Politics

So what would a conservative Mennonite care about mere earthly politics? And why?

Tightening the Border

A week from this morning is scheduled to be my first morning in Mexico in almost a year.

So this headline just caught my attention: Dozen die in Mexico clash ahead of Obama trip

I clicked it to see where the latest mayhem happened and where President Barack Obama is planning to go.

In my quick scan (which answered both of my original questions), I saw this:

The Obama administration is tightening the U.S.-Mexico border

Good deal. Maybe that will slow down the illegal flow (of drugs and “undocumented workers”) northward.

But the sentence continues:

to prevent trafficking of U.S. guns to Mexican cartels

Oh.

Is Texas Too Big to Fail?

Drudge is reporting:

Gov. Rick Perry joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution HCR 50 in support of states’ rights under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

:I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state,” Gov. Perry said. “That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union.”

Perry continued: “Millions of Texans are tired of Washington, DC trying to come down here to tell us how to run Texas.”

A number of recent federal proposals are not within the scope of the federal government’s constitutionally designated powers and impede the states’ right to govern themselves. HCR 50 affirms that Texas claims sovereignty under the 10th Amendment over all powers not otherwise granted to the federal government.

It also designates that all compulsory federal legislation that requires states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties, or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding, be prohibited or repealed.

Well, what does the 10th Amendment say?

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Yesterday’s News

I saw three stories last night.

Central Oregon man stuns cheesemaking world at contest

A Brazilian-born cheese maker who traced an unlikely path from Silicon Valley to a former pumice mine near Bend just captured one of the most prestigious prizes in his profession.

Flavio DeCastilhos’ flagship goat cheese finished second in the 2009 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, considered the Academy Awards for U.S. cheese makers.

By all accounts, the accomplishment is extraordinary.

Astronomers catch a shooting star for 1st time

For the first time scientists matched a meteorite found on Earth with a specific asteroid that became a fireball plunging through the sky. It gives them a glimpse into the past when planets formed and an idea how to avoid a future asteroid Armageddon.

Last October, astronomers tracked a small non-threatening asteroid heading toward Earth before it became a “shooting star,” something they had not done before. It blew up in the sky and scientists thought there would be no space rocks left to examine.

But a painstaking search by dozens of students through the remote Sudan desert came up with 8.7 pounds of black jagged rocks, leftovers from the asteroid 2008 TC3. And those dark rocks were full of surprises and minuscule diamonds, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Nature.

Headline correction: They found it.

How nice that they can look into the past. 😆

U.S. to blame for much of Mexican drug violence

“Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade. Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the death of police officers, soldiers and civilians,” Clinton told reporters during her flight to Mexico City.

Obviously she didn’t read (yet?) this or this.

Oh well.

Pray for Mauricio Funes

From an email sent by a Mennonite missionary in El Salvador:

On June 1 Mauricio Funes, president-elect is scheduled to take office as the first FMLN president after 20 years of right wing government in El Salvador. The percentages didn’t really change much from what I wrote last night – more than 51% to less than 49%.

The things he said in his victory speech were noble. My summary of what the newspapers say he said is: ‘We will respect the constitution… We will listen to the other political parties… We want a good relationship with the United States… We will work hard to favor everyone, especially the poorest of the poor…’

And that brings me to my prayer request for these next 2½ months before he takes office. During his campaign Mauricio Funes, a TV talk show host for many years, consistently had a more moderate response than the ‘die hard’ left wing of the FMLN. As a new comer to the party he was not tainted with ‘civil war skeletons’ which is one reason that he was chosen. Mauricio has always insisted publicly that he will choose his cabinet based on skill and that the FMLN party will not dictate to him who he chooses to help him run the government. In the past, the FMLN has tended to choose people for key political positions based on their participation in the 12 year civil war rather than being gifted political leaders. We don’t know how free he really is to freely choose.

So that is my request to you… Please pray that the people that are chosen to be a part of this government now in formation would be people who have the best of the El Salvadoran people at heart and that a climate conducive to the growth of the church of Christ would prevail. Thanks again for being our prayer partners.

Life and Freedom Today

The Game of Life

The online version of a popular board game from many Americans’ childhood includes an option for players to choose homosexual marriage and child-rearing as a way of life.

Through the Shockwave.com website, even children can download and play a free trial version of The Game of Life, the first game ever created by Mr. Milton Bradley in 1860.

The player’s first option in the online version is to choose a persona based on pictures that clearly depict men and women. Shortly thereafter, the game invites players to choose a spouse, regardless of the potential spouse’s sex.

So that’s life.

But do they also create the option for skipping marriage altogether and just shacking up with your “significant other” (I despise that expression!)?

And the option to divorce?

Or have an abortion?

For the record, the board version of the game also allows taking a same-sex spouse.

So…add another point to freedom’s score. 🙄

And speaking of freedom….

Freedom in the 50 States

Index of Personal and Economic Freedom

This paper presents the first-ever comprehensive ranking of the American states on their public policies affecting individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres. We develop and justify our ratings and aggregation procedure on explicitly normative criteria, defining individual freedom as the ability to dispose of one’s own life, liberty, and justly acquired property however one sees fit, so long as one does not coercively infringe on other individuals’ ability to do the same.

[…]

We find that the freest states in the country are New Hampshire, Colorado, and South Dakota, which together achieve a virtual tie for first place. All three states feature low taxes and government spending and middling levels of regulation and paternalism. New York is the least free by a considerable margin, followed by New Jersey, Rhode Island, California and Maryland. On personal freedom alone, Alaska is the clear winner, while Maryland brings up the rear. As for freedom in the different regions of the country, the Mountain and West North Central regions are the freest overall while the Middle Atlantic lags far behind on both economic and personal freedom.

As I recall, Oregon ranks #27 overall.

For perspective, I expect many people in the world would say we don’t have anything to fuss about regarding freedom here in the States. Even if they would have to live in New York or Maryland.

Blessed By

Special teddy bears blessed by church

A morning service last weekend at the First United Church of Christ in Hollywood took a cute and cuddly turn with a bunch of sweet-faced visitors staring back at worshipers from their place of honor next to the altar.

The batch of about 35 stuffed toy animals were warmly welcomed as special guests when the Rev. Jack Branford presided over the congregation’s annual Blessing of the Bears.

The critters received an inspirational send-off before going to their new home, into the arms of elderly residents at the Hollywood Hills Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center.

Blessed by Giving – Spiritually

Yet, it is a spiritual act that we perform in worship to God. When we give generously we are honoring His name, giving Him first place, and extending His Kingdom. Giving is grace.

Today, seek ways to be full of grace to others – find ways that you can give generously.

President’s Political Protector Is Ever Close at Hand

There are few words that come across the president’s lips that have not been blessed by Mr. Axelrod. He reviews every speech, studies every major policy position and works with Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, to prepare responses to the crisis of the day.

Honesty in Seeking God

I am blessed by the realization that God knows me as well as knowing about me. I am encouraged also by the assurance that He knows the course of my life even before I experience it. As Job put it, “He knoweth the way that I take” (Job 23:10).

Pastor to the deaf blessed by his calling

Armstrong officially kicked off his ministry on Sunday with a special event for deaf people in the congregation and other invited guests.

Executive Pastor James Scudder Jr. says Armstrong’s work is more significant than it looks.

“This is so much more than just providing sign language interpretation for the sermon,” he said. “David’s ministry works to keep the deaf fully included in the life of the church. They are part of our family, not a subgroup.”

So what have you been blessed by today?

Alternate question: Who has been blessed by you today?

Above all, love God!