Growing up, we were cautioned about discussing religion or politics with our guests as being impolite. I realize these are most frequent topics on this blog, and today there is one of each.
First, the political -- Upon hearing the President's invitation to email "fishy" sounding claims regarding health care reform to "flag" at the White House, my first reaction was, "Wouldn't Tricky Dick have loved this technology?!" If you don't recognize Tricky Dick, you are younger than I am or unaware of historical power grabs. How about LBJ? Don't think he did not keep account of fishy-sounding opponents in his day. Compiling those emails is illegal, and deleting them is against federal law.
I suspect, if my remarks had been submitted, I would get the same page of talking points back from the White House that I get from the media, AARP, and my Congressman.
Now, my response from this morning Bible reading, Acts 2:37-47 -- What is essential?
My repentance at the preaching of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sins
My belief and identification with His Name (especially by believer's baptism)
The early church grew by devotion to
the apostles' teaching,
fellowship,
the breaking of bread,
prayer.
Believers felt a sense of awe in
their experiences,
togetherness,
their voluntary sharing of possessions.
They were day-by-day
like-minded in the temple,
sharing meals in their homes,
with gladness,
sincere in heart,
praising God.
Lord Jesus, I share their faith, and I would be more like them in day-by-day living.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Congratulations are in order!
Congratulations, Former President Clinton, for bringing out of North Korea the two imprisoned reporters! I hope to learn a lot more of the story.
Congratulations, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, on your confirmation to the Supreme Court! Yours is an inspiring American success story. I wish you health, long life and tenure, and much wisdom. I'll be praying for you as well as all the Court.
Congratulations, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, on your confirmation to the Supreme Court! Yours is an inspiring American success story. I wish you health, long life and tenure, and much wisdom. I'll be praying for you as well as all the Court.
Twitter tweet...
If only I had twitter...or should I say if I had twitter only...how out of touch we would have felt for those hours today. The old admonition came to mind, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." I feel that caution against single-payer health care.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
I'm blaming this post on the NG Mag...
The cover feature of the current National Geographic magazine prompts me to revisit a question I have had for decades. "Yellowstone SUPERVOLCANO what lies beneath the park" Is it just when we feel fairly secure that we like to scare ourselves?
"When Yellowstone Explodes...The future is anybody's guess." Some kind of eruption, a cataclysm plunging Earth into a volcanic winter, in our lifetimes, or 100,000 years from now, or perhaps never -- speculations taken from the article by Joel Achenbach.
It may seem disconnected, but here is my question: Where is the United States in prophesies of the Bible which have "all the kings of the earth" opposing Jerusalem? Is the U.S. to be aligned with all the nations or is it perhaps to become of no significance? What could cause such circumstances?
A) a cataclysmic natural disaster
B) an economic implosion
C) a surrender of national sovereignty
D) a man-made disaster
E) all of the above
F) none of the above
Just wondering...
"When Yellowstone Explodes...The future is anybody's guess." Some kind of eruption, a cataclysm plunging Earth into a volcanic winter, in our lifetimes, or 100,000 years from now, or perhaps never -- speculations taken from the article by Joel Achenbach.
It may seem disconnected, but here is my question: Where is the United States in prophesies of the Bible which have "all the kings of the earth" opposing Jerusalem? Is the U.S. to be aligned with all the nations or is it perhaps to become of no significance? What could cause such circumstances?
A) a cataclysmic natural disaster
B) an economic implosion
C) a surrender of national sovereignty
D) a man-made disaster
E) all of the above
F) none of the above
Just wondering...
Connotation
Listening to my Russian Intourist interpreter speaking over a period of days in Moscow in 1993, I slowly realized that her use of the English word "reform" had no connotation of improvement. She simply meant "change," as in the reform of one government program to another or one chairman reforming the programs of his predecessor. Having always thought of reform as improvement, I just made the mental note that this was not necessarily so in her narrative.
I sometimes wonder whether we are using the word "reform" too loosely now in describing sweeping changes in policies and programs, especially at the federal level of government, especially when a program is headed by a "czar."
I sometimes wonder whether we are using the word "reform" too loosely now in describing sweeping changes in policies and programs, especially at the federal level of government, especially when a program is headed by a "czar."
Saturday, August 1, 2009
"Approximately 50 slaves..."
Standing about this time last year on a grassy corner of a cemetery, I read a recently placed marker
"Here lie approximately 50 slaves, names known only to God..."
Next to it broken and time-moldered stones covered the graves of the slave owners. The master died (cause unwritten) in the first year of the Civil War. His widow died 12 years later at an old age. Trying to wrap my mind around these few facts oppressed my spirit as much and more than the high temperature and humidity of that day stressed my body. Enslaved people had worked the surrounding hills and fields in the same blistering heat and sudden storms we were experiencing. That day I could choose to push a lawnmower in the relative cool of the evening...or put the task off.
Growing up two states north, I had only known black people who were free: our family's dentist, the State Representative who had sponsored me as a House page, my first college roommate, others in the dorm, co-workers, numerous friends then (and now). My parents respected all people. The racial meanness and violence I saw in the '60's was on black and white television screens. Fast forward...
I had hoped with the election of President Obama that we are finally "post-racial" in the United States. Was I mistaken? Apparently.... For "sins of our fathers" and sins of our own, for past and present exploitations, some call for "restorative justice" and forms of reparations.
Here is my question. If there's hell to pay for slavery and injustice, what is to be our national retribution for accepting abortion as a means of birth control? For locating abortion clinics conveniently in poorer, ethnic neighborhoods? Can it really be true that there are 1,786 abortions on black women daily? (The number was cited by Dr. Stephen Meyer on "Prime Time America" recently.) What if the very same generation that excused, advocated, and celebrated abortion-rights -- my generation -- is euthanised in old age whenever we have become too troublesome or too expensive to bear by the younger?
This is not written in personal fear today, but in sincere sorrow at the past and present inhumanities of people to other people who -- I am instructed by my Judeo-Christian faith -- all bear the image of their Creator.
"Here lie approximately 50 slaves, names known only to God..."
Next to it broken and time-moldered stones covered the graves of the slave owners. The master died (cause unwritten) in the first year of the Civil War. His widow died 12 years later at an old age. Trying to wrap my mind around these few facts oppressed my spirit as much and more than the high temperature and humidity of that day stressed my body. Enslaved people had worked the surrounding hills and fields in the same blistering heat and sudden storms we were experiencing. That day I could choose to push a lawnmower in the relative cool of the evening...or put the task off.
Growing up two states north, I had only known black people who were free: our family's dentist, the State Representative who had sponsored me as a House page, my first college roommate, others in the dorm, co-workers, numerous friends then (and now). My parents respected all people. The racial meanness and violence I saw in the '60's was on black and white television screens. Fast forward...
I had hoped with the election of President Obama that we are finally "post-racial" in the United States. Was I mistaken? Apparently.... For "sins of our fathers" and sins of our own, for past and present exploitations, some call for "restorative justice" and forms of reparations.
Here is my question. If there's hell to pay for slavery and injustice, what is to be our national retribution for accepting abortion as a means of birth control? For locating abortion clinics conveniently in poorer, ethnic neighborhoods? Can it really be true that there are 1,786 abortions on black women daily? (The number was cited by Dr. Stephen Meyer on "Prime Time America" recently.) What if the very same generation that excused, advocated, and celebrated abortion-rights -- my generation -- is euthanised in old age whenever we have become too troublesome or too expensive to bear by the younger?
This is not written in personal fear today, but in sincere sorrow at the past and present inhumanities of people to other people who -- I am instructed by my Judeo-Christian faith -- all bear the image of their Creator.
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