Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Brain Rest
Well I've had to take a break from my books and my thoughts for a while as I'm not getting much sleep! We're working on getting Bella to sleep past 5:30 am but often she gets up around 4:00 am or earlier! I think she's struggling with some seperation anxiety. She just loves to cuddle and sleeps great next to me on the couch, but isn't so happy about the crate. So, I'll be getting back to my heavier thoughts later...when my brain is functioning a little more! :)
Friday, November 18, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Welcome Home Bella
Well, we are happy to finally welcome little Bella Mia home! She's been an absolute sweetheart! She loves to cuddle and play! Now if we could just get her to sleep past 6:30 am!!
Sunday, November 13, 2005
A New Option
When I was old enough to understand the most general political ideas, I was confused by the fact that Christians were always Republicans. According to my understanding of the separations of the two parties, the Democratic party seemed to have more ideals that lined up with my understanding of God and faith.
For example: I understood Republicans as liking war, capital punishment, guns and big business. I understood them to not like abortion and not like the environment. I understood Democrats to like abortion and like the environment, care about the poor and dislike capital punishment, war and guns.
I understood God as caring for His world (environment) and people. So it seemed to me that politically God would care about the environment and helping poor people and he would not like war, capital punishment, guns and abortion because they all kill people.
I was always glad when my mom said she didn't really consider herself a Republican or a Democrat. It made sense to me to be more in the center.
Now that I'm older, my understanding of politics is a little bit deeper and I still feel conflicted. During this last presidential election I was one of those "undecided" people that the media acted like was so stupid. I understood that the candidates were very different. Some of what Bush said made sense to me and some of what Kerry said made sense to me.
The truth is there is no real option that fits how I see my faith relating to politics. There needs to be an option that doesn't fall to either of the extremes. In his book, God's Politics, Jim Wallis gave a beautiful description of a much needed option. When I think about politics, if this candidate were an option, he or she would have my vote. This option is....
"...traditional or conservative on issues of family values, sexual integrity and personal responsibility, while being very progressive, populist or even radical on issues like poverty and racial justice. It affirms good stewardship of the earth and its resources, supports gender equality, and is more internationally minded than nationalist - looking first to peacemaking and conflict resolution when it comes to foreign policy questions. The people it appeals to...are very strong on issues like marriage, raising kids, and individual ethics, but without being right-wing, reactionary, or mean-spirited or scapegoating against any group of people, such as homosexuals. They can be pro-life, pro-family and pro-feminist, all at the same time. They think issues of "moral character" are very important, both in a politician's personal life and in his or her policy choices. Yet they are decidedly pro-poor, for racial reconciliation, critical of purely military solutions, and defenders of the environment. At the heart of the fourth option is the integral link between personal ethics and social justice. And it appeals to people who refuse to make the choice between the two."
- Jim Wallis, "God's Politics"
For example: I understood Republicans as liking war, capital punishment, guns and big business. I understood them to not like abortion and not like the environment. I understood Democrats to like abortion and like the environment, care about the poor and dislike capital punishment, war and guns.
I understood God as caring for His world (environment) and people. So it seemed to me that politically God would care about the environment and helping poor people and he would not like war, capital punishment, guns and abortion because they all kill people.
I was always glad when my mom said she didn't really consider herself a Republican or a Democrat. It made sense to me to be more in the center.
Now that I'm older, my understanding of politics is a little bit deeper and I still feel conflicted. During this last presidential election I was one of those "undecided" people that the media acted like was so stupid. I understood that the candidates were very different. Some of what Bush said made sense to me and some of what Kerry said made sense to me.
The truth is there is no real option that fits how I see my faith relating to politics. There needs to be an option that doesn't fall to either of the extremes. In his book, God's Politics, Jim Wallis gave a beautiful description of a much needed option. When I think about politics, if this candidate were an option, he or she would have my vote. This option is....
"...traditional or conservative on issues of family values, sexual integrity and personal responsibility, while being very progressive, populist or even radical on issues like poverty and racial justice. It affirms good stewardship of the earth and its resources, supports gender equality, and is more internationally minded than nationalist - looking first to peacemaking and conflict resolution when it comes to foreign policy questions. The people it appeals to...are very strong on issues like marriage, raising kids, and individual ethics, but without being right-wing, reactionary, or mean-spirited or scapegoating against any group of people, such as homosexuals. They can be pro-life, pro-family and pro-feminist, all at the same time. They think issues of "moral character" are very important, both in a politician's personal life and in his or her policy choices. Yet they are decidedly pro-poor, for racial reconciliation, critical of purely military solutions, and defenders of the environment. At the heart of the fourth option is the integral link between personal ethics and social justice. And it appeals to people who refuse to make the choice between the two."
- Jim Wallis, "God's Politics"
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Poverty and Misplaced Priorities
I read an interesting stat in God's Politics (by Jim Wallis) the other night that I wanted to comment on.
Apparently, while Clinton was in office the rate of abortions was down. Now, with Bush in office, it has gone back up again. Wallis suggested that the reason for this is because poor women had more assistance when Clinton was in office than they do now.
This could possibly be an interesting point of misplaced priorities for those in the Right. I have to wonder if we spent less time and resources picketing abortion clinics and fighting Planned Parenthood and instead focused our time and energy on fighting poverty, if we would be more effective in lower the number of abortions that are performed each year.
The sanctity of life is a valuable concern and issue for anyone who understands God's love for humanity. We often don't see poverty as a moral issue so we put less of a priority on it. In the Bible, in the book of Matthew, Jesus talks about how when the end has come and he's ready to claim us as his children or not, he will look to see if we have clothed the naked, fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, visited and brought comfort to those sick and in prison...and whatever we have done or have not done for the least of these, we will have done or have not done for Jesus himself.
Faith can and should play a role in politics but perhaps we need to reconsider how.
Apparently, while Clinton was in office the rate of abortions was down. Now, with Bush in office, it has gone back up again. Wallis suggested that the reason for this is because poor women had more assistance when Clinton was in office than they do now.
This could possibly be an interesting point of misplaced priorities for those in the Right. I have to wonder if we spent less time and resources picketing abortion clinics and fighting Planned Parenthood and instead focused our time and energy on fighting poverty, if we would be more effective in lower the number of abortions that are performed each year.
The sanctity of life is a valuable concern and issue for anyone who understands God's love for humanity. We often don't see poverty as a moral issue so we put less of a priority on it. In the Bible, in the book of Matthew, Jesus talks about how when the end has come and he's ready to claim us as his children or not, he will look to see if we have clothed the naked, fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, visited and brought comfort to those sick and in prison...and whatever we have done or have not done for the least of these, we will have done or have not done for Jesus himself.
Faith can and should play a role in politics but perhaps we need to reconsider how.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
The Religious Voice
I recently started reading God's Politics, by Jim Wallis. I was going to wait until I finished to write a review but after reading one chapter I can tell I'm going to have enough thoughts on it to fill a book! :) So I want to start with a simple idea.
The Christianity community has a voice in America. Unfortunately that voice is coming from individuals such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell.
"It is the responsibility of every political conservative, every evangelical Christian, every pro-life Catholic, every traditional Jew, every Reagan Democrat, and everyone in between to get serious about re-electing president Bush." -Jerry Falwell as quoted in God's Politics.
"I think George Bush is going to win in a walk. I really believe I'm hearing from the Lord it's going to be like a blowout election in 2004. The Lord has just blessed him....It doesn't make any difference what he does, good or bad." - Pat Robertson as quoted in God's Politics.
Hmm.... I hardly feel like I need to say more. In the last presidential election, religious leaders mistakenly communicated that to vote for anyone other than George W. Bush was nothing less than sin.
The Religious Right has used fear and manipulation to convince Christians that values-driven politics centers around two issues...abortion and homosexuality. This is not biblical.
No political party has a monopoly on God and family values. It's time for Christians to broaden our understand of values and faith in politics and change our voice.
Helping the poor is a biblical issue. War vs. Peace is a biblical issue. Taking care of our environment is a biblical issue. How we respond to terrorism is a biblical issue. And yes, homosexuality and abortion are biblical issues. We must change our voice.
If our nation is becoming more hostile to Christianity it is because we are becoming more hostile to our nation. We must change our voice.
Progressive Christians have changed politics in the past through movements such as the Civil Rights movement, women's suffrage and more. We can change the face of politics today too. But we can't do it with the voices that currently represent us. It is time for a change. We must change our voice.
The Christianity community has a voice in America. Unfortunately that voice is coming from individuals such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell.
"It is the responsibility of every political conservative, every evangelical Christian, every pro-life Catholic, every traditional Jew, every Reagan Democrat, and everyone in between to get serious about re-electing president Bush." -Jerry Falwell as quoted in God's Politics.
"I think George Bush is going to win in a walk. I really believe I'm hearing from the Lord it's going to be like a blowout election in 2004. The Lord has just blessed him....It doesn't make any difference what he does, good or bad." - Pat Robertson as quoted in God's Politics.
Hmm.... I hardly feel like I need to say more. In the last presidential election, religious leaders mistakenly communicated that to vote for anyone other than George W. Bush was nothing less than sin.
The Religious Right has used fear and manipulation to convince Christians that values-driven politics centers around two issues...abortion and homosexuality. This is not biblical.
No political party has a monopoly on God and family values. It's time for Christians to broaden our understand of values and faith in politics and change our voice.
Helping the poor is a biblical issue. War vs. Peace is a biblical issue. Taking care of our environment is a biblical issue. How we respond to terrorism is a biblical issue. And yes, homosexuality and abortion are biblical issues. We must change our voice.
If our nation is becoming more hostile to Christianity it is because we are becoming more hostile to our nation. We must change our voice.
Progressive Christians have changed politics in the past through movements such as the Civil Rights movement, women's suffrage and more. We can change the face of politics today too. But we can't do it with the voices that currently represent us. It is time for a change. We must change our voice.
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