, the Chronicle found. The poorest Americans — those who took home $25,000 or less — increased their giving by nearly 17%. 

“Lower and middle-income people know people who lost their jobs or are homeless, and they worry that they themselves are a day away from losing their jobs. They’re very sensitive to the needs of other people and recognize that these years have been hard,” Palmer says. 

Religiosity is another factor driving up giving among low- and middle-income Americans, she says. 

Wealthier Americans still gave more in absolute terms, increasing their donations between 2006 and 2012 by $4.6 billion, adjusted for inflation, to $77.5 billion. In that period, the collective wealth of Americans on The Forbes 400 soared by $1.04 trillion. 

Those who earned less than $100,000 gave $57.3 billion in 2012."

To read the rest of this article please click here.

40 Maps That Explain The World

Photo Credit: WashingtonPost.com

Max Fisher of The Washington Post has created a sampling of forty different maps that demonstrate the differences in our world. The maps examine such things as religion, racial tolerance, economic realities, views on sexuality, population and languages spoken. Take a few moments to view the maps here and see the ways that people across the world are similar and which ways we are different.

(HT: Cody Lorance for the link.)

Current Insights Into The Values Of U.S. Hispanics

Photo Credit: Bread for the World

From Barna:Hispanics:

"After significantly influencing the 2012 presidential election, Hispanics captured the attention of the nation’s leaders and media. Now, as the debate over the future of immigration continues, political liberals and conservatives alike may be surprised to learn about the values and priorities of today’s Hispanics in the U.S. 

Research from Barna: Hispanics, in partnership with the American Bible Society, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and OneHope, reveals that the faith and social values of Latinos may be more conservative than many cultural observers realize. As America’s fastest growing demographic segment, Hispanics demonstrate high commitments to the Christian faith and to traditional concepts of family. 

In fact, foreign-born Hispanics who currently reside in the U.S. are often more socially, spiritually, and politically conservative than are those Hispanics who are citizens. The implication is that the longer the Hispanic community experiences U.S. cultural norms, the less socially conservative its members become. In the broadest sense, this creates a fascinating paradox for policymakers and politicians: social conservatives stand to gain more allies by pushing for aggressive immigration reform, while liberals who advocate for reform are likely to find fewer allies on social and moral issues among foreign-born Hispanics who are given a path to citizenship. 

Given their relationship-driven culture, it is perhaps not surprising that Hispanics in the U.S. place high value on the traditional family. Three-quarters of all Latinos in the U.S. say that the traditional family is the main building block of a healthy community (78%). Seven out of 10 believe it is best for children to be raised by parents who are married to each other (69%). In addition, Latinos remain markedly committed to preserving the traditional family structure. Half say they are “very concerned” about the breakdown of Hispanic families. 

When it comes to typically hot-button social issues, homosexuality and abortion, most Hispanics embrace conservative points of view. On the issue of same-sex marriage, considered an important voting issue to many evangelical Christians, two-thirds of Hispanics say marriage should be defined as a relationship between one man and one woman (66%). And the majority of Hispanics in the U.S. (73%) believe that adoption or parenting are better choices than abortion for a woman who is not ready to be a mom."

To read the rest of the Barna report please click here.

1 Out of 5 Non-Christian North Americans Do Not Know Any Followers Of Christ

Photo Credit: Demo

A recent study from Gordon-Conwell's Center for the Study of Global Christianity has found that a surprising 20% of all non-Christians in North America do not personally know anyone that identifies as a Christian.

Abby Stocker of Christianity Today reports on the study:

"The biggest factor in explaining why so many North American non-Christians don't know Christians is immigration, [Missiologist Todd M.] Johnson said. The U.S. attracts more Buddhist, atheist, and agnostic immigrants than any other country in the world. It ranks second for Hindu and Jewish immigrants, and seventh for Muslim immigrants. 

But immigrants are also keeping the percentage of those who don't know a Christian from going higher. That's because the U.S. also attracts more Christian immigrants than any other country. And the region that sends the most immigrants to the U.S. is (by far) Latin America, where 90 percent of non-Christians know Christians. (In the CSGC study, Mexico was categorized as Latin America, not North America. As per U.N. categorization, North American countries included Greenland, Bermuda, Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Canada, and the U.S.) 

Migrants move into enclaves and don't venture out. But even Christians who live close to Chinatowns and Little Italys don't often venture in, Johnson said. 

Separation between religious groups isn't limited to the United States and Canada. But North America has a unique opportunity to connect across religious lines, he said. 

"The United States is a very strategic place for people to interact," he said. "It's ironic in a place with all the freedoms to interact that people don't do it. In light of the deficit of contact, what better thing could happen than to have a bunch of people move into your neighborhood and build houses of worship?"

To read more of Stocker's article please click here.

If There Were Only 100 People In the World...

Photo Credit: United Nations Photo

If there were only 100 people in the world, this is how those 100 people could be broken down:

- There would be 50 women and 50 men.

- There would be 26 children and 74 adults.

- There would be 33 Christians, 22 Muslims, 14 Hindus, 7 Buddhists, 12 people from some other religion and 12 people without a religious affiliation.

- 83 people would be able to read and write; 17 people would be unable to read and write.

- Only 22 people would have access to a computer and a mere 7 would have a college degree.

- 21 would be overweight, 63 would have adequate nutrition, 15 would be undernourished and 1 would be starving.

- 87 would have safe drinking water and 13 would not have access to clean water.

- 77 would have shelter and 23 would not have a roof over their head.

- The primary language for 12 would be Chinese, 5 Spanish, 5 English, 3 Arabic, 3 Hindi, 3 Bengali, 3 Portuguese, 2 Russian, 2 Japanese and 62 would have some other language as their primary form of communication.

- 60 would be from Asia, 15 from Africa, 14 from the Americas, and 11 from Europe.

You can find a cool infographic with this information here.

(h/t to Scot McKnight for the link.)

Infographic on Hispanic Americans

To see larger image please click here.

Infographic from Barna.org

42% Of Asian Americans Identify As Christians

From Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA Today:

"The first comprehensive look at the religious lives of the nation's 18.2 million Asian Americans finds most are devoted to their faith traditions — but many are disconnected from any affiliation.

Asian Americans are "the fastest-growing race group, and they are bringing with them a diversity of faiths," says Cary Funk, senior researcher for Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, which released the report today.

The survey of 3,511 adults, conducted in English and seven Asian languages, was large enough to establish data about the six largest groups: Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese.

Key findings:

•The greatest overall number (42%) are Christians, chiefly Protestant or Roman Catholic. Fourteen percent are Buddhist, and 10% are Hindu. Twenty-six percent are unaffiliated.

•National origin makes a difference. Korean Americans may be politically conservative because 40% are evangelical Protestants. They come from a nation that holds many of the world's largest Protestant churches. Hindu Americans may be among the nation's wealthiest and most educated because about half of them come from India, the nation favored for special U.S. visas for scientists, engineers and other skilled workers.

•All but one group was dominated by a single religion — or lack of religion. Chinese Americans are overwhelmingly unaffiliated (52%), and Catholicism is dominant for Filipino Americans (65%). A majority of Indian Americans are Hindu (51%), and most Korean Americans are Protestant (61%). Buddhists dominate among Vietnamese Americans (43%). Japanese Americans are more diverse: 33% Protestant, 32% unaffiliated and 25% Buddhist."

To read the rest of the article please click here.

Southern Baptists Prepared to Elect First Black President

Photo Credit: Franklin Ave. Baptist Church

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the nation's largest Protestant denomination with over 16 million members, is close to making history by potentially electing its first president of African descent this summer.

Rev. Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and friend of The Impact Movement, has announced that he plans to seek the SBC's top office at its convention in New Orleans this June. The SBC was founded in 1845 after splitting with northern Baptists on the biblical justification for slavery.

Because of its historic roots, the SBC has had a difficult time attracting (and keeping) African American members. But the potential election of Pastor Luter as its leader would provide a visible demonstration that the denomination is moving beyond its unfortunate history. In fact, the SBC formulated a resolution in 1995 in which it denounced its racist past and expressed its desire to be more welcoming to not only African Americans, but all ethnic minorities. Over one million black Americans are now members of SBC congregations and the denomination claims that 20% of its members are now people of color.

Sojourners comments on this exciting development:

"The Southern Baptist president has no authority over the denomination's 51,000 autonomous churches and missions, but the president exerts influence by appointing the most important committees in Baptist organizational life. The denomination's turn toward theological conservatism in the 1980s was triggered by the election of a succession of conservative presidents.
 
Akin, Moore and others say they are eager to elect Luter, both for his leadership gifts and to demonstrate Southern Baptist acceptance of the changing face of their work.
 
Luter is widely known around the convention, having preached in hundreds of pulpits. Moreover, supporters said he is widely admired as a pastor in his own right. Luter built Franklin Avenue Baptist Church into a major success, then led his congregation in rebuilding after it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Luter's church was a once a predominantly white Southern Baptist congregation dying on the vine after its neighborhood became increasingly black in the 1970s. A street-corner preacher with no previous pastoral experience, Luter took over in 1986. The church kept its Southern Baptist affiliation while he built it into the predominantly black powerhouse it is today.
 
Akin said several Baptist congregations around the country tried to recruit Luter as a pastor or co-pastor, believing he might be available after Katrina. "He was like Peyton Manning as a free agent."
 
Akin said Luter's stature grew in his decision to remain in New Orleans. "You have to have unbelievable respect for a man who made that kind of commitment," Akin said. "My God, look at what he did."

To read more of the Sojourners article please click here.

Worldwide Religious Persecution On The Rise

Photo Credit: shashish

From CNN.com:

"Nearly a third of the world's people live in nations where practicing religion freely is becoming increasingly difficult, according to a new study released Tuesday.

The Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life said government restrictions and religiously motivated hostility rose significantly between mid-2006 and mid-2009, when the research was conducted.

Only 1% of the world's population lives in countries where the trend was the opposite.

"The increasing levels of social hostilities is a definite trend that needs to be watched carefully," said Brian Grim, the primary researcher for the study.

Grim said the Pew Center's report on 198 countries found those that were already restrictive or abusive in the previous report continued their decline. Those that were tolerant became more so. The study found that 101 governments used force against religious groups or individuals.

He said Christians and Muslims, who make up more than half of the world's population, were harassed in the most number of countries, though that did not reflect the intensity of the persecution.

The Middle East and North Africa had the largest proportion of nations where curbs on religion went up, the study found. Nearly a third of those nations imposed greater restrictions. It was particularly bad in Egypt, the study said."

According to the Conference on the Persecution of Christians, religious persecution affects over 100 million Christians each year and, although people of all faiths face persecution, three out of every four religion-based hate crimes that lead to death are directed towards Christians.

To read the complete CNN.com article please click here.

PBS to Air "God in America" Series

Photo Credit: shutterchik

PBS will be airing a series this week that will focus on the role that religion has played in American Life. The six-hour series, named "God in America, will on October 11, 12 and 13th.

From the PBS website:

"God in America examines the potent and complex interaction between religion and democracy, the origins of the American concept of religious liberty, and the controversial evolution of that ideal in the nation's courts and political arena. The series considers the role religious ideas and institutions have played in social reform movements from abolition to civil rights, examining the impact of religious faith on conflicts from the American Revolution to the Cold War, and how guarantees of religious freedom created a competitive American religious marketplace.

It also explores the intersection of political struggle and spiritual experience in the lives of key American historical figures including Franciscan Friars and the Pueblo leader Po'pay, Puritan leader John Winthrop and dissident Anne Hutchinson, Catholic Bishop John Hughes, abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, reform Rabbi Isaac Meyer Wise, Scopes trial combatants William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow, evangelist Billy Graham, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Moral Majority's Jerry Falwell.

"The American story cannot be fully understood without understanding the country's religious history," says series executive producer Michael Sullivan. "By examining that history, God in America will offer viewers a fresh, revealing and challenging portrait of the country."

"Americans are awash in a sea of faith, but their knowledge about religious faiths and religious history often runs as shallow as their commitment to religion runs deep," notes Stephen Prothero, chief editorial consultant for God in America, professor of religion at Boston University, and author of Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know -- And Doesn't. "A series like God in America can help correct that imbalance and provide the basis for a common understanding of the role religion has played in American public life."

Check your local television listings for times and station.

What are the Top Religion Stories of 2009?

Time Magazine recently compiled its suggestions for the top ten religion stories for this past year, 2009. Here they are:

1. Secularism or Bust - the growing anti-religion sentiment that is sweeping across Europe.

2. What Reformation? - the Catholic Church's acceptance of Anglicans who are dissatisfied with the the direction of their own church.

3. Keeping the Faith-Based - President Obama's expansion of the White House faith-based office initiated by President George W. Bush.

4. Faith Healing Turns Fatal - the death of a child whose parent's opted for prayer instead of traditional medical treatment for their sick daughter.

5. Going to the Chapel - a popular Catholic priest is removed from his Diocese after pictures of him with a woman on the beach surface.

6. Dr. Dobson Has Left the Building - Dr. James Dobson steps down as the leader of Focus on the Family.

7. Obama's Notre Dame Touchdown - Pro-choice President Obama offers a commencement speech at the pro-life Catholic institution.

8. Americans Go Church Shopping - more and more Americans change churches, change faiths or give up on organized religion altogether.

9. Banning the Baha'i - several leaders of the Baha'i faith are held in prison in Iran.

10. Religious Runaway - a teenage Muslim girl converts to Christianity and runs away from home because she says she fears for her life.

Hip-Hop as Religion?

Taken from Chanel Graham at UrbanFaith.com:

"Pioneering hip-hop artist KRS-One is releasing a new book this fall called The Gospel of Hip-Hop. The 600-page book is modeled after the Christian Bible and said to serve as a life-guide manual for 'Hiphoppas," the term KRS-One uses to describe members of hip-hop culture. Including a hodgepodge of philosophy on faith, peace, and self-reliance, KRS-One hopes to help Hiphoppas change their circumstances to live a life that encompasses what he's termed the H-LAW (Health, Love, Awareness, and Wealth).

This isn't the first time KRS-One has talked about hip-hop as a religion. Back in 2000, he spoke with Beliefnet about what he called the Temple of Hiphop, a group whose membership included Lauryn Hill, Kid Capri, and Busta Rhymes among others who declared hip-hop their life. KRS-One, whose real name is Lawrence Krishna Parker, described the Temple of Hiphop as a "hip-hop preservation society." He said, "We believe that not only is hip-hop divine, but the temple is divinely ordained, because we accept it as that."

The Gospel of Hip-Hop is a continuation of the Temple of Hiphop ideals, as well as KRS-One's 14-year study of the music subculture. The rapper claims, "In 100 years, this book will be a new religion on earth." Bold statement.

We're not so sure KRS-One has stumbled onto the next Nation of Islam or anything, but his language does strike us as sounding a bit cultish. It is interesting, though, to ponder the idea of hip-hop as more than music. It has already evolved into a culture that transcends race and class, but at what point does the music evolve into a religion? Should we be concerned about false prophets springing up from the world of hip-hop?

I don't know about you, but it sounds to us like KRS-One is ascribing to hip-hop the kind of faith and devotion that should only belong to our Father in heaven. Perhaps he's found a purpose and fulfillment in hip-hop that he's been unable to find anywhere else. I'm sure there's millions of young men and women in our cities, suburbs, and rural communities who may have a similar testimony. Still, KRS-One and each of us need to step back from the idols we've embraced in life and realize that anything that's righteous and true is a gift from above, not from Jay Z or Lil Wayne."

Americans Experiencing God Differently

A new study conducted by respected pollster George Barna indicates that many American Christians are open to expressing their religious beliefs differently than previous generations. Although most Americans define themselves as "religious", an increasing number of people are seeking to experience their faith apart from organized religion and the institutional church.

Barna found that 7 out of 10 people are more likely to develop their own religious beliefs rather than to accept an entire set of beliefs of a particular church.

"Levels of distrust toward churches, church leaders and organized Christianity have been growing over the past two decades. That concern – along with the heightened independence of Americans and the profound access to information that has characterized the past decade – may have led to the emergence of a large majority of adults feeling responsible for their own theological and spiritual development. Other studies have shown an inclination for people to view a local church as a supplier of useful guidance and support, but not necessarily a reliable source of a comprehensive slate of beliefs that they must adopt.

Across the board, the research showed that women are driving these changes. This is particularly significant given prior research from Barna showing that women are more spiritually inclined, are the primary shapers of family faith experiences, and are the backbone of activity in the typical conventional church. Specifically, Barna discovered that women were more likely than men to pursue their faith in a different type of structure or environment (68% of women, 59% of men); to sense that God is motivating people to experience faith in different ways (79% vs. 60%, respectively); and to be willing try a new church (50% vs. 40%)."

To read more about Barna's report click here.

Ignorant Christians

In the midst of a busy life of ministry it is good to periodically step off the treadmill for a bit for some rest and enjoyment. Today was one of those days. My team with the Campus Ministry of The Impact Movement took a good portion of the day to hang out and have fun together.

We had lunch at a deli nearby our headquarters and had a fun discussion over our soup and sandwiches. A good portion of our discussion was centered on the upcoming presidential election as we discussed the candidates, the recent debates and some of the issues that we were thinking about as we choose a candidate to lead our nation. Since we all know each other and are friends, the discussion was friendly and informative. Unfortunately, the talk of politics didn't end at lunch.

After our time of eating was over, we walked over to a movie theater that is hosting a multi-day free Christian film festival. The idea behind the festival is that Christian-themed movies can be offered without cost so that those that are followers of Christ can invite friends to hear more about the Christian faith. Seems like a good idea.

While perusing the literature and books that were set up outside the theater before the start of the film, an older white lady approached one of our staff, an African American male. She introduced herself and almost without hesitation asked the following question:

"Are you voting for Barack Obama because he's black?"

This is the honest-to-God truth! He wasn't wearing an Obama shirt or passing out pamphlets for the Democratic party. He was just a black man looking at some books and this is the way some Christian lady chooses to engage in discussion with him. But it gets worse.

After confirming that I had just heard what I thought we did, our group kind of had a laugh about it and tried to forget about it. Minutes later, this woman and her daughter (a grown adult) step in line behind us. Without missing a beat, the woman's daughter initiates the following exchange with another woman in our group:

Woman: "Are you voting for Barack Obama because he's black?" (Again, no previous discussion of politics here. This is how she was attempting to strike up a conversation with someone different than herself).

My friend: "Um, you know, I'd rather not talk about politics right now."

To which I turned around and asked this lady: "Are you voting for John McCain because he's white?"

After an awkward pause, the woman replied: "I don't think I'd like to talk about this. Um...some people kind of feel uncomfortable discussing this."

My response: "Exactly!" (And then turned to rejoin the discussion that my friends and I were having).

Not only were these two ladies ignorant and clueless, but I wonder how they typically engage those they perceive to be non-Christians. The point of this film festival was to bring in non-Christians to hear the message of Christ -- not to talk about politics. For all they knew, my friends and I could have very well have not been followers of Christ. I wonder what our impressions of Jesus would have been after that encounter if this were the case.

Two things that people feel very passionately about, but have difficulty discussing are politics and religion. The mixture of the two can cause serious sparks. It is why it is good to engage discussions along those lines only when others have been invited to do so and have indicated a willingness to proceed. Even then, we need to be open to hearing their point of view. We often feel compelled to answer questions that no one else has asked and, in the process, shut others out from having an honest dialogue with us where their opinions, as well as our own, are respected and heard.

So I implore you, yet once again, during this campaign season to watch what you say, when you say it and who you are saying it to. How you and I carry ourselves during seasons like this can determine how we're able to interact with others with different perspectives down the road.