Living in Boulder County is a blessing and a privilege. Every time I drive west on Highway 36 (the Boulder Turnpike to us old-timers) into the valley, I'm amazed at the vista: the meadows, hills and Contintnetal Divide peaks that come into view.
I've seen that panorama a thousand times, yet no two are alike. Each one is a unique blend of light, shadow, cloud cover and seasonal foliage. Whether it's the warm reds and orange hues of the sunrise, or the 3-D effect on the foothills caused by the winter sun setting in the south, Boulder's best art gallery is never closed between dawn and dusk.
The Boulder community extols this natural beauty and supplements it with great minds gathered at the university, government labs, and creative entrepreneurship thriving in hundreds of offices and coffee shops. Not to mention the thousands of impressively healthy human beings running the local trails and biking the open roads.
What is unfortunate is that so little recognition goes to the Creator who sustains all that natural beauty, brilliance, creativity, and all those healthy bodies. I'm reminded of Saint Paul's words in his letter to the church in the city of Rome, written c. 57 AD:
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made. (Romans 1:20)
Creation implies a creator. Where there is design there is a designer. This much Christians and non-Christians should be able to agree upon. Where it gets harder, of course, is when Christians have the temerity to say they actually know something about that Designer/Creator.
In progressive communities like Boulder, the search for truth is OK, even laudable. But finding truth is politically incorrect. Assertion of anything in absolute terms is suspect, socially forbidden. Sure, there are some agreed-upon norms in Boulder that can be affirmed with evangelistic fervor: the need to recycle, prevent global warming and extend unlimited freedom of expression.
What's frustrating for many Christians is that Chrstianity doesn't get that privilege. In fact, it gets the double whammy: it is the minority view but it is treated with the the contempt normally directed at an established majority. Every variant of philosphical, political and social thought is welcome here, save one: Christianity.
Put another way, Christianity is the only true counter-culture left in Boulder--a community that prides itself on being counter-cultural (you've seen the Keep Boulder Weird bumper sticker, right?). I guess that makes it that much more interesting to be a Christian in this town. But it does make it a bit more difficult.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
One Lump or Two?
No one likes getting "lumped into" a group with with which he or she has affinities, but also has many differences. There's something insulting to one's intelligence about that.
I think a lot of Christians feel thus lumped. And look at the Rogues Gallery of televangelists and conservative talk show hosts Christians are assumed to agree with.
The problem is that most sincere Christians I know are actually thoughtful, discerning people who don't walk lock-step with the Republican party. Sure their moral underpinnings tend to steer them to the right politically, if they are political at all; but that's different from a myopic alliance with the Moral Majority, Focus on the Family and the GOP.
As one commentator put it: the problem with Republicans is that they've only read every other page of the Bible. There is actually a strand within Christianity that leans left politically out of affinity with priorities such as caring for the poor, environmental stewardship, and commitment to the arts.
Sure, many Christians find champions in the political leaders who promise a return to traditional values. That attitude is understandable, given the seige mentality many people feel, especially parents trying to raise healthy, moral kids in a liberal, pluralistic society.
But most of the Christians I know don't want to be associated with the big-money, power-hungry right wingers who would like to create a theocracy. They side with the anti-establishment mentality that Christ brought to his culture. His kingdom was decidedly not of this world. I don't think that's changed.
I think a lot of Christians feel thus lumped. And look at the Rogues Gallery of televangelists and conservative talk show hosts Christians are assumed to agree with.
The problem is that most sincere Christians I know are actually thoughtful, discerning people who don't walk lock-step with the Republican party. Sure their moral underpinnings tend to steer them to the right politically, if they are political at all; but that's different from a myopic alliance with the Moral Majority, Focus on the Family and the GOP.
As one commentator put it: the problem with Republicans is that they've only read every other page of the Bible. There is actually a strand within Christianity that leans left politically out of affinity with priorities such as caring for the poor, environmental stewardship, and commitment to the arts.
Sure, many Christians find champions in the political leaders who promise a return to traditional values. That attitude is understandable, given the seige mentality many people feel, especially parents trying to raise healthy, moral kids in a liberal, pluralistic society.
But most of the Christians I know don't want to be associated with the big-money, power-hungry right wingers who would like to create a theocracy. They side with the anti-establishment mentality that Christ brought to his culture. His kingdom was decidedly not of this world. I don't think that's changed.
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