Archive | January 2015

The Cost of Fear

Jan15

Islamic State, Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, Iran, A new U.S.S.R.Americans have always thought that everyone is entitled to their opinion as long as it didn’t reach out and hurt someone else. As the varied nations and cultures of the planet become more globally aware, Americans are coming to understand that what we call reason or common sense does not have the same meaning to all human beings.

Whether it is for reasons of power, or sincerely held religious beliefs, regardless of what most Muslims say their religion really teaches, we have to come to terms with the fact that there are those that truly believe that the goal of furthering Islam and doing away with blasphemy, justifies any means. This has become a cause for fear on all sides.

We non-Muslims in the West fear that more of these acts will come here. We live in distrust and anger at Islam as a religion and Muslims as individuals. We come together and show solidarity in anger because we would rather be angry than fearful. It feels less cowardly to be angry, but anger is just fear in disguise. We fear all because of a few and that gives the power to the few. We turn our lives over to them when we fear.

The non-militant Muslims are now in fear of not only non-Muslims but of each other. They have to quickly speak out that they do not condone such actions. Do we even believe them? But who among their neighbors might secretly harbor militant tendencies? Muslim countries are in fear of Muslim militant groups. They fear takeover. They fear that western nations will not help. They may fear that we will help. They cannot be seen as taking sides militarily against Muslims even though they have expressed their disapprobation of attacks such as those at Charlie Hebdo and the activities in Nigeria by Boko Haram.

What do the terrorists themselves fear if anything? Do they fear each other? We know that ISIL used to be a part of Al-Qaeda. We also know that the beginnings of Boko Haram came from Al-Qaeda. What happens if they reunite? Should the world fear that? We are led to believe that because they will die for their cause that the individual terrorists do not fear anything but is that true? Do they fear failure? Do they fear that their story will never be heard? Do they have any doubts as their bomb explodes or a bullet stops their hearts?

What should we do about this situation? What can we do? As fear mounts all across the globe, people are either coming together or pushing others away. Will we look for a country, or a person who is charismatic enough to bring disparate peoples together? Is there such an entity? What would it use to unite all people? What religion or creed would it put forth? What would be its motivation? What are we willing to give up to get rid of our fear? What is world peace worth? There is an often quoted saying that is attributed to Henry Spaak, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. I cannot confirm the attribution but, I suspect that the sentiment is true for many people today. For the record, it is not true for me.

 What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the alliances of all people and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man, and be he god or devil, we will receive him.

What will we have to give up to be rid of our fear?

 

Be anxious for nothing but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Vote Proactively, Not Reactively.

Jan8

multicolored map of the United StatesWe now have a Republican controlled Congress and I want to know if that landslide victory for the Republicans is really a mandate for the Republican platform or was it just a matter of, “The Democrats had their chance and things are not going well for me so…” Are the majority of voters really in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act? According to the Gallop poll published November 17, 2014:

Americans have never been overly positive toward the ACA, at best showing a roughly equal division between approval and disapproval early on in the law’s implementation.

According to that same poll, the current approval rating is 37%. So, why did we vote for him? He campaigned on this plan from the beginning.

OBAMA’S PLAN
National Health Insurance Exchange:
The Obama plan will create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase a private insurance plan. The Exchange will act as a watchdog group and help reform the private insurance market by creating rules and standards for participating insurance plans to ensure fairness and to make individual coverage more affordable and accessible…
Source: Campaign booklet, “Blueprint for Change”, p. 6-9 Feb 2, 2008

When Barack Obama took office in 2009, he proceeded to do exactly what he said he was going to do. Around Election Day 2014, his approval /disapproval rating was 43% / 51%. As of January 7, 2015 it is 46% / 47%, only 1% difference between approval and disapproval, according to Gallop. Voters wanted a change in 2008. We got a change. In 2014, voters didn’t like that change and voted for a change again. Does it matter what the change is? It should.

I’m picking on the current president because he is the current president. My point is vote FOR a candidate. Know the issues. Know the state questions.

BE AN INFORMED VOTER.

Do a little research. Look into how a candidate has voted when in Congress or what their stance was as a governor. I know that it would be impossible to keep up with what all politicians do on a daily basis but there are websites that do that for you and you can take some time out every once in a while to look up your legislators at the local and national level. When primaries and national elections come around, research the contenders.

Here are a couple of sites that I have found helpful.

On The Issues This site also has the booklets that candidates write about their platforms.

Ballotpedia.

Both of these sites have a map where you can click on your state and find out about local issues.

Also, play the devil’s advocate with yourself. Try to understand the other side or try to understand issues that are not currently affecting you personally. Don’t be one of those people that thinks, I don’t have that problem so it’s not a problem.

Be a part of an informed and civil electorate.

The Lesson of Messiah

Jan2

Lectionary Reading – Matthew 2:1-12

Down through the ages, people have loved to explore who the magi were, where they came from, what astronomical event became the Star of Bethlehem, how evil King Herod was, and how God protected Joseph, Mary, and her son from Herod. No one really knows about the star or the magi but I like to think the magi were Zoroastrian astrologers/astronomers from Persia because the Zoroastrians also believe in a messiah. I have read several ideas of what was going on in the skies around the time of Jesus’ birth and all I can say is that timing is crucial. But these discussions, while fun, do not speak to the hidden lesson.

Herod, arguably knew the teaching that a messiah would come, but when the magi appeared to him, he called the chief priest and scribes.

In my head, I hear the conversation going something like this.

 

Herod: Do you know where this Christ is supposed to be born?

Scribes and priests: Sure we know. Bethlehem in Judea. Micah wrote,

And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherds my people Israel.

 

What did those CHIEF PRIESTS and scribes do then? Nothing. There was a general expectation of a messiah at that time. There was always an expectation of a messiah when the Jews were not their own self-governing nation and were being persecuted, but also, Daniel 9 spoke of 483 years, by the Jewish calendar, between the word to start rebuilding Jerusalem and when messiah would be cut off. Time was getting short. The people were expectant.

So when King Herod asked them about this, why were the religious leaders not interested? Why did they not pursue the matter or start searching for this child themselves? This is the first indication of the hearts and minds of the Jewish leadership. They were completely apathetic to coming of the messiah. They ignored Him. He did not affect them. They would not let Him affect them.

How many of us use Christmas but ignore the Christ? We use the Christmas season to talk about peace, joy, goodwill toward men. The idea of a child bringing peace to the earth has been a favorite theme for generations. We use the themes of the child, the angels and shepherds, and the wise men without understanding and thus without meaning.

The Messiah does not call us to use Him once a year for some feel-good time. He is not apathetic about our response to Him. He calls us to know Him to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind, to understand our need for Him, 24/7/365. It is important to Him for us to know that we are a rebellious creation and that the Messiah is our vehicle to back to God. He will not let us ignore Him.

 
 

Note – I do not necessarily agree with everything on the Disciple of Christ website but they do give a detailed explanation on the Daniel prophecy. For more information, click here.