Imitatio Christi

News Links, 2/28

    Well, I am up, so why not blog?  Good morning, all.  There are already a number of interesting news stories up this morning.  I rarely have posted approval ratings for the administration, but these numbers, if not outliers, are quite remarkable.  I have a friend who, before the election in '04, said that he thought Bush would be elected and, in a year, would be the most unpopular president ever.  Well, that was a a bit of hyperbole, but notice from here and here that Bush is at 34, Blair at 28, and Cheney under 20.  One wishes that this is a representation that the US is awakening from the long, dark night called the Bush administration and the repubs and dems alike could agree that the direction this administration has led the US has been overwhelmingly mistaken, one could wish that....  Let us be clear, one can simply "dislike Bush," or one can genuinely think that this administration has been very destructive of fundamental US institutions.  And, one can think the latter without having any opinion of Bush in particular.  There are numerous related articles.  It turns out that the Coast Guard had expressed concern over the port deal.  That deal is dissected and analyzed a bit here.  Also, I linked a similar story to this one, yesterday, over the governors' concern with the administration.  I realize that criticism of the administration (and support, as well) tends to be seen in largely partisan terms, but I argue that one can, and should, allow their theological positions to inform their political positions.  In particular, this administration, while claiming to wear the mantle of Christian faith, has generally acted in ways contrary to the Gospel--consistently placing the interests of the powerful over those of the weak and marginalized, playing the "fear" card repeatedly, insisting on unprecedented secrecy, and so on.  Yes, we can be partisans and criticize this administration, but one can also do so from a predominantly Christian perspective, which is what we have tried to do.
    In Iraq and Iran, things continue to be quite grim.  In this report, we read that 1300 have been killed in a single week.  Here, we read of the spreading chaos and the increasing influence of Iran.  This is often overlooked for the shocking state of affairs it is.  We backed Saddam because we didn't like Iran more than we didn't like Saddam.  Now, we remove Saddam in order to.....well, you get the idea.  Iran has been told they have a week to straighten up.  What do you make of Russia's intervention in the whole affair?
    Folks, the economy is in pretty sad shape, and the growth of poverty has, I fear, been masked due to the way we decide what counts as poverty.  I am concerned that, while our parents left us a better world than they found, we are about to do the opposite for our children--unless your kids are going to be among the wealthy.  Check this report out. 
    Have many of you kept up with the ministry of TD Jakes?  I'd appreciate some insights on this whole thing.  Of course, this article tends to be critical.  Is that fair?  Or, are we just picking on good ministers?
    In the hodge podge category, here are three interesting ones.  First, a tale of two Congressmen.  One who went from being a lobbyist to being a congressman (or, perhaps, went from being one to being both) and another who regrets his support of the Patriot Act.  Well, what's he going to do for penance?  And, finally, one miscue on the war on terror is costing us $300K.
chuck gutenson

News Links, 2/27

    Good afternoon!  Greetings to all our friends in the blogsphere.  There are many news stories worth some reflection today, but let's see if we can sort it down to a few really important ones.  First, this piece at MSNBC talks about Bush's inability to "get traction" for his agenda, and the suggestion seems to be that the problem is a series of "bad luck" that has caused the administration to stumble.  While I am sure that there is some truth to this, one has to wonder if the shortcomings of the agenda, particularly as it serves the common good, is not the bigger problem.  This writer in Harpers suggests the problem is even bigger, making an initial case for impeachment.  And, of course, the state of Iraq is certainly no help.  Here, Bush tells us a civil war will not happen on his watch, but then, it has.....or, at least, George Will thinks so.  On a related matter, many governors are complaining about what the administration has done to the National Guard.
    On the economy, here is an analysis that talks about how wages are falling for the youngest workers, the ones trying to first establish themselves.  Hard times do not seem to befall Halliburton very often.  Notice the amount not challenged equals one third of that cut from the budget in care for the poor.
    Self-described Christians appeared in various articles today.  What do you think of this move by an African clergy leader on the issue of homosexuality?  Tom Sine once spoke at Asbury Seminary, and he characterized the position of Rush Limbaugh as not simply out of step with the Gospel, particularly on issues of care for the poor, but diametrically opposed to it.  This guy thinks otherwise.  I am rather sure a good read of Scripture leads one to be closer to Sine, but what say you?  This writer wants the world to "stop so she can get off," because Christians are being so abused.  On the other hand, this writer sees a "calming" of American religion, particularly evangelicals.  This fellow seems more aligned with the young lady, but thinks we could solve the problem by having more Christian schools.  My own UMs are getting on board with a more serious take on environmentalism, yeah!  Finally, a piece by theologian/ethicist Stan Hauerwas on democracy, suggested by one of our regulars.
    Let us hear your thoughts!
chuck gutenson

Are today's students less academically engaged?

By Nathan Wilson

Emory English professor, Mark Bauerlein, has an excellent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education in which he describes two simultaneous trends among today's students: the growing fascination with all things technological and the shrinking engagement with anything classically academic.

Writes Bauerlein, "The trends are not unrelated. The more young people gather to watch TV shows, transmit e-mail and text messages, and blog and chat and surf and download, the less they attend to their regular studies. What develops is an acute peer consciousness, a sense of themselves as a distinct group."

Bauerlein notes five important areas where the knowledge levels of students has either dropped or remained flat, indicating to him that "Young people are cut off from the worlds beyond their social circuit."

I affirm strongly the fundamental importance and relevance of an excellent liberal arts education rooted in the classic academic disciplines.  My two most popular workshop courses these days are "When the Good Book Isn't So Good: Reading the Bible's Troubling Passages with Heart and Mind" and "Public Values, Personal Beliefs, Political Choices: A New Conversation."  Both courses have strong elements of classic western philosophy and thought.  Having said that, I see more potential than pitfalls in the responsible use of technology in academic settings.

So, what do we do?  Bauerlein does not offer an answer, but notes that the inevitable time crunch when students spend more time sending text messages than reading text books forces stark options. One can go with the wind, as did a literature professor who said, "Look, I don't care if everybody stops reading literature. Yeah, it's my bread and butter, but cultures change. People do different things."

Or one stand against the wind, siding with Leo Strauss that "liberal education is the counter-poison to mass culture."

Jump in.  What are other options?

www.nathandaywilson.com

A Brief News Summary, 2/26

    Here are a few links that caught my attention today.  First, a few on the economic front.  The orders for manufactured goods is way down.  Here is an interesting, and insightful, comparison of the Bush take on the economy and that of Second Harvest.  It is about what you've come to expect.  Bush tells us how his wealthy buddies are doing, Second Harvest talks about the rest. This may explain why Bush is still an effective fund raiser.
    On the state of things in Iraq, we are getting a pretty universal picture and it's pretty bad.  The Iraqi government is now talking about endless civil war.  Stars and stripes is reporting that "insurgent" attacks are note at a post-war high, thought this whole notion of "post war" doesn't make much sense to me.  Of course, planning an exit strategy is difficult with all this confusion and civil warring.  You know things are bad when Bush admits it a "serious situation."  It is odd that we delivered the Iraqis from Saddam so they could have this.  The younger clerics seem to be the ones who are walking away the biggest "winners" in this (perhaps, just before or just after Iran?), though it hardly makes sense to see anyone as winners.  Bill Kristol knows, though, why all this has gone badly:  we haven't been fighting seriously.  No kidding.  Perhaps the grandest chickenhawk of them all is telling us that we should have won this thing if we had been more serious.  I suspect this is hardly comforting news to, well, much of anybody except hard core neo-cons who can not imagine that their ideology is all wrong.  As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts.
chuck gutenson
  

An Inspiring Story

    Check this out for your Sunday afternoon word of encouragement.  Seems it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

A Reflection for Today

    I suspect all Christians have at least a passing acquaintance with the following passage, as it shows up in three Gospels on Jesus' lips:

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

Yet, while we are all familiar with it, I wonder how many of us have reflected particularly deeply on what it means.  Today, I begin a three part series examining three important aspects of this "greatest of all commandments."
    To begin with, I want to draw attention to the close connection between the "two" commandments.  In fact, the connection is so close that one of my colleagues (and the translation is quite plausible in light of the underlying Greek) has translated it so as to read:  "Love the Lord your God...... and another way of saying the same thing, love your neighbor...."  This way of translating the verse brings the two parts of the commandment together in a clear and unmistakable fashion---to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength cannot happen apart from loving your neighbor as yourself.  Likewise the latter cannot really happen, in the fullness God intended, without the former.  This is the claim.
    I think in our contemporary context, this is a particularly important point to remember, for we seem to be living in a day when folks think they can "love God with all....." and, yet, not care particularly for their neighbor.  Or, perhaps worse, to "love" them in very demeaning ways--that would, by most, hardly be characterized as loving.  Of course, other passages remind us of the same thing.  Consider, for example, the Scriptural observation that if one says they love God, but hate those around them, they are quite mistaken.  No, the two commandments, though separable in our minds, are not separable at all.  If we wish to demonstrate our love for God, in other words, we can do it no better than by pouring ourselves out for those around us.
    May God grant us the courage to step beyond our own self-interest in order to give ourselves for the sake of those around us, and thereby, may we demonstrate our love for God.  Next week, we reflect upon identifying our neighbor.
chuck gutenson

News Round Up, 2/25

    Good evening, fellow bloggers!  I hope you had a great day.  Here are some interesting news links for today.  I suppose it would be appropriate to begin with the interesting piece by Buckley.  We tried, but it didn't work, he says.  One wonders, though, why he thought it would.  And, of course, there seem to be daily reminders of just how bad things are getting.  Sectarian violence on the rise and the truth is coming out regarding the fitness of Iraqi troops to take matters into their own hands.  Not a single battalion ready to "stand up" to use a Bushism.  If you are a believer in prayer, now is the time to pray hard.  Faux News is suggesting that an "all out" civil war could be a "good thing."  Lord, help us.
    The Pentagon is going to obey the court order to release the names of those who are being held in Gitmo.  Let us hope this is a crack in the door to letting those who are incorrectly held finding justice.
    Amazingly, some are beginning to speak openly in favor of impeachment. 
    Here are two pieces, one by Paul Craig Roberts and the other by Bill Moyers.  I'd be particularly interested in your thoughts on these two.
chuck gutenson

A Song for Today

    Well, today, one just for fun....sort of....  Over the years, songs like this one have found a way into my heart.  When I ask myself why, I seldom have a very good answer.  But, let's read through the lyrics and talk about it a little.

The Ballad of Curtis Lowe

well I used to wake the mornin
before the rooster crowed
searchin for soda bottles to get my self some dough
brought em down to the corner
down to the country store
cash em in and give my money to a man named Curtis Lowe
old Curt was a black man with white curly hair
when he had a fifth of wine he didnot have  a care
he used to own an old dobro used to play across his knee
I'd give old Curt my money he play all day for me

(chours)
play me a song Curtis Lowe Curtis Lowe
well I got your drinkin money tune up your dobro
people said he was useless them people all were fools
cuz Curtis Lowe was the finest picker to ever play the blues

he looked to be 60 maybe I was 10
momma used to whoop me
but I'd go see him again
I'd clap my hands, stomp my feet tryin to keep in time
well he'd play me a song or 2 then take another drink of wine

(chours)
play me a song Curtis Lowe Curtis Lowe
well I got your drinkin money tune up your dobro
people said he was useless but them people all were fools
cuz Curtis Lowe was the finest picker to ever play the blues

on the day old Curtis died nobody came to pray
old preacher said some words
they chucked him in the clay
well he lived a lifetime playin the black mans blues
and on the day he lost his life thats all he had to lose

(chours)
play me a song Curtie Lowe Curtis Lowe
I wish that you was here so everyone would know
people said he was useless but them people all were fools
cuz Curtis your finest picker to ever play the blues
_________

    I guess what draws me to songs like this is how they tend to turn our normal way of valuing things upside down.  The Gospel does this for us in a radical way, and when we run into other reminders that things are not always as they seem, well, I enjoy them.  In this case, Curtis Lowe was judged to be a man about whom "people said he was useless."  Why?  He was a minority person of color, a wino, poor, a man who spent all his time plunking on an "ol' dobro" guitar, and he was old.  At the time the song writer would have been about 10, the combination of this set of characteristics would have made it easy for society to judge the person "useless."  However, the young musician judges by a different standard, and so he says all those who see Curtis as useless are fools.  Why?  Because he was just the finest picker to ever play the blues.
    I am not making any claims about the relative merits of each of the characters in the song.  For me, that's not the point.  The point is that we need to be reminded from time to time that the values we humans normally use to evaluate the things and persons we encounter in the world are often quite mistaken.  The simple man or woman, the old timer in a somewhat rickety condition, those on the margins, these are all special to God, as they should be to us.
    One last quick story.  I once visited a Trappist monastery and I arrived just at the time leading up to one of the 7 daily times for chants.  No monk was yet in his space, but one very, very old monk was making his way slowly to his place, a cain in each hand.  I was overwhelmed with the thought, "Where else, but in the Kingdom, are these folks so valued?"  Ah, may God give us the eyes to see the value of all we encounter....
chuck gutenson

News Round up, 2/24

    Glad to be with you all again today.  Here are a few links for the day.  To update the "civil war in Iraq" debate, here are a couple.  One suggesting that's were we are or heading, and this one from the US saying, "not so."  Some are putting together a movement to object to reporting related to the war.
    You've read already the great sums this administration has spent on "propoganda spending," and this article reports that some are requesting an inquiry into that spending.  Do you remember how many folks were going to drop off the food stamp roles for just 1/2 this amount? 
    When Jim Wallis and I spoke at a conference in Louisville, the author of this piece was also a speaker.  It is great to see this guy step forward to praise the efforts of the Christian Peacemaker Team. 
    Remember those changes in the bankruptcy laws that were supposed to cut down on foolishly building debt and then using bankruptcy to get out from under?  Well, it's worked out pretty much as its opponents have claimed.
    Read here for a further clamping down on the ability of whistleblowers to reveal perverse behavior.  And, finally, here is an interesting take on the latest release of photos from Abu Ghraib.
    Just for fun, remember those who said if you oppose Bush you are for the terrorists?  Well, maybe not.  But then, maybe so....
    This one gets my "despicable" award for the day.
    Finally, that liberal media.......

The Darkness

And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  John 3:19

    When the fact that the president was operating outside the clear boundaries of the constitution in order that the NSA bypass the FISA court, the cry from the administration was not one of embarrassment over having been caught, but rather one of indignation that someone had the audacity to let the secret out.  The "evildoers" were not those in the administration seeking to justify the breach, but the ones who brought the ill-behavior to light--at least according to the president and his supporters.  This is, sadly, of the same cloth as the administration's normal operating procedure--namely, to keep everything possible secret and to rail at the one leaking unacceptable behavior.  We all know of Cheney's secret meetings with those from the energy industry, of the secret leaking of a covert agent's name, of the misuse of intelligence information in leading up to the war with Iraq, and so forth.  There is no need to link to these various issues, as we have commented upon them on various occasions.
    It has been very disappointing to see how easily the administration can use the strategy of questioning the patriotism of anyone who lets these matters leak.  Perhaps the most remarkable of these has been the outcry over the release of the photographs of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and other locations, including Gitmo.  How has the administration tried to characterize this?  Well, they complain that by allowing these photographs into the public arena, American interests are being put at risk.  Think about this for a minute.  We do not see quick and decisive action to shut down these clearly immoral practices.  Instead, we are told that the "bad folks" are the ones that point out the immoral behavior in hopes of seeing it stopped.  In other words, the administration and its supporters do not want the bright light of moral judgment shined upon into these dark corners.  They want all of us to become the empowerers of further immoral behavior by turning a blind eye. 
    We must say "no!" to this, and instead we must turn up the intensity of the light.  We must be clear, the ones who encouraged and enabled torture are the "evildoers," not those who have had the courage to speak out.  Can there be any clearer example of the cited passage?  "Men loved the darkness more than the light, for their deeds were evil."
chuck gutenson