Some abortion advocates would have us believe that abortion is simply a routine medical procedure, a procedure no more consequential than removing a "clump of cells" or a "blob of tissue". It's a mighty strange "routine procedure" wherein 64% of women undergoing it feel pressured to do so; 65% of women who undergo it experience higher risks of clinical depression than those who carry their children to term; suicide rates for post-aborted women are 6 times higher compared to women who carry their children to birth; and deaths due to all causes are over three times higher among women who have had abortions than for those women who give birth. According to the statistics, abortion inflicts dreadful injury and even death on women; some routine medical procedure.
Women and children deserve better than abortion. May the Kingdom unite for the well-being of women by giving them real love and support through pregnancy, birth and beyond. No to abortion; yes to love and life.
Get more information on abortion's effects on womens' health at www.theunchoice.com
Rudy Poglitsh
rpoglitsh@live.com
more letters at http://letterstotheTOS.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
What Is In a Name?
On 19 July Mr. AB Suleiman offered an understanding of Allah in Islam (see article below). In closing his letter, Mr. Suleiman mentions different words for the Supreme Being from different languages. It is my understanding that some Christians in the Middle East do refer to the Christian God as Allah. Perhaps the lesson we can learn is that although the name we ascribe to the ultimate Deity is important, the characteristics of that Deity are what really tell us about Him.
Mr. Suleiman says that Allah listens to peoples' prayers and meets all their needs, dealing with them in mercy and compassion. Again, Jews, Christians and Muslims all agree on this. We can all be glad for His love for us.
But a little reflection leads us to some questions: What is God's life like, in Himself? He keeps the universe in operation, and we can be glad for that; but even though the whole universe is a vast thing to us, it is not a vast thing to the Infinite, Ultimate Being. So what else can infinite God do since running the universe is not an adequate activity to occupy Him?
God Almighty loves human beings, and we can be mighty glad for that too. Still, we finite beings are hardly an adequate object for infinite love. We can neither fully appreciate nor return infinite love. As writer Frank Sheed says in his book Theology for Beginners, "Is infinite love [God] never to find an object worthy of it?"
In the middle section of his letter, Mr. Suleiman said "The one most highly emphasized aspect of God in Islam is His Unity. God is One. He has no associates. He is neither born of anyone nor gives birth to anyone. He shares His supremacy in the universe with no one. To associate anyone else with God is shirk (ascribing partners with Him) and it is a grave sin in Islam."
Jews, Muslims and Christians all agree that God is One. Is there nothing and no one adequate to receive and return God's love? Is God ever to be frustrated in loving, because the fullness of His love is never fully appreciated and returned? Christianity says 'No'. The Christian Bible says that God is love. That is his nature. Before anything else was created God loved and was loved perfectly. But love must have an object.
Again from Mr. Sheed: "It was left to Christ Our Lord to reveal to us that there is companionship within the one divine nature-not a number of Gods, but three persons within the one God. It is in the knowledge and love of the three persons that the divine life is lived." Through all eternity, the three persons who are the One God know and love one another. This eternal and dynamic exchange of love remains totally sufficient within the divine life.
From the Christian perspective, there is no "ascribing of partners" to God in this truth, for each person within the One God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-is fully God. And since there are three persons in the one God, His infinite love can be fully received and reciprocated.
The interior life of God is difficult to understand; still, just because something is hard to understand does not make it untrue. Interested readers are encouraged to see Sheed's book.
The wonder of love is that it always produces life. God knows eternally the joy of divine love, and he made human life that we might experience a portion of that love. Even when our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned and turned away from Him, He had a plan-born of love-to bring us back to Himself. God the Son-Jesus Christ-came to earth and without losing His divinity became a fully human man, to offer his life to God the Father to forgive us of our sins.
True love involves sacrifice. We can ask, "How much does God love me?". Our answer comes when we look at a picture of Jesus on the Cross. He is telling us, with arms outstretched on the Cross, "This much".
God is One, and God is love. Within the divine life moves an eternal circle of love. This love overflowed in our creation, and in Christ's sacrifice to bring us back into relationship with God. Let us give thanks for God's perfect unity in love, and His love for us.
Rudy Poglitsh
rpoglitsh@live.com
Mr. Suleiman says that Allah listens to peoples' prayers and meets all their needs, dealing with them in mercy and compassion. Again, Jews, Christians and Muslims all agree on this. We can all be glad for His love for us.
But a little reflection leads us to some questions: What is God's life like, in Himself? He keeps the universe in operation, and we can be glad for that; but even though the whole universe is a vast thing to us, it is not a vast thing to the Infinite, Ultimate Being. So what else can infinite God do since running the universe is not an adequate activity to occupy Him?
God Almighty loves human beings, and we can be mighty glad for that too. Still, we finite beings are hardly an adequate object for infinite love. We can neither fully appreciate nor return infinite love. As writer Frank Sheed says in his book Theology for Beginners, "Is infinite love [God] never to find an object worthy of it?"
In the middle section of his letter, Mr. Suleiman said "The one most highly emphasized aspect of God in Islam is His Unity. God is One. He has no associates. He is neither born of anyone nor gives birth to anyone. He shares His supremacy in the universe with no one. To associate anyone else with God is shirk (ascribing partners with Him) and it is a grave sin in Islam."
Jews, Muslims and Christians all agree that God is One. Is there nothing and no one adequate to receive and return God's love? Is God ever to be frustrated in loving, because the fullness of His love is never fully appreciated and returned? Christianity says 'No'. The Christian Bible says that God is love. That is his nature. Before anything else was created God loved and was loved perfectly. But love must have an object.
Again from Mr. Sheed: "It was left to Christ Our Lord to reveal to us that there is companionship within the one divine nature-not a number of Gods, but three persons within the one God. It is in the knowledge and love of the three persons that the divine life is lived." Through all eternity, the three persons who are the One God know and love one another. This eternal and dynamic exchange of love remains totally sufficient within the divine life.
From the Christian perspective, there is no "ascribing of partners" to God in this truth, for each person within the One God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-is fully God. And since there are three persons in the one God, His infinite love can be fully received and reciprocated.
The interior life of God is difficult to understand; still, just because something is hard to understand does not make it untrue. Interested readers are encouraged to see Sheed's book.
The wonder of love is that it always produces life. God knows eternally the joy of divine love, and he made human life that we might experience a portion of that love. Even when our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned and turned away from Him, He had a plan-born of love-to bring us back to Himself. God the Son-Jesus Christ-came to earth and without losing His divinity became a fully human man, to offer his life to God the Father to forgive us of our sins.
True love involves sacrifice. We can ask, "How much does God love me?". Our answer comes when we look at a picture of Jesus on the Cross. He is telling us, with arms outstretched on the Cross, "This much".
God is One, and God is love. Within the divine life moves an eternal circle of love. This love overflowed in our creation, and in Christ's sacrifice to bring us back into relationship with God. Let us give thanks for God's perfect unity in love, and His love for us.
Rudy Poglitsh
rpoglitsh@live.com
Saturday, July 17, 2010
KFC and Halaal
In Friday's Times, "Swazi Citizen" decries a rude letter ("The Wrath of Satan") from a Christian. I missed that letter; it's sad if it was a hurtful letter. All interreligous dialogue should be respectful. It's also true that lots of food items in Swaziland are already marked "Halaal" (including macaroni noodles and jam). These two items also carry the "Parev" (Jewish) marking, indicating it is acceptable for Jews to eat them on some occasions. And although I cannot find an item right now, I seem to remember seeing some sort of seal indicating some food items are acceptable for Hindus. So we have reached interreligious common ground on a number of food items already.
"Swazi Citizen" is also right to suggest getting facts straight. He asks, "What would Jesus do?". I think Jesus would want Christians to clearly propose the truths Christ taught in respectful interreligious dialogue. If we are clear in the use of our terms; it will make it much easier to know where both parties stand. Then, understanding-if not perfect agreement, right away-can grow.
We know what Jesus said about Himself, because we have His words in the Bible: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me". Also, "I and the Father are one". Also, "Before Abraham was born, I am!" Also,"My son, your sins are forgiven"-a statement the religious people nearby understood to be Jesus' claim to be on equal standing with God. "Swazi Citizen" says his Quran respects Jesus; but I think we can all agree that there is a big difference between 1) showing someone respect and 2) believing they are God incarnate (which Christians hold is true) and deserving of worship as such. Jesus also says "I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he." In this case, Jesus means "unless you believe I am the Messiah". The issue of Jesus' identity is a major dividing issue, perhaps the biggest one, between Muslims and Christians. Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, but not on equal standing with God; Christians believe He is God the Son, who lived and died on the cross and rose again to save humans from sin and to bring them into restored relationship with God the Father.
It is good to learn each others beliefs accurately so that we can communicate well about the things that we hold most dear.
Rudy Poglitsh
rpoglitsh@live.com
more letters at http://letterstotheTOS.blogspot.com
Be The Good Samaritan
Most of us are familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan, the story Jesus told to remind us that the person we find in need is our neighbor. Pastor Frank Pavone (USA) gives some illumination to Jesus' parable. He explains that in Jesus' time, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was very dangerous; robbers would frequently waylay travelers and do to them just what the robbers in Jesus' story did to the poor traveler. As for why the Levite and the priest passed by the wounded man, Pastor Pavone writes: "Perhaps the priest and the Levite who passed by that man asked themselves, 'If I stop to help this man, what might happen to me? Maybe the robbers who attacked him are sill here. Maybe they're hiding just around the bend. This is a dangerous road. I better keep going.'"
Pastor Pavone continues: "And then the Good Samaritan came along, and he reversed the question. He didn't ask, 'If I help this man, what will happen to me?' The Good Samaritan asked, 'If I do not help this man, what will happen to him?'"
Pastor Pavone's illumination of this parable bears on our lives. The modern western mindset-a mindset more and more prevalent in the world as time goes by-considers the lives of unborn children disposable. The contemporary world is that dangerous road from Jericho to Jerusalem. If we do not defend unborn children and their moms from a "choice" which kills one and wounds the other, who will? If we do not defend mothers from the pressure to "get rid of the problem" if they find themselves unexpectedly pregnant, who will? The priest and the Levite took the easy way for themselves, but history holds them in low regard. The Good Samaritan did the more difficult thing, but the assault victim and history hold him in high regard. May we be the Good Samaritan by promoting the life and dignity of moms and their unborn children. May Swaziland build a culture of life.
Rudy Poglitsh
rpoglitsh@live.com
more letters at http://letterstotheTOS.blogspot.com
Pastor Pavone continues: "And then the Good Samaritan came along, and he reversed the question. He didn't ask, 'If I help this man, what will happen to me?' The Good Samaritan asked, 'If I do not help this man, what will happen to him?'"
Pastor Pavone's illumination of this parable bears on our lives. The modern western mindset-a mindset more and more prevalent in the world as time goes by-considers the lives of unborn children disposable. The contemporary world is that dangerous road from Jericho to Jerusalem. If we do not defend unborn children and their moms from a "choice" which kills one and wounds the other, who will? If we do not defend mothers from the pressure to "get rid of the problem" if they find themselves unexpectedly pregnant, who will? The priest and the Levite took the easy way for themselves, but history holds them in low regard. The Good Samaritan did the more difficult thing, but the assault victim and history hold him in high regard. May we be the Good Samaritan by promoting the life and dignity of moms and their unborn children. May Swaziland build a culture of life.
Rudy Poglitsh
rpoglitsh@live.com
more letters at http://letterstotheTOS.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)