Intentional Faith

 

Take a close look at the following map of the wealthiest counties in the US.

After the 2000 Census, the richest county in America was Douglas County, Colorado. By 2007, Douglas County had fallen to sixth. The new top three are now Loudon County, Virginia; Fairfax County, Virginia; and Howard County, Maryland. All three are suburbs or exurbs of Washington, D.C. In 2000, 14 of the 100 richest counties were in the Washington, D.C., area. In 2007, it was nine of the richest 20.

The problem is that, save for the tech corridor in D.C.’s Virginia exurbs, the Washington Metro area doesn’t actually produce anything. Washington doesn’t create wealth, it just moves it around — redistributes it. As government grows and takes control of more and more of the private economy — either through spending, regulation, or taxes — more and more wealth that’s created elsewhere comes to Washington to be devoured.

The Washington Post reports that the number of registered lobbyists in Washington doubled between 2000 and 2005, to nearly 35,000. Not coincidentally, federal outlays increased over that period from $1.79 to $2.29 trillion. The government put more money on the table, so firms were willing to pay more lobbyists higher salaries to go snatch a piece of it.

"People in industry are willing to invest money because they see opportunities here," one lobbyist told the Post. "They see that they can win things, that there’s something to be gained. Washington has become a profit center." Well, not exactly. "Profit" usually means providing products or services their customers want, which leads to voluntary, mutually beneficial transactions that leave both parties better off. In Washington, companies pay lawyers to procure money the government has forcibly taken from taxpayers. The only ones better off there are the companies and the politicians—which is worth keeping in mind the next time you hear how public service is an endeavor filled with honor, while the private sector is a playground for the greedy.

America’s wealthiest counties ring a city where the chief industry is government — and the entire region’s only getting richer. That doesn’t seem like a trend that bodes well for the health of a market-based economy.

Just thought you would want to know where the wealth is going.  What do you think?

Michael

Just when you felt a fresh breeze blow across the political scene, I read the following:

The first openly homosexual Episcopal bishop will offer a prayer at the Lincoln Memorial at an inaugural event for president-elect Barack Obama.

The selection of New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Vicki Gene Robinson for Sunday’s event follows weeks of criticism from homosexual-rights groups over Obama’s decision to have the Rev. Rick Warren give the invocation at his Jan. 20 inauguration. Warren backed the ban on same-sex "marriage" that passed in his home state of California on the November ballot.

Robinson said last month the choice of Warren was like a slap in the face. In an interview with the Concord Monitor, he said he doesn’t believe Obama invited him in response to the Warren criticism but said his inclusion won’t go unnoticed by the homosexual community. "It’s important for any minority to see themselves represented in some way," Robinson told the newspaper for a story in Monday’s editions. "Whether it be a racial minority, an ethnic minority, or in our case, a sexual minority. Just seeing someone like you up front matters."

Clark Stevens, a spokesman for the inaugural committee, said Robinson was invited because he had offered his advice to Obama during the campaign and because of his church work. When asked whether Robinson was included to calm the Warren complaints, he said Robinson is "an important figure in the religious community. We are excited that he will be involved."

Robinson, 61, said both Obama and vice president-elect Joe Biden will attend the event, and Obama is expected to speak. As for himself, Robinson said he doesn’t yet know what he’ll say, but he knows he won’t use a Bible.

"While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans," Robinson said. "I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation."

Robinson said his prayer will be reflective of the times. "I think these are sober and difficult times that we are facing," he said. "It won’t be a happy, clappy prayer."

Pray for the President-Elect.  It’s politics as normal and these aren’t normal times.

Michael

As always, add your comment.

All of the nation’s state attorneys general have signed onto a brief to include references to God in President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration this month.
Authored by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, the amicus brief was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in the case of atheist Michael Newdow v. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Newdow, a Sacramento physician, seeks to eliminate prayer from the inaugural ceremony and prevent Obama from being able to say "so help me God" in the presidential oath of office.
U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton set a hearing for Jan. 15.
The lawsuit claims that prayer and an oath of office that includes the words "so help me God" violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.
Abbott, a Republican, said Obama has a constitutional right to invoke God at his inauguration ceremony.
"Since President George Washington uttered the words ‘so help me God’ at his first inauguration in 1789, American presidents have a longstanding, historic tradition of invoking the Almighty at their inaugural ceremonies," Abbott said.
"Despite more than two hundred years of established tradition – and no legal precedent for their challenge – a group of activists have asked the courts to interfere with President-elect Obama’s right to pray and invoke God during his inauguration as 44th president of the United States," he added.
Newdow is perhaps best known for his efforts to ban recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools because of the phrase "under God."
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the phrase violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The decision was later overruled by the U.S. Supreme Court on procedural grounds.

We are in a cultural war and there will be no prisoners taken.  Pray for Newdow and for the people God has put in Newdow’s way.

Add your comment.

Michael

A new poll by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that a significant minority of self-identified evangelicals believe that many religions can lead to salvation, even though some of those evangelicals apparently are confused over what the term "religion" means.

The poll seeks to bring clarity to a much-criticized poll by Pew in June that found 70 percent of Americans, including 56 percent of white evangelicals, believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life." Several Christian commentators criticized that first survey’s general wording, saying that Christians often refer to their denomination as their religion. In other words, those critics wondered: Were the evangelicals who were polled saying they believe people within multiple Christian denominations can obtain eternal life, or were they saying that Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus also have a path to salvation?

The new poll asked follow-up questions, and its findings do — as least partially — support the claims of those critics. Nevertheless, the poll contains very little good news for the evangelical church.

In the new survey, 47 percent of professing evangelicals said they believe "many religions can lead to eternal life," a decline of nine points from the earlier poll. Pew then asked that same group how many non-Christian religions they believe can lead to eternal life. More than one-fourth (28 percent) said "none," giving credence to the theory that some evangelicals confused "denominations" with "religions." Still, 72 percent of those who said "many religions can lead to eternal life" cited at least one other non-Christian religion.

Among the general population, 65 percent of Americans — a drop from 70 percent in the earlier poll — said there are many paths to salvation.

The fact that a significant number of professing evangelicals reject a key biblical doctrine should be a great concern, R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said.

"[T]his report reveals that a good number of those who attend evangelical churches either misunderstand or repudiate the Gospel," Mohler wrote on his website. "The New Testament reveals not only that Jesus claimed to be the only way to the Father [see John 14:6] but also that the Gospel of Christ is the only message that saves [see Romans 10]. This claim has been central to evangelical conviction — at least until now.

"I am confident that much of this confusion can be traced to the superficiality that marks far too many evangelical pulpits. The disappearance of doctrinal understanding and evangelical demonstration can be traced directly to the decline in expository preaching and doctrinal instruction. A loss of evangelistic and missionary commitment can be fully expected as a direct result of this confusion or repudiation of the Gospel."

Mohler’s concern about a lack of biblical preaching was underscored in a 2004 survey by The Barna Group, which found that only 51 percent of U.S. Protestant pastors affirmed six core biblical beliefs (such as the sinless nature of Jesus and the literal existence of Satan). The Barna study, though, found a large divide between various denominations. For instance, 71 percent of Southern Baptist pastors affirmed those six beliefs, compared to only 28 percent of mainline pastors.

The newest Pew survey found that church attendance made a difference in one’s beliefs. It also discovered a striking gap in beliefs between evangelical Protestants and mainline Protestants. Among white evangelical Protestants who attend church weekly, 37 percent — a drop in 10 points from the earlier stat — said "many religions can lead to eternal life." But among mainline Protestants who attend church weekly, 75 percent believe there are multiple paths to salvation, and among white Catholics who attend church weekly, 85 percent hold to that view.

So what do you think?  Can different paths get us to the same destination? 

Michael

We have sent over 5 groups to continue the work at New Orleans.  Here are a few of the most recent group.

Thought you might find the following list an insight to the cultural war being waged against our faith.

Jack Black Musical Video
In a short video posted on FunnyorDie.com entitled, "Prop 8 The Musical," an all star cast of Hollywood celebrities perform a low budget musical farce that defames Christ, mocks Christians and distorts the teaching of the Bible. Jack Black played the lead role of Jesus.
Bill Maher Gratuitously Attacks Pope
Bill Maher, host of the HBO program Real Time, made light of the Pope during his recent visit and the tragic sexual abuse scandal. Maher said, "Now I know what you’re thinking, Bill. You can’t be saying that the Catholic Church is no better than this creepy (radical Mormon polygamist) Texas cult. For one thing, alter boys can’t even get pregnant. But really, what tripped up the little cult on the prairie was that they only abused hundreds of kids, not thousands all over the world. Cults get raided; religions get parades… If you have a few hundred followers and you let some of them molest children, they call you a cult leader. If you have a billion, they call you Pope."
ESPN Anchor Dana Jacobson’s "F— Jesus" Remark
Speaking at an ESPN corporate event in Atlantic City, N.J., to honor ESPN Radio personalities Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, Dana Jacobson let go with a steam of vulgar remarks; "F— Notre Dame," "F— Touchdown Jesus" and finally "F— Jesus." Jacobson was suspended for a few days for the incident.
Minnesota University Professor Desecrates Communion
A Biology Professor from the University of Minnesota, Paul Zachary Myers, recently desecrated a consecrated communion wafer from a Catholic Mass. Meyer’s has also asked people to steal the Eucharist for him in order that he might desecrate it and display it on his blog.
Religulous the Movie
Bill Maher released a very shallow, pseudo-intellectual documentary entitled Religulous. The movie did not cover any new intellectual ground. It simply raised the old attacks on the faith. Maher studiously avoided being fair and did not allow for legitimate Christian answers from any leading Christian intellectuals.
Chaplains Fired for Praying in Jesus’ Name
Chaplains for the State of Virginia are being denied their right to pray in Jesus’ name. Six chaplains were fired for continuing to pray in Jesus’ name. Earlier this year in Virginia, Rev. Hashmel Turner, a city councilman in Fredericksburg, was told by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that his prayers during city council meetings that ended in Jesus’ name will continue to be banned

Where have you seen our faith attacked or ridiculed?  Let me know.  I would like to use the examples in a service soon.

Michael

This one should bring some response.  The following is taken from London newspaper.

Britain must set a maximum population level if it is to avoid destroying the environment and putting national security at risk, say experts.  The Optimum Population Trust has written to ministers calling for a policy of ‘zero net migration’ – matching numbers allowed into Britain each year to numbers leaving.

The UK’s population is projected to increase from 60 to 70million over the next 20 years, and to 85million by 2081.

Experts are demanding a Royal Commission to establish ‘an environmentally sustainable level of population’ The trust, a panel of academics and environmentalists, says achieving zero net migration would cut Britain’s population in 2081 to 57million.

Mass immigration ‘feeds through into rising greenhouse gas emissions’ and more congestion, the experts say.  The trust warns that because Britain can produce only 30 per cent of the food, energy and other goods that it needs, it will become increasingly vulnerable to ‘resource nationalism’ as foreign powers hoard their own scarce resources.  ‘This imperils future national security as well as destroying the environment,’ it says.

The trust is demanding a Royal Commission to establish ‘an environmentally sustainable level of population’.

So how do you like ‘them apples’.  Thankfully, we still have plenty of land stateside but the population question is now a global one.  Consider the following comment to the article.

So this is why the socialists did nothing to stop mass immigration over the years! Calling everyone who said the country might get over populated a racist, when it was obviously that only so many people can fit into a "box"! Its because they wanted more Orwellian controls over the existing population, I bet eventually the report will limit the amount of children that can be born etc soon "a la china". What does "environmentally sustainable level of population" actually mean? It means how can our centrally planned socialist mashup "economy" cope with people wanting to have children? Now they want to control how many of us exist. The UK is soon to be turned into a plantation I cant wait!

As Christians, we value every life on earth and fight to protect their rights.  How do you think God would want us to address this rising need?  Please add a comment.

Michael

Psalms 143:7
Do not hide Your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Of all the biblical characters, David gives us a glimpse of a man who walked with God with great emotion in victory and in defeat. David never lost a battle throughout his many years of serving as king of Israel. In many of the Psalms, David often lamented about the difficult places where God had placed him. He talked of his enemies and the need for God to deliver Him. He talked of God’s everlasting love for him. How do you suppose David came to this understanding after years of being sought after by King Saul who wanted to take his life? His years of turmoil within his family gave him many reasons to lose all hope in a loving God.

David often began his Psalms in a place of discouragement and loss of hope. But He never ended one Psalm in defeat. He always came to a place of victory in God by the end of the Psalm. David always placed his life in God’s hands, knowing He would care for him.

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:8-10).

It doesn’t matter as much how things begin but by how they finish.  Don’t finish in defeat.

Michael

As we begin a new year, I found some insight by Eric Dash of the NY Times to be enlightening.

Hard times are usually good times for debt collectors, who make their money morning and night with the incessant ring of a phone.

But in this recession, perhaps the deepest in decades, the unthinkable is happening: collectors, who usually do the squeezing, are getting squeezed a bit themselves.

After helping to foster the explosive growth of consumer debt in recent years, credit card companies are realizing that some hard-pressed Americans will not be able to pay their bills as the economy deteriorates.

So lenders and their collectors are rushing to round up what money they can before things get worse, even if that means forgiving part of some borrowers’ debts. Increasingly, they are stretching out payments and accepting dimes, if not pennies, on the dollar as payment in full.

“You can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip,” said Don Siler, the chief marketing officer at MRS Associates, a big collection company that works with seven of the 10 largest credit card companies. “The big settlements just aren’t there anymore.”

Lenders are not being charitable. They are simply trying to protect themselves.

Banks and card companies are bracing for a wave of defaults on credit card debt in early 2009, and they are vying with each other to get paid first. Besides, the sooner people get their financial houses in order, the sooner they can start borrowing again.

Did you catch that?  They are positioning themselves to put us back in the same hole.  If you have credit debt, act on it.  If you don’t, be wary.  Credit got us into this mess.  It won’t get us out.

What do you think?  Add a comment.

Michael

If you haven’t seen it, you might want to read this reflection first.  If you have, please comment.

As others have noted, the Catholic-school movie Doubt (like the play) is kind of a Rorschach test that leaves audiences forming conclusions based on their preconceptions. The film, set in 1964, pits a disciplinarian nun (Meryl Streep) against a “the-Church-needs-to-change” priest (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) over his abuse of a child.

But having seen it, one Catholic writer writes:

1. It might be a “Gay message movie.” (Spoiler alert!) We meet a boy who is misunderstood and abused because of his homosexuality (“God made him that way,” explains his mother. “We’re talking about actions, not inclinations,” answers the nun, sensibly), and the priest character in the film, who is hinted to be homosexual, and abusive to boot, is treated sympathetically. All of this hyper-awareness of homosexuality strikes me as anachronistic in a movie set in 1964, but I wasn’t around then so who am I to say?

2. It might be an “anti-organized religion” movie. The film is sympathetic to benign Christian concepts but every character who takes seriously the hierarchical Church gets twisted by it. The priest alternately thwarts and exploits the system. The older nun describes the importance of the “chain of command” from the Pope on down, but goes around it because the men who run it are corrupt. A younger nun is struggling to live in it, but finds she has to truncate her heart in order to do so.

3. It might be a movie justifying perpetual intellectual adolescence. The movie’s thesis statement is delivered in a sermon at the beginning of the movie: “Doubt can be a bond as sustaining as certainty,” and reinforced in the closing scene of the film. The problem: That’s nonsense. Doubt is isolating, not uniting. Compare your local Unitarian church to your local Assemblies of God church and see for yourself. Doubt can be a powerful force for deepening faith when it leads us to discover why we believe what we believe, but to wallow in doubt is to avoid reality — or, likely, to avoid having to break with some sin.

My answer to the Rorschach test: Doubt shows the deep corruption of 1950s and early 1960s Catholicism.

In fact, externalism — moralism and duty untethered from charity and faith — had already rotted the Church behind the facade.

Too many in the older generations cringe and wince when you mention the school nuns of their childhood. They remember their cruelty, they take what they experienced to be typical of Catholicism, and are glad to be rid of it. Doubt dramatizes that 1950s Catholic experience: A little of its sweetness and power, and a lot of its subtle perversity.

Catholics of my generation grew up in the 1970s and 1980s with a totally different experience of the Church. All that baggage isn’t ours, and frankly, we’re not interested in carrying it around anymore.

Every movie has a message.  Weigh it well.

Michael