Don't Be Lazy When Digesting News

"... the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines." Proverbs 18:17

With the political season ramping up again, I will probably repeat this several times over the next two years. What do you know, and how do you know it? I'm seeing very ugly comments about issues and people, coming out of the mouths (and fingers) of people who should know better … but maybe that's the point. No matter how much you want it to happen, you WILL NOT have truth spoon fed to you. It is your responsibility to dig, and ask questions, and listen to other perspectives, and come to your own conclusions. With that said, here are some things you can count on:

1. Where do you get your news? How do you know it's accurate? The most effective lies are the ones that only tell a portion of the truth. Most people are deceived, not because they don't know the truth, but because they only know part of the truth.

2. EVERY news outlet has to filter what they distribute. They only have so much time on air, or so much space on the page. They tell you what they think is most important. The rest of the story, if they even know it, remains untold. Always keep this in mind.

3. There are flame throwers on both sides. If you really care about an issue, it YOUR job to explore every angle, and let every "side" tell their story. If you only listen to one side, you will be deceived.

4. With rare exception, stories with which I have personal knowledge are broadcast or published with errors, incomplete information, or outright falsehoods. Don't believe everything you see or hear.

5. There are people with power, from every political stripe (and in every organization, including the church and your workplace), that have learned to divide and conquer. Every time you fall for the "us versus them" argument, you've already lost. If you demonize your opponent, you've lost. One of the reasons the Constitution of the United States is such a powerful document is because it starts with, "We the People …" Don't let people put you in a box, and don't let people put others who disagree with you in a box. Us versus Them will NEVER be as powerful as We.

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Je suis Charlie?

"Choose your allies carefully: it's highly unlikely that you'll ever be held morally, legally, or historically accountable for the actions of your enemies." Some New Tactical Reflections by L. Neil Smith

During an editorial meeting with cartoonists and satirists at the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, two hooded men walked in with automatics and started shooting. The world was shocked and outraged. The aftermath of the attack was five injured and twelve dead, including a police officer, and a maintenance worker at a building two doors down from the intended target. Horrible, unspeakable violence justified, some would argue instigated, by religion.

Our natural reaction to such violence, or tragedies in general, is to rally around the victims and stand shoulder to shoulder with survivors. We create shrines of flowers, and candles, and stuffed animals at the scene of the tragedy. In recent years we've begun identifying with the victims. Live Strong, Chuck Strong, I Will Get Out Of My Car, I Can't Breathe, and now Je Suis Charlie.

"Je suis Charlie" means, I am Charlie. I've seen Christians post "Je suis Charlie". Politicians and Hollywood stars take pride in saying, "Je suis Charlie". Over 40 world leaders from nearly every world power marching in the streets of Paris under the banner, "Je suis Charlie". But is that who we really want to identify with?

Most people who say, "Je suis Charlie" have never read, or even seen Charlie Hebdo. To say that Charlie Hebdo is political satire is the most charitable way to describe the magazine. Charlie Hebdo is irreverent, offensive, divisive, and in many cases, repulsive. I doubt many Christians would proclaim, "Je suis Charlie" if they saw the cartoon depiction of Jesus having sexual relations with God the Father.

The world is not binary. Either on or off. Right or left. It is not always true that, "If you are not for me, then you are against me." What happened to the writers and editors of Charlie Hebdo was despicable and should never have happened. But that doesn't mean that we should identify with Charlie Hebdo. Sometimes the enemy of my enemy is not my friend.

I am not Charlie. I am not Al-Qaeda. But who am I?

Scripture encourages us this way: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." Eph 5:1-2 NASB

Our task is to identify with Christ, to imitate Him as best we can in every situation. But where does that leave Charlie?

If I am not Charlie, if we take the "I" out of "Je suis Charlie", we are left with something intriguing: Je-sus Charlie. Even as we are called to identify with Christ, Jesus has already identified with us, all of us. Even the cartoonists and editors of Charlie Hebdo.

"… Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 'He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.' When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 'He himself bore our sins' in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; 'by his wounds you have been healed.'" 1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭21-24‬ NIV

Every citizen, and especially every Christ follower, has a responsibility to oppose the terrorism prevalent in the world around us. We should roundly condemn violence in the name of God. But our identity is found and bound up in Jesus, our Messiah. Charlie Hebdo already has someone who identified with them - and bore their sins. And that is both the beauty and mystery of God.


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Depression is real. Deal with it.

Monday evening social media exploded. Many say they are mourning. Most are simply remembering a great entertainer; mourning our loss of a source of entertainment. Robin will be missed because he brought joy and laughter.

I never met Robin Williams. Most who did meet him probably didn't KNOW him.

But genuine mourning for Robin Williams is occurring. The loss of a father, a husband, a creative partner. They will miss the person, Robin Williams. Those types of losses are enormous, and the mourning will be great.

Christian scriptures frequently address mourning, but most people try to avoid it. The death of Robin Williams gives us an opportunity to think about subjects we try to avoid including mourning and depression.

Depression is real. Deal with it.

The author of Psalm 42 writes, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God." Jesus mourned over Jerusalem saying, "how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." There's even a whole book in the bible called Lamentations, grieving the judgment being poured out on God's people.

Depression has many causes, and is rarely only a spiritual issue. When Elijah was depressed and running away from Jezebel, God wouldn't even talk to him until Elijah got some good sleep and started eating right. If you are depressed, make sure you are eating healthy foods and getting enough rest.

God has given each of us an incredible machine called the human body. When you exercise, your body is designed to produce and release hormones that make you feel great. These hormones can help you dig out of depression, and start enjoying life again.

Also, people have a more positive view on life when they have fun in the sun. Many avoid depression during the dark winter months by simply sitting in front of a lamp that replicates the kind of light that is only found in sunlight.

But sometimes your body stops working the way it was designed. Hormone levels are abnormally low, or blood sugar levels develop wild swings, and your emotions, along with that feeling of wellbeing, take a dive.

A few years ago I was diagnosed with clinical depression. All I wanted to do was sit on the back porch and stare at the clouds. Some people with depression just sit on the couch and watch TV. Others never make it out of bed. These conditions are serious and need to be addressed.

In my case, we attacked depression from every angle. I got more rest. I reduced my stress level. I started eating right. I started exercising more. I invested a few hours in talking with a Christian counselor. I read the bible more and prayed more. And I started supplementing low hormone levels with medication under the direction of my doctor. (By the way, he also prays with his patients and prescribes select passages of scripture!)

In addition to depression, here are a few more topics we avoid.

First, suicide is no joke. If someone starts talking about taking their life, even as a joke, tell someone. Most people who commit suicide talk about it before they attempt it.

Secondly, hurting people, hurt other people. Sometimes hurting people make others laugh. Be sensitive to the bullies and the comedians around you. They may be suffering through wounds that you can't see on the outside. Pray for them and with them. Encourage them and bring God's healing into their lives.

Finally, life is short. Death is certain. Keep short accounts. Paul told the church in Ephesus, "Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry." Say the things you need to say to the people you love before it's too late.

Jesus came to give life and He grieves when we throw it away. His followers should be sources of living water, not parched deserts of gloom.

As we mourn the death of a brilliant comic, don't miss this opportunity to deal with some of these issues in your own life or those around you. Carpe Diem! Seize the day!

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What if God was really like the way we treat Him?

What if God was really like the way we treat Him?

What if all He wanted was a couple of hours of praise and adoration a week, and a few dollar bills in the offering plate?

What if God said, "Just give me ninety minutes, right in the middle of your weekend, where you tell me how wonderful I am, ask me to solve all of your health problems, and give me some of your money - even though I don't need money."

And, what if He continued, "The rest of the week, you can do whatever you want. After all, there's no such thing as hell. Eventually, you'll all get to heaven where there is only pleasure - no pain or suffering. Until then, you'll just have to suffer through this life until I decide it's time for you to 'come home.'"

That kind of God sounds shallow, self-centered, cold, and sadistic. Why would anyone worship, let alone serve, a God like that?

The question is, why do we act like that's all God expects of us? And if God expects more from us, why do we act like falling short of that expectation won't break His heart?

Jesus said, "Very truly (notice He didn't say truly, He said VERY truly), whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing."

That's hard to comprehend. Whoever ... anybody - not just "special somebodies." Will do ... not MIGHT do. Not just truly, VERY truly.

But he went on, "And they will do even greater things." Really? Greater? Even greater?

Jesus was telling His disciples that there was a spectrum of "Christ-like Behavior" and He was expecting them to surpass Him! Jesus wasn't going to set the standard, His disciples were!

I know it's hard to comprehend, so let's set aside the "greater than" expectation for a moment. Our minds don't know what to do with that information. Let's not wrestle with that mind-blowing idea right now.

What do we do with this - if Jesus expected us to do greater works, why is the typical Christian behavior closer to the low end of the spectrum than the middle, where Christ said He would be?

Some would say, "Today our 'works' aren't miracles - like Jesus did. Our 'works' are  caring, and teaching, and preaching." But that doesn't fit the context of Jesus' comment.

Jesus was talking to Thomas. You know, the one we've nicknamed Doubting Thomas. It would only be a few days from that moment when Thomas wouldn't believe that Jesus had risen from the dead, even though he had witnessed Jesus do amazing things.

Perhaps with that future moment of doubt in mind, Jesus urges Thomas, "Believe me! If not because I'm saying it, believe because of the works that you've seen me do!"

It's not a very good argument to say, "Believe me! If not because I'm saying it, believe because you've seen me teach, and preach, and care for people." In other words, "If you can't believe what I'm saying, at least believe because I've preached it, and taught it before."

So, continuing that interpretation, Jesus says, "Very truly, whoever believes in me will teach, and preach, and care. And you will teach, and preach, and care even greater than me." That means that Jesus is expecting us to teach better and preach better than He did. Do you think anyone could teach or preach better than Jesus? Do you think we could care for people more than Jesus cares?

Even if that was what He was saying, most Christians aren't teaching, and preaching, and caring anywhere close to how Jesus did. So the question remains, why do we behave as if all God expects from us is a few songs and prayers before noon on Sunday and a monetary tip proportional to how we feel He's taken care of us in the previous week?

What if God's idea of church is greater? What if God's idea of being a disciple is more than we can imagine?

What if God's ways are higher than our ways? That almost sounds like scripture ...

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Nazis, CIA Agents, and Obamacare

Officials in Germany want to have a Pennsylvania man charged with war crimes. He was a prison guard at Auschwitz - one of the most notorious Nazi death camps during World War II. The 87 year-old man admits this, but argues that he did not take part in gassing the Jews.

We cry out that this man should be tried and convicted of unspeakable horrors. Even if he wasn't personally responsible for deaths, he should have stopped it. His conscience should have demanded action.

Recently, CIA interrogators used questionable methods to gain information they believed was vital to fight the war on terror. One of these methods was "water boarding".

Many people say these CIA agents should be tried and convicted for their actions. Excuses that they were "just following orders" and the "ends justified the means" do not make them innocent. Their consciences should have made them stop and question their tactics.

We all hold firmly to the belief that you and I have a responsibility to follow our conscience and prevent "wrongdoing" or "horrific actions" when we see them occur. We believe that people should be held accountable for their actions even if they were "just following the law". In short we believe in the duty, or responsibility, of conscience.

This is such a strong belief in America that we have laid clear boundaries respecting the right of conscience - the flip side of the responsibility of conscience. Since the founding of this nation, we have valued the right of individuals to follow their conscience even when it violated a law or statute. There are conscientious objectors who did not have to serve in the military when we had a draft. Amish students are exempt from truancy laws after a certain age. And up until recently, nurses could not be forced to participate in abortions if it violated their conscience.

We have long understood that we are ultimately accountable to God and society for our actions, good or evil, regardless of what the law requires. We resonate with the warning given by James, the half-brother of Jesus, "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

But the right of conscience has been challenged. In February 2011, the Obama administration revoked the right of conscience for healthcare workers to "opt out" of procedures they found morally questionable. Then earlier this year, the administration refused to extend the right of conscience to individuals providing health care coverage for their employees. Employers MUST now provide government defined insurance coverage even if that includes procedures and medication that violates the provider's conscience.

But that forces us into a dilemma: We can't deny the rights of conscience to medical workers and insurance providers, and at the same time hold former Nazi guards and CIA agents responsible to what we think their conscience should have demanded. We must choose.

Choice #1: We can grant the right of conscience to anyone who claims it, and retain the right to hold individuals accountable to their conscience when they make choices that are obviously evil.

Choice #2: We can deny the right of conscience to individuals to who claim it, and lose the right to hold ex-Nazi guards and CIA agents accountable.

We cannot have it both ways. Having it both ways would be what the founders called "tyranny" - the arbitrary exercise of power.

A consistent, stable society requires recognition of the rights of conscience. Without that right, we will be reduced to tyranny.

The right of conscience must be defended vigorously, even when we disagree with those claiming it. If we deny the rights of conscience to others, it will not be there when we need it, even when facing death camps and water boarding. If we are to defend the right of conscience then we must repeal and replace Obamacare and encourage our President to repeal Executive Orders that strip medical professionals of this basic constitutional right.

On November 6^th you have the opportunity to defend the right of conscience by voting for people who understand and who will defend that right. No one else can do it for you.

The choice is yours. Choose well.

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The Real Mike Pence

Mike Pence’s challenger for governor has some pretty humorous ads on TV, but they paint a twisted cartoon image of a man I know and respect. If all you know about Mike Pence is what you see in attack ads or what you hear from canned talking points, then I'd like to introduce you to the real Mike Pence.

Mike first successfully ran for Congress shortly after my young family moved to New Castle. It w

as refreshing to see a positive campaign amid a sea of partisan mudslinging. From a distance Mike looked friendly and competent. In 2004 the Ferrells went to Washington D.C. for the first time and got to see Mike up-close.

My daughters, my wife, and I were taking an elevator to the floor where Mike's office was located; it was his fourth year in office. As we stepped off the elevator Mike was waiting to take the elevator back down. I whispered to my girls, "That's our congressman." Mike heard me and stepped out of the elevator, letting it move to another floor without him. He spent the next several minutes talking to Kaitie and Emily. It was then that I became a Pence supporter.

Since then I have attended town hall meetings and observed a congressman who was there primarily to listen. And I saw something else. Mike stood up against his fellow Republicans and a Republican President when they were spending more than a healthy budget could afford. Mike has gently shut down people making personal attacks on the current President, even though he disagrees with nearly every policy position of the current administration.

I've volunteered for the congressman since 2010 and have seen the integrity with which he and his staff conduct themselves. The vision statement for his campaign is "to glorify God through public service." Their tactics include modeling a servant attitude and promoting positive ideas. When my father passed away in the spring of 2011, the Pence staff sent me one of the most meaningful cards of support that included several prayers and encouraging scripture verses. And in what seems like a throwback to an earlier generation, they do not schedule events on Sunday.

Recently, Mike prayed with a group of volunteers before sending them on their various routes home. I've even seen him lunge to catch a toddler falling from her father's shoulders, even though Mike was scheduled for knee surgery the very next day.

The Mike Pence I know is a man of integrity who loves God, loves his family, and loves to serve the people he represents. He is highly effective, widely respected, and committed to a positive campaign that champions good jobs, great schools, safe streets, and strong families. Mike is far from the cartoon character that some people draw. He's a seasoned leader and will make an excellent Governor of Indiana.

You can find me on FACEBOOK at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719). Here's a link to my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/) Thanks for reading!