This is a Story about a Story: Lazarus & Abraham's Bosom

This is a story about a story.

There once was a special ship designed for a singular purpose. This craft was unlike any previous and any to follow it. In ways, this space craft was irreproducible for never had humankind seen the likes of cooperation and never again would humankind see the likes of cooperation that it took to manufacture such an incredible vessel. All, yes, all of the world’s nations came together to build the ship that would become named Lazarus.

Yet, it was not just the cooperation that afforded the uniqueness of this event. As you'll soon understand, no two Lazarus’ could exist, for that would mean earth’s resources would have been completely depleted. Yes, that’s right. It took half of the world’s natural resources and all of the earth’s human resources to create and build such a thing. It was actually because of the depletion of natural resources that Lazarus was dreamt up. The skies were all fouled up, the water (at least the potable water) had been mixed with death, and the earth injected with venom.

So, all had a dream, a dream of hope. Hope misdirected. Hope nevertheless.

Lazarus was created for a single mission: “Abraham’s Bosom.” Because humanity had become too "rich" in existence on earth, the only way to continue such lifestyles was of course to escape the place humans had called home since the beginning. Abraham’s Bosom is code for Mars' colonization. Lazarus was created for a single journey to Mars. There would be no return trips, for there was not enough fuel or resources.

Although only half of the world’s population (which had become ever shrinking due to the inhospitable planet (due to the richness of life I might add)) were allowed to escape. The journey to “Abraham’s Bosom,” the gathered coalition of a new world consisted mostly of the "have nots." It only seemed most appropriate that it be the poorest of the poor, those who had suffered at the hands of rich who created such a beautiful, full, and dying earth home be the beneficiaries of Lazarus' journey.

Why should those who scourged the earth with their brilliance, comfort, and technological advancement be allowed to leave their own gift: earth uninhabitable? Well, because they are the ones who came together with this plan to escape it all, to leave the poor behind, and create new life somewhere else. Why hope for a better earth when you can create one on a different planet? A reset button. So, as too often is the case, the powerful and rich misdirected the homeless and increasingly earthless.

For you see, Lazarus was hardly created to make it to Mars. Rather, the vessel's design and nature was to launch into the void of space as a giant, sealed casket, leaving enough people on earth to start all ever again. Lazarus would never make it to Mars, yet the earth would never be restored pristine. The latter group whose richness of life had conquered the grass, soil, and sea wailed out for their injustice through the silent voice of depression and loneliness. Life on earth would be lost not to polluted skies or seas, but to polluted hearts and souls. The former group, though the sacrifice of the first, found ill pleasure in this hope away from hope, hope against the odds of the universe. Maybe Lazarus would arrive to its destination.

But, this is a story about a story.

The real story is what happened thousands of years after this most inhumane and dreadful occurrence. Although the Lazarus and Abraham’s Bosom parable was passed around as a reminder to care for the earth initially, although the writer of this tale meant to call people’s minds to justice, creation care, and love, although the point was to never really say that such things had happened, but rather to point to the realities of ecological and economical crises; somehow humans missed the point.

Hope misdirected and hoping against all odds, all began to read the story of Lazarus as history. Some asked if there were records of the enormous ship. Others pondered the realities of life on Mars. Still others couldn’t figure out what ever happened to the people aboard Lazarus. Somehow, all had missed the point and covered their responsibilities of new life and care with befuddling questions and stark facts about what had "actually happened."

Inspired by Luke 16:19-31 (and N.T. Wright's interpretation of it found in Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church).

BreathingEarth

An amazing real time simulation of CO2 & death/birth rates of all countries.

This site is worth your time.

Everybody Wants to go to Heaven, but Nobody knows it's a Lie!

It seems that the gospel for too long has been about where we'll end up after we die. Sadly, we begin evangelism with the question (and not relationship), "if you were to die today, would you go to heaven?"

Obsession. Failure. Misguided. Irrelevant.

N.T. Wright has become one of the most formidable and brilliant N.T. scholars of our generation. I agree with him in many ways on his recent book. You can see what he has to say about why heaven doesn't exist in this piece for Time (I really recommend the read, it's well worth it). Because of our unseen Greek influences, heaven has become a matter of discourse for anyone who would dare call themselves a Christian. In the end this leads to a dualism never intended by the N.T. writers or God, I think.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation declares that when Jesus comes back, believers won't be swooped into heaven while the rest experience some tribulation-like some whacked out authors have written. Jesus was resurrected with his new body bearing the marks of crucifixion. This earth too will experience new creation, a resurrection bearing the marks of the crucifixion that it is suffering at the hands of its so called caretakers.

Being Christian does not exempt us from being human. We must care for this world and for people (not simply their souls). It is time we rethought heaven, earth, resurrection, and the future plight of creation intended by God. Towards the earth, we must take care of God's creation for it is on loan from our children. Towards our neighbor, we must seek and create meaningful relationships that care for and allow for that person to share who they truly are and care for their real needs. Towards God, we must be humble enough to allow him to break the boxes we force him to reside in.

The Intimate Truth on Objective Truth, Pt. 4

In continuation of my series on truth, Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3, and one of my reasons, today I'll try to construct how truth is understood rather than objective. Usually, when I get this far into this conversation with truth the answer suggested is that we should just strive for a more objective, objectivity or humble objectivity. Seems like a noble enough goal. But I hardly think it's an answer.

The way we understand truth is based on the way we understand the world. Ontology precedes epistemology. For example, when you understand the world as an objective reality that works like a machine we study it and make it submit to our desires. Fundamentally, we describe the world as a "watch" built by the "watchmaker." Thus, when the world is understood in materialistic terms the techniques for materialistic knowledge will be elevated above all others, "This is just the way the world is or works."

The Bible though does not talk about the world in mere materialistic and mechanistic terms, but rather the world is dynamic, personal, and a living creation with a voice. The stars witness (Ps. 19), the creation groans (Rom. 8:22), the trees sing (Ps. 96:12), the land mourns (Jer. 12:4; Hos. 4:1-3), and the rocks on the side of the road praise God (Luke 19:40).

As seen above, the metaphors that we use to describe the world around us are often telling of how we view the world (ontology). Trees can be understood as crops, products, decorations, habitats, parks, or responsive agents in God's creation.

What is needed to counter the idolatry of reason created by objectivity, is an epistemology based on relationships.

Organic? Smorganic.

Along with "perfect storm," "waterboarding," "wordsmithing," and other such overused words, "organic" made an appearance on Lake Superior University's "2008 List of Banished Words."
Look I agree that being "green" and buying "organic" are good things, but come on, you can get organic t-shirts and shoes! Not that I don't think we should be taking steps toward making our lives more sustainable and healthier in the USA, heck Jesus' parents were green :)



Here's the problem I think. Being green, environmental, and even organic are ways in which we can hide behind the real problem, all the while assuaging our guilt. So what's the real problem? Consumerism: You want it? Buy it. Oh, but buy it green or organic, but still buy it.

That's why, along with my friend Adam, I'm excited about this:


You can watch a trailer and the heart of Rev. Billy on youtube.

Not that I don't struggle with stuff, technolust, and such, but until we are willing to honestly deal with the greater issue of consumerism then being organic and green are secondary issues that we'll use to make ourselves feel better.

If you've made it to the end, then maybe you'd be up for a challenge. Click and play "Consumer Consequences" and see if the life you are living would be sustainable if everyone lived the way you do. The results may shock, anger, or embarrass you, but hopefully engender sustainable change in your life.