Egads.

I don’t care what one’s position is on abortion; this is not pro “life” …

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104766394&sc=fb&cc=fp

Grace and Peace,
`tim

CHOOSE RESPONSIBILITY is a nonprofit organization founded to stimulate informed and dispassionate public discussion about the presence of alcohol in American culture and to consider policies that will effectively empower young adults age 18 to 20 to make mature decisions about the place of alcohol in their own lives.

It’s a great organization that seeks to pass on the growing body of research regarding the problems of having a 21-year drinking age. If you haven’t heard of it, please look it up; most people make assumptions (often guided by MADD and other organizations) regarding the efficacy of such a late drinking age that, turns out, aren’t true.

Why am I writing about it now? Because Sunday, February 22nd, there will be a segment about it on 60 minutes. You can find more information about it here.

Grace and peace,
`tim

Even with those three, I simply cannot believe our government is so ignorant. Surely they have better access to media than I do! I only get TV “through the air,” so the news I see on TV is almost exclusively on the major networks which are incurably pro-Israel, but the government doesn’t have that excuse (indeed, even I have learned not to trust the major networks for an accurate view of just about anything!)

Here’s the numbers (from media sources that cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be called “liberal”):
According to the Associated Press:

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Palestinian children are dying at a heavy rate in the Israeli-Hamas fighting — about one of every three persons killed, according to Gaza statistics.

As of Thursday, 257 children were among the approximately 760 reported dead in Gaza. There were another 1,080 children among the 3,100 injured in the conflict, according to statistics from Gaza’s health ministry.

According to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs there have been 542 people killed in 142 terror attacks since 2000 (3 of whom were American diplomats).

It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to compare those numbers: 760 Palestinians killed by Israel during this incursion (many of whom were civilians and children) compared to 542 people killed in the past 8 years (many of whom were soldiers) – only 3 during this incursion, last I heard (but that number may have changed by 1 or 2.)

So how do we choose? Do we condemn the “terrorism” from a community who has been under near-consistent political and social embargo and support “genocide” by a country with immense power and political influence in the world or the other way around.

I don’t like to put things this way, but honestly, what do you suppose Jesus would have expected?

To me it seems obvious.

On side has been consistently treated unjustly, been practically ignored by the “western” world, and experienced immense political, social and military overractions from the other. In other words, Palestine has been beaten bloody (literally!) by a powerfully, bullying (and oft-supported-by-big-bully-friends-like-the-US) neighbor – Israel.

This isn’t liberal drivel (as some would suggest, and I have even heard from people in my own community) – look at the numbers. This is simply obvious.

Something must change. History will look at this and, without hesitation, judge us for our inaction.

Agitation be upon you,
`tim

• I don’t live in California (where Prop. 8 actually happened);
• I’m not Gay (whom Prop. 8 seeks specifically to prevent marriage for, by changing the state constitution);
• I’m not connected – in any way – to the Mormon church (who were so involved in Prop. 8 that I find myself rather hoping they lose their tax-exempt status, but knowing that they won’t)
• It doesn’t directly effect me in any way, shape, or form (although it DOES directly effect a number of people I care about and respect)

The reason I’ve been thinking about Prop. 8 a lot lately is because I’m deeply concerned with what it does on a political level….  Whatever you happen to think about the theology of gay marriage or the relationship between the institutions of legal marriage and religious marriage, Prop. 8 says that the theological voice of “the many” (at any given point in history) can somehow overpower the political and legal status of “the few.”  Or, to be more precise, the majority can legislate against those in minority… and not just legislate against (legislation is often temporary – it’s changed, updated, and thrown out on a regular basis) but actually change a state constitution (which should be above the whims of a particular time period).

Partly this is a problem with democracy.  A pretty good argument can be made that it may often be the best system of government, but it has some incredible flaws – the most glaring of which is that democracy, at a basic level, prevents governments from doing what governments are supposed to do: protect their people – both from those “outside” who would seek to overcome the nation and from those “inside” who would seek their own personal gain with a fervor that often uses, misuses and abuses those who are in a minority or who have no political voice or power.

So, I believe a fundamental responsibility delegated to governments is to protect those who do not have a majority voice from those who do. Majority may rule in a democracy but majorities are often not “right.”  Majorities are also set in time.  As the history of race-based inequality has taught us, the difference between a position being in a majority and the same position becoming a minority view is simply a few decades.

Here’s where I think conservative Christians (and, indeed, all Christians) should hope that the California Supreme Court overturns Prop. 8 (regardless of whether or not they think gay marriage is right or wrong): I believe that state (and national) constitutions – indeed, governments themselves – ought to protect people from their time-period’s particular majorities.

Prop. 8 aside, Christians may be capable of scraping up a majority vote right now… in 10 years we may not be… in 20 years we almost certainly will not be able to.  Who knows what theology will be in majority in 5, 10 or 20 years?! Do we want a legal system where majority can constitutionalize their theology against a minority? I sure hope not!

(Oh, and for the record, I don’t think it’s legitimate to try to make the argument that it’s really about being “pro-traditional-marriage;” while that may make a good argument, even the most conservative people I know admit that it’s about being “anti-gay-marriage.”)

Grace and Peace,

`tim

The point of the post, however, was this: I am sick of the hubris exhibited by colleagues and religious professionals in the name of Christ.  Take the latest in the increasing stack of propeganda I’ve received in relation to the upcoming election.   It started out…

[name deleted] a Pastor and teacher of the Holy Infallible Word of God in the city of Allegan; given this privilege not by men but by Jesus Christ our Lord and God the Father who raised him from the dead.  Not I alone but all those who are with me in this battle for the defense of truth in the country God blessed us to be a part of….

The November election is fast approaching…

It appears to me that [name deleted]  has bought his seat on the family Court…

There is no greater need in our country than for God’s leaders to stand for Him with the courage that He will bring us victory…

Now, I’ll be the first to admit, none of the above is strictly speaking incorrect (minus the unwarranted accusation of purchasing the position).  There is a certain sense in which it is true (minus, again, the accusation).  But who writes like that these days?  No one (I think), unless they view themselves as comparable to the biblical authors.  Such language is intended to place oneself and one’s opinions on the level of scriptural authority and beyond debate.  Hubris.  It is nothing short of hubris.

Honestly, isn’t it about time leaders in the church started exhibiting some of the humility Jesus so clearly had?  That’s not to suggest that he was “wishy washy” or “wimpy” but never did he behave with such self-puffery and neither should we.

Well, that’s what I think anyhow!
Grace and Peace,

`tim

Especially interesting is the section called “Put Away Falsehood” which I find particularly helpful since so many of them are things I’ve actually heard people I know parroting.

Grace and Peace,

`tim

I’ll also note that I fully understand Focus on the Family is a large enough institution that one corner doesn’t necessarily understand what’s going on in another corner, and even more importantly, I undestand that sponsoring a forum doesn’t mean you approve of everythign everyone in that forum does or sells or says.  HOWEVER, Obama Waffles?!

See AP Article Here.

Recognizing everything I said in the previous paragraph, it’s possible to assume that Focus on the Family and “American Values” (I’ve put it intentionally in quotation marks!) have nothing to do with it, don’t agree with it and consider it aweful taste and inappropriate.  HOWEVER, clearly they don’t think it inappropriate enough to say so on their websites.  I searched them both.   Neither one condemned the waffle fiasco.

I live and work in the mecca of the religious right.  It’s simply the air many in SW Mighigan breathe.  But this is absolutely unbelievable.  A joke?  “Tongue in cheek?”  Come, on people, we’re not that stupid.  This is obviously intended to capitalize on the racism, culturalism, lies and carefully-crafted-but-not-quite-lie deceptions that have simmered mostly-below-the-surface during this campaign.
This is the meanest campaign I’ve ever seen and the behavior of those who call themselves Christians is both hateful and dramatically unChristian.  Faithful people, the world over, should be ashamed.  Truly… Ashamed and, frankly, indignent.

Grace and … well… not “peace” … not this time.

`tim

I watched bits of the Democratic convention and I’ve watched bits of the Republican one.  Neither one is completely guiltless on this front, but last night as I watched Guilliani and Palin I reached my limit.

Adults should act like adults.

Grown-ups should not act like bullies.

National leaders have no place engaging in teenage-style, snarky, half-truth-focused, almost-dishonest, cynicisms.

I think I could have liked Palin.  Her background is, in many ways, something I like and am familiar with, but last night she was just too much of a “mean girl.”  I didn’t like mean girls in Jr. High or High school.  I don’t like them now.  (And no, it’s not because she’s a woman – this type of behavior was as unappealing in Guilliani last night as it was in Palin.)

Somewhere along the line I remember being told that “you don’t raise yourself up by tearing other people down.”  That doesn’t mean that candidates can’t honestly argue and question one another’s positions (indeed, I hope they do!)  But it does mean a certain modicum of kindness should be maintained.  These people are hoping to be our children’s role-models.

Oh, and on an entirely different note – I just got the coolest yarn/knitting T-Shirt… after only a month and a half of being on back order!
Grace and Peace,

`tim

But this simply doesn’t pass the “snort test.”  The “snort test” is when something is so stupid that you immediately snort, rather than even bothering to argue with it.

Now that the public knows of Palin’s impending grandmother-hood, the “right” is desperately trying to spin the situation in a way that might help them.  I’ve already heard the argument that she’s ‘has lived out her pro-life credentials’ by deciding to have a baby whom she knew (prior to delivery) would be disabled.  Actually, I don’t think that gives her “pro-life credits” (but that’s a different story.)  Now the argument is that “the family lives its prolife credentials” (CNN.com) since her daughter is going to have her baby.

Here’s the where the snort test comes in.  A teenager keeping a baby that’s already 5-months along (well after the time when any doctor performs abortions) isn’t “living its prolife credentials” it’s living with the natural consequences of the decisions they’ve made (many decisions).  Come one.  We’re not that stupid.

There is a certain amount of “spin” that intelligent people will buy into (or at least not snort at) but this crosses that line.  How about leaving the girl out of the campaign (like both sides said they’d do – and Obama seems to have kept his word on) rather than trying so desperately to turn a difficult situation into a laughable political spin?

[Quotes and story-link from CNN.com]

Grace and Peace,

`tim

The opening ceremonies, on the other hand, are unbelievable.  The art…. the music… the coordination… the precision…  I’m not ignorant; I know that the show is carefully planned propaganda (as are all opening ceremonies for all Olympics), but this is unlike anything I have ever seen.  Perhaps unlike anything else I will ever see in my life.

Now, if only NBC hadn’t tried so hard to destroy it….

Whomever offers the media contracts for the next Olympics, pay attention: Don’t give the contract to NBC.

Grace and peace,

`tim