Imitatio Christi

Universal Health Care, part next

    More reasons why universal health care will become a reality.

Amerca for Sale

    Bit by bit, piece by piece.  What are we leaving to our children??

Eating the Poor

    Amos 2:6This is what the Lord says: "For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. 7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. 8 They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. In the house of their god they drink wine taken as fines.

    It puzzles me to know end the extent to which folks are willing to consume the poorest among us!  I don't mean that in the sense of not understanding how easily we are driven by greed, but in the sense of being unable to see how folks who attempt to hold up an appearance of goodness can participate in these sorts of financial institutions.  Oh, I know we are remarkable at "rationalizing" just about any behavior, but there is little more despicable than taking from the "least of these" even what they have.  One can rest in the knowledge that, though the moral arc of the universe is long, it eventually bends toward justice.  God's judgment will get the last word.
    However, we should read carefully, and act where we can, on the suggestions at the end of the article.  Would it not be a truly remarkable thing if the church were to decide to take the lead on this?

Declining Polls

    Do you suppose there is any chance Bush will get the significance of this?  When the folks you expect to do a particular job lose faith in that job, it becomes increasingly difficult to muster the extra-ordinary commitment it takes to accomplish the impossible.

Ah, To Dream....

    If it were only the case that individual workers were doing as well as this.  There can be no clearer evidence that public policy has implications and that leaving markets increasingly to themselves slants the playing field ever more to the "haves."  It would be nice to see some alternative to Bush's "trickle up" policies.

Global Warming

    The NYT had an interesting piece that talks about the steps one might take to increase energy efficiency.  It is surprising how large a difference can be made from relatively modest changes.  Check it out here.  This piece reports on a more radical suggestion for curtailing gas consumption.  I'm not sure it is a particularly good idea, but it is part of a conversation we need desperately to have.  Notwithstanding the "head in the sand" attitude of many, there is increasing evidence of global warming.  Check out this piece.

One Tyrant Undone

    Here is a well-balanced piece from Dan at Street Prophets on the execution of Hussein.  I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on it.

Saturday's Song

    I put my cd player on repeat and played this song so many times in a row that I lost count.  The song is "Higher" by Creed.  You can hear it by clicking here and the lyrics are as follows:

When Im dreaming Im guided to another world
Time and time again
At sunrise I fight to stay asleep
Cause I dont want to leave the comfort of this place
Cause theres a hunger, longing to escape
From the life I live when Im awake

So lets go there
Lets make our escape
Come on; lets go there
Lets ask can we stay?

Chorus
Can you take me higher?
To the place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To the place with golden streets

 

Although I would like our world to change
It helps me to appreciate
Those nights and those dreams
But my friend Id sacrifice all those nights
If I could make the earth and my dreams the same

The only difference is
To let love replace all our hate
So lets go there
Lets make our escape
Come on
Lets go there lets ask can we stay

Chorus

Lets go there
Lets go there
Lets go there
Lets ask can we stay

Up high I feel like Im alive for the very first time
Sat up high Im strong enough to take these dreams
And make them mine

A Sobering Thought

    Stan Hauerwas once commented that God was destroying the church in America and that we darn well deserved it (well, he used a stronger word that darn).  This piece comes at that from an interesting perspective, putting the mote/beam in different eyes.  I think the guy is onto something.

Now, Those Are Some Serious Competitors

    What is a president to do when he is viewed as the worst villain out of these competitors.  The devil seems to be taking quite a licking.