Sola Christus

Remembrance

Yesterday was the eighth anniversary of the World Trade Towers. I always feel conflicted when this anniversary comes around. Feelings of sorrow, anger, frustration, and even anxiety can come. But, I always come back to the fragility of humanity and our inability to control events, and eternity

Jerri Massi, an author I have read, and now consider a friend, took the time to put together a wonderful remembrance in honor of the people that died that day.

It is 15 minutes, listen to it if you can. 

Can someone explain this one?

Obviously some do not believe anything has changed since 1950. I found this clip of Rev. Lowery's speech very offensive.

"We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right."

1. Shouldn't we all give to others?
2. What does he mean "brown can stick around"?
3. Are there yellow people who are not mellow and are, by implication, violent?
4. There are no Native Americans who succeed?
5. So there are no whites who do what is right?

As someone who is white, but with Native American heritage, I find that very offensive. Why is this being perceived as "inspirational"?
 
See my previous post. I wish America could just leave it at that.

Righting burning crosses and barking dogs

Growing up in the South, I remember hearing stories, from my Mother particularly, about different water fountains, dinner plates, and public buses. Even in my own lifetime (and I am only 28), I saw a twelve year old African-American boy refused membership at a white church for nothing more than the pigmentation of skin cells. Sadly, I even have certain relatives that still use derogatory words towards certain races.

However, I am also willing to recognize the much more equal situation that exists in American because of so many changes that have happened in America. To quote Maya Angelou "We have to admit that we've come a long way, young people must be told yes, things are better, but not nearly as good as things will be when you put your children to the wheel."

I am filled with pride for a country that has come so far.

So, although I disagree with your policies and politics, I do say today, in honor of little girls in Alabama, bus riding women in Mississippi, and my Mother's wonderful nanny, Zonie: Congratulations Mr. Obama, our 44th President.

from a fellow teacher

The recent shootings at Virginia Tech have been quite sobering to me. As a college instructor, I have wandered what I would do in an emergency situation. How do I do CPR for a student in distress? What is the procedure for tornadoes? I don't know that I have ever thought about a gunman trying to come in and hurt my kids, but then who does? But Liviu Librescu was prepared. He chose to hold the door of his classroom closed to give his students a chance to escape. The gunman eventually killed the holocaust survivor.

My brother asked me last night if all teachers care that much about their students. I believe most of them do. Teachers, of any level, who care about their students show it every day when they come to class prepared, or spend time counseling a student, or proof read the test one more time just to make sure it won't be confusing.

I know that Dr. Librescu's sacrifice was not merely the sacrifice of a teacher, it was a sacrifice that was God given. Whether or not I will ever see Dr. Librescu again, I believe his act was an example of what the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins would call inscape. An individual fingerprint on every living thing that is a reflection of the Creator. I will stretch the term just a little bit to apply it to an event. Dr. Librescu's act had the finger print of the Creator, and ultimate sacrificial teacher, Jesus Christ.

Joy over at karagraphy.com also has some thoughts to share on this event.

What political quadrant are you in?

Will had another great quiz on his website. So I decided to take it, intrigued. There are about 7 minutes of questions whose answers vary from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree". I will warn you though, that some of the questions are a bit ambiguous. I read each answer and could think of different situations that might inspire me to answer complete opposites. For example, the one question on the purpose of a child's school to teach morals would look vary depending on the school. Is it a teaching morals would look very different if the school is a madrasah or a public school. My results were Economic Left/Right: 5.25, Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.23 (or the bottom right quadrant).

After taking this quiz I have realized once again that my political views have changed a lot since college and even since graduate school. Since then I have begun to realize that seeking a better country means being willing to align my political views not with an intelligent writer or an organization but with the Preparer of my true country and home.

Can you believe what you see?

With just having been to Israel about 2 months ago, I have been following the developments over there pretty closely. An Israeli newspaper just published an article about Reuters doctoring photographs. Of course there are two questions that come to my mind. Does it really make the picture that different? But the answer to that would have to be yes, because why change it if it didn't make a difference? Look at them and see what you think.

Baby cells

NPR ran a really interesting story yesterday morning abot baby cells. Read the article; it sounds like "left over" baby cells will stay in a mother for decades after the baby's birth (or death). Yet another amazing development in modern medicine that confirms the importance of our private and public actions and the way we view life.

NBC's Book of Daniel

Check out this article. Now if only Christians would do with "Housewives" and "Simple Life" and "CSI" and . . . . .

Honor Killings?

A muslim man in Pakistan just killed his four daughters. Please don't click on the link if you are faint of heart. It has a picture of the man and a first hand account of the incident from the man's wife. He, of course, did not kill his one male child. He killed the oldest girl because she had run away from her husband to be with another man. He then killed the younger, elementary age girls merely because he was afraid that they would grow up and commit the same act of dishonor. Sadly, this happens in lots of Islamic nations and yet we never hear anything about it from the larger, more popular "women rights" groups. I have often wondered if these groups (NOW, NARAL) are only concerned about women's rights if the woman lives in America.

I believe silence on this horrible issue of "honor killings" is proof of this bias.

But, why is the Christian community silent on this? My fear is that we are so narrowminded about the "fword" (feminism) that we keep silent. WHY? So in an effort to help women, here is a link to Shared Hope International. This is a ministry that works against sex trafficking, another prominent horror in many Islamic countries. Of course, the only true thing that can really liberate women is God's grace through his Son. That is where the roots of equality come from . . . not the Koran.

Cowardice again

Just in case you haven't heard, there has been a terrorist attack  in London. Three explosions occurred in the Tube and one on a double decker bus. Once again, terrorists have shown themselves to be cowards. What is the definition of a coward except one that attacks only when he can not be seen or discovered? One who attacks with no fear of being discovered because he can not.

Being an Anglophile, this hits close to my heart.  So far 40 people have died. Some of the Tube stations that were attacked are places that I have been, and I have ridden on a double decker bus. And yet, the solution, according to the news media, is that all of this happened because of the unpopularity of Tony Blair. If Tony would just talk a little nicer and get out of Bush's mess than these things wouldn't happen. Malarkey! Unfortunately there has always been a constituent in this world that desires to destroy Western Civilization. Ans, unfortunately, in recent history (think last 1000 years or so) this constituent have been Islamists. No, I am not saying that every Muslim is a terrorist, but most (99.99%) have been Muslims. When the Koran, the foundation of a religion, allows for terrorism against any who are not Muslims then what do we expect? Exactly what has happened in the last 1000 years. Cowardice.