Owner: the mindful mission URL:http://www.mindfulmission.com Join Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:34:02 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: One white, middle-class male's attempt to reconcile the deep inequalities of the world. the mindful mission looks at the intersection between faith, politics, culture, and justice. Site statistics:Click here
Free Derek Webb 2006-12-03 14:29:05 If you haven't gone over to FreeDerek
Webb.com and downloaded his Mockingbird CD, you better go soon.
You have one more week (until December 8th), so head over there and grab one of the most important CDs in a long time.
It is that good. Go find out for yourself.
WTF? 2006-12-04 17:14:24 I have gotten at least five search engine hits in the last day about Barack Obama being the anti-Christ.
I hope they are not serious...
Bolton Resigns!!!! 2006-12-04 17:08:31 Well this is great news:
U.N. Ambassador John Bolton
To Step Down:Unable to win Senate confirmation, U.N. Ambassador John Bolton will step down when his temporary appointment expires soon, the White House said Monday.The Bolton nomination was not a good idea when Republicans controlled the confirmation process. Now that the Dems are running things, it was a lost cause.
And good news for those that value the United Nations and diplomacy.
Don't Ever Let It Stop 2006-12-04 17:03:58 Don't ever let it stop wrecking you.I went to Willow Creek Community Church yesterday, as my new nephew (and Godson) was being dedicated. Actually, I was at the McHenry County "satellite" of the church.
Some of my long time readers will remember that I grew up at Willow Creek, attending the church through junior high and high school. Willow Creek is essentially the "Godfather" of the megachurch/church growth movement. The church is around 20,000 strong, and has now started regional centers around the Chicagoland area in order to better serve the communities around them.
I have a lot of major issues with Willow Creek. Having spent so much time at the church as a student leader, I observed many different things at the church. And I learned a lot - both good and bad. But that is not what this post is about.
Yesterday's services was about the AIDS crisis and what Willow is doing about it. Over the last few years Willow has established relationships with churches and other orga
One Bank? 2006-12-05 17:58:06 I am not really sure what to say about this [hat tip The Homeless Guy]. I would think it was a joke, but the singer takes himself so seriously, as does the audience. Kinda' scary:
What's He Thinking? 2006-12-05 17:54:53 You know...if Jim Wallis really wants to be seen as non-partisan, maybe he shouldn't do the Weekly Democratic Radio Address?
I don't get it. I am a big fan of Wallis, and believe that he has a lot to bring to the political conversation. But he continually claims to not be a Democrat or a Republican. He even said his in the address:I want to be clear that I am not speaking for the Democratic Party, but as a person of faith who feels the hunger in America for a new vision of our life together, and sees the opportunity to apply our best moral values to the urgent problems we faceWhat?!? You are giving the Weekly Democratic Radio Address!! How are you not speaking for the Democrats?
I really don't get it.
Losing in Iraq? 2006-12-05 17:13:43 The Robert Gates confirmation hearings are today, and something interesting occurred:Asked if he thought the United States was winning the war in Iraq
, Defense secretary nominee Robert Gates answered with a simple "no."Now, this is interesting because it is true. What is interesting is that it is coming from a conservative nominee.
In recent months conservatives, and specifically Republicans, have done everything that they could to paint those critical of the war in Iraq as traitorous or something like that. Anytime a "liberal" would criticize the efforts in Iraq, bring attention to negatives (whether individual troop actions or overall issues in the country), or make claims of civil war they have been criticized by the right. This has even happened on this blog:I for one struggle to see how this is not to be seen on some level as helping the enemy... and maybe doesn't display outright hatred of America but there is something there.So this is my question. Are conservatives goin
Kos Calls 2008 Election 2006-12-05 22:25:08 I know, it is a bit early, but Kos has called the 2008 presidential election for Obama. Read more:Election
Iraq study Group 2006-12-06 20:46:36 Well...the Iraq
study Group
report was released today, and it sure wasn't surprising.
It essentially said that the Bush Administration's strategy was a failure, and that a new direction is needed.
It also would like to see the U.S. attempt to significantly reduce troop levels.
But of course, the White House is downplaying the report, almost assuring that they will not take the report seriously.
But at least we have more people starting to publically challenge the Bush Administration's action in Iraq.
Your Neighbor 2006-12-07 16:34:41 Hugo has a great post up on the sex offender as your neighbor:Let me be very, very, clear: from a Christian perspective, sex offenders are “our neighbors”; we are called to love them and to live in community with them. Should a registered sex offender wish to buy a town home in our condo complex, I would welcome him as I would welcome any other neighbor. ...
I hate the whole idea of making sex offender registries public. Let me be clear that I am not a sex offender, and indeed, most of the crimes that these men have committed appall and disgust me. But I can be disgusted by an action and still love, welcome, and live in community with the man who committed that act.Sex offenders are some of the most hated members of society, and life becomes very difficult for those who have back living in communities after they have served their prison time.
I have talked about issues related to the ostracization (Is that a word? It should be...) of sex offenders before:
Killing Sex Of Read more:Neighbor
Punishment and Inequality 2006-12-07 16:56:52
TAP has a great Q&A with Bruce Western, a professor of sociology at Princeton University, who wrote Punishment
And Inequality
in America.
The book (and interview) specifically look at the effect that the American prison system has on the young black male population.
The current prison/criminal justice system is broken. This country incarcerates a higher percentage of its population than any other country in the world. Among those who are incarcerated, minorities, and specifically black males, are disproportionately represented. Many would think that this would correlate to an idea that blacks commit more crimes, but this is not necessarily true, at least at the rates they are imprisoned.
The biggest problem is that few want to really do something about a broken justice system for fear that they may be see as "not tough on crime." On top of that, the population most affected - young black males - currently has little voice into the political world where change could occ
Manliness and Godliness 2006-12-08 17:28:17 The LA Times has a disturbing article on a new trend in Evangelicalism - "manliness" [hat tip Myste]:Hold hands with strangers? Sing love songs to Jesus? No wonder pews across America hold far more women than men, Stine says. Factor in the pressure to be a "Christian nice guy" — no cussing, no confrontation, in tune with the wife's emotions — and it's amazing men keep the faith at all.Well...we have some problems. First, I find it incredibly disturbing that cussing, confrontation, and lack of emotions are equated with manliness. Why is it that men are so uncomfortable with their emotion? Because they are taught by society, and the church, that men should be "strong" and unemotional. Why is that men want to be confrontational? Because men are taught that men solve their problems by confrontation instead of talking (kind like bombs over diplomacy).
And then we have John Eldridge:John Eldredge, a seminal writer for the movement, goes further in "Wild At Heart," his b
26 years ago 2006-12-08 16:44:31 26 years ago John Lennon died.
Why do the greatest all seem to die so young?
Crime News 2006-12-09 16:44:06
Sen. Arlen Specter and Patrick Leahy on Tuesday introduced S. 4081 to eliminate the habeas corpus- stripping provisions of the Military Commissions Act. This is an absolute must. Habeas corpus is essential to a fair criminal justice system.
Prison Deaths: A National Shame:While the alleged human rights abuses of prisoners detained in Guantánamo Bay and the Middle East have sparked widespread criticism and debate in this country and abroad, surprisingly little attention has been focused on the treatment of citizens imprisoned within our borders. Each year, approximately 7,000 Americans die in U.S. prisons and jails. Some of these deaths are from natural causes, but many more result from mental disorders left undiagnosed and diseases left untreated.Some of you do not care. They are prisoners, criminals, and you would say they do not deserve anything. But it is more than sad that in the United States people die because they are left untreated in prison. What is more sad is that
The Innocent Man - a movie? 2006-12-09 17:52:18 John Grisham's recent book - The Innocent
Man (which I reviewed here) is going to be turned into a movie
!
This is great news, and will be something that could really bring attention to the fact that innocent people are convicted of crimes and even sentenced to death.
Sunday Worship - A Message 2006-12-10 21:07:37 No lyrics today, but a little sermonette instead.
From The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical (which I wrote about here) [hat tip welcome to the story], by Shane Claiborne:When people begin moving beyond charity and toward justice and solidarity with the poor and oppressed, as Jesus did, they get in trouble. Once we are actually friends with folks in struggle, we start to ask why people are poor, which is never as popular as giving to charity. One of my friends has a shirt marked with the words of late Catholic bishop Dom Helder Camara: “When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked why people are hungry, they called me a communist.”
Charity wins awards and applause, but joining the poor gets you killed. People do not get crucified for charity. People are crucified for living out a love that disrupts the social order, that calls forth a new world. People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them. Read more:Sunday
, Message
An Appeal for Redress 2006-12-11 18:42:13
An Appeal
for Redress from the War in IraqMany active duty, reserve, and guard service members are concerned about the war in Iraq and support the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The Appeal for Redress provides a way in which individual service members can appeal to their Congressional Representative and US Senators to urge an end to the U.S. military occupation. The Appeal messages will be delivered to members of Congress at the time of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January 2007.
The wording of the Appeal for Redress is short and simple. It is patriotic and respectful in tone:
As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq . Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.I have written a ton about the war in Iraq over the last few years.
I was strongly opposed to the war from the
Another point for Obama 2006-12-11 17:52:06 Here is another reason to vote for Barack Obama
.
He may apologize to you for messing with your love life! Read more:point
Soy Makes You Gay 2006-12-12 17:17:42 Who knew?!
A devil food is turning our kids into homosexuals:The dangerous food I'm speaking of is soy. Soybean products are feminizing, and they're all over the place. You can hardly escape them anymore. ...
If you're a woman, you're flooding your system with a substance it can't handle in surplus. If you're a man, you're suppressing your masculinity and stimulating your "female side," physically and mentally. ...
Soy is feminizing, and commonly leads to a decrease in the size of the penis, sexual confusion and homosexuality. That's why most of the medical (not socio-spiritual) blame for today's rise in homosexuality must fall upon the rise in soy formula and other soy products.Wow...
I really do not know what to say.
Congratulations!! 2006-12-12 17:07:08 This is just a public congratulations to my brother for being named the new head varsity baseball coach at Prairie Ridge High School.
My brother is a great guy and a phenomenal coach, and will be very successful. Read more:Congratulations
Obama and Racist Attacks 2006-12-12 16:54:24 It looks like the Right is breaking out the racist attacks against Barack Obama
already:But, in the case of Obama, he may be walking around with a sartorial time bomb. Ask yourself, is there any other major public figure who dresses the way he does? Why, yes. It is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who, unlike most of his predecessors, seems to have skipped through enough copies of "GQ" to find the jacket-and-no-tie look agreeable.And then there is this:If you thought Obama's last name was enough of a political pitfall, get this: Last night on Hardball, GOP strategist Ed Rogers ridiculed a potential Obama candidacy by using — possibly for the first time on cable news — Obama's little-known and politically unfortunate middle name. "Count me down as somebody that underestimates Barack Hussein Obama," Rogers said.Well, it tells you one thing. Barack Obama scares the Right. Why? Because he can win.
So they will break out every attack they can. And the easy racially Read more:Racist
So you're saying there's a chance 2006-12-12 17:24:32 Gore has not ruled out a Presidential run in 2008:"I am not planning to run for president again," Gore said last week, arguing that his focus is raising public awareness about global warming and its dire effects. Then, he added: "I haven't completely ruled it out."I would love to see an Edwards/Obama (or Obama/Edwards) ticket.
But even more so, I would love to see a Gore/Obama ticket. Read more:saying
, chance
Mouw's Musings 2006-12-13 17:50:08 Dr. Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Seminary, has a blog: Mouw's Musings
.
I have always has respect for Dr. Mouw, so this could be a worthwhile read.
Kucinich is Running 2006-12-13 17:43:08 This was hinted at in the comments, but here it is officially:
Kucinich
Launches Presidential Bid:Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich launched his second bid for president on Tuesday, a long-shot candidacy fueled by his frustration with his party's effort to end the Iraq war.Kucinich is almost guaranteed to be the most progressive candidate among the Democrats, and in turn is an extreme long-shot to win the primary. Jeralyn, over at Talk Left, asserts that Kucinich has the best record on criminal justice issues, which is definitely exciting. In turn, if Kucinich is taken seriously, he will do wonders for the primary campaign. Even as a long shot, he will still bring a progressive and liberal perspective to the table. he could force to conversation, which would be a very good idea
Muslims are unfit for office 2006-12-13 22:33:18 From Judge Roy Moore:Muslim Ellison should not sit in Congress
Enough evidence exists for Congress to question Ellison's qualifications to be a member of Congress as well as his commitment to the Constitution in view of his apparent determination to embrace the Quran and an Islamic philosophy directly contrary to the principles of the Constitution. But common sense alone dictates that in the midst of a war with Islamic terrorists we should not place someone in a position of great power who shares their doctrine.Wow.
This guy has gone crazy. Read more:Muslims
, office
End of the Religious Right? 2008-03-10 10:32:01 E.J. Dionne has an article asserting that the era of the Religious Right
is over:The era of the religious right is over. Even absent the rise of urgent new problems, Americans had already reached a point of exhaustion with a religious style of politics that was dogmatic, partisan and ideological.I don't buy it.[...] Read more!
Foster Wins! 2008-03-08 21:02:29 Bill Foster
wins!
This is big news, as this was a heavily Republican district, and Foster won, with the help of people like Obama, Durbin, and Dan Seals, along with a large push from the internets and ground support from Labor.
I believe that this also means that Foster becomes a Super Delegate, meaning that Obama picks up another one!
Obama wins Wyoming! 2008-03-08 18:14:35 Woo!
Obama
wins big in Wyoming
!
This makes 13 of the last 16 states going to Obama.
Now lets end the day with a Foster win!
We Are The Ones 2008-03-08 12:43:28 [youtube]ghSJsEVf0pU[/youtube]
Recommend Site To A Friend
