Exploring The Word

Seduced my borrowed money

2008-06-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have not blogged in this space for five weeks. Two of them were vacation weeks--spent mostly celebrating graduations from college by my two daughters. The last weeks is just recovering from vacation.

Have you started to notice the new tone about money in America? Some sanity is starting to reappear. It is still faint but the momentum is building. The old moral structure around money (David Brooks term) from the Puritans and Benjamin Franklin is being reintroduced to public dialogue. Is the virtue of frugality making a comback?
First, let us look at what shredded the old American and Protestant virtues of hard work, frugality and savings. The first thing that happened was the widespread use of credit cards. I remember telling my 3 year old daughter (she is now almost 22) that the reason people were poor and homeless was because they didn't have enough money to pay for food and hosuing. She responded innocently, "Why don't they use their credit card!" Well, you could see by then the genie was out of the bag. Between 1989 and 2007, credit card debt quadrupled --$238 billion to $950 billion. Attitudes toward luxury and instant gratification replaced the older virtues of thrift and temperance.
Government joined the party. Before Reagan, all Presidents of every stripe denounced deficits and restrained spending. Eisenhower warned about the military industrial complexes appetite for spending. Truman set his defesne budget based on what could fit in the budget. Even Jimmy Carter never had deficits over $50.
Then the "supply Siders" took over the GOP. Remember the Laufer Curve? The "supply side argument that we just need to tax less and invest more and grow the pie larger" has been in vogue since Reagan came into office in 1980. The original vision made sense. We overtaxed capital and discouraged investment. The economy was sluggish and inflation was rampant. I would know--try to find work coming out of college in 1979 with 11% unemplyment. Reagan said it well: "a man should not be expected to pay more then half his income in taxes. At the time the top marginable rate was 70%.
Americans used to invest what they saved. Now the savings rate is less then 1% (a few months ago it was negative). Now we borrow to save and use leverage in all our purchases. The foreclosure rate is skyrocketing, not just because of subprime loans and sky high prices--the fact that we no longer put 20% down when we purchase homes is the real culprit. If you put 20% down and then the housing prices drop 15%--distressed buyers can still get out and break even. Now they just turn in the keys. They have no skin in the game. But the nothing down and leverage to the hilt approach to money has been growing for many years. The Federal government during Reagans years started the trend. To hide the skyhigh deficits , Congress did two things. In shoring up social security by increasing rates and raising the retirment ages--they also agreed to unify the budget picture. The social security receipts were added to the general tax revenue numbers (they used to be kept seperate) and also added to the spending numbers. Since the current social security receipts greatly exceed the current payout, this surplus in social security was used to mask the size of the Reagan supply side deficits. Thanks to Ross Perot---the ticking time bomb of social security expsenses when the boomers retire--was exposed and the Bush I and Clinton Presidencies spent all their political capital shoring up the fiscal foundations. Then the costly Iraq War and an idiot massive tax cut made the already dire situation disasterous. Bush II's fiscal recklessness is beyond shameful. Tom Delay is the worst enemy any of our grandchildren and great grandchildren can have. The next 20 years of Presidential political capital will ahve to be spent correcting Bush II's supply side lunacy.
A related moral tale is the states participation in gambling. the lottery is a severe tax on the poor and it feeds financial recklessness. 20% of Americans are frequent players, spending about $60 billion a year. The spendy is regressive. A household with less then $13,000 income spends, on average, $645 a year, roughly 9% of their income. I will not be supporting the initiative on the Maryland to bring more gambling into the state.
We need better usagy laws to protect people from the social habits of instant gratification. Payday lending needs to be reigned in. Banks are finally get needed regulation to curb some pernious practices that brutally punish borrowers.

Several years ago in my last pastorate the school board formed a comittee to come up with core values the schools needed to teach. They put a community board together and my freind, the Reformed church pastor , was a member of the Board. (I got stuck on the sexuality curriculum committee that was meeting at the same time.) My friend Tim suggested that one value we needed to teach and encourage was "thrift." He argued his case but the rest of the community members thought thrift was an outdate and "unamerican" concept. We have a long way to shift our values back to where we honor the values of frutality, thrift, temperance and hard work that amde this nation great. draft 6/12/08 by James

The Spirit of Truth

2008-05-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

One of the characteristics the Holy Spirit gives us is the ability to understand the Truth. Jesus says in the beginning of John's gospel that he comes to bring "grace and Truth." Throughout John's gospel he speaks a truth that some (his followers) see while the world ignores it. As he talks about his impending death and offers the disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit, he says it will bring to them a Spirit of truth.
I won't get into the question: what is truth? I think that the truth Jesus is talking about is centered in a relationship to God that gives us the ability to hear what we need to hear so we can live as God intends us to live. Related to this is the issue: WHO WILL TELL US THE TRUTH?
I read Tom Friedmans column in the New York Times the other morning. Tom wrote the megabestseller "The World is Flat". This widely read book talks about the Internet age and the globalization of the worlds technology and economy. Tom is a big advocate for America to strengthen its educational system and to rebuild our national "soft capital." Friedman is a strong believer that the high price of oil produces autocratic regimes and that until Americans can dramatically reduce our need for oil we are giving the dictators the resources to bully their people and to support terrorists. Some oil company executives have challenged his premise, but they have a vested interest in keeping oil demand sky high.
IN today's article Friedman says that Americans want to engage in nation building. But they want to do it in America, not Iraq. Tom tells the same story my Mother told me when she returned from visiting China. When you go to Asia you leave behind a delapidated American infrastructure and arrive in gigantic, glistening airports. You ride on state of the art public trains. You plug into free Internet portals and see children playing in well appointed play zones. He says it well: "I had "flown from the Flinestones to the Jetsons."
Friendman says we need a President who can tell us the hard truth about who we are and what the world is now like. We are no long the strongest country in the world. We no longer have the resources to control the globe militarily. We cannot challenge Iran because we are bogged down in Iraq. Our public educational system is the weakest in the free world.We need a President who is tough and truthful enough to tell the truth to the American people.
Friedman says it this way:
We are not who we think we are.
We are living on borrowed time and borrowed dimes.
We still have the potential for greatness,
but only if we get back to work on our country.
I was thinking about a more personal truth telling each of us needs.
Who tells us the truth about the hard spiritual questions in our lives?
Sin leads us to deny the truth about ourselves. We are usually not near the people we think we are. Are we honest about our relationships? Do we really commit the time and attention to making them strong and durable? Are we honest about our habits? Are we spiritually healthy: do we live with integrity and do we take care of our soul?
Jesus said we should know the truth and that the truth will set us free.

We need someone to tell the truth to the American people about the mess we are in. We also need the Holy spirit to open our eyes to see the truth about ourselves. Then we need the courage and discipline to do some nation building and character building.

Does Rev. Wright have it right?

2008-04-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

I am very saddened by the appearance of Rev. Jeremiah Wright at the National Press Club yesterday. To call it just another disaster for the public face of American Christianity is too be kind. The church has weathered storms about hurricanes being redirected by prayers. 911 had been called "God's judgment for our tolerance of homsexuals" by one well known White evangelical preacher. The prosperity gospel continues to come out of pulpits graced by white and black preachers. The Pope came and faced up to the sexual abuse scandals of Catholic clergy. It was about time! We have seen worse! Jesus said he would build the church and that nothing would prevail against it. I believe Jesus is the only thing holding the Church together.
We have also seen egotistical preachers use their large followings to influence political campaigns. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson see themselves as kingmakers--as did Bob Jones and Radio broadcast James Dobson. I am saddened that Rev. Wright took it upon himself to sabbatoge the groundbreaking run of one of his parishioners, Barak Obama.The timing couldn't be worse for Obama. The Wright question stopped Obama's move to close the large gap in Pennsylvania. PA was a tough state for him because it is the oldest state (next to Florida) and has a big blue collar population (another Clinton stronghold). PA has few young people (an Obama stronghold) Yet Wright's comments fed all the stereotypical fears American white have about Blacks: they blame whites for all their problems, they are not sufficiently patriotic and oppose American wars of intervention, they are prone to incendiary and irrational views. In sum: they can't be trusted and would attempt to change everything Americans hold dear.
If Wright would have just stayed out of the limelinght for another 10 days Obama would probably become the next President. He was leading by 16% in North Carolina and was ahead 5% in Indiana. If that margin held Ms. Clinton would be hard pressed to continue with no money and no hope to win the nomination. Already the poll numbers have dramatically reversed. It will be bloody but I think Obama is becoing unelectable.
George Will jumped on the "This proves Obama is incapable of being President" bandwagon this morning writing:
"Wright is releveant. He is a demogogue with whom Obama has had a voluntary 20 year relationship. It has involved, if not moral approval, certainly no serious disapproval. Wright is an ongoing fountain of anti-American and, properly understood, anti black rubbish. His speech demonstrated that he wants to be a central figure in this presidential campaign. HE SHOULD BE."

I fear we will get an old man John McCain who has no interest or knowledge of economic issues, no desire to change course on fiscal or health care policy, and will keep 100,000 or more troops in Iraq for another 10 years. The legedendary fiasco of President George W. Bush would get another term. If you question my logic answer this: What ideas has McCain offered that are different then Bush? I have one--he would bring us back into a cold war with China and Russia. Did you catch that foreign policy speech? John --you are losing it!

The large claim Wright made is a church issue--finally a topic I have some expertise. He said that an attack on him is an attack on the whole Black Church. Wow! Such ego! Since when was "The Black church" only about denouncing America (even echoing Louis Farrakhan). I have spoken to African American Presbyterians who worship here and they say Wright's blame america and Blame white is the central pulpit theme in many black churches. It is not the only theme. Wright is not the archetypal representative of the African American church. Martin Luther King had a whole different message. I spent weeks with Rev. James Forbes of the Riverside church--you don't hear that stuff from him. Self help and using "god's help" to overcome barriers of prejudice is a more comon theme in Black churches i have attended.
Eugene Robinson had a great column in the Post about the diversity of the Black church. He gave examples: The civil rights Methodist church he grew up in. The bible thumping, hell fire and damnation perorations that fill Black Baptist churches that focus on salvation instead of politics. Then there are the Pentcost spellbinders like TDJakes. You will notice Jakes was not present yesterday.
All of the great "ism" that plague American society: racism, sexism, and classism are held together by sterotypes. The people in these groups are touted to not be individuals with all sorts of unique character traits and who share common values with the rest of the country. Instead they possess attitudes and views of the world that are out of touch with "American values." These groups should then be not trusted and "feared." When someone who affirms all these negative sterotypes appears on the scene you just let them run their mouth then when they are finished speaking you only have to say:"Well, what did you expect from THEM."

Robinson got it right about Wright. He is trying to throw Obama under the bus for the sin of questioning some of the more reprehensible things Wright has said. Ego maniacs with his type of self righteous--- "it's white America's fault for all what ails Black in America" are not easily silenced. Too bad for Obama. Too bad for the country. Sadly these self defeating attitudes still persist.
TGBTG.

What we call sin

2008-04-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

I still have not discovered how to edit my posts. I apologize for all the typos and for the factual errors. I mixed up Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. Joel who wrote about "Uptown Girl" (Christy Brinkely) being with in love with a "Downtown Boy" (Joel) and all the overbuilding in Long Island ("condo Town") also sung about the steelworkers being out of luck in "Allentown."
The economic meltdown in the rust belt was a 1980's phenomena not an event from the Bush-Clinton-Bush Presidencies. The destruction of well paying and secure blue collar jobs is an old, but still painful story. It is still hotly debated in the "blamestorming" sessions of the political campaign committees.

A new survey came about about Americans attitudes about sin. 87% of Americans believe in the concept of sin. Maybe more now that Benedict got such a warm reception. Here's the percentage of Americans who view certain activities as sinful:
Adultery 81% (seems low)
Racism 74%
Use of hard drugs 65% Its scary that 35% think drug use is OK
Abortion 56%
Homosexual activity 52% which is tied with under-reporting income to IRS
Gambling 30%.

We will soon get to vote on gambling in Maryland. Expect a lot of advertising both pro and con. The pro gambling forces will be well financed. The anti-gambling forces will mainly be churches. It is well known that gambling is effectively a tax on the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society. A majority of lottery tickets are sold in PG and Montgomery county -- mostly to poorer citizen. Gambling is justified as a NON-TAX INCREASE way to fund government services. Usually it is packaged as a painless way to fund schools or aid seniors citizen.
I have never purchased a lottery ticket. My wife won't let me walk through the casinos when we are on a cruise ship. I will vote against the referendum. I won't rail against it because my constituency that gambles sees it as a modestly expensive form of entertainment. "See a few shows and play some slots and enjoy a few days out of town."
However, I think we are naive if we don't think legalized gambling corrupts the political system. When will we stop avoiding the need to pay (and tax) for services we deem necessary. These "sin taxes" on cigs, booze and now gambling is seen as a harmless way to let those who want to sin--pay for the privledge. some states are building roads and charging tolls so that the drivers (the ones who can afford it) who use them pay the cost. This turns us further into a class system that American has long adhorred. We need road and we need better public transportation. Decide to build adequate infrastructure--compute the cost--levy the taxes---and get on with it. Or will we call driving on a toll road a "sin tax for not wasting hours stuck in traffic."

Let me tell you about real small town life

2008-04-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

John Cougar Mellencamp has a song about life in small towns (I was born in a small town). It made him a lot of money hawking GM products. John McCain and Hillary Clinton use the song to seek voters who believe they are the real "peoples candidates."

I found out that John Cougar is an Obama Man like the New Jersey megastar Bruce Sprinsteen. I have Springsteens CD's. In the late 1980's Bruce tapped into the bitterness of the decline in Blue Collar life. America, that produced 50% of the industrial products in 1950 now produced less then 15%. Others could produce our steel and alluminum and coal at lower prices. Bruce spoke of the "bitter" pill of the post industrial American life. His "Living now in Allentown" was about the small towns being boarded up because the mills closed down. Like Obama he spoke the truth "and they ain't coming back." Yes folks, the small towns and almost everywhere in the Rust Belt have seen the mythical American small town that Hillary Clinton (and her $109 million dollar blue collar income) claims was where her grandfather taught her to shoot a gun, fall into disrepair. Memo to the meida and any urban/suburban readers: This is not a new story. The decline in Industrial America was a new item back in the early 1980's. I was in Western Pennsylvania when the steel mills closed their doors and the "Steel City" of Pittsburgh was in real turmoil. Families that could count on good wages and good health care and modest (but guarenteed) pension now were left with nothing but minimum wage jobs. We saw the continued effects of the job drain in Pittsburgh last year on our Hosanna Mission trip. The city looks great but the rank and file worker is not doing well.

What I like about Obama and McCain, is that they sometimes let their guards down and actually speak the truth . Yes, folks, small town people are bitter about the life they have lost. I have troulbe visiting my grandfathers farm in Iowa because little Waverly is a shell of what it once was. without the college my mother attended there it would be nothing but boarded up shops. Only 11% of small town people feel good about their prospects. The ambitious youth all flee to the cities. The churches and other community organizations that served as the glue and gathering places for these decent and hardworking people have had to cut back to part time programming (and usually retired, part time clergy) if they stay open at all. It is sad. Yes, they are often bitter --although they are too proud to use that word.

The real question they have is why is something not done to provide them with decent healthcare and some job protections? the New Yorks Times writter Tim Egan said the small town folks serve only as props in the economic debate. Yes they blame NAFTA and other trade deals. In some parts of the country they get reved up by Lou Dobbs and the Mike Savage and rail against Mexican immigrants. There is real racism--I never heard more N words then in my 5 years in Slippery Rock. They do rail against polticians (Democrats) who might help them with economic issues and health care because "they are trying to take away our guns." I used to get verbally assaulted by the gun nuts because I made a comment on the Brady bill that would limit access to AK47's. "Those are legitamate hunting rifles" one drunken man berated me at a wedding reception.
The issues that some of the media have jumped on Obama for was the comment that they "the bitter folks" turn to god. The God part was poorly addressed and it missed Obama's insight into the roots of racism and religious fundamentalism. Fundamentalism (also called Evangelicalism --although not all Evangelicals are Fundamentailists) plays to those fears and they seek to turn back the clock. Put Men back in charge of families. Get rid of sex outside of marriage and killing babies through abortion and if you only got rid of special rights for homosexuals the whole country would get right with god and everyone would be able to gather around and sing "Kum by Yah." Fundamentalims..Christian and Islamic are fed by economic realities of being left behind and jealousy that others are benefiting on their bad fortune. I am sure the news that the top 10 hedge fund managers all made $1 billion dolars or better last years selling short mortgage backed secruitites and gbetting on banks to lose tons of money. Oh, yeah, they also fed the speculation that is driving oil to $120 a barrel. what they should be angry at is the reprehensible spending of the Bush team that has made the dollar little better then note paper around the world.

Who is the most down to earth candidate? My guess is that they are all "elitists." John McCain's wife comes from one of the richest families in Arizonia. It is beer distributer money. Maybe this means that John will be the guy to replace George W as the candidate people would most want to sit and have a beer with. Of course George gave up drinking to salvage his life and got it together just in time to run this country into the ground. I won't repeat my worst President ever comment because no one is left to argue the point. Are Americans as inane as the press makes us out to be?
All of these candidates were well educated at elite institutions. Yes, the Naval Academy is en elite place. Hillary learned to shoot her rifle but then moved on toe elite prep school, to Smith and then Yale Law school. Obama got a scholarship to the Ivy League and his wife was from a comfortable middle class Black family and she recieved an elite education. With books sales the Obama's made over $4 million last year. Paupers they are not.
But do we really need to be led by a President who can yuk it up over pints in Pittsburgh? I wants competence not oh shucks charm. George Bush is well liked by the press--he is a nice guy who like people and would play a pick up basketball game with any takers. But please--get me someone who listens to someone other then "his heavenly father" and thinks that he is the only "decider" in the american constitutional system.
Obama is right. They things are all distractions. The Clintons are working hard to spoil whatever dignity they have left. Thre rap on Hillary is that she will say and do anything to get elected. She proves it more each and every day. Sad to see someone self distruct and take the nation further down the road to "we can't change the system" cynicism. Finaly, don't get me started on the sad "debate" questioning by Charles Gibson. I know the late Peter Jenning's is rolling over in his grave.
Obama offers freshness that is lacking. Maybe if he had the "experience" of running for Presdient like his tow colleagues, he would be more careful what he says and remember to always speak with empty slogans and spend 8 days (yes I am counting Ms. Clinton) harping on the small town folks are "bitter" comment.

Stop Loss

2008-04-01T11:28:00.000-07:00

Andrea and i don't go out to the movies very often. Usually it requires the visit of one of my daughters to get us into the theatre. Before Sunday afternoon the last movie I watched on the big screen was "Juno." It had great--albeit highly unrealistic-- dialogue. However, it was good to see teen mothers who get pregnant (a parents worst nightmere short of suicide or fatal car accidents) be responsible and give the child up to a family which really wants to(and is ready to) raise children.

On sunday we saw "Stop Lost" staring Ryan Phillippe (better known as Reese Witherspoons philandering ex-husband). He plays a patriotic young Texan who serves in Iraq in response to the events of 9/11. He and his Texas friends sign up and serve together in Bagdad. You witness an intense alleyway ambush in a Bagdad neighborhood where three of his army comrads get killed and another gets severely burned, blinded, and loses three limbs.
The young guys who survive are relieved to return home to their girlfriends and families. They had done their duty. They had faithfully served their beloved country. They now want to move on. If it were ever that easy.

Ryans character get reinlisted against his will. He gets "stop losted" ---he get automatically re-enlisted because the army is short of trained soldiers. They tell you in the credits that this mandatory re-enlistment has snared over 60,000 soldiers so far. He has no options short of going AWOL. At first he does this only to discover that the only way to avoid prison time is to permanently leave the country. No family reunions. No re-entry; even to attend a fathers funeral. No one in the government will take your case. At first he does go AWOL. He finds people willing to help him leave the country. But ultimately the price is too high. In the end he makes an interesting compromise.

This is a low key anti-war movie about the cost of the war being born by the soliders and their families. The cost is high. The loss of life is not limited to the 4000 who die. Walter Reed Hospital is the post battle destination of thousands more with combat injries. The war just drags on and there are fewer people to willingly fight it. The pro-war forces of patriotism are still pretty strong today. The anti-war movment is weak. By this time (5 years and counting) in Vietnam the college campuses were engulfed in anti-war protests.
There are many Vietnam similiarities. We are told that this is a domino--that if allowed to fall will turn the whole region into a radical chauldron of fanaticism. The movie has a great scene of the heroes coming home to a rally in the small Texas town. "We are fighting the terroist over there so we won't have to fight them here in Texas." We are told that progress is being made and that our troops are the reason. The evidence is that the reduction in violence is because the cities have been racially cleansed and people live in armed camps being preyed upon by criminal gangs. The elected Iraqi government is very weak. Last week they tried to challnege the Mahdi Army--the Spowerful militia of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. After having his forces repelled --actually saved by the US and British forces--he called for a ceasefire.
When will someone challenge the myth of progress.Eugene Robinson in the Post said this latest battle in Basra had us supporting one political figure (Maliki) who was trying to weaken his closest political opponent al-Sadr. Reliable sources have al-Sadr living comfortably in Iran.

I am pretty frustrated by the dearth of moral outrage by the Christian church in America. I ahve yet to preach an anti-war message. I feel gutless but marginalized. I am still reeling from the verbal abuse i took 5 years ago when I questioned the run up to the war. Jesus said to "render to Caesar what is Ceasars and to God what is God's." When it comes to war--Caesars call to arms always trumps calls for peaceful restraint.Why do I get the impression we will still be fighting this things in five more years.
Is everyone asleep about this? Does anyone else feel guilty for not pressing for more answers and some real honesty out of the white House and the Pentegon?

I worry about friends and church members who are serving in Iraq. i worry about other patriotic young men who will enlist and go off to serve their country and come back either dead or forever wounded.

The movie is also about the other costs of the war. the nightmere and the violent outbursts that solider carry with them. You hear of a suicide (something that has a very high incidence rate.

Don't Be Angry You Prophets

2008-03-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

I used to be a big pro-basketeball fan. Used to be--meaning-- back in the early 1970's when the NBA was expanding and a new franchise came to Portland. Back in those days the league was not widely followed. Most players toiled in obscurity with modest salaries. The Lakers and the Celtic seemed to play each year in the NBA Finals. Heck, the NCAA playofss with its current scintillating 3 week, 65 team format, was a quiet affair (back then always won by Johnny Wooden and his UCLA Bruins) that only the top team in each conference was elegible to play in the NCAA tourney. I remember one year, UCLA was ranked #1 and USC was #2 and USC was not eligible for the Big Dance. Take heart U of M and V Tech fans---.500 records don't cut the mustard. There were not Cindrella stories back in those days .
With this basketball interest in my personal history, I eagerly watched the two night ESPN story on black players and coaches called "Black Magic" that aired Sunday and Monday night. It was produced by Earl the Pearl Monroe--who I used to love to see when he played for the Knicks. I remember watching the soon to be champion 1973 Knicks lose to our woeful Trailblazers at the Memorial Coloseum in Portland. I sat next to the parents of a Knick player that night. "Oh, I asked the mother of the fan seated next to me who said her son played on the Knicks. "Which player." The mother said, "Phil Jackson, he is the first forward off the bench." "Oh, I know him, he has an unsual jumpshot--sort of like Dick Barnett."
Back to the program--and please hang with me--I will get to the Rev. Wright's comments in a moment.
The "Black Magic" series was about the history of racism and prejudice in college and pro-basketball. For many years the Historical Black Colleges were the only place black players and black coaches got an opportunity to showcase their talents. In those days of segregation, "seperate but (grossly un) equal" was the law of the land thanks to the Supreme Court. The Southeast Conference didn't get their first black player until 1967 (it was worse in Football--Alabama and Bear Bryant didn't integrate his team until 1973 after they got their tails hammered by Johnny McCay and his USC Trojans and their star fullback--Alabama native Sam "Bam" Cunningham.
The old college game was pretty boring back in the 1940's and 50's. It was half court and very methodical.Pass it around and wait for the lay up or the long set shot. However, in the Black colleges it was all about wide open fast break style. This entertaining form of basketball which is common today was under the radar. It genesis was with Coach McLendon and Ben Jobe--men who labored in obscurity their whole careers. The two styles only clashed a few time--one was the famous secret game in an old YMCA building between McLendons small black school and the Duke University 1944 varsity. McLendons team blew them out of the gym by over 40 points.

When the wide open sytle emerged in the 1978 Duke team--their coach got the credit for being "an innovator."
What was interesting about the program was how calm the former players and coaches are about the gross injustices of the past. They talk in dispassionate terms about the prejudices and taunting and vicious racism they faced. They got along very well with their white coaching counterparts. When Ben Jobes "Southern University" squad thumped Boby Crimmons ACC champion Georgia Tech team in the first road of the NCAA tournament--Jobe and his friend Crimmons who had coached together embraced a long time. Jobe felt sad for his friend and muted the precedent setting victory celebration--the first tournament victory for a historic black college over a major confere3nce champion.
But not all people just accept years of injustice and oppression with such magnimity. Most of the Biblical prophets spoke the truth to power and didn't mince their words. They denounced the kings who oppressed the people and predicted that "they would rest with their ancestors and dogs would like their blood." The Biblical prophets roles is to "comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable." I know the oppressed like the soothing words and I know the comfortable oppressors usually denounce the prophets words. I was thinking about this as I read the calls for Barak Obama to distance himself from the more angry sermons of his former pastor Rev. Wright. Watching the show"Black magic" got me in touch with plenty of evidence that would easily justify oratorical outbursts like Rev. Wrights "G-d d--- America."
I am reading Howard Zinns "A People's History of the United States" 1492-Present. Zinn is chronicaling American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version taught in schools--with its emphaisis on great men in high places--to focus on the street, the home and the workplace.
What Zinn shows is not pleasant. He scholarship is outstanding. Most of my favoirte American leaders don't come off very well. Jefferson, Washington, Jackson all work to maintain the political calculus of the slave holding system.
You get the idea that all legislation to ease suffering and help the immigrant, the working class, woman and African Americans was due to grass roots efforts that became so massive and undeniable that the powerful had to act. One prominent historican said the powerful do just enough to "keep the rioters off the streets."
Gary Wills, hardly a radical historian, writes in his new book that slavery was the organizing principal by which our country was governed. Almost all the Supreme Court justices and President until 1880 were slave owners. The Democratic party owned its strength until 1965 to the white segregationists in the south. FDR refused to pass anti-lynching legistlation in the 40's because he had to hold on to his southern base or lose his New Deal majority. It ain't pretty folks.
We who live in comfort and have not suffered centuries of racism cannot even begin to imagine the rage that lies right beneath the surface in American life.Kings non-violence worked to uncover the ugliness of the racisms in America. When it was shown on televison news--the publc was shocked (and shamed) to action. Bull Conner's fire hoses showed the inhumanity of the segregationists. The Pettis Bridge beatings of peaceful marchers uncovered the depth of hatred and the complicity of southern whites in the system of segregation.

It is sad that Candidate Obama has to distance himself from Rev. Wright in order not jeoparize his campaigns future. Obama has run a campaing based on unity and the sincerehope that we can put the race baiting and sexism and classism of the past behind us and move forward to a new place in American society. This is a tall order given the ugly history of this country. I commend Zinn's book. He makes the case much better then I do.
Until very recently, the historical experience of blacks in America is one of brutal oppression. Why can't we hear that? Now don't get me started on the bail out of Wall Street high rollers and the neglect of homeowners!

Overcoming divisiveness

2008-02-29T08:48:00.000-08:00

I mentioned a few weeks ago that my daughters boyfriend come to town and immeidately told me that he had never attended a worship service at a church. I was surprised. "Not even a wedding or funeral?" "No,"he replied, "not in a church." He told me that his family would be making their way to the Lakeside cottage in the summer. He would ask his father as they passed the tall white steeple Connecticut Congregational church: “What happens at a church.” His father would simply say, “We don’t do church!”
My daughter resembles the type of person who attend church in America. She attended worship as a child, got baptized, attended sunday school. Did the Christmas and Easter pageants. Was active in youth group. Hard to remember back to the day she didn’t consider herself a Christian. She was here because she was brought here.
But there are those who resemble her boyfriend. Perhaps they came to faith later in life. They first arrived at church, innocent and uninformed. The bible was confusing. The strange language church people use mystified them. It is as if they entered an alien space.
Some of us have been her so long we feel like insiders. Other of us are still new, fresh, recently arrived and we could be labeled outsiders.
Smaritan woman in John 4:3-42 is an outsider on at least two counts. She is not only a Samaritan, the ethnic group whom faithful Jews regarded as heretics and renegade, her lifestyle was at odds with church teachings. She admits to having been married five times and was not with a live in lover. She was shunned by her community so she had to go get water in the heat of the day when no towns people were around.
Most preaching in American churches is targeted towards insiders. Most preachers are most comfortable with insiders. We are trained to talk to these sort of people and they make up the majoirty of our congregations. The Apostle Paul, the great evangelists to the non-Jewish world were also better with quasi-insiders. His audience was apparently people who believed in the teachings of the Rabbi's and hung around the synagogue. They were people of faith who were looking for a new way to understand who God is. Paul targeted these folks--listened to them. Invited them to dialogue. He worked hard to overcome cultural and social barriers to make them feel welcome --- but they tended to be people with a faith background..although they seemed to be morally on the edge.

One time Paul tried to target the hard core pagan audience. He went to Mars Hill and debated the Greek scholars. Looking at the statues he said, "Athenians I can see you are people of faith. The God's you worship in general find their fullest expression in particular, though Jesus Christ." Paul bombed. He went back to his core audeince and core message, "I preach Jesus Christ—who was crucified and resurrected."
Rick Warren and Joyce Meyers are very good at making the gospel accessible to total outsiders. YOu listen to their preachings and note the cultural references they use. They are great at making the gospel appeal to folks for whom Christ is foreign concept and church is a dirty word.
Jesus appears to have better luck with the outsiders then the insiders. Note that the insiders seek Jesus—Nicodemus is one good example (John 3:1-17) They go to see Jesus and try to figure out him on their terms. Jesus engages them. Many choose to follow him. But Jesus seeks out the outsiders. In fact the gospels are probably prejudiced towards the outsiders. Jesus got into all sorts of trouble for spending time with outsiders…the uniformed, the unfaithful, the uncommitted and those with scandalous personal lives—like the Samaritan woman.
The biggest charge against Jesus was, “this man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Church consultant Bob White likes to tell his gatherings of church leaders about a dream he frequently has. He arrives in heaven. He walks in thankful to share the eternal life he was promised. But to his surprise he doesn't recognize anyone! Where are my friends and colleagues? the place is instead filled with recovering addicts who found Christ. They are excitedly talking about how Christ helped pull them out of life destroying ghetoo and set them on the road to peace and serenity. Bob shakes his head and thinks for a moment. Jesus not only said that "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the Lost.” He did save the lost.
In any church there are both insiders and outsiders. The insiders know a great deal about religion, or at least they think they do. The gospels depict us insiders as being confused by Jesus who we think we have all figured out.
For example the disciple Thomas, told by Jesus that he was going to heaven and would show him the way, complains, "We don't know the way so how can we get there?" Thomas was very close to jesus but he didn’t get it. The older brother in the Prodigal Son does everything right—knows the moral teachings is steadfast—but cannot comprehend how god, his father, could welcome the lost son back into the household. I guess insiders can still miss out on what Jesus is doing and saying to us. We think we know everything about Jesus but we still get surprised by Jesus.
Outsiders, like the woman at the well just presume they don’t know much. And maybe the presumption of innocence and ignorance is the best precondition for knowing.

Now back to the divisiveness theme. We will only overcome division when we give up the deeply held conviction that our group has it all right and the other side has it all wrong. Like Jesus we need to get out on the streets and listen and talk with people who are not part of our social circles and who don't share our beliefs and opinions. We need to shut off the TV or Radio, which as Dead Fred rightly notes---feed us extreme opinions and demonize the other side. What I have seens as a positive is the campaigning styles of Obama and McCain. They both stand up to the extremist elements in their parties and openly condemn the bigoted opinions and reject their polarizing messages. This is what I find an important first step. Both are appealing to the moderate middle and the younger voters who are far differenet than their self righteous "Baby Boomer " parents. The younger voters, and the younger Christians among them, don't like the polarizing appeals to abortion or sexual orientation. For them authenticity is everything and they think poverty is a real moral imperative, care for the earth a moral mandate, acceptance of all racial and ethnic groups a given. My guess is that "Swift Boating" efforts will backfire this year. Of course...I might be dreaming.

Reconciliation is possible

2008-02-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

I got an e-mail from a pastor freind who is down in Kenya trying to reconcile the tribal war that is being waged in his Kenyan village. My friend Paul is a brave man. He knows he is risking his life. Several of his tribal members have already been brutally killed. His hometown is almost entirely ethnically cleansed:one tribe holds the center area and the lessor tribes are stuck in the outer slums. Paul fears that unless a deal is reached soon a full fledged Civil War might erupt.Pray for him.
The newly formed "New Baptist Covenant" held a huge gathering in Atlanta a few weeks ago. This group gathered to forge a reunion of the Baptists groups that left the Southern Baptist Convention when the fundamentalists took it over 20 years ago. The 15,000 strong had quite a time. It gave me hope that the warring groups in our Presbyterian denomination can catch the same spirit of reconciliation.
The New Baptist Covenant didn't just show up. It took time to recover from the denominational wars. Hundreds of Baptist moderates had been kicked out of office or fired from their seminary positions or removed from their pulpits. Female pastors had particularly been targeted in the purge. Slowly but surely these people without a church found each other. When they finally had the "numbers" they planned a big event in Atlanta to celebrate.
These moderate Baptists were treated to speeches by two former Presidents and two Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Bill Clinton told the story of his long journey as a Southern Baptist and attempted to pinpoint the crux of the difference between the Southern Baptist Convention and the vision of the New Baptist Covenant. The former president lamented that infighting, political posturing and un-Christian words and deeds have come to identify Baptists. He, and other speakers, called for a way out of the divisiveness.
Author John Grisham (a baptist from Charlottesville, VA) framed the negative message aptly. "For so long, so many Baptists have worked so hard to exclude so many," Grisham offered Baptists three suggestions for seeking unity.
Restore their good name by respecting diversity, staying out of partisan politics, and most importantly, spend as much time on the street as Jesus did.
I believe that the dark and divisive days of the past 25 years are in their death spiral. The world is too small to have every group and tribe divide up and retreat to their segregated spaces. I believe American denominations are devided because our culture is divided. Yet i believe we are beginning to get tired of divisiveness (although people still buy Anne Coulters books and listen to her show) Most people are too wise to believe that one person or one group can see everything with crystal clear vision and have complete knowledge. Bill Clinton (who might have made a great preacher) said that I Corinthians 13:12 is a good place to start any discussion about unity. Here, right before the Apostle Paul launches into his discussion of the qualities and virtues of faith, hope and love, he notes that on this side of heaven no one has complete knowledge. "We see into a mirror dimly...later we will see more clearly" As I get older I have come to realize that I am often wrong about some things I used to be convinced were right. I think (make that hope) I am becoming more humble. Humility that is combined with trust in God's wisdom and power can lead us out of divisive times into a future of unity.
While in California I talked with some folks who came back from Iraq. The real reason the violence is down is not just due to more troops on the ground. The biggest reason is that the communities have already been ethnically cleansed. The remaining religious majority in these neighborhoods now have complete control. Armed armed gaurds control access to these neighborhoods. With no enemy to left to fight, violence is down. You can't call someone to arms if there is no one around to battle.
Maybe the Baptists and the Muslim groups in Iraq have something in common. They will fight and postures and exclude the other side until they get tired of it. then they will discover that endless fighting is too costly and just stop and take stock of their part in these divisive battles. It is just sad that Able Lincoln was right in his second inaugeral address--we humans don't stop fighting until the body count and the resource drain is too high to ignore.

Woman thou art loosed

2008-02-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

I am a political junkie. I admit it. Political Science major in college. I read at least 20 books on American political history a year. When the election cycles come around I check the polls on electoral vote .com and realclearpolitics.com. I love the Chris Matthew show.

It should be no surprise that I took the rare opportunity to see a real live candidate in Maryland on Sunday night. These appearances are rare because in Maryland the elections usually don't matter because the winners are largely determined by party affiliation or the States Electoral votes are already bright blue. I went to see Hillary Clinton speak at Bowie State. The crowd was polite and well informed. It was predominately female and had fewer African American voters then you would expect around here. There was little fanfare.For pure excitment you have to go see Barak Obama. She spoke without notes for 40 minutes. You left the place thinking that without a doubt she is the best informed candidate of the bunch. She is bright. She doesn't talk over your head. You believe her when she says that she would be ready on day one to get the job done. I was pleasantly surprised.

The next day I saw the cover of the Post and i was angry. They showed a picture of her and the Governor (and I was in the background next to Barbara Engh and Andrea)pointing to someone in the crowd. The picture was awful. Where they found it i will never know. She smiled or talked from a serious tone all night. Where did they find that snear and why did they print it on the front page? Incidentally, there was a smiling picture of Barak Obama on the front page as well. Coincidence?

I shared my outrage with some women at the Munchin Luncheon. They said that the Post has a history of misogyny. Margaret Thatcher, the grand women who served with distinction as Prime Minister of England in the Reagan years, always appeared with unflattering pcitures. One person who saw her in person was shocked at how attractive she looked. Years of Post coverage had convinced her Margaret was a tough, soar, old maid.

Woman, and many men, who read the bible have often thought that the Apostle paul was hostile to women. I don't think he was but i do think male commentators have taken Paul words out of context and used them to control and diminish women. Women are still not accepted as equal members in many churches in America. I find it embarrasing that Ms. Clinton is the first women who has ever been a serious candidate for the Presidency. Nancy Pelosi became the first Speaker of the House just over a year ago. I can't tell you how many patronizing e-mail jokes I get denouncing her. Heads up to people who send them. I am passing them on to my wife.
Expect a comment.

So much for the rant. I have a strong professional woman for a wife and a formidable sister. I also have two daughters that I have raised to compete and succeed. I long for the day when women get fair coverage in the Post when they seek national political leadership. I was disgusted that they spent so much money prosecuting Martha Stewart when all the high level male misconduct goes unprosectued on Wall Street. Sexism is alive and well in America.

No practice, no progress

2008-02-08T09:42:00.000-08:00

Soon after Congress passed the Bill raising fuel economy standards for cars and truck I came across an article in the Washington Post by Warren Brown. Brown noted that the energy problem facing the US is best summarized by one question: is it possible to get consumers to accept changes that require some degree of sacrifice without asking them to sacrifice anything? For an example he cited the 2008 Auto show. Here the automakers unveiled several new cars that promised better fuel economy.
“We are shielding consumers from the truth,” said a GM executive. "The truth is we can’t have effective fuel conservation policy without giving up something—size, power. Consumers have no intention of giving up anything for energy conservation."
Michael Jackson, chairman of retail group that "America needs to get serious...getting serious means asking consumers and everyone involved in the energy development and consumption cycle to accept some degree of sacrifice. Gain without pain is not possible. We need to stop suggesting it is."
Drug maker are advertising pills that they say will enable you to eat almost anything and have no heartburn. Go ahead--eat irresponsibly. Health officials are worried about the cost of obesity. One solution is gastric bypass surgery. The cost is high. $30K. The question is who pays for it. If it is the only way in the long run people to control their weight, and obese people get diabetes which is extremely costly to treat, maybe surgery will be the high cost of saving money on health care.

Christian spirituality normally involves a measure of suffering. Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. He was famished. Later when he is facing the cross he goes to the Garden of Gethsemane and asks God if there is some way to accomplish his mission without going through the horrible pain of the cross. Is there, he asks, some other way to avoid the fate that lay before him. No. “Not my will but they will be done.”
Those who follow Jesus are called to live a way of life that calls us to live in the ways of the new world God is creating instead of the old world around us. Suffering may take the form of actual persecution. Even in the tolerant modern Western world people can suffer discrimination because of their commitment to Jesus Christ. People tell me of the hostile environment for Christians at work. They are told to keep their beliefs and convictions to themselves.

Suffering comes in many forms: illness, bereavement, moral dilemmas, poverty, tragedy, accident and death. A pastor friend of mine, Paul Machori, will be heading back to Kenya this week. Paul is placing himself in the middle of tribal warfare in his home village. He believes the only way to stop the ehtnic violence is for people of faith being willing to stand tall and even suffer death. Someone has to stand tall and suffer in order for others to see the folly of their ways.
Nobody reading the Nwe Testament or the Christian literature of the first 3 centuries could have accused the early Christians of painting too rosy a picture of what life would be like for those who follow Jesus. But the point here is that it is precisely when we are suffering that we can confidently expect the sprite to be with us.
Jesus was led by the spirit into the dessert and he overcame all temptation. He prepared himself and he stod corageously against the wiles of the Devil.
Americans it seems don’t want to sacrifice for a common goal. It is okay for someone else to sacrifice so they don’t have to. Our people decided to fight a War in Iraq while at the same time giving massive tax cuts. The sacrifices of the war are being bore solely by the military families...and of course our grandchildren who will have to pay for the debt we are racking up.

Back to the American automakers and the false myth they are producing that we can have superior fuel economy without sacrificing comfort, power and performance. There is this firm conviction that technology will solve all our problems. don't make tough choices. Don't tell people they need to change. Technology will solve the problems. Innocation will cure all that ails us.
A man bought a car with GPS. Being technologically challenged, he excitedly asked the machine. How do I get to Carnegie hall? The GPS instantly replied, “Practice, practice. Practice."

Mental Muscle

2008-01-31T12:38:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe that I am starting my second month of regular and intense exercise. Don't get me wrong. I am never really very far out of shape. I just tend to get disgusted at myself for overeating and overindulging myself during the holidays (or the summer Bar-b-q season, or the summer vacations with family---you see I don't need many excuses) and set out to lose weight and improve my conditioning. I usually go hard for 3 weeks. I lose enough weight to make my clothes fit again and then slack off. I have come to lower my expectations. I accept a higher weight "range."
Regular disciplined exercise that becomes a lifestyle has always eluded me. I would much rather read in my spare time then hit the treadmill and do sit ups at the gym. The morning newspaper is more stimulating then 30 minutes on the exercycle. So it is hit and miss for me.

The reasons for my continued commitment to exercise and watching my diet are many. First, my wife is really working out hard. She has a personal trainer and gets going some mornings before I even get up. Since she has a long daily commute to DC and back and still gets to the gym four times a week I have to keep at it just to be supportive. Secondly, I really believe that SWEATING MAKES YOU SMARTER.
I found support for this in AARP magazine. Yes, that is the American Association of Retired People. I am 15 years (or longer) from retirement but the AARP is one of the most progressive organizations in America. Their magazine is free to members (you can join at aged 50). In an article in the March 2008 issue they reported on evidence that exercise improves memory, concentration and abstract reasoning among older adults, and may even delay the onset of Alzheimers. It works like this:aerobic exercise increases the blood flow to the brain, which nourishes brain cells and allows them to function more effectively. Brain cells, they have discovered, can be regenerated. Exercise promotes this growth.
I'll have to talk to Linda about this: there is a yoga move that is getting attention for boasting brainpower. The movement is called Superbrain Yoga and is being practiced around the country as an antidote to brain drain. To learn more google Superbrain Yoga by master Choa Kok.

The new testament talks about the need to train the body and the brain in order to make us into stronger followers of Christ. Discipline is required to be effective long term. I don't think discipline always requires rigid rules (i.e. you must exercise 4 times a week for 30 minutes each time and double your heart rate) but it does require focused INTENTION. These intentions need to produce regular actions.
We have to train our thoughts because they lead to actions that become habits (good and bad ones) that produce behaviors that create our character. I don't believe we can neglect the interconnectedness between our minds and our bodies. We cannot be mentally fit and physically inactive. We are fools to think we can let our bodies go and think our minds can remain sharp.

Proverbs talks about a folly common to young people. Because their minds are more nimble and their bodies are more flexible, they can come to think that discipline and structure are not needed to perform at a high level. Young people often get by just on talent alone. However, as you age you cannot overcome sloth with raw talent and energy. Disciplined attention to your job or calling usually beats superior talent that is not harnessed. Lessor talent that practices usually beats talent that doesn't practice.
Well, I would right more and welcome your comments. It is after 4pm and i have to get to the gym.

Market meltdowns and herd mentality

2008-01-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

I had an atheist friend who taught philosophy at the university in the town I was serving. We occasionally had lunch together while our kids were participating in one of the numerous birthday parties common of 6 year old kids. He was always trying to convince me into becoming a existentialist and I would try to get him to give theism a break. We disagreed on almost everything except politics. He was well read and bright and very outspoken, a rare and welcome combination in that small town. So we tolerated each other.
I will always remember one comment he made. His daughter had attended the community summer Vacation Bible School and came back with a lesson sheet talking about Jesus as the great shepherd of the sheep. He showed the paper to me and said, " see,this is what makes religious people so mindless and pathetic. You Christians think everyone should be like little sheep all following your great shepherd Jesus. You don't teach people how to think for themselves and follow their own free will. Christianity is such an outlandish fraud."
Strangely I thought of that as I watched the stock market plunge on Tuesday morning. Since we had a holiday to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr our markets were closed Monday. Meanwhile the Asian and European markets plunged Monday and so there was plenty of anxiety about what would happen here on Tuesday. I knew that the new Fed chairman would have to act to avoid another dramatic drop in asset prices. I also knew he didn't have many tools at his disposal. We are in for some tough sledding as the housing bubble deflates and the credit de-leveraging works its way out. There are no magic tricks to pull out of his hat.
Sure enough the Fed dropped rates . But 3/4 of a point reduction and before a regular meeting! Then the White House (which until recently has said everything is wonderful in the economy) suddenly agrees with a Democratic type stimulus package (i.e. short term money in the hands of people who would spend it) instead of long term tax breaks that produce no short term advantage (but feed his political base and grow our deficits) In other words---to forestall a panic of investors (who act like sheep although they are called by more carnivorous titles--Bulls and Bears) the top government officials panicked by throwing caution to the wind and in effect saying, "it's worse then we thought---just do something, anything, NOW."

I called my son who works as an economist for Prudentials international investment center.
"What's going on here?" I asked. "The markets are taking what should be good news (dramatically lower rates and a promise to throw $150 billion dollars of cash into the economy) and seeing it as bad news. "
"Well," he answered quietly (apparently not wanting to be overheard). The unspoken word on the street is that the overall bad behavior of the American economy (we are broke, we have unsustainable trade and budget deficits, we are fighting an incredibly costly and endless war, using 4 times as much energy per person as our European friends) has finally caught up with us. The question is how do you slow down the inevitable judgment day and keep the financial markets sound"

"But it must be more then that," i replied. The Asian and European investors are expressing deep distrust and a huge lack of confidence in our country and its leadership. The plunge around the world says they expect things that are already bad (some major US banks are technically insolvent) and assume it is really much worse."
"Well you are close to what we are hearing from our international partners. It is sort of that and then something more fundamental," he said.
"Well, can you state it simply for me," I pleaded.
"Try this," my son responded, " the rest of the world markets look at America to lead. When the Fed and the President suddenly change their well established principals they sense that no one over here knows what they are doing. (Apparently it took them this long to figure it out) Like frightened sheep, they are running for their lives."

So, what should followers of Jesus do as the wealth of Americans continues to drop (housings 20% decline is now matched by financial assets 20% decline) and we will probably see deeper loses? What would Jesus say?

I don't know. In my anxiety (I was wondering how many more years I would have to work to recoup my retirement savings that declined precipitously) I turned to read the Bible. I was reading ahead for the Lenten lessons and i came to the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-10).
Here Jesus takes his four top disciples up the mountain with him. While they are there suddenly Jesus is transfigured before them (he becomes translucent and dazzling white before them).
A voice from heaven tell them, "Listen to him (Jesus)."

This story has lots of symbolism. It serves to show the disciples that Jesus is the Messiah--even greater then Moses and Elijah, the two holiest figures from the Old Testament. It gives the disciples a glimpse of the glory that they will see when he is resurrected. Peter initially gets this right saying, "It is good that we are here."
Peter like anyone else needs affirmation that he is following the right course in life. Seeing the authority of Jesus affirmed in such a dramatic moment was not only inspiring to him but it would effectively eliminate any doubts he might have. Powerful spiritual experiences, from this story we have always called them "Mountaintop experiences," serve to give us confident in our faith and reassure us that god is alive and real in our lives.

Reflecting on the Transfiguration I immediately calmed my anxiety. I realized once again that the things of this world are really transient. I have lived through far tougher and panic stricken economic times . Remember the 25% drop in the markets on one day in 1987? You certainly recall the panic following 9/11. How about the Savings and Loan crisis of the early 90's when the banks lost so much money due to housing foreclosures following the bursting of that housing bubble. Same song different verse!

Our faith is supposed to give us the courage to handle the anxious moments in life. If we trust that Jesus is God's chosen one and we believe that participate in his glory as his followers, then nothing should cause us to panic. Change our habits: yes. Panic : no.

January and February are tough months. The gloomy weather. The post Christmas letdown. More people die in January then any other month of the year. Why? maybe they don't want to face February either. The scriptures have several verses that all essentially say the same thing.
"The Kings and kingdoms of this world may wax and wane, but the word of God is unchanging. god's steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness extends to all generations."

Or it that doesn't work for you. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in 3 weeks. and this is going to be the year. Cubs and Orioles in the World Series!

Democracies many faces

2008-01-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

I got a sad New Years greeting from the man who pastors a small Kenyan immigrant church that worships in my former congregation in Wayne, New Jersey. Rev. Paul is quite alarmed by the violence that followed the Dec 27th Presidentail elections in his native Kenya. It was a very controversial and competitive race. The incumbant President, a member of the most affluent and numerous tribe, the Kikuyu (20% of 35 million Kenyans) , was declared the winner in a tight race over the popular challenger, a member of a smaller tribe. The exit polls showed the challenger with a comfortable victory but due to obvious election fraud the incumbant was declared the winner and hurriedly sworn into office.
Violence erupted and so far over 300 have been killed and 100,000 displaced. The violence is scary--Tv reports showed a mother being attached by machete wielding men who then grabbed her 3 year old child and threw her into the fire. Some Kikuyu sought refuge in churches which were then set a fire. Rev. Paul asked for prayers and for sanity to be restored.
What is alarming is that Kenya is probably Africa's strongest democracy. The country has high literacy rates and vibrant political parties. There is however a history of dissent has often been crushed when the ruling party started to lose popular support.

This sad news of corrupted political and rigged elections was also on display in Pakistan when a former Prime Minister was assasinated and the government quickly claimed the killing was done by an outside terrorist organization. In Pakistan, like many other demcoracies of long standing, leadership of parties and movment is aristocratic--father passes legacy to son or daughter and then it keeps going down through the generations. You don't throw the bums out because the replacement regime includes members of the same bum ruling families.

What a difference it is in the United States this year. Record turnouts in Iowa. The establishment party candidates didn't fare so well. Both Ms Clinton and Mr. Romney were defeated by outsiders without connections to the party apparatus. When I was in Kenya 4 years ago our hosts asked me if I knew anything about a Kenyan who was running for the Senate in Illinois. I didn't. I do now. His name is Barak Obama. I would hope the news of his stunning victory in a rural state that is 94% white will speak volumes to the rioting Kenyans about how democracies are supposed to elect a new President.
Jim Wallis in his magazine, Sojourners, commented on how dramatically the religious landscape of the 2008 political year differs from 2004. The issue of faith and politics (which really gots its start with Eisenhower and Billy Graham) has witnessed a fundamental shift.
First, in what TIME magazine called a "leveling of the praying field" the Democras now speak as much about faith and values as the Republicans do (except perhaps for Gov Hucklebee). Both parites now have "faith forums" in primary states and all their newsletters talk about faith and values. Edwards, Clinton and Obama speak of their history as lay leaders in their churches. Obama actually speaks like a seminary trained theologian. He even understand Neibuhr and Tillich. The democratic candidates have connected faith to a broad range of issues like poverty and health care, criminal justice, HIV/AIDS, and war and peace.

In striking contrast, Wallis notes, the Republicans who had the corner on religious voters in 2004, now have a "God and marriage" problem. Several of the Republican frontrunners are very awkward talking about religion. Guiliani, Thompson and McCain have learned to avoid it after previous stumblings. They have had their good moments. For example, in the midst of a GOP debate both Hucklebee and McCain defended the humanity of undocumented people in the midst of a blistering attack on "illegal aliens" by the other candidates. John McCain asked his colleagues to remember that the people they are condeming were also "the children of God." Huckelebee later defended his states scholarship program that included the children of undocumented by saying "the US was not the kind of nation that punished children for the mistakes of their parents." I believe that Hucklebee and McCain are rising because of the "character" they have shown in debates. Did you see McCain tell Iowa farmers he thinks corn based ethenol is bad policy? Guiliani is dropping partially because of his support for abortion and gay rights and his serious "marriage problems" but also because the public is tired of candidates trying to scare them all the time. With improvements in Iraq, the candidate Joe Biden called "a noun , a verb and 9/11" is let without a viable platform to run.
Moral values will indeed be a key criteria in this election season. Marylander might even get a chance this year to affect the primary outcomes. I applaud the genuine moral discourse we are getting. I celebrate our nations history of open debate and peaceful transitions of power.

A Longing for God

2007-12-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

I put up a tree Saturday. I love the fresh smell of semi live trees. I usually cut my own but due to time constraints I picked one up from the Lions Club lot. It is already dropping needles at a rapid rate. Anyway, I am excited to celebrate Christmas at home this year with all four of my kids. You never know when the next Christmas will find us all together.
I got thinking about what HOME means for people. The secular Christmas songs all talk about being "home for Christmas." They talk of a longing for a time when you were comfortable and safe "at Home." Usually the longing is filled with nostalgia , which Spaulding Gray calls "a time in the past that never was." The Advent song we sing at 8:30Am goes "We have a Longing in our heart, O Lord..for comfort, for healing, for wholeness--hear our pray."This is a longing for a home with God.
Whoever said "you can't go home again" is on target. We cannot go back home because we have changed and our relationship to the past can never be replicated. Christams tugs at us because it has always symbolized familiar gatherings and full sanctuary's and familiar music and timeless tales. Since all these things get repeated every year--and everyone participates in the rituals-- the message of nostaliga and homecoming evolks an idealistic image of how our family connectedness should be like.
The question of the week is What is home for you?

The Medium and the Message

2007-12-10T06:13:00.000-08:00

Americans are so accustomed to carefully packaged announcements. We expect political leaders to spin the news to fit their agenda. Corporate leaders get out in front of the news in order to make even disappointing business results sound positive. Did you hear the President of Freddie Mac justify the revelation that his company, which was established to provide mortage loan liquidity to American homeowners by maintaining strict loan standards, had engaged in 100% financing (previous policy was 20% down)? He said, "if we didn't go along with the flow we would have lost market share." In other words, everyone else was doing it and we would be losing out of business if we didn't throw our values and government charter out the window?

Even churches have carefully packaged approaches to reaching new people. Some market a hot product "presenting God's uncompromising truth in an uncompromsing manner." Others attempt to lure non believers with "gospel lite." As I read the Christmas season texts you find many difference types of messages and a diverse number of messangers. We have celestial angels and lowly shepherds, fiery preachers (John the Baptist) and quiet and a patient and faithful father (Joseph). Each gives testimony to what god is doing in sending Jesus into the world. Each is amazed that god would do such a thing and shocked how god would do it.

This weeks message is from Matthew 11. John the Baptist is in jail. He is facing certain execution for his condemnations of the Emperors marital infidelities and rapacious policies. He has heard from his supporters that the man he baptized and prophecized about (Jesus) is doing amazing things. He asks the question everyone wants to know the answer to: Are you (Jesus) the one who was promised or should we wait for another?"

It is interesting that Jesus never testifies to his special place in God's revelation. He never says i am the one. He lets his works testify to his Messiahship. "The Lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the blind see, the dead are raised."
As contemporary believers look at Jesus in our own faith journey we must answer the same question. Is Jesus the one? Those that have come to believe and trust in Jesus have another responsiblity: to show with our lives that he is the Lord.

The Road to Bethlehem

2007-11-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

In churches that try to follow the "church year" this coming Sunday marks the beginning. 4 weeks of Advent and then Christmas. Strict liturgical traditions, Lutherans for example, don't let anyone sing the Christmas carols until Christmas eve. The days preceding Christmas eve are used to read the Old and New Testament prophecies concerning Jesus. Christians are taught to soberly prepare themsevles to recieve the Christ child in our hearts.
As a pastor I have tended to split the difference. To those "I love Christmas " folks I relent and introduce a couple Christmas carols starting in the second week of Advent. I think the Christams carols are the best songs in the hymnbook. People love them and sing them enthusiastically and the music is good (for classical music lovers, check out the famous composers listed on the tops of the carols)
There is no question that once you have been to Bethlehem it is hard to get back on the road again to do it all over. Advent is out of step with the prevailing mood most of us find ourselves during December. People want to get in the good and postive mood that Christmas brings. Parties, plays, gift exchanging, Christmas bonuses, family gatherings---all these things make Christmas in America a special time. It seems strnage then to enter the church in early December and listen to the scripture readings for the season talk about the predicted destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. The Psalms cry out in Lament "How long O Lord must we wait." Then John the Baptist brings his fire and brimstone message as he "prepares the Way of the Lord."
I like the Advent readings although I much prefer the carols to the minor keys of Advent hymns. I need to be reminded that Jesus came to change our world. He brings a message of nonviolence and forgiveness to a world that seems always to love war. I watched the movie about the Christmas one day truce in World War I and cried. How can you go back to hating and killing someone who shares your love of Christ and shares a meal and a worship service together.
The challenge of Advent is to examine our lives. We are to treat every person with dignity and to respect every person as a child of God. I wonder if the hectic schedules and the shopping demands serve to distract us from even thinking about what Jesus brith and life means for us and our world.
There is a group called "buy nothing for Christmas" that advertises their message of simplifying the season by showing a classic painting of Jesus. Next to the picture is a question: Where did I say that you should buy so much stuff to celebrate my birthday?
I guess I just don't want to put up any trees or enter any malls until I have sat with the scriptures sung the plaintive Advent hymns for a while. The parties can wait. Maybe even the carols. There will still be plenty of time to celebrate.

Real gifts always come with a person attached

2007-11-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

We are approaching the Thanksgiving weekend and that means a whole lot of things come to mind. Families get together to celebrate their connectedness. These gatherings are fun for many, a necessary burden for others, and a disaster for far too many. I am traveling to see family in New Jersey and this will be both fun and exhausting. I am thankful that our families get along reasonably enough to make it festive.

Thanksgiving weekend also marks the official beginning of the cultural and commercial holiday season. I would call it Christmas Season but that would overstate the important most Americans place on Jesus Christ. I lived in New Jersey for 15 years and never saw the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade live. I have heard that some of the balloons...Kermit, Goofy, Miss Piggy...are a little worn out looking. They look the way shopper look when Christmas Day arrives. I will give you the theme of news coverage of this years shopping season..."fearful American consumer cuts down on holiday spending." Is it really bad if we spend less?

Gratitude is at the very heart of our faith. Gratitude is a fundamental Christian emotion. Theologians have always told us it is the basic human response to the goodness and mercy of God's grace. At the heart of Christian experience and teaching is not guilt (sorry pre-Vatican II Catholics out there) , nor obligation (as our grandparents taught) but gratitude--pure and simple. Everything we have is a gift from God. We need to be forever thankful and continuously praise God with all our heart, mind and soul.

Sunday's lesson is one of my favorites in Luke. It is Luke 17:11-19 the story of Jesus healing 10 Lepers and then instructing them (as was religious custom) to go to the priest and receive the ceremonial cleansing. The Ten were healed and set off to do their "religious obligation" but then one, a Samaritan, immediately turned around and headed back to thank Jesus. Jesus congratulated the man saying, "Your faith has made you well." Then he asked the man, "where are the other nine?"

My immediate reaction reading this again was that "hey, at least one person said thank you."
In a culture where we look out for number one and are so overly concerned about our personal well being ingratitude is the norm. I probably only send one out of 10 people who do above and beyond service to the church a thank you note. I usually get the same response--"you note was so thoughtful." I take this to mean, "Wow, for once somebody actually noticed my effort and said thank you." One way I thank those people who have mentored me and guided me is by telling sermon stories about their wisdom and faith. You can see that my college professors and the neighboring pastors from my first pastorate were very generous to me with their time.

I believe that a spirit of gratitude is essential for our mental and spiritual well being. I would rephrase Jesus' statement, "You faith has made you well," this way.: "Your gratitude has healed and saved you." Gratitude is a worldview, a way of looking at and living life. The grateful person who wrote Psalm 23 says, "my cup runneth over." Gratitude is more then just saying thank you. Gratitude is looking at the world, and our place in it, and recognizing that God has given you the power to make your life more enjoyable. Being grateful does not change the facts(The person in the 23rd Psalm was going through the valley of the shadow of death) but it sure does help you face the future with the firm expectation that better days are ahead.

On Sunday morning I plan on sharing some ways we can encourage a greater sense of gratitude in our every day life. I have an Oprah suggestion (she is the great church lady of America) and a couple others (one by Fred Rogers.."Oh I miss him.")
I am interested in what things you have found helpful in encouraging this life affirming spirit of gratitude.

I would also like some funny family thanksgiving dinner stories.

Finally, I am sincerely grateful for you folks who read this and comment. I do find the comments helpful in the thought process.

Peace and joy, James Brassard

Giving and Gratitude

2007-11-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

It is stewardship time. We did the Time and Talent Survey last week. The response was good and since the areas of service were expanded (including new things people might actually want to do!) we might have some new energy to assist the long time volunteers.
In the next few weeks we will talk about the giving of money. I used to dread this annual event. Who likes to get people to give? I now kind of like talking about giving. Here is my evolution. Several years ago my Stewardship committee was frustrated. The standard stewardship drive was not working. People were giving the same (low) amount regardless of what was said in worship. So out of desperation we tried another approach. The approach was to simply share the bibles teachings on giving. Here is what I learned.
1. The bible talks about giving as a response to God's generosity. In I Corinthians 16:2 Paul tells us to make giving a regular part of our spiritual disciplines. "On the first day of the week, each of you is to put aside money based on what you earned..so that you can give it during collection of offerings." Paul took legalism and obligation out of the law. Christians worship and give in joyful response to God's loving offering in Jesus Christ--not because it is a requirement set down way back during the Exodus. Paul simplified Christian charity:
We give proportionally based on what we earn.
We do it regularly to meet needs.
We give it joyfully.

The Old Testament has a strict standard of giving. The first 1/10th was expected to be given to the Priests at harvest time and special appeals were made in addition to that tithe. The New Testament talks about giving based on ability. The concept of percentage or proportional giving was established. People have different income levels and different responsibilities. If everyone gave the same dollar amount this would be unfair because incomes vary widely. Unfortunately in America, the most generous are the poorest. People with incomes under $25,000 give 8% of income but people over $100,000 give less then 2%. Something is wrong here. Part of the problems is that we spend everything we make and our expectations for what we "need" to live rises with our incomes. The Methodist founder Wesley used to say save 10% and give 10% (my personal rule) and live off the rest. But Wesley was frugal and as his income rose (he sold lots of books) he lived at the same level and gave away more each year. Rick Warren makes so much on "The Purpose Driven Life" book sales that he gives away 90% of his royalties. He simply doesn't need the money.
When your income reaches the level of Maryland residents (did you see that Maryland now has the highest per person income in the nation) truly giving 5% or 10% of your income means writing checks that add up to real money. Recently Andrea and i figured that if we didn't tithe we could easily afford this lakeside home we stayed at on our summer vacation.

2. We need to learn to be contend with our place in life. In other words, money shouldn't change who we are and what we believe. Philippians 4:11 "I have learned to be content with whatever I have."

The issue of contentment opens a whole can of worms. Are we spiritually grounded so that we don't judge our happiness based on comparisons with other people? If God has graciously overwhelmed us with more then we could ever need, why are people so unhappy and so worried about the economy?
I believe that if we were growing spiritually and we were connected with people who affirmed our values and shared our commitments, we wouldn't worry about having more and better things. I happen to hate spending money on stuff for myself but love sending checks to organizations I feel are doing good work. I seldom eat dinner out because it takes too much time and it reduces the amount of money I can use better elsewhere. My level of contentment has far less to do with money and much more to do if I think I am being an effect pastor and if I am doing a competent job as a father and husband.

What factors have to do with your level of contentment?

I need some help on this topic for Nov 18th.

Zacchaeus: Luke 19:1-10

2007-10-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Zacchaeus story has traditionally been seen as a story of conversion in which Jesus brings salvation to a greedy sinner. The narrator sets Zacchaeus up as a rich tax collector. Everyone hates taxes. If the collector is taking an extra cut to enrich himself that makes him a perfect target to public derision. He was also a collaborator with the Roman occupation so that makes him an even more detested figure. Oh, there is more. Remember the song "Short people have no reason." This is the only story in the new testament where someones physical attributes are described. Why is that? As a kid I liked this story because I felt I often missed out seeing things because I was small. Oh, yeah, I loved climbing trees.

Two questions jump out on me? Why did Zacchaeus come out to hear Jesus in the first place? Was he on a spiritual quest? Did he see a hole on his existance that money and possessions couldn't fill? Although we like to psychologize the bible, this is not in the text. But the question lingers. Luke likes to have people from the margins of society encounter Jesus and be transformed. Luke usually is pretty hard to rich people--why is so favorable to Zacchaeus? Just two chapter earlier we had the rich man in hell seeking the poor and destitute Lazarus to give him a drink of water and to go warn his greedy brothers. The rich mans request gets ignored.

The second question is what motivated his restitution? Jewish law required people who repented of their sins to correct the situation and to repay ill gotten gains. Zacchaeus did this but went beyond what was expected. Why? Is it the good kind of guilt. You feel bad and want to set things right so do it generously? How often do charity campaigns show pictures of starving and ill clothed children to "guilt" the rich western audience to cut loose with a $15 monthly check to make them feel less guilty for their good fortune. But that sort of giving doesn't change people the way Zacchaeus was changed.

If i had a church of mostly "seekers" I might attempt to approach the text was asking the existential question poses by the story itself. Methodist bishop Geroge Thompson posed it well in a famous sermon: "Have you ever felt you were there with Zacchaeus up a tree, out on a limb, isolated from faith family that gave you birth, disturbed by the moral contradictions within your won conscience?"

I don't know. The familiar stories are hard to cover without boring people. I used to say, "What else can you say about the Prodigal Son?
I could use some creative help.

I just wish I had read Gary's comments last week about wildnerness before finishing the sermon. You only thanks God after the journey through the wilderness.

Mourning and meekness

2007-10-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

The deeper I get into the Beatitudes the more radical they seem. Jesus is celebrating people who are downtrodden and overwhelmed by circumstances yet are happy and centered. He calls the "loser" winners and say they are the ones who are "truly blessed."

This week I am working on mourning and meekness. How are they connected? First of all mourning is something everyone has to do in life. Jesus knew well the transitoriness of life and so did his followers. Life is uncertain even in our lifes sheltered by material certainty. Death no longer routinely comes in early age or in childbirth. Yet we still die and it upsets us. Jesus is affirming that those that mourn will be comforted and then find a new life filled with joy.

But we mourn more then just death. We mourn the loss of moblity (think of christopher "Superman" Reeves) after his crippling horse jumping injury. His time with his children after the injury became richer, his marriage stronger, and his life took on an even higher purpose: promoting spinal cord research. His taks in mourning was to look at < "Not what I have lost, but what life can I now build."

We mourn changes in our health, changes in relationships with friends and family members, changes in our dreams. We have to mourn loss before we can rechart our course. How often are we out of sorts and unable to just go about our routine because we are mourning loses. We can't just get over it. We have to mourn and become comforted before we can jump into life again.
I believe people mourn in different ways and at different rates. Unfortunately some people never give up on mourning and thus never get back out there for God to bless them again.

Meekness is also an unappreciated character trait. I will say Sunday that meekness is not weakness. Meekness is the ability to stand up to oppression and injustice without resorting to violence. I would love more moives like "Ghandhi" and the Martin Luther King fils to show how non-violent approaches to change have more lasting effect than violence imposed and enforced change. To be meek--meaning wise and steady--requires considerable trust in God. Meekness requires the other party to see your point of view and be willing to change.

I think mourning and meekness are connected because they are both internal attitudes that have to deal with external hardships. Both require trust in God's providentail care.

We will see. I could still use some help here.

2007-10-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3

I really like Tom Wrights translation of this opening of the "blessed" people in the Sermon on the Mount.
"Wonderful news for the poor in spirit! The Kingdom of heaven is yours."

Wright gets it right about what Jesus is doing in his ministry. He is trying to turn the world upside down, to turn Israel upside down, to pour lavish blessings on all people who turn to him and accept the new thing he is doing.

There are two issues here.
One is: when do the promises of blessing come true?
Is it only in HEAVEN? This has been a common interpretation. The reward for being poor and having suffered lifes indignities is a safe and plentiful life in heaven. This was the gospel the white church preached to the black slaves....be patient, god is good, you will have shoes to wear in heaven. In other words, this is your state in this life...deal with it!
Those that disliked this message had a cute phrase for it: "Christians are so heavenly oriented they are no earthly good." This interpretation also gets believers off the hook in trying to reverse the injustices in the world. If the reward is in heaven---why correct the way things are now? But I believe the Bible is quite clear that Jesus is beinging God news to the cpatives, the poor, the oppressed...right now!God's blessing are intended for everyone--not just the well to do.
I prefer a different understanding of heaven (once again I borrowed from Wright) that heaven is "God's space" where full reality exists, close by our ordinary "earthly reality" and interlocking with it. When we act as God's people we bring blessing upon ourselves and share it with others so they are blessed during their earthly life.
The Beatitutdes then show us how God intends this world to be---yet acknowledges the full reality won't be attained in our time. We are working with God (interlocking action) towards a time when all people know the blessed life. We won't fully reach it--but we can make considerable progress.
Each week in the Lord's prayer we ask for this: THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS (already is) IN HEAVEN.

The second issues is the audience. We know the poor need the basics of life. What about those of us who already have been materially blessed? Where is the good news and the great need for the "haves?"
The challenge Christianty has always faced was to make the gospel offer something to the people who already have been richly blessed. The Prosperity Gospel says that God wants to make you evern richer! If you live in beautiful surroundings and have a great marriage and good friends and meaningful work, can you really be considered "spiritually poor?" I could use some help here. I know that often people come to trust God and to open their hearts to a deeply spiritual reality when they fall off their comfortable perch and face hardship. Do we only know Christ when we are humbled and open to his help?

Thos two questions seem the most relevant for me. Give me some help?
James