The Problem with American Presidential Races

The problem with American Presidential races, at least the one that struck me today is this - there's no Jesus! Jesus taught us to love our enemies.  That's a tough teaching.

Hold that in your mind...

Think for a moment about the two-party warfare we have been fueling for many years. At a broad level, the tactic most seekers-of-office employ is to highlight why the other side is wrong. Unfortunately, so often, there is very little detail, evidence or argument and so one must basically adhere to and believe in the story told (there is very little room for thought about specifics). The statements made are simple - "my plan is better than the other side's plan and so you should elect me."  Fine. But then it almost always goes a step further. "By the way, my opponent has a bad plan that won't work (again, almost no reason for why it won't, but rather a repetition of the story being told)."  Often, suggestion is made that maybe the opponent is even a bad person.  Stories are told about how the Republicans or the Democrats messed everything up.  This assumption is nailed fast with conclusive statements like "and it's time for a change."

Our process is full of people directing hateful ideas toward others.  Maybe a little enemy-love would cause office-seekers to actually evaluate their opponents and begin to understand them.

And who knows what could come out of deep understanding not only of the other but also of their situation and our own.  Maybe a well-run government!

Mixed emotions when God is near

Wow. This week at camp we got a lot done on the cabin. With 10 people in there for parts of the week, all skilled, how could we not?! On Friday we received a check for $20,000. On Wednesday we tied up the fire alarm considerations. My aunts and uncles lived with us for the week which was glorious.

Now I am tired. In part because Dew (our dog) became very sick recently. Last night he was peeing blood (which I cleaned up multiple times). Earlier in the week he was pooping green. He probably still would be pooping green but he quit eating two days ago.  And so we head to the vet soon.Here's the thing - last night after realizing that one of Dew's organs may be failing I started crying. I remembered something God spoke to me 5 years ago about death. That made me cry harder. Yet in my tears I knew my Father was near. I felt him, sensed him. And this continues to be true for me. That God is nearer to my heart in times of challenge and change. Some say he is always near. Whether that's true I'm not sure. I am sure that struggle heightens my awareness if his presence.

May you experience God in your struggle and may your struggles leave you better than they found you.

Tradition, Religion, Evangelism

Here's today's email from Inward/Outward

In some ways, it could be a response to yesterday's reading, which is directly below in this blog.  I could respond like this: Dude, chill out. They just haven't heard the news.

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Brand New

Thomas Merton

The Gospel is handed down from generation to generation but it must reach each one of us brand new, or not at all. If it is merely "tradition" and not news, it has not been preached or not heard--it is not Gospel.... If there is no risk in revelation, if there is no fear in it, if there is no challenge in it, if it is not a word which creates whole new worlds, and new beings, if it does not call into existence a new creature, our new self, then religion is dead and God is dead.

Source: Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander

Christians

Each day I receive an email from the Church of the Savior called inward/outward - http://www.inwardoutward.org/

Here's today's. What do you think? Too simplistic? Not true? Convicting?
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If You Were Christians
Jim Wallis

I remember a conference in NYC. The topic was social justice. Assembled for the meeting were theologians, pastors, priests, nuns and lay church leaders.

At one point a Native American stood up, looked out over the mostly white audience, and said, "Regardless of what the New Testament says, most Christians are materialists with no experience of the Spirit. Regardless of what the New Testament says, most Christians are individualists with no real experience of community."

He paused for a moment and then continued: "Let's pretend that you were all Christians. If you were Christians, you would no longer accumulate. You would share everything you had. You would actually love one another. And you would treat each other as if you were family."

His eyes were piercing as he asked, "Why don't you do that? Why don't you live that way?"

Source: The Call to Conversion