Dear Senator Obama;
First off, let me say that I hope this note finds you and Mrs. Obama well. The both of you are in our prayers. I am grateful for your campaign for the Presidency. But I anguish now for our country.
I entered the first grade in Union City, Tennessee, in the fall of 1967. My first-grade class was Tennessee's first first-grade class that was entirely integrated. As a white male, born and reared in the Deep South, I can confidently state that racism is alive and well. America has made great strides toward social justice, but there is still a vast chasm arising from the fears associated with "others", people who are different from one another.
Thankfully, your campaign for the Presidency has highlighted the genuine progress that has been made toward racial equality in our land. You exude confidence, a sense of well being, and generosity of spirit. It is my hope that you will maintain your bearing, your dignity, and your sense of grace toward those around you.
There is much that needs to be changed about how our nation's government is operated. What we don't need is another four years (or eight) of Whitewater and Vince Foster, of Halliburton and Black Water. This sort of bitterness could well get John McCain elected to the Presidency in your stead.
On the other hand, you are preaching change. It is my hope and my plea that your entry into the White House will bear some very specific fruit. Should you be so fortunate as to find yourself newly elected on November 5th, for God's sake, don't screw this up! America has needed greatness from her President these past eight years, greatness that George W. Bush was incapable of producing. His administration will leaves scars for a very, very long time. Take notice of the job at hand.
First and foremost, our next President needs to bring our troops home from the phony war in Iraq. The effusion of blood wrought by George W. Bush and his henchmen has left a stain that may never wash from America's fabric. As an honorably discharged Marine Corps veteran, I have a very narrow view of how the blood of America's service men and women should be spent. Their lives are today wasted on a lie. It is past time for this crime against the world and against America to cease.
Secondly, America deserves a President who will uphold the Constitution and the laws of our land. The present administration is probably the most wicked and lawless that our nation has ever endured - certainly so within my lifetime. Our next President should be prepared and eager to investigate and vigorously prosecute the crimes that have been perpetrated against America's citizens by Bush, Cheney, and Rove. Our civil liberties have been set ablaze, our citizens falsely imprisoned without benefit of a hearing, our military murdered, our treasury emptied, and our good standing among the nations of the world has been tarnished to a point that it might never be reclaimed. The villains responsible for this wickedness should be hunted, hounded, and hanged.
Thirdly, it is criminal that the health care industry can continue to reap exponentially growing profits from an American population who won't universally benefit from their care. America deserves a President who will diligently pursue a legal guarantee of health care to everyone in our land. Without such a guarantee, the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is a lie for all but those with money to buy it.
Fourthly (not finally), America deserves a President who is dedicated to the work of restoring her middle class. The New Deal was a good deal; and we want it back. A middle class that earned its wages from an economy that respected its work force, as taught by organized labor; a middle class that was educated at the expense of public funds; a middle class that became diverse, as the result of civil rights being protected by our government; this same middle class fought and won the Second World War, built our interstate highway system, built Hoover Dam, and put Man on the moon and beyond into outer space. It boot-strapped itself out of one Great Depression, and will apparently have to do so again. America needs her middle class, and America needs to invest to save her middle class. The exporting of industry to foreign shores, without regard for the impact on our own citizenry, looms as perhaps the death knell of the greatness of America.
The change that you promise to deliver as our President sounds wonderful. But you have your work cut out for you. I want to be assured that you really have your eye on the ball for all of us - not just for those who have endeared themselves to your present efforts.
Finally, you and your family will always be welcome in my home, as you are welcome also in my heart. God bless you and yours. I offer my thanks to you for your service and for your campaign. And I leave you with my warmest regards.
The Old Marine
Sunday, November 2, 2008
"Religulous": A Cautionary Tale of Faith
A new movie came out this fall, starring late night TV maven and militant skeptic Bill Maher. The film is a quasi-documentary whose purpose is to debunk the world's religions as farcical and insane. Even its title, "Religulous", is an insult to people of faith, because it blends the word 'religious' with the word 'ridiculous'.
One scene in the movie trailer shows Maher conversing with a fellow costumed as Jesus. The poor Fake Jesus asks Maher, "But what if you're wrong?" To which Maher replies, "But what if you're wrong?" Both questions are fair, and deserve serious thought.
It becomes important at this juncture to define the ideologies facing each other in this brief scene. Certainly Christianity is an ideology, among other things. Generally speaking, people who identify themselves as Christian claim their faith from the Holy Bible.
The Holy Bible is understood as two tomes in one. The first is identified as the Old Testament, and is composed of writings by Hebrew kings, queens, judges, and prophets, and was penned entirely previous to the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The second tome is the New Testament, which contains the Gospels, epistles, and revelation written after the birth of, and about the life and person of, Jesus of Nazareth. There exists a dispute, to this very day, about what documents exactly comprise the writings of the Old and New Testaments. For the sake of this essay, I will put this argument aside and stipulate that the Holy Bible is as you find it.
Let us not overlook Atheism, the other religion represented in the previously described scene. Atheism is a religion? It is almost certain that Atheists will shout "No!" in response to this question.
The dictionary defines 'religion' as "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs", "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects", and "something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience".
In this context, by definition alone, Atheism is most definitely a religion. Further, I contend that it actually takes far greater faith to espouse Atheism than any other religion known to man.
Just what is Atheism? The dictionary offers a definition for Atheism that is akin to most English language definitions. It is as follows: "atheism" - noun - 1. "the doctrine or belief that there is no God", 2. "disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings". Atheism, as defined in the English language, is described as a belief in no deity.
So Atheism is a belief, a religion. Maher has often stated that he believes the world's various religions to be forms of societal insanity that allow simple minded people to find emotional comfort in times of distress, what Marx called "the opiate of the masses". While I am not here to pretend to try to understand Maher's views or explain them for him, it behooves all of us to understand that Atheism falls into the same unflattering category into which Maher has flung Christianity, Islam, and Hindu.
So then, how can it be that Atheism requires stronger faith than Christianity? Atheists generally decry Christians because they are under the impression that Christian belief is apparently founded on interpretations of translations of religious and fantastical lore that was handed down to succeeding generations though oral tradition.
Often Atheists will say, "Where is the scientific proof of God's existence? The notion that an invisible man can think a universe into existence is preposterous. If the Bible is right, then the Earth is only six thousand years old. Evolution is understandable scientific fact, while religious creationism is a tall tale." Finally, they bring forth their societal contentions with Christianity by saying, "Your God is neither just nor fair."
While I can speak as only one Christian, I feel that I can confidently testify that Christian faith is less belief than it is realization. Referring again to my trusty dictionary, I find that the word 'belief' is defined as "something believed; an opinion or conviction" and as "confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof". On the other hand, the word 'realization' is defined as "coming to understand something clearly and distinctly" and as "something that is made real or concrete".
It has been my experience that Christianity began as a belief, but became a realization. God is not some nebular, ethereal concept. Rather, He is a real person, and His relationship to humanity is real. His story, as set forth in the Holy Bible, is provided as a means for humanity to reclaim and maintain its active and life-giving relationship with Him.
But God's existence, His reality, can neither be proved nor disproved, scientifically or otherwise. To believe in Him is purely an act of faith, but an act based on testimony. While the personal testimonies set forth in history that espouse the reality of God are anecdotal and largely uncorroborated, their sheer volume fills libraries. On the other hand, Atheistic testimony to the reality of God's lack of existence fills a very small tome. Nonetheless, to utterly believe that God does not exist is at least as great an act of faith as is belief that God does, in light of testimony given otherwise.
So why do the Bill Maher's of the world speak with such venom against our benign faith? Perhaps it is because our faith has been misrepresented. And perhaps we misrepresent our own Faith. No one Christian, no one denomination, no one sect speaks for all of Christendom, despite what we might hear from Rome or San Antonio or Pat Robertson. God speaks for Himself and to His family through His Holy Bible. But when the Roman Church wages a Crusade in Palestine, or when Al Qaeda wages a Jihad in New York, or when pogroms and purges torch the earth in Europe and Asia, people of faith get painted with one big dirty brush. Atheism has never been a bigger enemy to Christianity than have Christians who don't conduct themselves as such.
Gospel, literally translated, means 'good news'. Christ's story, as set forth in the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bibles is one of hope, redemption, and immortality - Good News. Christ told His followers to share His good news. If they were not warmly received in a community, they were not licensed to destroy it; rather, He commanded them to knock the dust from their shoes and go on their way to another place.
Christ narrowed the focus of man's relationship to his Creator. From its inception, Mosaic Law had devolved into Levitical Law, which was corrupted by scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. Even as Christ was here to clarify God's word, rather than pollute it, His followers kept messing it up. And we still do to this day.
How can we as believers protect our own faith from the pitfalls and snares so many preceding saints have fallen prey to? We must read God's word, pray to Him for guidance, and seek each other's counsel along the way. The Word tells us what we must do. First, we must love God with the entirety of our beings; second, we must love our neighbors as ourselves. These rules are easier said than done.
Christ leaves us with another short list of chores that we should repeat on a regular basis. We should feed the hungry, heal the sick, clothe the naked, and minister to the infirm and imprisoned. This doesn't seem like much. However, I subscribe to a rule taught to me by a dear old friend. "If we stay busy doing the 'dos', we won't have time to do the 'don'ts'."
Let us not make the mistake of lumping all who call themselves Atheists into one big Bill Maher pile. Neither let us make the mistake of allowing ourselves to be categorized with believers who very publicly fall prey to their own failings. Should Maher ever take the time to read the Holy Bible with an unjaded eye, perhaps he will learn the Truth contained therein. And it would behoove us to do the same.
Through the Christian lens, Maher's stance is fraught with peril and doom. If he is wrong, he has rejected God's gracious gift of eternal life in His presence. By contrast, if Christianity is really just some delusion that millions of persons have subscribed to, at least we have received peace of mind and a kinship to a vast kingdom of other such deluded folks who have committed their lives to being good neighbors. The Christian Option seems the safer, friendlier one of these two.
[I thought that I had happened upon an original idea here. However, one of my more learned friends informed me that I had merely stumbled upon 'Pascal's Wager'. I'll save myself further indignity here. If you wanna know what 'Pascal's Wager' is, go take a danged philosophy class.]
One scene in the movie trailer shows Maher conversing with a fellow costumed as Jesus. The poor Fake Jesus asks Maher, "But what if you're wrong?" To which Maher replies, "But what if you're wrong?" Both questions are fair, and deserve serious thought.
It becomes important at this juncture to define the ideologies facing each other in this brief scene. Certainly Christianity is an ideology, among other things. Generally speaking, people who identify themselves as Christian claim their faith from the Holy Bible.
The Holy Bible is understood as two tomes in one. The first is identified as the Old Testament, and is composed of writings by Hebrew kings, queens, judges, and prophets, and was penned entirely previous to the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The second tome is the New Testament, which contains the Gospels, epistles, and revelation written after the birth of, and about the life and person of, Jesus of Nazareth. There exists a dispute, to this very day, about what documents exactly comprise the writings of the Old and New Testaments. For the sake of this essay, I will put this argument aside and stipulate that the Holy Bible is as you find it.
Let us not overlook Atheism, the other religion represented in the previously described scene. Atheism is a religion? It is almost certain that Atheists will shout "No!" in response to this question.
The dictionary defines 'religion' as "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs", "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects", and "something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience".
In this context, by definition alone, Atheism is most definitely a religion. Further, I contend that it actually takes far greater faith to espouse Atheism than any other religion known to man.
Just what is Atheism? The dictionary offers a definition for Atheism that is akin to most English language definitions. It is as follows: "atheism" - noun - 1. "the doctrine or belief that there is no God", 2. "disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings". Atheism, as defined in the English language, is described as a belief in no deity.
So Atheism is a belief, a religion. Maher has often stated that he believes the world's various religions to be forms of societal insanity that allow simple minded people to find emotional comfort in times of distress, what Marx called "the opiate of the masses". While I am not here to pretend to try to understand Maher's views or explain them for him, it behooves all of us to understand that Atheism falls into the same unflattering category into which Maher has flung Christianity, Islam, and Hindu.
So then, how can it be that Atheism requires stronger faith than Christianity? Atheists generally decry Christians because they are under the impression that Christian belief is apparently founded on interpretations of translations of religious and fantastical lore that was handed down to succeeding generations though oral tradition.
Often Atheists will say, "Where is the scientific proof of God's existence? The notion that an invisible man can think a universe into existence is preposterous. If the Bible is right, then the Earth is only six thousand years old. Evolution is understandable scientific fact, while religious creationism is a tall tale." Finally, they bring forth their societal contentions with Christianity by saying, "Your God is neither just nor fair."
While I can speak as only one Christian, I feel that I can confidently testify that Christian faith is less belief than it is realization. Referring again to my trusty dictionary, I find that the word 'belief' is defined as "something believed; an opinion or conviction" and as "confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof". On the other hand, the word 'realization' is defined as "coming to understand something clearly and distinctly" and as "something that is made real or concrete".
It has been my experience that Christianity began as a belief, but became a realization. God is not some nebular, ethereal concept. Rather, He is a real person, and His relationship to humanity is real. His story, as set forth in the Holy Bible, is provided as a means for humanity to reclaim and maintain its active and life-giving relationship with Him.
But God's existence, His reality, can neither be proved nor disproved, scientifically or otherwise. To believe in Him is purely an act of faith, but an act based on testimony. While the personal testimonies set forth in history that espouse the reality of God are anecdotal and largely uncorroborated, their sheer volume fills libraries. On the other hand, Atheistic testimony to the reality of God's lack of existence fills a very small tome. Nonetheless, to utterly believe that God does not exist is at least as great an act of faith as is belief that God does, in light of testimony given otherwise.
So why do the Bill Maher's of the world speak with such venom against our benign faith? Perhaps it is because our faith has been misrepresented. And perhaps we misrepresent our own Faith. No one Christian, no one denomination, no one sect speaks for all of Christendom, despite what we might hear from Rome or San Antonio or Pat Robertson. God speaks for Himself and to His family through His Holy Bible. But when the Roman Church wages a Crusade in Palestine, or when Al Qaeda wages a Jihad in New York, or when pogroms and purges torch the earth in Europe and Asia, people of faith get painted with one big dirty brush. Atheism has never been a bigger enemy to Christianity than have Christians who don't conduct themselves as such.
Gospel, literally translated, means 'good news'. Christ's story, as set forth in the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bibles is one of hope, redemption, and immortality - Good News. Christ told His followers to share His good news. If they were not warmly received in a community, they were not licensed to destroy it; rather, He commanded them to knock the dust from their shoes and go on their way to another place.
Christ narrowed the focus of man's relationship to his Creator. From its inception, Mosaic Law had devolved into Levitical Law, which was corrupted by scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. Even as Christ was here to clarify God's word, rather than pollute it, His followers kept messing it up. And we still do to this day.
How can we as believers protect our own faith from the pitfalls and snares so many preceding saints have fallen prey to? We must read God's word, pray to Him for guidance, and seek each other's counsel along the way. The Word tells us what we must do. First, we must love God with the entirety of our beings; second, we must love our neighbors as ourselves. These rules are easier said than done.
Christ leaves us with another short list of chores that we should repeat on a regular basis. We should feed the hungry, heal the sick, clothe the naked, and minister to the infirm and imprisoned. This doesn't seem like much. However, I subscribe to a rule taught to me by a dear old friend. "If we stay busy doing the 'dos', we won't have time to do the 'don'ts'."
Let us not make the mistake of lumping all who call themselves Atheists into one big Bill Maher pile. Neither let us make the mistake of allowing ourselves to be categorized with believers who very publicly fall prey to their own failings. Should Maher ever take the time to read the Holy Bible with an unjaded eye, perhaps he will learn the Truth contained therein. And it would behoove us to do the same.
Through the Christian lens, Maher's stance is fraught with peril and doom. If he is wrong, he has rejected God's gracious gift of eternal life in His presence. By contrast, if Christianity is really just some delusion that millions of persons have subscribed to, at least we have received peace of mind and a kinship to a vast kingdom of other such deluded folks who have committed their lives to being good neighbors. The Christian Option seems the safer, friendlier one of these two.
[I thought that I had happened upon an original idea here. However, one of my more learned friends informed me that I had merely stumbled upon 'Pascal's Wager'. I'll save myself further indignity here. If you wanna know what 'Pascal's Wager' is, go take a danged philosophy class.]
2nd Edition:The Crucifixion of Senator Rosalind Kurita
It's a crying shame, the way we do politics down here in Tennessee. Clarksville attorney Tim Barnes opposed incumbent Senator Rosalind Kurita in August's Democratic Primary race for the 22nd State Senate District. He had the support of several prominent and powerful Democrats throughout Tennessee, largely because of Kurita's vote against fellow Democrat John Wilder.
Wilder was Tennessee's Lieutenant Governor for more than 30 years. He ran the State Senate with an iron fist. His stranglehold on pending legislation was such that much needed action was being subverted. You either played by his rules, or you paid the price.
Kurita outpolled Barnes by 19 votes in the primary election. Unhappy with his lack of success at the polls, Barnes appealed the decision to the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee. Inexplicably and inexcusably, the Executive Committee voted 33-11 that Kurita's primary win over Barnes was "incurably uncertain" and sent the contested election result back to party officials in the 22nd District's three counties to jointly decide the winner at a special convention.
Incurably uncertain, you say? Senator Kurita won by 19 votes. The votes were counted, then re-counted, examined, then re-examined in the three counties affected by this race. County and state election officials failed to find irregularities that would nullify the ballot.
But it gets worse. Senator Kurita sued in Federal Court to have the Executive Committee's action set aside so that she could be properly ratified as the primary election winner, rightfully placing her name on the November ballot. Alas, she got no love from some lily-livered Federal Judge, who said, "Her rights were not violated".
***
Update: I had a brief chat with a source close to the Senator this morning (10/31/08), and I was informed that the newspapers had it wrong. Her petition for an 'emergency hearing and injunction' to address her grievances pertinent to the August primary election was denied. However, there is still litigation pending that has the potential to overturn the TDP Executive Committee's action, restore her ratified election in the August primary, and set a date for a special election for her seat in the State Senate.
***
Never mind Senator Kurita's rights - what about the rights of the voters of the 22nd State Senate District? As of this writing, Senator Kurita is running a write-in campaign. She's adamant that her long-shot write-in campaign will work. "Against all odds, we're winning this race," she said.
Fie upon the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee! A pox on your house! You didn't like what happened to Al Gore in Florida in 2000. Why is this case different? When you back a losing horse, you are not automatically entitled to have a do-over in a different venue. It is criminal to invalidate the votes cast in good faith by the people of the 22nd State Senate District. This corrupts and perverts the process of government that good American men and women are fighting and dying to defend. Shame on you!
Wilder was Tennessee's Lieutenant Governor for more than 30 years. He ran the State Senate with an iron fist. His stranglehold on pending legislation was such that much needed action was being subverted. You either played by his rules, or you paid the price.
Kurita outpolled Barnes by 19 votes in the primary election. Unhappy with his lack of success at the polls, Barnes appealed the decision to the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee. Inexplicably and inexcusably, the Executive Committee voted 33-11 that Kurita's primary win over Barnes was "incurably uncertain" and sent the contested election result back to party officials in the 22nd District's three counties to jointly decide the winner at a special convention.
Incurably uncertain, you say? Senator Kurita won by 19 votes. The votes were counted, then re-counted, examined, then re-examined in the three counties affected by this race. County and state election officials failed to find irregularities that would nullify the ballot.
But it gets worse. Senator Kurita sued in Federal Court to have the Executive Committee's action set aside so that she could be properly ratified as the primary election winner, rightfully placing her name on the November ballot. Alas, she got no love from some lily-livered Federal Judge, who said, "Her rights were not violated".
***
Update: I had a brief chat with a source close to the Senator this morning (10/31/08), and I was informed that the newspapers had it wrong. Her petition for an 'emergency hearing and injunction' to address her grievances pertinent to the August primary election was denied. However, there is still litigation pending that has the potential to overturn the TDP Executive Committee's action, restore her ratified election in the August primary, and set a date for a special election for her seat in the State Senate.
***
Never mind Senator Kurita's rights - what about the rights of the voters of the 22nd State Senate District? As of this writing, Senator Kurita is running a write-in campaign. She's adamant that her long-shot write-in campaign will work. "Against all odds, we're winning this race," she said.
Fie upon the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee! A pox on your house! You didn't like what happened to Al Gore in Florida in 2000. Why is this case different? When you back a losing horse, you are not automatically entitled to have a do-over in a different venue. It is criminal to invalidate the votes cast in good faith by the people of the 22nd State Senate District. This corrupts and perverts the process of government that good American men and women are fighting and dying to defend. Shame on you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)