No way!

This is amazing and troubling. Our earth: click here.

US Downgrade - A Blessing from God?

On Friday, Standard & Poor’s downgraded the United States government credit rating from AAA rating to AA+. This judgement sent shock-waves though both political parties with a variety of reactions, and with most choosing to blame their neighbors across the isle.

What I find most interesting is not the animistic habits of politics; rather the reaction of the Church. As far as I know, no single denomination of Christianity has taken an official stance on the debt crisis, and now the government downgrade. Nonetheless, editorials, blogs, and social media provide avenues for some say this is God’s judgement on the liberalization of America; while others attempt to pray our way out of the “crisis” (Gov. Rick Perry and the AFA prayer meeting in Houston). Both of these follow a false narrative that says God’s blessing is wrapped up in our wealth and/or reputation as a nation.

With our new rating, the US government joins Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan (among others) with the second to highest rating possible, and we would be so short sighted to forget that the S&P did not begin rating sovereign nations until 1911. I would imagine that the US government rating during the Civil War would have been much lower than AA+. While the effects of this downgrade will be widespread, and devastating to some, it will not change the mission of the Church.

Karl Barth said, “The Church is a place of fruitful and hopeful repentance.” With the downgrade the Church’s repentance may take place in a less elaborate sanctuary, or maybe it will take place in a line at the unemployment office. So what? Christ still plays in ten thousand places (to barrow a phrase from Eugene Peterson), and I suspect the Church is fulfilling its mission of fruitful and hopeful repentance in Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan. Are we to think we are more or less blessed than Argentina or Ghana with their B and B+ ratings respectfully?

Who knows, maybe our prayers have been answered; maybe the US government downgrade is a blessing from God.

Letter to the Editor - Non-Edited

I recently sent a Letter to the Editor of one of our local newspapers. After a delay in publication, I found my letter published, but published in an edited form. Below is my full, non-edited letter. Please note the vast differences: http://ruidosofreepress.com/view/full_story/14916390/article-All-residents-deserve-respect?instance=letters_main_opinion

To the Editor,

In the editorial on Tuesday, June 28th, 2011, residents of Ruidoso were urged to contact police or crime stoppers if they “spot homeless encampments.” I support this action for the sake of public safety and potential non-adherence to fire restrictions. However, nowhere in the editorial were residents informed as to the illegal nature of these “homeless encampments”; furthermore, readers were left to assume that all homeless people are a threat to our community. While the cause of the June 16 Swallow Fire was not released at the time of publication, the tone of the editorial lead readers to presume guilt to a homeless person. Additionally, other unproved speculations were cited resulting in dehumanizing language.

The village deems these people a “real problem”, and fervently removes “brush and other cover that the homeless use to hide from public view.” In fact, this exercise was referred to by Ruidoso Police Lt. Ray Merritt as a game of “Whack-A-Mole”. If our homeless neighbors are “seasonal residents of Ruidoso” as the title of the editorial suggest, then I am of the opinion that we should treat them with hospitality. Certainly we should conclude that referring any of our residents as “moles” is inappropriate. Our homeless neighbors are people; some choose their transient lifestyle; others are forced into it for a variety of economic and/or mental health reasons.

Regardless of why they are homeless, these are human beings. Thus, until any resident is guilty of a crime, our police and civic officials should treat them with respect and understanding. Our village’s passive-aggressive policy of the removal of brush is inhumane and possibly unjust.

May Ruidoso be known for its hospitality to all its residents and not for its discrimination between homeowner, renters, visitors, and transients.

Ryan Arnold,

fellow resident.

Reactions and Ben Laden

I woke up this morning to the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death, and before I saw the celebrations at the White House, before I opened Facebook, I found myself with a mix of emotions.

On one hand I feel the weight of President Obama’s words: “Justice has been done.” Throughout history there have been world leaders who have chosen evil, and justice was/is deserved. Moreover, as Christians we feel emboldened in justice oriented actions when atrocities against humanity are great. In Psalm 33:5 we hear: “The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.” To some degree, because God is love, God is also just. In addition, my theology instructs my heart that God gives the power of securing justice in this world to the created. And so, I hear, “Justice has been done” and I feel good about the just results.

On the other hand, in scripture justice is anything but a self-edifying endeavor. The prophet Amos speaks about justice, but his statements on justice are against the nation of Israel. “Let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream”; these words are spoken against his own people because they lacked hospitality and they treated the poor severely. And so, when I hear, “Justice has been done”, I am humbled and forced to check my heart and behaviors – for this is a warning against self-righteousness that would treat others as “less” or “inhuman”.

Of course it was Jesus who leveled the grounds of justice, saying to his followers: “You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Like I said, I find myself in a mix of emotions; I wish to celebrate justice, but I hear the somber call to love. And so, I echo a friend from seminary, Rev. Lory Hunt, whose simple reflection speaks volumes to the work of the Church and the teaching of Jesus…

“Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy!”

Political Grace

If ever a post title was within itself an oxymoron…

I tend to stay away from opinionated political conversations. I don’t feel I am educated in the newest hot topics enough to contribute. However, today I plead for grace.

This blog will stay completely neutral as far as right or left is concerned. Having said that, my subject is President Obama. I’m sure the campaign attacks designed to heighten political popularity will be over soon since voting will take place next Tuesday. Still, the right to vote was not created so we could completely bash fellow humanity. 

THERE ARE ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY. 

Any time a campaign add shows a picture of a political figure with a negative statement such as, “Harry voted with Sally to drain the school water fountain…” they leave it sounding atrocious so you will hate Harry because Sally is already supposed to be so evil. Remember, there could have been a reason to drain the water fountain that will definitely not be included in a negative campaign add. I don’t expect you are learning anything as you read this, and my purpose for writing this is not a "vote responsibly" reminder.

My plead for grace comes from how often I have heard President Obama’s name in the negative attack adds. It is true he has been in office for almost half his term. It is true that he campaigned for this office by promoting and promising change. It is also true that our expectations of this office are completely irrational (for our current president and any president).

Irrational expectations include:
- The economy to be completely turned around in less than two years. It takes everything longer to get fixed than it did to get broken. An entire nation’s economy is no exception.
- The golden touch mentality. Every other person in our country is allowed trial and error space. I would hope an educated person, like anyone who would win an election for presidency, would make fewer errors than the general public, but that in no way makes them perfect. To take this a step further, if our president was perfect, we would not need Jesus. So there.
- Change. One of the biggest repetitive attacks is “Obama promised change and has failed to deliver.” I barely passed my high school government class (another reason I usually stay out of these conversations) but I have a basic understanding of Congress and the House of Representatives. We have people representing the people who have been voted in for right and wrong reasons. These representatives from every state, Republican and Democrat, are a part of this "Change". They can make it happen or they can table a bill, pigeon hole it, filibuster, in other words, make things not happen. The president (again current, past, and present) is making decisions along side a huge group of people.
*Have you ever been a part of a large talkative committee? Have you noticed how difficult it is to get anything done? You usually end up talking a lot (or listening a lot), often things either don’t happen, or frustrated people hand over projects to loud people just to make them be quiet. Can you imagine being a member of Congress??

And now for grace.

My first year of teaching our school was merged with a low performance school that was shut down only days before the school year started. Talk about a rough start. We got through it and continued with the school year, but there still seemed to be a bit of surprise when test scores across the board went down in comparison to the previous year. Logically, is that really a shock? We needed time. The next year our scores were up from my first year, but still not where they needed to be. Logically, is this still surprising? 

CHANGE TAKES TIME.

My husband is about to begin his first senior pastorate position. We could not be more excited about this new step into our future. But if my husband is held to the same standards as the President of the United States, our family will be scrutinized, ostracized, and miserable. Ryan has shared stories with me of other ministers’ experiences so that I will hopefully be more prepared for our life in ministry. He has told me that it is completely normal for a pastor to be in a church over five years before his or her influence becomes significant to the people.

Return to the President. I know four year terms were decided for a reason, but based on the time context of when that decision was made, I honestly believe four year terms are outdated. With televised, live news, and the internet, everyone knows every piece of information and people are attacked for yawning at the wrong moment. Good grief.

Grace. If we spent half as much time praying as we did forwarding negative, exaggerated emails, we may have a different thought about politics all together.

Lord, save us from ourselves.

hoovervilles

its been eight years since i've had US history, but i do remember Mr. Masington showing both pictures and videos of the hoovervilles of the 1930's. when you learn something in high school history you are lead to believe it is history - not to be revisited. However, today's New York Times reminded me of the new reality of hoovervilles popping up around the nation because of the current economic woes.

Check out the story:

Cities Deal With a Surge in

Shantytowns

now the question is what is the response of the church?

i have the benefit of living in Texas, a state weathering the recession well, and i have little understanding of the stress and despair that my neighbor is enduring. but i must have some loving response.... i just don't yet know what it is