close to home

A week ago, Norway had a devastating tragedy happen to them. For me it brought to light that even countries as far north as Norway have issues and conflicts with immigrants and multiculturalism. Secondly, it was a reminder that a madman will kill until no one is left. There is clearly, though, a larger issue at hand. That was apparant when I learned that the killer was captured and did not kill himself. He wanted to start a revolution against multiculturalism.

It’s an idea that is not far from Nazi ideals. In America it’s not far from the modern day KKK and neo-Nazi movement. Luckily, these groups have not created such carnage in years. I think there is a much more frightening thing going on right now in America that is really not that far from what happened in Norway.

In places like the state of Arizona they are creating laws to do almost whatever they can to keep immigrants out. In NYC the city is divided over whether to let a Mosque be built near the site of 9/11.  And all over the United States people have a similar hatred (a strong but accurate word) for immigrants and Muslims (among others). This really isn’t a new attitude. However, the extreme or counter-cultural ideas are now becoming more mainstream and normal. A quote from a normal “Christian” on Facebook:  

  

“If you cross the N. Korean border illegally, you get 12 yrs. hard labor. If you cross the Afghanistan border illegally, you get shot. If you cross the U.S. border illegally you get a job, a driver's license, food stamps, a place to live, health care, housing & child benefits, education, & tax free business for 7 yrs. No wonder we are a country in debt. Repost if you agree.”

There are a couple alarming ideas in this post. First, it’s stating that the debt problem is coming from the over abundance of illegal immigrants. Ironically, illegal immigrants have been providing cheaper services at hotels, restaurants, and the like for years.  The same capitalism these “legal” citizens believe in has only created a space for cheap illegal labor over American labor. The idea of debt is also a jab at the Democrats, which as the NYT has pointed out is less of a Democrat problem and more of a Bush era problem of cutting taxes to only the rich and many years of war – two things Republicans keep endorsing as good things. It’s also sad to think that people have forgotten just how bad it was during the Bush era (also proved by the NYT graph) and how much damage was caused especially to the economy, and yet still think Bush is a saint compared to Obama.

Second, this Facebook post is endorsing the idea of killing people for being immigrating illegally. The idea is not far from those of the tragedy that happened in Norway not 4 weeks afterward. This person - perfectly “normal” - is saying that the death of people is better than life. The ideas of the United States used to be far from this of course. Just take a look at a quote on the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” For many American’s this no longer applies. It was nice when white Europeans were immigrating, but now that it is mainly immigrants from places like Mexico the same attitude does not apply.

That isn’t to say that some type of immigration reform isn’t needed. I’m just not sure death is the answer. Unfortunately for us the Norway killer’s idea of revolution has already started without him. I’m sure this person on Facebook would still post the their message and would want people to repost it.   I am equally as sure that this person – and the many who agree - would also like the U.S. to default on their credit to pay for their bad spending habits.  Habits that, again, ironically don’t come from the current president, but from the Republican president before him who spent billions on national defense while cutting taxes only for the rich and corporations. For the rest of us, we can only hope that the killer’s revolution raises an alarm about the importance of valuing all people. 

3 weeks left

baby boom

With the increase in social media it seems easier for people to get jealous, sad, envious (or happy) about others people’s fortune of having a baby. Back in the day people’s circles were closer. When you learned about someone getting pregnant or having a baby it was either from someone you directly knew or had weekly contact with, or a relative of someone you knew like a co-worker or family member.


Today – you can know just about everything about anyone you have ever met. Now you know when people from high school or college or from the previous town you worked in are having a baby. In some ways it is really neat. I get to learn about the lives of people who - after high school or after I moved away - I may never have heard from again.

In other ways it can be tough. For someone who has just lost a baby, is barren, unable to adopt, or is undergoing fertility treatments, is something like Facebook good or bad? Does it bring sadness or hope? Both? There seems to be very little tragedy on Facebook or at least with the 300+ friends that I have. The statuses of people either contain good or happy things (30%), pointless things (65%), tragedy or sad (5%). This is all anecdotal of course. I think it points out something crucial about social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter – they aren’t building better relationships.

One way I’d like to see if a church is really authentic during their prayer requests (or Sunday School, etc) is if people give real prayer requests. What do I mean? For those who haven’t been to church before or have not witnessed this in many churches prayer requests can be “surface-y” and vague and people don’t show any real meaning when they share a request. Prayer requests that are authentic or real involve the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Without that on Facebook we can never relate to those who may be grieving, only to those with the happy life. For me I think it would be difficult to be grieving and use social media as a tool (at least Facebook). I think the same can be said about similar situations such as job loss. Back in 2009 when everyone seemed to be losing a job little of it was on Facebook.

In some ways I think social media is bringing people closer than they ever would have been otherwise. In other ways it will never replace, nor do I ever think social media sites ever intended it to replace, real authentic relationships. In still other ways I think social media can be a tough place to be in the midst of such surface-y relationships. But hey, that’s just me.

not suitable for suburbanites: a review of death by suburb

I haven’t had a book review on here in a while, but couldn’t resist writing about one I read recently. The book in question is Death By Suburb by Dave Goetz. My first confession: I didn’t finish it. Or to be more precise I couldn’t finish it. I was so repulsed by the writing I finally had to say I’d had enough. I received the book a few years ago from a free bin or something like that. After closer examination of the book I realized the book was discussing how to live in the suburbs and still be a Christian, not how to get out of the suburbs because they are ruining your life. As a result, I put the book off. I finally got the courage to read the book that said the ‘burbs were okay - something I was not okay with.  

My worst dreams were realized when I began the book, but Goetz kept making a few good points, and I would keep reading. The basic premise of his book is six “spiritual” practices to help you really live in the suburbs. I’ll get to the practices in a moment.

Of course the whole idea of the book doesn’t mean you have to live in the suburbs. The book more reflects the moods of a typical middle-class American. If someone has so much money they aren’t worried about their neighbors new BMW, because they already have one, or aren’t worried about their mortgage payment because they paid cash for their house this book isn’t for you. Neither is this book for you if you aren’t worried about your kid’s education or grades because they are already on a fast track to Harvard. This book also isn’t for you if you aren’t worried about this month’s rent, but worried about this week’s rent, or you are worried about sleeping in your car, or what food you may or may not be able to afford to eat today. Basically everyone else: this book is for you in some way – that’s why the middle class is so big.  It encompasses a lot of people.  

The book touches on the aspects of the toxic life that is suburbia. The life of having to have the biggest SUV (or maybe the hippest new Mini or Prius). The life of having 2.5 kids and a yellow lab. The life of green grass and great equity. The life of kids that have good grades and that are good at athletics. Goetz actually makes some important points highlighting the fact that we shouldn’t be envying our neighbors in this way. The envy causes us to have a mortgage we can’t pay for, high hopes for our kids that will never be met, or a SUV so big and with so little MPG that you actually have to continually fill your car with gas (much like a plane being refueled in the air).

This book is more about how not to be green with envy than anything spiritual or Christian. Case in point is Goetz’s third of his eight practices: friendship with the poor. It’s a practice that will keep you from envying your neighbors’ life Goetz states. And this is precisely where he goes wrong. Goetz goes on to write that to help yourself from envying your neighbor’s house, car, kids, or wife, you should instead look at the poor sap down the street with a junky house, a beat up car, dumb kids, and a wife he just can’t seem to get along with. The idea to not envy your rich neighbor is great, even the idea to not think about yourself or your ego. But of course looking at the poor neighbor down the street is only going to boost your ego and pity him. An idea I don’t recommend. There is nothing good about hanging out with the poor to make yourself not be envious and is only cruel when you have alternative motives.

Secondly, Goetz goes on to the subject of your kids. From birth parents are always saying their children are the best and the brightest. Of course, that’s fine until you realize they aren’t the best or the brightest and then it is just a letdown.  A true hit to your ego and parenting skills for sure. Goetz basically says you should be okay with your kid getting “C’s” or being so un-athletic they can’t even make the JV team.  He suggests that you should be okay with it because if your children are getting “A’s”, its likely that you are only happy because it makes you look better at PTO meetings.  The only problem is that this really isn’t the core problem, is it? I mean, is the kid trying? If the “C” he gets in Algebra is his best, then awesome! Why not be proud? But, if it isn’t than should we settle? This isn’t about being envious or proud this is about wanting your child to learn. Because in the end that is what it is all about and what is most important.

I think what really got to me was Goetz’s take on being a missionary. Today, much of Christian international missions are more about the missionaries themselves than about who they are helping. Not everywhere, but in most cases. Today, mission work is about partnerships and and building relationships. While working for the missions department of a small Christian denomination I learned that we were not going over to save the world, but to work with other Christians of the same denomination in other parts of the world. In places like Sudan and Nigeria there were already Christians, and often in bigger populations than in the States. There were also people who were capable of building wells for water, homes for families, and churches for villages. There was no need to have white Americans come over and do what they wanted to do, because the Nigerians had the same skills. It therefore was not about saving or building, but about relationships and learning.

This is the same with short term mission trips. A group of church goers that travel thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars each to go to a small village where they spend a week building something are not going because the native people cannot do it themselves, and it certainly isn’t for the money. It would be wiser to use all that airfare money and give it directly to the building fund or other project. The reason of course is for the experience - what the church group learns and gains and can bring back to their church.  

Back to my main point. Goetz meets a lady at a wedding that recently came home for a furlough as a missionary. He asks the lady how it must be so strange to come back to the States and just be okay and fine with how everything is.  The lady replies back that when she is in Africa she is in Africa and when in the States she is in the States. She learned to disengage. What!? And Goetz’ lesson from this?  That we should live according to where we are.  When in Rome and all that.

As if we should ignore the blatant health problems in one country while we are enjoying the blatant greed of another country. How could we ever be the same? How could we not want to change the world? How could we not beg our rich neighbors for all their money so we can give it to a few who need adequate healthcare or quality drinking water?  These are fundamental needs that we can easily take for granted.  How can we not be thankful everyday for the amazing blessings we have and not want the same for our neighbor?            

I don’t want to disengage from my neighbor – I want to love my neighbor whether he is a millionaire who I despise with a big gas guzzling SUV or a homeless man who smells and goes around collecting cans around town. I can’t just cross the street or look away from these people – I must be their neighbor.  

Goetz misses the mark in this book. Maybe he has been engulfed in the suburbs himself too long. His writing is like confusing Aristotle for Pauline’s ideas. Although they may seem similar in some aspects they are far different and engulf opposing worldviews. We can’t settle for Aristotle when we have Paul. We can’t settle for Goetz when there is so much more out there.

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There are a few lessons I’ve learned so far before becoming a parent. 1) People, whoever they are, however smart they are, wherever they are will give you advice about how to raise or take care of your baby. A lot of it… are things that a certified nurse is telling you the complete opposite to do.  2) My life will never be the same again, and it’s a good thing. I’m not sure why people always have to add “and it’s a good thing” after they say, “It’s going to change your life forever.” Once people here that you are pregnant everything bad about children and babies comes out through the whole of history. It makes you wonder why people even have babies or that the Shaker movement never became more popular.

3) I’m not sure what stage of raising a child is the most difficult. Is it taking care of a newborn, getting through the terrible 2’s, trying to teach a child how to behave in the world, trying to keep your pre-teen from stalking the latest pop idol, or hoping your teenage doesn’t burn down the town? 4) Babies don’t come with instructions or warnings which is strange considering everything else does in the world. 5) People have literally run out of names for their babies. When and why did people start naming their babies apple or seven? Seriously? Would you want that name? Unique? Yes. Stupid? Even yesser!

In the end though, the best way to figure out your child’s name is to test it out. While camping in Illinois a few years ago, a father taking his children camping on his own was having some trouble. Across the camp road all you could hear was… “Joseph…  Joseph… Joseph… Joseph… Joseph… Joseph… Joseph” I think you get the point. The test works. Let’s try it with apple first. “Apple…  Apple… Apple… Apple” I’m imagining a person staring at an apple on a picnic table trying to call it to him or herself. Were you? Again let’s try it with seven. “Seven… Seven… Seven… Seven… Seven.” I think if I heard a person saying this over and over again in a campsite I might think they escaped the local mental hospital.

Of course I am pondering this same test as we try to pick a name for our child.

settling into a church

It’s been a while since I’ve written about searching for a church. After a long hiatus in June due to moving and painting among other things we got back in the swing of searching for a church. We returned to the church from way back in week 1 at the beginning of March. It was a promising church with many possibilities. After experiencing many other churches (including one church that seemed that it might be the church to go to, but ended up being the craziest of them all) we have fallen back to the church from week 1.

If anything it feels like we have settled for this church. Not because it is a bad church. But because we know what we want and we know the possibilities out there. The other part about shopping for a church now is that it is summer. And for anyone that has gone to church before during the summer months it is a lot different than the rest of the year. Many churches go from two services to one. The pastor, many times, is on vacation along with half of the congregation. Overall there is a different vibe to the church. It’s not good or bad it’s just different.

With that said, how do you know what a church is like if it is different during the summer months? For now this is the best we’ve seen in the area. We’ll continue to look, but at the moment we are settling into a church.

hot election

With the summer heat upon us I thought I would bring some hot topics to today’s blog – the election. I’ve broke it down into topics in three segments on why I think and don’t think Obama will be re-elected. I don’t really understand the American public and much of its voting practices, but it’s fun to think I do.

Why he might lose

ECONOMY – Lack of recovery and return on stimulus

At the beginning of November this may be the only point voters really care about. With an economy that’s been busted way before Obama has been office, it seems (to me) that the nation is looking for Obama to fix it. If the economy doesn’t improve a significant amount by Election Day I don’t think Obama will get re-elected. The days of Roosevelt economic policies are no good anymore. With the government’s spending at a max does anyone want the government spending more money for a recovery?

JOBS – Unemployment is still too high

If the economy doesn’t sink Obama in the election, jobs (and next on the list gas prices) will. Although unemployment is down, and the job growth is better than the job decline of his predecessor, the job market hasn’t improved well enough for the voters.

GAS PRICES – Remember when

It was okay to reelect a president when gas prices were high when the vice president was so influential in the oil business. Now with a recession it is just harmful. With no relief at the pump in a while, Obama can only hope that opening up U.S. oil reserves will help, not hinder him at the polls. Republicans? They are already blaming Obama for high gas prices just as Democrats were doing to Bush eight years ago.

FREEDOM – Fear of the red

Who really knows how many Americans think Obama is a socialist or communist. Various polls range from around 30% to anywhere around 55-60%. Considering he compromised to continue to give tax breaks to the richest in America that’s a very high number. Fear that Obama is a communist or works with many communists is one of many misconceptions that Obama’s administration has to deal with on a daily basis.

WARS/GUATANAMO BAY – Speaking of promises

One wave that Obama rode into his election was that he was going to end the Iraq war and close Guantanamo Bay. Iraq? It’s ending sometime, but much slower than anyone probably thought. Guantanamo? In a failed attempt it looks like Guantanamo will be staying open. What about Afghanistan?

IMMIGRATION REFORM – Kick them out… kick them out… all out!

In the end this topic won’t make or break many votes. For both sides though immigration reform hasn’t been changed or challenged. Anyone looking to vote solely on immigration reform may be upset at Obama. In the end though, Republicans don’t offer a better alternative.

THE ISSUES – just not getting done quickly enough

When you say you are going to bring a soda machine into the school you have to deliver. The hope and enthusiasm that Obama brought to many voters has left them upset at many things they thought would happen. Although he is the President there are still so many check and balances that you can’t blame Obama solely on not being able to deliver on all his promises. To see how Obama is doing on all his promises go here.

BAD PRESS – Who says any kind of press is good press

In 2006 and 2008 Democrats seemed to take control, and to me it looked like Republicans were going to struggle for a while. Not only did they do a complete 180º in 2010, but have even created bad press to the masses leading up to the 2012 election. The Obama administration has not been able to combat all the bad press with many of the good things the administration has done to both independents and Republicans.

CHANGE - keep the change you filthy animal

People afraid that the Obama administration is going to take away their guns, money, and freedom have put on a full scaled launch against Obama. Ironically it has been the banks and other business that they have been deregulating for the past 30 years that have been taking the most money and freedom from them.

Why he just might win

COMPROMISE

One way to win is to compromise. I’ve seen Scott Brown do it in Massachusetts, and Obama can only hope that independents see that he can work with both Republicans and Democrats. Obama has shown considerable compromise in taxes, in a bi-partisan cabinet, and others. He really is a centralist, but nobody knows it.

DADT

It’s not going to change the outcome of the election, but the repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy is a step that many Americans see as good.

START security treaty

The treaty with Russia shows that Obama can work with international leaders and work toward a nuclear free world.

AUTO BAILOUT – Vroom vroom

Republicans hate the auto bailout. And it’s not something you want to see a government do all the time. In the end though not only did the bailout save companies like GM and Chrysler, the many suppliers that work with those car companies, and the thousands families who depend on the car industry it actually was a good “business” move for the U.S. government who made money off of the bailout.

TEA Party

The TEA Party keeps growing in popularity. Unfortunately for Republicans the independent voters they are trying to sway aren’t swayed like TEA Party Patriot like Michele Bachman. The Republican Party, if it really wants to win the election, will have to have a more central candidate unless the Republican Party wants another debacle like the TEA Party Patriot, Christine O’Donnell in Delaware.

I’m on the fence

OBAMACARE

The fact that the new healthcare law has been coined “Obamacare” makes me think that it will hinder not help Obama’s election campaign. On the other hand there are many good things about the new law including:

1. Eliminate lifetime limits on insurance coverage
2. Prevent health insurance companies from denying coverage because of a pre-existing condition
3. Allow young adults to remain on parents' insurance until age 26.
4. Provide subsidies for individuals and families and are not covered by an employer to purchase their own insurance.
5. Creates healthcare exchanges for uninsured people to purchase coverage at competitive rates.
6. Gives people on Medicare new access to free preventive services such as screenings for cancer and diabetes.
7. Closes the "doughnut hole" gap in Medicare Part-D by 2020.
8. Slows spending increases for Medicare beneficiaries to 2% per year, from the current rate of 4% a year.

Of course many of these changes won’t take place until after 2012 election which makes many of the good things about the law unsubstantial to voters.

What won’t matter

Reagan’s poor economy verses Obama’s poor economy. Some think that because Reagan won with a poor economy that Obama can do the same. It was a different era and a different mood of the country. I don’t think people can depend on this comparison to think that Obama can win.

A face to the Republican nomination. As of yet, there is still no strong face to the Republican Party. The people who are going to determine the election don’t care if there is a face or not. They want the best person to improve their lives. And whoever presents the better case will win.

Osama bin Laden. It makes Republicans not question Obama’s leadership for about 3 seconds. Those 3 seconds are over. With the rest of the country it has had a bigger impact on the view of Obama. In the end, no one will remember this in the voting booth in November.

Other impacts

Besides the economy the outcome of congress voting on raising the debt ceiling in time or defaulting may have a huge impact on how voters view Obama. By the U.S. defaulting it creates a huge problem for the U.S. In terms of the election it creates animosity towards both sides of congress, but a bigger impact on the President.

Overall I still think the election is a wide open race as to who will win. Obama has a lot riding on the economy and gas prices. If they both don’t improve significantly in the eyes of American voters I’m not sure he can win the election. Sometimes disappointment, disapproval, and disdain bring out the most voters as we saw in both 2006 and 2008. I’m not sure Obama can depend on his supporters to come out even more as they did for Bush in 2004 to re-elect him. He will need to re-convince many of the same independent voters he won over back in 2008 to win.