Open Letter to the President

Mr. President,

We were outraged with you at the horrific act of violence committed against young children in the classroom.  We wept with you, we questioned with you, we were horrified with you. We applauded your compassion.

Now, we stand at a crossroads.  As you launch into a full-scale attack on our Constitutional rights to protect ourselves from, well, you and the rest of the Government, I need to remind you of something: you are guilty as well.

Each day, you oversee the execution of 3700 children...before they have opportunity to take their first breath.  Since you took your pledge to protect and defend the Constitution, 5.4 million of your constituents never breathed...for such crimes as an extra chromosome, because of their gender, because they were not "convenient."

You surrounded yourself with smiling children while you signed your executive orders yesterday.  And, at the same time, your administration is forcing employers to fund the deaths of unborn children every day. If, for reasons of conscience, a group wants to opt out of that provision of your healthcare law, your lawyers will work to ensure they pay the $1.3 million/day fine your administration has assigned for not complying.

Please, Mr. President, I implore you to search your conscience. Study science and medicine. Block out the voices on both sides of the issue and ask yourself, "what is right?". Mr. President, you made expanding Roe v. Wade a hallmark of your 2012 campaign; I beg you, as someone haunted by 54 million others my age and younger who are not here, please reconsider.

The Fiscal Cliff - Whose to Blame

For the past 24 hours I've heard many people upset with the Fiscal Cliff deal.  Conservatives argue that the deal singles out one group.  Liberals argue that the president, and the Democrat caucuses in House and Senate, sold out their ideals. Debt Hawks are upset that the deal doesn't address spending.  Non-profit groups are angered that deductions are being phased out, and that could hurt charitable donations.  Who's to blame? We the People are.

For years we have declared "CHANGE", and our response has been to send largely the same mix back to office.  We rewarded the same group who have not passed a budget for four years (and counting) with the same jobs they've held.  We have expected a group who disagree about everything, posture in front of any camera and microphone in the area, and demonize others, to come together and compromise.

A group who we expect to make laws on our behalf have special rules for themselves.  They provide a second healthcare system, grant themselves lifetime benefits the rest of us don't get, and they exempt themselves from of the same laws they demand us to adhere.  Until recently, insider trading was even allowed, giving the incentive for some to pass laws and appropriations by which they could directly profit.

This last election cycle we rewarded two Congressmen, one who was being treated for "undisclosed emotional issues" and another who was running for the Vice Presidency, with overwhelming majorities to their own seat.

Our message to Washington was "more of the same." We didn't want quick action, and that's why we sent a fractured government back.  We demanded compromise, and we demanded it during critical times. And now we have a compromise which few are pleased.

So, who's to blame?  We are.  We expect the same people term after term after term to act like adults and negotiate.  We demand solutions from the fractured group we elect.  We permit false "mandates" to become the talking points of the day.

What's the solution? I don't know. Third Parties seem to be little more than the Last Hurrah for has-beens that didn't cut it in the Two-Party System. Expecting those elected to fully work on behalf of another has been a punchline to a bad comedy routine. Legislated term limits, if it could be passed, would just encourage more of the same, as there would be no incentive for the outgoing office holders to negotiate.

Here are my proposals.  We actually have term limits; they're called "elections," and I argue we use them and use them frequently. We have and overabundance of information on every candidate; we need to educate ourselves on every candidate.  We have a process (the caucus/primary) to replace those not acting in our best interest; become actively involved. We the People need to fully utilitze these tools.

What is the lesson of the Fiscal Cliff deal?  We the People must be involved and hold our representatives accountable.  Until then, expect more of the same. 

Decompressing

I decided to write something here.  Get it all out in one long document and move on with life.  I'll share my thoughts and move on.

I am disappointed in the results of the election.  I really am. With the exception of State Legislature (both chambers) and US Congress, every one - EVERY ONE - of my votes failed.  So, now, what do I do with this?

1. As a Christian, I have to remind myself that God is not surprised.  He's known how this election, and the next one, and the next one, and the next one, will turn out.  That doesn't excuse me from my responsibility in the process, but I can rest in His overarching knowledge and goodness.
2. After $6 billion - $6 BILLION - dollars in campaign spending, we got the more of the same at the national level.  The House and the Senate have basically the same make-up, and so that will mean more gridlock. The last two years will probably prove to be a repeat of the past two years.
3. Historically, sencond-term presidencies are a waste. Many are bogged down by scandals, party in-fighting, media backlash, and an emboldened Congress. W couldn't do much his second term. Clinton bounced from scandal to scandal and was ruthlesslessly attacked by those in the media he thought were allies. Regan was dominated by the Iran-Contra scandal and Congressional battles.
4. Ironically, the Supreme Court will, most likely, move more conservative.  It's widely accepted that Breyer and Ginsburg are two of the most liberal members of the Bench, and Obama will be hard-pressed to find two equals to replace them.
5. Unfortunately, it looks like abortion will be left unchecked for another generation.  That's a travesty.
6. MN is in for a tough couple of years.  An untempered Dayton will be an interesting ride.
7. The Republican Party needs to evaluate itself.  Their traditional voting block is evolving, and to remain viable, it will need to understand the values of a wider base.
8. Christians are going to need to be more eloquent in how we address social issues.  I'm not talking about compromise, but we will need to be more savvy in how we communicate our message.  I think back to the church's early response to AIDS versus today.  We need to be able to address the issues respectfully without compromising our biblical standards.
9. We will continue.  Things may not look great right now, but we'll survive this. 

Thank you for letting me decompress. 

Accidental Pharisees - A Review

"The truth is that accidental Pharisees are made up of people just like you and me, people who love God, love the scriptures, and are trying their best to live by them. The thing to note about accidental Pharisees is just that. They're accidental. They're like dinner at Denny's. No one plans to go there. You just end up there." - Accidental Pharisees, p.19-20.

Reading Accidental Pharisees - Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity , and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith by Larry Osborne was an adventure. His style of writing is very conversational, which makes it very easy to read. His stories draw the reader in, and the book was very infuriating and convicting. I really enjoyed it.

Please view the book trailer here.

Reading the book was and adventure. I found myself, at many points, saying to myself, "yes, yes, yes - hey, wait a minute!" And I think that's the point. I found myself in many sections in the book, places where I didn't expect to find myself establishing extra-biblical rules and regulations in the name of holiness.

Osborne does a great job of defining how personal sanctification can lead to unbiblical identification of sin. For example, I may establish specific rules for myself, as I feel this is what God is asking me to do for my own walk toward sanctification. When I apply those rules as universal, however, I'm out of bounds.

One issue I had with the book was Osborne's use of "a friend of mine." He does share some first-hand stories, but the frequent use of others' stories left me with the impression the author saw himself as above some of the critique he made. I repented, and I think he would identify himself in the pages of the book, as well.

Overall, I would endorse this book. I feel, however, it's more appropriate for a more mature Christian, someone who's walked in the faith for a time, as I think the book could do more damage to a younger believer and could even confuse them in their faith.

One more note. Through November 5, you can get a copy of the book for your Kindle device for $3.99. Check it out.

I received this book for free through Cross-Focused Reviews (a service of Cross Focused Media, LLC) for this review.

Review: The Story of the Bible The Fascinating History of Its Writing, Translation & Effect on Civilization

One word describes this book: AWESOME!

I really didn't know what to expect when I requested this book.  It looked interesting, but I wasn't really sure.  What I received was well worth the anticipation.  

The layout is beautiful.  A coffee-table format, there are pockets with reproductions of manuscripts, etc.  The layout is gorgeous, drawing the explorer in with the photos and text.

I really wasn't sure about the actual content of the book, and I'm still not sure.  I don't know anything about Larry Stone.  But the forward was written by Ravi Zacharias, and he's been solid in his teaching, so I would trust the information therein.

Want a beautiful display book? Something to make you look smart and think smart? Look no further.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”