Big Joe's Smoke Shop

I'm sorry for the Liberals. I do not mean the liberal activist who distributes condoms to 13 year olds, desecrate the American flag and take people to court to say Merry Christmas. I'm talking about the average Joe liberal, the guy who works at the local Subaru loves his country, but believes his fellow Americans are too materialistic and has genuine concerns about how U.S. foreign policy on the rest world. Reason why I am sorry for the average Joe liberal and not liberal Hollywood because Hollywood liberals time and money to build environmentally friendly homes, buy food and organic .... during their free time ... Save Darfur. Yes it's true that many liberal Hollywood types live well below their ideal (especially when they fly around throwing private), but at least they get to speak to one of the rallies and rub with Bono ... or become a goodwill ambassador for the UN.

The reason I am sorry for the average Joe liberal because if most Americans eat Taco Bell, a shop at Walmart, and pray God the stock market treats them with kindness, liberal average Joe eats at Taco Bell stores Wal-Mart, pray for his 401K will be there for him when he retires .... and must feel shabby himself in the process. While most people plan their lives around what they consider in their financial interest, the Liberal Average Joe does the same thing. The difference was that the Liberal Average Joe wonders if his designer jacket was produced in a sweat shop and hoped that oil inventories in the 401K are not supporting the military junta in Burma. Although most people have to worry about expanding their wastelines they chow down on Big Macs, the Liberal Average Joe, as he chows down on the same Big Mac, hope it was vegetarian because he knows that meat production uses much of the water resources of the Earth horticultural production, and he knows that wars are fought over water resources. The guy I feel sorry for the one with a bleeding heart, but an empty pocket.

I wonder if the Holy Spirit had a bleeding heart liberal Average Joe in mind when he inspired the apostle Paul to write ...." For what I do, I do not understand. For what I 'll do, I do not practice, but what I hate I do "(Romans 7:15). Although I like to believe that the apostle Paul spoke of his current experience as a Christian when he wrote these words, the intellectual honesty that I communicate my belief that Paul spoke of his pre-conversion experience, in this passage. While some may debate my interpretation of this passage, I must say I much prefer the interpretation others I do not accept the interpretation that Paul was to disclose his struggles as a believer. No matter if you believe Paul speaks of his pre-conversion experience or his conversion experience post I must say that one thing I particularly like about this passage and is free of the Apostle on the human condition.

A few weeks ago, I walked through the streets of the West Bank with a delegation from Christian Peacemaker Teams. Although most people in the group come from theologically liberal media, I felt a little out of place being from a conservative evangelical environment. As I was talking to a fellow member of the delegation one afternoon, I made a comment that none of us leave this world without stain. It seems that we are all going in life not only stumbling block in a number of things, but many things (Jacques 3:2). I do not know about you, but sometimes I feel I'd rather not know how many ways I fall I'm going on my daily life trying to get by with as little pain and as much comfort as possible. As much as I like to think that all is well with my soul just because I like going to church and do.