Here you go.

Discuss.

Sometimes, I think there may not be an angrier subset of humanity than Christians. Certainly, we have plenty of proof in the internet and blogosphere, and that’s a post for another day. Quick, answer this question: “Who’s more abusive, pastors or congregations?” I bet your answer is strongly tied to which side of the pulpit you’ve spent most of your life on.

Pastors can be mean and abusive. Congregations can do great impersonations of slave owners.  Blogs allow people on both sides to write scathing critiques of others. Pastors are leaving their vocational ministry by the droves. Families are being destroyed.  How does Christ speak into this? How does love speak into this? How do we as Christians act like Christians? Well, to start we forgive. Take a bland sheet of paper. Seriously, go get one. Now, write down the names of the people in your congregation who have wronged you, abused you, unfairly criticized you, hurt you, and attacked you and your family.

Now, go ahead and do the same thing if your not a pastor. I’m sure we all have a list. Are you willing to forgive them? Are you willing to say that out loud? I forgive ___________.

We’ve just finished a three part series on forgiveness. I would strongly encourage everyone to download all three sermons and take a listen. Please note this does not mean I will engage anyone in conversations about Rob or Mars beyond the scope of these teaching times. I want to write more on this later but as I attended the last day of Poets, Prophets and Preachers today sitting next to someone who’s words were being used to hurt my teaching pastor I realized that there are those who live to hurt the church.  There are those people who are toxic. They don’t have to be engaged, but they must be forgiven. Forgiveness sets us free. Forgiveness leads to Resurrection.

A grieving child:

Ingrids take:

This is slightly outside the realm of our commentary here at Slice, but the mawkish, vomit-inducing spectacle in L.A. today over the death of a desiccated, prescription drug-abusing pop star demands a reality check…

…God help this nation, and may we always remember the young people who have died in the service of their country, unsung and unnoticed, while Americans behave like fools over a dead singer with a proclivity for young boys.

emphasis mine.

More Christian love here

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction.

-Blaise Pascal