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.