Shoot. I keep missing these. One thing to note, and I think that Matt did mention it, is that many progressives are coming out of a tradition that preaches that there is a sort of heroism in putting others before your children. The last 60 years of missions and mission structures shows this from forced boarding school placements for MKs (missionary kids) to the constant use of the story of Abraham and Isaac as this metaphor for the faith of a missionary. What I see time and again with progressives, agnostics, and atheists who have left these traditions still somehow hold to certain readings of scripture (even if they hate them such as MKs who are bitter that their lives have been sacrificed in the name of their parents’ calling), while condemning “conservative” (not even sure if that’s what their condemning anymore) Christianity as a whole. I feel incredibly fortunate that my parents never thought of themselves as “sacrificing” themselves of us as they pushed forward in their ministry but rather invited us to participate and also understood if we did not want to. But yeah, lots of kids grew up with this notion of the family being lesser than the “calling.”
Anne and Matt, I wasn't arguing, just offering alternative biblical data. It seems that Paul's counsel to Timothy addresses one kind of problem. Perhaps Jesus' comment displays yet another important spiritual truth. Regardless, I was pulled away from the podcast just as you were grappling with my comment. I just now am able to hear the wisdom you shared. The blessing of the Lord continue to rest on you both.
"I don't have to care for my parents; I paid my OASDI payroll taxes, so my parents have social security". That's today's equivalent of corban, which Jesus condemned. And guess who instituted that idolatry? The state.
Yep. Same guys who say "we" don't have enough resources to get immigrants on their feet and working. Very trustworthy folks.
Every time I hear folks talking about what resources "we" have or don't have, I always wonder, is that the royal We?
None of us would even be having these debates about "who do 'we' take care of first" and "natural law says I don't have to let my kids starve to support an immigrant" etc. etc. if the church had not already swallowed the state's usurpation of charity. They have us right where we want us. All their Malthusian presuppositions are now ours.
For the life of me, I'll never understand why Christians assume the state's approved definitions of economics and plenty, instead of God's. Even if by so doing we get to own some libs on Tweeter.
It just isn’t logical to love people that you don’t even know more than those in your closer circles— it’s almost like acting as if we should be God seeing and knowing all. We have the privilege of knowing our families, our friends, our immediate families, our communities…you can know these people (Christian or not) and pray for and serve them as they have need.
Shoot. I keep missing these. One thing to note, and I think that Matt did mention it, is that many progressives are coming out of a tradition that preaches that there is a sort of heroism in putting others before your children. The last 60 years of missions and mission structures shows this from forced boarding school placements for MKs (missionary kids) to the constant use of the story of Abraham and Isaac as this metaphor for the faith of a missionary. What I see time and again with progressives, agnostics, and atheists who have left these traditions still somehow hold to certain readings of scripture (even if they hate them such as MKs who are bitter that their lives have been sacrificed in the name of their parents’ calling), while condemning “conservative” (not even sure if that’s what their condemning anymore) Christianity as a whole. I feel incredibly fortunate that my parents never thought of themselves as “sacrificing” themselves of us as they pushed forward in their ministry but rather invited us to participate and also understood if we did not want to. But yeah, lots of kids grew up with this notion of the family being lesser than the “calling.”
Anne and Matt, I wasn't arguing, just offering alternative biblical data. It seems that Paul's counsel to Timothy addresses one kind of problem. Perhaps Jesus' comment displays yet another important spiritual truth. Regardless, I was pulled away from the podcast just as you were grappling with my comment. I just now am able to hear the wisdom you shared. The blessing of the Lord continue to rest on you both.
Thanks for this. My pastor preached on the passage with the widow recently and he had the same take you gave here.
Great discussion!!!
“…especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)
Love the video. It’s like having a chat with you both. And as always, appreciate the clarification of Biblical texts.
"I don't have to care for my parents; I paid my OASDI payroll taxes, so my parents have social security". That's today's equivalent of corban, which Jesus condemned. And guess who instituted that idolatry? The state.
Yep. Same guys who say "we" don't have enough resources to get immigrants on their feet and working. Very trustworthy folks.
Every time I hear folks talking about what resources "we" have or don't have, I always wonder, is that the royal We?
None of us would even be having these debates about "who do 'we' take care of first" and "natural law says I don't have to let my kids starve to support an immigrant" etc. etc. if the church had not already swallowed the state's usurpation of charity. They have us right where we want us. All their Malthusian presuppositions are now ours.
For the life of me, I'll never understand why Christians assume the state's approved definitions of economics and plenty, instead of God's. Even if by so doing we get to own some libs on Tweeter.
It just isn’t logical to love people that you don’t even know more than those in your closer circles— it’s almost like acting as if we should be God seeing and knowing all. We have the privilege of knowing our families, our friends, our immediate families, our communities…you can know these people (Christian or not) and pray for and serve them as they have need.