Character Counts: The Debase Debates of our Petty Presidential Candidates

It is official the Presidential debate has turned historically ugly.  With both candidates pushing to raise 1 billion dollars in pursuit of being named Commander in Chief, resources have recently been overwhelming spent on negative ads vilifying opponents.   The ads question Romney's past CEO initiatives and Obama's past Presidential programs.  Not that questioning an opponents' motives are wrong, but these paid messages have more name calling than a grade school playground fight.  These messages paid for by wealthy intelligent people in support of candidates are nothing more than bully talk.  The campaign messages are full of half truths that distort the other candidates' words.  There are sound bites taken to make a completely different message than ever intended. There is more dishonesty in this campaign than any other in our history.

Politicians (on both ends) lie about their opponents' to smear their name and then they dare to claim they stand for truth and justice.  Meanwhile the issues of rising poverty, escalating war, unstable governments, and missing opportunities of the lower class go ignored.  When is the last time the Afghanistan War which has over 80,000 U.S. troops engaged been mentioned?

These debase debates effect more than just our voting system.  The behaviors of our nation's leaders are a terrible hideous disease that has infected us all.

 We as a people can no longer discuss points and ideas in how to govern a nation, instead we get angry, make personal attacks, ostracize opposing ideas, and even commit unthinkable acts of violence.  We do not know how to have differing respectful debates because our leaders have debased the art.  Our politicians speak out against bullying, yet when it comes to their opponents' they cruelly attack anything and everything they can.  We have had everything from people’s pet ownership to singing ability attacked in political ads vying for what is supposed to be the highest position in our country.  We have been left with petty presidential debates that disease our nation, families, and even our own reasoning skills.

Why are we even passionately arguing for one leader over another when neither has risen above the challenge?  Why do we put our energy and resources into a failing system?

I think it is time we expect more from our leaders.  Every year candidates wonder why people do not make it to the polls when we are left with no good options.

Our leaders have failed to lead us to be better people; our public servants have failed to serve.  We have put winning, election, and position at the forefront of our achievement and we have only sunk to the bottom in attempts to reach these goals. 

Jesus Christ quite plainly told his disciples the secret to leadership and effective change; serve humbly and look to others interest before your own.  If we are to become a people united together with vision that can effect change, our leadership, our politics, our theology and deepest personal self must turn away from the egotism that has led to violent words and behavior of debate.  We must learn to serve.  This message is for our politicians, for our CEO's and world leaders, but if we expect them to reflect this behavior, we must first lead them with our own daily sacrificial lives, just as Jesus did.  We as a people from the bottom must imitate the greatest teacher who ever lived, we must trust in the powerful words of service and humility allow ourselves to become last so others can be first.  This will not trickle down from the top, but it will be planted in those on the bottom.  It will slowly, yet surely as a strong oak, grow into an unmovable, healthy, and fruitful tree. 

This will happen with those who trust in those words of Jesus and become the underground, dirty, unnoticeable roots that hold together both tree and nation.

The Unjust Scandal of Chick-fil-A

When the donations of owner of Chick-fil-A started to go to places that among other things had official stances against gay marriage the public became suspect of the faith based fast food chain.  When the owner was asked about gay marriage he stated that he believed in a Bible based marriage that recognizes solely the joining of a man and a woman, all suspicions were confirmed and now Chick-fil-A has become a nothing short of modern Nazi régime.

But let us wait a minute here.  The owner of Chick-fil-A never said he supports the illegalization of gay marriage.  The owner never said that if someone is homosexual they are terrible people.  In fact there are homosexual employed at Chick-fil-A.  He was asked a question (no doubt to stir up controversy) and he answered honestly.

There are now protests and articles, and blogs attesting at what an evil corporation Chick-fil-A is, have we all lost our minds?

The CEOs and owners of Wal-Mart are one of the largest employers in our country, yet their employees have no health care and fall under the poverty line because they fail to pay adequate wages, where are the protests?  Apple has been accused of atrocious crimes of starving, overworking, and putting their employees in dangers environments to make a cheap popular phone.  Apple does not give money to charities and they force workers to sleep on factory floors, yet we dare not protest one of America's most favorite products.  In fact, the former deceased owner Steve Jobs has been lifted up as on iconic hero of marketing and technologies.  Companies that employe children in dangerous factories and sweatshops dehumanize workers making them nothing more than slaves are our favorite brands that escape the scathing eyes of justice.

Chick-fil-A has donated millions to charitable organization and gives their employees a day off to be with their family on Sunday, yet we have made them our modern society's villain.   

Are we truly so blind?  Are we so focused on specks that we fail to notice the logs in people's eyes?  If you believe Chick-fil-A's ideology is wrong that is one thing, but to put their actions above the atrocities of Syria, Apple, Wal-Mart and other power hungry companies enslaving people overseas in unhealthy work environments is a sign we have truly lost our moral compass here in the United States.

We have become such disoriented wanderers in the pursuit of our sexuality that we have lost our eye on justice, mercy, compassion, and love.  Can we not open our eyes and ears and put first things first, can we not recognize good and evil?  Don't get me wrong, I am against all kinds of hate, but I do believe the words spoken by Chick-fil-A may not be words we all agree with, but they were not words of hate.

We are a lost nation, and either the voices of modern prophets will turn us around into the direction of love and compassion, or we will wonder as shepherdess sheep right of the cliff of selfish obsession.  Let us become a people concerned with true justice, true mercy, and let us not become distracted any longer by the perception of noble causes.

The God of Science and the Science of God

Let us be honest, Religion has been guilty of interfering with fields of study such as science.  When Galileo purposed the earth revolve around the sun instead of the sun around the earth, the Church was quick to contradict such claims based off unrelated scriptural texts.  But if we are truly honest, we must admit that Science has been guilty of interfering with faith and religion as well.  With the theory of evolution and the Big Bang, many scientist of pointed out that these prove God cannot exist.

Both Religion and Science have overstepped their bounds.  As a pastor of an American Baptist Church let me contradict many strongly held stereotypes and say that I am a big fan of science and technology.  Issues such as Evolution and the Big Bang do not disturb my faith.  I feel no overcoming urge to refute scientific claims because I have not the knowledge or understanding to debate with highly trained physicists.

My faith expresses the beauty of a creative God carefully and deliberately fashioning a habitable world full of diversity and life.  If God decided to developed life through slow evolving creatures that is his prerogative.  It is simply beyond my scope to suggest the validity of theories of Big Bangs and Evolving Apes, they may be correct, they may not be. 

Scripture, though intimidating to many, is relatively brief when considering its subject.  The Christian Bible does not have the luxury to detail every nuance of creation and existence.  In fact, John even admits that not everything about the short life of Jesus could be accounted for because the world is not spacious enough to hold the volumes it would produce (John 21:25).  If scripture is too brief to account for the entire life of the Savior, how could we reason that it holds all mysteries of heaven and earth?

I believe that there is much to be revealed about the amazing planet given to us.  What we do with the discoveries is what is important.  If Science is used to better care for humanity and the world I believe every Christian and non-Christian should celebrate.  However, if our advancement in science and technology is used to strip men and women of jobs, produce unfathomable and consequential pollution, if the earth is raped of its resources and beauty, and money becomes the pursuing ambition of our research, then the prophets of God ought to speak again unjust practices.  While science has brought comfort and efficiency, too often it has brought great consequences.  The atomic bomb is a great example of scientific advancement but at too great of a cost, one that too few Christians spoke out against in its debut during World War II.

Science has also been guilty of misusing their expertise and betraying the very field they represent by concluding god could not exist.  Science does not have the ability to affirm or deny the existence of everything in existence.  The scientific process relies on materials that can be measured, weighed, seen, or heard.  Yet humanity overwhelming believes in love, a reality that cannot be succumbed to scientific research.  Though brain patterns can be measured and tested, love and its practices will always be an unproven theory.  I find it amazing that Scripture testifies that "God is love" (1 John 4:8).

I celebrate the fact that we live in a world that can be discovered and revealed through the power of science.  I also celebrate the reality that there is more to life than what mere humanity can capture, hold, and analyze.  Love, forgiveness, loyalty, compassion are all beyond quantifying.  Science has revealed many mysteries and complexities of our existence.  I think it is disingenuous for anyone in the scientific or religious field to assume all is revealed and understood in the ever expanding universe we live in.  There is so much we have come to know, but think of the so much more that is unknown.  I see God in the known and unknown, I see God in power of love and forgiveness, and I see God transforming lives in miraculous ways.  Some say it is psychology, others insanity, but for me and millions of others it is truth that defines truth itself (John 14:6).

So let us as followers of Christ not be intimidated by the findings of science, and let science not be intimidated at the prospect of something greater than their methods exists.  Let us use our skills and wisdom to advance the world in things of love, compassion, health, and forgiveness.  Let us put aside our pride and remember nothing we have made or invented has come without the resources given to us.  Let us not be surprised about the statistical prospect of something greater than us exists, and let us rejoice that the greater thing loves us and desire to be known.

Stop Hating Leaders and Become One: The First Health Care Mandate

Say whatever you like about the constitutionality of the health care law, it will not solve all the problems as some hope, and it will not be the fiery apocalyptic end of civilization as others tend to argue.  My concern is how did we even get here in the first place?  How does any "modern developing" society that believes in evolving intellects and advancement find itself in a place that must cajole people to move.

We idly sit by criticizing our leaderships every move demanding them to make changes that allow for better jobs, better pay, affordable healthcare, and equal access to education and opportunities.  The majority sees the world as an incomplete place and we point figures at past leaders, opposing political parties and contentious markets for our problems.  When did we adopt the belief that real change must trickle down from the top?

What if the only way to provide better jobs, equal opportunities and health care was through small local changes?  The early church had it right.  The church had the message of Jesus Christ upon the cross, the message of forgiveness and hope, the message of eternal life.  The early church also believed that they were called by their messiah to advance his kingdom here on earth.  The advancement of Christ's kingdom does not come with holy wars, forced conversion, or a Christian nation-state, but through caring for the poor, widow, and orphan.

The early church quickly attracted a following because of their encompassing way of community.  No one had shortage of food in the church because they all shared their meals together.  The rich with the poor sat down side by side, brother next to brother, sister next to sister as equals and ate the same meal.  If someone was out of a job due to famine, cutbacks, or being blacklisted because of their faith, the church carried the family through and helped them find a job.  If someone was injured and could not work, the church would not only carry the family through the difficult time by taking care of food and shelter, they also provided physical care or the injured.  If famine destroyed your farm, your house burnt down, a plague ran through your town, there were no sick days there was no insurance, there was no equal cheap access to health care, the church was formed together to take care of every need.  The only mandate was to love at all tiems with everything (literally everything) you had.

This kind of community extremely attracted the poor, but it quickly grew so that even the wealthy could not ignore the power of the movement.  The power and provision was always driven by Christ as their Lord and savior, but as the church grew in size and influence they began to focus less on local communities to address problems.  The Churches started becoming regional, then national, and then global.  The church formed a hierarchy that imitated the powerful nation-states, with a Pope at the top, cardinals as governors, bishops as local magistrates, and priests as alderman.  The church became an ineffective government.

The early church understood the importance of influence not through money, or power, but through joining together, eating, praying, living together and providing for needs.  The church did not try to fix the world, it tried to care for those within her reach, and this enacted a chain reaction.

If we want change we cannot hand it over to leaders governing from the top of the world.  Change begins by reassessing our values, reaching out and joining with our neighbors, and committing to care for those within our reach.  Everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change themselves.  Everybody wants to save the world, but nobody wants to save their neighbor.  A smaller focus means a bigger change.

It is time we focused on doing the right things, like making sure we are paying our neighbors livable wages, not because someone makes us but because it is right.  We need to make sure our neighbors are getting enough food to eat instead of handing them a form for food stamps.  We need to join together and help find shelter for those struck with tragedy, and not wait for the government to do it.  It is time we do the right thing for our neighbors without passing it off to anyone else.  The kingdom of God is coming, and Christ with it, and we will be judge on his mercy, and how we care for each other, if we rely on some other force to care for our neighbor why we turn our back, we may miss out.

When Progress becomes regress

When progress becomes regress

And cities are set on fire

The rage of the people will burn bright

Tottering ideals expire.

Tyrants feed, dictators greed

Who can lead the wild flame?

When the earth begins to turns backwards

All the unknown need a name.

Mass killers only hinders

More than generals can command.

The devil wages the fiercest war

For much more than our mere land.

When what's torn part is our heart

And we cannot find our soul.

More is needed than our human pride

A mender to make us whole.

Ideals burn placed in the urn

And everything is in soot

We refuse to build it back again

We will shake it from our foot.

A new place with a new grace

Unlike all others before

What was started from the beginning

God will finally restore. 

How to Raise a Bully

Grade schoolers cussing out bus monitors?  Karen Klein, 68, was hit with a barrage of profanity from pre-adolescent school children.  They make sexual taunting passes at her, and blame her for her eldest son suicide that happened 10 years ago.  If you watch the viral video, you see the children are relentless, even continuing while Mrs. Klein cries.  Throughout the video you feel extreme discomfort and sympathy for this poor woman.  However, those who work with students on a regular basis may not be too surprised by the taunting.  Teachers, aids, and monitors are being cussed out regularly.  I was cussed out by a seven year old in the parking lot of our church.  While this incident with Mrs. Klein goes far and beyond most cases, I believe it is a sign of the continuing trend of our society.

Yahoo recently released on article detailing the "non-issue of profanity and nudity in television.  Censorship is turning down the "bleeps" and the "blurs" of foul language and nudity, and allowing more to been seen and heard.  Censors believe there is too much censorship!

Another trend is happening if you watch the Disney network.  "Innocent" and "kid friendly shows" are containing more themes of disrespect to bumbling parents and clueless adults.  I challenge you to watch a show and count the times the adults disrespected or considered idiots.

Another article has just been released that reveals teens spend an average of 10 hours a day connected to media (tv, computer, music). 

Kids are plugged into more media, media is showing more language and sexual content, and children are using more language, sexual content, and practicing complete disrespect.  Do you suppose there may be a connection?

I have spent the last month without watching television (except for a few minutes of a Cubs game when I was visiting a sick friend).  Also in the last month I have only listened to the radio 4 different times, less than 30 minutes each time.  During this month, I have extra time to read, go to the park with my daughter, and pray.  The best part is not what I am getting, but what I am missing, all the negative messages.

The principle made an official statement assuring the public that the students who participated in the hazing would receive discipline, but what about everyone else?  Don't we all deserve some punishment in this?  This is not High School students throwing these insults, they are middle schoolers.  Are we not to blame in putting these words, these sexual images, these scenarios of entertainment that encourage disrespect before their influential eyes?  Could we actually say these students ought to know better when they have not been shown better?

W only know what we see.  You cannot expect someone to know better when they don't see respect, love, kindness, and patience lived out.  It is not enough to verbally teach the meaning of such words, they must be seen in action.

When Jesus called his disciples he did not call them into a classroom, tell them to open and text book and read the definitions of love, respect, and forgiveness.  Jesus did not just teach his disciples, he showed them.  When he called them he said "Follow me."  When he told them it is better to serve than rule, he showed them by washing their feet.  And when Jesus wanted his disciples to learn the depth and power of forgiveness, he surrendered himself to death on a cross.

Our children are simply living out the lessons they are taught on the internet, television, music, and us adults.  It is time we start showing the lessons children out to live out, and block the message that we do not want them to practice.  It is perfectly acceptable to refuse to allow children to watch violent images, sexual images, and prevent them from hearing offensive language and negative lyrics. 

I think it is time we act like adults and begin showing our children what is commendable, and blocking what is condemnable.  Let us clean up our act, clean up the media we allow to influence our children, and clean up our schools.

Mercy Not Sacrifice: The Idolatry of War

2,000 American Soldiers now have died in Afghanistan.  The suicide rate for our soldiers has reached nearly one per day.  The momentous number of fallen soldiers is the culmination of 3,900 days in Afghanistan.

Every time a son or daughter is brought home in a box, tears are shed, hearts are broken, and the ubiquitous phrase "she/he paid the ultimate sacrifice" is announced as a word of comfort.

I am growing weary of this "sacrifice."  I have become infuriated at the idea of us proudly sending our children across the world.  Boys and girls who ought to be busy going to college, starting families, building community are given rifles, an enemy, and a paycheck.  This is an impossible life that has claimed 2,000 soldiers in this war.

Today is Flag Day, and many homes, businesses, and churches will wave the banner of our nation high in patriotic pride.  But this flag is drench stained with so much blood, the gore has made me ill.  I feel dirty and guilty every time we sell the idea to our children that people must die so we can have the freedom to vote for indifferent politicians who break apart families by sending them to war.  Too many have returned home dead.  Too many have returned home severely injured.  Too many have returned unable to cope with the things that no man or woman or child or soldier should have to see or do.  Too many unable to cope with the evil drown their lives with liquor, drugs, or other self-destructive tendencies.  Other's cannot cope and end their lives.  This is the "ultimate sacrifice" we are willing to accept for our lives of "freedom."

The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel saw terrible acts of sacrifice happening in their day.  Mothers and Fathers were actually sacrificing their own children to idols.  Ezekiel cries out

"You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols" (Ezekiel 16:21).

Can you imagine such a heartbreaking image?  What evil can manipulate parents to surrender their children to the temple flames of a grotesque god?  Yet, we participate in the very act today.

While none of us may physically put our children in a fire, we put them on buses and planes and send them to distant lands, knowing their life is in the hands of the United States.  We do this in the name of freedom, in the name of democracy.  We believe that freedom cannot exist if the flag fails to fly.  We are willing to have our children die so a government can continue to promise us what only God can give.  Is it not Jesus who brings freedom (Luke 4:19)?  What god then are we trusting when we sell our children to war?

We sacrifice our children, then go to church singing God bless America and Ezekiel says,

"On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house" (Ezekiel 23:39).

We believe that guns and missiles will ensure our God given rights when 2 Corinthians 10:4 says the weapons followers of Christ use are not weapons of the world.  We believe we can have peace and freedom by sacrificing our children when 2 Corinthians 3:17 says freedom comes from the Spirit of the Lord.

I know many who are enlisted and on active today.  I pray that they may not have to encounter violence; I pray that they may come home safely, but I most earnestly pray that we stop relying on our children to do what only God can and has promised to do.  The ultimate sacrifice is not our children, the ultimate sacrifice is Jesus Christ upon the cross, through him we have freedom, peace, and life.