“Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” -Mark 3:35
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle editorial page recently had a great take on James Dobson's ham-handed political Bible-thump, and “signs that Christians who may not share the political views of fundamentalists...are no longer taking a back seat” (Dobson's Monopoly?, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Thursday, June 26). It was accompanied by an excellent piece by Susan Estrich (Most of the Faithful are Also Tolerant and Open), in which she shared the results of a recent national poll which showed that most Christians are far more open minded than the few big mouthed cowboys-for-Christ who always seem to find a microphone.
The upshot of the whole Dobson-related editorial was the simple fact that a few media-loving, overbearing “Christian” commentators are finally seen to be far less than the spokespeople for Christ and Christianity. It turns out Dobson, Robertson, et al. don't speak for most of us, and even many conservative evangelicals are turning away from them! WHO KNEW?!? Well, lots of us did.
Christ was the model of compassion, reason and inclusion, and progressive Christians have been a major force of positive – dare I say evolutionary – change ever since. We fight to free the oppressed. We serve the poor. We cared for the earth when green was a mere color, not the hot new destination. In this country, we were the Spiritual push behind public education, independence, abolition, temperance/women's suffrage, fair labor standards, the Civil Rights movement and so much more. We were among the first on the scene in New Orleans, China and Myanmar, and will most likely be among the last to leave. We started the School of the America's protest and Habitat for Humanity, as well as founding Princeton, Harvard and Yale Universities. Some of us are gay. Some of us are blue-eyed, or left-handed, or from Gdansk. Millions of us know our Bibles, vote our consciences and live our faiths gently, with conviction, though not necessarily in 100% agreement. Some of our brethren disown us and claim we will rot in hell, but God is still speaking to us and through us.
All of this without 1-800 numbers, the wholesale demonizing of people we don't understand, or the use of the words God and hate on the same placard. Sure, we've occasionally taken a back seat, but only to offer another child of God their rightful place at the front of the bus.
We are followers of Christ! Doers of the Word!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Jesus' Tasty Fish Sandwiches!
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools... -- Ecclesiastes 5:1
I received two interesting “religious” mailings last week.
One came from a mega-church in Oklahoma, whose name I will not mention to avoid giving them any sort of publicity. The mailing included several pieces, the centerpieces of which were a small, paper “prayer rug” and a sealed envelope containing “my very own, personal prophecy.” (The instructions insisted I not open the prophecy until I had knelt on the prayer rug (or I could “simply touch it to my knees”) and contacted the church via phone or return card...so I, of course, ripped the prophecy envelope open immediately. Turns out God is waiting for me to step forward in faith so HE can RICHLY REWARD ME! At the bottom of the SACRED PROPHECY were detailed instructions for “stepping forward in faith” through a generous donation.) Also included was a picture of a gazillion squeaky-clean, Sunday-best, Southwestern white folk standing in front of their arena/sanctuary, fairly blinding the cameraman with their Pepsodent smiles. I don't know if they all swallowed this idiocy, or were only hoping I would. The whole piece was screaming the question: WHAT CAN GOD DO TO HELP ME HERE????
I have grown so tired of slick Prosperity Gospel hucksters. I liken them to those folks who were following Jesus for the tasty, miraculous fish sandwiches (John 6:26 - after the loaves and fishes miracle, a throng seeks out Jesus in Capernaum and he says to them: "...you are looking for me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.") Just look at what we can get from God! Praise the Lord and pass the tarter sauce!
The second mailing I received was a humble, computer-generated newsletter from Ecclesia Ministries of Newburgh (New York). Full disclosure: this ministry is master-minded by UCC-ordained clergy...one of our guys. The newsletter was filled with stories of recovery and rehabilitation. One of the group's board members was pushing a shopping cart full of empty cans around Newburgh trying to buy his next drink just two years ago. He and several others have been sent through reputable rehab programs and are now rebuilding their lives as they help others do the same. The mailing focused on a building they are reclaiming for street ministries and shelter space. There were two “asks” in this piece. The first was an invitation to come learn how street ministry is done: visit them and spend a weekend in ministry in September (“we hope that as many as ten of you will join us...”) so you could go back to your own city and set up a similar ministry. The second ask was for money, of course, but not to enter some sort of Holy Ghost lottery that would bring about a jackpot for yourself. No, they asked for money to help them finish the shelter, support and expand outreach ministries, and rescue more addicts and misfits from the streets. The whole piece was screaming the question: WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP GOD HERE???
So you tell me, which of the above questions is the more faithful to ask?
The primary focus of the follower of Christ must be on feeding the flock, not feeding the face.
P.S. Ecclesia Ministries of Newburgh, P.O. Box 1621, Newburgh NY 12551-1621
www.Ecclesia-Newburgh.org
I received two interesting “religious” mailings last week.
One came from a mega-church in Oklahoma, whose name I will not mention to avoid giving them any sort of publicity. The mailing included several pieces, the centerpieces of which were a small, paper “prayer rug” and a sealed envelope containing “my very own, personal prophecy.” (The instructions insisted I not open the prophecy until I had knelt on the prayer rug (or I could “simply touch it to my knees”) and contacted the church via phone or return card...so I, of course, ripped the prophecy envelope open immediately. Turns out God is waiting for me to step forward in faith so HE can RICHLY REWARD ME! At the bottom of the SACRED PROPHECY were detailed instructions for “stepping forward in faith” through a generous donation.) Also included was a picture of a gazillion squeaky-clean, Sunday-best, Southwestern white folk standing in front of their arena/sanctuary, fairly blinding the cameraman with their Pepsodent smiles. I don't know if they all swallowed this idiocy, or were only hoping I would. The whole piece was screaming the question: WHAT CAN GOD DO TO HELP ME HERE????
I have grown so tired of slick Prosperity Gospel hucksters. I liken them to those folks who were following Jesus for the tasty, miraculous fish sandwiches (John 6:26 - after the loaves and fishes miracle, a throng seeks out Jesus in Capernaum and he says to them: "...you are looking for me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.") Just look at what we can get from God! Praise the Lord and pass the tarter sauce!
The second mailing I received was a humble, computer-generated newsletter from Ecclesia Ministries of Newburgh (New York). Full disclosure: this ministry is master-minded by UCC-ordained clergy...one of our guys. The newsletter was filled with stories of recovery and rehabilitation. One of the group's board members was pushing a shopping cart full of empty cans around Newburgh trying to buy his next drink just two years ago. He and several others have been sent through reputable rehab programs and are now rebuilding their lives as they help others do the same. The mailing focused on a building they are reclaiming for street ministries and shelter space. There were two “asks” in this piece. The first was an invitation to come learn how street ministry is done: visit them and spend a weekend in ministry in September (“we hope that as many as ten of you will join us...”) so you could go back to your own city and set up a similar ministry. The second ask was for money, of course, but not to enter some sort of Holy Ghost lottery that would bring about a jackpot for yourself. No, they asked for money to help them finish the shelter, support and expand outreach ministries, and rescue more addicts and misfits from the streets. The whole piece was screaming the question: WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP GOD HERE???
So you tell me, which of the above questions is the more faithful to ask?
The primary focus of the follower of Christ must be on feeding the flock, not feeding the face.
P.S. Ecclesia Ministries of Newburgh, P.O. Box 1621, Newburgh NY 12551-1621
www.Ecclesia-Newburgh.org
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
It's been more than a month since I posted! Here is a piece that responds to one of those chain e-mails. I get a lot of these from folks in my church. Sometimes they are looking for my response. Sometimes I think they just want to tweak me!
Anyway, here is the chain letter from "Angry Woman," purportedly a New Jersey housewife. I print it in its entirety, followed by each section of the letter, with my response attached. It's a bit of a slog, but I look forward to responses and dialogue after...
WOW! WHAT A LETTER! Letter from one 'Angry Woman'
I don't know who wrote it but they should have signed it. Some powerful words. This woman should run for president.
Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady.
Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they? And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was 'desecrated' when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?...Well, I don't. I don't care at all. I'll start caring when Osama bin Lade n turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for chopping off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat. I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide.
I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights. In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care. When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliate d in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care. When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed 'special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.
And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and-you guessed it-I don't care!! If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior! If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country!
And may I add: 'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem' -- Ronald Reagan I have another quote that I would like to add AND.......I hope you forward all this. 'If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under' Also by.. Ronald Reagan
One last thought for the day: In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England 's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said: 'A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON,
AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM.
AMEN!
Now, Corey's response:
Good morning, everybody. At first I just hit the delete button on this e-mail. But, after sleeping on it I realized how many of the people on this list of recipients I know and respect, especially the lovely lady who sent it to me. I also thought of my father-in-law, involved in 11 invasions in the Pacific Theatre in World War II, and how this angry woman questions HIS patriotism under her wide, dark net of anger. So, meaning no offense, this is one proud American's response. As I read through her whole letter, will you read through mine and respond as you see fit?
WOW! WHAT A LETTER!
Letter from one 'Angry Woman' I don't know who wrote it but they should have signed it. Some powerful words. This woman should run for president. Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady.
'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Yes, we are fighting terrorism...but "the War on Terror" is a mere slogan if you use as a cover to simply kill Arab Muslims, regardless of their involvement in the 9/11 atrocities. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. This is not a matter for debate. It is a simple, irrefutable FACT. Saddam Hussein and Wahabi Muslims HATED each other. There was no connection. Those boys were mostly from Saudi Arabia, which HATED Saddam Hussein. The sick minds who planned and promoted the whole thing continue to hole up in Afghanistan and Pakistan. If you want to fight a war on terror, don't open up new fronts away from and unrelated to the battle!
Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutallymurdered that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from ournation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they? Yes, they were and they did...and it was a terrible tragedy. They were killed by a group of hateful, evil, deluded men (mostly Saudi extremists) who, with their evil leader of the same extremist sect, have embraced murder and mayhem as the best way to get their point across. We Americans know better than to behave like that in the world, right?
And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was 'desecrated' when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?...Well, I don't. I don't care at all. Well you should. You're an American, aren't you? You should care that our American soldiers are overworked and under-equipped. You should care that they have been stretched to the limit. You should care that they are being placed in hazardous duty without adequate training or a clear mission. You should care that anyone in the world should see America as anything but tolerant of religious freedom. You should care that American's would hold men in prison without trial for five or more years. We're Americans. We're the ones who care about human rights!
I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. That's not how it works. The bringers of justice never set justice aside. Lovers of liberty never fail to respect it. Americans should never tie their behavior to the actions of the likes of Osama bin Laden. That would be un-American.
I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia This, too, lowers you to the level of the fanatic. The terrorists are angry at a few, so they'll lash out at anybody under the same flag. You're angry at a few, so you'll lash out at anybody under the same religion.
I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for chopping off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat. Again, a sick, terrible thing, but do you really want to sink to that mindless level? It is not only the terrorists who are dying, but tens of thousands of innocents! The terrorists weren't in Iraq. They came there to fight us, tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi men, women and children are dying. They had a terrible time under brutal Saddam Hussein, but they are suffering mightily under our occupation, too!
I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. Oh! You were so close to getting this right, but your anger blinded you! Much of the Muslim world is incensed at the actions of these few radicals. If you and I care about the innocent Muslims and the sanctity of their faith, THEN we will be seen as heroes and liberators. If we continue to make everyone suffer for the crimes of the few, we'll just be lumped in with the terrorists. If you're waiting for extremists to change before you will show any compassion, then you have just become an extremist yourself. CARE NOW!
I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide. The mindless are incapable of caring. To tie your actions to their thinking only makes you mindless, too.
I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights. And I would say the American media has given the Bush Administration and the congress a pass on this whole Iraq War. I would say the mainstream media is not free -- it is bought and paid for by the military-industrial complex Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about. The Main Stream Media was fairly giddy about the buildup to war, what with all their flashy graphics, their spiked ratings, and their "embedded" reporters. They failed us, and the many who gave their lives for a free and independent press.
In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care. Care about the Marine and the honor code he swore to and believes in, but which he has been ordered to disregard.
When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliate d in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care. Care for American justice and our reputation in the world. Humiliation at gunpoint and in front of snarling guard dogs under people who have the very power of life and death over you is unlike any hazing incident of which I have ever heard. Beyond that, when I was in college, I avoided the kind of alcoholic,frat-house idiots who pulled hazing rituals. Please don't suggest the men and women of our armed forces are simple, frat-boy jerks, or under-estimate the power of American ideals in this world by excusing inexcusable behavior...especially when the suits and officers who gave the orders stepped back and let the enlisted men and women take the hit on the whole sordid mess! Care about the soldiers who were abandoned by their leaders and had their military careers and lives ruined for this! Care about the Muslims who were trying to support us and our cause, but then had to explain how the "liberators" could do such things to people who hadn't even been brought to trial, and in the very same prison infamous for Saddam Hussein's evil deeds of like nature! Wake up and care about the world beyond your nose!
When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:I don't care. Care about the soldier forced to make such a terrible decision in the heat of battle. I have a nephew who went to this war an upstanding, upbeat young man, and who came back from this war scarred and troubled. You should care about what our boys and girls have to do over there to survive. We knew this was going to be a chaotic bloodbath before we went in:
"I would guess if we had gone in there, I would still have forces in Baghdad today. We'd be running the country. We would not have been able to get everybody out and bring everybody home.
"And the final point that I think needs to be made is this question of casualties. I don't think you could have done all of that without significant additional U.S. casualties. And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the low cost of the conflict, for the 146 Americans who were killed in action and for their families, it wasn't a cheap war.
"And the question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam (Hussein) worth? And the answer is not that damned many. So, I think we got it right, both when we decided to expel him from Kuwait, but also when the president made the decision that we'd achieved our objectives and we were not going to go get bogged down in the problems of trying to take over and govern Iraq..."
-- Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, August, 1992, when asked why President George H. W. Bush didn't march on to Baghdad.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed 'special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care. Care and be proud that that prisoner knew enough about our nation to expect better from Americans. I do, too.
And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and-you guessed it-I don'tcare!! In all your anger, you don't care about much, do you? People are different. Places are different. You can't "bring freedom to the world" without recognizing and respecting these differences. Don't make the mistake of considering willful ignorance a sign of strength and patriotism. That's the flaw of the extremist.
If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior! If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! Your methods give them new excuses and recruitment videos. You want to create new terrorists? Tell the world you don't care about the Muslim faith, imprisonment without trial, torture and the death of tens of thousands of innocent civilians who were never in any way connected to 9-11. Good God, wise up, Angry Woman!
And may I add: 'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem' -- Ronald Reagan
I have another quote that I would like to add AND.......I hope you forward all this.
'If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under' Also by.. Ronald Reagan
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.
Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.
The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets, but a test of wills and ideas -- a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated.
-- You guessed it, all quotes from President Reagan!
One last thought for the day: In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England 's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said: 'A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in...And how many want out.'
Those who insist on holding America and Americans to the very highest standards are the true patriots. As Americans, we are born not simply privileged. We are born RESPONSIBLE. Care for the world and its people is the first, best test to determine a true American... and a true follower of Christ, for that matter!
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ He did not die for our anger and ignorance. He died FROM our anger and ignorance.
2. The American G. I. The least we could do is uphold the high ideals they died for!
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
I would add a third: the American Activist, who died for our freedom and our weakest members (who the Apostle Paul instructed us to honor the most). It is the activist who keeps our government honest, our citizens aware and inspired, and our outcasts welcomed into American society with all its freedoms and responsibilities. It is the American Activist who won Angry Woman her right to vote. It is the American Activist who insisted on freedom and a voice for all citizens. It is the American Activist who integrated our military. It is the American Activist who demanded body armor and armored vehicles for our soldiers. It is the American Activist who is demanding better care for our wounded veterans and A NEW G.I. BILL. We have already seen what happens if we blindly entrust the care of our veterans, National Guard and enlisted soldiers to our government: budget cuts, under-equipping and unnecessary death and injury. Thank you, American Activist, for truly supporting our truths (and troops), not just slapping a ribbon on your car and pretending you've done something to help!
YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON,
AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM.
AMEN!
I wish you all peace as only God can give. Pray for our world. Work for its well-being.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed through the renewing of your mind in Christ Jesus. -- Romans 12:2
Rev. Corey Keyes
Anyway, here is the chain letter from "Angry Woman," purportedly a New Jersey housewife. I print it in its entirety, followed by each section of the letter, with my response attached. It's a bit of a slog, but I look forward to responses and dialogue after...
WOW! WHAT A LETTER! Letter from one 'Angry Woman'
I don't know who wrote it but they should have signed it. Some powerful words. This woman should run for president.
Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady.
Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they? And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was 'desecrated' when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?...Well, I don't. I don't care at all. I'll start caring when Osama bin Lade n turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for chopping off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat. I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide.
I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights. In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care. When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliate d in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care. When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed 'special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.
And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and-you guessed it-I don't care!! If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior! If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country!
And may I add: 'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem' -- Ronald Reagan I have another quote that I would like to add AND.......I hope you forward all this. 'If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under' Also by.. Ronald Reagan
One last thought for the day: In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England 's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said: 'A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON,
AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM.
AMEN!
Now, Corey's response:
Good morning, everybody. At first I just hit the delete button on this e-mail. But, after sleeping on it I realized how many of the people on this list of recipients I know and respect, especially the lovely lady who sent it to me. I also thought of my father-in-law, involved in 11 invasions in the Pacific Theatre in World War II, and how this angry woman questions HIS patriotism under her wide, dark net of anger. So, meaning no offense, this is one proud American's response. As I read through her whole letter, will you read through mine and respond as you see fit?
WOW! WHAT A LETTER!
Letter from one 'Angry Woman' I don't know who wrote it but they should have signed it. Some powerful words. This woman should run for president. Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady.
'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Yes, we are fighting terrorism...but "the War on Terror" is a mere slogan if you use as a cover to simply kill Arab Muslims, regardless of their involvement in the 9/11 atrocities. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. This is not a matter for debate. It is a simple, irrefutable FACT. Saddam Hussein and Wahabi Muslims HATED each other. There was no connection. Those boys were mostly from Saudi Arabia, which HATED Saddam Hussein. The sick minds who planned and promoted the whole thing continue to hole up in Afghanistan and Pakistan. If you want to fight a war on terror, don't open up new fronts away from and unrelated to the battle!
Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutallymurdered that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from ournation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they? Yes, they were and they did...and it was a terrible tragedy. They were killed by a group of hateful, evil, deluded men (mostly Saudi extremists) who, with their evil leader of the same extremist sect, have embraced murder and mayhem as the best way to get their point across. We Americans know better than to behave like that in the world, right?
And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was 'desecrated' when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?...Well, I don't. I don't care at all. Well you should. You're an American, aren't you? You should care that our American soldiers are overworked and under-equipped. You should care that they have been stretched to the limit. You should care that they are being placed in hazardous duty without adequate training or a clear mission. You should care that anyone in the world should see America as anything but tolerant of religious freedom. You should care that American's would hold men in prison without trial for five or more years. We're Americans. We're the ones who care about human rights!
I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. That's not how it works. The bringers of justice never set justice aside. Lovers of liberty never fail to respect it. Americans should never tie their behavior to the actions of the likes of Osama bin Laden. That would be un-American.
I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia This, too, lowers you to the level of the fanatic. The terrorists are angry at a few, so they'll lash out at anybody under the same flag. You're angry at a few, so you'll lash out at anybody under the same religion.
I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for chopping off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat. Again, a sick, terrible thing, but do you really want to sink to that mindless level? It is not only the terrorists who are dying, but tens of thousands of innocents! The terrorists weren't in Iraq. They came there to fight us, tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi men, women and children are dying. They had a terrible time under brutal Saddam Hussein, but they are suffering mightily under our occupation, too!
I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. Oh! You were so close to getting this right, but your anger blinded you! Much of the Muslim world is incensed at the actions of these few radicals. If you and I care about the innocent Muslims and the sanctity of their faith, THEN we will be seen as heroes and liberators. If we continue to make everyone suffer for the crimes of the few, we'll just be lumped in with the terrorists. If you're waiting for extremists to change before you will show any compassion, then you have just become an extremist yourself. CARE NOW!
I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide. The mindless are incapable of caring. To tie your actions to their thinking only makes you mindless, too.
I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights. And I would say the American media has given the Bush Administration and the congress a pass on this whole Iraq War. I would say the mainstream media is not free -- it is bought and paid for by the military-industrial complex Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about. The Main Stream Media was fairly giddy about the buildup to war, what with all their flashy graphics, their spiked ratings, and their "embedded" reporters. They failed us, and the many who gave their lives for a free and independent press.
In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care. Care about the Marine and the honor code he swore to and believes in, but which he has been ordered to disregard.
When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliate d in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care. Care for American justice and our reputation in the world. Humiliation at gunpoint and in front of snarling guard dogs under people who have the very power of life and death over you is unlike any hazing incident of which I have ever heard. Beyond that, when I was in college, I avoided the kind of alcoholic,frat-house idiots who pulled hazing rituals. Please don't suggest the men and women of our armed forces are simple, frat-boy jerks, or under-estimate the power of American ideals in this world by excusing inexcusable behavior...especially when the suits and officers who gave the orders stepped back and let the enlisted men and women take the hit on the whole sordid mess! Care about the soldiers who were abandoned by their leaders and had their military careers and lives ruined for this! Care about the Muslims who were trying to support us and our cause, but then had to explain how the "liberators" could do such things to people who hadn't even been brought to trial, and in the very same prison infamous for Saddam Hussein's evil deeds of like nature! Wake up and care about the world beyond your nose!
When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:I don't care. Care about the soldier forced to make such a terrible decision in the heat of battle. I have a nephew who went to this war an upstanding, upbeat young man, and who came back from this war scarred and troubled. You should care about what our boys and girls have to do over there to survive. We knew this was going to be a chaotic bloodbath before we went in:
"I would guess if we had gone in there, I would still have forces in Baghdad today. We'd be running the country. We would not have been able to get everybody out and bring everybody home.
"And the final point that I think needs to be made is this question of casualties. I don't think you could have done all of that without significant additional U.S. casualties. And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the low cost of the conflict, for the 146 Americans who were killed in action and for their families, it wasn't a cheap war.
"And the question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam (Hussein) worth? And the answer is not that damned many. So, I think we got it right, both when we decided to expel him from Kuwait, but also when the president made the decision that we'd achieved our objectives and we were not going to go get bogged down in the problems of trying to take over and govern Iraq..."
-- Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, August, 1992, when asked why President George H. W. Bush didn't march on to Baghdad.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed 'special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care. Care and be proud that that prisoner knew enough about our nation to expect better from Americans. I do, too.
And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and-you guessed it-I don'tcare!! In all your anger, you don't care about much, do you? People are different. Places are different. You can't "bring freedom to the world" without recognizing and respecting these differences. Don't make the mistake of considering willful ignorance a sign of strength and patriotism. That's the flaw of the extremist.
If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior! If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! Your methods give them new excuses and recruitment videos. You want to create new terrorists? Tell the world you don't care about the Muslim faith, imprisonment without trial, torture and the death of tens of thousands of innocent civilians who were never in any way connected to 9-11. Good God, wise up, Angry Woman!
And may I add: 'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem' -- Ronald Reagan
I have another quote that I would like to add AND.......I hope you forward all this.
'If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under' Also by.. Ronald Reagan
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.
Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.
The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets, but a test of wills and ideas -- a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated.
-- You guessed it, all quotes from President Reagan!
One last thought for the day: In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England 's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said: 'A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in...And how many want out.'
Those who insist on holding America and Americans to the very highest standards are the true patriots. As Americans, we are born not simply privileged. We are born RESPONSIBLE. Care for the world and its people is the first, best test to determine a true American... and a true follower of Christ, for that matter!
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ He did not die for our anger and ignorance. He died FROM our anger and ignorance.
2. The American G. I. The least we could do is uphold the high ideals they died for!
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
I would add a third: the American Activist, who died for our freedom and our weakest members (who the Apostle Paul instructed us to honor the most). It is the activist who keeps our government honest, our citizens aware and inspired, and our outcasts welcomed into American society with all its freedoms and responsibilities. It is the American Activist who won Angry Woman her right to vote. It is the American Activist who insisted on freedom and a voice for all citizens. It is the American Activist who integrated our military. It is the American Activist who demanded body armor and armored vehicles for our soldiers. It is the American Activist who is demanding better care for our wounded veterans and A NEW G.I. BILL. We have already seen what happens if we blindly entrust the care of our veterans, National Guard and enlisted soldiers to our government: budget cuts, under-equipping and unnecessary death and injury. Thank you, American Activist, for truly supporting our truths (and troops), not just slapping a ribbon on your car and pretending you've done something to help!
YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON,
AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM.
AMEN!
I wish you all peace as only God can give. Pray for our world. Work for its well-being.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed through the renewing of your mind in Christ Jesus. -- Romans 12:2
Rev. Corey Keyes
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