Jake Goes to Washington

Cari and I are flying to Washington D.C. tomorrow morning - we'll be spending almost a week in the area. Cari is going to visit our good friends Curtis and Amy, who live in Maryland about 30 miles away from D.C. (that's them below). While she is partying away, I will be attending the joint annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion. Its the largest gathering of biblical and religious scholars in the world - last year I believe there were over 10,000 people. Believe it or not, it is my idea of a good time. I was able to attend the conference last year and thoroughly enjoyed it - a lot of stimulating discussions, and I really appreciated the free exchange of ideas that occurred in the discussions after scholars presented their papers. This year I will also have the opportunity to meet with several scholars from the Ph.D programs I am interested in, so it should be a good week.


Needless to say, the likelihood is I won't be posting much or at all while I'm at the conference. However, rest assured I will return next week with a couple of posts on television - I know you're all waiting on the edge of your seats.

Good Television - Part 1

Many of you are probably aware that I enjoy TV a great deal. Our collection of DVD seasons -- which includes the full run of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dark Angel, Firefly, The Office, and Friends, in addition to incomplete collections of Seinfeld and Scrubs -- stands as witness to my obsession. I try to keep the number of shows I'm watching in a given season down to a minimum, but inevitably there are 2 or 3 (or 4 or 5) shows that I try to keep up with on a regular basis. Despite this fact, it occurred to me that I have not yet written a single post about television. So, in an effort to remedy this oversight, I am writing a couple of blogs about some of what I believe to be the best current shows.

First, I thought I'd begin by offering an explanation of why I enjoy good television so much. As I have reflected on my enjoyment of television, I've come to the conclusion that on the whole I enjoy television series even more than most movies. The primary reason, I believe, lies in the character development that occurs in many television series -- at least, in the ones I tend to enjoy. I find that in most all narrative media I enjoy -- fictional literature, television, movies, etc. -- I am most drawn to longer series' which provide an opportunity for the audience to get to know the character(s) and watch as they develop over time. There are numerous examples: books like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Stephen King's Gunslinger series, and Robert Jordan's massive Wheel of Time series; in movies, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars (the original trilogy, of course), Harry Potter (I still haven't gotten around to reading the books), and X-Men; in television, virtually all of the DVD collections noted above fall into this category, and almost all of the shows I discuss in these next couple posts will as well. However, while character development is present in any good example of fictional narrative, I find that it is typically present more in television than in movies, simply because of the amount of time available to the show's writers to explore the characters and their story. This conduciveness of the television medium to character development, coupled with the fact that the quality of writing for television seems to have improved a great deal over the past 10 years, explains why I enjoy television so much.

In the interest of keeping this relatively short, I'll cut this installment off here. I'll post another one or two within the next few days.

Christian Voting

To anyone who is interested in such things, I commend to you this excellent Issues Guide for Christian voters - it was put together by Sojourners, and a longer version is available here after a short registration. Christians are too often guilty of one or two issue voting -- certain issues like abortion are highlighted as the only significant moral issues, and candidates are therefore chosen solely on the basis of their positions on a very short list of issues. While abortion is undoubtedly an important moral issue, there are other important moral issues. This issues guide does an excellent job of highlighting this fact. I know I found it helpful - I think many of you will too.

Compassion and Economic Justice

They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands (Isaiah 65:21-23).

God shows a special concern for those in poverty and acts in history to lift them up. The Bible teaches that societies should organize so that all members have genuine access to the resources needed to live a decent life and provide for those who are unable to care for themselves.

Does the candidate support measures that provide for family economic success and security by “making work work,” that promote fair and decent wages, that show a serious commitment to lifting children out of poverty, and support policies on aid, debt, and trade that would bring extreme global poverty to an end?

Peace and Restraint of Violence

They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Isaiah 2:4). Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).

We face a major challenge of how to resolve conflicts, reduce violence, and defeat terrorism without endless war. War has become a first resort instead of the last resort. In a world full of terrorists, terrorist states, unilateralist superpowers, and weapons of mass destruction, we need practical alternatives to an endless cycle of violence.

Is the candidate committed to a serious plan for ending the war in Iraq, to joining a real national debate on how to remove American forces while seeking both security and peace for Iraq, to the elimination of nuclear weapons, to supporting security and freedom in the Middle East, and to strengthening international law to fight terrorism?

Consistent Ethic of Life

Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being (Genesis 2:7).

We believe that all life is a sacred gift from God, and that public policies should reflect a consistent ethic of life - and address all the places where human life is threatened. We believe abortion is always a moral tragedy, but how do we find real solutions for preventing unwanted pregnancies and supporting women caught in very difficult and desperate circumstances?

Does the candidate support policies that will dramatically reduce the number of abortions, end capital punishment, and stop genocide, especially in Darfur?

Racial Justice

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

Full humanity and dignity are denied when people are discriminated against for ethnic or racial reasons, whether intentionally or due to systemic structures. Racism is a sin and undermines the integrity of a society.

Is the candidate committed to reversing and ending racial discrimination in all aspects of our society, especially in the criminal justice and education systems?

Human Rights, Dignity, and Gender Justice

So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

We recognize each human being as created in God’s image. We urge policies that both protect life and promote human dignity. On the issue of torture, for example, it really isn’t the terrorists and what they stand for; it is about us, and what we stand for. On immigration, how do we welcome the stranger, respect the law, and insure national security? And how do we combat the growing epidemic of sexual trafficking and virtual slavery?

Does the candidate support humane and holistic immigration policies and comprehensive immigration reform? Do they insist on policies that end torture, stop human trafficking, promote religious freedom, and protect women?

Strengthen Families and Renew Culture

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God (Romans 12:2).

Strong families are the essential foundation of a good society. A culture that promotes healthy families is necessary to raise our children with strong values. And parenting has become a countercultural activity in America. How do we find real solutions, and not just scapegoats?

Does the candidate support policies that strengthen marriage and families, restore integrity to our civic and business practices, and act to prevent violence in our society - especially the alarming incidence of domestic violence against women and children.

Good Stewardship of God’s Creation

God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good (Genesis 1:31). The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it (Psalm 24:1).

The earth and the fragile atmosphere that surrounds it are God’s good creation for the sustenance and enjoyment of all things. We support policies that protect creation from interests and activities that damage it. We believe global warming is a religious issue.

Does a candidate support protections to clean air and water, to reduce the dangerous emissions that cause global warming, to shift from our addiction to oil and fossil fuels to cleaner, safer, and more renewable energy sources? Do they support the transformation to conservation and new energy sources that could provide jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, help solve the Middle East crisis, and even reduce the threats of terrorism?

Next Tuesday, we will not establish the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not on the ballot. But you can vote to strengthen the common good. There are important things at stake in this election, including many lives in the ongoing war in Iraq. This is an important election for our country, and I urge all Christians to take time this weekend to think and pray about their choices, evaluate candidates on all these issues, then go to the polls on Tuesday and vote.

And after we vote, no matter who wins, we must be at the doorstep of politicians the next day to hold them accountable to the issues that arise from a broad biblical agenda.

Image and Word

There's a short, interesting commentary on Breakpoint's website here regarding CNN's recent choice to air footage of a terrorist sniper shooting an American soldier. (For those who don't know, Breakpoint is an organization formed by Chuck Colson, a conservative Christian author.) The author of the commentary takes issue with CNN's decision, comparing it to Rome's choice to publicly crucify more than 6,000 slaves who revolted in the first century B.C.E. While I think the comparison might be a little overblown, I agree that CNN's decision seems to be in extremely poor taste--they justified it with a claim of presenting the "unvarnished truth," but in an era where any form of controversy can generate attention, it is difficult not to see dollar signs behind the decision.

What caught my attention more than the issue with CNN is the author's claims regarding the use of images in general. He quotes from several Christian thinkers who are critical of the use of images--the following two quotes particularly caught my attention:

"Far from offering truth, [Francis Schaeffer] said, "every television minute has been edited. The viewer does not see the event. He sees . . . an edited image of that event.""

"And as Christian philosopher Douglas Groothuis notes, with television, reality becomes the image, "whether or not that image corresponds to any objective state of affairs—and we are not challenged to engage in this analysis.""

These are strong statements regarding the use of images in general, and the medium of television in particular. Both Schaeffer and Groothuis, as far as I know, are extremely critical of television as a medium of communication--Groothuis seems to view it as a completely debased and useless form.

It is worth noting that these criticisms are valid. Television, as with any form of communication, has weaknesses, and it is good to point them out. One should always bear in mind that television is a highly edited medium, and Groothuis is at least correct that many people do not take the time to think about what they are watching. My difficulty, however, is that the implicit assumption behind these statements (and I believe Groothuis' writings confirm this interpretation) is that image is somehow inferior to word. That is, textually based information is viewed as having a greater claim to truth, or at least a much greater ability to communicate truth.

However, I'm just not sure that this is true--that image is inferior to word when it comes to communicating truth. Different, certainly, but inferior? Part of the problem is that it seems to be barely acknowledged (if at all) that texts suffer from the exact same limitations noted above regarding the use of images. All textually based material is necessarily edited by its author, and is written with an agenda in mind. Word/text is always produced for a reason--everything is subjective, and any claims to complete objectivity are automatically suspect. I believe this is part of the human condition--while we may legitimately try to limit the extent to which our own experiences, ideas, and agendas influence what we produce (be it image or word), true objectivity will always elude us.

Accordingly, while the above criticism of images, and of television in particular, is certainly valid, it seems inappropriate for it to be used to privilege word over image. God himself seems to value both--while the Bible is the Word, isn't Jesus the ultimate Image?

Recent Movies: The Prestige

Cari and I had been looking forward to seeing this movie for the past few months - the previews looked great, and its hard to turn down a movie starring Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, and Michael Caine, and directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento, Batman Begins).

The movie centers around two dueling magicians in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. I don't want to reveal any more of the plot because much of the enjoyment of watching the film comes from trying to navigate the different twists and turns of the story (in the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that Cari figured out the big "secret" before it was revealed--I did not). The movie is well worth seeing--I found the characters to be well developed (particularly Bale and Jackman's characters) and the plot twists did not feel as contrived as they did when we saw Martin Scorcese's The Departed a few weeks ago (Scorcese's movie is also worth seeing, but I enjoyed The Prestige more).

Republicans and Democrats Can Work Together? Who Knew?

My friend Carl pointed out this interesting story on GetReligion.org, a blog which is run by several journalists and is devoted to discussions regarding the media's coverage of religion. The post is about the Joshua Green's cover article "Take Two" in the November issue of the Atlantic, which deals with Hilary Clinton's attempts to turn herself into "the consummate Washington player." According to Green's story, the primary catalyst for Hilary's "transformation" has been her involvement in a prayer group on Capitol Hill.

Apparently there are a number of these prayer groups where lawmakers gather together for some form of private worship. Most of these groups are affiliated with a secretive organization known as the Fellowship--according to Green, the Fellowship was:

established in the 1930s by a Methodist evangelist named Abraham Vereide, whose great hope was to preach the word of Jesus to political and business leaders throughout the world. Vereide believed that the best way to change the powerful was through discreet personal ministry, and over his lifetime he succeeded to a remarkable degree. The first Senate prayer group met over breakfast in 1943; a decade later one of its members, Senator Frank Carlson, persuaded Dwight Eisenhower to host a Presidential Prayer Breakfast, which has become a tradition.

While the existence of such groups is interesting in and of itself, what is particularly interesting is what occurred through Hilary Clinton's involvement in one of these prayer groups. These groups are primarily attended by conservative congressmen and women, and Hilary was in a group with Senator Sam Brownback, a well known and influential conservative from Kansas. Here is how Green describes what happened in the group:

One spring Wednesday, a few months into the term, Senator Sam Brownback’s turn came to lead the group, and he rose intending to talk about a recent cancer scare. But as he stood before his colleagues Brownback spotted Clinton, and was overcome with the impulse to change the subject of his testimony. “I came here today prepared to share about this experience in my life that has caused great suffering, the result of which has deepened my faith,” Brownback said, according to someone who watched the scene unfold. “But I’m overcome now with only one thought.” He confessed to having hated Clinton and having said derogatory things about her. Through God, he now recognized his sin. Then he turned to her and asked, “Mrs. Clinton, will you forgive me?” Clinton replied that she would, and that she appreciated the apology.

Green goes on to explain that as a result, Clinton and Brownback have worked together on two separate initiatives--one to protect refugees fleeing sexual abuse, and another to study the effects that violent video games and television shows have upon children.

There are two things that are significant to me about this story. First, it is refreshing to see two politicians who could not be on more opposite sides of the political spectrum working together. One could hope (probably futile, but lets pretend it is not) that such activity could become the rule, rather than the exception. Second, it is interesting that this bipartisan cooperation came about as a result of a regular prayer group. Green notes that these groups may be one of the last venues in which politicians feel free to share their faith and thoughts in a private setting--a place in which they can truly be themselves with one another. I find it fitting that this venue would be a prayer group, because it is exactly how the church should function--bringing together people from diverse backgrounds on the basis of their shared belief.

Of course, everything states in this story could be political rhetoric--certainly Hilary could benefit politically from being viewed as more moderate. While the cynic and realist in me thinks this is probably the case, the idealist in me hopes that maybe, just maybe, this story is an example of politicians doing something right.

Recent Movies: Little Miss Sunshine

While I'll still likely post plenty about politics, simply because it is a topic I'm increasingly interested in, I also want to guide this blog a little more towards pop cultural topics as well. I'm going to try posting about some of the movies we see (there haven't been very many lately) and we'll see if any of them are "discussion-worthy."

A few weeks ago we caught "Little Miss Sunshine" - we'd been looking forward to this one since first seeing the previews several months prior to its release. We loved it. Its a pretty "off the wall" comedy/drama about an extraordinarily dysfunctional family that ends up taking an ill-fated road trip through California when the 7 or 8 year old daughter makes it into the national Little Miss Sunshine contest. The family includes a motivational speaker (the father, played by Greg Kinnear), a suicidal Proust scholar (The Office's Steve Carrell, in a characteristically great performance), and a teenage devotee of Nietzsche who has taken a vow of silence. I don't want to go into any more detail because this movie really is worth seeing - it is an endearing study of family dynamics and how members of a family support one another, no matter how flawed they may be.

Update #2

My apologies to anyone who has been faithful in checking this blog with any regularity over the past couple weeks. I haven't been able to post as often as I had planned or would like to, partially because of a lack of time recently, and partially because of a lack of ideas. Still, I hope you'll all stay with me - I do plan to continue posting, and hope to do it at least a little more regularly.

By way of an update as to what's going on with Cari and I, we're doing well in Omaha. Its been nice to be closer to family for a little while, after being 9-12 hours away for 5 years. I am currently working at TD Ameritrade opening new accounts - while it is not my dream job, its not bad. I spend my days processing new account applications while listening to my headphones (usually jazz - instrumental music is better when I have to concentrate), and occasionally I speak with customers when I need additional information. Its a job that requires a good deal of technical knowledge, but I'm starting to feel more comfortable with it. Cari is still working for Avantas.

We had a chance to travel to Spearfish, SD over Labor Day to visit our friends Matt and Becky Branum, who moved there a couple years ago to plant a church. They're doing well, with a very cute little girl around 2 years old (and I don't always think kids this age are cute) and a growing church. Cari and I saw Mount Rushmore for the first time (it was cooler than I thought it would be), and we visited Bear Country as well. Bear Country is a drive-thru outdoor zoo - lots of animals (I'm sure it will surprise you to learn they have bears), and at one point our car was literally surrounded by a pack of 6 arctic wolves. It was pretty cool.

This week (Thursday, September 21) we'll be celebrating Cari's birthday, and this weekend we'll travel to Des Moines to celebrate her Dad's birthday as well. We also hope to make it to Norfolk, NE soon to visit some college friends. Sometimes it seems like we travel every weekend, but Cari assures me that is not the case.

Jim Wallis' "God's Politics"

Thanks to Carl for bringing this interesting review of Jim Wallis' God's Politics to my attention. The author is fairly complimentary toward the book, although she does offer some serious criticisms as well. For my part, I have not yet read the book, but I find Wallis' writings to be excellent and thought provoking - he does an excellent job of challenging both conservatives and liberals to think more deeply about their beliefs in light of the Bible's teachings.

I appreciated the review because it raises some interesting questions about the intersection of religion and politics. I offer the following quote as an example:

"Nevertheless, certainty grounded in unbending religious conviction can (and often does) produce a remarkable rigidity that brooks no compromise. Which is precisely the place where religion and politics may not blend very well: Whereas compromise is the coin of the realm at the political negotiating table, it is often a sign of moral failure in a religious frame."

While I absolutely believe that religion has a place in political discourse, this quote does highlight one of the chief difficulties in meshing the two. There is a constant tension between the absolute claims a religion like Christianity makes, and the demands of democracy in a pluralistic environment, which inevitably require compromise.

Sunday School Teacher of 54 Years Dismissed Because She is a Woman

My friend Stewart brought this story to my attention. An 81 year old Sunday School teacher who had taught in her Southern Baptist church for 54 years was "dismissed" from her teaching duties, ostensibly because she is a woman. The news story can be found here, and an insightful post on the subject by biblical scholar Ben Witherington can be found here.

It's pretty shocking that what looks to be a very young pastor (watch the videos on the news site) would dismiss a woman who had faithfully served the church for such a long period of time. I suppose if he really believes the Bible prohibits women from teaching (I don't) , he may have felt it a move he had to make. The problem, it seems, is that there is some doubt as to the real reason. The letter in which they dismissed her (yes, it was a letter - he did not even have the courtesy to do it face to face) refers only to 1 Timothy 2:8-15. However, it appears that church politics are also in play - the church has now said that there were other (undisclosed) reasons (which were not listed in the letter) and it does appear that the teacher had some disagreements with the pastor in the past. This possibility makes the situation even more disturbing because it seems likely that the Bible is being used as a smokescreen to cover up more personal issues.

While I do believe that some allowance needs to be made for differences in interpretation regarding the Bible, such prohibitions of women from service in the church grieve me deeply because they stifle the gifts of many very competent women, whose abilities will never be fully utilized in their churches. There are other (I believe better) ways to interpret passages such as 1 Timothy 2:8-15, and most interpretations that prohibit women's activities in the church are remarkably inconsistent (for example, how many people honestly prohibit women from braiding their hair, or from talking at all in church?).

Interesting Video - Can the Media Be Trusted?

A friend brought this video to my attention, and I thought it might be worthy of discussion. For those who choose not to watch it (you probably should if you're able), it presents numerous examples that the authors (of the video) believe demonstrate that the news media have doctored photos of the destruction in Lebanon in order to create more sympathy for the Lebanese, and less for the Israelis. Aish.com is a Jewish website, but I'm not sure who produced the video itself.

First, I think that if these examples are true, they are undoubtedly problematic. I would probably quibble with a couple examples - most notably the woman decrying the destruction of her home. Just because one photo came out several weeks after the first does not necessarily indicate an attempt to mislead - for whatever reason, it was simply published later than the other. However, I have no trouble believing that some of these photos were indeed staged, which certainly highlights the fact that some reporters are not honest in the way they report the news, and it is always good to think critically about what we are told.

However, I cannot help but think that the same should apply to watching this video. While I don't doubt that some of what it says is true, I do think that we should think critically when viewing this "expose" just as we should when dealing with any other piece of reporting. The video is obviously put together by someone who supports Israel's current actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon. While this is not necessarily problematic, it is nonetheless true that this report is every bit as informed by the author's agenda as any other report. I guess I'm just a little troubled because I see political conservatives talk about the left's "agenda" quite a bit, and I think we need to remember that both sides have an agenda, and both sides are full of rhetoric. Legitimate complaints have been advanced against the so-called "liberal" media (and I view this video as one of those complaints), but there are also legitimate complaints against news sources like Fox News, which in my estimation is also far from an impartial news source.

The question remains - should this video have some impact upon those who believe that Israel has acted inappropriately in the current conflict? The authors of the video clearly believe it does - the entire video seems to argue that the fact that these photos are doctored indicates that what is going on in Lebanon is not as bad as has been reported, and that the damage is being exaggerated to turn people against Israel. The response the authors of the video seem to desire is for people to accept that news reports have been falsified, and to support Israel's actions based upon this information.

I'm not sure, however, that the video accomplishes this purpose - at least it didn't in my case. While it is certainly an indictment of some of the techniques used to "report" the news, it had little impact on my thinking regarding the current conflict - mainly because my reasons for thinking that Israel has gone too far are based upon accounts from multiple news sources (including those favorable towards Israel's actions like Fox News), not upon pictures from the media. The possibility that some of the pictures taken in Lebanon are doctored really does not affect the validity or non-validity of the arguments against (or for) Israel's actions in the current conflict.

Unintentional Effects of Israel's Offensive in Lebanon

My good friend Jody noted this article on one of the comments pages below, but I thought it was worthwhile enough to bring to everyone's attention here. I would quibble with a few points, and at times his tone is a little more argumentative than I think is helpful, but he argues a point I have tried to argue here - that Israel's actions in Lebanon are actually counterproductive - much more eloquently than I have been able to do.

Jazz Improvisation

"This is an important distinction for an understanding of jazz. Improvisatory creation is not a medium that half-heartedly tries, but won't rise up to, a written composition: on the contrary, it gives jazz its grandeur, which is a potential to eclipse written music in its performance. . . . [I]f all the written music in the world suddenly burned up in a flash, who could still do a gig the same night, with complete strangers, and no rehearsals?"
-- Brad Mehldau, from the liner notes to Art of the Trio 4: Back at the Vanguard, writing about the difference improvisational and more structured forms of music

I just liked this quote - nicely captures at least a little bit of why I enjoy jazz music so much.

"Hater" Jesus

Some of you may have seen references to the recent controversy over the new Everclear video for their song "Hater," which features a Jesus figure roaming the streets and smoking, beating up an old woman, and engaging in sexual activity with prostitutes (and there is more offensive material than that). I don't necessarily recommend watching the video, although it's out on the internet if you want to do so. Just be forewarned that it is extremely offensive and even contains a small amount of nudity. I thought it was worth mentioning here because of the explanation that Everclear's frontman, Art Alexakis, has given for the video.

Alexakis was interviewed on the O'Reilly Factor tonight, and a partial transcript (the website notes it is edited for "clarity") can be found here. As usual, O'Reilly does his best to prevent any sort of reasonable discussion, but some of Alexakis' comments are still enlightening. He notes that the Jesus figure is not supposed to be Jesus, but a representation of a Jesus who "made the wrong choice." The video is dedicated to Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, and the band's intent seems to have been to criticize the brand of Christianity they believe is exemplified by these two figures, rather than to attack Christianity as a whole (as many have assumed). The song refers to Alexakis' divorce and his own feelings of hatred which resulted from that experience. The video, however, recontextualizes the song to criticize those who use religion to justify their own hatred of other people, as Alexakis notes in another interview: "Politically, I thought it was a really cool statement (dedicated to all the people who use religious beliefs to justify their own hateful feelings)." (Note: One could argue that this does not describe Robertson and Falwell, but the band's perspective seems to be that it does)

Please note that I am not defending the video. Frankly, I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. While I am sympathetic to the band's stated concerns, many of the video's images are terribly offensive. I often land on the side of artistic expression, but at the same time I don't really see much value in using art to deliberately offend, as the majority of this video seems calculated to do. Any thoughts?

More on Lebanon

Not to harp on this topic, but I've found the current situation in the Middle East highly disturbing. Note this article on the most recent Israeli airstrike, which killed over 50 civilians, most of whom were children. The reason for the strike? Because Hezbollah guerillas had fired rockets into Israel from near that building. So here is the logic - guerillas stood near the building while they fired their rockets, therefore we'll level the building, regardless of who occupies it (in this case, sleeping Lebanese villagers).

Israel's extraordinarily disproportionate strikes in Lebanon are counterproductive. Not only do they create more ill will towards themselves through the needless destruction of innocent human lives, but they are also derailing the peace process. The article reports the following:

The Lebanese government this week had put forward ideas on disarming Hezbollah and deploying an international force in the south. But after the strike, Prime Minister Fuad Saniora said any negotiations on a broader deal were off.

So, it seems that some progress was being made, but it's one step forward, two steps back due to the current strike. While Israel's prime minister has apologized, he is unwilling to take any action (like curtailing the strikes) that would demonstrate any real remorse.

I am especially saddened by the fact that the United States has continually resisted pressure from numerous other countries to push for an immediate cease fire. Instead, we continue to demand that a complete plan for removing Hezbollah guerillas from Israel's borders and placing an international peacekeeping force in the area be in place before the bloodshed is halted. The end result of such an all or nothing approach is more lives lost, and the consequent deepening of hostilities between Israel and the rest of the Middle East.

Israel & Lebanon

I highly recommend checking out this article, written by Jim Wallis, about the currently escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon. Regretfully, you must sign up to receive Sojourners weekly emails to view it, but for what it is worth, they are worth receiving, and easy to unsubscribe from if you don't want them. Wallis is regularly insightful, and the current article is no exception. Here is an exerpt:

Jan Egeland, the U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, who has been critical of Israel's "disproportionate" response, has also assailed Hezbollah's tactics: "Consistently, from the Hezbollah heartland, my message was that Hezbollah must stop this cowardly blending ... among women and children."

Hezbollah's rocket attacks into northern Israel have killed 19 civilians and injured hundreds more. But the disproportionate Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, with their horrible death toll among civilians with nothing to do with Hezbollah must also be condemned. The latest estimate is more than 400 Lebanese civilians killed, with the needless destruction of the country's infrastructure, which took 15 years to rebuild after the devastating civil war. Israel has gone after Hezbollah, but is destroying Lebanon and, don't forget, its fledgling democracy. And let there be no double standards when it comes to how we label "terrorist" acts. When a nation state, such as Israel, carries out military policies which it knows will kill many civilians, including the use of cluster bombs, and deliberately targets civilian infrastructures and areas, does not the label also apply?

Prior to this excerpt Wallis is careful to note that the current conflict is ultimately the fault of Hezbollah, and later he goes on to discuss possibilities for the United States and U.N.'s possible role in resolving the conflict.

What I appreciate here is the acknowledgement that Israel's response, even though some response was certainly necessary, is problematic. The U.S. is well known for its support of Israel as a nation-state, and we should absolutely support and defend their right to exist, but I'm afraid we are at times too quick to condone their actions no matter the cost. As Wallis accurately points out, Israel has escalated the situation, and caused a great deal of hurt doing so. A cease fire is essential, but thus far it is unlikely because the both Israel and the U.S. want an entire package from the outset - a cease fire accompanied by concessions to certain demands. Unfortunately, the result of such an all-or-nothing approach is that while they argue, more (mostly innocent) people die.

The Rise and Fall of Ralph Reed - Christians and Republicans

I ran across this article the other day and found it interesting. In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I never cared for Ralph Reed. He always seemed a little phony to me - a little too slick and self-satisfied, and far to ready to play the political game. I guess he never seemed genuine to me.

The article, of course, argues a similar point, and believes that it proved to be his downfall. Specifically, the author notes that his close relationship with Jack Abramoff likely cost him the Republican primary in the race for Governor of Georgia. It likely cost him the election because the Christian voters he was so good at producing throughout his career chose not to vote for him when as the connection between Reed and Abramoff became public knowledge.

The reason I found this article worth noting here is that it exemplifies something I have been concerned about for a little while now - that in many cases, Christian votes are used by the Republican party. Many Christians will blindly vote for Republican candidates, assuming that they have a monopoly on morality (they do not), and Republicans are more than happy to take advantage of their ignorance.

A couple of examples will illustrate my point - one from this article and one from the last presidential election. The article notes that Reed was once paid a very large sum of money by one indian tribe to run an anti-gambling campaign in order to prevent another indian tribe from opening a casino. Reed's campaign against gambling, of course, was based on religious reasoning and supported by many Christian voters. If this information is true, and it seems to be (although Reed denies knowing where the money came from), it certainly provides an example of an instance where Christian voters were mobilized and used under false pretenses.

The 2004 presidential election provides a second example. I find it interesting that the issue of homosexual marriage became such a "hot button" issue during that election, but seemingly disappeared completely from Bush's agenda after the election was won. It seems to me that the reason it became so "important" is because it is an issue that typically mobilizes conservative Christian voters, the great majority of whom also typically vote Republican. Thus, focusing on the issue brings more conservative Christians to the polls, which results in more votes for the Republican party. The fact that it disappeared so quickly after the election leads me to believe that the focus on the issue was politically expedient, but not based on any genuine conviction regarding the issue.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that Christians should not vote Republican, or that they should vote Democrat. I am also not trying to imply that Republicans are the only party guilty of using people to get what they want - unfortunately both parties are guilty of such behavior. What I am saying, however, is that it would behoove some Christians to be a little more wise when determining who will receive their vote, and I would emphatically argue that the Republican party is not the Christian party or "God's party," as the bumper sticker above proclaims. I'll leave it at that for now, since this post is already much longer than I intended.

Update #1

I mainly want to use this blog for other purposes, but I do occasionally want to give a quick update on what is going on with Cari and I since so many of my readers (do I have readers yet?) are not in town.

So, for those of you who don't know, Cari and I are in Omaha, Nebraska for a little while - probably about a year. It was quite hard to leave Cincinnati, but we're settling in, and its nice to be closer to family and some of our old friends. We'll (hopefully) save some money and pay off lots of bills, and then we'll be off someplace else so I can work on my Ph.D, which will be somewhere in the area of Cultural Studies, Religion and Culture, etc.

Cari is working for Avantas, a company owned by Alegent Health - she's in a pool of Administrative Assistants that fill in when people are on vacation or sick leave, or have to be gone for an extended period of time for some reason. She's been there for about a month now. It took me two months to find a job, because she is MUCH more employable in the business world than I am! However, two days ago I was offered a job at Ameritrade, which I happily accepted. Nothing too exciting - its a data entry position - but it pays well and I have a friend who enjoys working for the company so I think it'll be good. Honestly, I was just happy to have a job! I will also be teaching one course at my alma mater, Nebraska Christian College, this fall - a freshman Life of Christ class.

That's life right now. I hope you're all doing well.

Atom Feeds

Just an FYI - if anyone uses a service with Atom feeds (like, for example, my.yahoo or gmail), you can actually add this blog by looking it up using the following link: http://this-sky.blogspot.com/atom.xml. This allows you to add the blog to your page, and it automatically shows any posts that are made to the blog. If someone wants to do this and is confused about how, let me know in the comments section - I think I know enough to walk you through it.

Safe for the whole family?

Soon after we moved back to Omaha I noticed a billboard advertising the local Christian radio station, KGBI (100.7). The billboard proclaimed, in large, bold letters, that the station was "safe for the whole family."

On the surface this would seem to be a welcome characteristic, and perhaps it is for a Christian radio station. I'll tell you why it rubbed me the wrong way, though. It seems to me that this billboard reflected an idea prevalent among conservative Christians that the definition of Christian art/entertainment should include the idea that it be "safe for the whole family." This was exemplified during my short period of employment at Berean Christian Stores. In the movie section, Berean carried the typical array of Christian movies, of which none could be accused of being inappropriate for children (unless, perhaps, one considers the "Left Behind" movies too intense). I suppose Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" could also be considered an exception, although an astonishing number of Christian parents considered that ultra-violent movie acceptable viewing for their entire family. However, what was astonishing to me was that Berean also carried a variety of movies which had nothing to do with the expressed purposes of the store (as a Christian bookstore), but were considered "family friendly" - including The Polar Express (with Tom Hanks), Because of Winn Dixie, and the Garfield movie and cartoons. At the same time, Berean stocked the movie "Woman, Thou Art Loosed" (based on a novel by Bishop T. D. Jakes) but kept it in the back because they feared offending patrons. Additionally, an excellent movie like Hotel Rwanda would never have been carried because of its disturbing subject matter, despite the fact that its message is far more Christian than that of Garfield.

Certainly some of this was wrapped up in marketing agreements with certain companies (in this case, I believe they had an agreement with Fox to sell a line of family movies they produced) - I could write plenty more about the inherent problems with such an arrangement. But I do think this also reflects the perspective of Christian art that argues that it must be appropriate for viewers of all ages.

However, I wonder if there is not a place for Christian art that may not be appropriate for an all-ages audience? In fact, I would emphatically argue that there is a place for such art. Art should reflect life, and life is not always as clean and "safe" as we would like it to be. Still, such art can be profoundly moving, and even redemptive, as evidenced by movies like Schindler's List, Hotel Rwanda, Million Dollar Baby, and American Beauty. The subject matter of these movies is certainly not appropriate for younger viewers, but each deals with themes that are profoundly Christian. A Christian perspective on art needs to judge art by different criteria than whether it is "safe for the whole family."

Beginnings

Well, this is it . . . the long awaited blog. I wanted to start by explaining a few things - my purpose in starting a blog in the first place, and my choice of a title.

I hope for this blog to be a regular outlet for my thoughts on a variety of issues, mostly centering around religion, popular culture, and politics. There'll likely be a good amount of music, movies and television thrown in as well. And, the occasional update on what's going on in Cari and I's lives. Obviously this covers a wide range of topics, but hopefully what I have to say will be of interest to at least a few people. My hope is that my posts will generate some discussion - people won't always agree with me, and that's alright, and discussion sharpens everyone. Additionally, it is also a way for me to improve my writing abilities - to learn how to better communicate what I'm thinking.

And the title. A poem by a 14th century Sufi Muslim poet may seem like an odd choice for inspiration, particularly if you know me and know that I really don't care for poetry. This poem forms the basis of a great song by an even greater band - the Derek Trucks Band (if you haven't heard them, you really should check them out) - this is how it came to my attention. I like it because "this sky" seems to encompass, at least in my interpretation, the entirety of the world we live in, and that fits this blog, since it touches on such a wide range of topics. Hopefully that makes sense.

I do hope to post regularly here . . . several times a week if possible. I'm pretty sure I can find enough to write about - we'll see if I have the time. Thanks for taking the time to check it out - I hope that what I have to say is of some value to you.