Really Pat?

You may have heard the news about Pat Robertson's latest offensive comments.  This time it didn't target gays or foreigners, but the diseased.  In a recent television appearance, Robertson replied to a caller asking about how he should adivise a friend who had decided to see another woman because of his wife's advanced Alzheimer's. 

I grew up fundamentalist, so I think I know the answer here.  Tell the friend to stop, ask forgiveness, and love on his wife until death.  From birth to seventeen years old, I attended a good old King James, Bible Believing, Independent Baptist Church, three times a week, every week.  That makes over 2500 sermons before I even became an adult, and most of them had something to say about sex, drugs, and/or rock and roll.  Don't take me the wrong way, the people of that church showed love and care with their actions, but the message out of their mouths came clear.  Adultery and Divorce are wrong.

I've never been a big fan of Robertson, but I thought he would at least get this one right.  But no, he said "I know it sounds cruel, but if he's going to do something, he should divorce her and start all over again, but make sure she has custodial care and somebody looking after her."  He admits that marriage is until "death" but then says that Alzheimer's is like a living death.  So that makes it ok I guess.

This is so wrong, and the reason why I believe Christians (yes, I am one) need to understand the source behind their convictions.  For starters, our nation is great, and I love family, but let's be clear.  I believe in a man, who I also believe was a God (the God even).  That this God-man lived on this earth and suffered death at the hands of his creation.  Miraculously, he didn't stay dead.  He returned to this earth until ascending into heaven.  If you're not a Christian, that sounds foolish.  If you are, it probably doesn't sound foolish enough.  If you really believe that (and I do) its a pretty big deal.  Bigger than a pledge or blood relationships, or all of the legalistic morass we let ourselves get bound up in.

Let's look to some reason.  If said wife has "lost her mind", we might conclude that she is no longer "like the living", therefore a covenant relationship like marriage may be voided on those grounds.  She is less than human, not deserving the same right to expect faithfulness from her husband as one who possesses full mental health.  If that's the case, then how can you argue that a fetus in the womb possesses full life that can't be violated.  Is the potential of life more valuable that the fulfillment of life embodied in its final journey to death?  Does the fetus deserve any more the right to birth than a person deserves the right to maintain full dignity and humanity even unto death?

Too much self-serving logic going on here.  Of what value is life?  Can we argue over it's beginning at conception or birth while we sit idly by watching execution take place?  How did a discussion of Alzheimer's take us to capital punishment?  Shane Claiborne wrote just today a defense of Grace in the face of death.  Should we dismiss the Psalms and get self-righteous over the fact that King David, guilty of murder, should have never been allowed to live long enough to write them?  Should the bulk of the New Testament be rejected because the writer, Paul, would have willingly accepted the penalty for his crimes if his conversion had been true?

We need to think!  Humanity, infused with the very breath of God is exceedingly deep, but we flippantly decide who is deserving and who doesn't have the privilege to the rights of that humanity.  We are too ready to set our minds firm on issues of abortion, death, the right to life, and dying with dignity when these issues deserve deep and mindful consideration and soul-searching. 

But unfortunately for many, it's just a whole lot easier to find out what Pat thinks about it.

A Celebration of Death

The world is abuzz on May 2 with the news of Osama bin Laden's death.  Many of us waited eagerly to hear the unknown from the lips of our President on Sunday night while many awoke on Monday morning to the revelation that the embodiment of terrorism and hatred of America was no more.  In a fallen and imperfect world, sometimes there are no good decisions to make.  The death of bin Laden might have been needed to bring justice to those who suffered loss on September 11, 2001.  For others it may not be justice as much as much as justification that for the last decade our military efforts abroad have not been fruitless.  Perhaps the death of bin Laden restores our belief that when America sets for itself a goal, that goal we will reach.

We could argue that killing Osama bin Laden is an ironic way of showing the world that violence will not be tolerated.  We could say that after ten years, the murder of bin Laden is vengeance more than justice.  We could assert that in ten years of war, the United States is responsible for more innocent lives than bin Laden himself.

I can understand both sentiments.

I don't think the response to bin Laden's death in either case is joy.  Relief, for sure.  Satisfaction, I can understand.  I cannot believe that the proper response to any death is one of Joy.  Even if given that Osama bin Laden deserved this death, that his demise was demanded in the name of justice-- we have just lived through a failure of humanity to be accepted with gravity, not embraced in jubilance.

The only beauty in the story of death lies in the new life it has the potential to bring.  Only in the promise of restoration, reconciliation, resurrection can we ever find hope in death.  May we one day rejoice in celebration of reconciliation.

Creativity, Gratitude, and a Big Win

Creativity, I believe, is the very image of God in every one of us.  Whether expressed through the words of a story on the page, hard work and effort to run faster than before, or in our relationships with others that nurture and sustain humanity.  We find no greater honor on this earth than for others to recognize this creative gift inside of us and value its goodness.

But it can also be devastating when this creative impulse gets overlooked or meets with derision.  This fear of rejection often stifles our natural creativity.  I know this fear, and even today sit anxious about how the public will judge my creative work.

Earlier today, the Hook, a local weekly newspaper here in Charlottesville announced me as the winner in their annual short-story contest.  John Grisham judged and declared my story the winner.  I am abundantly honored that he found value in my work.  The newsmagazine will publish my story this week, and while I’ve written on this blog for several years and published a few articles elsewhere, I find myself oddly self-conscious about this one.

I’m hopeful that public responds positively; I’m hopeful that the public responds at all.  I would like to thank Hawes Spencer and the Hook for sponsoring this contest.  Also, Stephanie Garcia who took the time to interview me and write some very kind things about me in the Hook.  Of course a thank you is in order for Mr. John Grisham for reading the stories and taking the time to judge them.  And I want to thank my wife, the only eyes to see this story before Mr. Grisham.

And thank you.  I appreciate all of you who have followed and supported my efforts at writing through A Pot of Stew and Teaching Underground; if you are new to this site, I thank you for your eyes today and hope that you will visit again.

Reward

Psalm 37:1

Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

Sometimes I wonder how much of our righteous anger is really about envy of those who do wrong. We spend so much of our time condemning certain behaviors that I think that it might be wise to first examine ourselves to determine if we’re being so judgmental because deep down inside we hate seeing “them” having so much fun. Watching others suffer because of their wrong-doings and evil deeds reminds us of why we try to walk the straight and narrow. Seeing evil reap its due reward in the short run motivates us to seek goodness. But it doesn’t seem to happen that way. When we look out on our world and see how evil people seem to prosper, our temptations become that much greater.

We’d like to see a world where the cost of evil is easily seen, but we don’t. For now we simply have to trust the promises of our faith and strive to seek God and His will in our lives instead of feeling cheated because we’re not allowed to do things that everyone else is getting away with. Rather than fretting over or envying those who do wrong, our hearts need to be set on things above, our eyes set upon Christ and the path He’s laid for us, knowing that it is the best path regardless of what we see around us.

2011- I first wrote this a few years ago.  Reading it today, I can't help but think of Charlie Sheen.  I'm usually pretty annoyed by the celeb-gossip news of the day, but I've been strangely taken by his story.  It makes me wonder if part of our infatuation with Mr. Sheen doesn't reveal our own hearts.  Do we secretly enjoy his meltdown as a just reward for his behavior, or are we rooting for him to overcome?  I said in the introduction to these posts that Christianity is a story of creation, fall, redemption and restoration.  I pray that I can have a heart that sees the image of God in every created human, hoping for restoration rather than waiting in anticipation for judgement.

What the Hell Rob Bell?

Pardon the title, but it appears that a prominent religious leader, Rob Bell, has stirred quite a nest of hornets by raising this very question, even prompting John Piper to declare "farewell Rob Bell" in his twitter feed.  If you're not familiar with Rob Bell, he's well known for a series of short Christian videos known as Nooma.  I have enjoyed these videos for several years in addition to podcasts of his sermons.  He is also the author of several books; I've read Velvet Elvis and Jesus Wants to Save Christians (For fellow Central Virginians, this Rob Bell is not to be confused with our long time House of Delegates Representative)

One of the most telling illustrations from Velvet Elvis challenges Christians to stop looking at their faith as a wall with individual bricks making up the elements of our faith.  For one, when these small elements of our faith are broken, the wall's integrity is compromised.  For two, when we build a wall, we want to stay inside of it and protect it.  Bell argues that Christian faith is more like a trampoline.  When a spring or two (the elements of our faith) give out, the trampoline is still just as functional as before.  And unlike a wall that we defend, a trampoline is a joy that we invite others in to play on.

Bell says that certain doctrines should not "make or break" our faith.  As an example, he uses the Virgin Birth.  I remember him taking much heat for that.  He didn't disavow the Virgin Birth, he simply showed that with this metaphor of faith that even a doctrinal tenet as strong as the Virgin Birth should not be such a strong part of our faith that if it turned out to be untrue that our faith as well would be proved untrue. (On a side note, it appears that the 2011 American Catholic Bishop's "New American Bible has remove the reference to Virgin Birth from Isaiah 7:14)

But apparently, his statements about the Virgin Birth didn't go nearly as far as the claim in his new book at upsetting the Christian community.  His new book Love Wins is due out April 1, and the short video promo and news release about the book this weekend was too much for some to handle.  Here's what the publisher says:

In Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, Bell addresses one of the most controversial issues of faith--the afterlife--arguing that a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering. With searing insight, Bell puts hell on trial, and his message is decidedly optimistic--eternal life doesn't start when we die; it starts right now. And ultimately, Love Wins.

In this video trailer, Bell asks "Is Gandhi Really in Hell?"  Seriously, what Christian wouldn't be ready to tackle that question.  These are the types of questions that should shake our faith to its very foundation.  How many good Christians have lived a life of anxiety worried about the eternal soul of a loved one?  How many people struggle with the question of what happens to little babies that die and what is the age of accountability?


LOVE WINS. from Rob Bell on Vimeo.

These are questions that I'd rather avoid; on one hand, the answer could be one that I find hard to live with, but on the other it could be an answer that contradicts much of what I have been taught my entire life about heaven and hell.

Apparently the reaction to Bell's new book in the "twitter/blogosphere" rated among the Oscars in terms of popularity over the weekend and the beginning of the week.  It's kind of crazy to think that so many people are ready to attack his theology before the book is even released.  As the title says, Love Wins, not only that, but truth wins, and if I find myself on the wrong side of truth I want to surrender before dying defending a lie that I've come to believe.

So I don't know what Rob Bell has to say about the Christian doctrine of Hell, but I am quite grateful that he has chosen to wrestle with the question.  I hope that the rest of Christendom will just as eagerly pursue the truth with humility.  I can neither stand in defense or judgement of Bell's theology, but I will always support the value of asking difficult questions.

A Sunday Prayer for History

Dear God,

In a world of smoke and mirrors and shifting sand, we thank you for being the Rock on which we stand.*  The passing of time brings loss and change, enough to shake the most steady soul, but you are ever with us.  When we fail to cope and berate each other give us peace within our hearts.  Remind us when we provoke our children, lose patience with our spouses, and complain about our work that we are a people of blessing.  Keep us mindful of your promises to us that our hearts may grow thankful and not bitter.

We continue to fret over money.  Paying three dollars a gallon seems unfair, and we hate to be burdened this way.  As we deal with economy and make hard decisions we pray that you would show us the way of simplicity.  In our thanks for food and drink, family and friends, community and health may we learn that is enough. 

We honestly pray for our leaders.  They have such tough decisions to make.  May our voices inform them and not deflate them.  Give them wisdom to lead.  We pray as well God that when political answers are not the end of our problems that you would give us the wisdom to lead.  We are the body of Christ on earth, may your Christians practice the discipline of “Thy Kingdom Come.”

Thank you God for being our Rock, for today we stand at the end of history and the beginning of future and we don’t know what it may bring.  We give thanks for the people of North Africa and the Middle East that they have found a voice and the world can now hear what they call for.  But we pray for peace to come, along with an end to oppression and tyranny.  May the people of Africa and the Middle East gain the freedom they desire that we have taken for granted.  As troubling as the affairs of the world may be, and as uncertain as they leave our future—from political changes in Africa to growing populations and economies in Asia may we remember to rest our hope in the future on you, that we may know that all things will work out for good.

We pray for the earthquake victims of New Zealand, and those coping with the aftermath of flood in Australia; and as we consider the world, we lift also the needs of our friends up to you God.  We know of many who have received word in the last weeks of serious health concerns for themselves or for family and we pray that as their worlds change in a way that will render them forever different that you would be their strength. 

And we pray for your Church dear God, and our little part in it.  May we be the agents to drive change for your Glory instead of the reactors that infuse anxiety into the world.  We can do this through your will, and for this reason we pray the prayer you taught us through Jesus, our Saviour:  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us of our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.

*credit to Jerry Varner for this line, a youth minister and friend from Richmond.

The Best Commercial Ever

I'll  never forget the first time I tried Miracle Whip.  I had recently graduated from college and lived on my own in an unfinished basement in Harrisonburg, VA taking classes at JMU.  It was my first experience grocery shopping completely for myself.  I wanted mayonaisse for my sandwiches so like any good starving unemployed college grad I went cheap.  Little did I know the mayonaisse that I bought wasn't mayonaisse at all-- it was Miracle Whip, and it was awful.

It's odd how little experiences like that in life stick out in your mind and remain in your memory.  I don't think I've even thought about that experience until tonight when I saw it, the best commercial ever.  In an age where everyone tries their best to convince the world that they are the best this commercial is a breath of fresh air.  When organizations dress up their performance and use smoke and mirrors to impress the public, politicians polarize constituents and pretend the world is black and white, a product that tells the truth just might make a difference.

Sure, they're just trying to sell a product, but for some reason it lifts my soul to see them do it so honestly.  I could force an object lesson here, or relate this to some greater truth, but that in itself would run contrary to the ideal of this post.  I'm just writing about how much I dislike Miracle Whip and how cool it is that the folks that market Miracle Whip are ok with that.  So from now on, they're ok with me. (But I'm still never eating the stuff again.)

It's Real!

This week started off pretty poorly when I heard the news of the Taco Bell lawsuit claiming that their ground beef really only contained 33% beef.  I thought back to all of the tacos and burritos that I've consumed at "the Bell" with disgust.  But thankfully, the record has been set straight.  It turns out that Taco Bell officials assert that the lawsuit is unmerited, as the beef used at Taco Bell is 88% beef.

That sure did make me feel better, knowing that instead of 67% filler and other stuff, I had only been eating 12% filler and other stuff.  In all seriousness, after reading an ingredient list, it really doesn't seem that the Taco Bell meat is full of nastiness that you would be afraid to eat, but it does lead one to question again just how our food gets from pasture to table.  To think that an animals meat can be processed and repackaged to the point where when we finally eat it more than ten percent is actually something other than meat is an unsavory thought.  I reviewed the Omnivore's Dilemma in a post a few months back, and a story like this makes me appreciate the book even more.

On a side note, apparently Taco Bell has been proactive in deflecting criticism.  Here is a commercial from their new add campaign.  Click the link to find more related videos on YouTube if you find it entertaining, but honestly, you could probably catch the drift and figure out where it's going in about thirty seconds.  More after the break:


Just a few weeks ago, I rediscovered "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" on Netflix with my children.  I shared the discovery with a few co-workers.  We marveled at how the show resembled a Public Service Announcement more than entertainment.  When I remember the cartoons of my childhood, I appreciate the positive message that so many of them conveyed.  I learned positive social interactions from Albert and the Gang; grammar, math, science and history from School House Rocks, and even G.I. Joe reminded us that "knowing is half the battle."

This add campaign seems to hearken back to those days.  Unfortunately, its purpose is to mask the seriousness of a message that needs to become a part of the public dialogue.  It also serves to further manipulate the public into a false sense of dependence on the corporate machine that so drives the American economy and culture today.

To be fair, Taco Bell does not appear to be acting in an unreasonable or unlawful manner, nor does their product seem to be unsafe for consumption.  They do not appear to be misleading in their response to the accusation.  But I still have this nagging desire to move my diet away from the corporate/factory model of food production and consumption so ubiquitous in our world today.

Thinking of this post in terms of my blog title, it is so easy to take the quick and convenient route to our sustenance.  But if we truly see our bodies as the temple of our Lord we should certainly take more care in what we put in it; and if we see ourselves as caretakers of God's creation we should be more mindful of how our choices in consumption affect that role.

West, Colbert, and a Fresh Perspective on Love

I ran across this video of an interview with Cornel West by Stephen Colbert.  I don't watch very much Colbert, and I've only heard of Cornel West.  After watching this, I'm inclined to learn a little more about Dr. West.  The clip is well worth the watch, and just under seven minutes long.  I've paraphrased some of my favorite quotes below.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Cornel West
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog</a> Video Archive

West says I don't want social engineering, I want social justice.  Social justice is allowing for the love to flow so that poor people have the same dignity as investment bankers.
-How many people vilify the poor who live off the government but somehow think it's ok to bailout failed businesses.  What is the difference in a beggar who chooses to make a living off of handouts and an unscrupulous businessman/woman who chooses to make a living by exploiting others.  It seems that one is honest about his or her intentions while the other succeeds in wearing a veneer of respectability.

Colbert summarizes a point of West's book, Hope on a Tightrope saying "I hope things will get better, but I have no proof.  Optimism is evidence-based."
-This is a beautiful description of hope and how it leads us to strive to make things better.  Too much optimism leads to complacency-- hope drives us to action.

I'm a militant for tenderness.  Justice is what love looks like in public, just like tenderness is what it looks like in private.  Love is a steadfast commitment to the well-being of others.
-We've bought the lie about love.  We've grown to think love is something self-serving and self-gratifying.  We love because of what we get out of it and when we stop getting, we fall out of love.  We think love is a feeling and forget that it is wrapped up in expression.  No wonder we're left empty when the feeling is forgotten.  Without the expression, the feeling has no power.  We've forgotten what love is.

³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

 1 Corinthians 13

 I don't know what kind of a person Cornel West is, but in seven minutes he's made an impression that will last.  May he find the path of God's blessing and spread the message of love to the world.

Opportunity Cost

So that's what has been on my mind for several weeks now-- Opportunity.  Several years ago I read the book Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.  One of his points is that success is a combination of excellence and opportunity.  We easily point the finger of luck toward the successes of others, but often choose to attribute our own to hard work and effort.  But without the opportunity, all of the effort in the world is lost; and without effort, opportunity is wasted.

My third-grade daughter began to prepare for a social studies test before the winter break and the concept of "opportunity cost" was a difficult one for her to get.  It is the idea that some choices have more than a monetary cost, but you give up something else when you make them.  Sometimes we foolishly prepare for opportunities that we don't want to miss (e.g. playing the lottery) but other times, we consider foolish, those who do not prepare for the opportunities that are certain (e.g. health insurance).

The news this week fits well the idea of opportunity.  We discussed the story of Ted Williams, the Man With the Golden Voice earlier in the week in my high school leadership class.  Mr. Williams was given an opportunity when someone with a camera chose to give him help, but if his "God-given talent" was simply "ordinary" he would have been just another panhandler getting a couple of dollars from another stranger.  But Mr. Williams was able and prepared to take advantage of the opportunity.  Now, once again, he is faced with numerous opportunities that are his to take advantage of, or to lose.

In the other major news of the week, opportunity knocked on both sides of the door.  In the tragic shooting that took place in Arizona this weekend, a disturbed young man prepared for an opportunity to add to the depravity of our world.  But even in the midst of this depravity, redemption comes through heroism.  Patricia Maisch and others who followed the lead of this average 61 year old woman made quick work of an opportunity and brought a tragic event to an end.  This tragedy also presents an opportunity for our nation.  An opportunity to honestly discuss the eventual outcome of consistently dehumanizing and objectifying one another in the name of politics.

Tonight in Bible study, we looked at the story of Peter and John healing a lame man from Acts chapter three.  The two men were on their way to the temple for prayer at 3:00.  Probably their normal routine, something they'd done daily for most of their lives.  They crossed a beggar.  Probably one of many, maybe they'd even seen him before.  But today, they stopped.  The Spirit of God was with them.  This lame man just wanted a few bucks.  It would've been easy to avoid him, or toss a few shekels in the cup to make your conscience feel better.  Not today.  Because these two men were prepared for the opportunity by being open and obedient, this lame man stood and walked for the first time in forty years.

I think that would be the best way for us to approach the opportunities of our life, keeping an humble attitude, submissive to God and responsive to our surroundings.  Compare this to the attitude of self-promotion, submissive to no one and responsive only to our own needs.  This is the difference in an opportunity fulfilled and an opportunity defiled.

My Favorite Books of 2010

I've referred to several books from time to time on A Pot of Stew, but considering how much I enjoy reading I haven't really given too much space to the books I enjoy the most.  Here are the ten favorite books that I've read in 2010.  Some are old and some are new.  They aren't in any order other than the rough order in which I finished reading each one.

The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives  

by Leonard Mlodinow

The subtitle of this book says it all.  We attribute so much of what happens in our lives to talent and ability, but Mlodinow says that many of the success stories (and failures) of the world can be explained by simple principles of statistics.  I understood that we are all marked by success and failure experiences.  When those successes come early, we are much more likely to weather the storms later on than when the failures come early and we give up before we even start.  Just like flipping a coin.  Five tails in a row just isn't enough information to decide that your coin is more prone to tails than heads.  So don't give up so quickly.


Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior 
by Ori and Rom Brafman


What could possibly lead over 50% of a French game show t.v. audience to respond that the Sun revolves around the Earth?  It was the French version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and apparently the audience did not think the contestant worthy of the prize if he didn't know the moon revolved around the Earth, so they mislead him.  This book is full of stories such as this, backed up with explanations for these behaviors from the world of Social Psychology and Behavior Economics.  I read this book right after Predictibly Irrational and The Drunkard's Walk, and should have given it a little more space, but it was still an enjoyable and interesting read.

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

 by Timothy Keller

 After thinking I had read too many psych/social science books in a row, I turned to religion.  I am no fan of apologetics, but Keller's insight on the Christian faith appealed greatly to me.  I get the impression that he is a pretty conservative guy, but he manages to express the Gospel story in a novel and easy to understand way.  He explains why "Jesus is the only way" without alienating.  His answer to "why does a good God allow suffering" satisfies the intellect without insulting the soul.  My intent focus on the dual concept of Justice and Mercy came directly from this book.

The Book of Dave  

by Will Self

The tone of this book reminded me of "Trainspotting."  It was not an inspiring book and I found it a little on the dark side, but from time to time that can be a good thing.  The book can be hard to follow, bouncing back and forth from present day London to a post-modern (if not post-Apocalyptic) world and using language/dialect that can be sometimes hard to follow.  Reading the book is an experience as the pieces of the puzzle are revealed leading the reader further into understanding exactly what is happening.  Without giving too much away, the psychotic journaling of a London cabbie going through a painful divorce and custody process manages to have a profound impact on a dystopic (I don't really know what that word means, but it sounds right for this) world many years later.

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Reasons for Faith 

by Francis Collins

I first heard about Francis Collins when I read a blog post about how a number of individuals at a National Youth Ministry conference got a little worked up over his keynote address.  Francis Collins was a former head of the Human Genome Project.  He grew up across the mountain from my current home and spent some time at UVA.  He is a renown scientist and devout Christian and finds no conflict in the two.  In this book he explains how his faith has developed along side his growth as a scientist.  I greatly appreciate his point of view and draw comfort from his experience.  Anyone who finds that a literal reading of the Bible, especially regarding creation, leads them to struggle in their faith would benefit from this book.

Batman: The Long Halloween 

by Jeph Loeb

It's not a comic book, it's a graphic novel.  At least that's what I tell myself to feel better about reading SuperHero books.  It all started last year with The Watchmen.  Ever since, I've really started getting into comics.  After reading The Watchmen, I read several other Alan Moore works, and one of the Frank Miller Batman novels.  This was my first venture outside of Moore/Miller, and I really enjoyed it.  A killer strikes on Halloween and continues through the major holidays of the year.  The book is a real mystery, leaving the reader wondering just as much as the crime-fighter who the culprit will be.  The book reads like a journey throughout an entire year that changes the lives of all the characters involved.

Linchpin: Are You Indespensible?  

by Seth Godin

I read this book at the beginning of the school year and it really inspired me for a while.  The main idea of the book is alluded to in the title.  Rather than behaving like a cog-- an interchangeable, ultimately replaceable part-- we should strive to become Linchpins.  We do this by, among other things, creating art and sharing it with others.  The definition of art here is pretty loose, but essentially we all have the opportunity to go beyond what is expected to create something of true value that will make us stand out and those around us better.  The book even inspired me to write this piece titled "Teaching and Donuts" on a different blog.

Omnivore's Dilemma 

by Michael Pollan

Early in the year, I stumbled upon a free down download of the book Food Rules and loved its simple advice for eating.  For example, if your grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, don't eat it; regarding cereal, if it turns your milk a different color, don't eat it.  This book was short and pithy, full of excellent advice for better health.  Later in the year, I watched the movie Food, Inc. with my son, and really started thinking about the food that I consume.  Michael Pollan was involved with both of these, and I had talked about Omnivore's Dilemma with a farmer friend of mine, so when I saw it displayed in our school library I decided to read it.  This book impacted me more than anything else that I've read this year.  As Pollan traces the origin of several meals, the true cost of the food we eat is revealed.  We should all consider the food that we eat more deeply-- this book doesn't propose to tell you how you should think about your food, but it definitely frames the ethical, moral, social, and health issues that every human should consider as they consume the food that will sustain their lives.

Blackest Night 

by Geoff Johns

This is another graphic novel.  If The Long Halloween was a first venture outside of Moore/Miller, this was my first real superhero book outside of Batman.  This book features nearly all of the DC characters, some of whom I've heard of before (Flash, Green Lantern, etc.) but others of whom I haven't a clue.  I knew enough to know that I didn't know everything that I needed to know to fully "get" this book, but it was still great to sit as an adult and enjoy the action and adventure without getting caught up in the cerebral efforts of reading.  As terrible as this sounds, no matter what the book itself is like, the pictures and art alone are enough to make the book a worthwhile read.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This was one of the first books downloaded on my Kindle.  Best of all it was free.  This volume  contains numerous short stories featuring Holmes and his sidekick, Dr. Watson.  I've been reading on this book all year between reads.  It is a great filler with stories that can be read in just a few sittings (or sometimes one).  I am nearing the end, but I've loved short stories ever since elementary school and I would love to find more collections like this one.


That's my list, I know that at least a few people are reading this blog, so step up and share a little back-- What were your favorite reads of 2010.  You don't even need to explain, just list if you want.  I've got 365 more days coming in 2011 and I'd love some reccomendations.  Click the comment link below if a comment box is not showing.  You may post anonymously or using an account, but let me know if you've encountered a "must read" this year, or if there are any "must reads" on your 2011 reading list.  Happy New Year.

The Deadliest Year?

Maybe it is just my current state of mine, but in the grand scheme of history, I haven't been to impressed with the "naught" decade-- 2001-2010.  We started with 9/11 and we end with the news that more people died from natural disaster in the year 2010 since the Ethiopian famine of 1983.  Over 1/4 million people this year have died from earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.  

I remember the Ethiopian famine.  Along with the Mexico City earthquake of 1985, it was one of the first events that gave me a real sense of suffering in the world.  When I think about events that have shaped who I am, I have only recently begun to understand how important these "news" items were in shaping who I am.

I don't know why at eleven years old I cared so much, but the media hype from the formation of "Band-Aid" in 1984 and the release of "Do They Know it's Christmas" caught me.  I was taking a journalism class through an enrichment program our school system offered at the time and wrote an article about the effort and spent much of my time in the winter of 1984-85 following the song as it charted around the world raising money for famine relief.  American musicians followed suite in 1985, releasing "We Are The World" and in July I was glued to the sofa watching the spectacle of "Live Aid." 

This was the event that introduced me to U2, and the idea of a social conscience.  I had saved ten dollars that summer and when the Mexico city earthquake struck that fall, our church took a special collection for the tragedy and I didn't hesitate to give all ten dollars to the cause. 

Over 200,000 of the deaths this year were a result of the Haiti earthquake in January.  On January 3, our church packaged over 30,000 meals for world hunger relief and days later, tragedy struck Haiti and every one of those meals were sent.  As much as I hate tragedy, it seems to bring out the good in people.  We respond when others are hurting, but too often we find it easy to ignore the suffering in humanity.  Marx said that "religion is the opiate of the masses" but he was wrong.  Comfort is the opiate of the masses.  In 1985, Bono sang a cutting, ironic line in the song-- "but tonight thank God it's them instead of you." 

Christmas, 2010- enjoy your family and friends and presents, but don't ignore the reason that Christmas is so important.  Our world is broken and can only be fixed through the advent of Christ.  Enjoy peace, joy, hope and love, but in seeking these be mindful of how these can be pursued and shared together; a humanity bound in suffering but able to overcome.  I pray that this "deadliest year" will impress upon some eleven year old in the way it impressed upon me in the 80s.  Merry Christmas.

The Pope Makes Forbes Top 68

"There are 6.8 billion people in the world.  Here are the 68 that matter." 

This is how the list begins as Forbes rank the top 68 people who are making a difference in the world.  Of all sixty-eight, only two would be recognized and counted because of their faith-- The Pope and the Dalai Lama (I won't count Osama bin Laden, lots of reasons).  Most of the top sixty-eight are political leaders or those who deal in money.  But I do think that while the Tim Geithners and Ben Bernanke mix politics and money, several of the top sixty eight deal in money because of their abilities to innovate and fill social needs in our society-- Walmart, Facebook, Apple.

But every Sunday, how many millions of Christians pray "Thy will be done, Thy Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven."  If so many of us are offering those words, then why aren't more of the 68 people in the world who matter making a difference for God?  Perhaps they are but we can't see it.

Prediction: Obama Re-Elected in 2012

I've tried to avoid the political, but I'm afraid this time I can't.  Living in Virginia's 5th District, I have seen quite a bit of Venom lately-- from the politicians and from the citizens.  Our lame duck representative seemed to seal his fate by voting in favor of the Obama health care plan.  Across the country, the people voiced disapproval of the current Democratic leadership in Washington.  Let's face it, things aren't going very well right now.

I found out that on average, the President's party loses 3 Senate seats and 34 House seats in mid-term elections.  Of course, there have been some real outliers to skew this average, but I'm young enough to remember big losses for both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.  Already we have a President posturing for cooperation and an opposing party, claiming the mandate of voters, expecting to turn back the policy of the last two years.  Sounds like 1994 all over again, and just like 1994, the President will weather the storm.  If the incoming party succeeds in bringing change, the voters will resist and if they fail to make progress, the voters will voice frustration with more of the same.

We continue to have faith in a system that is flawed.  I don't think that we should give up on it, but I think that we need to be careful that we don't let ourselves become flawed by the system.  We provoke each other to anger and attack individuals, neglecting their humanity.  We expect too much from our leaders and in turn suffer from frustration.  Obama did not create the ills that we face today, and he did not even make them worse.  The new Congress will not make them any better. 

I will continue to make my voice heard, and encourage all to do the same.  I even engage in political discussion (some may call it debate), but please understand that as long as our choice is Democrat and Republican we are essentially arguing the same position.  The sun will rise, the sun will set. 

What it Means to be American- Election Day 2010

I am an American.  I'm reluctant to call myself proud, but I will always recognized that I am blessed.  I'm reluctant to use the word proud because I did not do anything to earn the right to be an American, I just happened to be born in the right time at the right place.  I will own all of the baggage that comes with being American, from treatment of Natives to wars that I disagree with because I also own all of the prosperity that living in this land has afforded me.  I cannot say that I am always proud, but I am always American, and always blessed.

America is not a shining city on a hill, or the last great hope for the world, but she has become a land where good men and women can become those things if they take the responsibility of blessing and do not mistake it for right or privilege.  We have the freedom to live, almost as freely as we would choose, I pray that we would choose to live in order to make this world better for having been a part of it.

I would pray that freedom of speech would be used to check our government and demand the common good and not to exploit and demean in the name of entertainment.  I would pray that the freedom of religion would be used to draw us closer to God and not to generate wealth.  I pray that freedom of assembly would be used to gather as like-minded individuals to provoke change for the better and not to rally fear and hatred.  I pray that our right to petition would be used to promote change and progress rather than to demand our entitlements and voice discontent without real desire to change.

On the eve of this election, I pray that every American would exercise a right to vote.  Even if it means going to the polls and casting a blank ballot in protest of a flawed system.  I will exercise my right to vote because pride or blessing, every dollar spent, every criminal imprisoned, every bullet fired, every mother helped, every hurricane victim housed, every bill that becomes a law, and every law that changes lives rests not only on the shoulders of the decision-makers, but squarely on the shoulders of this decision-maker whose responsibility it is to make a decision tomorrow.

Waiting on Obama

It is late afternoon, October 29.  I'm sitting at my house waiting on Obama.  I could run to the airport in less than five minutes.  OK, I should be able to run to the airport in less than five minutes, but today, it might take ten.  Either way, it is close.  But I'm torn.  If I sit here too long, I fear that I may get stuck.  There are only two ways out of my house and there is a chance that when the President arrives they will both be closed.

I want to walk out to the street and take a chance on seeing the motorcade, but am I really that starstruck that I would take pride in saying "I saw a limo, I think the man was in it?"  I couldn't imagine having to live so separated from reality.  That highways and airports would close for my arrival.  That my only interactions with people who aren't tightly controlled or mightily important would come through a tinted window.  Why must leaders be so separate from their people?

A friend of mine takes a small measure of pride in pointing out Obama to a group of high school students dining in Union Station a number of years ago.  He pointed and said "that man is going to be President."  Obama was quite accessible.  Is he that different today? 

It is a shame that we take the humanity away from our leaders, celebrities, and others who keep a high profile.  We turn men and women into figures and lose all touch with the reality of who they are.  We build a wall because we can't accept them as our equals, we insist on making them better, or expecting so much out of them.  It is obvious when it is a President whom I can only view from a distance.  But, where does it start-- how much do I do this to teachers, preachers, police and local politicians,  could this be where the walls of division begin?

Obama Comes to Charlottesville

Unless you live in Washington, D.C., it isn't every day that a sitting President graces your city.  Tomorrow, October 29, Barak Obama is scheduled to speak at a rally on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville.  He will be stumping for the current Virginia 5th District Congressman, Tom Periello. 

I have lived in Virginia's 5th District all of my life, despite the fact that my current home is over one-hundred miles from my hometown as the crow flies.  For many years the seat was held by long-time Democrat, Virgil Goode from Rocky Mount, VA.  Southern Virginia Democrats have been an interesting breed, holding on to their conservative roots until only recently.  Goode in fact became a Republican a number of years ago and served under this moniker until his defeat in the last election of 2008.

Early in this race, it seemed certain that Periello would not succeed in the bid for re-election.  The voters in this district have voiced major discontent with Periello's vote for the Obama health care plan.  Perhaps the most unfair criticism being that he discounted the voice of his constituents.  I can't believe that anyone was surprised that he voted for this plan.  He is a mostly liberal democrat, and he has most open about his political leanings.

As the race proceeds, it looks more like Periello may have a chance to pull it out.  Unfortunately, that means the rhetoric has reached a fever pitch.  It troubles me still that good people could believe that a single person or even a single party has so much power that the social, economic, and moral stability of a nation can rest on their shoulders.  Things seem to have gotten worse in the last few years.  Face it, with the last decade opening with September 11 and ending with economic disaster, we're coming down from a pretty harsh period of history.  I can't look to any policy from the last two years that has substantially made life any worse.

I can understand why people may be disatisfied with our current political situation, but I don't understand the anger.  Our problems are deeper than party lines.  And so far, we've yet to find a viable candidate for any office who seems to be able to rise above this fact, and it seems that even the voters haven't figured this one out yet.

Rescue

For the last few days, people around the world have been wrapped up in the story of thirty-three Chilean miners.  Certainly, many have followed this story for the duration of the ordeal, lasting over two months.  From the beginning, I found it amazing that these men managed to survive for seventeen days without outside contact.  Following the wisdom of their leader, the men rationed food to ensure survival.

In my opinion, this is where the rescue began.  Buried in the depths of a dark and hopeless existence, one man remembered his humanity and the humanity of his friends.  He demanded sacrifice and expected his men to prepare for life rather than death.  It would have been easy to figure out the best way to live your last few days, or struggle to find comfort in the face of imminent death.  But these men, set out with a will to live.

This is just one life lesson we can take from this experience.  In the face of hopelessness, the right thing often appears to be the foolish thing.  As we live this life, too often we are resigned to our deaths.  Birth simply begins our slow journey to death. We should prepare for life instead of death; think of others as much as ourselves, appreciate moderation, find humor even in desperation, and pull together to make the most of every situation.