Like many others I have been watching the news and reading it on the Internet attempting to get serious information on what has been happening on the health care debate out there in cities and towns across the country. What I have been watching is a reminder to me of why I have been disillusioned with both political parties for some time, and why I have declared myself an Independent for over a decade. So I offer some thoughts which will irritate partisans on the Left and on the Right, which is OK; when it comes to politics I am an equal opportunity annoyer.
Point One: Town Hall Meetings-- It should be clarified right from the outset that town hall meetings are not really what their sponsors claim them to be; they are in reality nothing more than one-sided pep rallies meant to sell a product-- in this case someone's political agenda. President Obama trucks in a sympathetic crowd for his rah-rah sessions on health care as did George W. Bush for the War in Iraq before him. In so doing they have turned what could have been a meaningful exchange of ideas into an infomercial long on generalities and short of specifics. If you want to watch an interesting town hall meeting, just watch an old rerun of The Bob Newhart Show. At least those Vermont gatherings had the virtue of being quite funny instead of a cure for insomnia. I think we should declare a moratorium on town hall meetings. They are as scripted and choreographed as presidential debates.
Point Two: Protesters-- I need to say that I am not much of a protester myself. I could never see the sense in standing outside somewhere with a picket sign. That does not mean I do not feel deeply about many issues as does everyone else, but I am a results kinda guy, and I have never been able to justify the cost of time to concluding benefits ratio when it comes to protesting. Nevertheless, I am glad to be in a society where people can exercise that form of free speech. We must never silence those who believe differently; and I support everyone's right to have at it. But what I have witnessed the past few days in reference to dissent reveals the hypocrisy of both the Left and the Right (why am I not surprised).
Sub-Point One Under Point Two: (The Right)-- Frankly, conservatives are not very good at protesting because they have not had much practice. In general conservatives do not protest, except for pro-life groups. So, when conservatives protest it looks... well... dumb. Don't get me wrong-- I support their right to dissent; but watching how they go about it tells me that they need a lot of coaching, which is why it is rather comical to hear some suggest that this is all orchestrated under Dick Armey. As Al Hunt of Bloomberg (who is no conservative) said yesterday morning in an interview-- Dick Armey couldn't even organize Congress when he was in office. Of course, there has been some organization going on, but as Hunt also rightly noted, you can't organize this many people to come out all over the country. Many of them are there because they are truly upset and they are frustrated.
The other thing I will mention about conservatives is the utter hypocrisy they are now showing in their disdain for those who protested the War in Iraq suggesting that such protests were unpatriotic and not supportive of the troops. Now that they are on the minority end protest, which is about all they have, doesn't look so bad.
One more thing-- leave the protesting and shouting to outside of the town hall. Leave inside for the discussion and debate. Disrupting and stifling debate is not what democracy is about. Carry your signs on the sidewalk, but check them at the door. And critique the plan you oppose honestly and fairly. Stop the nonsense about the "bureaucratic death boards."
Sub-Point Two Under Point Two: (The Left)-- Unlike the Right, the Left has perfected protesting. Almost all of the protests that take place in this country are carried out by liberals. Unlike the Right, whose protests look as awkward as two teenagers on a first date, the Left has turned public demonstration and disruption of meetings into an art form by protesting everything from changing the name of fish to "sea-kittens" to blocking a guy with a chain saw from cutting down some tree infested with a rare multi-legged insect whose only purpose in creation is to mate once during a life-span of twenty-four hours. So it is really disingenuous now for those who have mastered the discipline of public dissent to act as if the very foundations of democracy are at stake because people on the Right are dissenting themselves on the Democrats' current health care proposal. Indeed, how dare Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer write in an op-ed in USA Today that such disruptions are un-american; they who took such loud and public issue with Dick Cheney who said that dissent on Iraq was also un-american; and kudos to President Obama for repudiating such a comment in Mexico yesterday.
Which brings me to the White House-- The Obama Administration, (ala Robert Gibbs) displayed political cynicism in its worst form when it first suggested that the protests at town hall meetings were manufactured. Such a comment simply tried to hide the fact that there were people on the Right organizing a community of people for a cause. As I recall, Gibb's boss was at one time a community organizer. Indeed, the Constitution gives all American citizens the right to organize and assemble. Somebody in the White House should have thought twice before throwing that one out there.
And one more comment to the Left-- critique the opposition honestly and fairly. Stop the nonsense about protesters simply being extremists who can't accept the fact that we have an African-American president. Playing the "race card" will not further the discussion and debate.
Point Three: Tone-Deaf Politicians: Those who talk of the Washington bubble speak the truth. One of the biggest problems with Congress is the career-politician on the Left and on the Right. I used to oppose term limits for senators and representatives, but now I support them. What happens with career politicians is that they forget that they answer to the people, which is why they are so shocked at the dissension at town hall meetings. Members of Congress are used to simply informing their constituents of all the wonderful things they are doing for them. Town hall meetings have become nothing more than progress reports with a few friendly, softball questions. They truly do not know how to respond to voters who have had it with vague generalities and the "just trust us" mentality.
When the Republicans controlled the White House and Congress they over-reached in a big way. They mistook their control of both elected branches of government as a mandate from the people to do what they willed and spend what they desired. They were tone-deaf to what the people wanted and the voters tossed them out of office and gave power to the Democrats. The Democrats, however, have so quickly forgotten the lesson they should have learned from the other party. They now are acting like they have some mandate to do what they will and spend what they desire. Nancy Pelosi has apparently forgotten as well that her party gained control of Congress because of the election of moderate Democrats. The "blue dogs" made her Speaker of the House. She better not put them in the dog house with their constituents or she will end up out of the House after November 2010.
I am not a guy who likes screaming and yelling to make a point. I would much rather sit a bunch of people down at a table over coffee and have a spirited yet civil debate over health care or any other matter than concerns all of us. But it seems that there are only two ways that the American people can get the attention of politicians from both parties-- in an election year they vote, in a non-election year they have to resort to screaming and yelling to be heard.
After all, if your elected official is tone-deaf, that is about all you can do.
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T & T Clark, an imprint of Continuum, has released a pre-publication announcement of a new book entitled Jesus and Paul: Global Perspectives in Honor of James D. G. Dunn for His 70th Birthday. Essays are all written by former students of Dunn. I am honored to be a contributor.
Heavenly Father, I pray that I may live this day in your presence and please you more and more. Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you. Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons in one God, have mercy upon me. Amen.
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Even the best Christian that ever lived is not acting on his own stream-- he is only nourishing or protecting a life he could never have acquired by his own efforts. And that has practical consequences. As long as the natural life is in your body, it will do a lot towards repairing that body. Cut it, and up to a point it will heal, as a dead body would not. A live body is not one that never gets hurt, but one that can to some extent repair itself. In the same way a Christian is not a man who never goes wrong, but a man who is enabled to repent and pick himself up and begin over again after each stumble-- because the Christ-life is inside him, repairing him all the time, enabling him to repeat (in some degree) the kind of voluntary death which Christ Himself carried out."
Senator Edward Kennedy, the Liberal Lion of the Senate, has died. Those who have said that an era has ended with his death are right. While it is the case that there are plenty of Kennedys still around, their influence in politics will not be what it has been apart from the youngest of the nine Kennedy children.
Over twenty years ago, when I was a graduate student at Duke Divinity School, I remember my thesis advisor, Stanley Hauerwas comparing the reductionism of liberal Protestantism to the robust account of Catholic dogmatic reflection. The former asked the question cynically, "How much of this stuff do I have to believe and still be a Christian?" The latter stated in a tone of wonder, "Look at all this stuff that we Christians get to believe!"
Many years ago when I was a young associate pastor, there was a parishioner who was all of 4 foot 3 inches tall. She was Italian (like me) and she was a pistol. A couple of her fellow parishioners referred to her as a "test," She often challenged them in their discipleship as she accused them of stealing things and committing other unsavory deeds. "Maria" (as I will call her) was quite a piece of work, but I liked her. She kept us on our toes.
Almighty and ever-living God, Your Spirit made us your children, confident to call you Father. Increase your Spirit within us and bring us to our promised inheritance. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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Brett Favre has unretired for yet another time, signing with the Minnesota Vikings. He has been an incredible talent over the years and more than a few believe that he still has the stuff to continue as an effective quarterback. No one can get inside of Favre's head to know what his ultimate motives are for his indecisiveness in letting go of the game he loves. It could be just that-- he doesn't want to let go of the game he loves. It is also possible that Favre is hanging on to the past and fears moving into the future. We do not know if that is the case and I am not about to suggest for a moment that I am smart enough to know what he reflects upon in the silent moments of his life. But Favre's retirement, unretirement, retirement, unretirement saga has sparked some ponderments in me about the passing of time and life as it moves on so quickly, and where God is in the midst of it all.
Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed has started a civil discussion on healthcare reform. Check it out and join the discussion.
Father, may everything we do begin with your inspiration and continue with your saving help. Let our work always find its origin in you and through you reach completion. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Ex-governor Sarah Palin talks about Obama death panels. Senator Harry Reid calls the town hall protesters "evil-mongers." Liberal pundit Ed Schultz says that most conservatives want President Obama shot. Conservative radio show talking head Rush Limbaugh says that President Obama is a racist.
I do not like to keep posting on the same subject two days in a row. I like to mix it up, but yesterday Henry Neufeld linked to my post on town hall meetings, protests, and tone-deaf politicians. In expressing his thoughts Henry basically gets to the main point of what I was attempting to say. He writes, I have been repeatedly amazed by the extent to which both sides of many debates are completely oblivious to the ways in which they use one another’s arguments each time the roles are reversed.
Like many others I have been watching the news and reading it on the Internet attempting to get serious information on what has been happening on the health care debate out there in cities and towns across the country. What I have been watching is a reminder to me of why I have been disillusioned with both political parties for some time, and why I have declared myself an Independent for over a decade. So I offer some thoughts which will irritate partisans on the Left and on the Right, which is OK; when it comes to politics I am an equal opportunity annoyer.
All-powerful and ever-living God splendor of true light, and never-ending day let the radiance of your coming banish from our minds the darkness of sin. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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It is not a surprise that most political conservatives prefer to watch FOX News; neither is it difficult to believe that most political liberals rate MSNBC as their favorite cable news outlet. Both networks like to present themselves as unbiased. FOX News says that it is fair and balanced, but only political conservatives seem to think so. MSNBC states that it is the place for politics, when in reality it is the place only for liberal politics, which many honest liberals will admit. The fact that conservatives prefer one network while liberals like another sufficiently demonstrates that neither network should be seriously considered as a news outlet. Yes, there are serious journalists that work for both networks, but the evening lineup of each station does not represent the best in journalism, nor should it be considered as serious journalism.
Almighty and ever-living God, Your Spirit made us your children, confident to call you Father. Increase your Spirit within us and bring us to our promised inheritance. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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Today's 
Today's 
Genesis 22:1-14
A