GroshLink

The President's Stem Cell Theology

"His actions are based on strong religious beliefs on the part of some conservative Christians, and presumably the president himself. Such convictions deserve respect, but it is wrong to impose them on this pluralistic nation . . . The president's policy is based on the belief that all embryos, even the days-old, microscopic form used to derive stem cells in a laboratory dish, should be treated as emerging human life and protected from harm. This seems an extreme way to view tiny laboratory entities that are no larger than the period at the end of this sentence and are routinely flushed from the body by Mother Nature when created naturally. "

Our perspective shapes our decision making, particularly when we have difficult decisions to make. Many times leader and follower alike fold to popular rhetoric. Pluralism as advanced in this opinion piece, seems to advance a big tent in which we can have our little naive faith umbrella as long as we fold them up when we enter the real world. But our interactions w/God, His Word, His People, and life experiences are real and should guide our actions and conversation . . . and that can be quite a good thing according to David Brooks. I guess I have to agree w/this Jewish commentator.

A Natural Alliance: Liberals and evangelical Christians can work together to fight poverty at home and abroad

"I see evangelicals who are more and more influenced by Catholic social teaching, with its emphasis on good works. I see the historical rift healing between those who emphasized personal and social morality. Most of all, I see a new sort of evangelical leader emerging.

Millions of evangelicals are embarrassed by the people held up by the news media as their spokesmen. Millions of evangelicals feel less represented by the culture war-centered parachurch organizations, and better represented by congregational pastors, who have a broader range of interests and more passion for mobilizing volunteers to perform service. Millions of evangelicals want leaders who live the faith by serving the poor.

Serious differences over life issues are not going to go away. But more liberals and evangelicals are realizing that you don't have to convert people; sometimes you can just work with them. The world is suddenly crowded with people like Rick Warren and Bono who are trying to step out of the logic of the culture war so they can accomplish more in the poverty war. "