Race, Politics and Religion

It’s been several days now since the story of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright came into the public discussion. I’ve spent hours reading, listening and watching what the preachers, the politicians, the press and the people have to say about race, politics and religion.

After all of this, my initial reaction to the Reverend’s sermon remains a defining and critical point. It is grievous and gut-wrenching to listen to profane and blasphemous preaching from the pulpit. It is painful to listen to other ordained ministers call Wright a prophet when he has twisted, mis-used, and denied God’s word. It is sad this has been politicized.

The relationship between priest and communicant, pastor and congregant, shepherd and sheep is a powerful one. The ordained ministry is first one of representation; representation of Christ and his Church. It is not a relationship of genealogy, blood or metaphor. It is spiritual.

You can walkout, reject and disown this relationship. More importantly, and appropriately, you can call it to account (Matthew 18).

There is little question that the pastoral relationship between Wright and Obama is one that is dependent on race. I find this only problematic if this part of the relationship supersedes the Christ-centered spiritual relationship.

You can see and hear the pain and suffering of Jeremiah Wright. His pain and suffering is born from racism. And each of us face the trials of this world and the kinds of suffering: in abandonment, abuse, loss, injustice, betrayal… and all of their kin. And these forms of suffering have power. And this power, called sin, bears resentment for those who refuse to forgive.

The harboring of unforgiveness and the justification of unforgiveness by holding up the bible is blasphemous.

Barack Obama responded with a great speech. But a great man will call for forgiveness and repentance. A great man will call to account the words of a friend. A great man will take on the hard work of reconciliation.

Suffering bears sin. But, more importantly, suffering bears hope.

This is why the apostle Paul wrote to rejoice in our suffering.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that
suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us (Romans 5:3-5)

Hope is not born from our achievement but our suffering

Change is not born from a promise but from forgiveness

Holiness and righteousness cannot be sacrificed for unity

Reconciliation between men cannot take root until there is reconciliation with God.

A Season for Every Activity

The change in seasons has, once again, brought out the criminal element in Brownsville*.

In the past few weeks, our local convenience store was robbed, a man held police at bay for 10 hours after an altercation with his mother, firefighters came to a scene in the woods where 3 dogs were hung from trees with nearly 20 tires on fire below them, and 2 houses burned.

One of those homes is considered an arson case and was set fire in the middle of the night. Five children and their parents escaped the fire or were rescued and are doing well.

Take some time this week and pray for the peace and protection of our community and that justice is served.

*I'm reminded of last year when summer came and there was much suffering in the community. Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself. I also talked about "Tina" in this post. If you are connecting the dots. Tina's mom is "Holly" who I recently wrote about in Despair in Brownsville.

A Book by Its Cover

In a community like Brownsville, you see sin. I don’t mean the forces of evil embodied in darkness or a grotesque figure with a pitchfork. But certainly you see the manifestation or outcome of sin simply by driving through the town.

In a quick tour, you will see the greed of a landowner who has put hope on gambling windfalls and allowed over one hundred properties fall into ruins. You will see the neglect of a hundred homeowners who no longer care for their property. You will see the theft of siding stripped right off of homes. You will see a disregard for the environment in the trash spewed from car windows and make-shift dumps in creeks and riversides. You will see the marks of gangs or wannabe gangs on the side of abandon buildings.

If you compared Brownsville to a community like Peters Township, you would see new construction, businesses, manicured lawns, clean streets, large churches, nice cars and beautiful parks and facilities. The outward differences are stark. No wonder, when the per capita income is nearly three times higher in Peters than Brownsville and only 1.3% of families live below the poverty line (compared to 42.3% in Brownsville).

Sin is no less prevalent in Peter’s township. It’s better hidden.

It’s hidden by school administrators who are afraid of lawsuits, teachers who like popularity over moral conviction and parent’s who define right and wrong by the standard of their children’s behavior.

If a cell phone was confiscated in accordance with school policy, and that cell phone contained a video of a group of minors engaged in sex while adults were watching in the background, a disciplined investigation to identify and prosecute those involved is in order.

Child pornography, even if it exists on an expensive piece of technology owned by a popular student or prominent family, is still child pornography.

Sin takes on different forms in Brownsville and Peters. But it is the heart of man where sin begins and its pride, greed, lust and the usual lot that you will find there. While Brownsville’s sin is visible, there are those who will work for change. In Peters, the sin is well hidden and there those who will work to keep it that way… but it will be brought to light what is hidden in darkness and the motives of men’s hearts will be exposed. (1 Corinthians 4:5)

There are those in Brownsville who hold hope, who know right from wrong, who pursue good and desire justice. They fight for what is right. I hope there are at least a few in Peters Township that are of the same cloth.

For more on Peters Township High School or to contact their principal, Dr Thomas Hajzus. If you’re curious about their cell phone policy, see pages 53 and 54 of the Student-Parent Handbook.

The Smoking Bill

Bill DeWeese promised a smoking ban by the end of the year (2007, that is). He is now using his leadership position to delay the committee. Yet another reason to ensure he isn't re-elected. Here is a press release from the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund.

House Leaders DeWeese and Smith also have refused to support comprehensive smoke-free legislation and -- through their leadership positions -- have delayed the convening of the conference committee.

Although comprehensive smoke-free legislation was approved by the House on July 16, 2007, after the Senate approved loophole-filled legislation on June 26, 2007, the conference committee has yet to take action. After months of delay, the committee has scheduled public hearings on the legislation for March 10 and 13.

"Pennsylvanians deserve to know that these legislators are standing in the way of their right to breathe clean air," said William V. Corr, Executive Director of the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund. "Pennsylvania lawmakers face a clear choice. By enacting a comprehensive smoke-free law for all workplaces, they can ensure that no one has to choose between their health and their paycheck. If they fail to pass such a law, they will continue to put Pennsylvanians at risk of lung cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses caused by secondhand smoke."

The ad in this post was in the Herald Standard on Tuesday of this week. It reads:

WARNING: THIS REPRESENTATIVE'S DECISIONS MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH.

Representative Bill DeWeese is standing in the way of your right to breathe clean air - even though 84% of voters want ALL workers protected from secondhand smoke. It's time to stop the delay and pass a smoke-free law for all workplaces, including restaurants, bars and casinos. Because secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including arsenic and cyanide. And it causes lung cancer and heart disease - killing more than 2,100 Pennsylvanians each year.

For more information on the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund

Here is the article from last year about the ban.

John Jacob Gerrymander Murtha

The image attached with this post is the perimeter of the 12th Congressional District which John Murtha has lorded over since 1974. The image looks more like a Rorschach blot than a congressional district but the redistricting was necessary back in 1982. It proved to be an enduring strategy.

Murtha is facing opposition in this year’s election. That’s a good thing.

For more on Gerrymandering.

For more on Murtha’s voting record.

I’ve added an RSS feed at the bottom of the page to keep track of John’s legislative activity.

Pride Goes Before Destruction

A few weekends ago I came across some information about one our former BRT students “John Apple”. John Apple was a standout basketball star. He had the gift and the dream.

In school, on and off the court, he was clearly admired by his peers and liked by his teachers. He was, simply put, a real nice guy.

John and I would meet almost every Friday at 6AM during his senior year. We would meet at McDonald’s for breakfast, prayer and Bible study. It was during one of those conversations we were talking about his gifts.

John refused to acknowledge his gifts as God given. He saw his talent and his ability and he saw the hard work and discipline, as well as the sacrifice. He refused to believe that God had anything to do with his gifts. “It was me who practiced, it was me who trained, it was me who was on the court…It’s all me.”

That was hard to hear as my own words came back to be from several years earlier when I arrogantly said the same thing about my academic work. John certainly was a nice guy but he was quietly arrogant. He had to repent or he would head towards destruction.

John’s arrogance intersected another part of his life. And to give you more background, his family was broken and financially struggling. He justified his drug dealing as a way to take burden off his family but more likely as a way to gain independence from them. He never mentioned his father and had a strained relationship with his mother.

John’s arrogance made him believe that he was untouchable, above the law. It was only a matter of time before the law would find John.

Now, some five years later, I learned that John was in federal prison under drug-related charges. He was found with over $100,000 in cash and drugs in his possession.

Arrogance, rationalizing moral failing… pride comes before the fall (Proverbs 16:18)

Other alumni stories:
Alumni
Encounter

Moral Conviction in NY

A few days ago I lamented the absence of moral conviction in our government. I strongly believe that the public convictions of our elected officials must align with their private convictions. That is the fundamental definition of character. I'd like to believe that character in leadership is something that America still believes in.

Can you recall one of the prevailing opinions when Bill Clinton had an affair with his intern? It was something along the lines of "he's doing a great job with the economy, does his private life really matter?" I think time has proven that it does.

Maybe that is why the Democratic Governor of NY has resigned his position as the chief executive of that state. There is no doubt political pressure, public pressure and personal pressure... including his relationship with his family... have played a role in that decision.

What Makes One Catholic?

I mentioned I was catholic in my post about Common Good. What does it mean to be catholic?

There are a few angles to examine.

First, there is the common method of looking at the definition or etymology of the word. Catholic is from a Greek word “katholou” which means “in accordance with the wholeness.” You may remember hearing the Nicene Creed just after a sermon or homily with the line “I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic church.” Catholic… meaning there is one, complete, whole, universal church. There can only be one church; scripturally, there is one body.

Second, the catholic church believes that there are four components that define or characterize the church; those things that unify or complete the church. These components are based on the life and ministry of Jesus and include: the apostolic ministry, the sacraments, the faith and the scriptures.

Apostolic Ministry (Matthew 28:18-20). The authority of the church is in the hands of living people and the apostolic succession provides the commissioning of those in that authority.

The Sacraments (John 3, 1 Corinthians 15, Acts). The outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. There are seven taught by the church. Do you remember them?

The Faith (Matthew 24:14, 26:13). What you believe makes you who you are. What do you believe? The creeds of the church summarize the tenants of the faith. See the Nicene Creed. Do you seriously believe it?

The Scriptures (Mark 15:28). The scriptures are the words of God split between the history and prophecy of the Old Testament and the life of Jesus and the early church in the New Testament. The Bible has primacy over all other sources of doctrine.

Third, there are five churches that specifically describe themselves as catholic: the Anglicans (including the Episcopal church, for now), the Orthodox, the Roman Catholic and, the “Old” Catholic and the Philippine Independent Church.

End Notes: I hade to research those last two, so the links are provided. Most of this information is taken from “Whole Christianity” by the Reverend Hugh C. Edsall. It’s a lengthy study and some of the teaching is off the wall (e.g., his belief that women’s ordination is scripturally mandated because Mary was the first priest). If you happen to come across the study book, proceed with caution.

And just for fun, here are more creeds than you could shake a stick at.

Despair in Brownsville

Owning and managing a small business in Brownsville (our rental properties) is more ministry than business. That was by intent, but this shift manifested itself in ways that was never anticipated. I have encountered drug use, drug dealers, squatters, altercations, trespassers, thieves, and vandals. I’ve fixed furnaces, waded through sewage and cleaned toilets. I’ve lost my temper, lost sleep and shed tears… not over the physical damage, the unpredictable interruptions or the financial loss.

Helping folks with one of the most basic of necessities in their time of need puts you in a vulnerable position. Compassion breeds vulnerability. Vulnerability can be gut wrenching. There was no greater time of this gut wrenching experience when I went to visit “Holly.”

We decided to help Holly in her time of need. She was getting her feet back on the ground with a new job and wanted to provide a better life for herself and her young children. She knew she had to leave the environment she was in.

She moved in and was a model tenant for several months. Then her boyfriend was released from prison and moved in with his “extended family.” To put it bluntly, all hell broke loose.

I increased my visits to the property out of concern for the physical property, the safety of the tenants as well as the safety of my family. There were times when Holly was afraid… or ashamed to talk to me. Her boyfriend would beat her and she would wear the marks of those encounters for days.

This gut wrenching experience occurred on one of those visits. Holly came outside and closed the door to keep her children from hearing the conversation. She told me that she would be unable to pay this months rent. I told her we could work something out and asked if everything was OK. She said, “I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but I had to use my rent money to pay for an abortion.”

All I could say was “I’m so sorry.”

I don’t know if you have ever felt or seen despair… the absolute absence of hope. I saw the depths of despair that day in a way I pray no one ever must see or experience. Holly was so helpless and hopeless in her relationships, her finances, and her future she could not comprehend a new child in that same despair.

But she knew it was wrong and she grieved. Hopelessness is not a covering for sin; it does not erase our moral being. For all the rhetoric about choice and life; there was no doubt that it was an unborn child that lived within her womb, not a choice.

I can tell you with certainty that a government that claims to serve the common good, and a politician that is a harbinger for hope and change must be the voice for the most helpless of our country… the unborn child.

I can tell you with certainty that a government and that claims to serve the common good, and a politician that is a harbinger for hope and change must serve the most hopeless and vulnerable of our nation… the poor, the elderly and the unwed.

I can tell you with absolutely certainty that abortion did not bear hope in Holly’s life or the life of her unborn child. It’s time for real change.

Exploiting the Poor to Reduce Taxes

I recently received my taxpayer funded propaganda from our state representative, Bill DeWeese. The opening piece states:

“Homeowners across Pennsylvania will see property tax cuts this year, which are made possible by proceeds from the state’s successful gaming industry, a proposal that was shepherded though the legislature by Rep. Bill DeWeese”.

This sentence, alone, gives the 50th District three reasons why DeWeese should no longer have his stronghold over all of Pennsylvania.

One. We will not see property tax cuts this year. I also recently received my real estate tax notice from the borough of Brownsville. It’s not there.

Two. I wish I could feel good about getting tax relief funded from the poor and elderly who are gambling away their dollars that will fund the (alleged) $1 billion in tax relief. That $1 billion is just a fraction of what Pennsylvanian’s have to lose in front of the slot machine. Anyone with an ounce of compassion should find this repulsive.

Three. Someone, somewhere must understand that gambling expansion doesn’t come with an associated cost for infrastructure, increased crime, bankruptcy, social programs, more administration and a host of other costs. The cost of legalized gambling in PA will likely exceed $500 million. Anyone with an ounce of common sense should find gambling funded tax relief ludicrous.

So, I’m committing to donate all tax relief to any candidate or organization who will actively seek to oppose and repeal legalized gambling in PA. I hope you will do the same.

The Common Good

Some folks have asked about my voting preferences in the upcoming election. This election has revealed that my politics are best aligned with 18th century Federalism. I'm in good company but unfortunately, guys like John Adams have been dead for quite some time. I find myself in the 2008 Presidential election without anyone I can support. I completed a few of the on-line matching tests; they reveal that I have less than a 50% match on the issues with any candidate. At the bottom of the spectrum, I have an 8% match with Barack and Hillary.

I’m an unapologetic federalist, capitalist and catholic. The current candidates are pretty far from those ideals and lean towards non-federalism, socialism and secularism.

Unfortunately, I see (and have felt the effects of) those destructive forces, socialist policy, abortion on demand, the absence of moral conviction, corruption and the despair that this brings to families of our community. The idea that government can bring hope is repugnant to me. Liberty gives us hope. And dare I say, suffering gives us hope. Liberty is risky, audacious and bold. Hope is impotent apart from the love of God (Romans 5).

Tax cuts do not bear hope. More jobs, more health care, more handouts will not bear hope. Socialism has not, and never will bear hope.

Government exists for the common good. The common good preached from the pulpit of politics in 2008 has tempo, it has a cadence but it lacks substance. Even worse, it is a lie. The common good is not universal health care, it is not social security, and it is not a lower unemployment rate and job security.

Addressing the question “Should we have universal health care?” is the wrong question. The questions to answer include “How do we treat the most vulnerable of our nation?” and “What is the appropriate role of government? Of community? Of the church?”

Common Good or Commonweal. There is work to discern the Common Good and this was the hard work of the great minds that formed our government and framed our constitution.

There is much to say on this issue but I will leave you with one thought. Our candidates for President believe that government is the common good and not that government exists to secure the common good. And that is a fundamental departure from the framers.

For more on The Common Good, I commend this research paper: The Notion of Common Good in Early American Thought.