When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

We Must Have A Better Safety Net

Why do we need a better safety net in this country? The gap between those that "haves" and those that "have-nots" are growing to large. For the most part, our economic system has been very good to us, but at the same time, not everyone has faired well in this system. Some of our brothers and sisters have been quite unfortunate in their outcome. We must be able to better care for our brothers and sisters. We must have better safety net so as to lend them a hand up when they are most down.

What's Wrong With The ELCA

The ELCA will continue to face many challenges as it moves through the new decade. Most of these challenges are quite negative, like the decline number in the membership, the small number of minorities, and many others. For example, there are too many seminaries for our current need. The ELCA needs to do what the AMA does with medical school applicants. There needs to be an artificial cap in the entrance of students to the office of Word and Sacrament; this cap must be much lower. At least, four of the seminaries need to be closed or at least combined into one. More money needs to be spent on national campaign to present the ELCA to the general public. The cost of training pastor is too high for students so more money needs to allocated to support seminarians. The cost also needs to be shared by all the churches in the ELCA. All churches must be responsible to the cost of seminarian training. Also, all churches, particularly very large one, must be more involved on the first-call process. They also needs to provide internship opportunities so as to train for growth. Some form of guarantee job for first-call must be available like the United Methodist does for their first-call candidates. More funds and training are needed in the development of leaders. Less administrative bishops and more bishops doing evangelism. Bishops must be the first person doing and showing how evangelism is done. Too many bishops are merely the administrative and speaker type. Also, not being 10% in the minority representation is simply not acceptable. The ELCA is about 97% white, which is absolutely unacceptable for being the second or third largest mainline church. We are so white that White Supremacist should be proud of us. And the number is even worse when it comes to minorities in leadership position at the local parish level. Honestly, it is time to wake up. The ELCA needs to change. But these changes can't be merely vocal or promises to change, but it must be blunt and decisive changes. We must force and push these changes. It is simply unacceptable that some of the largest church in the ELCA has no minority leaders. We can't attract by not having some representation in our leadership team, particularly in the office of Word and Sacrament. Now is the time to change.

Go Coffee Party!!!

Facts, Reason, and Differences aren't divisive. If people were willing to sit down and talk and discuss as grown-civil-reasonable people, we would be able to accomplish much and some. Having differences of opinion and disagreements are part of our communal process of growth. We must have people bringing their best to the table so as to add and improve our daunting issues. No one person has all the answers, and also no one person has all the right questions. It is only through our cooperation with one another that we can begin to tackle large and small issues that faces us currently. We must all bring our best and not merely have shouting match that has no rational and common sense rooted in such actions. This is a great idea. Let us join and move forward.

Beck's Followers Be Warned Of Churches Preaching On Social Justice

Beck should know, he is an expert on this matter, for he did sell Jesus for gold.

We the Multinational Corporation

The new constitution of this country is no longer: "We the People." Instead, with the Supreme Court decision to allow unlimited corporate spending to influence elections, the new constitution is: "We the Corporation." But this is not a new thing for the longest time elections have been bought by the highest fundraisers. This is most true in the elections of judges throughout this country.

Seeking The Definition

It is easy to pretend to know the reality of truth as we live in this country. But when all it is said and done; when all sense of a "civilized" society is lost; when all sense of "humanity" is forgotten; when nothing holds and all fall apart, the question still remains: who are we? The deepest of truth emerges in our most apocalyptic moment of conflict for it is only in that moment of truth that our greatest fear enslaves us. It is only in that bondage of absolute fear that we can discover who we really are, which may turn out to be the most tragic reality, for it may turn out to be the most coward of character. However, it is a necessary journey because even such caitiff person can be redeemed from its caricature.

Getting Harder To Find

The think that I don't understand about those in my Christian community is the fact that the vast majority of them has no care for the environment. What we do to our world is not only unacceptable but sinful. We are destroying God's creation which God has declared good. This is the creation of God that God plans to restore, if those in the right took the time to read the Bible. Our abuse of this world makes a mockery of God's declaration. Many in the right is comfortable with the declaration that all humanity is sinner because in some sick twisted way it get them off the hook. It is a sick and twisted sense of humility masquerade in absolute self-love and self-preservation. The notion of "sin" isn't a measurement of how low we are or how off the chart we are. In any case, that is another topic, but for now, I am simply curious why the "right" don't speak out more frequently against environment abuse that is plaguing our world.

This chart should upset us but it doesn't because many in the right believes the more damage we do to this world the sooner God will come. Perhaps, what it will come is our self destruction. The annihilation of the human species in this world is what it will come out of this and the Second Coming will not be part of the plan.

Out of Control Medical Cost

The problem isn't only with insurance companies willing to pay for it or hospital out-of-control charges. There is also questionable doctors' fees and procedures. Hence, the real problem is greed and the joy each of us get of screwing someone else. Honestly, in the end, this is about selfish behaviors that only see people as dollar signs and nothing more. No one is really innocent on all of these wasteful medical charges.

Eat These Foods Everyday

I always find a bit amusing to see videos about eating right. Only in a country can one consider the abuse of food a sickness. Are we that sick? Or merely that lazy?