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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Second suspect pleads guilty in cartel grow case Jackson County commissioners take pro-gun stance Ashland may restrict outdoor pot growing Trail man allegedly hit mother with hatchet Child molester sentenced to five years prison Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Second suspect pleads guilty in cartel grow case Trail man allegedly hit mother with hatchet Child molester sentenced to five years prison Man jailed on sex abuse charges Clash with officers lands Medford man in jail on multiple charges Politics and Elections Brown's inauguration brings hope to local lawmakers Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Gov. 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Letters to the Editor, Feb. 17 Our View: Independent Party of Oregon faces obstacles Editorials Our view: Expulsions hurt students, district, community Our View: Independent Party of Oregon faces obstacles Our View: A sad end to a historic career Our View: Time to end the vaccine exemption Our View: Hemp hemp, hooray — old crop is new again Letters to the Editor Letters to the editor, Feb. 18 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 17 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 16 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 15 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 13 Columns Islamic State's atrocities demand ... what? Michael Gerson: A call for 'patient pluralism' Kathleen Parker: No excuse for juicing the story Dana Milbank: Remembering the remarkable Kayla Mueller George Will: Curb your pessimism about terrorism Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Weed killers should not be sprayed on streams, homes Guest Opinion: Understanding Wes Cooley Guest Opinion: Smokers: Quit before this happens to you Guest Opinion: Our public school system is a stew pot of clashing ingredients Guest Opinion: How long will we look the other way? Lifestyle Latest stories Season Stepp: Cooking Chinese food should not intimidate you Garden Cameos: Winter is the time to prune Page H. Onorato: Food items help define the South Debbie Snyder: Fleas annoy you and your pet Brent St. Germain: King cake is my kryptonite Food Season Stepp: Cooking Chinese food should not intimidate you Page H. Onorato: Food items help define the South There's a whole universe of chili outside Texas Citrus sensations Community blog: It's time to lavish love on heart-healthy lentils Home and Garden Garden Cameos: Winter is the time to prune How to install energy-efficient windows the right way Dear Monty: Nine downsizing tips for seniors Carol Link: Prime time for pruning blueberries approaches Home Help: DIY home upkeep projects for every season Health Runners’ Corner: Helpful winter running hints Today is exclusion day for kids who don't have required vaccines Community blog: Your Brain on Love Health Watch: The rise of wearable fitness tech Community blog: Are You Losing or Gaining on Your Investment in Health? 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Second suspect pleads guilty in cartel grow case ... Jackson County commissioners take pro-gun stance ... Brown's inauguration brings hope to local lawmakers ... Second suspect pleads guilty in cartel grow case ... Jackson County commissioners take pro-gun stance ... In Good Faith: Don't let Christianity be hijacked MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 5, 2015 @ 7:56 am Posted Feb. 5, 2015 @ 7:56 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" 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. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 5, 2015 @ 7:56 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 MailTribune.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 Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked 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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