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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories SOU students create thought-provoking art App Finder: Best science apps Volunteers show gratitude by sewing quilts for National Guard SOU students targeted in Drive Less campaign GMO opponents ask for seat at defense table Education SOU students create thought-provoking art SOU students targeted in Drive Less campaign Speech and debate team claims Jean Ward title SOU board names officers, committees Parent files complaint against Ashland schools Environment Grant will help restore 'legacy' oak habitat in Southern Oregon and Northern California Mt. Ashland Ski Area crew dips to five Mt. Ashland Ski Area announces layoffs The top five conservation success of 2014 Protestors want Keystone pipeline plans stopped Business Where do Ashland’s top chefs go to dine? Ride & Drive: The 2015 BMW M4 Silvio Calabi: Jeep’s Patriot earns respect New Ashland eatery features Basque cuisine Learning on the job Politics and elections Kent Bush: Fraud kept alive by the left and right Amid rising scrutiny, governor says fiancee won't have role in administration Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets Volunteer award, State of City address presentations Tuesday City's policy, efforts aim for diversity, but numbers show shortfall State News Albany father allegedly killed by son had worked in Ashland for 25 years Amid rising scrutiny, governor says fiancee won't have role in administration Two new wolves confirmed in Southern Oregon, state reviewing status of northeastern packs State records show number of big marijuana farms has increased New wandering wolf arrives in Southern Oregon Nation - World Obituaries Maridale Moore Lyn Richard Mary Diane Hudran Death Notices Glenn C. McBride Shareable Sports Latest Stories Aldridge leads Blazers past Suns Freshman goes off as SOU sweeps Menlo Layton picks Western Oregon Raiders nab pair of star SWC quarterbacks on signing day Ashland girls go 6-1 in multi-team dual meet High school Layton picks Western Oregon Ashland girls go 6-1 in multi-team dual meet Raiders, at last Ashland swimmers sweep three-way Grizzly spirit Southern Oregon University Freshman goes off as SOU sweeps Menlo Layton picks Western Oregon Raiders nab pair of star SWC quarterbacks on signing day Raiders, at last Raiders pulverize Simpson, bag first shutout in six years Opinion Latest Stories Our View: The benefits are mutual Letters to the Editor, Feb. 6 Jeffrey Gillespie: Et tu, Barack? Editor's Notes: Agonizing uncertainty in runaway case Wolves in our woods Editorial Our View: The benefits are mutual Wolves in our woods Our View: Bricks remodel is a smash Our View: Bravo to MovieMaker nod Other Views: Allow wilderness burns Letters Letters to the Editor, Feb. 6 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 4 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 2 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 28 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: A message to my health care colleagues Guest Opinion: Experts couldn't answer pipeline questions Guest Column: A Koch and bull story Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” Chris Honoré: Modern media: the unreliable narrator Revels Latest Stories Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Best Bets : Feb. 5-12 Steep Ravine, T Sisters play the Unitarian Fellowship 'A Most Violent Year' is a taut, cerebral film Theater Looking inside yourself and finding a character is magic Classics, premiers highlight 2015 season for OSF Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Music Frisell brings fine-tuned act to Armory The Farr Side: Trainor building a music niche A laid-back chat with Marilyn Manson Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Jeff Kloetzel at Belle Fiore Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Movies Movie review: New ‘SpongeBob’ movie mops up with surrealistic goofiness Movie review: The Wachowskis rebound with sci-fi epic ‘Jupiter Ascending’ Movie review: A slow but sturdy study of corrupt politics and fragile families in ‘Leviathan’ Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'A Most Violent Year' is a taut, cerebral film Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Looking Up: Venus, Mars passing each other Health Watch: Simple swaps for a healthy lifestyle In Good Faith: Don’t let Christianity be hijacked Marketta Gregory: Your dance matters Looking inside yourself and finding a character is magic Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business NEWS NOW SOU students create thought-provoking art ... Our View: The benefits are mutual ... Calendar: Friday, Feb. 6 ... SOU students create thought-provoking art ... Our View: The benefits are mutual ... Calendar: Friday, Feb. 6 ... In Good Faith: Don't let Christianity be hijacked DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Feb. 5, 2015 @ 7:54 am Updated Feb 5, 2015 at 7:55 AM Posted Feb. 5, 2015 @ 7:54 am Updated Feb 5, 2015 at 7:55 AM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> By the Rev. Tim Schenck More Content Now If all I knew about Christianity was what I learned through the media, I think it’s safe to say I would not be a Christian. I mean, think about it. From the outside looking in, what do you see? Westboro Baptist Church — a hate group unworthy of the name “church,” or “Baptist” for that matter. Creationists living in utter denial of the value of scientific inquiry. Sexual predators masquerading as priests. Homophobic and jingoistic rants in the name of Jesus by pastors with bad hair and 900 numbers. Delusional people waiting for the (non-biblical) “Rapture.” Preachers on the radio spouting the “prosperity gospel” of pray hard enough and God will make you rich. Lawsuits over the right to erect monuments of the 10 Commandments and/or public nativity scenes. Or put another way, if you went up to a bunch of non-church-going strangers and asked them what came to mind when they thought of Christians, you’d likely hear: judgmental, hypocritical, holier than thou, irrational, out of touch, humorless and intolerant. And the hits just keep coming. Last week there was a story about a group of Christian legislators in Mississippi pushing to get the Bible named the official state book. Now, I love the Bible as much as anyone — in my ordination vow I affirmed my belief that Holy Scripture “contains all things necessary to salvation” — but when it’s used as a cudgel to whack those who disagree with you, you might just be missing the whole point. So while it’s easy to understand how people outside the faith might come to such negative conclusions, all of this has absolutely nothing to do with the faith I know and proclaim. Frankly, I’m tired of Christianity being hijacked by groups that bear little resemblance to Jesus’ underlying message of love, hope and forgiveness and everything to do with human insecurity and fear. One of the main reasons I’ve written this monthly column for five and a half years is to help change this perception. It’s certainly not because I like seeing my picture in the paper. Sometimes it feels like a mere drop in a giant bucket of misinformation, but I’ll keep at it. Because what a lot of people in the religion business seem to forget is that our role is simply to point to the divine presence. No one person or group has all the answers — faith inevitably comes with a heavy dose of mystery, and none of us have a monopoly on the mind of God. Beware of those who claim such certainty. The good news is that we don’t have to have all the answers. We’re human, after all, which is precisely the point. God can take care of the rest — the loving judgment, the conversion of the heart, meeting people wherever they may be along the journey of life and faith. The role of faith leaders is invitation and encouragement; the rest of it is above our pay grade anyway. So I simply invite you to come and see that there is another way. To recognize that the heart of the gospel has nothing at all to do with the negativity and judgmental attitudes that hover over the surface. To encounter a God of deep meaning and mystery. To meet a God who will let your heart overflow with peace and gratitude and allow your soul to sing with praise and joy. To understand that the God of love and justice and compassion is absolutely nothing like the God of the headlines. The Rev. Tim Schenck is author of the newly released “Father Tim’s Church Survival Guide” (Morehouse) and Rector of the Episcopal Parish of St. John the Evangelist in Hingham, Massachusetts. Visit his blog Clergy Confidential at clergyconfidential.com, or follow him on Twitter at @FatherTim. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Feb. 5, 2015 @ 7:54 am Updated Feb 5, 2015 at 7:55 AM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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