Had a challenging conversation with a friend yesterday about moral relativism, and came across this insightful article. It’s dense, and I’m not going to lie — it’s reaching the outer limits of my intellectual capacity. But it’s a good primer on why not even philosophers espouse moral relativism — a position many (perhaps most) non-Christians hang onto.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/the-maze-of-moral-relativism/

“The argument is significant because it shows that we should not rush to give up on absolute moral facts, mysterious as they can sometimes seem, for the world might seem even more mysterious without any normative vocabulary whatsoever. ….

“None of this is to deny that there are hard cases, where it is not easy to see what the correct answer to a moral question is. It is merely to emphasize that there appears to be no good alternative to thinking that, when we are in a muddle about what the answer to a hard moral question is, we are in a muddle about what the absolutely correct answer is.”

The days of reading on the beach are numbered, but here are two of my top recommendations from a great season. Both happen to be Pulitzer Prize-winning novels that I never had a chance to read in high school or college. But their messages are striking—and both are worthy to end up in your backpack for some leisure reading between classes or after work.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

I had to put the “The Good Earth” down one evening because it made me furious. I couldn’t stand how apathetic, scornful, and ungrateful the main character was toward his wholly devoted, submissive, servant-like wife. I was angry at the social mores in pre-Revolution China when the book was written. I was angry at the idea of a loveless marriage.

But a great book can stir you up like that. Pearl S. Buck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, 1931 novel set in the Chinese countryside starts with a simple premise, but ends up making some powerful statements about the deception of wealth and the consequences of letting lust guide your way.

The book starts out on the wedding day of Wang Lung, a Chinese peasant whose father arranges for him to marry a slave woman he’s never met. His wife, O-Lan, is plain and has big feet, but Wang Lung is just happy to be married. She’s an excellent cook, and makes his shoddy house a home without a word of complaint.

She soon becomes pregnant, and performs the astounding feat of giving birth to her child alone, then returning to the fields the same day to help her husband plow. O-Lan does everything else right—including bearing him several more children—and it prepares them better than others for years when famine comes.

Gradually, the family becomes very prosperous. And Wang Lung starts to look at his plain, quiet wife with contempt. He starts visiting a shady “tea house” (brothel) and starts a chain of events that promises to bring his family down from its pedestal of self-made success and into a destructive spiral of decadence.

The Good Earth is an underrated, moving classic that will have you rooting for an unloved underdog – and thinking about its unforgettable characters for weeks.

—

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novella tells the story of a poor, aging fisherman discouraged that he hasn’t made a catch for exactly 84 days. He musters his resolve and sets sail in the Gulf Stream alone, and he’s supremely lucky this time around—he hooks a marlin, and can tell by the tug and the pull of the line that it’s the catch of a lifetime.
Patiently, he waits for the fish to lose its strength and die so he can tow it up into his skiff. But minutes turn to hours, and hours turn to days, and the old man is still holding the line while the marlin tows the tiny boat further and further in the sea.

Thus ensues a life-and-death contest between man and marlin. The old man reveres the unearthly creature and considers the fish a worthy contender. He wrestles in his mind whether he has a right to take the life of such majestic animal, and he finally decides that after his days of near-starvation at sea and his sleepless nights holding the line, he must kill the fish in self-defense. “Everything kills everything else in some way,” he tells himself. “Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive.”

Hemingway’s parable ends with a twist, and asks the question, “What’s the point of trying anything in life if you know you’re going to die in the end?” The old fisherman’s response to his life-sapping battle with nature is one of great reverence and fear toward creation. In turn, it makes a statement on how we can both fear and love a Creator  who can—and often does—bring us to our knees.

A quick read of little more than 100 pages. Bring it on your next plane ride.

Your first full-time job, few responsibilities—the years just after college and before marriage can be full of an unexpected surprise: your own money, and if God’s blessed you with a decent job, a good quantity of it.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve been learning as a single woman is the joy of managing money. The Bible says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The verse is usually used in the negative—if you store up your treasures on earth, moths and rust will destroy and thieves will break in and steal. But there’s a flip side—you can use your money to store up treasures in heaven, and your money can actually guide your heart to places it ought to be.

You’ll find yourself more invested, more committed, and more passionate about the causes you’re giving to.

Here are three questions to ask yourself. They will help you make the most of your money so that it leads you toward greater obedience instead of greater self-indulgence.

1. Am I tithing?

This is a great first place to start. You’re never too young to start setting aside 10 percent of your income and dedicating it to the Lord as a sign that he’s foremost in your life. Outsiders look at tithing with their mouth agape—“You mean your church makes you give up 10 percent?!” But I think of it as an honor. As a contributor, I’m empowering my church to truly make a difference in this world. Even if I’m not able to minister full-time, I’m helping someone do that in my stead. It makes me feel closer to my church. Where my treasure is, my heart is following. I take more of an interest in my church’s activities because I am more invested in them.

2. Who is asking for my help?

Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to use your resources to bless others. Is your church undertaking a building campaign? (Silly question—aren’t they all?) Then pray about how you’re going to participate. It shouldn’t be an “if” but a “how much.”

Also, at this age, many of our friends are answering the call to full-time missions or ministry and need to raise support. Listen to their plans and consider how much you should be giving.

Another idea—I was at a concert the other day and the bandleader gave us the opportunity to sponsor a child through Food for the Hungry. In the past, my income has been unsteady. But this time, I realized that the plea for sponsors was directed by God to me. Therewas no reason I couldn’t give. I had enough, even if my fellow concertgoers were unable to afford the commitment. Don’t hesitate to give. Live with an open wallet and an open heart. Give early and often.

3. How can I get more value out of my dollar?

A child sponsorship is a good picture of this. It costs $32 a month to feed a child who currently doesn’t even have potable water. A dinner for two at Applebee’s in the states is $32. What is the greater value?

I encourage you to keep track of where your money is going and to look for places to cut intentionally, with the intention of putting those savings towards a greater cause. Can you keep your old car instead of buying a new one and assuming a car payment of $300-$400 permonth? Can you rent a room in a house instead of renting an apartment alone? You’ll save $400-$600, enough to support five or six friends on the mission field each monthor to fund two scholarships for kids to go to church camp—every month!

Make a list of your major expenses each month. Next to that, write a column of people and causes you can support for that same amount. It will provide a reality check on whether you are getting eternal bang for your buck.

Finally, if you are reading this and thinking, “You’re crazy! I’m struggling to pay my bills!” remember, it is not about the amount. It isabout faithfulness, even when giving requires a whole lot of faith. You may only have 10 extra dollars each month, but even that is a test. Are you going to hoard it away? Or will you seize the opportunity to invest it in the kingdom? One of those two options pays much better dividends.

Caveat: In many ways, I chafe at this topic of gender roles. I squirm in the way the hip young
youth pastor squirms when he runs across 1 Timothy 2:11-12 and has to tell his group of dweeby
15-year-old boys and ambitious 15-year-old girls that the latter must remain silent and the former
has authority.

I don’t think the issue ever gets resolved in most group discussions. The girls always leave
feeling a bit uneasy about it, and I’m sure the guys do, too. It bumps up against our cultural,
feminist-tinged sensibilities.

But rather than do what one writer dubbed “hermeneutical acrobatics” and try to squeeze what
the Bible says about gender roles into the ever-changing mold of what the broader culture deems
acceptable, let’s just take some of these passages about gender at face value.

Genesis shows us gender roles that are different from each other. They can also be complicated, mysterious, confusing. But they are beautiful nonetheless — even when we can’t always wrap our head around them.

This is the inerrant, inspired word of God. Chances are, what needs to change is our attitude
toward the scripture—not the scripture itself.

—

Let’s set the stage. Adam is enjoying life; he’s got a great career and a vibrant relationship with
God. It’s not Adam that decides he’s unsatisfied—it’s God, who declares “It is not good for
man to be alone.” He proclaims something is missing and he can do one better than a one-king
kingdom — he can share it between two people.

So God creates woman and presents her to man.

Sometimes, the “she was taken out of man” line in Genesis 2:22 can get dicey. Does it mean that
woman is less than man? She only has an identity in relation to man?

But the passage reads differently. Everything leading up to it shows how unsuitable a companion
all the animals in the garden were. Even a relationship with God can be improved when you
add an equal. It’s like a grandkid sitting at the table with his grandparents. While he loves his
grandparents and will hang out with them forever, a wise grandparent realizes he’d probably have
a great time playing with kids his own age.

Same thing here. God wants to give Adam someone who’s on his level.

Adam’s exclamation in Genesis 2:23—“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”—
points out how suitable, how equal, Adam and Eve are. The emphasis is their similarity and
compatibility—not a hierarchy.

But God still made man and woman differently. He gave the genders different names; he
describes the woman as a help meet.

Volumes have been written on that phrase “help meet,” a translation of the Hebrew “ezer
kenegdo.” Hebrew scholar Robert Alter, quoted in the book Captivating, makes a good point. The
word translates to “sustainer beside him” and is used about 20 other times in the Old Testament
to describe God. Most of the instances we see it are when people cry out to God to be their
help—to keep them alive when they are on the brink of death.

The woman was not provided to Adam as a useful but dispensable personal assistant, or an
intern to get his coffee in the morning. She has different skills and characteristics that are keeping
him alive, just as his skills and characteristics are keeping her alive.

A woman’s role is definitely unique and definitely vital. And the two fit each other so perfectly that
they can “become one flesh”—physically, but also as a team moving toward a single purpose.

Finally, here’s a powerful statement: “Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no
shame.” There weren’t the body image issues that plague our society today and torture us
with guilt trips about working out or losing weight. There weren’t the insecurities or impossible
standards that come from an out-of-whack understanding of sexuality. And another convenience:
Adam and Eve apparently didn’t need much protection against the elements—God protected
them even from the minor discomfort of getting too cold and needing to bring a sweater.

It was truly a paradise. If I could sum it up in one word, it would be contentment. People trusted.
God provided. And Adam and Eve were completely content in that—even when their roles were
different.

The biggest objection I hear when I try to sell people on the merits of Twitter: “Twitter’s stupid. I don’t want to know what people had for lunch today.”

Some tweets — er, probably most tweets floating around the internet — are less than edifying, encouraging, or important. On the other hand, there are millions of other tweets every day that are educational, enlightening and inspired. Follow the right people, and you’ve created a personal news stream that keeps you up on the best news of the day and encourages you to live for Christ.

Twitter — like a book, a blog post, a pod cast or a film — is a medium. It has its 140-character constraints that limit it to sound bites and links. But those limitations are also its strength. People can follow and digest vastly more information when it comes in smaller bites. There is great breadth to Twitter. A Tweet can spread like wildfire with a few strategic retweets.

A blog post is better than a tweet for developing a thought. A book is better than a blog post for tying together a whole string of thoughts. But just because those mediums do certain things better, doesn’t mean “Twitter is stupid” and all you can do with it is comment about your PB&J.

We need Christians talking in all platforms. The message of the gospel can be just as powerful in a thoughtful tweet as it is in a 600-word blog post or a 400-page book. It can also spread further, too. Rather than disparaging it, Christians should seek ways they can capture the power in Twitter’s brevity by framing biblical truths in 140 characters.

But don’t take my word for it. John Piper wrote a great blog post Monday explaining why he tweets, in addition to writing books, recording lectures and blogging. The gist: “Tweeting is to preaching as Proverbs is to Romans.”

One uses complex argumentation, another uses the medium of epigrams. But both books are the inspired, life-changing message of God.

There’s hope for Twitter yet.

P.S.: Be sure to follow @Live4Veritas on Twitter for links to Veritas posts, daily encouragement, interesting news and other great stuff. Promise you won’t hear anything about my lunch.

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed a bill into law Wednesday that requires public schools to teach kids about the historical contributions of gays and lesbians. Local school districts will be adopting new social studies curriculum as early as the 2013-14 school year.

Supporters say it’s a triumph that makes history books “more honest” and will help curb bullying by making kids more understanding of their classmates.

Opponents equate it with brainwashing, saying it will sanction, normalize and exalt an immoral lifestyle.

So what’s a Christian parent to do? Is it time for a mass exodus toward home schooling?

I’d argue that it’s a time for parents to sit down and think hard about their children’s education — specifically, how they as parents are going to teach gay history.

Christians shouldn’t simply retreat from the topic of the gay rights movement, in the same way we shouldn’t retreat from sex education. While my parents didn’t pull me out of my 9th grade health, public school health class during lessons about birth control and STDs, they also made sure I got a much more comprehensive lesson on the issues from them and my church.

I remember annual True Love Waits all-nighters in the church gym. There were hours of frank — sometimes cringe-worthy — discussions about sex so we teenagers understood about this wonderful, God-given gift and the pitfalls of abusing it.

Combine it with regular Wednesday night youth group sermons on the topic, and it was almost to the point of overkill. But I began to recognize the church as an honest, open source of information on the scientific and biblical facts about sex. The church just covered the issue so much better than the awkward, one-hour lesson in my freshman health class, and I felt equipped to discuss my perspective on sex with people who felt differently about it.

Churches should look at this new California law as an opportunity to do one better. Rather than ignoring history, Christian parents should educate themselves about the key developments in the gay rights movement so we’re not blindly lashing out at a nebulous “cultural shift.” They should be prepared to take the lessons their children are learning, and parlay them into meaningful discussions about the biblical perspective on homosexuality.

Perhaps churches can teach gay history, in the same way churches host lectures about Mormonism or Jehovah’s Witnesses — so important developments aren’t missing.

But before that, parents should take an active role in how this curriculum takes shape. Local districts will be deciding over the next year or two which textbooks end up in classrooms. Parents should talk to teachers, school board members and administrators and take an active role in reviewing the curriculum. How will the lessons be framed? In which grade will they be introduced? What dates are the lessons taking place? All these are still open questions under the new law.

I think pulling kids out of public school should be a last resort, not a first resort. The first resort should be preparing kids who can respond to the mixed messages they’ll face for the rest of their life from peers and the media. Some parents might decide one or all of their children aren’t mature enough to sort out those mixed messages just yet; I respect their choice to keep their children in a private school or at home until that changes.

I hope Christians seize this new law as an opportunity to better understand and biblically, graciously respond to the cultural changes of the gay rights movement. I hope it doesn’t become a public school exodus, because Christian parents and students have something vital to add to this conversation. They have relationships to build within school communities; they have the Gospel to share with fellow moms, dads and classmates.

They have lights to shine.

Surprise, surprise, but I finished this recent New York Times article still staunchly in the monogamy camp. Aside from the fact that extramarital sex is clearly extra-biblical, I can’t see how a couple — Christian or not — could ever be “secure” enough in their relationship to make it an open relationship.

The idea of a marriage where spouses know about and approve of each other’s romantic affairs seems absurd. But this article is worth a read to get an idea of where some of the leading voices in the pro-gay marriage movement stand.

It’s a long profile on one of the nation’s foremost sex/love advice columnists, Dan Savage, a gay man who adopted a son with his husband. They say a series of affairs has strengthened their marriage, and the “open marriage” arrangement is a more realistic approach than monogamy because it acknowledges one person cannot satisfy all of the other’s needs.

It’s interesting to see how the expansion of gay marriage is changing the gay subculture:
- It’s downplaying promiscuity
- It’s downplaying the tight networks of friendships that take the place of a spouse
- It’s emphasizing the stability of the nuclear family structure
- It’s calling into question monogamy in general

Questions to ask: Are those cultural changes good? Bad? Mixed?

And another: This story was written by a religion writer, who notes that pastors counsel couples before marriage that they should stay faithful no matter what. When the couple returns a few years later for emergency counseling as an affair threatens to rip them apart, the pastor counsels them to work it out and to forgive. Is that hypocrisy? An inconsistency? The article suggests marriages should be strong enough to outlast infidelity, and Savage concludes that infidelity, therefore, shouldn’t be as big a deal as we make it out to be.

What do you say to that?

If you’ve ever seen a Dos Equis beer commercial, you understand how the world views singleness.

There’s a silver-haired, tanned gentleman sandwiched between two beautiful women half his age in the booth of a swanky bar. He doesn’t have to say much, but you understand without words that he’s scaled Mount Everest, wrestled a tiger to the ground with his bare hands, and possibly launched himself from a plane without a parachute within the past six months.

He’ll charm those beautiful women, but they better not try and tie him down. He’s too busy being the most interesting man in the world.

Maybe I’m reading too much into those commercials. I didn’t spot his left hand to see whether he had a wedding ring. All the actor said was, “Stay thirsty, my friend” and raised his eyebrows knowingly. But I think he embodies the singleness a lot of our generation aims for and applauds – a singleness that spends so much time racking up accomplishments, experiences and material things to impress other people that we neglect a biblical view of singleness.

It’s an attitude that’s reinforced every time people tell me, “Travel all you can while you’re single. You’ll never get that opportunity again.”

So just because I’m single, should I store up all my money to take lavish trips every few months? Buy the fanciest car my budget allows? “Live it up” as much as possible with the attitude that I won’t get to be selfish once I’m married?

I don’t think that should be the goal. God calls us to be members of the body of Christ, serving in the church and giving to anyone as they have need. There’s no special exclusion for singles, no caveat that these responsibilities and commitments only coincide with the duties of marriage.

Singleness allows a measure of freedom that can be used for great good. Singles have more flexibility to travel to the mission field, to chaperone the all-night youth lock-in, to put more in the offering because they’ve got more discretionary income.

But if you’re not intentional about it, singleness can be used for great self-indulgence. After all, marriage forces people to think about and provide for other people. We singles have much more latitude to pour into ourselves or help other people as an active, involved and committed member of the Church.

Look at that freedom as a gift. Singles have a lot to give. They can use that energy to become the most interesting man or woman in the world – a very admired status in this day and age.

Or they can invest that in a higher cause – something more noble and lasting than simply being interesting.

Sometimes — and usually when someone is trying to skirt a direct question about their spiritual life — a person will say their faith is “just between me and God.” It implies that everything about being a Christian is internal and personal.

But check out these verses:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

Believing in God internally is essential to being a Christian. Equally essential is how that faith is expressed externally and how it interacts with the rest of the world — almost always through your words and actions.

Keeping your faith to yourself is unnatural. Christianity is as fundamentally external as it is internal.

Bad things happen when good people do nothing. And that’s exactly where the Christian community finds itself today on the issue of homosexuality.

Christians are having a harder and harder time speaking up about sexuality and gender roles as our culture migrates further and further into a muddy gray area on the issue. It’s easier to stay silent, to not rock the boat or risk being misunderstood, and to stand in tacit tolerance of sin.

But we’re leaving all the talking up to the wrong people. If reasonable, thoughtful and compassionate Christians aren’t talking about homosexuality, we’re leaving the world at the mercy two extremes: fire and brimstone preachers who blame every hurricane and natural disaster on homosexuality, or artist-activists like Katy Perry who tell teens “I Was Born That Way,” and insist the only way to happiness is shirking religion and launching yourself into hedonism.

Talking about homosexuality is important — our world needs to know there is a compassionate and just God who has a design for our lives and can forgive our sins. But we need to do it in a way that opens people up rather than turning them away.

Here are some guidelines for having these critical conversations.

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