The Da Vinci Code - Part 2 ...

"Most people will go to this movie just because the church is against it..." That's what I heard on the way to work yesterday morning on CBC. The commentator went on to say that most people see the church as against anything fun and enjoyable... Gotta tell ya ... that just bugs me... mostly because it's true...

Without putting a ton of thought into it, most people can tell you that the church is against same-sex marriage, abortion, homosexuality, sex before marriage, sex outside of marriage (and some probably even think that the church is against sex INSIDE of marriage...) You see what I mean, it looks like we're against everything and anything... Now there are good reasons why God creates boundaries, but it seems to me that we've put too much energy into letting everybody know about the boundaries and not nearly enough time into telling the world about what we are for...

For example, the church is for families, children, women, equality, helping the poor, the widow and the orphan. We believe that success is a good thing and that education is valuable. We believe in service, sacrifice and generosity. The church is against injustice and for mercy and justice. It hates violence and celebrates the peacemaker.

I think it's all about our approach... we start on the basis of what's wrong with what people are doing or have been doing. It's just a thought, but starting with what people are doing wrong isn't the best way to build a positive relationship.

Check out Jesus with the woman caught in adultery. It can't get much worse than being "caught" in the act. You'd think that would qualify you for a tongue lashing from the Almighty, but Jesus only says ... I don't condemn you either.... go and sin no more....

The woman left with hope and empowered to go and do the "right thing" instead of the "wrong thing". I think she left feeling pretty good about her encounter with Jesus.

We could learn a lesson here. It might change the whole world...