Graceful_Timber's Revelife

Church Segregation Still Exhists, Really?

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:18:09 GMT

I grew up attending a Methodist church. One in Colorado, the other in New Jersey. Never in the history of attending these two churches have I seen one segregated. It's 2009, surely we're past that era!

I just read an article from The Christian Post about a Black methodist church and a White methodist church are just now reuniting. Seriously? The article states, "Members of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which was founded in the late 1700s by a group of blacks who walked out of St. George's Methodist Church because of segregated seating, were welcomed back for a "reunion" and integrated worship." For two churches that have been separated for so long, wouldn't they have united sooner?

Granted, Philadelphia was turbulent during the Civil Rights Movement and integration wasn't that accepted after Brown versus the Board of Education, but surely someone must have crossed "the picket line" sometime. I know that attending a new church is different. It's uncomfortable going to a temple or a mosque if you're a Christian, but it's not like these churches were speaking different languages or religions. They're our brothers and sisters!

"[Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler] hopes that one day a service like the one they just held 'will not even be newsworthy because we have overcome issues of racism, sexism, classism, and all other -isms that separate us from one another and God.'" Amen! I know that our culture can sometimes be different, but that shouldn't sperate us from expanding our horizons and worshiping from people that are different from us. It is a sad state of the world that 200 year old grudges mean more to us than worshiping together. Yes, I know and understand how hurt many African American's' remain over all the slavery that has occurred, but you can still feel for your ancestors and thank God for the transformation/abolition of slavery He has helped bring forth in a white church.

When you look past this recent announcement of reunion the article comes to a close by stating, "The integrated worship comes after The United Methodist Church adopted a constitutional amendment that recognizes 'the sin of racism that has been destructive to its unity throughout its history' and calls the denomination to 'confront and seek to eliminate racism.'" Come one UMC! It's about time. It's a wonder all the things you realize as you get older.

Attending the Methodist church as I child I was never taught about the church's dark history. Were we really that white supremacist? Not cool! I applaud the UMC for recognizing the sin of racism, but couldn't we have done it in 1962? As someone who has felt ostracized from the church because I was born "different" racism isn't that far from me being discriminated as a result of how I look. If anything, it is easier to accept African Americans into Methodism than it is for me being accepted into church culture---no one wants to be reminded that God's children don't always come in perfect packages.

So Methodism, congratulations on realizing that were are infact in an age of acceptance (for the most part). You have once again made me proud I have defected from your denomination. Hopefully it won't take you another 200 years to find the One True God who doesn't judge, ostracize, or force into molds---otherwise you'll be the ones punished in the end.

Evangelese: Politicians Beware

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:59:13 GMT

Yesterday, I came upon this article and was in a mix of emotions as a result of how it paints Evangelicals. The article is written as advice for politicians and how they should learn "our" language. Do we really have a different langauge? Are we really that stereotypical? The author's first prescription for politicians is to mimic some of our phrases. Below are the examples and suggestions:

1. Refer to "my heart":
a. Evangelical examples: asking Jesus into your heart, God is speaking to your heart.
b. Secular use: I feel in my heart, I know in my heart no matter how hard it may be, we need to provide basic medical care for every child in this country.

2. Say you felt "called" or were led to do something.
a. Evangelical examples: God called me to move to Seattle, to take up the ministry, to put John 3:16 on my eyeblacks. Richard Dawkins and I have been brought together.
b. Secular use: I felt called to take up the cause of health care for all.

3. Use the word "personal" liberally.
a. Evangelical example: I needed a personal faith. You aren't really a Christian until you have a personal relationship with Jesus.
b. Secular use: I have a personal relationship to the people in that nursing home.

4. Use the phrase "all the world."
a. Evangelical example: Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
b. Secular use: Whether we treat health care as a basic human right will have ripple effects flow into all the world.

5. Talk about events that "changed your life forever."
a. Evangelical example: Accepting Jesus as my personal savior changed my life forever.
b. Secular use: Sitting with that dying child changed my life forever.

All right, when you look at these phrases, yes, we do use them a lot. If a politician wanted to appear noble and connected to his Christian constituents he could use these phrases. He'd receive some credit if used properly, but that doesn't mean that his words have the sanctity that ours do when we use them. Even though these phrases my be true stereotypes of our community, we know why we use them. We understand that the calling comes from Him---not from our desires or ambitions, but from The One True God.

We tell how our lives have been changed forever to give Him the glory. To remind ourselves and others that we cannot and could not do this alone. Yes, sometimes it may be used to try and save someone, but at the end of the day it should not serve to condemn someone for their disbelief---it should become a beacon of His steadfastness. Giving testimony works the same way. We don't just tell stories to be snobbish "I was saved at age 7" aka "I'm better than you because I've lived in faith longer". We tell our testimonies to up lift. To give hope to the hopeless. To steady those that are fearful. To proclaim our joy and appreciation for all that He has done in our lives. If a politician really wanted to connect to us, he need to adopt these truths. His testimony must be real and true. They must be as open and honest as Susan Hutchinson. Although our community may be condemned to outsiders, we must remain firm in our truths.

Later in the article, the writer discusses some of the things politicians should never do.

1. Calling Christianity a religion. It isn't. It's a relationship. Agreed!
2. Referring to Jesus as a good man. He wasn't. He was God. Eh...I take issue, but for the most part it hold true.
3. Using the word "tolerance." It's a bad word that means you are a moral relativist. Probably true. Generally, tolerance means that we aren't truly loving our neighbors or enemies, as were meant to.
4. Mentioning priests or bishops. Way too Catholic. Evangelicals call them ministers or pastors or preachers. Agreed!
5. Using the words interfaith, or spirituality. Those are words for wusses and imply spiritual weakness. Spirituality, I'm okay with since I use it a lot, but in general the author is probably right. It tends portray someone who is spiritual as someone who picks and chooses the best aspects of Christianity and other religions and melding them together. I admittedly am a member of this group, on certain aspects.

All in all, this author isn't completely off base. Stereotypically she has us pegged, but it's just irritating when politicians adopt these phrases and don't mean them. Yes, it does depend on the type of political race it is (councilman, representative, senator, governor, President, etc) and the location of the race (local, state, national) in determining whether or not a politician means what he or she says in Evangelese. However, if they're trying to win my vote through my religious beliefs, then I'm probably not going to vote for them. They have more influence on my vote through the issues they stand for than whether or not they share the same religious beliefs. If anything, politicians need to be true to themselves, stand up for what they believe is the brightest vision of our future and stick to their guns, because that has become a fleeting thing in this country.

Read the entire article at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/valerie-tarico/speaking-evangelese-tips_b_322999.html. Make sure you listen to Susan Hutchinson's speech (the link is in the article). The ending is a lesson that we should all live by.

How do you feel about this critique of Evangelese? Should politicians stay out of our culture?

True Reliance...Have You Seen It?

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:58:16 GMT

I just watched this heart wrenching photo essay while looking for a job. Constructive, I know.

I've always been touched by photography. There's just something so fascinating about it. You can capture someone's essence in one frame. One frame is a fraction of a second in someone's life, but it's there for all time. It shows the resilience, frailty, or depth of any emotion for anyone, anywhere on the planet.

It's been a while since a photograph has truly left an imprint on me like this. After the Fire, a photo essay by Louise Chin and Ignacio Aronovich, looks at the devastation and faith that occurred in Brazil. It's haunting to see the devastation. When we Americans see our houses burn we know we have insurance. We have security. We have friends and family to lean on. These subject's lives have been ravaged by the fire. They weren't endowed with money, they weren't insured and safe; they were in the slums where Jesus is their only savior.

It's alarming to see how wide spread the fire was. One of the pictures is from a height and you can see how vast the fire was. Everything was cleared out. There is more ash then there are people. There's a child who is barefoot in the wreckage. Despite this devastation and lacking, there are many bright spots.

The two women, who sit among the wreckage, find comfort in the Bible. Seeing this photo essay you know that these people truly have nothing...except the reliance on Jesus. One fire victim says that there is only God amongst the homeless children and burned slums. You see the readiness to rebuild. The unknown strength that has arisen,

Watching this photo essay has truly reminded me how blessed I am. I've been reminded how our laziness and blame should be forgotten when things aren't going our way. When we think it has all gone wrong, we need to remember---like these fire victims---that He is with us. Homelessness may be one of the hardest tests anyone will ever have to face, but He is there. Everytime!

What do you think of this photo essay? Have you truly relied on Jesus like they have?

Would You Go To Church?

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:05:42 GMT

I just read an article about how churches have been closing their doors on Sunday to have activity days. Instead of a sermon and worship, church members are going out and performing activities like serving the homeless as part of the Faith in Action program. I see both what the churches and Faith in Action are doing, but does it really make you want to go to church on Sunday?

In a world where it's really hard to get out of bed on Sundays, for those like myself lacking the will, how are these churches giving me incentive to go to church? When I go to church I expect to have some sense knocked into me. I need that reminder of "Hello! You need to stop being so lazy and realize all the things that God wants for you! Is this really how He wants you to live your life?". If I heard that my church wasn't going to give me that wake-up call when I needed it, then why would I get up early to serve?

Everyone has their different causes. For some it's Austim, for some its breast cancer and for others its a rare disease someone in their family was born with. Yes, I realize that their intent is to make the congregation feel connected and like they're doing something together---so that it's not just the worship leaders and the missions pastors,etc. However, for the people like me that have bigger causes, why can't we just serve Him on our own? I'd rather serve in His name to a family who hasn't had a night away from their kids in two years because one child has Austim and the other has Downs Syndrome, then do something that I know is done all the time.

The article comments that most churchgoers believe that their church does enough for the homeless, but the statistics portray the opposite. I recognize that this may be true. Many people don't think that they have to do the work of helping the poor or homeless because someone else is out there doing it. It's understandable, we're a lazy self-serving generation, but if it is true and churches are underserving the underprivileged the surely they could think of other ways to help than giving up their Sunday morning.

These citizens need consistent help. Not just during Thanksgiving and Christmas, not just during Sundays. If they really wanted to make an impact they should partner with one of their local homeless or poor organizations and pair a church goer with one of their clients. Everyone needs a human connection---someone who'll check in on them every week. Take them out to the farmer's market or some other place that get's them out of their cardboard boxes and lift their spirits. Encouragement and positive attitude always rub off.

Yes, I know that some people are homeless by choice, but don't they still deserve a listening ear and compassion. Shouldn't we be thinking about why people occasionally choose to be homeless? It bet it may be for a very interesting reason.

Instead of making churchgoers donate their reflection time on Sunday, give them options. Some people are not morning people and if I had to go help someone in the morning they definitely would not receive the love and compassion from me that they would receive if I was allowed to donate my time say in the late afternoon---after a few cups of coffee and the biblical reminder of why Id be doing what I was doing.

Would you attend a church mandated function in lieu of worship? Would you prefer activity options if your service was mandated on Sunday during worship time?

Are Pedicures Displacing Jesus?

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:15 GMT

For the past six months I've been living at home. I've seen and dealt with many things, a big one being my mother's back problems. She's now getting treated, but it has not been an easy rode for her having one bulging and two herniated discs. I've had to fight the urge to scream when she tells me to carry her laptop case or handle all the luggage on a recent trip we took. I know the great pain that she has been in, but surely there has to be an end to how much servitude I must provide.

For years my mother has been pampered. She gets her hair dyed at least once a month. She has a full set of nails put on and a pedicure every two weeks at least. She maintains that they are necessary for her business reputation as a CEO for a non-profit. I think that this pampering has gone to her brain and it is partly to blame for why she refuses to pick up her laptop bag now that her back is injured. When you have bellmen and airport luggage guys to answer your beck and call why would you want to do any of the work?

On Saturday, my servitude to my mother hit a new low. She asked me to file her toe nails. Trust me, when she asked I was just a weired out as you are now. It was an outlandish thought that she would want me to file her toe nails. There are some things you do for your parents because they gave you life, but did I really have to do THAT? Yes, I did. I was initially adverse to her request, but then I thought about the reasons why I should. She didn't have the money, with all the back issues she's now had to forgo her "pampering" to pay the medical bills, it was the right thing to do, it was the Christian thing to do (to love my mother with kindness even though I really wanted to impale her with something for her selfishness).

Initially, I agreed because its easier to acquiesce to her demands than hear her whine, but as I filed them I remember that not so long ago our Lord did something similar. Despite the fact that Christ washed the disciples feet before His death, it's still important the He washed them. There is an important lesson in humility to be found from helping my mother.

Do not get high and might next time your at the nail salon! I was inconvenienced for less than ten minutes to help my mother, but yet there are people out there every day that give of themselves so that our feet can look coiffed. Jesus gave of himself so that the disciples could be clean and carry out the truth; we should look at our pedicurists and remember that message. Even though if you really, really look at it we shouldn't be focused on the hair salon or the nail salon at all since they only add vanity, which can become a negative force in our lives. If we really really wanted to live a Christian life we should give up these activities and go lead Christian lives, professing Christ's love and filing our neighbors toe nails...for free.

We can't allow our girly nature to lead us astray from Him. Sure, it feels good to have someone pamper us, to wash our feet, but the only one who can truly redeem us and make us spiritually clean is Christ! We need to remain focused on Him, not on ourselves. As I was filing my mother's toe nails I felt sad for her. Yes, she maintains the she is a Christian and she's sacrificing 40% of her income this year to help keep her foundation afloat, but shouldn't she be letting go of her vanity and trusting God? So what if her hair gets gray and her feet aren't polished? All He cares about is whether or not we give of ourselves and live under his guidance. I love my mother, but sometimes I really think that her pedicures are getting in the way of her faith.

Do you think that manicures and pedicures lead us away from Christ? What else do you think is displacing faith in your life?

Christian Romance Novels: Worth the Read?

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:16:58 GMT

A few weeks ago I was asked by my cousin to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. Since this invitation (which I whole heartdly accepted) I've been off in the la-la-land of romance. I went to a networking event and fanaticized before hand about how cool it would be if I met my future husband that night and hoped I could bring him to the wedding (the weddings not until May 2010 so I still have time). I daily resist the urge to rip open bridal magazines and start planning my own, without a groom.

Lately, I've been trying to curb some of my habits or rather sins. I'm reducing my lust for chocolate (you just can't go cold turkey). I've been trying to be more kind to my parents behind their backs. I'm trying really hard not to become jealous of my cousins happiness. Since I was thirteen, I've been an avid romance novel reader. This is going to be one of the hardest habits to break.

Right now, I'm reading the latest in The Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig. It's pretty tame on the romance side considering how hard core my reading has gone, but I love the series all the same. My next scheduled read will be The Gargoyle by Andrew Davis, which I know will be sexuality free.

Here's my problem. After these books, I know I'll want to head towards the romance section of Barnes and Noble. The closer I get to the wedding, the more I will want to replace my singledom and loneliness with imaginary romance and physical satisfaction. It a predictable pattern. Some days, I feel like its alright to read the books because it keeps me anchored and trusting that He will help me find my life partner instead of going off and giving pieces of myself to other men. However, I know that He really don't want me reading these books because it leads me down the wrong path when my focus should be on Him, not myself and how amazing the sex scenes are in a Nicole Jordan novel.

I've heard from time to time that Christian romance novels exist and that they sometimes contain as much sex as some of the non-Chrisitan books. Is this true? Does reading Christian authors take the sin out of it? I've never actually read a Christian romance novel, so I have no idea of what they're like in terms of "the good stuff". I'm trying to curb my old ways, but I need a good transition book. It may be better to go cold turkey, but I've been reading the hard core romance novels for ten years---it's a little hard to break that kind of habit,

Are there any good Christian romance novels that have enough "action" to keep me interested while still anchored enough in Christian principles to not feel sinful? Does it really matter?

Campus Ministry Or Church Interaction?

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:30:45 GMT

Since it's the end of September, I've been in a very reflective mood. One short year ago I was a senior in college, taking the toughest classes of my life. I was knee deep in GRE preparation (to no avail) and trying to live every minute with my roommates. I know that the saying goes that if I knew then what I knew now I'd be ahead of the game, and its true, but I don't regret it for a minute---except when it comes for Intervarsity.

During the first three years of college I was an active member of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. I met strong Christians that strengthened me when I learned of my mother's infidelity and my parent's impending separation. My fellow Christians were there for Friday movie nights and unimposing Bible Study. If I had my senior year back, I'd race over to worship---even if I was on the other side of campus and just too lazy. Had I gone that final year of school I trust that my faith in God for the future would be much stronger and perhaps clearer, but I also know that during that year He was with me when I needed Him. He heard every prayer and answered one of the most critical.

While thinking of all the days that I squandered reading James Joyce and watching films for my independent study instead of enjoying worship at Intervarsity, I fell upon this article---thus the if I knew then moment. The College Student's Dilemma: Should I Get Involved in My Church or a Campus Ministry? by J.D. Greear should become the Christian college students manual on how to maximize their experience and not end up like me upon graduation. Trust me, if you can develop that external Christian network before you graduate you'll be so much better off.

In the beginning of the article Greear lies out the four advantages that the church has, for which I mostly agree.

Churches do have the structure and organization that you can rely on. They know what denomination they support, they know what their theology is, they know on a consistent basis what they will be preaching and how the worship services will be structured.
Churches are intergenerational. Some days, I'm not so much into seeing the church elders, but they are a very available resource. They've lived the path and the struggles. We need to use them while we can.
Churches are multi-faceted. This allows us to find where we best fit into the church. If I had chosen the church route during school, I would have joined the choir. During Intervarsity, worship team was a very select group and in some sense may have pushed me out the door that senior year because I didn't truly feel valued as a member of the group.
Church is for life. Now here's where I disagree. In my experience, church during school is not forever. You have only for years, unless you plan on staying in the area where you went to school for the rest of your life, your still gonna have to make new church relationships. Sometimes you never find the right church and end up ostracized, like me, whether you're at home or school. Church is always there when you need it, although it is better to be consistent than needy and wander off after everything is perfect (churches tend to hate that).

Greear is right on when it comes to the advantages of college ministry:

Campus ministries meet on campus, Definitely the best thing going for college ministry organizations. If it weren't for being on campus I'd probably never found faith again. Plus, you know exactly where the people that go to these events live. You can walk down the hall or the next dorm down and have someone to hang with who shares the same values as you.
Campus ministries specialize in dealing with the issues students face while a student. Your campus worker is usually someone whose been in your shoes within the last 5-10 years. Mine were graduates of my school and almost fresh out of college---they know my professors and course load. It's a lot easier deal with your problems in a Christian perspective when they know what you're going through.

The end of the article is the kicker! It lays out how to spend your four years: to be involved freshmen and sophomore year on campus, find a church you can consistently go to, to find a mentor at church and a few more. I definitely agree. I spent a good year silently yearning for a mentor that would nurture me in Intervarsity, yet it never materialized, and its sad to think I might have found that in a church. I spent so many days wishing that I was closer to God and stronger in my faith, but all the while I was becoming more withdrawn from Intervarsity because they weren't serving my needs. I just didn't know what I needed at the time.

As Greear approaches advice for junior and senior year he shifts focus to those who are trying to ascertain their role in ministry and that's where I got a little turned off. Not all of us are meant to spend our lives serving the church and I'd hope that as Greear revises he'd keep that in mind. I do agree that towards junior year you should be more church centered so that you can build those relationships that help you carry through senior year, but it just doesn't have to be in a ministry capacity.

So what do you think of Greear's advice? What should you be doing junior and senior year if you're not ministry minded?

No Home, No Sympathy?

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:43:33 GMT

I stumbled upon this article by Allie Pruitt and thought it rather distressing.

California has its fair share of problems right now. One of them, specific to Sacramento, is homelessness. Sacramento has a large homeless population, and no room for it. Mark Merin thought he had the solution. The Sacramento attorney is the owner of a vacant lot on C street. Merin has been letting homeless people sleep on his property for the last 10 days. This has been great for the homeless people, but it hasn't been such a hit for Merin's neighbors and the police.

Last Wednesday the police showed up to the C street lot with a search warrant, issuing citations against illegal camping. The police came in response to calls from neighbors who claims the campers insulted them, left trash in the neighborhood and disrupted their lives. Although the neighbors believed this to be true, the homeless people were mainly just showering or having breakfast at Loaves and Fishes homeless complex down the street. The police seized 32 tents, sleeping bags, and cots.

Merin plans to take action on this issue with the support of Loaves and Fishes and dozens of members of religious and advocacy groups. He has vowed to go to court next month to challenge a city ordinance that prevents people from camping in non-designated areas for more than 24 hours at a time.

The government needs to do something about the homeless people. It's not fair to leave them to fend for themselves then kick them out of any place they try to sleep. However, I do understand where the neighbors on C street are coming from. I wouldn't really want dozens of homeless people residing a few yards away from my family and me. But what should the government do? Should they be responsible for providing food, shelter, and healthcare to them? It's an issue.

In times like these, homelessness is becoming a bigger problem. With more and more people losing jobs everyday and homes getting foreclosed, people around the country are becoming homeless. Something needs to happen to solve this problem.

So what would I do if I were living in C street? Would I be annoyed by the fact that homeless people were sleeping in my lot? I would hope not. I hope that as a Christian I would lend a hand as well as understand how hard it would be to live without shelter. I hope that I would give of myself and my time. Listen to those that were in the situation, give them an extra blanket or two.

I know how draining it would be to have these people leave trash and other debris in the lot after they left. How it would deteriorate my surrounding and how over time I'd forget those Christian intentions that I may have started out with. But we can't forget! We need to life others up in brother or sisterhood because in a split second He could bring us into that situation.

Do Fashion Photographers Love Jesus?

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:42:54 GMT

When I was in the seventh grade I met a former fashion photographer that gave up his vocation to photograph people with genetic conditions, He started with Albinism and has now gone on to many different conditions. At the time I was more concerned with the fact that I was being photographed by a fashion photographer, but over the last almost ten years I come to see how passionately he lives. He took the chance to break the rules and listen to God's calling. It was not an easy thing to do, but it was the greatest thing he has ever done.

Knowing that I have this connection is important for you to understand why I was so elated to read about what Michael Belk is doing. Michael is also a fashion photographer. He's shot in all the top magazines and he, like my friend, has given it up---but this time Michael's giving it up for God No, he''s not joining the clergy. Not only would that be beyond insane, but it would be wasting the photography talent God has given him. What Mark has done is launched a photo campaign called Journeys with the Messiah.

This is one of the most beautiful exhibitions I have seen and I literally got chills while watching this video on the website. Michael is bringing Jesus back to life in a way that many have forgotten. Who ever thought that a camera lens could recreate the passion and conviction that Jesus had in his own life. When you see the picture of Jesus and a Nazi walking together in conversation it really brings home what he meant by loving our enemies.

Go take a look at the website and see our Jesus with fresh eyes. Then spread the link and show our generation how real and tangible our Messiah is. He is here. He is waiting to be exalted and connected with you in your life!

Florida Churches Boycott Pepsi

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:34:20 GMT

I recently read this article and was shocked! It was not shocking to see the extremes that some Christian churches go to try and assert their values onto others, but come on guys this is PEPSI. They employ thousands of people that follow many many different religions.

The cruxt of the article reports that three mega churches have boycotted Pepsi because their headquarters advocates diversity and sexual orientation training. It's always been hard for me to understand why Christians are so intolerant of people that lead alternative lifestyles. At the end of the day they are still are brothers, sisters, neighbors, teachers, coworkers, bosses and every other type of person in the world. They are human beings full of emotions, thoughts, dreams, ambitions, and spirit. We're called to love them, whether we feel their lives are being lived right or wrong. Who are we to define how someone should live? At the end its up to Him and to be hurtful or judgemental does nothing for our souls.

Anyway, as a Business minor in college I see the value of what Pepsi is doing. Our culture is largely comprised of non-Christians or those that do not earnestly practice their faith. The mass majority of our culture accepts the gay community and it is more efficient for a company to help their employees deal with issues like these then have a shooting at work because an employee couldn't deal with the confusion that comes with sexual identity.

As a business, if is significantly important to train employees how to deal with sexual orientation. As a company it is as important to focus on as it is to train for accepting diversity and working with diverse people. Without thus training there would be much more liability, plus it helps Pepsi look good.

Back to the churches. We can't stop these churches or its members for their views. If they choose to castigate Pepsi for being a company that is more on the liberal side of religion and society that have that God given right. However, making it a mega issue seems a little ridiculous. Pepsi is not gonna change their corporate policy for the business of 3 mega churches when they make Billions of dollars in sales every year world wide. Come on guys, there are bigger battle in the world that God wants you to fight for than Pepsi's acceptance of its employees and whatever lives they choose to live. If you really wanna go off the deep end forget the Coke you've replaced it with and find an all Christian organic bottling company and support them. That way you get the best of both worlds---Christian principles and you're still not supporting Pepsi.

I could go on for days. but I won't.

What's your opinion? Are these churches going off the deep end of conservatism or do they have a valid point when it comes to Christian morals.