Seeing Rabbits and Jesus

There have been strange goings on about rabbits and Jesus in my community this past month.

Before addressing Colorado rabbits, let’s discuss the King of kings’ inflammatory names. For about three years, “Jesus is Lord” messages have been minimally scattered on bus stop benches, throughout Colorado Springs. The benches provide seats for all kinds of passengers–the weary, handicapped, elderly, student, employee, and the “needs-a-bath” type.

As I whiz by a bus stop, I have mused over the connection between the “Jesus is Lord” message and the bus riders.  I finally concluded: The Bible tells us children sat on Jesus’ lap, and he loved the little guys. Maybe some of his older children leaning against his name is not such a bad idea?

An anonymous bureaucrat in the city’s Mountain Metro Mobility disagreed. Last month, this person told Pastor Lawson Perdue of Charis Christian Center that he could no longer do “Jesus is Lord” advertising. There had been one complaint.

In one news report Pastor Perdue explained, “I asked the city person, ‘Why are you not allowing me to advertise the name of Jesus?’

She said, ‘Because if you use the name of Jesus in ads, then we must allow hate messaging.’

I said, ‘Ma’am, the name of Jesus is in no way representing hate messaging.'”

While thinking about this controversy last week, I drove by some pro marijuana protesters at city hall. It looked like a mellow group of veterans and friends.

I approve of them—not so much their message, but their right to demonstrate and have a voice. Freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion have come to all Americans with great sacrifice.

Fortunately, our mayor and city council understand these rights. The Jesus signs on bus benches are back. It probably didn’t hurt Charis Christian Center and Pastor Perdue to get some free publicity. And now the preacher is even more fired up on the center’s website. He makes clear he is not ashamed of the name above all names.

The brouhaha has died down for now, yet once again I am saddened that this kind of controversy occurred at all. One friend observed such problems happen because many in the younger generation don’t know any better. They get squirmy on religious rights and think such topics should be confined to the privacy of one’s home—maybe just like in Saudi Arabia, North Korea, and so many other wonderful places. I’ve often wondered how deep this kind of discriminatory thinking goes in our tax supported universities.

And Now About Those Rabbits:

Thinking about college education brings me to the rabbits at the Air Force Academy. The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently called on the Academy to stop killing, skinning and eating rabbits as part of its survival training. It seems about 300 rabbits purchased yearly from a local farmer are used to teach third-year academy cadets how to survive in the wild. The cadets skin, clean, and cook the bunnies in the wild, while learning to avoid salmonella.

PETA is concerned about excessive bludgeoning of the domesticated animals. I see their point, but the cadets have to learn survival training. Besides, any smart cadet will know it is easier to dress a killed animal with one lethal blow rather than many. Still, it doesn’t hurt to reexamine training. Air Force spokeswoman Captain Brooke Brzozowske said in Air Force Times, “We are currently reviewing the issues raised in PETA’s letter and will provide additional information upon conclusion of the review.”

So, you see, I have been thinking of the Jesus bus benches and rabbits and how it impacts neighbors and me as we share community. It can be tricky to discern biases and speak out in a respectful, love-your-neighbor, manner. Fortunately, we live in a country that still upholds freedoms of speech and religion–and the killing of rabbits for survival training.

Jesus and Public Consequences

Ken Myers, founder and director of Mars Hill Audio, consistently has wise thoughts on how believers should interact when engaging culture. Here is one of his recent quotes, using the Apostle Paul’s famous speech to Athens’ elite in Acts 17.

“Paul’s example at Mars Hill suggests that Christian public witness involves calling our neighbors to a new framework of understanding everything. The universal call to repentance that the Gospel necessitates is not just a plea for individual piety. It is an announcement that Christ’s coming—and what it reveals about Creation and history and human nature—has public consequences.

“When Christians insist that this is true, they are not thereby withdrawing from cultural engagement. Refusing the rules of engagement drawn up by modernity is in fact the most generous, truthful, and loving service we can offer our neighbors. After all, the cultural chaos that grieves us harms them even more.”

The recent God Is Not Dead movies shine a light on the number of recent court cases Christians have been involved in. They center on the rights for freedom of speech and freedom of religion. The long list of court cases that rolls across the screen as part of the first movie’s credits is uncomfortable, sobering, and even chilling. Indeed, these are strange times we live in.

You can find more of Ken Myers’ work at: http://marshillaudio.org