Reflecting the Real World

Today's Winnipeg Free Press published "Inclusion in the classroom: Teachers support adding sexual-orientation themes to all curricula." Here is my response:

“...teachers need to know they can reflect the real world without worrying what the school board will do to their careers,” says Nick Martin in “Inclusion in the classroom.” This is a reference to teachers being able to acknowledge the LBGTTQ community in all facets of the education they give but if this is indeed a truth—that teachers need to be able to reflect the real world—then why is a teacher's job threatened if she tries to reflect the real world of Christianity? If “an advanced math class studying string theory might discuss how British mathematician Alan Turing was driven to suicide when his homosexuality was made public,” why might a physics class not discuss Blaise Pascal's Wager?

If the “real world” is to be reflected by teachers in their classrooms, this needs to be done across the board and not just for isolated topics. As Paul Olson said, “There shouldn't be these tiered realities.” And if that's so, then why not the reality of a teacher praying for a student whose father has just left the family or whose mother was out all night drinking, leaving the student and her siblings unattended? For that matter, why not the reality of a Muslim teacher prostrating herself at the front of the classroom during the call to prayer or a Jewish teacher wearing his prayer shawl?

It is true that Christians have treated homosexuals abysmally and unjustly. It's about time Christians offer an apology to the gay community as is being done this weekend at Gay Pride events around the world--not to say our theology is wrong but rather that our attitude and behaviour has been prideful and sinful.

Yes, the classroom needs to reflect the real world but it needs to reflect all aspects of the world and not just those that are currently politically popular.

In My Prayer Room

Oh God
You surround me with your love,
with memories
of who you are
of what you've done
of promises you've made
of who I want to be
of who I am because of you.

You give me hope and joy,
peace and gratitude.
You convict me
and teach me
encourage me
and remind me
of what it means to follow you.

You listen to my prayers
and grant my requests
in your time.
You give me insight
and knowledge
and words to write
to share your presence
your goodness
your love
your admonition
with others.

You expand my love
to pray for friend and foe
near and far
family and stranger
people as pins on maps
clustered and scattered
who know you and reject you
for those in need
and those too full to need.

You draw me close
and then release me
to bring you close to others
to serve
and love
and give
all I have received.

You fill my heart with joy
that warms
and glows
and bursts
into laughter,
song
and even dance.

You wrap me in your arms
and tell me
"You are mine"
with intensity that burns
and smoul…

Monogamous, Homosexual Unions--My Position and the Story behind it

I've been asked to be one of two participants at church each representing opposing views on the matter of monogamous, homosexual unions, moderated by the pastor. In preparation, I have written the following. In the comments, please do not post any vitriol--from either side. If I think any comment is hateful, I will delete it. Respectful disagreement or questions are welcome, however.

My Position and Values:
I believe that sexual relations between two people of the same sex is contrary to God’s will.I would like to say otherwise but I find nothing in Scripture that allows me to do so.BEING homosexual, having a longing or desire for someone of the same sex, is not condemned in the Bible. We all have desires that are contrary to God’s will. The sin occurs when we feed those desires, like Jesus talks about when he calls lust adultery (Matthew 5:28).Much cruelty to LGBTQ people has happened because of the stance of the Church. We have not acted with love, compassion and listening ear…

What Is Separating me from the Promise?

This is the question Andy Wood asked us each to consider this morning at the end of his sermon and it hit me like a thunderbolt.

Imagine the Jordan River on the eve of the Israelites crossing it into the Promised Land. The river was at flood stage, so it was moving quickly (even the Red River here in Winnipeg moves quickly during flood season) but this particular stretch of the river near Jericho is narrower than the rest so that as the rushing flood waters reached the point where the people were waiting--all two million of them--it became even more turbulent. Anyone who's witnessed a flood knows that it doesn't just carry water; there is debris like fallen trees, parts of sheds and houses and perhaps even animals unable to escape the river's grab.

Back in the days of Abraham, God had promised the land of Canaan to him and his descendants but during the days of Abraham's great-grandson, Joseph, the whole family had moved out of the Promised Land to Egypt because of f…

Dragonflies and Waterlilies

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