A call to all fathers

This father's day, there has been some controversy over the words President Barak Obama spoke regarding fatherhood and its importance in family life. I can honestly state that this is one issue in which I actually agree with our president. And it is not just an African-American problem, but a human problem that crosses all ethnic and religious boundaries. Therefore, I wish to make the following call to all men who either have biological children, or are with a woman who has children by another man: be a father. Anyone with a functional male organ can be a baby-daddy. It takes a real man to be a father.

I'm not saying you have to marry the mother of your children, or that you even have to be with that person. I am saying we all as fathers have an obligation, albeit a difficult yet rewarding one, to be a significant, positive part of our children's lives.

As a man who has a child I can speak to this issue. Being a father is not always easy. Like anything worthwhile it takes hard work and self-sacrifice to be a father to your children. I have changed hundreds of diapers, made thousands of bottles of formula, spent countless hours holding, cradling, rocking and swaying my daughter. I have sacrificed time with friends, family and time alone for my daughter. I have sacrificed countless hours of sleep and rest for her sake. I have worked long hours at work for overtime pay to provide for my family. And this is the bare minimum of what is required of a father. I'm not saying I'm perfect. I have made more than my fair share of parental "oopsies" in the past year since my daughter was born. There have been the occasional boo-boos and a few unnoticed soiled diapers. But the wonderful thing about it is that kids at this age are very forgiving which allows for the parental learning process to unfold naturally.

But here's the great news: the sacrifice is not without reward. I have gained more joy in the past year getting to know this beautiful little girl than I have in the whole of my entire life doing anything else. My daughter Lola has brought my wife and I closer together than we have ever been, she has made me laugh harder than anything else ever has, and she has made me proud to be a father.

The reward is not one-sided either. It's a win-win for you and your children as well. Being there for your children has a lasting impact on their lives and who they become. I know my daughter will be better off for the time I spent with her, and that alone makes every second worthwhile. I can already see, in her 11 month old eyes, joy at my return from work, and sadness when I go away. That alone has given more meaning and purpose to my life and work than any other worldly thing could. And that is just a small piece of it.

Finally and, I believe, most importantly being a father has shown me the deepest bond of love that a human being can have. My wife and daughter have become my most valued treasures in this whole world. And my love for them both is indescribable. This love comes naturally and easily with time. And it makes all the hard work, sacrifice and sleep deprivation much easier and definitely worthwhile.

So dads, be dads to your kids. You and they will all be very glad you did.

DH out.

God has a sense of humor

Not that I would advocate making fun of God, flirting with blasphemy, but I do believe that even God has a sense of humor. The evidence, in my opinion, comes from the verses in scripture that speak to human kind being "made in the image of God." I find this to be an extremely interesting fact. We are not equals to God, and yet we are a representative symbol of God's personhood. (much like art can be representative of humanity.) This means that we are endowed by our creator with many characteristics that God Himself possesses. We understand God to be triune; three persons of one substance: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We also are, in a sense, triune: Body, Mind, and Soul. (I would argue that our mind is representative of the Father, who is Creator; our body, the Son who was made flesh; our Soul, the Holy Spirit which dwells in us.) We, like God but to a much lesser extent, are creative, intuitive, intelligent, and we have a sense of humor. I believe that Christ while on earth also displayed a sense of humor. He was, after all, fully Human while being fully God. And while this may not be clearly demonstrated in the Bible, I still believe it to be true. 

Laughter and humor cross cultural and ethnic boundaries. Even apart from language, some things are just inherently funny to most if not all of us. (e.g. pixar short animations sans dialogue.) And yet many cultures have a humor that is uniquely their own. Laughter, like all other human traits, was created by God and gifted to his creation: humanity.

The reason I speak to this is that many people find humor about our faith to be blasphemous. Yet I feel that we can, and often should, laugh at our feeble, and oft misguided attempts at understanding God. A few good examples that I have found include movies such as "Monty Python's The Life of Brian," "Dogma," etc. These films, along with many satirical excerpts of t.v. shows like Family Guy among others, make fun of our limited understanding of who God is and our strange and often misunderstood religious practices that stem from it. I may be among a minority of Christians who feels this way, but I do believe that this is acceptable even in the eyes of our Lord.

God loves us, cries with us, hurts with us, and yes, laughs with us even as we laugh at ourselves. And that is not limited to non-religious humor. So let's continue to laugh with God.

DH out.

Freedom Isn't Free

This memorial day, I thought I would post briefly about our servicemen and women who have served their country for the sake of freedom and in defense of peace. Today we honor them for their service, their sacrifice, and their courage. It has been my opinion that sometimes in order to make peace, we must defend the weak and seek justice for the defenseless. And so I say this in honor of all who have served, in the words of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: Blessed are the peacemakers.

It is well to note also that freedom from sin and death also is not free. It required the sacrifice of the one who is blameless to pay the price for our shortfalls. And because of His sacrifice, today we not only enjoy physical and political freedom, but spiritual freedom as well. So this memorial day, in addition to remembering those who have sacrificed of themselves for our freedom from tyranny and oppression, remember the one who sacrificed Himself for our freedom from sin and death.

DH out.

God is Not About Hate

Recently I learned from Philip DeFranco (a YouTube personality) that the Westboro Baptist Church will be picketing in Joplin Missouri, where a destructive tornado ripped the town of Joplin in half and killed a lot of people. The WBC claims that the tornado was God's Judgment on Joplin for accepting homosexuality within their community... Really? This is what people are reduced to now? Is this the new public face of Christianity? Because I can find several reasons why the Westboro Baptist Church is not a truly Christian organization.

First and foremost, the message of Christ is one of love. God loves us, (John 3:16) and we should love God and love other people like we love ourselves. The fact that the message of the WBC is one of hate for homosexuals and people that they disagree with clearly separates them from this message of love which is fundamental to Christian theology.

Second, the message of the Gospel is not "you are going to hell." This cannot be stressed enough. People have over-emphasized hellfire and brimstone in their theology for centuries. But when one takes a closer look at scripture, one sees very clearly that the message is not that we are going to hell, but rather that we do not have to. Yes, in the end there will be those who reject God, and ultimately God honors their decision and separates Himself from them. But scripture is clear: God wants all of us to be with Him in the end. It is simply up to us to choose Him.

Third, Jesus himself spent time with the outcasts of society: tax collectors, prostitutes and "sinners," lepers etc. I would not be surprised in the least to learn that there was a homosexual or two (or more) who spent time with Jesus (though admittedly that is speculative and not clearly recorded in scripture.) The message that the Westboro Baptist Church plasters all over their signs, the one about God and whom He allegedly "hates," could not be further from the truth. God does NOT hate homosexuals. To the contrary! God loves all of His children regardless of their sexual orientation.

The WBC is confusing "sin" with people who sin. God hates sin in all its forms. And we, all of us, are people who sin. None is above reproach. We have all done things that we wouldn't be proud of. And, news flash for the WBC, sexual sin does not rank higher than any other sin. But the good news is that we are not beyond hope! The Gospel message is clear: God came to Earth in the man Jesus and sacrificed himself to save us from the punishment that our sin requires: death. That is love beyond love. And it is free to all who believe; including Homosexuals. And that is missed entirely by the WBC.

So what is the WBC on about? Why are they so riled up? The simple answer is that they are taking passages from the old testament that speak about sexual sin, combining them with apocalyptic texts from the books of Daniel and Revelation, and twisting them around to create a cocktail of hate and judgment. It is true that in the Bible there are harsh words about sexual sin, and homosexual behavior (men sleeping with men and women with women) is mentioned therein. However, homosexual fornication clearly bears no greater weight than say, oh, false teaching or judging others does. These are also spoken about in harsh terms in both the Old and New Testaments.

People would do well to remember that anyone who warns others of God's Wrath is missing the point of the Gospel message. Jesus' message was one of love and hope. We have hope for the future because of God's love for us all. And while God is a God of justice, He is also a God of mercy and grace. And that is why the Westboro Baptist Church does not speak for God or for Christianity in spite of their claims to the contrary.

DH out.

Escatology and the Problems with Prediction

In light of all of this Harold Camping end of the world nonsense, I thought it relevant to speak my mind regarding escatology (the study of the end times) and the dangers of making predictions. First and foremost it is impossible to know the mind of God in its entirety. We understand bits and pieces through our understanding of scripture, but even then, not all of us get it right most of the time, and none of us get it completely right all the time.

So how, then, can we accurately predict exactly when, how, and what will transpire at the end of the world? The short answer: we can't. We can, however, get a rough idea based on the prophetic portions of scripture. We know that a day of judgment is on its way. Some say any day now, others say a bad guy has to rule the world for a few years first. All of that is speculative and highly subjective to the individual's interpretation of scripture. 

We also know that in some way, a better world will come from this "Day of the Lord" as it is referred to in the Bible. Some subscribe to the idea that the entire universe, all of creation, will be destroyed to make way for a new creation. Others say that the current creation will be brought back to a "like new" condition, otherwise called a "redeemed earth" escatology. Either way, we know the new digs will be way better than the old.

Now the concept of a "rapture" which is what Camping predicted for May 21 2011, (which obviously did not happen) whereby all those whom God will save are beamed up to heaven for eternity, in and of itself is controversial within the Christian faith regardless of Camping's date for it. Some say it will happen but disagree on whether a "tribulation" has to happen first, others subscribe to the idea that scripture itself does not describe a literal rapture at all, and that when the day of judgment comes, it will be held here on earth rather than on some celestial plain, or that we will all be physically dead on the day of Judgment. Once again these interpretations are highly speculative and dependant entirely upon one's interpretation of scripture.

So what can we expect, and when can we expect it? The Bible's prophetic words speak of destruction, desolation, famine, pestilence, war, natural disasters, economic turmoil, and a general popularity rating of 0 for God's people.  (Some say both Jews and Christians, others say just the Jews, still others say just the Christians.) Now, some believe that the Bible is speaking apocalyptically about things that have already come to pass, either in the 1st century Rome (believed to be the "new Babylon" spoken about in Revelation) or in more recent history. (the black death, 2 world wars, the holocaust, earthquakes and floods, volcanic activity, the great depression, the great recession, 9/11, Iraq and Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt, etc., etc., etc.) Still others believe that the worst is yet to come. Either way, the world has seen a lot of hard times already, (see list above) and our future as a society does look grim here in the united states with an ever increasing debt and huge deficits, bankrupted entitlement programs, millions out of work and even more overworked and underpaid. But I'm getting off topic...

So why is it dangerous to make hard and fast predictions about what will come to pass? The first danger is that in making a prediction often people dismiss you, and the faith with which you associate yourself, outright as malarkey, insanity, and idiocy. And if any predictions are made for an upcoming date, as was done by the now debunked Harold Camping, their initial dismissal of you and your beliefs are proved to be correct and the mocking comes to a head as was the case with poor Mr. Camping.

Secondly, there is a distinct problem of arrogance about making predictions based on scripture. Once one claims to be "enlightened" in their exegetical formula to the point that they are seeing things in scripture, like dates and times, that no one else ever saw or even agrees with now, then we have a problem. That person basically claims they know more than all the scholars in biblical eschatological history combined. Somehow they are better than everyone else at reading and understanding the Bible. And THAT is arrogance and pride at an enormous level.

So what do I think will happen? I think it it important for us as Christians to remember 3 fundamental truths: Christ will return again, his victory will be complete, and we will spend eternity with Him. When it happens and how we get there are, at this point in history, immaterial. And as I do not presume to have all the answers, I do not espouse any one side of escatology over the other. And I think I like it that way.

So what does that mean we should do?

The bible is very clear: keep your lamps trimmed and burning. That is to say, be spiritually ready for Christ to return any moment, but live your life as though you will live on earth for a hundred years. This is sage advice, as when death takes us unexpectedly, we will be prepared to meet our Lord.

DH out.

About blogging...

This medium of information sharing known as the internet is strange, and very much so. Here, unchecked and unabashed, people may air their opinions and views regarding any subject that enters into their brain-box. Sadly, and more often than not, these opinions go unnoticed and fade into oblivion without significance.  Why should anyone else out there care about the opinion of someone they don't even know? How do we gauge the validity of an opinion and weigh it against the opinions of those we know? An opinion carries validity when it is poignant, relevant, educated, intelligent and ethical. These are the standards by which I attempt to formulate my own opinions and perspectives. As a Christian my opinions are often weighed against the ethics and moral standards of scripture. As an academic my opinions are weighed against the opinions of my peers and of other learned folk. These factors are what make my opinions worth a look at the very least. The fact that my opinions are fluid and dynamic alone are reason enough to engage me in dialogue when an opinion of mine strikes you as problematic.

All that to say, I am going to try to update this blog more often, and I hope you, my readers, will engage my opinions with your own in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter. (@davidsheise)

Thank you, my readers, for taking the time to read my opinions. Stay tuned!

DH out.

An open letter to all “True Believers:” A message of caution, hope, and love.

The following is a message that God has been laying upon my heart to share with all those who were taken up by Harold Camping’s prophecy of Judgment Day on May 21 2011. Now that this date has been proven beyond a doubt to NOT be Judgment Day, and now that many of you have become disillusioned to Mr. Camping’s teachings after sacrificing much of your time, money and effort in support of this fallacy, I wanted to bring you the following message of caution, hope and love. First and foremost, remember that no matter what, God loves you. His promises are steadfast and true, regardless of what anyone says. The Bible is clear about God’s love for us:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 3:16-17 (KJV)

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)

This verse in 2 Peter is key. God wills that none should perish, but that all should be brought to salvation by His Grace through faith in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-10) I caution you: do not be caught up in the next prophecy of Harold Camping. Rather than await Judgment in October, spiritually prepare yourselves DAILY for Christ’s return. For October 21 has just as much likelihood of being the day of Christ’s return as tomorrow, or a thousand years from now. Here is the evidence:

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

2 Peter 3:10 (KJV)

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

Matt 24:36-42 (KJV)

Therefore, do not quit your jobs, or sit at home and wait for Jesus to come back. Do not sell your homes and possessions to donate the proceeds to Family Radio or to further Harold Camping’s message. But rather live your life; Live life for Christ and His Kingdom daily. In this way you will be prepared for Judgment Day no matter when it occurs, and you will be a living testament to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to non-believers all around you.

The fruit of Harold Camping’s false prophecy has been revealed. And believe me it in and of itself is a sign of the end times. Christ had this to say of what will come to pass before the day of the Lord:

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

Matt 24:11-12 (KJV)

Harold Camping's message has done harm to many. Not only have your gifts of love been made waste, but our faith has come under scrutiny and ridicule from non-believers as a direct result of Camping's prediction being proved false. "The love of many" has waxed cold indeed. I have wept bitter tears over this fact alone. But we have no reason to fear Mr. Camping. The Bible tells us so:

“And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

Deut 18:21-22 (KJV)

Harold Camping has failed not once, but twice, to speak the truth regarding God’s word and has thus revealed himself to be a false prophet as defined by the Bible. I pray, do not be deceived by him again, but live in love and hope through faith in your Lord Jesus Christ and the word of God alone.

This is my prayer and hope for you all: That the peace of our Lord which surpasses all human understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. This I pray in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.