Christian individualism

When you study the apostle Paul, you have to keep in mind that the typical ancient Mediterranean person was far-less individualistic than the average American. Whereas "our" actions are self-focused and identity is constructed in terms of vocation and personal interests, the ancient person was a collectivist, dyadic, and group oriented. Just think about your average dinner party, or what happens when you meet a stranger. The first question, "What is your name?" The second question, "What do you do?"

It's interesting to think about how this instructs & informs our prayer lives. Far too often my prayer instinctively drifts to self-concerns. Help me do this. Help me see this. As a corrective we should look more to the prayers of the NT. I ran across this quote from Josephus, and I think it serves purpose in illustrating bits of Paul's background. Keep in mind that Josephus is trying to extol the Jewish people & their way of life:

"Our prayers are not occasions for drunken self-indulgence - such prayers are abhorrent to God-but for sobriety. At these sacrifices prayers for the welfare of the community must take precedence of those for ourselves; for we are born for fellowship, and he who sets its claims above his private interests is specially acceptable to God" (Against Apion, 2.195-96; Loeb).

I just don't understand this

So John Piper has harsh words regarding President-elect Obama's decision to invite Gene Robinson to pray at the inauguration.

I just can't figure out why Piper, whom I generally respect, has decided to join the rank-in-file of American evangelicalism's obsession with homosexuality. I'm wondering, based on Piper's logic, if Christ becomes a minister of condemnation every time an obese pastor steps up to the pulpit? what does the lying deacon make him? or the elder who cheats on his taxes? What's more disturbing is the implicit assumption that the American president should endorse a view commensurate with Piper's evangelical belief system. This is the false assumption that is killing the evangelical church in this country. Instead of preaching a robust gospel that attracts the public, we push our views into the mainstream by crying foul every time we think someone has stepped on our toes. Believe it or not, there are other citizens in this country who embrace views very different than our own. Believe it or not, the best way to reach them is by drawing them in, not selfishly pushing our way on them (especially in the political arena).