Transitioning to Week Four

Overnighting in Des Moines enroute to my fourth and last consecutive week of camp for this journey.


The first week in Pol, Mo (Midland's SuperC) seems so very long ago. Glad I am still having "conversations" (facebook, email, and text) with several campers.


The two weeks at Crescent Lake Bible Camp (Rhinelander, Wi) evaporated too quickly..it is, for several reasons, my favorite camp...first time I spoke there was at a winter retreat in 1980 or so...


And now to Camp Machasay on the Colorado/Nebraska line...a small camp with a great staff, directed by one of my dearest friends.


Anything new these first three weeks?


Not really, although there was much discussion...and arguing...about homosexuality in light of the "supreme" courts decision on gay "marriage."


As I told the teens and counselors, Christians can certainly disagree about the whole gay "marriage" thing (for instance, when I think of the millions if not billions of dollars spent by Christians fighting this fight I grimace...fighting spiritual battles with man's weapons hasn't worked since Peter drew the sword and proved yes, he was impulsive and also that he was a lousy swordsman). That money could have been used to fight trafficking, poverty, hunger, etc, but instead as flushed down a non-winnable drain (and, frankly, I don't care about "gay rights" until they infringe on mine).


But the act is sin. Just as is premarital, extramarital, sex with a dog etc.


Did a (written) question answer session with about 45 senior high teens. Three of the questions were variations of, "How can it be sin if they were born that way?" Two wondered what I thought of transsexuals.


They, like all too many adults, are learning much from media and little from the Bible...and, as one teen told me, "My parents never talk about this stuff, and my youth pastor never does either...when I ask him he tells me to ask my parents."


I know that in all too many churches a youth pastor who approaches the topic of sex in any fashion may well be run out of town on a rail.


And that disgusts.


So there is not much "new." Same old stuff. Lots of teens from "good" churches who are Biblically illiterate. Thankfully...so thankfully..there are exceptions.


So we press on in our narrow mindedness.