Can't We All Just Get Along?

Polarized Opinions (sorry no Ackroyd pictures!)

Surely everyone older than 40 remembers the Old Saturday Night Live Weekend Update. And they remember the infamous "Point Counterpoint" in which Dan Ackroyd would holler, "Jane, you ignorant, misguided (expletive)". It made us laugh, largely because Dan had no fear, and when he got mad about an issue, he said his mind, which, although rude, was honest.

I have often felt like I wanted to be Dan Ackroyd of late, on several fronts. As I have mentioned here, and other places earlier in this blog, our family has been attempting to cope with all the effects of a major league church split that is ongoing. The whole situation is a traffic accident, with hurt people littering the landscape. Add to that, we now have a small Donneybrook occurring within our local school district. Enraged citizens want to fire our Superintendent after only nine months or so on the job. Conflict, it seems, is unavoidable. And in both situations, I have taken sides, which may make me not well liked in some quarters.

Full disclosure time. I am an Enterpriser! According to The Pew Trust, with a hat tip to Rob Asghar and this post, I am coming to grips with my Inner Enterpriser. And by the way, my Inner Enterpriser just kicked the living daylights out of my Inner Child, told him he did not want tax dollars paying for his whimpy attitude, and called the forced him to register Republican while giving him an indian burn. Uncle! An Enterpriser, egads, and for shame!

And yet, I have also to contend with this Shepherd, who bids me to be a peacemaker. So how do I balance my convictions and the One who wants to shape my soul. Where is humility in all of this?

I am open to suggestions here.

Youth Workers, Alert!!

Soul Searching

Do you know anyone involved in youth ministry? Youth Director, Jr. High Leader, Senior High, College? Perhaps even a youth volunteer from your church that you respect and admire? If so, head here, or to your local book store today, and purchase "Soul Searching" by Christian Smith and Melinda Denton. Buy them this book, and buy a copy for yourself. I am sure that my buddy KC and his blog friend Peter will be getting a copy soon. Right guys?

This work, funded by the Lilly Endowment is perhaps the seminal study of the spiritual lives of American youth in the past decade. Christianity Today has reviewed the book here, and it drove me to my local book store several weeks ago. I am digesting its contents now, and will be sharing some of my thoughts about this book soon.

First peek inside - as it turns out, American kids are not nearly as rebellious about religious conformity as one might think. More later.