anElder's blog

Last month, while reading comments in the Washington Post, I read this. It's a bit long, but, I sincerely believe, very well worth the investment of your time. I think this would make a fine sermon from any progressive pulpit. Spread it far and wide.

It was offered as a response to an admirer of Dick Cheney whom the writer called "A true hero and patriot. What you call "right wing" are typical, hard working Americans who abide by the law, respect the U.S. military and pay their taxes. The leftists are the ones out of the norm - you just can't see it, or refuse to see it."

In response;
"You forget yourself, sir. You forget your heritage, your tradition, and your values. You choose mendacious vitriol over Truth, and petulant sedition over Justice. Most of all, you forget that Americans with whom you disagree also, "abide by the law, respect the U.S. military and pay their taxes." You presume to dismiss other Americans' views out of hand, revealing that you have forgotten that we are all equal, in the eyes of the law, and, for that matter, in God's eye.

Jack Kennedy famously challenged Americans to ask what they can do for their country. One thing we can do is read the columns in our daily on-line newspaper(s) and the comments made and respond with reasoned factual (as we know them) comments and counter the ranters. We can also write letters to the editor.

We can either use facts or spiritual responses. I occasionally will use a biblical quote, and then other times use a bit of humor. I sometimes congratulate the on-line ranter and their angry comments for helping create more Democrats.

Whatever you do, just do it. We all can make significant personal contributions to making our democracy work.

It is my personal opinion that if Jesus were alive today, or as our conservative friends pray, did come back I suspect he'd actively support all social programs to provide safe adequate foods, shelter, clothing, education and equal opportunites for employment, protection of His Father's natural world, and above all seek peaceful ways to resolve conflicts.

I don't think he'd be a socialist, would oppose government controls, rather inspire others, as He did to love their fellow humans, to honor their moral obligation to treat others as they wish to be treated. He'd be a moral libertarian.

Of course, if He did come back I strongly expect many, if not most, "Christians" would not recognize Him, would try to shout down and drown out his teachings. I don't think they'd crucify Him, he'd not live long enough. He'd probably be shot by some gun toting God fearing Christian patriotic good American as some kind of pinko commie socialist tree hugger, determined to undermine our American way of life! Yes sir!

Great news. Matt Shafer has begun to make his mark on the culture of Yale University. He has co-authored his first guest editorial in the Yale Daily News. "Shafer and Wittmer: Our silence is not agreement", re: student silence on the wars in Iraq and Afganistan. You can read it at: www.yaledailynews.com September 16, 2009.

As a freshman life is very busy; it must be, it took Matt a whole 3 weeks to make his mark! :-)

Good editorial Matt. As the two of you said these wars do not directly impact student life, unlike your grandfathers generation. My 1st real introduction to national political life was back in '65 when I joined a large number of students at my university in planning a take over of the administration building, to protest the War in Vietnam. Our motivation? A certain level of idealism, blended with realism; the draft was actively taking guys off US streets and putting them on the sreets, roads and fields of Vietnam.

It is with great sadness that we heard this morning that the voice of the Lion of the Senate, Ted Kennedy has passed on. May his soul rest in peace.

Now the torch is truly passed to the next generation of Kennedy's. May they continue to serve this nation with a much distinction as JFK, RFK, and Ted.

And how ironic his death comes midst debate of the great passion he so long pursued, universal health care for all Americans. It is my prayer that, in his death, the Democrats will be inspired to come together and pass this crucial piece of legislation, dedicate it to him.

God bless his memory. May it inspire us all to greater service.

Steven Walman, of Beliefnet, reported on July 23rd about the "common ground" abortion bill being re-introduced, the "Ryan-DeLauro" bill. What the bill sponsors have done is to focus on what unites, not divides, those working to reduce the need for abortion. It was developed by Third Way, who focused many years efforts on bridge building and discussions between pro-life and pro-choice groups.

Pro-lifers like it because it features, amongst other things:

A National Information Campaign to "promote accurate and positive information and messages on adoption and the benefits it can bring to children and families."

An increase in the adoption tax credit from $10,000 to $15,000.

Money to increase the availability of ultrasound equipment. Pro-lifers believe if a woman hears the sound of a heart beat she will be more willing to carry the fetus to full term.

It focuses on an all encompassing approach: comprehensive sex education with an emphasis on abstinence, better access to contraception for low-income women, and better enlistment of parents in preventing teen pregnacies. It also increases awareness about adoption and ensures that pregnant young women and new families have the support they need; to finish school, put food on the table and feel confident that their new family will thrive.

This week's issue of Newsweek has an article entitled "Reagan was wrong; to conservative Cassandra Henry Fairlie, Republicans sowed their present-day destruction from the start." A conservative English Tory who emigrated to the US in 1966, Fairlie was "the first of the Angry Young Men", who coined the phrase "the establishment". He witnessed the fallout of the Goldwater defeat and the rise of Reagan; who saw from the very start of the Reagan era how badly it was going to end.

He saw "government's role was to preserve tradition and social order; not to speed the accumulation of power and wealth among the elites or to enact sudden or overreacting reforms." He thought that by excessively embracing the free market philosophy the Republican party had gone calamitously awry. "The conservative can all too easily drift into a morally bankrupt and intellectually shallow defense of those who have it made and those who were on the make," that without the humanizing Tory influence, conservatives were apt to forget "the ugly face of capitalism". Hmmm - sounds like to me the sage warning of Paul to the early Christians, "For the love on money is the root of all evil--. 1 Timothy 6: 9-10 Read verse 9 and see if it does not describe the actions of Fairlie's false conservatives, and, in verse 10, the predictable result of their actions.

Yesterday as we all heard Gov. Mark Sanford, (R) South Carolina, publically admitted to having an extra-marital affair. In his statement he made reference to a house on "C Street" (in the SouthEast section of the District of Columbia, very near the nations Capitol Bldg.) where some congressmen come to face "hard questions". At least 5 members of the House and Senate live there. They, and others, engage in bible study classes. For more details I refer you to today's Washington Post article, "The Political Enclave That Dare Not Speak Its Name". www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article

If it is a place of refuge, a place for some harried members of the Congress and Senate to recharge depleted batteries, I have no problem with the idea. Even if they do conduct bible study classes, that's their private business. The article refers to efforts by one resident to persuade Senator John Ensign (R) Nevada (who also admitted to the same 8 days ago) and Gov. Sanford (a former congressman) to end their affairs. Sen. Tom Colburn (R) Oklahoma, who lives there apparently tried to be a peacemaker by pursing the topic of forgiveness with the husband of Sen. Ensign's mistress. Good Christian behavior.

The Sunday is Flag Day discussion has prompted me to do a bit of speculation on how this nation's history might have been had President Lincoln lived.

It seems quite simply to me that the Christian principle of forgiveness, taught us by example on the cross by Jesus, might have prevailed. I've heard comments here that the Confederates were criminals and should be punished, that it was a Civil War, and not a Civil War Between the States as I have begun to consider it. Punishment was the predominant post-1865 feeling in the north, quite understandably. Yet I ask wasn't the total loss of their economy, culture and political power a heavy price to pay? Consider that only 1/3 of southern whites actually owned slaves, yet the whole southern population was branded as slavers.

You might argue that even though only 1/3 were slave owners, the vast majority supported slavery. Consider that if you did not, at least publically, you might be branded a Yankee sympathizer, or worse yet, be suspected as a spy. You'd lose whatever you had accumulated and achieved, and perhaps your life.

Had Mr. Lincoln lived the southern states would have been reunited, begrudgingly perhaps, and the generations long process of reconciliation begun and maybe accomplished to a large degree, more or less. Had Mr. Lincoln lived we might actually have seen a powerful Christian principle enacted.