Sorry, God, That's Not Our Policy.

2013.02.07 Sorry God That's Not Our Policy
This morning I read a news story explaining that the pastor from the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod in Newton, CT had to issue an apology to the LCMS president for participating in a prayer vigil two days after the murder of innocent adults and children because leaders of other faith traditions also participated.
Here’s a highlight from Pastor Rob’s apology letter (read the entire letter for context here):

To those who believe that I have endorsed false teaching, I assure you that was not my intent, and I give you my unreserved apologies. If any of you know church members or friends or family who are now confused because of my participation, believing that the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod fully endorses the doctrine of anyone else who was on that stage, please correct this confusion lovingly, and I will personally be happy to help in any way that I can. Feel free to pass on my apologies for having given that impression.

Here’s an excerpt from LCMS President Harrison’s open letter response (read the entire letter for context here):

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Help Me Eat More Plants, Less Meat.

2013.01.14 Help Me Eat More Plants, Less Meat
I’m interested in trying something new in 2013 – I want to intentionally eat more plants and less meat. Can you help me? Calling all connectors, mavens, and salespersons: I’m all ears.
I’ve been thinking a lot about attempting a change in diet for several reasons such as better health, eco-justice, and my emerging creation conservation theology. I hope to write about all three of those here at The Life Mosaic but for now here’s what I’m looking for from readers like you:
1. Connectors – What am I doing? What short books, inexpensive audiobooks of any length, or documentaries on the topic do you recommend?
2. Mavens – How do I do this? What’s involved in making the switch in a healthy, practical, realistic way? How did/do you do it?
3. Salespersons – Why do it? What’s your story? How did you come to a change in diet and why and what can I learn from your experience?
The above three terms are the three types of people who Malcolm Gladwell say drive ideas in his book The Tipping Point. In short, Gladwell writes:

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Four Videos on Being a Salad.

2013.01.06 Four Videos on Being a Salad

I came across a handful of videos about what it means to live in and live as a mosaic within “salad” terminology and thought I’d share them with you.

This professor, Dr. Magala, clearly defines and contrasts the melting pot and the salad. He points out the risks of the salad, that a group or groups can be made the scapegoat or discriminated against if they “stand out” too much. The video’s intended audience is student learners in entrepreneurial work but I think it gets the point across quickly and succinctly. Plus, the bit of humor at the end is classic.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ctb5s1sRwQ?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

On the other hand, there’s Rick Santorum’s

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Melting Pot, No. Mosaic, Yes.

2013.01.02 Melting Pot No, Mosaic Yes

The term “Melting Pot” does not agree with me, or is it the other way around? The United States has long been called the melting pot of the world as immigrants from many walks of life descend upon the nation from all four corners of the globe. The idea is that as these persons of various cultures meet up in the US, identities are fused together into a new identity, a US identity, which emerges hot and ready to be molded from this melting pot. Unfortunately, that concept ends up marginalizing many real persons and holds up exclusivity as an ideal.

Essentially, calling the US a melting pot is to tell immigrants to abandon their cultural heritage for the dominant culture and, in the US of A, that means white culture. The lesser parts melt away and the best endures and that is what is to be poured out amongst the people and cast in their lives. Whether those who coined the term or those who continue to use it today understand these implications is

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