Category: Sin

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Eats, Shoots, & Leaves: The Importance of a Comma Placement

In the old west, a stranger entered the local saloon. He wore a black, ten gallon hat and his fur was black and white; even his eyes were black like he was wearing a mask. A holster, holding his Colt 45, was strapped around his fat belly. Spurs “clinking” as he walked into the saloon. The music and talking came to an eerie and abrupt stop as the patrons’ eyes slowly followed the stranger to his table where he removed his hat and holster. 

A nervous waiter served the stranger. He showed him the menu to which the stranger pointed to the items he wanted to eat. The waiter cautiously and quietly thanked his guest and put the order in. A few minutes later he returned with a bamboo stick and fresh greens, to which the stranger slowly chewed each bite. 

When he finished his meal, he reached for his hat and holster. The waiter came and with a crack in his voice, thanked him for his patronage. The stranger pulled out his Colt 45 and shot the waiter. When the stranger reached the exit, the owner of the saloon shouted with a very country twang, “Whatcha do that fer?” The stranger looked at him and quietly said, “Look it up.” 

The saloon owner reached under the counter for his 1880 edition of the World Book Encyclopedia (it was only a one-volume encyclopedia back then). He found the letter, “P” and started looking for Pandas.  “Here it is,” he noted, and began to read aloud, “Ailuropoda Melanoleuca . . . Giant Pandas . . . endangered species . . . native to south central China . . ..” And with the light of understanding and a nodding motion of his head, he added, “Eats, shoots, and leaves” (cue the laugh track, now).

A friend of mine once sat in my office, sharing his concern. His buddy was engaged to marry a woman who was a member of a questionable, cult-like “Christian” organization. He wanted to know from me what I knew about their core belief system. I told him I knew very little. What I did know comes from two facts: One, this group has their own translation of the Bible. Secondly, they deny the incarnation, so that the Jesus who walked on the earth was not the God who created the earth. Thus, their own translation is a manipulated attempt to support what they already believe (it’s a clear example of “instead of Scripture shaping one’s theology, one personal and bias theology is shaping Scripture” which happens all the time, but on a less formal basis). John 1:1 is the best example, “. . . and the Word was with God and the Word was a god” (New World Translation). All other translations universally translate the same verse, “. . . and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” 

However, understanding the Greek is complicated. I looked to my library and retrieved Jack P. Lewis’ book, The English Bible: From KJV-NIV (Dr. Lewis taught at my alma mater, Harding School of Theology), and started reading on the NWT until I found another fascinating verse in Luke 23:43, which clearly exposes their bias. By paralleling the two passages, you can notice the difference:

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (NIV).
“I tell you the truth today, you shall be with me in paradise” (NWT).

The conflict is over the placement of the comma. Does it belong after “truth” or after “today.” If the NIV is right, then Jesus is assuring the criminal on the cross that his paradise experience will occur “today.” However, if the NWT is right, then Jesus is assuring the criminal that his words are true “today” (almost as if on another day his words might be false). Where is the comma supposed to be? By looking at other verses with the same structure (Mt. 5:26; Mk. 10:15; Jn. 1:51, et. al.) it soon becomes apparent that the comma belongs after “truth.” 

So the whole story and debate comes down to a comma. Nothing in the English language is as small and minute as a comma. Yet, if ignored or wrongly placed can have devastating results. Where are the commas in your life? Where are those little items in your life that, if you ignore because they are small and seemingly insignificant, they could cause great conflict? Who knows? Instead of one who “eats shoots, and leaves,” you might end up being someone who “eats, shoots, and leaves.”         

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

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Fallen From Grace: The Face of the Boy Scouts of America

The bumper sticker on my car says, “I’m proud of my Eagle Scouts.” And I am proud of my sons. They are good young men who worked very hard, modeled the Scout Law of being trustworthy, loyal, friendly, reverent, etc., sacrificed free time and overcame significant obstacles to earn the requirements for Boy Scouts’ highest rank. Without bragging, they could have been the face of BSA.

I remember the day Jonathan came home from first grade with a flyer asking if he could join Cub Scouts. Someone had come to his school with a demonstration, and he was sold. Having experienced some of the Cub Scouting program as a child, I was easily sold as well.

Over the next fifteen years I ran the gamut with scouts. I was Jonathan’s Den Leader and eventually stepped into the Cub Master role (I oversaw all the Dens, leadership recruitment and training). When Matthew joined Scouts, Cile was his Den Leader. Both boys earned the Arrow of Light, Cub Scouts highest honor, and bridged over into Boy Scouts. I kept my involvement in their scouting lives by being an Assistant Scout Master. I led scouts to both Summer and Winter Camps, and took larger roles at those same camps, including leading boys to complete sections of Merit Badge requirements. Both Jonathan and Matthew attended BSA’s National Jamboree.

It was during my adult scouting career that BSA began facing turbulent waters. At first the rumors were just that, rumors. Like the Titanic captain, the leadership downplayed the cries and minimized the damage. All the while membership was half the size it boasted thirty years earlier and the outlook wasn’t promising.

Then it came out. It all came out, reminiscent of the Catholic Church. Boys and boys and boys accused BSA of creating an environment where they were abused. Twelve thousands boys have come forward and BSA has identified over 7000 predators with some accounts dating back to 1920 (ten years after Scouts began in America). In an attempt to compensate the victims, the national office of BSA, apart from the local chapters, has filed bankruptcy. Right now it’s kind of a “wait and see” holding pattern. What will Chapter 11 bankruptcy look like, especially with all the BSA holdings like famous artworks and campgrounds.

Maybe the fatal flaw of the BSA culture is our flaw too. We perceived a time of innocence, when it was really a time of naivety. We’ve been far too trusting of people and institutions with our children without due process. Even Paul tells Timothy to “vet” deacon candidates before installing them (1 Tim. 3:10) and to be slow about laying on of hands (1 Tim. 5:22). Society thought that since the BSA program had a good reputation, the leaders of the program were good as well. We were wrong, dead wrong. We failed to scrutinize the people and the system. What we found was that beneath the surface, the reputation and hype was something disgustingly ugly, shamefully sinful and utterly destructive. No one deserves a pass simply because of their position. And now more than 12,000 former scouts are paying a huge price, for they are the face of BSA (and that number will probably continue to grow). So the organization must be held accountable for turning a blind eye and covering up its messy corruption.

BSA has changed its culture. During my adult leadership era, they began enforcing background checks and implementing mandatory training to raise awareness of abuse for all participants. My favorite move was the two-deep leadership plan which prevents one adult from being alone with a child. They have a long way to go to earn back the trust they squandered, if they ever earn back that trust. For now BSA needs to feel the hurt and pain they’ve caused on so many lives.

For me, the bumper sticker still reflects how proud I am of my sons who are Eagle Scouts. They, with so many other young men, have modeled the Scout Law of being trustworthy, loyal, friendly, reverent, etc. beyond their days of wearing the uniform. Those young men should be the face of BSA. With hope and healing, maybe one day they will.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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You Da Man: When God Confronts Our Sin

They say perspective is everything. How you view yourself versus how you view the rest of the world speaks volumes about your ego. If you think the world revolves around you, then everything that happens is about you. If you tend to entertain critical thoughts on everyone else but gloss over your own shortcomings, chances are you’re struggling with an inflated self-worth. The result is a stubborn person unwilling to change or repent.

Nathan brought to King David’s attention a rich man with a flock of sheep who confiscated a poor man’s only ewe lamb. The reader in the narrative picks up early on that the story is a parable of David’s sin with Bathsheba as the symbolism and connection to David’s life is too blatant to miss. But David can’t see past his own flaws and sins. Like tunnel vision, he can only see the story before him and exercises (self-)righteous judgment on the rich man. Nathan’s bold statement crashes David’s world; “You da man!”

The challenge for introspective thinking is real and painstakingly difficult to master. We struggle with self-awareness and fail to understand how our actions (negatively) affect the people around us. Yet we’re all too aware of how other people’s actions destroy community and relationships. It’s never my fault; it’s always their fault.

So Jesus talks about the plank and the speck (Mt. 7:3-5). He warns us that when we’re so consumed with the speck in everyone else’s eyes, we fail to grasp the 2×4 consuming our own lives. In a context talking about judgmental attitudes, Jesus tells us to use our judgmental skills on ourselves before turning it on others. Figure out where your own flaw, weakness, sin and annoying habit is before picking out someone else’s. Such a move takes mature introspective abilities. While everyone is capable of such reflection, not everyone chooses the difficult task of removing such a large piece of lumber from the eye.

James uses a different image to drive home his point. He wants us to take a good look in the mirror (Jam. 1:23-25). We brush our hair or wash our face, the mirror reveals what we really look like. Logic says that when we see something wrong in the reflection we’ll change the reality. Examining God’s Word is supposed to have the same effect. We open its pages to cast light on our dark soul. When we see our own flaws, we fix them. We change. We repent. Unfortunately too many of us read our Bibles to confirm, not only what we believe, but also to ignore the sin that needs purging from our lives. At best we’re blinded by our own sin. At worst we’re carry around a judgmental and condemning attitude.

So below are a list of sins we battle on a regular basis. I’ve attributed a name next to them, not only for some humor, but also as a means to appeal to our critical nature. Since we can see the sin so clearly in others, maybe we’ll see the sin in our own lives.

Addict Anna ● A-moral Amy ● Angry Andrew ● Apathetic Anthony ● Backstabbing Beth ● Bitter Barry ● Critical Carl ● Complaining Cary ● Condemning Chloe ●  Controlling Connie ● Disrespectful Danny ● Doubting Debbie ● Gossiping Gary ● Guilt-Ridden Gloria ● Hateful Harry ● Idolatrous Ida ● Immoral Irene ● Legalistic Lucy ● Lusting Lawrence ● Lying Larry ● Prideful Peter ● Racist Richie ● Selfish Samantha ● Self-Righteous Steve ● Tolerant Terry ● Unforgiving Ursula.

In 2003 Jack Nicholson starred opposite of Diane Keaton in the romantic comedy movie Something’s Gotta Give. Nicholson’s character, Harry Sanborn, had spent his entire life chasing younger women and living the “high life” when by circumstances he’s forced to recover at Erica Barry’s home played by Keaton. While I cannot remember the details of the movie, the two characters not only clash with conflicts but end up falling for each other. However, he has some serious character flaws that prevent him from pursuing a long term relationship. Once recovered, Sanborn leaves Barry. Months later, he returns. He tells her that he spent the last months sitting with friends to give an honest evaluation of his character. He confessed it hurt, like opening old wounds. But he also realized how healthy it was to see how others saw him, and how healthy it was to fix those relationships. He was now ready to move forward with a long-term relationship with Barry.

You don’t always have to go back to all the people you’ve known, but it might help. You could take a long look in the mirror and change what is glaring right at you. Or you could ignore the speck in other’s eyes by working on the plank in your own eye. Or through repentance you could “Just be da man!”

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Behind the Masks

For the past couple of months, the news media has reported a number of disturbing episodes arising out of our society. None of these stories are related. All these stories seem to be tied together by a common social (or possibly spiritual) problem behind the joyous mask of our culture. 

Episode #1 . . . Media mogul Harvey Weinstein has been ousted by his production company because of ongoing sexual harassment charges brought against him. Women have been coming forward in droves to report the abuse they’ve faced by this powerful man in an industry known for making women nothing more than sex objects for men. The indignation has set off a firestorm across Hollywood; they’re scrambling to figure out how an industry known for exploiting women could have an executive treating women as an object of his own lust. Others have been coming forward to make their voices heard. Ayssa Milano took to social media and began the #Me Too campaign raising awareness for women who have been sexually abused; her tweets have given women the courage to come forward to share their own story.  

Episode #2 . . . University of Louisville officially fired head basketball coach Rick Pitino, who is embroiled in a scandal where the FBI has conducted a “sting” operation over the past two years. Simply, at least five NCAA basketball coaches, including an assistant coach at Louisville, have been indicted for bribery, wire fraud and mass corruption.  These coaches, assisted by Adidas, operated a “pay for play” scheme where six digit figures were funneled to top recruits’ families promising to sign with Adidas once the player reached the NBA. The fear is this problem is systemic to the NCAA. For Pitino, innocent or not, his firing emerged because of a lack of “institutional control” as this corruption was operating under his watch.  It’s not the worst scandal he’s found himself tied to, but it’s the latest in a string of scandals.

Episode #3 . . . Members of a now defunct Penn State fraternity are facing misdemeanor charges in a hazing incident where a 19 year old pledge, Tim Piazza, died (felony charges have been dismissed). The under-aged victim was forced to drink vodka, beer, and wine on an empty stomach. Intoxicated, he passed out and fell down the stairs of the fraternity house. He was carried to a couch where he was slammed and punched in the stomach. The fraternity men poured beer on him while he groaned and held his stomach. In the wee hours of the morning a decision was made to call 9-11. He was rushed to emergency surgery, but died of a ruptured spleen, brain injuries and internal bleeding. 

The three episodes have very little to do with each other, except that the public outrage has been loud and clear. Stop men like Harvey Weinstein from making women objects of man’s desires! Stop the greed-driven organization that makes millions off of poor and vulnerable athletes. Stop turning our higher education system into one party after another!

The outrage is loud and clear, and people want justice (i.e. where individuals are treated fairly and with respect). But the outrage is a mask, for behind it lies an ugly, decaying truth. We’re outraged over the treatment of women, but we’ve supported the dehumanizing of women as sex objects. We’re outraged over the flow of money to our universities sports programs, but we want our teams to win (at all costs). We’re outraged over the death of an under-aged fraternity wanna-be, but we dismiss the parties as a normal part of the college experience. Yes, the outrage continues, if only as a way to mask our true selves. 

On the Greek stage the actors wore masks to cover their faces as they pretended to be people other than themselves. The Greek word for actor is hypocrite. Jesus applied this word to those whose piety to God was motivated by applause of men (Mt. 6:1-18). The word may be used to describe America, outrage by the injustice, without admitting we’re the ones causing the injustice. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. Only God is Glorified!)