What Does It Profit?

Appreciate the Holiday

2008-01-21T13:22:00.000-08:00

This is the audio from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s speech against the war in Vietnam. If you can, it is well worth taking the time to listen to his words in their entirety.

Please Pray for Lance!

2007-09-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

Please keep Lance and his family in your prayers as well as the families of the others in his unit.

Man's God given Nature and Task

2007-08-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

I know its been a long time since I posted last, sorry about that. But like Josh said earlier I was stranded without the internet in a beautiful place known as Hume Lake. Anyway, I’ve just started a new semester at Biola and am looking forward to the courses I’m taking, specifically my Intro to Philosophy class.

Today was our first night and we discussed the Cultural Mandate stated in Genesis 1:26-28 and how it applies to our contemporary society. There were two points of my professor’s lecture in particular that captured my attention and started my mind on a contemplative avalanche of sorts. The points focused on our relationship with God and how we as Christians are to then transfer that relationship to the world/society we live in. These ideas struck me as simple at first but as I continued to consider them they became increasingly meaningful.

He proposed that for the world we are to:
1) Mend what is broken
2) Tend what is beautiful

Do we carry out this function as Christians in our society (local & global)? And what would it look like to complete such a function more effectively?

I feel that the Christian community could do much more with these two simple tasks!!! What these tasks focus on is culture; human cultures contain elements that are both broken and beautiful. Sadly, many Christians seem to see only the broken aspects and in an attempt to avoid the clearly sinful nature of society completely distance themselves from anything that is distinctly "non-christian" (music, movies, art, news...). In the pure motives behind such action we have effectively broken contact with and destroyed many possibilities to relate with the nations that God asks us to make disciples of. So how can we maintain purity of heart and mind but still reach out to the lost in a relational way?

By attempting to mend what is broken in worldly culture. We are here as God's workmen, to be unashamed, so let us face the ills of fallen nature (the same fallen nature that we ALL are victim to) with the mindset of workmen, desiring to influence our society for the purpose of the King! God commands us to "GO", not to adopt an Isolationist approach to life. We cannot do the lost a greater disservice than to recede into our Christian bubble, content to simply listen to the Newsboys and go to church twice a week.

How can such a lifestyle be justified?! Sure it might very well be considered "Godly" by any number of church-goers but consider Matthew 25... if we are limited to our bubble, when will we visit those sick or in prison, or feed the hungry or clothe the naked? With all of the Christian radio to listen to and Sunday School to attend, when will we have the time to carry out such messy, relational, "in-your-face" tasks?

I am so deeply convicted of my own inaction it is with an extremely heavy heart that I bring up these points. As a student at a private Christian school its all too easy to fall into a mindless state of Christianity, so please do not mistake my previous comments as an attack at any specific group or person, if anything its a sad self-realization. So lets end our placid bubble living and make an attempt to honestly mend what is broken in today's culture!!!

Secondly we are to tend what is beautiful in this world. Because of our fear of infection, we so often miss out on much of culture that is absolutely amazing!!! God created each individual with their own talents wheather they choose to accept that fact or not. Let us focus on such talents when interacting with the lost, let us bring out and cultivate relationships that can emphasize the theme of God's creativity in each of us. Through such relationships God will make Himself evident. We must NOT limit God to passing out tracts and once a week "street evangelism"!!! When considering both points it is imperative that we look to the best example we could ever have for life, the example of Christ.

He lived a messy, personal, in-your-face life of ministry. He focused on the importance of connecting with individuals on cultural levels that they understood and embraced. There was no bubble of separation in His life but rather He integrated Himself into the culture of those he ministered to, not shying away from those that were viewed as unclean or unworthy. My hope is that the body of Christ can in time continue to move closer toward the example of its King.

Fighting Materialism Mentality Continued: The Value Of Stuff

2007-08-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

In continuing the conversation about fighting materialism (that seems to be my niche here), I just read an essay by Paul Graham that further emphasizes the limited value of stuff:

Stuff is an extremely illiquid asset. Unless you have some plan for selling that valuable thing you got so cheaply, what difference does it make what it's "worth?" The only way you're ever going to extract any value from it is to use it. And if you don't have any immediate use for it, you probably never will.
Companies that sell stuff have spent huge sums training us to think stuff is still valuable. But it would be closer to the truth to treat stuff as worthless.
In fact, worse than worthless, because once you've accumulated a certain amount of stuff, it starts to own you rather than the other way around. I know of one couple who couldn't retire to the town they preferred because they couldn't afford a place there big enough for all their stuff. Their house isn't theirs; it's their stuff's.

Summer Hiatus

2007-07-05T16:44:00.001-07:00

Most of you may not be aware that this blog is a joint effort between Matt and myself, Josh Mock, because Matt does do most of the talking. That's probably because I've only really written one post so far. I've mostly been doing little behind-the-scenes things and helping Matt out. And, in return, he bugs me on a regular basis to write more thought-provoking stuff here than I have been.

As you can see, though, this blog has been inactive for a couple months. This is because Matt is working at Hume for the summer. He is without Internet access for the most part, which not only makes it hard for him to update here, but also makes it difficult for him to badger me to write.

That said, I may have things to say here at some point, but don't hold your breath!

The Mindless Menace of Violence

2007-05-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from a speech given by Senator Robert F. Kennedy, his words are powerful and sadly, still very applicable to our lives today. Historically this speech was focused specifically on domestic issues but the concepts presented are more than able to be considered with a global mindset! Please allow yourself to read on with such a mindset.

"When you teach a man to hate and fear his brother, when you teach that he is a lesser man because of his color or his beliefs or the policies he pursues, when you teach that those who differ from you threaten your freedom or your job or your family, then you also learn to confront others not as fellow citizens but as enemies, to be met not with cooperation but with conquest; to be subjugated and mastered...

We must admit the vanity of our false distinctions among men and learn to find our own advancement in the search for the advancement of others. We must admit in ourselves that our own children's future cannot be built on the misfortunes of others. We must recognize that this short life can neither be ennobled or enriched by hatred or revenge.

Our lives on this planet are too short and the work to be done too great to let this spirit flourish any longer in our land. Of course we cannot vanquish it with a program, nor with a resolution.

But we can perhaps remember, if only for a time, that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek, as do we, nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and in happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.

Surely, this bond of common faith, this bond of common goal, can begin to teach us something. Surely, we can learn, at least, to look at those around us as fellow men, and surely we can begin to work a little harder to bind up the wounds among us and to become in our own hearts brothers and countrymen once again."

Fill us up and Send us Out!

2007-05-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

God of Justice (We Must Go)
by Tim Hughes

God of Justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

To act justly everyday
Loving mercy in everyway
Walking humbly before You God

You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord

The Difficult Truth

2007-05-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

President George W. Bush has said a "last big push" is needed in order to "win" the war on terror. I completely disagree with him on this. How can I say such an un-American thing? you may ask. Well if you will turn with me to Genesis 16:10-12 we can get God's take on the situation.

"Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, 'I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.'

And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
'Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your
affliction.

He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man's hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of
all his brethren."

Genesis 16:10-12 (NKJV)

Our executive leadership has entered us into an ancient struggle that will not simply end, or even decrease for that matter, when American military force is applied. I plead with God that He would grip that Texan's heart somehow and reveal the ultimate futility of this current situation. Only the Lord's return will bring about the cessation of this hell we find our world in today.

Imagine

2007-05-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent." -Mahatma Gandhi

“Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God”

2007-05-07T01:10:00.000-07:00

Is it ok to criticize the United States government? Often doing so will get mixed and intermingled with criticizing the military in the minds of those opposed to the expressed viewpoint. I have been asked in the past how I can have such “leftist” views with two of my best friends in the armed forces. It is horrible and unsupportive of me to not follow in blind submission the will of the powers at be. However I feel that such behavior is quite contrary to being unsupportive; in fact I would venture so far as to say it is even positively supportive of my military friends.

First off, we need to clarify the designed distinction between the men and women enlisted in the military and the executive powers that command them. Once we have established the military and executive power as two separate entities we may then move on to observe how criticism of the executive branch can actually be a supportive behavior toward enlisted men and women.

When our founding fathers began laying the groundwork for our nation, they strove to design a government in which power belonged to the people. In order to maintain this distribution of power it was not only encouraged but also expected that the citizens of this nation would stay informed and involved in matters regarding their government, and should a time come when the people did not agree with the actions of the acting government powers, our founding fathers saw it as the responsibility and obligation of the American people to speak out against their government and make their opinions heard. To sit by and disagree with the government in silence would be an offense most accurately regarded as treason!

(For clarification, nowhere does this concept of citizen rule mention the criticism of servicemen/women! Criticizing the military is a foolish and futile endeavor as it is an organization based solely on obeying a chain of command. Why pass judgment on workers when they are simply following the will of their manager?)

Some argue that to criticize the government is to devalue the blood shed by those on the battlefield; something only a “heartless leftist commy liberal freak” would be capable of doing. In reality questioning the actions and decisions of the government is actually fully embracing the freedom that those soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice for. What more could a person do to show their appreciation to these men and women but to live out their blessing of American freedom each day? Show our soldiers you are thankful for your freedom; let your voice be heard!

Fall Out Boy Put 'Money Where Our Mouth Is,' Plan Humanitarian Trip To Uganda

2007-05-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

This article was on MTV.com! Hopefully there will be more to come! Im not the biggest fan of Fall Out Boy but they are doing good things with what they have been blessed with.

On Saturday, more than 67,000 young activists took to the streets in 15 cities across the U.S., to raise awareness about the plight of refugees in Ugandan displacement camps. The funny thing is, once they were on those streets, they didn't leave.

Instead, they slept there, in impromptu villages made of cardboard, subsisting only on crackers and water, in a show of support for those displaced by the Ugandan government. And among those 67,000 activists was Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz.

The event was called Displace Me, organized by Invisible Children, a California nonprofit group aimed at providing education and economic opportunities to displaced children in the Central African nation, which for more than two decades has been suffering from a bloody civil war.

And after spending the night in a cardboard city in Southern California, Wentz felt he could do more to raise the profile of Invisible Children, which is why, when MTV News caught up with him at the opening of his new Angels & Kings bar in New York's East Village — he said Fall Out Boy are going to "put our money where our mouth is."

"People went and slept out in a little cardboard city ... and you could only bring one pack of crackers and a bottle of water. ... I don't feel like we got anywhere near what it's actually like, but ... it was an attempt at empathy," Wentz said. "So we got the shots [necessary to travel to] Africa, and we're going to go to Uganda in July. I'm pretty excited, but also a little nervous. I feel like I won't really understand it until I go there, and I think that there's no other chance for me to do that."

MTV.com

Uganda's daily rate of violent deaths is three times Iraq's

2007-04-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

The rate of violent deaths in war-ravaged northern Uganda is three times higher than in Iraq and the 20-year insurgency has cost $1.7bn (£980m), according to a report by 50 international and local agencies released today.

The violent death rate for northern Uganda is 146 deaths a week or 0.17 violent deaths per 10,000 people per day. This is three times higher than in Iraq, where the incidence of violent death was 0.052 per 10,000 people per day, says the report.

The Independent

Are We Asleep in the Light?

2007-04-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Read the lyrics to this song and ask yourself if it sounds familiar...

"Asleep in the Light" by Keith Green

Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down
Don't you care, don't you care
Are you gonna let them drown

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done

"Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord"
You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear

But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in,
Oh, can't you see it's such a sin?

Cause He brings people to your door,
And you turn them away
As you smile and say,
"God bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps
Cause Jesus came to your door
You've left him out on the streets

Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay

God's calling and you're the one
But like Jonah you run
He's told you to speak
But you keep holding it in,
Oh can't you see it's such a sin?

The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed

Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on, get out of your bed

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done

Don't close your eyes
Don't pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with Me my love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love.

Peace Takes Courage

2007-04-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

This video contains some very gruesome images but it does so in order to portray the harsh reality that our nation has taken part in creating in the Middle East. Left or Right, whatever you are, ask yourself one thing when watching this: what would Jesus do? Put aside whatever political agenda you ascribe to and really take the time to consider this question for yourself!

Why Should We Care?

2007-03-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

As Americans do we really care about the hurting that is going on around the world? We aren't directly affected by any of the suffering so what difference does it make? We may feel bad for the dirty kids on the occasional child sponsorship commercial, but such emotions fade quickly for most of us. The prospect of a new SUV with its fancy do-dads and ten mpg is just too tantalizing for us. We fall under the misperception that we "can't make a difference anyway", we assume that we have no influence on our government by the people and for the people. In my humble opinion this is an injustice to the very nature of government our founding fathers strove to create. As citizens of the United States, and ultimately citizens of the wolrd, we must not be content in our complacency! We must be willing to act if we expect the world to change. But first we must be able to see past that plasma screen and realize that there is more to the world than simply satisfying our seemingly insatiable American greed. Can we do that?

Fighting The Materialism Mentality

2007-03-28T00:46:00.000-07:00

"I have three things I'd like to say to you today," evangelist and author Tony Campolo proclaimed to an auditorium full of Christian college students. "First, while you were sleeping last night, twenty four thousand kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a shit. And third is that you're probably more upset with the fact that I said 'shit' than the fact that twenty four thousand kids died last night."

Campolo's intent is obviously to be offensive when he makes statements like that. His red herring is there in hopes that you ask yourself one question: Are you offended by things that are worth being offended about? Or do you only focus on things that have no lasting importance?

Swearing is a pretty trivial example, though, in comparison to other things that distract us from bigger issues. The one in particular that needs to be addressed more often is materialism. Focusing on our possessions and how to get more of them seems to be the chief goal of many, if not most, Americans.

The goal of this blog is to continually ask, "What does it profit?" I have yet to find any long-term benefit to a focus on material possessions. I challenge anyone to explain the long-term benefits of frivolous spending. And no, "fueling the economy" is not a valid answer; I highly doubt that's how you justified your tenth pair of shoes or your sixth $200 purse.

Another common justification is social status. When we own that nice car, that designer purse and those name-brand electronics, we feel like we're a part of some special club. But, again, what does that profit? If your goal in life is to feel important, you're only setting yourself up for others to envy you. The more status you have, the more likely you are to have enemies and people who pose as friends to take advantage of your position. Can you enjoy your status if you can't trust the people around you?

The problem is that buying stuff to make yourself happy is short-sighted. Most of us are aware that new purchases tend to not make us as happy for as long as we originally intended. Daniel Gilbert, a professor of psychology at Harvard and author of Stumbling On Happiness, has spent much of his professional life studying happiness, and what causes it versus what we think will cause it.

In The Futile Pursuit Of Happiness, an essay about Gilbert's work, Jon Gertner writes, "What Gilbert has found... is that we overestimate the intensity and the duration of our emotional reactions — our 'affect' — to future events. In other words, we might believe that a new BMW will make life perfect. But it will almost certainly be less exciting than we anticipated; nor will it excite us for as long as predicted." He continues:

Would a 20 percent raise or winning the lottery result in a contented life? You may predict it will, but almost surely it won't turn out that way. And a new plasma television? You may have high hopes, but the impact bias suggests that it will almost certainly be less cool, and in a shorter time, than you imagine. Worse, Gilbert has noted that these mistakes of expectation can lead directly to mistakes in choosing what we think will give us pleasure... A large body of research on well-being seems to suggest that wealth above middle-class comfort makes little difference to our happiness, for example... We often yearn for a roomy, isolated home (a thing we easily adapt to), when, in fact, it will probably compromise our happiness by distancing us from neighbors.

So why, if we can see concrete evidence suggesting that having stuff doesn't satisfy us, do we continue to buy into that lie? Why not take a proactive step when faced with the facts and stop putting all of your life's energy into a futile attempt at self-satisfaction?

The biggest obstacle in the way of solving many of the world's problems is our own selfishness. There's certainly enough money in the world that thousands of kids shouldn't have to die of starvation every day. The problem is that we think we'll find more long-term satisfaction in owning an iPod than in giving away that money when the inverse is more likely to be true. The effects of starvation on the other side of the world don't have an immediate effect on us, so we ignore a daily death toll for the sake of carrying our music in our pocket.

(And, by the way, that iPod money could feed a starving child for at least a year. Ending poverty and starvation is well within our reach.)

I don't want to sound "holier than thou," of course. I know I'm as much a culprit of materialism as anyone. I own an iPod. I sometimes wish I could drive a BMW. This is something we as Christians need to keep each other accountable to but rarely do. The New Testament is rife with commandments that oppose materialism and selfishness, and yet the sinful desire to own stuff is not looked down upon nearly as often as trivial things like using bad language, a topic that God's Word doesn't see the need to address nearly as often.

So, I would ask that if anyone has any comments of encouragement or suggestions as to how we can fight materialism and keep each other accountable in this fight, please leave them. And if anyone has any comments about the appropriateness of using the word "shit" on a Christian blog, please pause and ask yourself if you're being offended by things that really matter.

Displace Me LA

2007-03-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

April 28th is quickly approaching and more and more people are signing up to attend Displace Me nationwide!!! Look at your calendars and see if you can make it to LA for a weekend, what is a couple hours of driving to help save a life?! Don't be so mentally removed from your global community that you look past the suffering that can and must be ended! Sign up for Displace Me... sign up to help change the world!!!

Right? Left? Where does God stand?

2007-03-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

There is a question that I have been grappling with recently, I seem to have come to a conclusion but I am interested to hear what others think as well. The question as you may be able to tell by the title of this post, is simply, does God pick sides? Does He see one group as "better" than another? Is it possible to enter battle today and know that God is "on your side"? If so, why is America any more deserving of having God's support than anybody else? Are we not all just as fallen and just as sinful as the rest of the global population? I'm interested to hear what people have to say.

Updates on Uganda

2007-03-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

The humanitarian situation in northern Uganda is deteriorating as a result of heightened insecurity, general disruption of economic activities and ineffective coping mechanisms. Over 800,000 people are in dire need of relief assistance for survival. The recent announcement by the Lord's resistance Army (LRA) restricting movement of people from IDP camps, combined with increasing food needs due to poor harvest prospect, will compound the food insecurity problems encountered in protected camps. The LRA and the Government have suspended their offers of ceasefire with effect from mid-April.

In addition to the mounting relief crisis, the UN has recently decided to cut the current food rationing to IDP camps (about $1 per day/per person) in half. Can we even begin to imagine what it would be like to live on 50 cents of food a day? Take action to stop the horrors taking place across the globe, make that "sacrifice" you have been avoiding, give up that morning latte, that new pair of shoes, whatever it may be. Get involved! Write to representatives, to the president, take part in events like Global Night Commute and Displace Me! These people are just as entitled to a peaceful life in the pursuit of happiness as we are. I encourage you to remember Matthew 25:33-46, will He say to us "inasmuch as you did it to one of hte least of these My brethren, you did it to Me"? Have we really lived our lives as a blessing to the "least of these"?

For more updates on the situation in Uganda go to www.ugandacan.org

You May Say Im a Dreamer...

2007-03-01T17:28:00.000-08:00

Three years after our invasion of Iraq the U.S. occupation of the country contiues to bring negative results in its wake with over 2,813 U.S. troops and over 655,000 Iraqi civilians killed so far. And, the cost of the war is soaring, with more than $330 billion already spent on the campaign. I cant help but feel... think... know that these funds could have been used in any number of positive ways that would bring the hope of a better tomorrow, a tomorrow with "people living life in peace", "sharing all the world" as the musician John Lennon imagined. Yes, its true, you may say that Im a dreamer... but I also know that Im not the only one!!! Get involved and use the power we have been granted in this government! Write to representatives! Only if we speak will they know how we feel!

Loans that Change Lives

2007-02-28T22:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my good friend Josh Mock I am now aware of this really cool website! http://www.kiva.org/
Kiva lets you lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world-empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty. Each entrepreneur is hard-working and hopes to create a sustainable livelihood. All they need is a small loan.

Richer Than We Think...

2007-02-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

I recently was told about this website http://www.globalrichlist.com/ and after going to the site I have been greatly convicted of the affluent lifestyle that I, a student making less than $3,000 a year, have been supporting. With my stated annual income I am ranked in the TOP 14.82% richest people in the world! Visit this site for yourself and see just how rich you really are! Is that next latte really worth the four bucks we are willing to fork over for it?

All you have to do is make a choice.

$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.

$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.

$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.

$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

Undeniable Realities

2007-02-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

Undeniable Realities Facing Humanity:

1. Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day

2. Less than one percent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn't happen.

3. “The lives of 1.7 million children will be needlessly lost this year because world governments have failed to reduce poverty levels”

4. According to UNICEF, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. That is about 210,000 children each week, or just under 11 million children under five years of age, each year.

5. 15 million children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS (similar to the total children population in Germany or United Kingdom)

6. An estimated 600m children live in absolute poverty. Every year more than 10 million children die of hunger and preventable diseases.

What will our response be?
• Mt. 19:21 “Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.’”
• Lk. 3:11 “He answered and said to them, ‘He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.’”
• 1 Tim. 6:18-19 “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share”
• 1 Jn. 3:17-18 “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Insights of an Irish Philosopher

2007-02-28T14:15:00.000-08:00

"No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." -Edmund Burke

When considering the ailments of our modern world, many are faced with internal doubt, well what difference could I really make? The moment this thought enters our mind we have essentially become innefective to any sort of effort that might be made to bring about a change in our global society. Even if the contribution you have to offer seems like "only a little" it is still an offering that will help further whatever cause you are supporting!!! I leave you with this thought, if every person gave of themselves whatever measure God had blessed them with how great and revolutionary would the outcome be? All we have to do is get beyond our doubts and take that next step!!!

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." -Edmund Burke

What the Media Wont Show

2007-02-27T17:47:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of my dear friend Lance, he was recently deployed to Iraq with the 82nd Airborne and will be there for a while. Now although I do not agree with the Executive leadership behind them, I support the men and women of the US military 100%. This picture reminds me that at our core, we are all made in the image of our Father God! Pray for Lance, and pray for resolution to the conflict in the Middle East!

Preying on Children

2007-02-27T10:52:00.000-08:00

Bellow is a portion of a recent news article regarding child soldiers in Sri Lanka, see the entire article at http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/4602 What can we do to bring an end to this global devastation?

Preying on Children
by Tisaranee Gunasekara
Asian Tribune: 18 February 2007
Despite its significance it is a story that went largely unreported and unnoticed in Sri Lanka – the Tigers have flatly rejected a UN demand to increase their minimum recruitment age to 18. The LTTE’s insolent response to the UN comes at a moment when the Security Council’s Special Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict is considering the imposition of targeted measures against the LTTE for persisting in child conscription. In this context the nihilist Tiger reaction is a boon to us, since it can be used to worsen the international isolation of the LTTE. As Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial Killings, pointed out the Eelam project cannot succeed without international legitimacy. And no other issue has hurt the LTTE’s quest for international recognition as that of child soldiers. It would be no exaggeration to say that the issue of child soldiers is the Achilles Heel of the Tiger.

Unfortunately Sri Lanka today finds herself unable wield this most potent politico-propaganda weapon against the LTTE – because we have managed get ourselves tainted by the same malediction. The UN Security Council’s Special Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict is also considering the detailed charges made by Ambassador Alan Rock against Col. Karuna’s TMVP and sections of the Lankan Armed Forces. Mr. Rock has accused the TMVP of engaging in child conscription in the liberated East; and he has stated that a section of the Lankan Army is colluding with the TMVP (both charges have been made independently by two organisations with impeccable anti-Tiger credentials, the Human Rights Watch and the UTHR). As a result, instead of working with the UN and other international agencies to ensure that the proper punitive actions are taken against the LTTE for child recruitment/conscription, Sri Lanka is being compelled to engage in verbal gyrations to defend herself from ch arg es of complicity in this most vile of crimes. Instead of going on the politico-propaganda offensive against the Tigers, we are compelled to make ineffectual attempts to defend ourselves, in a manner that is convincing none but ourselves.

The Global Issue of Child Soldiers

2007-02-27T01:17:00.000-08:00

Currently there are twenty-seven (27) countries worldwide that employ the use of child soldiers, fourteen (14) of those countries being in Africa. How can anybody, in good conscience, sit by while such horrors to humanity are taking place? Here are some facts regarding the issue from http://www.child-soldiers.org

-In 2006 the UN estimates that more than 250,000 children are actively involved in armed conflict in government armed forces, government militias and in a range of armed opposition groups.

-The majority of the world's child soldiers are involved in a variety of armed political groups. These include government-backed paramilitary groups, militias and self-defence units operating in many conflict zones. Others include armed groups opposed to central government rule, groups composed of ethnic religious and other minorities and clan-based or factional groups fighting governments and each other to defend territory and resources.

-Most child soldiers are aged between 14 and 18, While many enlist "voluntarily" research shows that such adolescents see few alternatives to involvement in armed conflict. Some enlist as a means of survival in war-torn regions after family, social and economic structures collapse or after seeing family members tortured or killed by government forces or armed groups. Others join up because of poverty and lack of work or educational opportunities. Many girls have reported enlisting to escape domestic servitude, violence and sexual abuse.

-Forcible abductions, sometimes of large numbers of children, continue to occur in some countries. Children as young as nine have been abducted and used in combat.

Giving Ourselves Away

2007-02-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

Random thought/encouragement for the day: What would it look like to truly "give ourself away"? Christ lays it out for us very plainly saying "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mt. 16:24). I have been so amazingly challenged by taking this concept of self denial and turning it into a tangible lifestyle modeled after Christ! Let it be your prayer this year/month/week/ even day to take every opportunity to give yourself away and live more like Jesus!!!

One Voice for the Voiceless

2007-02-26T20:07:00.000-08:00

I found out about this upcoming opportunity through a good friend of mine, like the IC post from earlier more information can be found at the actual website: http://www.onevoicetoendslavery.com/

Many believe slavery ended in the 1800's. Unfortunately, the truth is that slavery is more wide-spread than ever. There are an estimated 27 million individuals enslaved in our world today. Slavery knows no gender, age, culture or religion. There are enslaved people in every nation on the planet, including the United States. The US State Department estimates that at least 17,500 people are trafficked against their will into the US every year. Human beings are being commodified.

What will we do about it? Change is possible and hope is alive.
A new abolitionist movement is rising.

One Voice, One Act... Solidarity to See An End of Slavery in our Time
Join us Sunday, March 25, 2007 at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California as thousands gather from local universities, NGO's, government agencies, faith communities, artists and everyday people as one voice to bring awareness, create networks, and mobilize to end slavery. Freedom Day will be guided by collaborative conversations, learning forums, films, music, art and much more.

Displace Me

2007-02-26T14:24:00.000-08:00

My roommate and I are planning on taking part in the newest Invisible Children demonstration, its called Displace Me and all of the following information and more can be found on the Invisible Children main site at http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php I encourage all to take part in this! Only our actions will be a catalyst for change!

DISPLACE ME
When Hurricane Katrina hit this country, we saw for the first time what a displaced American looks like. Now we're asking you to imagine for 24 hours what itÕs like for the millions of people in Northern Uganda who have been displaced for more than ten years.

Last year, 80,000 Americans commuted to their downtown city districts and slept outside for the thousands of children in Northern Uganda who walk for miles from their homes every night to avoid abduction from the Lord's Resistance Army. In June of 2006, just two months after Invisible Children's “Global Night Commute,” peace talks ensued. As a result, rebel activity and abductions have decreased and night commuting has been on the decline.

But the most devastating aspect to this war still exists: the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Ten years ago, more than 1.8 million Ugandans were forcibly evicted from their homes and transported to overcrowded camps which now face desperate conditions. Dependence on foreign aid, lack of food and water, alcoholism, sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS, inadequate sanitation and lack of education have caused immeasurable damage to two generations of northerners and the near-total destruction of Acholi culture.

This year, Displace Me is the nationwide event giving Americans the chance to respond. Displace Me begins on April 28th around noon and will end the morning of the 29th. This overnight gathering will send a bold statement to the US government that Americans care about ending the suffering of millions living in Uganda's displaced camps. We are demanding our government's support of the peace talks, which will allow the Acholi people to go back to their land and the abducted children to be returned home.

Unlike the Global Night Commute, which was held in more than 130 cities, Displace Me will only be in 15 strategic locations. Here are the three reasons why:

Simulation:
Ten years ago the government of Uganda gave its citizens 48 hours to relocate into camps. Many had to travel very far from their homes, often walking for days to reach their destination. We too will travel.
Sacrifice: realistic camp experience
Displaced camps typically house 10,000 to 60,000 people each. We believe that experiencing this size and congestion are key to understanding life in the camps.
Strength in SIZE: visibility
It is more powerful visually to have a massive amount of people in a few locations than a moderate amount of people in many locations. Having 15 locations will raise the number of people at each site, thus giving the nationwide event more media awareness, political clout, and potential to result in change.
Northern Uganda has been identified as one of the “worst five places in the world in which to wake up.” Ironically, most of the world today still views Uganda as politically and economically stable, unaware of the situation in the north. Limiting the number of locations means that many of you will have to travel (possibly a few hours) to displace yourself for one night, but in doing so, you will show your dedication to action.

On April 28th, join tens of thousands who are saying, “Displace Me” and leaving their homes to bring them home.

The Complete Gospel

2007-02-26T10:31:00.000-08:00

Today in chapel the speaker reminded us of a truth that is often lost sight of by many Christians, being that, like the cross the complete gospel has both vertical and horizontal aspects! Vertical being our reconciliation to God and horizontal being our reconciliation to our fellow man!!! If all we focus on is the vertical aspect of the gospel all we have is a stick! With this in mind what can we do to present the complete gospel, in order to fully embrace the reconciliation that Christ has provided mankind...

Bono's Challenge

2007-02-25T01:01:00.001-08:00

Mt. 6:19-20a “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” c.f. Lk. 12:33

What would our world look like if we actually applied and lived this verse? I encourage everybody to watch this video, I have found the words that Bono shares to be challenging and inspiring. Will we listen?