Reasons I don’t like Trump

I had a phone conversation with a friend last night and she truly didn’t know why there was so much animosity towards Trump and his supporters.  Needless to say, it was a long conversation (because we also discussed more pleasant things), but here are some of my reasons that I don’t like Trump and/or his Promises.

Inflammatory Rhetoric and Name-Calling towards other leaders here and abroad - not bringing The Nation together (like he said he would) and could be starting up a new World War with Middle East and North Korea.  There’s more at risk than just America.  As a Christian,  I am more concerned about the world and how peace is at risk.

America First - In addition to my love of the world, let’s talk economics which is what this slogan is really about.  We will now be taking the backseat to China with alternative energy.  The “Industrial Age” of manufacturing and coal are on the downside of their peak.  Even if you don’t believe in climate change, you need to hurt the environment in order to access coal and fossil fuels, not to mention water sources on the land of Native Americans (who were, btw, the First Americans).  Alternative Energy is the future for job growth because even IT jobs are going overseas (not just manufacturing).  It won’t be America First if he continues to insist on promoting coal and gas only.  The only hope I have is that California is still staying in the game; and the automakers have to make cars that can be used here because we makeup a large portion of the auto consumers.

Demeans People of Color - Called NFL players (majority of them Black) SOB’s when they are merely peacefully protesting.  Their intent is not to protest the flag and anthem, and yet he’s insisting they are.  They are protesting the police harrassment and killing of unarmed black people.  Many black males I’ve spoken to have been needlessly pulled over for driving in a nice neighborhood in a nice car.  Many blacks are incarcerated for longer periods of time than their white counterparts for similar crimes.

Drain the Swamp - He went and put in people ill-suited for the jobs as you can tell from the number that have gone through his revolving door.  Some of them like Jeff Sessions are also known racists.  Not to mention an oil guy for the EPA, a private school person for Education, etc.  I come from a family of Educators and I don’t like how this Administration is trying to privatize public schools.  If you have the time and/or money to put your kid in private school (or home school), that’s your business.  But many parents don’t have that luxury.  Even if you give them vouchers, the schools can still descriminate and pick the “best” students.

The Wall - Mexico has made clear they’re not gonna pay for it, so now we know the taxpayers will... So how is that going to be funded when corporations pay so much less?  And how will that impact social services?  A wall didn’t work in China and it won’t work here. 

Favors Banks and Big Corporations - We talked about how he’s lifted restrictions on the banks again and they may just get the country in another “Too Big to Fail” bind again.  The tax cuts (from 35 to 20%) for huge corporations will not bring jobs back - it will only trickle down to their shareholders.  In order to lower their taxes as well as build the wall, social services and infrastructure will likely suffer.

DACA - Another “good thing” Obama has put in place that he flip flopped on whether he’d find a way to let them stay.  Again, this country was built on immigrants and these kids can’t help that they were brought here as children and is the only real country they know.  In his day, my grandfather was a Dreamer Kid.

Dog Whistle Rhetoric - He uses dog whistle rhetoric to stir up his fans.  Black NFL Players are SOBs and unpatriotic for protesting, White Nationalists are very fine people, calls women he thinks are pigs, etc. This isnt even mentioning how he rose in popularity back when he accused Obama for not being born in America.  These are not-so-subtle examples of how he stirs up hate within his fan base, and that’s why many people don’t like Trump supporters - because they support all he stands for.

Anti-Obama - He tries to undo anything Obama did, whether good or bad.  Let’s start with the Affordable Care Act.  It isn’t perfect and needs work but, as you can see, even the Republicans can’t put something together even though they have the majority.  They need to work together to improve on it... but they’re bent on destroying it because Obama had anything to do with it.  I’ve actually heard people say they like the Affordable Care Act but not Obamacare - as if they don’t realize they’re the same darn thing. As mentioned above, he’s trying to get rid of DACA... and it went so far as lifting the ban on elephant trophies (which thankfully he stopped after a lot of outcry).  Trump even had an obsession with crowd size because Obama’s crowd was so large - it’s ridiculous and petty. 

Claims to be Christian - He’s very un-Christlike in behavior and exercises no wisdom or humility.  He’s swindled people in business, claimed bankruptcies numerous times, cheated on wives, physically manhandled (and possibly raped) one of his wives, 15+ accusations of sexual abuse, calls women he doesn’t like derogatory or racist-based names (Pocahontas), bragged about “Grab them by the p***y,” etc.  Whether he’s really Christian or not is between him and God, but he would do well to “Get Love Right” as we say at New Life.  We touched on how 80% of White Evangelicals voted for him.   Honestly, I’m not sure that’s true (I’m hoping not), but it’s a very scary thought.

I could go on and on (and I haven’t even touched the Russia stuff because I am allowing Mueller to finish his investigation), but these are just a few of the reasons I don’t like this President.  I think he’s stirs up animosity towards people of color and has abused women. Many people, Independents as well as Liberals, think the same of him and can’t understand why anybody would condone/support him.  

You asked me why people feel so much animosity towards Trump supporters.  The short answer is that we find him to be a mean, petty, hateful person who looks out only for his (wealthy) interests.  Trump supporters seem to enjoy his bragging (even if they’re lies) and mean-spirited words... so there’s animosity towards anybody who seems to reward/support him or, worse yet, repeat his hateful rhetoric (calling Liberals libtards, snowflakes etc).

I understand the animosity goes both ways, and I try to be civil and polite in my discussions because we can’t unify until people start being decent to one another again.  Some people mock my being “politically correct,” but I will still try to be polite and civil anyway.  Christians are commanded to love our neighbors (not just American neighbors).

Con ‘n Cheat

I posted something on FB and a friend asked why I call Trump a Con ‘n Cheat (she thought it was over the top).  My response:

LOL I actually thought the phrase “Con ‘n Cheat” was probably too kind considering what I actually think... and considering he has the nerve to call peaceful protestors SOB’s.

In this particular video he says, “I told you that we would be saying Merry Christmas again...  With Trump as your President, we are going to be celebrating Merry Christmas again.”  This is implying that his predecessor was against it.  Yes, he also talked about department stores, but he’s talking about general society as if people stopped celebrating or saying Merry Christmas until he became President.  That’s just ridiculous on so many levels - nobody has ever told me to say or not say Merry Christmas when I was an agnostic or when I was a Christian.  I worked in retail and I said whatever phrase I wanted - Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, whatever.  And people can say whatever holiday greeting they want to me and I’m not offended.

But this video isn’t the reason I call him a Con ‘n Cheat.  I call him that because of how he’s cheated on multiple wives (and physically assaulted one), how he’s cheated people in business, how he’s conned people with his Trump University, and how he’s conned enough people in America to vote for him.  This is just the tip of the iceberg.

This Washington Post editorial best explains my “Con ‘n Cheat” opinion.  My opinion only differs in that I don’t necessarily think the American worker will catch on because he pushes all their right buttons.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/american-workers-will-catch-on-to-trumps-con/2017/09/03/21dyieri-90e0-11e7-8754-d478688d23b4_story.html?utm_term=.c9a8e3bda143

This Snopes Article talks about his abuses on women including his ex-wife.  Snopes DOES say there is a mixture of truth/false and, although he may not have raped her, he definitely manhandled her and puller her hair.: http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-rape-sexual-assault-minor-wife-business-victims-roy-moore-713531

Here is WP’s Fact Checker on Trump.  It’s one thing to lie here and there or by accident, but he does it so often and acts as if he’s telling the truth... and people for some reason believe him.  It’s the same with Hannity, Limbaugh, Breitbart, etc.  It’s the same rule book - act like you’re being attacked and people will believe your lies.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claims-database/?utm_term=.859d6ec225fb

Who’s Truly Crazy?

A Facebook friend posted a Fox News segment about “Who’s Truly Crazy” and a nice non-Christian woman asked the original poster to expand on the spiritual (paraphrased).  Here’s how I responded:

JQ, I’m a former political independent and religious agnostic that believed in a higher power, but did not necessarily believe Jesus was the son of God etc.  I’m now politicially Democratic and a Christian, and I try to show non-believers that not all Christians support this President or his agenda.

Some Christians do want to support refugees who are fleeing murderous governmental regimes (sanctuary cities were started by the churches in the 1990’s), support helping families through welfare and other programs (being pro-life should be more than just pro-fetus) and want equal rights and justice for all people (no matter race or religion or sexuality).  There are Christians that want to reach people with love instead of judgment.  

There are some people that think we should pray for Trump, but I pray that God grant all world leaders wisdom and humility.    I don’t pray for Trump specifically because I don’t believe his plan necessarily syncs up with God’s plan.  If God grants him wisdom and humility, that would be great (same with Kim Jong Un); but I’m not holding my breath for it.

America is built on checks and balances and I’m praying that the other leaders of this nation can keep Trump under control.  I do say specific prayers for James Mattis as he oversees our military personnel... and I pray that Mueller gets to the bottom of all this Russia stuff once and for all.

Who’s truly crazy?  Time will tell.  From my viewpoint, it’s a mistake for Christians to hold up Trump as an example of a good Christian.  It’s showing non-believers that Christians support a racist misogynist who thinks there are “very fine people” among neo-Nazis and brags about grabbing women by the p**y.  He is right about one thing though - he could shoot somebody in broad daylight and still have ardent followers.

Who’s truly crazy?  I say it’s the ones that believe all his lies as well as the fake Russian Facebook posts and conspiracy theories... the ones who lap up the rhetoric of Breitbart/Bannon/Yiannopolas, Hannity, Limbaugh, etc without trying to listen to those at the New York Times, Washington Post and other news sources who brought down Nixon.

Anyway, Jenny, please don’t think that every Christian is Republican, judgmental and supports this President.  We don’t all think “America First.”  There are some that simply love God and our neighbors.

Why We Resist

I was on Facebook and somebody wanted to know why my friend had so much “hatred.”  My friend Vicki has been very vocal about her resistance to Trump and his agenda, and another friend stated she didn’t like the negativity and wanted to know when it would stop (paraphrased).  Here’s my response that I wanted to keep here:

I talked with Vicki and agreed that we are kind of the yin and yang of our message. She is trying to reach Evangelicals who hold Trump up as an example of a good man and support him no matter his words and actions. I am trying to reach out to non believers so that they know that not all Christians support him (despite the fact that 80 percent of White Evangelicals voted for him) and many don’t consider him a good Christian role model.

We all should agree that sexual predators are on both sides of the aisle and should be condemned - but Trump doesn’t really.  He’s now even made comments that the Access Hollywood tapes were “fake” even though he acknowledged and apologized for it a year ago.

But our resistance to Trump’s platform is against not just his sexual predatory and racist comments; it’s also against his trying to force through corporate tax breaks (when trickle down economics don’t work), Muslim bans, Law Enforcement policies that target people of color who are already being mistreated, etc.  While people voted for him because he’s against abortion (understandable), they don’t realize that they also need to make resources available to women so that they can raise their kids to adulthood.  You can’t be truly “Pro-Life” unless you are willing to help them out through welfare, WIC, and other programs.

I can’t speak for Vicki, but I pray for ALL the world leaders (not just US) - I pray that God grant them Wisdom and Humility and those qualities seem to be sorely lacking in Trump. Praying for our leaders doesn’t mean that we need to support Trump - after all, God did harden Pharaoh’s heart to show how great His power is when the Hebrews went on their Exodus.  I sometimes think maybe He’s hardened Trump’s heart and other Christians’ hearts who still think “America First” instead of “Love God and Love Your Neighbor.”  People like Vicki and I can’t turn away and ignore these things.  Yes, God is good and there are lots of excellent things in the world...  but that doesn’t mean we can’t make them better.  Martin Luther King Jr was a minister and an activist - a great example of how to do both at once.

The Protest is Not About the Military, Flag or Anthem

Kaep talked with former Green Beret Nate Boyer and changed his sit to a kneel to show honor for the military and flag... Hopefully Americans can follow Kaep and Boyer's example to listen and understand... The protest is not about the flag or military. It's about racial injustice.

Unfortunately, I think the message of the protest is getting lost. I'll admit that I was slightly annoyed when I first read the headline about Kaep taking a knee... But then I researched what he was protesting  - racial injustices on Black people being needlessly stopped and harassed and killed at higher rates than other people. I still stand at the games during the anthem (but admittedly don't at home while watching tv)... But I can respect the players' stance and concern for those who don't have the platform they do... It must be horrible to have to worry if their child/sibling/parent will be needlessly harassed or killed. 

People used to be annoyed with MLK, Muhammad Ali, etc, but their messages finally did get across. Could Kaep and other players have found another venue to protest? I submit that they have, but people dismiss it with irrelevant comments like "what about black on black crime," "all lives matter," etc. Peaceful protest like this is uncomfortable for people, but apparently it's finally getting attention. Unfortunately the true message calling for compassion and empathy are getting lost in a perception of disrespect for the military.  I also have friends and family in the military and first responders, but I am able to hear the true protest of racial injustice.  The heart of the matter is what's truly important, and I don't think the heart of these quiet protests are to disrespect the military.  It's to bring awareness to racial injustices.  I pray that Americans can learn to listen to one another and work towards solutions like Kaep and Boyer... Even if they're small steps, they are steps worth taking.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/heres-how-nate-boyer-got-colin-kaepernick-to-go-from-sitting-to-kneeling/

It's not about the Statues...

It's not even about Trump.  It's about how we, as a nation, can work together to make things better with racial and political relations.  I see that the racial relations and political relations are becoming a vicious cycle to wedge further distances between "us and them."

People will say, "We're not divided.  It's the Fake News that's making it look that way."  I even see posts with Cousin Tom/Forrest Gump mocking people upset about the statues... and complaining about too many posts about statues.  Guess what, People - that's called Privilege.  I was born with it too, and I admit it.  I can turn off the news/Facebook and go about my day.  I don't have to worry about losing my manufacturing job, and I don't have to have "the talk" with my kid about getting stopped by police officers.  I'm neither Black nor White, but I'm human and can try to empathize.  Nobody does that anymore.  Instead there's a lot of Whataboutism.

http://www.scarymommy.com/racism-manifests-through-whataboutism/

I think there should be more Whatiffing -

What if I asked my Black friend if he's ever been needlessly stopped while driving in a nice neighborhood?

What if I asked him what that felt like?

What if I actually did some research on Black Lives Matter (it's not hard to google) instead of just believing whatever the right-wing site tells you?

What if I stopped being defensive whenever I heard the word "racist" or "privileged"and stopped assuming that people are calling ME a racist?

What if I turned off all the CNN, Fox and other 24-hour news channels and did some research on my own?

What if I volunteered to help in the community to help the underprivileged (no matter their ethnicity)?

Being in California, it's hard for me to interact with the folks in the Rust Belt that voted for Trump.  But I still care about them and want things to be better for them.  I can read books to help me understand (Hillbilly Elegy and Strangers in Their Own Land).  I also want things to be better for my friends who are POC and/or LGBTQ, and want things to be better for them too.  I want equal justice and opportunity for all.  I thought that's what we all wanted.

Fourth of July, Hitler Statues and Who/What to Pray For

It's Independence Day and I appreciate this country, but I know there needs to be a lot more work done to make it better. John Pavlovitz says it well in his blog

But the thing about the America I miss, about the America that hasn’t been—is that I believe it’s still the America worth fighting for. It may not be the country we’ve ever quite had, but it’s the country we should be about making together. 

The news has been covering whether we should have Confederate statues and monuments removed from public places.  I've never been to Germany, but I can't imagine that they proudly display Hitler statues or Swastikas around.  That's a part of their history but it's not something to be celebrated anymore than our Confederate statues and flags.  I find it interesting that people criticize the practice of giving all kids participation trophies/medals/ribbons, yet many of these same people have no problem putting up statues of those who lost the Civil War.  The Confederates were on the wrong side of history and ethics, and yet folks still want to glorify them.  Yes, it's a part of history and I think these monuments should be in museums if folks want to preserve them.  They don't, in my opinion, belong in public places any more than statues of Hitler.  If anything, leaving them in public sends the message that we long for those "good ol' days when great Americans enslaved people."

Also in the news, there was a madman shooting up the Republican baseball field where practice was being held.  For an instant, I thought there was bipartisan agreement that rhetoric should be toned down on both sides of the aisle.  But that turned out to be just my imagination hoping for the best.  Already 45 is tweeting ridiculous nonsense about other TV personalities and journalists; and now it appears that people were just saying that the OTHER side needed to tone down THEIR rhetoric.  Things were probably already divisive when Obama was President, but 45 seems to empower right-wing extremists because he gets to say/do anything he wants and still be a leader of one of the most powerful nations on Earth.

Which leads me to my last thought about posts I've been seeing about "praying for our leaders."  This is usually telling Christians that we should be praying for 45.  I pray for him, alright, but I don't pray for his agenda or his extremist followers.  I don't even pray that he tweets less; I pray that people see his tweets and eventually realize what a dangerous person he is with the hatred and immature behavior he exudes.  I pray that Robert Mueller does a complete investigation and reveals 45 to be the slime I believe he is.  I pray that James Mattis does a great job with the military in helping to keep the world (not just US) safe.  I pray that the people in Congress actually take care of the people (and not "their" tax dollars) when trying to work out healthcare.  I pray that self-professed Christians realize that it's not "their" money, it's God's money... and that He is watching what they are doing and saying with those resources.  I pray that Americans can work together for true equality and justice for all... towards the ideal that America represents.

Partiality

Proverbs 24:23-25 ESV

Partiality in judging is not good.

Whoever says to the wicked, "You are right,"

will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,

but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight

and a good blessing will come upon them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/06/09/seven-telling-moments-in-the-cable-news-coverage-of-the-comey-hearing/?utm_term=.5ad38ca4ea26

The news this week was focused on Comey's testimony, and of course everybody took from it what they wanted.  Either Comey or Trump is lying, but there's really no way to tell which one without a lie detector... and even then, I think really good liars can go undetected because it's not 100% accurate.  That's why I am waiting patiently for Robert Mueller's investigation on Russian interference.  It may take a long time - look how long Watergate took and even Hillary's Benghazi and email investigations.  We live in a society where we want everything instantly, especially if it matches our "truth."  People on both sides of the aisle agree that Mueller has impeccable credentials and is impartial - let's just wait on him.

It's no secret who I think is telling the truth; and I was heartened to hear some of the senators thank Comey for his service as I feel the manner in which he was dismissed was pretty tacky.  I wasn't pleased with how he brought up another Clinton investigation (which revealed nothing) right as people were putting in their votes (especially absentee ballots), but that doesn't make him dishonest.  In the meantime, we have a President who bragged about grabbing women's genitals and how he'd still have supporters if he shot someone in broad daylight.  Worse yet - he's right about how they'd still support him.  They know he's a liar - because he was either lying while bragging about molesting women or he was lying when he denied it as "locker room talk."  

As the proverb says: partiality in judging is not good, and that's why I'm glad Mueller is doing this investigation instead of me.  But those who prop up Trump as a "good Godly man" should pay attention to the part of the proverb that says: Whoever says to the wicked "You are right" will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations.  I see this happening already.  The majority of Americans disapprove of him as well as our international neighbors.  He's had numerous marriages and it's no secret that he cheated on them as he dumped one for another.  One even said he assaulted and raped her. He's charmed then cheated several business people.  And of course the only time he's apologized is when he was caught on tape bragging about molesting women.  That's pretty much what I consider "wicked," and it saddens me that the Religious Right continue to prop him up along with the Alt-Right.

Memorial Day Thoughts

Today I'm taking time to reflect on and honor those who have given up their lives in honor of our country.  I always knew it was a day to remember the fallen, but I didn't know until today (when I read an NPR article) that it originated with the Civil War and honoring those who lost their lives for the North and the South.  Now it's brought about some of my thoughts on diversity and how I try to keep a diverse group of friends because there's always multiple ways of looking at things.  I remember my dad telling me when I was a teenager that he liked how I had different sets of friends, and he encouraged that.

There's been press lately about the removal of Confederate statues, and I hear from both sides.  Some think that "it's disrespecting history" and I can understand their feeling that way.  But I can also understand descendants of slaves not liking the "glorification of slave owners and enablers."  To them, that would be like a Jew having to see Adolf Hitler statues and Nazi flags all over, and I don't see Germany doing that.  Last year, I went to New Orleans and went to the WWII Museum.  My pastor warned us that there would be pictures of anti-Asian sentiment, but I think most of us knew this since we're all aware of the war, Japanese internments, etc.  So my personal opinion is that these Confederate statues should be in a museum for historical purposes, but not necessarily out in public for glorification.

A couple days ago, I was talking with an elderly veteran friend about the SF 49'ers and he remarked, "That'll show Colin Kaepernick not to stand for our national anthem."  Now I'll admit that my initial reaction when seeing the headline was a face-palm... but then as I read more about Kaep's thoughts, I could understand it.  I have several friends and family members who can attest to being harrassed just because they were black driving through a "nice neighborhood," etc.  So I just told my elderly friend that, "Well, I think his teammates liked him, but he just wasn't playing well enough to keep around.  As far as the anthem goes, I'm more bothered by people being harrassed and killed unnecessarily than I am about people not standing for the anthem."  Personally, I still stand for the anthem, but I won't judge anybody who doesn't.  To me, there are people from all ethnicities and cultures who have given their lives to this country, so I will honor them...  Especially the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and others who were considered second-class citizens (or worse) during the times they fought.

I watched an interview with James Mattis on Face the Nation last night and was very impressed.  It does bring me comfort to know that he is second in command of our military as I think he can probably explain things to 45 to try and keep our country and world safe. He's also a political Independent and I wish he would run for President.  People think that me being a liberal means I don't have respect for our military or law enforcement, but I have a great respect for both.  I have numerous friends and family members that are in the military and law enforcement.  A lot of articles will highlight Mattis' quote about keeping everybody else awake at night, but here are my favorite quotes from the interview on the lack of political unity in America:

"... it takes people, I believe, with a fundamental respect for one another, with a fundamental friendliness toward one another that I worry is starting to slip away in our country. We still have it in the military. It's a diverse force, it's a force that can work together under the worst conditions.

And I-- I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and having a root beer together or something and-- and having a good laugh about it as we work together for the best interests of the next generation of Americans who are going to inherit this country."

This is what the fallen heroes were fighting for, and I hope/pray that we can get back there.

Moderation

Ever since I was a kid, I went all in.  If I liked lifting weights, I bought a bench and weights and went whole hog on it.  If I liked a type of chip, I'd eat the bag until it's gone.  If I liked to party, I'd party til I drop.  My mom always tried to tell me that moderation is the key, but I never really learned the lesson til, well, now.  I'm now 55 and realize I can't do Crossfit because it would really tear up my already bum knee and probably give me a heart attack.  I can't keep eating junk because I'm pre-diabetic and pre-hypertensive.  You get the picture.  

This also goes for politics.  I can't watch the cable news channels non-stop anymore because it's just bad for me.  CNN, Fox, MSNBC - I'd watch them all, telling myself that it helps give me different points of view.  But really, I don't need the commentary that comes with those Cable News channels because I need to see things through a Christian lens (not a Republican or Democratic lens).  I'll now just watch the CBS half-hour daily news and maybe Face the Nation once a week.

I can understand why Conservatives are upset that some people take advantage of the welfare system; I don't like it either.  I can understand why Liberals are upset that many people would lose healthcare under the new proposed plan; I don't like it either.  But here's the thing - everybody is going extremely right or extremely left now.  There doesn't seem to be a "voice of reason" anymore.  When everybody is arguing and blocking each other, nothing gets done or improved.  Instead of complaining about Obamacare for 8 years, people should've been working to improve it.  Both sides agreed that it needed improving, yet it seems like everybody has an "all or nothing" stance... and not just on healthcare.  Everything seems to be a bone of contention.

I remember watching a movie, I think it was "Farewell to Manzanar."  A Japanese guy was being interviewed and was asked, "Who do you want to win?  The US or Japan?"  He replied, "That's like asking a child if he wants his father or mother to win a fight.  I just want them to stop fighting."  This is how I feel now.

I am really glad that Robert Mueller was selected to investigate Russia's interference with the election.  People from both sides of the aisle like him and consider him fair and honest.  Finally there is something that everybody agrees with!  Democrats can be happy that a real non-partisan investigation is being performed; Republicans can be happy that their Administration will be exonerated if they're innocent.

I will continue to pray that everything will be brought to light.  Some people say we should pray for our leaders, so I do pray for them.  But I don't pray that 45 is successful by 45's definition of success.  I pray that he gets what he deserves.  I think he deserves punishment and shame if he colluded with the Russians and/or obstructed the investigations; but I may be wrong so I leave that to God.  More importantly, I pray for those that may be hurt by this Administration whether they voted for 45 or not... and that people can be more civil to each other again.

My Failure to Love My Neighbors

http://johnpavlovitz.com/2017/05/08/white-friend-it-doesnt-seem-like-all-lives-matter-to-you/

Members of New Life Church are reading through the Bible this year with thebibleproject.com.  It's a really great app and I recommend it as it helps non-Biblical scholars like me understand the word of God better.  At the same time, I've found John Pavlovitz's blog which I now follow too.  He is a social-minded Christian like me and seems to drive home some of the points that I feel, except he is White and I'm not.  I feel he's in a better place to actually understand White Evangelicals (more than 80% of them voted for 45) because he's a White Evangelical who happens to be liberal. It's not that I feel all White Evangelical Republicans are evil; it's more that there are too many who believe that 45 is the answer to their prayers and that worries me.  

Today's Bible Project reading is about Jonah and how he is angry with God for showing mercy and compassion to God's enemies.  In the prior books that we've gone through, we hear about how the Day of the Lord will come and He will judge all nations (yes, that includes America and Israel).  45 and his administration frustrate and anger me; and I pray daily that people will see him for the callous, selfish, authoritarian that he is and that he and his cronies get the punishment they so richly deserve.  But the book of Jonah reminds me that 45 and his cronies are still my neighbor and, if they repent and God shows mercy, then I must accept this.  No, I should actually pray for this.  

I used to pray that God would soften 45's heart, but it seems like I've only seen hearts harden - especially 45's and his followers.  Consequently, I now also see that my heart has hardened towards people who support 45.  I find myself thinking, "Fine, lose your healthcare because your president and the GOP decided to give the wealthy a tax break while increasing the costs for your pre-existing conditions.  That's not trickling down to you any more than it did when Bush was president.  Go ahead and go down into the coal mines and get lung cancer because 45 would rather not expand clean energy and jobs with it.  Lady, you got what you deserved for voting for him and he deported your law-abiding husband."

Yes, I thought all those things and more; and now I'm a little ashamed for not loving those neighbors.  I will continue to pray that God's will be done and that He will help me follow the two greatest commandments - Love God and love my neighbor.  While my heart will more naturally go out to the downtrodden before the wealthy corrupt leaders, I will remember that they are all my neighbors.  I will still advocate for the people being hurt by this administration and pray that people don't think that all Christians are like these White Evangelicals who voted overwhelmingly for him.  And I will pray that my heart won't harden to the point where I rejoice in others' pain, especially if they realize that their support of him caused the pain.  God knows I still want 45 and his administration punished, but He also knows that I trust Him no matter what.

Reflections on Easter and Earth Day

Our church urges members to invite the un-churched to come to New Life, especially on Easter and Christmas.  Those are the Sundays that people are most recognized as "holidays" for those that don't really know Jesus.  Many in my family live pretty far from the church I go to and are self-described agnostics. Many may or may not have attended church in the past.  I also have a family member who declares himself a "Non-attending Believer."  The mission statement of my SF church is "To know Him and to Make Him Known."  I'm finally getting to the part where I feel I know Him, but am failing at the making him known part.

EASY: The greatest commandments were to love God and love your neighbors.  It's easy to love God, although many strictly use Him as a "Magic 8 Ball" when asking questions or for help (instead of thanking, praising and worshipping Him.)  

HARD: Once you get to the part where you're both praising and asking Him, it's definitely hard to love our neighbors (especially the Trumps, Bannons, Putins, etc of the world). 

HARDEST: The great commission is, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt 28:19-20

This is the hardest for me because there are so many I love that don't really even have the "easy" step down yet.  In retrospect, it took me almost 50 years to get that down, so I guess it isn't that easy after all.  The hardest part is helping others get to the "easy" step and to guide them to the "hardest" step.  Some people talk about their faith easily, but it's never been easy for me to talk about my feelings (much less faith).  But I'll pray that God gives me the wisdom and knowledge on how to spread His love to  others - to help them see that it is Jesus who's blessed me and urges me to be loving.

Earth Day was yesterday and Creation was God's first Bible for mankind.  It is evidence of His greatness.  I once asked my uncle if he believed in God while we were in Lake Tahoe, and he said, "It's hard not to when you see all this."  Even when I was an agnostic, I agreed wholeheartedly with this statement.  Whether I believe in climate change or not, I certainly believe that God created the Earth and we are stewards of it. Since fossil fuels and coal are finite resources, it behooves us to find alternative renewable energy.  Drilling and mining for coal is bad for the environment and drilling puts water sources at risk... not to mention the health issues the miners face when mining coal.  I'll keep praying that we can care for the Earth and each other....

45 Moving in the Right Direction?

There's so much going on these days - Neil Gorsuch, Bannon vs Kushner, Syrian Chemical Attack Victims, Bombing Assad's Regime, Meeting with Chinese Leader, etc.  Instead of watching all the channels (MSNBC, CNN, Fox, etc), I've been narrowing it down to CBS Nightly News at 5:30 with Scott Pelley.  It's only 30 minutes of news (20 without commercials) and little to no commentary.  I still peruse the news sites, but I can't do the daylong news channels anymore... especially with the Giants back (and losing).

Today I'm focusing on 45's decision to bomb Assad's air fields.  My initital reaction was that it was the right move; I'd even heard Hillary mention that this should be done hours before it happened.  I was still annoyed with 45 for blaming the Obama for letting Syria go a few years back because it was 45's Russian buddies who were supposed to ensure Assad got rid of his chemical weapons.  So in short, it seemed like the right move to make even if he had to go and muck it up by blaming Obama beforehand.

If you watched this video on the recent history of Syrian conflict, you'll see that it's very complicated...  And now I'm wondering if this was really the right move done for the right reasons.  Was it just emotional because 45 saw pictures of dying children and babies?  Did he just need a "good day" that most Americans could get behind?  Where was his compassion when declaring a ban on the refugees?  Or when he tweeted a few years back for Obama to stay out of Syrian conflict?  45 is unpredictable, impulsive and impressionable.  One day he's "America First" and non-interventionist... The next he's bombing Assad's air field because there was footage of children and babies dying.  His behavior is probably a reflection of the Bannon vs Kushner conflict in the White House.  It's no secret that I can't stand Bannon and his alt-right racist Breitbart website; and Kushner is a moderate Democrat.

I think Bannon got 45 into office with his nationalist alt-right supporters... but 45 also knows that he lost the popular vote and his approval rating has been sitting pretty low, probably because of all the advice he's taking from Bannon. Perhaps Kushner is the one to get 45 to be more of a President for the people (not just the alt-right Bannon/Breitbart/Limbaugh/Hannity/O'Reilly lovers).  If this is the case, I'm hoping Kushner wins the battle over Bannon.  If the investigations into whether the Trump administration colluded with Russia during the elections proves them innocent, then I'd rather Kushner have 45's ear than Bannon.  This would be better for the country and world overall.  None of them may be qualified to run the country, but that's what we have to work with for now.

There is definitely a lot to handle as President, and I'd never want the job. While 45 may have made the correct decision this time, I still don't trust him to make the right decisions for our country and world.  I'll continue to pray that he listens to the advisors that are more moderate instead of Bannon, and that there are actual spiritual advisors who can move him to have a more Christ-like heart.

Where's the Love?

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

45 boasted that he would repeal and replace Obamacare (among many other things) while on the campaign trail and said he would be a President for the People.  He did a lot of boasting and lying which won him the White House. And then he got mad at the media for portraying his inauguration crowd size as small (envy, proud, self-seeking).

When his and Ryan's Healthcare bill didn't even garner enough Republican votes, he promptly blamed it on the Democrats because none of them voted for something he couldn't even get enough Republican votes for.  He didn't recognize or acknowledge the millions of people who were against it and were showing up at Republican Town Halls.  He said he'd be there for the People, but evidently that doesn't mean the people that show up at Town Halls and want answers.  Instead, he's gone on Victory Tours to make himself feel better about "winning."  That's a lot of pride and dishonoring of others.

Now he pretends that healthcare wasn't really a high priority for him; that he was more focused on security (which is also a joke) and tax reform (which will benefit primarily the top 1%- self seeking).  He said that it's not his problem anymore, that it's a Democrat problem and that he'll just watch it explode (delight in evil and not protect the people).

How about reaching across the aisle instead - and demonstrating patience, kindness and perseverance?  It is evident that we can't count on 45 and his Administration to get this done.  And maybe that's a good thing.  This forces all Americans to work together to get this done.  I am heartened to see all the Americans who show up at the Town Halls and Demonstrations to let their representatives know how worried they are about our country's direction towards Health Care and Racism (Muslim Ban), etc.  We need to hold our representatives accountable and roll up their sleeves to work on this.  Obstructionism is okay if it helps to prevent millions of people being dropped from health care; but we all know that the ACA needs improvement and we should all want this to be done vs letting it "explode."  There needs to be real love here, the kind that takes hard work for all parties.

Givers vs Takers and Complainers

Last week's message at church was about two kinds of people - Contributors and Consumers (aka Givers and Takers).  I realized that my parents and my aunts and uncles raised to be a Giver and Hard Worker.  When we went somewhere, we always pitched in and help.  We left the place cleaner and nicer than when we arrived.  It was actually a matter of shame if you were caught being lazy lol  And I would never want my parents to be ashamed of me, especially not for that.

During the week, I also went to a work meeting where a Sr VP was talking about the direction of our organization and there was an open Q&A.  One lady asked, "So how open is your open door policy?  Can we email and message you?"  The Sr V responded that, "When you come to me with a monkey, you better bring a banana or gun.  Don't just keep coming to me with problems without solutions, because I will quickly tire of people who just always complain.  Also, make sure your supervisor knows what's going on and isn't blindsided if I should ask him/her about the issues."

Last week's message and office meeting reminded me that I don't want to be a Taker and Complainer. I want to be able to solve problems and make things better.  I don't want to make promises I can't keep, and I take a lot of thought before committing to something.  I look at 45 and wonder if he really gave the Presidency any real thought.  Was it just a popularity contest for him?  Is that why he's so upset that he didn't get the popular vote and upset when the media portrayed his inauguration crowd as smaller than Obama's?  He tweets/complains/lies about stupid stuff constantly, and I don't think he took the job seriously when running.  I think he would've preferred the opposite happening with Hillary winning the electoral and him winning the popular.  That way he could've continued complaining about the "rigged system" and running his dubious/unethical businesses without the watchful eye of the public.

The blessing in disguise in all of this is that this has given the Democratic Party a kick in the pants.  About half of the country is unified against the current Administration and organizations like the ACLU have grown and gotten more funding from private citizens.  People like me are getting off their duffs and are getting active again because complaining is not enough.  We need to be Givers.

Integrity - Doing What's Right Even If Nobody's Looking

Both of my girls and I trained in Tae Kwon Do at Revolution Martial Arts, and are still personal friends with the owners and instructors.  One of the things they used to teach the girls is to have "Integrity - Doing what's right even if nobody's looking."  We also taught our girls the Golden Rule - Treat others as you'd like to be treated.  These are seemingly simple things, but people go through phases when these pearls of wisdom sound simple but are difficult for some people to adhere to.

For instance, when I was a teenager, my dad didn't really know how much I "partied."  He knew I did some drinking and I admitted smoking pot once when he asked.  He kinda freaked so I pretended it was just one time and didn't like it.  But he had no idea how often and how much I used to party.  That was when I was in my teens/early 20s; and I suspect many at that age have a different persona at home than what they have with their buddies.  But as we age and mature, we are supposed to be consistent.  We should mature and do what's right even if nobody's looking.  We should treat others as we'd like to be treated.

Unfortunately, we now have a president who seemingly has no integrity.  Everybody thought it was such a big deal that he spoke with his "indoor voice" when making his speech this week, but I think we are setting the bar pretty low.  He also spoke "nicely" after meeting with Obama the first time, and I thought there was some hope for him.  But as weeks passed and he started showing his true colors again, I knew there was no use holding out hope for him (and that's why I was in the Women's March and joined the ACLU).   I knew that it was useless to listen to him anymore.  Nowadays, I just wait for transcripts to come out and skim them.  Much of what he or his representatives say are lies or backpedaled on later.  

He said he was going to drain the swamp, and instead he restocked it with Billionaire Bankers who were "too big to fail."  Alt Right Bannon is calling the shots and they put out an unconstitutional ban against Muslims.  He said he'd build a wall that Mexico would pay for, but now they won't.  He's letting the Dakota Access Pipeline go forward, even if it puts the Natives' water source at risk.  He claimed it would be built with US Steel, but evidently it's not.  He is at war with the press and calls them "Fake News" if they question his Russian ties.  Now he claims Obama tapped his phones.  He said he would disclose his taxes after the audit was over; and now he says he won't.  

We should've known better than to believe him and elect him, but too many believed his lies.  Even when he was caught talking about grabbing women's P**y, people believed his excuse that it was just "locker room talk" and he never did it (despite several women saying he did grope them).  Never mind that a 55-60 year old guy should've outgrown locker room talk... His ex-wife said he pulled her hair and raped her, but later said that she didn't mean it literally.  Even if you were to believe her recant, he still manhandled her.  

Worst of all, he wasn't even in the situation room during the Yemen raid.  There are reports that say it was an ill advised raid, but I won't even get into that or talk about whether or not he "used" the widow during his speech.  I'll simply say that he should've been in the Situation Room when it was going down... and he should NOT have blamed his generals.  He should treat these situations as if he were sending his own children in to war.  He doesn't do what's right when nobody's looking... or even when they ARE looking.  He says one thing, then does another.  Sadly, while I used to pray that he be granted wisdom and integrity; I now pray for the wisdom and integrity of the other US and World Leaders... so that they can either remove him from office and/or find a way to govern despite him.  

Why the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)?

Most people who know me know that I've been appalled and frustrated by the new administration in the White House; but more so with the high-profile Christians who hold them up as God's answer for America.  One of my friends thought that the purpose of this blog was to try and convert Conservatives to the Liberal agenda, but that's not the point.  The real purpose of this blog was started a while ago to show Non-Christians that there are Christians like me who are focused on loving God and loving our neighbors.  There are Christians who are not judgmental and "churchy."  The blog went dormant for a few years, and 45's campaign and presidency drove me to write again because I feel that I need to counteract some of those Christians who use 45 as an example of a good Christian man.

I participated in the Women's March with a sign that said, "#Stay Loud for #EQUALITY"  I considered that March as a "Kickoff" to my personal campaign to become more active.  I made a few calls for Clinton during the campaign but admittedly stopped because I got lazy and distracted.  And while I don't believe making more calls would've persuaded the rust belt to vote for her (since they were attracted by 45's promises), I do feel bad that I didn't do all that I could.  And while demonstrating dissatisfaction with 45 at the Women's March was energizing, I need to follow it up with action.

I debated about whether to help a segment of population like the senior citizens because I have a heart for the elderly.  I thought about working at food banks or Mission Solano or Habitat for Humanity.  But I know my communication and organizational skills are probably my strong point, so I wanted to also do something that would utilize these skills and have an impact on several areas.  I reflected back on my #Stay Loud for #EQUALITY sign and I believed that the ACLU would be the right fit.  They may not have always done what I believe is right 100% of the time; but that is the way with families and churches too.  By and large, the ACLU fights for the EQUAL rights of citizens and that is why I've decided to throw my hat in with them (financially and actively).  Although it's not a Christian organization (they believe in Religious Liberty), I believe it is a place where I can reflect God's love to a group of believers and non-believers.  Of course I will still stay active in my church, but I also want to extend the intent of this blog to my activism - exemplify that Christians can go out in the world to help fight for equal rights alongside people of various religious and cultural backgrounds.

Allegiance

Today, Geoff and I went to see Allegiance which is a movie play about the Japanese Internment Camps during WWII.  While we're not Japanese, we do have several friends and family members of Japanese heritage...  and we recognize how the US basically imprisoned all the Japanese on the West Coast simply because they were easily identified by the color of their skin.  My parents mentioned how they used to wear buttons that said, "I'm Chinese, not Japanese" so that they would not be put into camps.

While I see people snidely saying they won't put Muslims into camps, make no mistake that bigotry is still coming into play when you identify people as "threats" simply by the color of their skin or religion.  45 may try to re-write his Muslim Ban to be more "politically correct" (how ironic) and call it a "Travel Ban," but it is still a ban on Muslims who he thinks are a terrorist threat.  He said it plain and simple when he was campaigning, and his followers support this bigotry.  The intent is clear and I don't think anybody should be fooled.  

People will say, "I'd rather be safe if this will prevent just one act of terrorism to harm an American."  Others will say, "Isis will use 45's example of how Americans hate Muslims and recruit more terrorists."  I simply say that America needs to provide liberty and justice for all citizens, no matter their race or religion.  

We already have stringent vetting in place for refugees (see https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/01/29/us/refugee-vetting-process.html?_r=0)

And whether 45 and his folks want to admit it or not, Obama's administration did bring down Bin Laden and we have wonderful defense and security that are keeping a pulse on the terrorists.  In my opinion, more work needs to be put into place against hate crimes here in the US.  But I'm afraid that won't happen with Steve Breitbart/Bannon in charge.

If we want the nation to adhere to Christian principles, we should practice the basics - Love God and love our neighbors, especially those in need.  My Allegiance is not America First; it's God First.  

Matthew 25:35. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

Should We Pray for Trump?

This week has been crazy and it's so hard to know what to write about - 9th court upholding the suspension of Trump's Muslim Ban, Conway's touting Ivanka's clothing line, Flynn's conversations with the Russians when Obama was still in office (and lying about it), Republican's passage of  DeVos and Sessions, etc.

Every day I pray for the leaders of not just the United States, but of the world.  Obviously this includes Trump and Bannon (who is probably the "Real President"), but I don't necessarily pray that they succeed in THEIR agenda.  I pray that God's will be done, whether it's giving Trump/Bannon a sudden sense of wisdom, compassion and integrity (hey, miracles do happen)... or whether it's giving the Republican party a wake-up call to impeach him (again, miracles do happen).  The Israelites had to wander the wilderness for 40 years, so it could be that the country will have to wander for 4 years to hopefully get him out of office.  

I know some people say, "Pence is worse," but I don't think anybody is worse than Bannon/Trump.  There are constant leaks to the press about Trump's immature behavior from an insider, so obviously Bannon/Trump has an inside "traitor."  I don't mind since we only get "alternate facts" and stories like Bowling Green from Trump, Conway and Spicer.  But it also makes me wonder who the inside leak is - maybe Pence himself as he prepares to take office?

It's no secret that I can't stand Trump, but I also have tried to take a step back and ask why I can't stand him while other Christians praise him.  Is he upholding and exemplifying Christian principles?  Trump has had multiple marriages, multiple instances of adultery, has cheated many small businesses before he took office, has bragged about grabbing women's genitals, has manhandled (and possibly raped as she has said) his prior wife, does not pay his fair share of taxes (Give Caesar what is Caesar's), and his general deplorable behavior.  I'll just end with these scriptures which will direct me as I share my thoughts and work towards social justice - Yes, you can call me SJW (Social Justice Warrior).  I'd rather be called that, Snowflake, Libtard, etc before I'm called a Trump follower/supporter.

 

1 John 4: 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Galations 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Ephesians 5:11-12 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 

 

Psalm 94:16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand for me against those who practice iniquity? 

Worship Night and Hope

Our Worship Leader posted on Facebook this morning that there would be an impromptu Worship Night at church, so I decided to turn off the TV and check it out.  I'm so glad I was able to go as it reminded me again that God is central to my life, no matter whatever else is going on in the world.  As my pastor said, we were all there because God meant for us to be there (paraphrased)... and it was good for me to remember that He is in control, and to re-energize with my friends.

For most of of my youth and young adulthood, I went to the First Chinese Baptist Church of SF in Chinatown or the sister plant Sunset Ministry... where many people leaned left and had similar backgrounds to me and my family.  The church I go to now (New Life) is in Fairfield and is more diverse culturally and politically.  Being able to worship with them tonight reminded me that, while many of my brothers and sisters in Christ may have differing political views, we all want what's best for the world and simply have different ideas on how to achieve that.  

Remembering this helps me see that, while Trump and some of the Republican leaders may drive me crazy, there are still some good Republican leaders (John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Colin Powell, Federal Judge James Robart, etc.) who are still trying to do what's right and just.  I still believe Steve Bannon is an awful White Supremacist (see New York Times article linked below), and I don't like Trump any more than I do Bannon...  But I also know God can turn bad into good, so I continue to have faith and pray that God grants our country's and world's leaders with wisdom, compassion and integrity.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/15/us/politics/stephen-bannon-breitbart-words.html?_r=0

All Lives Don't Matter After All

KING: Had Muslim gunmen killed six white Christians, half the world would have Canadian flags as profile pictures

Whenever there was a Black Lives Matter protest going on, a bunch of people would retort with, "All Lives Matter."  But even now, we are seeing their hypocrisy as they don't have a problem with the Muslim and refugee ban Trump has put into play.  It just goes to show that they were just trying to belittle the BLM movement by talking about black on black crime, saying all lives matter, etc. without admitting that Blacks are still the victims of social and criminal injustice.

Refugees must undergo an extensive vetting process -- it typically takes more than two years to be admitted to the United States as a refugee.  The 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon and yet they're not on the ban list.  The Trump Organization does business in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  His folks will say the conflicts of interest have nothing to do with the 7 selected countries, but they lie all the time.  For instance, Trump says he doesn't know Putin, yet there are several quotes from him where he says he knows him.  Next his people say they are using the same Obama execution action, but this was a rider on a spending bill (not a ban) - see http://www.snopes.com/trump-immigration-order-obama/ 
Besides, since when does Trump wanna do anything affiliated with the Obama Administration?  They just wanna blame Obama; and then get upset when Obama makes a statement about the ban.  How about you not try to pin this on him?

Americans don't need to worry about hate coming to us, we have plenty here already. These are all folks that affiliate themselves with Neo-Nazis or "Christian Identity."  Yes, we need to be careful about not letting terrorists come into the country; but more care needs to be given with the online extremist recruiting for all terrorists - not just for ISIS terrorists, but for the Alt-Right Neo-Nazi terrorists who are US citizens.  This alt-right group has just dressed itself up to be KKK in suits, and they're using platforms like Breitbart to spread their hate (with slick verbiage).  We even have one of Breitbart's leading "heroes" in Steve Bannon in the White House with Trump, and I think he's actually puppeteering Trump even more than Putin is.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

This is how the Bible begins.  He created the earth before he created humans, and we are to care for it. Creation is the first scripture because it is evidence of His greatness.

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

    the world, and all who live in it;

2 for he founded it on the seas

    and established it on the waters.

Psalms 24:1-2

Whether or not you believe in Climate Change, Christians should want to care about our world and its resources, especially water. I stand with Standing Rock and against all pipelines.  As Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger said, we are going to run out of oil and coal, so we should be finding alternative sources of energy like wind and solar which are renewable  resources.  If America is great, then we should be able to create jobs in this area AND preserve our earth. This is something scientists and Christians should be able to agree on.

It's not a surprise to me that Trump wants the DAPL to continue. He does, after all, have financial interest in it. I'm also not surprised about his conflicts of interest, but that's a topic for another day. My concern is with American Christians who know that we are to care for this earth, yet they want to regress from the progress we've made towards renewable energy. It's no secret that there are wars fought over resources like oil, and I feel that America has the brains and creativity to move forward with renewable resources to end at least one cause of war. I can't say how much this frustrates me.  The electoral college elected a man who does not care about protecting God's first gift to us... And the original US citizens are getting screwed again.  Actually, we all are.  I pray that the rest of the world will continue to progress in this area since the US will not be leading.

The March and Living as an American Christian

As most of you know by now, I participated in the Women's March in Sacramento yesterday.  It was inspiring to march in solidarity with other folks across the nation and around the globe (Melbourne, London, New Zealand, Tel Aviv, Mexico City, Paris, Nairobi, Cape Town, Antarctica, Ghana, Malawi, Berlin, Barcelona, Brussels, Greece).  But now the work begins - political activism, social volunteerism, both?  It's not enough to march and be inspired - the millions of people who marched must now act.

 Obviously I marched with people who agreed with me on most issues, but I've heard it said that pro-life people were "banned" from the march.  From what I understand, they were told they would no longer be considered a "sponsor" of the march since it was in conflict with the Planned Parenthood crowd.  Obviously, you can't really ban anybody from an events this size.    There was an article about a pro-life group going with cameras to film anybody attacking them at the march. I haven't heard anything since about whether they were attacked or not, but I hear the marches were pretty peaceful for the most part.  This March for Life is next weekend, so at least folks can march in that if they didn't feel comfortable at the Women's March.

Some women took offense to it being called the Women's March because they're pro-life but still women.  It doesn't really matter to me what they call it because it did indeed include much more than women.  To be honest, it inspired many people who were marching for immigrants, LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter and other people that don't feel Trump is working on their behalf.  It was first organized by Women the day after Trump was elected, so the name "Women's March" just stuck.  Women were also the largest cross section and there were many who wore the pink pussyhats to demonstrate their displeasure with the new President.  I don't think he would've liked it any better if they called it "People Around the World Against Trump March."

My next steps are still to be determined and I will write about that as I continue that journey.  For now, I want to talk about the march and how I believe it impacts me as a Christian.  I don't have anything against people who are against abortion - I understand how they believe it is murder.  As you know, I believe making it illegal won't stop abortions from happening.  I want there to be fewer (no) abortions, but I think the best tact is to eliminate the reasons they have abortions.  Provide the support (emotional and financial) they need to get prenatal care and raise babies, counsel them so that they know single parenthood is a better option than abortion, go after the deadbeat dads for at least financial support, etc.  To me, this is the better way to prevent abortions.  

People say that gay marriage is against God's word.  That there is only one man and one woman... But throughout history, there have been marriages that don't fit this "mold" - Abraham and Isaac (among others in the Bible) had multiple wives and families.  The culture of the world changed a lot over time, and I believe that Christians have lived among non-believers and various cultural customs of their time.  In America, we're supposed to value diversity of race, religion, cultures, gender identity, etc.  If you're a Christian in America and don't feel certain practices are okay with you, then don't participate in those practices.  I am reading Exodus in the Bible right now, and God gives clear direction to the Jews who will provide a savior in Jesus and an example to the world.  THIS is what I believe I as a Christian am called to do.  Be an example of God's love and grace, not a judge.  I believe we as Christians are to hold each other accountable, and to stand up against injustices we see.