People know me for not being afraid to speak politically. There's a lot of voices for Republicans and Democrats speaking loudly, and our modern communication technologies have given everyone a megaphone and made it easier for people to be heard. Unfortunately, they've done something else in the meantime: they've made it appear that we're more divided than we are. Because the only ones speaking are the radicals on either side, the centrists aren't heard. The reality is, we've all got these little micro-networks made up of largely people similar to us, and when we log into Facebook we see a lot of people speaking. It's easy to see a half dozen people saying one thing on Facebook and draw the inference, "Wow everyone is talking about this!" That's the reason why I don't mind speaking politically, because I view myself as a centrist and I don't mind having a voice from the middle in the mix.
There's a great 20-minute video from TED on the reality of American politics. The truth is that we're not nearly as divided as it seems. In fact, 40% of Americans describe themselves as independents. Us independents are somewhere between the two parties - we pick and choose different stances on different issues, rather than aligning on one party. And we have an impact - the video shows how polls on a variety of issues rarely show the radical divisions that the news media would make us think exist. There's a lot of radical rhetoric out there, which is disappointing because issues are rarely as clear-cut as that. We need clear thinkers who consider both sides of issues, and there are a lot of us out there. There's also a lot of misinformation (how many times have you heard lately that Congress gets full-pay-for-life after one term in office?) making the waves, and it's important to have level-headed truth seekers who evaluate claims before spreading them like gossip.
Independents and centrists are critical to the working of a political system, and when 533 out of 535 members of Congress are members of a political party, it's easy to forget that we outnumber either one. I get upset at radical rhetoric that ignores the centrists because they polarize issues, and I have personally seen the results of polarization in Kenya in 2008. After a bitterly contested election, both sides rose up in arms and literally began to slaughter each other. Some estimates show as many as 1500 killed. I have photographs of the results of excessive polarization. Having nearly half the population calling themselves independents can help prevent this sort of thing. I fully appreciate both Republicans and Democrats and I'm glad we have them, but I generally believe that neither has a hold on "truth" or "right" and that neither is a route to greatness for our nation. Politics will never get us there.
So in the end, yes I will continue to speak politically. It's the duty of the citizens of a democracy to be involved in politics. It's moreover the duty of Christians to be involved as prayer and Scripture study leads them. You can rest assured, however, that my speech will rarely be anything radical (unless the Bible is clear on the issue and it's radical). It will usually be either clarifying an ignored side of an issue or defending truth in the face of misinformation. It will generally be a centrist and independent point of view. And you are welcome to tune me out if you'd prefer. But unity is better than disunity, and diversity does not preclude unity. Americans are more alike than it seems.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Phrases We Should Stop Using, Pt. III: Dying?
Part III of Phrases We Should Stop Using.....
There's a mildly-sappy and moderately-depressing country song by country star Tim McGraw called "Live Like You Were Dying." It is about how if you knew you were dying, you'd do all sorts of crazy things you wouldn't do normally (and that it's a good thing). A movie called The Bucket List tackled a similar subject, although the themes were much deeper and more complex. People of all faiths have discussed how you would live if you knew that the world were ending in a very short time. Surely you'd live your life differently, grasping onto each day and living with remarkable purpose. Why can't we live this way all the time, these people ask? Why do we waste so much time?
It's a valid question. Why do we waste so much time? I don't want to demean the question, because it's a great one that should be asked. However, the phrase to "live like you were dying" or like the world were ending is a bit ridiculous, and the answer isn't likely what we intend. Would we really like people to live like the characters in The Bucket List all the time? For that's surely how people would live. You would have no cares about the future, or about saving money, or preparing for things. You wouldn't spend time resting or investing in long-term things. This isn't the way we should live! If I knew I were dying in the next six months, I'd probably drop out of school and burn my savings. But I don't live like I'm dying - I know that school is worth it for my future.
Living like you were dying is not the right perspective. The right perspective is to balance the interest of intentionally seizing every day with the interest of long-term planning. We should certainly have an eye toward today and recognize the reality that any day could be our last on earth. We should be ready to die any day, but plan as if we'll live to be 100. Every day can have purpose in this sense, even if the entire day is spent resting and relaxing. Rest is a God-given gift that is valuable for the future. Let's live intentionally, but with a long-range vision!
There's a mildly-sappy and moderately-depressing country song by country star Tim McGraw called "Live Like You Were Dying." It is about how if you knew you were dying, you'd do all sorts of crazy things you wouldn't do normally (and that it's a good thing). A movie called The Bucket List tackled a similar subject, although the themes were much deeper and more complex. People of all faiths have discussed how you would live if you knew that the world were ending in a very short time. Surely you'd live your life differently, grasping onto each day and living with remarkable purpose. Why can't we live this way all the time, these people ask? Why do we waste so much time?
It's a valid question. Why do we waste so much time? I don't want to demean the question, because it's a great one that should be asked. However, the phrase to "live like you were dying" or like the world were ending is a bit ridiculous, and the answer isn't likely what we intend. Would we really like people to live like the characters in The Bucket List all the time? For that's surely how people would live. You would have no cares about the future, or about saving money, or preparing for things. You wouldn't spend time resting or investing in long-term things. This isn't the way we should live! If I knew I were dying in the next six months, I'd probably drop out of school and burn my savings. But I don't live like I'm dying - I know that school is worth it for my future.
Living like you were dying is not the right perspective. The right perspective is to balance the interest of intentionally seizing every day with the interest of long-term planning. We should certainly have an eye toward today and recognize the reality that any day could be our last on earth. We should be ready to die any day, but plan as if we'll live to be 100. Every day can have purpose in this sense, even if the entire day is spent resting and relaxing. Rest is a God-given gift that is valuable for the future. Let's live intentionally, but with a long-range vision!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
New computer backgrounds
I love custom computer backgrounds that have song lyrics or Bible verses....I had free time today and felt like playing around in Photoshop some, so I ended up with 4 new backgrounds. I'm happy to share them with anyone who wants them! They are 1920x1080 since that's the resolution of my monitor at work.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Sustainable Cooking
I've been interested lately in the idea of a more sustainable style of cooking. It's no secret that we are exceedingly wasteful people but what to do about the problem? I began to wonder if I could start working on the challenge right at home. Was I wasting valuable food at home? The answer was yes, and it was coming in ways that I didn't realize.
It started by realizing that there's a lot of valuable liquid that is wasted. Every time you steam or boil vegetables, some of the flavor and nutrients are lost in the liquid, which always goes down the drain. What if that liquid were preserved and used in the future in place of water in recipes? Many recipes leave wonderfully flavorful broth behind when they're done cooking - check out the bottom of the slow cooker. This is useful for marinades or more cooking broth (but beware of a high fat content). Then I read online about making your own vegetable broth at home - old veggies that are about to expire can be tossed into simmering water for an hour or so and you've got a pot full of beautiful, dark, tasty, and salt-free broth.
Next, I realized that a lot of wonderful things can be made at home. Of course, any time you find something pre-made at the store, it can be made at home for cheaper. They sell grilled, sliced chicken for salads at the grocery store, yet grilling and slicing chicken at home is really easy. I found dried chilis for very cheap at the Hispanic market behind our office and discovered that a little bit of work and an inexpensive coffee grinder can turn out some great chili powder, which is useful for more recipes than you might think. Plenty more ground spices can be made this way. I also discovered that I could substitute for a lot of salt by making my own mild seasoning blend based on garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. I also make a great deal of salsa at home, which is very inexpensive and simple.
This is probably just the beginning. What other ideas do you have for more a more sustainable kitchen at home?
It started by realizing that there's a lot of valuable liquid that is wasted. Every time you steam or boil vegetables, some of the flavor and nutrients are lost in the liquid, which always goes down the drain. What if that liquid were preserved and used in the future in place of water in recipes? Many recipes leave wonderfully flavorful broth behind when they're done cooking - check out the bottom of the slow cooker. This is useful for marinades or more cooking broth (but beware of a high fat content). Then I read online about making your own vegetable broth at home - old veggies that are about to expire can be tossed into simmering water for an hour or so and you've got a pot full of beautiful, dark, tasty, and salt-free broth.
Next, I realized that a lot of wonderful things can be made at home. Of course, any time you find something pre-made at the store, it can be made at home for cheaper. They sell grilled, sliced chicken for salads at the grocery store, yet grilling and slicing chicken at home is really easy. I found dried chilis for very cheap at the Hispanic market behind our office and discovered that a little bit of work and an inexpensive coffee grinder can turn out some great chili powder, which is useful for more recipes than you might think. Plenty more ground spices can be made this way. I also discovered that I could substitute for a lot of salt by making my own mild seasoning blend based on garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. I also make a great deal of salsa at home, which is very inexpensive and simple.
This is probably just the beginning. What other ideas do you have for more a more sustainable kitchen at home?
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Phrases We Should Stop Using Pt. II: Anything?
Part II of Phrases We Should Stop Using.....
Anyone my age would remember being told "You can do anything you set your mind to." We heard it over and over again from adults, presumably those who wanted to give us the entire world as our playpen. Many have opined that my generation has received more than any other generation in terms of opportunity and free wealth handed down to them. In a way, we have been given the world, and this phrase was supposed to encourage us to seek out our dreams and make them a reality through hard work and determination. We could be an astronaut, or President, or even an inventor. We just had to work hard and we'd get there.
In reality, there were two things wrong with this statement. One, it wasn't true, and two, it made it really hard to choose. The reality is, we can't be anything we want. Each of us is born with a particular set of aptitudes that make it easier or harder to do certain things. When I was in high school I took an expensive series of aptitude tests that my parents bought for me. It came back that I had low finger dexterity/precision and low color sensitivity. There went being a doctor, musician, or artist. I was supposed to work in teams and have a wide range of constantly-changing challenges. There went even more careers.
The second thing wrong with the statement is that it wasn't paired with any instruction on how to choose something. As a result, my generation is now languishing in our twenties, working a variety of dead-end jobs if working at all, waiting for that revelation from the sky that would give us a clear direction. What future generations, which will have even more opportunity and openness than ours, will need is training in how to pick a direction and follow it fully. The truth is not "You can do anything you set your mind to," it's "You will be able to fully accomplish what you were made for if you set your mind to it."
Anyone my age would remember being told "You can do anything you set your mind to." We heard it over and over again from adults, presumably those who wanted to give us the entire world as our playpen. Many have opined that my generation has received more than any other generation in terms of opportunity and free wealth handed down to them. In a way, we have been given the world, and this phrase was supposed to encourage us to seek out our dreams and make them a reality through hard work and determination. We could be an astronaut, or President, or even an inventor. We just had to work hard and we'd get there.
In reality, there were two things wrong with this statement. One, it wasn't true, and two, it made it really hard to choose. The reality is, we can't be anything we want. Each of us is born with a particular set of aptitudes that make it easier or harder to do certain things. When I was in high school I took an expensive series of aptitude tests that my parents bought for me. It came back that I had low finger dexterity/precision and low color sensitivity. There went being a doctor, musician, or artist. I was supposed to work in teams and have a wide range of constantly-changing challenges. There went even more careers.
The second thing wrong with the statement is that it wasn't paired with any instruction on how to choose something. As a result, my generation is now languishing in our twenties, working a variety of dead-end jobs if working at all, waiting for that revelation from the sky that would give us a clear direction. What future generations, which will have even more opportunity and openness than ours, will need is training in how to pick a direction and follow it fully. The truth is not "You can do anything you set your mind to," it's "You will be able to fully accomplish what you were made for if you set your mind to it."
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Phrases We Should Stop Using, Pt. I: Lemons?
I think sometimes about everyday phrases or sayings we have in English that we should really stop using. Some of them simply aren't true, and others are potentially even damaging. I want to start a series of posts on phrases and sayings that should be expunged from our vernacular. Part One: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!"
I was pondering this phrase while playing a board game recently. I began to realize, rather early in the game, that I simply was not going to win the game. My initial strategy was moderately risky, and I had an early objective that I failed to meet. Dice rolls didn't go my way, and it was quickly clear that I had no real path to victory. It suddenly occurred to me that this situation is not unusual in real life. Sometimes in life, you're simply dealt a losing hand, the odds don't go in your favor, and your luck runs out. Moreover, as much as we hate to admit it, it sometimes goes beyond individual situations. Sometimes people are dealt a losing hand and their lives will never recover. They simply will not be "winners" as most people would define it.
In America we like to pride ourselves on our "self-made" men and women and our rugged individualism. We like to say "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Please hear me that I am all for the power of positive thinking and the importance of a good attitude. I'm a strong believer that a great deal of life is influenced by your attitude. However, the best of attitudes would not have won that board game for me. Nor would it have undone the horrible events at Sandy Hook Elementary or any of dozens of other mass murders. Nor does it allow someone born into generational poverty to become a wealthy business owner.
I heard someone remark recently that it's hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you can't afford shoes. It's downright harmful to believe as a society that it's within each of our powers to turn any bad situation into good. This idea is what causes people to blame the poor for their own poverty, condemn welfare programs or "affirmative action", and glorify the "successful" for their success. Gladwell's book Outliers is an interesting read on what factors cause someone to be exceedingly successful (spoiler: it's largely not their own doing), but I believe that the same applies to the rest of us. Our relative successes and failures are largely due to factors outside of our control. It's wonderful to make lemonade when life hands you lemons, but we ought to think of those who cannot do the same. Some people simply aren't going to win with the hand they're dealt.
I was pondering this phrase while playing a board game recently. I began to realize, rather early in the game, that I simply was not going to win the game. My initial strategy was moderately risky, and I had an early objective that I failed to meet. Dice rolls didn't go my way, and it was quickly clear that I had no real path to victory. It suddenly occurred to me that this situation is not unusual in real life. Sometimes in life, you're simply dealt a losing hand, the odds don't go in your favor, and your luck runs out. Moreover, as much as we hate to admit it, it sometimes goes beyond individual situations. Sometimes people are dealt a losing hand and their lives will never recover. They simply will not be "winners" as most people would define it.
In America we like to pride ourselves on our "self-made" men and women and our rugged individualism. We like to say "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Please hear me that I am all for the power of positive thinking and the importance of a good attitude. I'm a strong believer that a great deal of life is influenced by your attitude. However, the best of attitudes would not have won that board game for me. Nor would it have undone the horrible events at Sandy Hook Elementary or any of dozens of other mass murders. Nor does it allow someone born into generational poverty to become a wealthy business owner.
I heard someone remark recently that it's hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you can't afford shoes. It's downright harmful to believe as a society that it's within each of our powers to turn any bad situation into good. This idea is what causes people to blame the poor for their own poverty, condemn welfare programs or "affirmative action", and glorify the "successful" for their success. Gladwell's book Outliers is an interesting read on what factors cause someone to be exceedingly successful (spoiler: it's largely not their own doing), but I believe that the same applies to the rest of us. Our relative successes and failures are largely due to factors outside of our control. It's wonderful to make lemonade when life hands you lemons, but we ought to think of those who cannot do the same. Some people simply aren't going to win with the hand they're dealt.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Isaiah 61
First posted at Stories of LINC North Texas....
One of the most powerful realities expressed in Isaiah 61:1-7 is that the poor are the ones who become the new leaders in society. It is easy to read through the passage and forget that the pronouns later in the passage still refer to the poor and brokenhearted described in the first few verses. It is not the wealthy or powerful who become oaks of righteousness, rebuilders of ruins, priests, ministers, and joyful owners of land and sheep. God has chosen the poor and marginalized as His leaders. Transformational development, like what LINC NT is trying to do in communities in North Texas, helps the poor recover their identity and vocation and empowers them to live it out. Once people are restored by both the Gospel and community development, they rise up and act. They begin to reform their societies with ideals of justice and peace in accordance with God’s Word.
As Christians, we must therefore acknowledge that the poor are ultimately the leaders and that they must be allowed to step up to lead the efforts and define the outcomes. While the non-poor clearly have many of the resources necessary to change the future for the poor, they must carefully live within the boundaries of their roles. Ultimately, the non-poor must have the humility to set themselves at the feet of the poor to listen and follow. The poor already have many of the resources they need to accomplish great things, but they are, as Isaiah 61 shows, in captivity and ruined by their shame and disgrace. The role of the non-poor is to proclaim freedom from captivity and offer the Gospel. Then the poor will lead.
According to Isaiah 61, proper holistic Christian development seeks out the marginalized, proclaims the good news of the Gospel, and restores marred identity. Development brings total release from poverty, addresses the systems that contribute to poverty, sees evangelism and social action jointly, transforms people holistically on all levels, and allows the poor to lead. This passage has been instrumental for us at LINC NT as we allow God's word to guide us!
One of the most powerful realities expressed in Isaiah 61:1-7 is that the poor are the ones who become the new leaders in society. It is easy to read through the passage and forget that the pronouns later in the passage still refer to the poor and brokenhearted described in the first few verses. It is not the wealthy or powerful who become oaks of righteousness, rebuilders of ruins, priests, ministers, and joyful owners of land and sheep. God has chosen the poor and marginalized as His leaders. Transformational development, like what LINC NT is trying to do in communities in North Texas, helps the poor recover their identity and vocation and empowers them to live it out. Once people are restored by both the Gospel and community development, they rise up and act. They begin to reform their societies with ideals of justice and peace in accordance with God’s Word.
As Christians, we must therefore acknowledge that the poor are ultimately the leaders and that they must be allowed to step up to lead the efforts and define the outcomes. While the non-poor clearly have many of the resources necessary to change the future for the poor, they must carefully live within the boundaries of their roles. Ultimately, the non-poor must have the humility to set themselves at the feet of the poor to listen and follow. The poor already have many of the resources they need to accomplish great things, but they are, as Isaiah 61 shows, in captivity and ruined by their shame and disgrace. The role of the non-poor is to proclaim freedom from captivity and offer the Gospel. Then the poor will lead.
According to Isaiah 61, proper holistic Christian development seeks out the marginalized, proclaims the good news of the Gospel, and restores marred identity. Development brings total release from poverty, addresses the systems that contribute to poverty, sees evangelism and social action jointly, transforms people holistically on all levels, and allows the poor to lead. This passage has been instrumental for us at LINC NT as we allow God's word to guide us!
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