Living Life In the 'Core'

I agree with Julie -- this discussion is SO good! My questions are always to get us to think more about whatever we post -- and that includes myself! So it's great to see the depth we arrive at. I agree with Melissa and Jennifer-- to be "anti" anything goes against the first and greatest commandment. The only thing Jesus was "anti" was evil -- in any form. One of the things we must be aware of, then, is the varied forms evil takes -- and ostracism, oppression, exclusion, etc., are all very real forms of evil, in the true sense of the word, because it sets up one against the other -- and that is precisely what Christ came to heal. But taking a stand FOR "the other" often places us in the precarious position of being judged and attacked by someone who chooses to set himself or herself against inclusion, love, healing, etc.

Today I learned that one of the 10 people who were killed by the Taliban over the week-end was a Methodist missionary / missionary kid -- his parents used to visit us when I was little. He was only slightly older than me, and went to school with friends of mine in northern India. Where and how does this Gospel of peace and love fit with Muslims, extremist or not? What would Christ have said or done? After all, it wasn't the enemy that killed him -- it was his own people.

I'm just throwing out thoughts, because we have to see the global picture as well as the local one.

How do we love these "others"? Where do we draw the line?

Back to Anne Rice -- I do think we must remember that she is making a statement, and a good one, and that we should think about it -- but also remember that only God knows who we are, where we are, and what we need, need to do, etc.

Peace. . .