We live in a violent world and there is no way of protecting our children from that fully. I do, however, see a distinction between violence as a part of entertainment and violence as a part of teaching and learning. I feel it is important for kids to learn God's story of intervention in human history found in the Bible. I think it is important to tell the stories, but also to focus on what we learn about God through them. Biblical violence, unfortunate as it is, is a part of the story; it has a point and speaks in some way to our relationship with God. The violence is not the main point of the story, what we learn about God and our relationship to God is the main point. This is not a cut and dry answer, because we are still left slightly uncomfortable in many many circumstances.... and I think we are meant to in some ways, as long as they continue to drawl us into deeper conversation with God. God is not safe. God is good, faithful, etc., but as C.S. Lewis suggests, I concur that God is not safe. While I am uncomfortable with God working through flawed human systems which includes picking favorites, killing the enemy, and dolling out harsh punishments, I am comforted in that God meets us where we are at, continues to choose to intervene on our behalf, and that God does work through ordinary flawed humanity - which is great hope for us.

Blessings,
Wayne Bowerman

Being brought up in a gardening family, I will always remember one thing my grandfather taught me. If the root is bad, the fruit is bad. The homosexuality issue, the Belhar confession are fruits of the same 'bad' root. And that my friends is the Formula of Agreement, SG, and LT. If we continue to only try to pick the bad fruit off the vine, more will grow back. (End of Metaphor-Speak)

Fear is not a Christian motivator, but concern is. I believe we, as a denomination have forgot about the antithesis we so proudly confessed and lived at one time. Scriptures show this antithesis between the people of God and the world to be an eternal truth. We have taken the Rodney King motto of 'Why can't we all just get along" and molded it as a nose of wax from the truth of caring for every part of God's creation, into a postmodern humanism and relativism. The antithesis is no more between the people of God and the world. "You believe that, what about where the scriptures says it is not true? Well it is OK, you're a nice person, let's fellowship together."

The SG and LT are completely at odds with Scripture and our Heidelberg and Belgic confessions which state: "Son of God gathers...out of the whole human race, a church chosen to everlasting life." "we are received into the Church of God, and separated from all other people and strange religions, that we may wholly belong to him, whose ensign and banner we bear...."

Do not the words of the CRC synod in 1924, almost 100 years ago still ring true within the RCA today? "If we observe the spiritual tendencies of the present time, we cannot deny that there exists much more danger of world conformity than of world flight. The liberal theology of the present time actually wishes to eradicate the boundary between the church and the world.... The idea of a spiritual-moral antithesis is weakening in large measure in the consciousness of many, and gives way to a vague feeling of general brotherhood.... The doctrine of special grace in Christ is more and more driven to the background.... Through the press and through all sorts of inventions and discoveries, that in themselves should be valued as gifts of God, a great part of the sinful world is intruding into our Christian homes. Against all these and more pernicious influences, which press upon us from all sides, there is a crying necessity that the church mount a guard on principle; that she...also fight tooth and nail for the spiritual-moral antithesis.... Without ceasing may she hold fast to the principle that God's people is a special people, living from its own root, the root of faith.... And with holy seriousness may she call...her people and especially her youth not to be conformed to the world."

In His Name

JPK

And like Sherri and many of the others who have said similar things, I hope the delegates to General Synod don't vote either for or against adopting the Belhar based on fear of what might happen, the fear of what is happening, the fear of new things, orthe fear of confrontation. If we are guided by fear, we cannot be guided by the Spirit. And if we are not guided by the Spirit, we are not being faithful to the God who called us out of darkness. Whatever your vote (now or possibly later), speak because it is the Spirit that lifts your voice. I will be watching tomorrow morning via streaming video (I hope).

You said: Sexuality issues will continue to be discussed in the RCA with or without the Belhar.

I certainly agree with this statement. It has been discussed for decades without the Belhar. In fact, don't we, the RCA, already have statements about the homosexuality issue since 1974? Yes we do. What is the chance that adopting the Belhar will make us reverse these biblical statements that affirm Scripture is explicit that a homosexual lifestyle is not acceptable for a believer?

I can agree with you about not making a decision based on how the Belhar might be used down the road. What I can't agree on is the "might" and the "down the road." The public talk and writings of our own Seth Kaper-Dale is a perfect example of the Belhar being used (not might) now (not down the road) to do the very thing feared by many.

Ironically, it was Seth Kaper-Dale himself who suggested the RCA should not adopt the Belhar when he said: "If we don’t address in our polity, statements that limit some humans based on gender, sexual orientation or any other human or social factor, I don’t know if we’re ready for the Belhar Confession." (See http://www.westernsem.edu/files/westernsem/dale_fa06_0.pdf).

Blessings,

David Vandervelde