What's in a Bill -- you might be surprised

Well, it seems that my last post has raised some questions regarding my stability. Let me set your mind at ease - that ceased to be a question a long time ago. You have no idea just how much energy it takes to for me to appear as the consummate lucid professional you see before you (why are you laughing?). “Lucid” - now that’s a funny word. Looks to me like it’s a wanna be word, that couldn’t convince other letters to join it to be a real looking word, so to spite everybody, it just set off on its own and then threatened and convinced all the other words that to be non lucid, is not a good thing. Which does in fact, amazingly enough, have a connection to some recent thoughts.

There was a recent private members bill put forward with a dubious future.  Because of the proroguing of goverment (speaking of strange words) it is unsure whether this Bill automatically dies in parliment, or is 'still alive'.  Even if it does die,  I’m afraid however, much like a bad horror movie, that just when you think the monster is dead it grabs your ankles. Be assured, it will not be the last we see of this Bill. The bill, C-384, largely unnoticed by the general public, was put forward by Francine Lalonde, the Bloc Québécois in May of 2009. However, if you Google it, a fair amount of material comes up – on both sides of the issue. This is not her first attempt at introducing such a bill. Her first two attempts that were introduced in June 2005 (Bill C-407) and June 2008 (Bill C-562), would have legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada. In essence the bill outlines the following: That they were not limited to the direct and intentional killing of terminally ill persons, but also people experiencing chronic physical and mental pain. The current bill also makes allowances for euthanasia for physical and mental pain, however, it presents an attempt to ‘safe guard’ to ensure that only people who really, really want to be killed (because of angst – see last blog), would be. And that safe guard would be the test of … you guessed it, lucidity. The person would have to give three different ‘lucid’ statements that this was truly their wish. Herein lies a number of Achilles heels: the definitions of “illness” or “terminal” or “lucid”. Who judges and defines lucid? How do we ensure that the vulnerable are not swayed by the opinions and decisions of others???? What if????…so many questions

The idea of “Compassionate death” is certainly not a new one – and is one that has gained ground in recent decades in Europe countries and is now crossing the pond. I have a book on my desk that helps parents come to grips with thoughts of ‘compassionate death’ when it is discovered that their unborn child possesses a disability. Now some may become offended that I’ve made such a link, however, read and research the writings of the following: Peter Singer, MaryAnn Warren, Michael Toole as they seek to redefine the meaning of personhood and their conversations regarding disability and the ‘quality of life’ debate. The step between abortion of the disabled and euthanizing the disabled is not as far a philosophical jump as you might imagine Their material is amply available on the internet. I would encourage you to research the issues for yourself.

I’ve just picked up a new book entitled “The Future of the Disabled in Liberal Society: An Ethical Anaylsis” by Hans S. Reinders, a Professor of Ethics and Mental Disability at the Vrjie Universiteit in Amsterdam. I haven’t done a through reading yet, just lightly skimmed, but here is a comment regarding this work “By demonstrating the inherent paradoxes in liberal approaches to the disabled, [Reinders] effectively reveals the potential policy limitations that may threaten the social services available to the mentally disabled.” Alarmist? I pray so. However, I believe, we need to lift our heads above the clouds and sniff the wind so to speak. We (as followers of Christ), must carefully, thoughtfully, wisely, yet decisively speak, live and declare His Justice and His view of those the World labels ‘the least’.

Anyway, I was just thinking….

Neil

Responding to the Call Valuing others

A co-worker sent me the lyrics of this song by Chuck Girard after hearing this devotion at our Monday morning devotions at Corporate. I think the words sum up the past couple of post well.

Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever

They need our love no matter what it is they've done

Sometimes we just condemn them,

And don't take time to hear their story

Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one

It's easy to love the people who are standing hard and fast

Pressing on to meet that higher calling

But the ones who might be struggling, we tend to judge too harshly

And refuse to try and catch them when they're falling

We put people into boxes and we draw our hard conclusions

And when they do the things we know they should not do

We sometimes write them off as hopeless

And we throw them to the dogs

Our compassion and forgiveness sometimes seem in short supply

So I say...

We can love them and forgive themWhen their sin does not exceed our own

For we too have been down bumpy roads before

But when they commit offenses outside the boundaries we have set

We judge them in a word and we turn them out,

And we close the door

Myself I've been forgiven for so many awful things

I've been cleansed and washed and bathed so many times

That when I see a brother who has fallen from the way

I just can't find the license to convict him of his crimes

So I say...

That doesn't mean we turn our heads when we see a brother sin

And pretend that what he's doing is all right

But we must help him see his error, we must lead him to repent

Cry with those who cry, but bring their deeds into the light

For it's the sick that need the doctor,

And it's the lame that need the crutch

t's the prodigal who needs the loving hand

For a man who's in despair, there should be

Kindness from his friends'Lest he should forsake the fear of almighty God

And turn away from God and man

So I say...

©1982 Sea of Glass Music/ASCAP

Anyway, I was just thinking….
Neil

If my life were on Camera, Valuing Others

I think one of the most shocking and life changing experiences would be if someone followed me around for a day or two with a video camera and then made me watch the video play back. Like that Mockumentary show The Office where you watch the actors in action, then listen to them talk about each other. It would probably be shocking to me if I could really see and hear myself as others see me, and to see the judgments that I make about people by how I interact. By how, and in what I invest the majority of my interest, time, resources… I’m afraid that the conclusion would be --- the most valuable person is…. Me.

Jesus says, "Love your Neigbour as yourself" It would seem that somehow, one day, we will be able to witness how I have judged others. As I will be judged by how I’ve judged, I will be treated the way I treated others. I agree with John Wesley, that these are awful words because I am setting the standard by which I myself will be judged. I don’t know about you, but the first thought that comes to mind is, YIKES.

If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

How far do you take this? Jesus seems to take this to the furthest of extremes.
Consider, for example, Jesus’ encounter with the adulterous woman in John 8:1-11. Here is a woman who was rightfully judged. She was indeed caught in adultery and the Law/policy demanded that she be stoned. They throw her to the ground and pick up their rocks of judgment. Yet, we see Jesus coming between the Law/policy, kneeling down beside/ not standing over, writing something in the sand and saying, ‘he who is without sin cast the first stone’. Maybe he wrote “by the way you judge, you will be judged!” That’d do it for me.
One of the greatest and most powerful ways to value another in God’s mind is forgiveness, liberal forgiveness, with reckless abandon.

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:15

That’s intense –
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

How many times are we to forgive the same person who sins against us? I'm not sure I like the answer.

Matthew 16:19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
It would seem folks, that we hold a tremendous amount of power in our hands since it is possible for us to hold each other hostage. We bind people with our words, with our attitudes, and with our judgments. We establish word and opinion built prisons that we keep people locked into.
The greatest value I can offer you is to open my hand, open my heart and release you from my judgments. And the result is a double edged sword. It would seem that by releasing you, I am freed. By letting go of my judgments, I am no longer judged by the standard I have created.
Jesus follows the warning of the judgment standard we establish with these words:

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

It’s not that we are ignoring issues, and simply have no judgment at all – and accept everything. It’s that I must get rid of the log in my own so that I can deal the speck in my friend’s eye. However, the motivation and method I do this is far different. Rather than me standing in judgment, I am a friend who speaks to encourage, strengthen, admonish and counsel those around me. So rather than just saying ‘encouraging’ words to those who can advance me or benefit me in some way – I’m investing in the lives of those around me.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. Proverb 27:6
I need my friends in my life to see those specks and help me. In fact, these might be my own log that I can’t see!

Anyway I was just thinking,

Neil

Responding to the Call - Valuing others

Matthew 7:1-2

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged”

John Wesley said: “these are awful words – that we shall be judged by God by the way that we have judged those around us”.

We tend to be a judgmental lot. Let me clarify, I tend to be very judgmental person. Much more than I realize. The judgments we make of others by in large determine the value we place on the relationships and people around us. We draw opinions and make judgments of those who surround us all the time. We enter into judgments relating to those who work around us, those we work with in our workplace, and those we see in other circles (districts, departments, Corporate and around the province). We have made an art form of keeping judgments of those who we lead or who lead us. We attribute motives and form opinions of people and then lock them pretty tightly into those categories.

For example, how do we judge or evaluate the value of that teenage that’s holding a sign at that stop sign that says “hungry”? It’s easy for me to assume: lazy, school dropout, drug addict, using the system, needs to get a job… However, while some of those things may be true – who do I see? Do I see who Jesus sees? Do I judge as God judges? We might be surprised by his judgment.

How do we judge the person with mental illness – who comes into our church and rants and raves about how the CAS stole her children and how “they” are trying to take her down – and yells at a me “you only think you’re a Christian!”?

How do we judge that child, mom or dad that we’ve never met, nor ever will, who sits in the hot dry mud packed earth, infected and dying with Aids?

We tend to value those relationships that are value adding to us in some way. When you think about it, most of us are pretty egocentric in our relationship with others. We internally calculate a personal cost, and by doing so, we place a ‘value’ on the other person – but what we are willing to invest? If I’m not willing to invest anything in you – what value do I place on you?
People that I feel are wasting my time or not ‘benefiting’ me - I tend to be impatient with, I want to escape, and shut down that conversation as quickly as I can so I can move on.

If we are to truly value others, we need to closely examine the standards by which we judge.

Anyway I was just thinking.

Neil