One of the biggest problems I see in society today is the insistence on pluralism, or the view that all faiths are equally valid and none can claim to be more right than any other.
My son, Z, a Life Scout, recently attended National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). This is a week long camp put on by local councils of The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in order to teach scouts leadership skills and return them to their Troops equipped to serve them in a true scout-led model. It was a good experience for him and I'm glad he was able to attend.
He has served as Chaplain's Aide for his Troop for almost a year now, so he was particularly interested in the Scout Service portion of the training. Scout Services are simply a small religious service or devotion time held during the regular camp outs or other outings in which the Troop participates. BSA is non-sectarian and, while holding a high regard for faith in God, does not dictate what god or how that faith plays out in each individual's life. As such, they encourage Scout Services to be pluralistic in their approach to include those of all faiths.
Z has written most of his own devotionals for the Scout Services during his tenure as Chaplain's Aide and he is true to his Christianity and speaks from scripture without watering it down to have the pluralistic appeal BSA likes to see. This has not been an issue. Z's Troop is chartered by a Baptist church and while I'm sure there are members of the Troop from a variety of religious backgrounds, those who join know what they are getting.
The funny thing is, I don't think Z ever even considered BSA would have him conduct a Scout Service inclusive of all beliefs until he attended NYLT. I believe the idea of BSA wanting him to be anything but true to God's Holy Word took him by surprise. So when I picked him up after the week was over, the Scout Service was what he talked about the most, indignant that a scout he knew to be a Christian was teaching the group that they needed to hold services inclusive of all faiths, whether Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Hindu or whatever. Finally, he declared, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to do that."
About this same time, the media began reporting on public outcry that Obama had asked Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation. Aside from gay rights groups upset because Warren strongly supported California's Proposition 8 outlawing same sex marriage, there were those upset for fear that Warren would pray in the name of Jesus, citing such a prayer as inappropriate in a public ceremony. Pluralism, to those opposed, was the correct course of action. When asked if he would invoke the name of Christ in his prayer, Warren said, "I'm a Christian pastor so I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray." Now I'm not a big fan of Rick Warren, but I do not question his heart. I may be wrong, but his response makes it clear to me as to how he will pray during this public ceremony.
Finally there is the issue of military chaplains and their freedom to pray and conduct services according to their personal convictions. It seems this right is in jeopardy by some who believe military chaplains should only pray and hold services that give equal merit to all belief systems.
These issues bring up some interesting issues. On one hand, those individuals who serve in the military, accept invitations to pray at an inauguration, or place membership in a private organization have the freedom to be true to their beliefs and pray and teach according to those beliefs. On the other hand, I'm a firm believer in separation of church and state, although not to the degree in which it has been defined by the courts throughout the years. The military is still an all volunteer organization and invitations to pray at state functions can be declined. I also believe private organizations such as BSA should be allowed to determine the types of religious services conducted within that organization and no one can force membership to those organizations.
But here is the bottom line. In all we do and everywhere we go, Christian's are first and foremost to be followers of Christ. As a Christian, one cannot pray to or teach any other god than the God of scripture. We can respect the beliefs of others and still know there is only one way to The Father. To do anything else would be to dishonor Him rather than to love Him with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. To do anything else would be a disservice to your neighbor rather than loving them as you love yourself.
We are asked to accept all religions as equally legitimate, but you cannot believe that Jesus is the only way AND that other religions are true as well. Asking us to be pluralistic is rejecting that our belief is valid, and yet more and more "Christians" are denying the clear word of scripture rather than risk being offensive for the sake of other's lives.
John 14:6 Mark 12:29-31 Joshua 24:14-15
My son, Z, a Life Scout, recently attended National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). This is a week long camp put on by local councils of The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in order to teach scouts leadership skills and return them to their Troops equipped to serve them in a true scout-led model. It was a good experience for him and I'm glad he was able to attend.
He has served as Chaplain's Aide for his Troop for almost a year now, so he was particularly interested in the Scout Service portion of the training. Scout Services are simply a small religious service or devotion time held during the regular camp outs or other outings in which the Troop participates. BSA is non-sectarian and, while holding a high regard for faith in God, does not dictate what god or how that faith plays out in each individual's life. As such, they encourage Scout Services to be pluralistic in their approach to include those of all faiths.
Z has written most of his own devotionals for the Scout Services during his tenure as Chaplain's Aide and he is true to his Christianity and speaks from scripture without watering it down to have the pluralistic appeal BSA likes to see. This has not been an issue. Z's Troop is chartered by a Baptist church and while I'm sure there are members of the Troop from a variety of religious backgrounds, those who join know what they are getting.
The funny thing is, I don't think Z ever even considered BSA would have him conduct a Scout Service inclusive of all beliefs until he attended NYLT. I believe the idea of BSA wanting him to be anything but true to God's Holy Word took him by surprise. So when I picked him up after the week was over, the Scout Service was what he talked about the most, indignant that a scout he knew to be a Christian was teaching the group that they needed to hold services inclusive of all faiths, whether Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Hindu or whatever. Finally, he declared, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to do that."
About this same time, the media began reporting on public outcry that Obama had asked Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation. Aside from gay rights groups upset because Warren strongly supported California's Proposition 8 outlawing same sex marriage, there were those upset for fear that Warren would pray in the name of Jesus, citing such a prayer as inappropriate in a public ceremony. Pluralism, to those opposed, was the correct course of action. When asked if he would invoke the name of Christ in his prayer, Warren said, "I'm a Christian pastor so I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray." Now I'm not a big fan of Rick Warren, but I do not question his heart. I may be wrong, but his response makes it clear to me as to how he will pray during this public ceremony.
Finally there is the issue of military chaplains and their freedom to pray and conduct services according to their personal convictions. It seems this right is in jeopardy by some who believe military chaplains should only pray and hold services that give equal merit to all belief systems.
These issues bring up some interesting issues. On one hand, those individuals who serve in the military, accept invitations to pray at an inauguration, or place membership in a private organization have the freedom to be true to their beliefs and pray and teach according to those beliefs. On the other hand, I'm a firm believer in separation of church and state, although not to the degree in which it has been defined by the courts throughout the years. The military is still an all volunteer organization and invitations to pray at state functions can be declined. I also believe private organizations such as BSA should be allowed to determine the types of religious services conducted within that organization and no one can force membership to those organizations.
But here is the bottom line. In all we do and everywhere we go, Christian's are first and foremost to be followers of Christ. As a Christian, one cannot pray to or teach any other god than the God of scripture. We can respect the beliefs of others and still know there is only one way to The Father. To do anything else would be to dishonor Him rather than to love Him with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. To do anything else would be a disservice to your neighbor rather than loving them as you love yourself.
We are asked to accept all religions as equally legitimate, but you cannot believe that Jesus is the only way AND that other religions are true as well. Asking us to be pluralistic is rejecting that our belief is valid, and yet more and more "Christians" are denying the clear word of scripture rather than risk being offensive for the sake of other's lives.
John 14:6 Mark 12:29-31 Joshua 24:14-15
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