Our Endangered Values

We hear so much about the “moral decay” in our world today, but I think we often miss the fact that values are not just certain socially accepted or rejected behaviors. By values I mean the things that are important to us. I just read a book that opened my eyes to see how I may have been looking at our collective values incorrectly. Most discussions about values tend to focus on language, clothing, art, entertainment, sex, and other issues regarding our society accepting certain bad behaviors as “normal”. But what about the degradation of values like: compassion, religious freedom, sharing, justice, and equality. Which set of values was our country based on? Isn’t it interesting that the people complaining the most about decaying values are usually talking about things that directly benefit or sustain their lifestyle but refuse to talk about supporting collective values if that support would mean an inconvenience to their lifestyle?

It is nice to read the views of a person who has a solid theological viewpoint that is backed up with sincere social and political objectives. I remember when Jimmy Carter was elected because I was only 8 and it was my first exposure to our nation’s political system. We followed his election in school and at home and I was taken in by his sincerity. Unfortunately, he took office at a time of the worst economic depression in 50 years and left office in the turmoil of difficult foreign relations with the Middle East. It is interesting that the horrible events of hostages in Iran during his presidency pale in comparison to the casualties we now choose to accept as just part of dealing with that difficult region.

Anyway, the book is “Our Endangered Values – America’s Moral Crisis” by Jimmy Carter. It is a great book and I think every Christian in America should read it. This book further showed me that he is our best role model for using your faith to lead your politics while still being an advocate for the critical value of the separation of church and state which has made our country so successful.

Brian Mclaren at Princeton...

Follow this link to hear a great talk from Brian Mclaren about the "church emerging". You will notice he is extremely focused on emerging PAST the devisiveness of liberal v. conservative and mainline v. evangelical. Of course he ends up leaning left, but he doesn't hold back in his critique of both ends of the spectrum.

My favorite line is in his summary...

"...churches on the left are dying and churches on the right are growing mentally ill"

Link to audio

Random 1

Everyone needs to check out this new televison show on A&E called Random 1. It is a group of poeple driving around the country doing random acts of kindness. But it isn't handing out cokes or inviting them to church. They are helping people actualy get their lives back on track. I was completely floored when I saw it. The first episode they helped a man get a prosthetic leg.

http://www.aetv.com/random1