thekeithyeager

Thoughts from my Big Book of Everything

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Tolerance vs Acceptance

December 20, 2013

It seems that in today’s culture we have entered into a vocabulary war over the meaning of the words acceptance and intolerance. As most of us would agree that we all have belief systems that we hold to with some of us being more vocal than others. These belief systems run deep to our very core regardless of age, race, gender, or religious beliefs. The questions that I would like to purpose for discussion today is, is it possible to be tolerant and accept other fully while still holding to the beliefs that we all hold so dear? To debate these questions I think it is important to first understand the words themselves, and as long as I have been alive Webster’s Dictionary has been the go to for answers. If you have chosen another source for your vocabulary needs please excuse my choice for the betterment of the argument at hand. Below you will find the root words with their meanings, I have taken only the example that fall into the social meanings of the words full meaning are available online for further research.

INTOLERANT

2 a : unwilling to grant equal freedom of expression especially in religious matters

b : unwilling to grant or share social, political, or professional rights

ACCEPT

2: to give admittance or approval to <accept her as one of the group>

3 a : to endure without protest or reaction <accept poor living conditions>

b : to regard as proper, normal, or inevitable <the idea is widely accepted>

c : to recognize as true : believe <refused to accept the explanation>

As you can see that these two words yet used interchangeable are very different in nature and meaning. I think as we look at issue today we have forgotten that there are issues of intolerance and then there are issues of acceptance. The first has more to do with one’s rights where the other has to do directly with one’s belief system. Is it possible to have tolerance yet to not accept? Is it possible to accept and not have tolerance?

I am friends with people from many different belief systems and while we do tolerate each others beliefs, I would say for each of us there may never be a time we have come to accept the beliefs totally of the other without changing the beliefs of ourselves. I would also say that to voice your belief system apart from relationship strays into dangerous territory and most of the problems that I have seen have come from this fact. The last question I believe we should discuses is this. Is it fair to turn someone into a villain or champion base upon the media’s (both social and broadcast) exploitation? Remember that through tolerance we are all given the same freedom of expression but it does not require us to accept that expression as our own.

Incase you are the curious type, I do have my own belief system in place and if we have a relationship of understanding I am more than happy for a friendly discussion through email or preferable through face to face.

Some words for thought.

Proverbs 12:18 “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Gatlinburg, Tenn

November 20, 2013

I have planned this trip many times and it will always be one of my favorites. Late fall is by far my favorite time to travel to the mountains just to see the leaves change. Over the years I have learned that the mountains are for the exploring and not for sleeping. Always plan for potential weather risks while traveling in the mountains. There is nothing like having your vehicles stuck when you are trying to get a group home from a great retreat. My cabin of choice is through a company called Hidden Mountain Resorts. The River Lodge is a 40 person log cabin, yes you heard right. It sits just off a flat road at the base of the mountains overlooking a scenic river, not to mention the amenities that come with the place. This location is a great place to talk about living in the highs and low of life with your students. All the planning and the most perfect locations can still make for a so so trip, don’t forget the little things. Get to know the students that are going on the trip both personally and where they stand in their relationship with God and plan interactions that will allow you to ask questions. One of the best things that you as a leader can do is use this time to be among the students, network and take the leading off your shoulders for this trip. Bring someone to lead music and speak this will let you relax and deepen your relationships instead of studying the whole time.

Walking Dead vs Zombieland RULE #20

April 14, 2013

This week at Uprising we will be talking about the importance of finding the right shelter. Shelter is one of the three basic needs that every human needs and in an end of the world type situation we see theses basic needs hard to come by. Keeping with the theme of the walking dead, I would like to hear from you my readers. What would you look for in a shelter for the walking dead type of world? How detailed have you gone with your planning? Have you even thought about what the right shelter might be?

Where the “Law meets Life”

April 3, 2013

We start a new series this week @ Uprising – The Walking Dead. While the series is widely popular it is also just as controversial. Through out the series people are faced with the idea of right and wrong or in other terms where the law meets real life. We have to face these issues everyday, ok maybe not the zombie killing kind but issues none the less. Nathanael was a great example of this, he knew the law and upheld it to be a great example, Jesus even complimented him about this. When Nathanael came face to face with Jesus it got real, he had figure out what happens when the law met real life. In the up coming weeks we will be looking at this through our eyes, and feeling this through our hearts. Remember if you are not growing you are dying and spreading the disease to others. Are you ready to find out how to apply the law to real life?

Coming to Uprising in April. If you are not growing, well!! We are all infected.

Walking Dead

March 18, 2013

Kalahari

February 27, 2013

Kalahari

Middle School Retreat

Ski Trip

February 27, 2013

Ski Trip

Up the Slopes

Quito

February 27, 2013

Quito

View of the City

Missions

January 24, 2013

I leave this weekend for a place that I have never been and a new adventure in my life. I am headed to South America to help plan a trip for our students in 2014, Ecuador to more exact. I have been looking forward to this trip for a while now, but I will also miss all that is going on around here it just feels like so much is left undone. This is a good reminder of humility, life will go on and ministry will go on without me. While I am away I would appreciate any prayer and thoughts that you have for me in safe travels and interactions. Pending that I have internet access I will post to the blog, my Facebook and maybe some youtube videos along the way. Before I know it I will be sitting down to a pad of paper and debriefing everything that has happened on the trip, until then I will rely on my faith. I almost feel like Paul writing a letter to one of his churches, trying to think of encouraging words or simply telling them the story of the blessings that he is about to experience. As my heart is torn between two spaces I know that you are with me and I with you, I will think of you as I am out of the snow in 70 degree weather. Until then I leave you with some Dora the Explorer Spanish, arriba up, abajo down.

Who knew there were so many consoles?

January 11, 2013

Who knew there were so many consoles?

Did any of these come out the year you were born?