Taking It For Granted

Recently I have been walking again in the morning and during these jaunts I have been listening to my iPod--my favorite piece of technology.  I discovered a podcast--my favorite bits on my iPod--that is a series of episodes or interviews with people who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with interesting stories or messages to share.

The most curious of these interviews in this past week or so have involved a few people who have fled communist East Germany following World War II.

In their stories they tell of the feelings they had as they emigrated to America after their lives in Eastern Europe.  They spoke of immediately feeling the freedom that comes from being in America.  They knew they could worship as they chose.  They told of knowing they could speak freely without worrying that they'd be discovered or oppressed.

How much of that kind of freedom do we take for granted?

This week in the news there were reports of this Pastor who declared that September 11th would be the Koran burning day.  Legally, he can protest that way.  But ethically, he is living out the hypocrisy that is getting more and more common in this country.  Yes, we have the freedom, but we don't want it afforded to others.

Worse than all that, I feel deeply that this Pastor Terry Jones is so bent on insulting another faith and making mockery of the freedoms we espouse in America that he has forgotten some of the basic tenets of Jesus' teaching, that of Loving our Neighbors and Doing unto others as we'd have others do to us.

How can we influence non-believers of the righteousness of Christ's teachings when all they see is intolerance, hatred and prejudice?  Are we truly standing as a witness of God in all things, in all times, in all places if we voice attitudes like Pastor Jones'?  Our example will show others what we actually believe.

Sadly, our attitudes and behaviors are more clear evidence of our beliefs than the words we speak.  I think we take for granted at times the ideas that we must not only "talk the talk" but must also "walk the walk" for others to believe us.  I hope, in my life, that if someone watches me and hears my words that those two are consistent enough to prove me a real Christian, showing Christ-like care and service and concern for others.