This afternoon I read two articles back to back.
Here is the first by Christian writer Brian McLaren.
And, here is the second. An article found in the Washington Post.
Two very different versions of not only what it means to be a person of faith, but two very different pictures of what it means to be a citizen of the United States of America.

The struggle between these two competing images is real with real life consequences played out in large and small ways in the communities and towns and cities where you and I live. Everything from snide, derogatory comments and anonymous letters and posters defaming others to what happened in Montana and in Portland, Oregon. The time to decide who we are and who we want to be is now. Merely shaking our head at the headlines in the news and then going about our daily round is no longer an option.

I am reminded of this quote by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said,
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
This matters.
I am offended by the first and hope I have the courage of the second.