Tikkun Magazine, the American Jewish magazine, published a full page ad today in The New York Times on the Israel-Lebanon conflict.  Rabbi Michael Lerner appeared tonight on CNN's Larry King Live to discuss the ad.  Tikkun used the ad to call on Israel to stop the killing in Lebanon.  Sadly, some Jewish groups have claimed any opposition to Israel's military campaign are anti-Semitic.  That position is a lot like the Religious Right that claims any criticism of them is anti-Christian.  Jewish voices are (like Christians) diverse.  Rabbi Lerner should be applauded for his leadership on this issue.  Here is the ad: 

STOP THE SLAUGHTER IN LEBANON, ISRAEL AND THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES!

Convene an International Middle East Peace

Conference to Impose a Final Settlement on All Parties

In the name of our sisters and brothers suffering and dying in Lebanon, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, we, the undersigned religious leaders, scholars, academics, cultural leaders, poets, writers, philanthropists, social change activists, and citizens of the world demand that the Israeli government, leaderships of Hezbollah and Hamas, the U.S. Government, the international community and the United Nations immediately take the following steps to stop the war in these countries:

1. We demand that the Israeli government immediately halt its attacks on Lebanon. We join with the Israeli peace movement (and the thousands of Israelis who demonstrated against this war in Tel Aviv July 22, 2006) in their insistence that these attacks are utterly disproportionate to the initial provocation by Hezbollah, have killed innumerable innocent civilians, displaced half a million people, have destroyed billions of dollars of Lebanon's infrastructure, and will not, in the long run, secure peace or security for Israel. We also call on the Israeli government to supply food, electricity, water and funds to repair the humanitarian crisis caused by its invasion of Gaza. By endorsing Israel's attacks, and explicitly giving it time to do more damage to the people of Lebanon, the U.S. government became party to this violence, which, together with American military actions in Iraq, are sure to create enmity towards the U.S. and Israel in the Muslim world for generations to come.

2. We demand that Hezbollah and Hamas immediately stop shelling or otherwise engaging in violence against Israel. These actions, which have killed numerous Israeli civilians, terrorized the people of Israel and destroyed many cities, played a central role in provoking the current crisis, and do nothing but harm the cause of Palestinian and Lebanese independence and democracy. It is this kind of violence which has over the years pushed many decent Israelis into the hands of its most militaristic and paranoid political leaders.

3. We demand that the U.S. government, and governments around the world, call on Israel, Hezbollah and Hamas to observe an immediate cease-fire, place an immediate embargo on all shipments of weapons to all parties in the war (including Syria and Iran), and join an international conference to provide security on the border between Israel and Lebanon.

These are the minimum steps necessary to stop the violence and the humanitarian disaster in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. But alone they will not ensure that the region doesn’t return to an untenable status quo which will again eventually break into violence and new rounds of warfare.

We therefore also issue:

A call for Lasting Peace

We call upon the international community to hold an International Peace Conference to impose a fair and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and to the conflict between Israel and other states in the region. Why do we say “impose”? There are too many forces in each country in the region who are committed to continuing this struggle forever. Their provocations will continue until the international community stops the violence once and for all and imposes conditions of peace that will allow the peace and reconciliation forces in each country to flourish.

Such a solution would be based on the following conditions:

a. The creation of an economically and politically viable Palestinian state (roughly on the pre-1967 borders with minor border modifications mutually agreed upon between Israel and Palestine); and simultaneously the full and unequivocal recognition by Palestinians and the State of Palestine and all surrounding Arab states of the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state offering full and equal rights to all of its non-Jewish citizens.

b. An international consortium to provide reparations for Palestinians who have lost home or property from 1947 to the present and reparations for Jewish refugees from Arab states from 1947-1967;

c. A long term international peacekeeping force to separate Hezbollah and Israel in southern Lebanon and to protect Israel and Palestine from each other and from other forces in the region who might seek to control or destroy either state;

d. The quick imposition of robust sanctions against any party that refuses to sign or violates these agreements.

A New Spirit of Open-Heartedness and Reconciliation

We know that no political solution can work without a change of consciousness that minimally includes an open-heartedness and willingness to recognize the humanity of the Other, and to repent and atone for the long history of insensitivity and cruelty to the other side.

Both sides must take immediate steps to stop the discourse of violence and demeaning of the other in their media, their religious institutions, and their school text books and educational systems. They should implement this by creating a joint authority with each other and with moral leaders in the international community who can supervise and if necessary replace those in positions of power in both societies who continue to use public institutions in their respective societies to spread hatred or nurture anger at the other.

Once the other parts of a lasting peace have been set in place, we call upon the parties to this struggle to launch a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, following the model used in South Africa.

Use This Moment to Challenge the Paranoid and Cynical “Political Realism” That Generates Endless Wars

The paranoid and allegedly “realistic” version of global politics asserts that we live in a world in which our safety can only be achieved through domination—or others will seek to dominate us first. Of course, when we act on this assumption, it becomes self-fulfilling.

We propose, instead, a strategy of generosity—to act on the assumption that people have an enormous capacity for goodness and generosity (without negating the truth that certain conditions promote fear, anger and hatred which sometimes get expressed in horribly destructive ways).  For the U.S. and other G8 countries, we call for a Global Marshall Plan: For each of the next twenty years, the U.S. and other G8 countries should dedicate 5% of their Gross Domestic Product to eliminating global (and domestic) hunger, homelessness, poverty, inadequate health care and inadequate education for the peoples of the world. This would have to be carefully monitored and apportioned in ways that ensure the care reaches the people for whom it was intended. But what is critical is the spirit in which it is done.

Similarly, we urge Israel to not only return to its 1967 borders (with minor border modifications mutually agreed upon including a sharing of Jerusalem and of its holy sites) but to do so in a spirit of generosity and caring for the other before it is forced to return to those borders by the international community and before thousands more young Israelis and Palestinians die in these senseless wars that will otherwise continue in the coming years.

The only protection that we in the advanced industrial countries of the world can ever really have for our lives is to spread a spirit of love so powerful and genuine that it becomes capable of reducing the anger that has justifiably developed against the powerful and the wealthy of the world.

The “cynical realists” claim that others are entrenched in their hatred, and that war and domination is the only way to battle them. This kind of thinking has led to five thousand years of people fighting wars in order to “end all wars”—and it has not worked. It’s time now to try a new strategy of generosity, both economic generosity and generosity of spirit. As stated above, there will first have to be a transitional period in which real military protections are available to people on all sides of the struggle. But by beginning now to simultaneously commit our economic resources and change the way that we talk about those who we previously designated as “enemies,” we can begin the long process of thawing out angers that have existed for many generations.

Nothing can redeem the death and suffering that all sides have faced in this struggle for the past 120 years. But this very moment could be the time in which the human race realizes the futility of violence and comes together not only to impose a lasting solution for the Middle East, but to begin a new era and recognize that our own well-being depends on the well-being of everyone else on the planet. The International Middle East Peace Conference should be structured to achieve this end—which means it should have an explicit psychological and spiritual dimension and a visionary agenda.
We affirm the Sacredness of All Human Beings. This is the moment to begin to make that real. The UN raised these possibilities 61 years ago, but relied on political arrangements and fell into politicizing every issue. We need to strengthen international institutions that move in a new direction, but we also need a commitment of the heart from everyone on the planet. Our own countries must take the lead in a whole new approach to security and well-being. This may be the last chance we in the advanced industrial societies have to avoid international catastrophe by modeling something else besides brute power, military might, and indifference to the well-being of others. If not now, when?

Unrealistic? Nope. What has proved unrealistic time and again—whether we are talking about US policy in Vietnam and Iraq or Israeli and Arab policies in the Middle East—is the fantasy that one more war will put an end to wars. The path to peace must be a path of peace.

Religious and spiritual leaders are also making a global call for ten days of prayer and fasting toward the aim of peace, reconciliation, and ending violence, beginning July 27th and continuing through August 6th.

Joe Lieberman, the U.S. Senator from Connecticut now in a fight for his political life, has been one of my least favorite politicians for years.  Lieberman may very well lose the democratic nomination for the seat he now holds to Ned Lamont, a successful business man opposed to the war in Iraq that Lieberman champions.

That is what former U.S. Congressman Les AuCoin is hoping will happen when the August 8 primary is held.  AuCoin is urging readers of his blog to donate to Lamont. 

To hear Lieberman tell the story his campaign is in trouble because liberal bloggers and other "antis" are out to get him, according to the Associated Press.  But The Washington Post gets closer to the truth:

Some political observers think the seeds of Lieberman's problems with Connecticut voters were planted in 2000, when Al Gore picked him as his vice presidential running mate and as a precaution Lieberman refused to give up his bid for a third Senate term. "It's called covering your bases, rather than being a loyal party guy," said John M. Orman, a Fairfield University politics professor who briefly challenged Lieberman before Lamont entered the picture.

While laying the foundation for his own presidential bid in 2004, Lieberman criticized Gore for mishandling their 2000 campaign by sounding a populist tone instead of appealing more to centrists. He showed interest in the Republicans' plan for overhauling Social Security, he voted for a Republican energy bill that Democrats decried, he supported federal intervention in the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case, and he helped clear the path for a vote on Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s Supreme Court confirmation -- although he voted against Alito.

Lieberman is a principled man but many of us disagree with his vision of America - with the essence of his principles.  Those opposed to Lieberman are not "antis" opposed to everything done by Lieberman but rather are principled people with a different vision of how the world could be. 

The internet is a strange place and Lieberman is correct when he derides the tone of the campaign on blogs.  I read some of the major political blogs and many of them have made vicious personal attacks against Lieberman while advocating for Lamont.  Lieberman and his supporters, however, have been just as bad.  That is one of the major complaints about Lieberman:  he uses his stature (and his religion) to attack people for some of the same actions he himself is guilty of. 

How will this all end:  Lieberman has vowed to run in the fall as an independent if Lamont wins the nomination (Lamont has promised to support Lieberman if he wins the nomination).  Lieberman is said to be ahead in the polls if there is a three-way race.  Don't count on that.  If Lieberman doesn't win the nomination he'll be seen as a loser and his support among independents and Republicans will drop.  The worst outcome would be that Lieberman's independent run creates a split that helps put a Republican in office. 

America would be better served with Ned Lamont as the United States Senator from Connecticut.

Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel, a decorated veteran and well respected leader considering a 2008 presidential campaign, took the president to the woodshed today over the current conflict in the Middle East.  President Bush and his administration have failed once again and even Republicans are taking notice.  Here are the senator's remarks:

“Mr. President, The Middle East is a region in crisis. After three weeks of escalating and continuing violence, the potential for wider regional conflict becomes more real each day. The hatred in the Middle East is being driven deeper and deeper into the fabric of the region...which will make any lasting and sustained peace effort very difficult to achieve. How do we realistically believe that a continuation of the systematic destruction of an American friend, the country and people of Lebanon, is going to enhance America’s image and give us the trust and credibility to lead a lasting and sustained peace effort in the Middle East? The sickening slaughter on both sides must end now. President Bush must call for an immediate cease fire. This madness must stop.

The Middle East today is more combustible and complex than it has ever been. Uncertain popular support for regime legitimacy continues to weaken governments of the Middle East. Economic stagnation, persistent unemployment, deepening despair and wider unrest enhance the ability of terrorists to recruit and succeed. An Iran with nuclear weapons raises the specter of broader proliferation and a fundamental strategic realignment in the region, creating more regional instability.

America’s approach to the Middle East must be consistent and sustained, and must understand the history, interests and perspectives of our regional friends and allies.

The United States will remain committed to defending Israel. Our relationship with Israel is a special and historic one. But, it need not and cannot be at the expense of our Arab and Muslim relationships. That is an irresponsible and dangerous false choice. Achieving a lasting resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is as much in Israel’s interest as any other country in the world.

Unending war will continually drain Israel of its human capital, resources, and energy as it fights for its survival. The United States and Israel must understand that it is not in their long-term interests to allow themselves to become isolated in the Middle East and the world. Neither can allow themselves to drift into an “us against the world” global optic or zero-sum game. That would marginalize America’s global leadership, trust and influence...further isolate Israel...and prove to be disastrous for both countries as well as the region.

It is in Israel’s interest, as much as ours, that the United States be seen by all states in the Middle East as fair. This is the currency of trust.

The world has rightly condemned the despicable actions of Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists who attacked Israel and kidnapped Israeli soldiers. Israel has the undeniable right to defend itself against aggression. This is the right of all states.

Hezbollah is a threat to Israel, to Lebanon and to all who strive for lasting peace in the Middle East.

However, military action alone will not destroy Hezbollah or Hamas. Extended military action is tearing Lebanon apart, killing innocent civilians, destroying its economy and infrastructure, creating a humanitarian disaster, further weakening Lebanon’s fragile democratic government, strengthening popular Muslim and Arab support for Hezbollah, and deepening hatred of Israel across the Middle East. The pursuit of tactical military victories at the expense of the core strategic objective of Arab-Israeli peace is a hollow victory. The war against Hezbollah and Hamas will not be won on the battlefield.

To achieve a strategic shift in the conditions for Middle East peace, the United States must use the global condemnation of terrorist acts as the basis for substantive change. For a lasting and popularly supported resolution, only a strong Lebanese government and a strong Lebanese army, backed by the international community, can rid Lebanon of these corrosive militias and terrorist organizations.

President Bush and Secretary Rice must become and remain deeply engaged in the Middle East. Only U.S. leadership can build a consensus of purpose among our regional and international partners. To lead and sustain U.S. engagement, the President should appoint a statesman of global stature, experience and ability to serve as his personal envoy to the region who would report directly to President, and be empowered with the authority to speak and act for the President. Former Secretaries of State Baker and Powell fit this profile.

The President must publicly decry the slaughter and work toward an immediate cease fire. The UN Security Council should urgently adopt a new binding resolution that provides a comprehensive political, security and economic framework for Lebanon, Israel and region – a framework that begins with the immediate cessation of violence. I strongly support the deployment of a robust international force along the Israel-Lebanon border to facilitate a steady deployment of a strengthened Lebanese Army into southern Lebanon to eventually assume responsibility for security and the rule of law.

America must listen carefully to its friends and partners in the region. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and others – countries that understand the Middle East far better than we do – must commit to help resolve today’s crisis and be active partners in helping realize the already agreed-upon two-state solution.

The core of all challenges in the Middle East remains the underlying Arab-Israeli conflict. The failure to address this root cause will allow Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorists to continue to sustain popular Muslim and Arab support – a dynamic that continues to undermine America’s standing in the region, and the governments of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and others – whose support is critical for any Middle East resolution.

The United States should engage our Middle East and international partners to revive the Beirut Declaration, or some version of it, proposed by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and adopted unanimously by the Arab League in March 2002. In this historic initiative, the Arab world recognized Israel’s right to exist and sought to establish a path toward a two-state solution and broader Arab-Israeli peace. Even though Israel could not accept it as written, it represented a very significant “starting point” document initiated by Arab countries. Today, we need a new Beirut Declaration-type initiative. We squandered the last one.

The concept and intent of the 2002 Beirut Declaration is as relevant today as it was in 2002. An Arab-initiated Beirut-type declaration would re-invest regional Arab states with a stake in achieving progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace. This type of initiative would offer a positive alternative vision for Arab populations to the ideology and goals of Islamic militants. The United States must explore this approach as part of its diplomatic engagement in the Middle East.

Lasting peace in the Middle East, and stability and security for Israel will come only from a regionally-oriented political settlement.

Former American Middle East Envoy Dennis Ross once observed that in the Middle East a process is necessary because process absorbs events...without a process, events become crises. He was right. Look at where we are today in the Middle East with no process. Crisis diplomacy is no substitute for sustained, day-to-day engagement.

America’s approach to Syria and Iran is inextricably tied to Middle East peace. Whether or not they were directly involved in the latest Hezbollah and Hamas aggression in Israel, both countries exert influence in the region in ways that undermine stability and security. As we work with our friends and allies to deny Syria and Iran any opportunity to further corrode the situation in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, both Damascus and Tehran must hear from America directly.

As John McLaughlin, the former Deputy Director of Central Intelligence recently wrote in the Washington Post,

“Even superpowers have to talk to bad guys. The absence of a diplomatic relationship with Iran and the deterioration of the one with Syria -- two countries that bear enormous responsibility for the current crisis -- leave the United States with fewer options and levers than might otherwise have been the case. Distasteful as it might have been to have or to maintain open and normal relations with such states, the absence of such relations ensures that we will have more blind spots than we can afford and that we will have to deal through surrogates on issues of vital importance to the United States.

Ultimately, the United States will need to engage Iran and Syria with an agenda open to all areas of agreement and disagreement. For this dialogue to have any meaning or possible lasting relevance, it should encompass the full agenda of issues.

There is very little good news coming out of Iraq today. Increasingly vicious sectarian violence continues to propel Iraq toward civil war. The U.S. announcement last week to send additional U.S. troops and military police back into Baghdad reverses last month’s decision to have Iraqi forces take the lead in Baghdad...and represents a dramatic set back for the U.S and the Iraqi Government. The Iraqi Government has limited ability to enforce the rule of law in Iraq, especially in Baghdad. Green Zone politics appear to have little bearing or relation to the realities of the rest of Iraq.

The Iraqis will continue to face difficult choices over the future of their country. The day-to-day responsibilities of governing and security will soon have to be assumed by Iraqis. This is not about setting a timeline. This is about understanding the implications of the forces of reality. This reality is being determined by Iraqis – not Americans. America is bogged down in Iraq and this is limiting our diplomatic and military options. The longer America remains in Iraq in its current capacity, the deeper the damage to our force structure – particularly the U.S. Army. And it will continue to place more limitations on an already dangerously over-extended force structure that will further limit our options and public support.

The Middle East crisis represents a moment of great danger, but it is also an opportunity. Crisis focuses the minds of leaders and the attention of nations. The Middle East need not be a region forever captive to the fire of war and historical hatred. It can avoid this fate if the United States pursues sustained and engaged leadership worthy of our history, purpose, and power. America cannot fix every problem in the world – nor should it try. But we must get the big issues and important relationships right and concentrate on those. We know that without engaged and active American leadership the world is more dangerous. The United States must focus all of its leadership and resources on ending this madness in the Middle East— now!”

Once inside the car, a source directly connected with the case says Gibson began banging himself against the seat. The report says Gibson told the deputy, "You mother f***r. I'm going to f* you." The report also says "Gibson almost continually threatened me saying he 'owns Malibu' and will spend all of his money to 'get even' with me."

The report says Gibson then launched into a barrage of anti-Semitic statements: "F*g Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." Gibson then asked the deputy, "Are you a Jew?"

The deputy became alarmed as Gibson's tirade escalated, and called ahead for a sergeant to meet them when they arrived at the station. When they arrived, a sergeant began videotaping Gibson, who noticed the camera and then said, "What the f** do you think you're doing?"

A law enforcement source says Gibson then noticed another female sergeant and yelled, "What do you think you're looking at, sugar tits?"

Gibson apologized for the incident today and issued this statement:

"After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. I drove a car when I should not have, and was stopped by the LA County Sheriffs. The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person. I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said. Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry. I have battled with the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health."

Alcoholism is a terrible disease that changes people in terrible ways.  But it doesn't make you anti-Semitic...or racist...or sexist...or homophonic.  I suspect what officers heard was Gibson's true passion coming out.    

Read the comments on this post from Street Prophets:

All people shall give as they are able, according to the blessings which God has given them.1

The mass killing of children today in Lebanon reminds us how children so often fall victim to war. UNICEF reports that 1/3 of the civilians killed in Lebanon have been children and the group is asking for help:

UNICEF today launched an appeal for $ 23.8 million to support children caught in the crisis in Lebanon and Syria. The appeal is part of the overall UN flash appeal for nearly $150 million.

“Many of those who have been uprooted in the violence are children,” said Ann M. Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director. “They may have witnessed the death or injury of loved ones and many are suffering acute distress. Around 700,000 people have been displaced inside Lebanon. It is estimated that 110,000 are now living in schools, public buildings and parks and that more than 150,000 people have crossed the border into Syria. Children face the immediate danger of disease and will be impacted by the loss of hospitals, health clinics and schools.”

UNICEF will work with its UN partners, the Red Cross, Red Crescent and others to provide rapid support for displaced or refugee children and families who are in urgent need of medical care, clean water and proper sanitation as well as help to deal with traumatic events.

UNICEF has already provided $1.2 million for medical supplies and other immediate assistance. The first charter flight left Copenhagen on Saturday 22 July for the region carrying 38 tonnes of supplies, including 168 water kits with enough soap, buckets, water purification tablets and water containers for nearly 1,700 families. The plane also carried oral rehydration salts to treat the symptoms of diarrhoea, essential drugs and recreation kits for children containing sport equipment such as skipping ropes, footballs, volleyballs and nets and basketballs.

Click here to learn more.

Click here to donate.

Photo credit: "Children are evacuated by truck from their village near Sidon, south Lebanon" - UNICEF.

1. United Church of Christ Book of Worship

Statement from Human Rights Watch

Indiscriminate Bombing in Lebanon a War Crime

(Beirut, July 30, 2006) – Responsibility for the Israeli airstrikes that killed at least 54 civilians sheltering in a home in the Lebanese village of Qana rests squarely with the Israeli military, Human Rights Watch said today. It is the latest product of an indiscriminate bombing campaign that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have waged in Lebanon over the past 18 days, leaving an estimated 750 people dead, the vast majority of them civilians.

“Today’s strike on Qana, killing at least 54 civilians, more than half of them children, suggests that the Israeli military is treating southern Lebanon as a free-fire zone,” said Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. “The Israeli military seems to consider anyone left in the area a combatant who is fair game for attack.”

This latest, appalling loss of civilian life underscores the need for the U.N. Secretary-General to establish an International Commission of Inquiry to investigate serious violations of international humanitarian law in the context of the current conflict, Roth said. Such consistent failure to distinguish combatants and civilians is a war crime.

A statement issued today by the IDF said that responsibility for the Qana attack “rests with the Hezbollah” because it has used the area to launch “hundreds of missiles” into Israel. It added: “Residents in this region and specifically the residents of Qana were warned several days in advance to leave the village.”

On July 27, Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon said that Israel had given civilians ample time to leave southern Lebanon, and that anyone remaining could be considered a supporter of Hezbollah. “All those now in south Lebanon are terrorists who are related in some way to Hezbollah,” he said, according to the BBC.

“Just because the Israeli military warned the civilians of Qana to leave does not give it carte blanche to blindly attack,” Roth said. “It still must make every possible effort to target only genuine combatants. Through its arguments, the Israeli military is suggesting that Palestinian militant groups might ‘warn’ all settlers to leave Israeli settlements and then be justified in targeting those who remained.”

Even if the IDF claims of Hezbollah rocket fire from the Qana area are correct, Israel remains under a strict obligation to direct attacks at only military objectives, and to take all feasible precautions to avoid the incidental loss of civilian life.  To date, Israel has not presented any evidence to show that Hezbollah was present in or around the building that was struck at the time of the attack.

Tens of thousands of civilians remain in villages south of the Litani River, despite IDF warnings to leave. Some have chosen to stay, but the vast majority is unable to flee due to destroyed roads, a lack of gasoline, high taxi fares, sick relatives, or ongoing Israeli attacks. The sick and poor are those who mostly remain behind.

The attack took place around 1:00 a.m. today, when Israeli warplanes fired missiles at the village of Qana. Among the homes struck was a three-story building in which 63 members of two extended families, the Shalhoub and Hashim families, had sought shelter. The civilians had taken refuge there because it was one of the larger buildings in the area and had a reinforced basement, according to the deputy mayor of the town, Dr. Issam Matuni.

According to the Lebanese civil defense and the Lebanese Red Cross, at least 54 civilians, including 27 children, were crushed to death when the building collapsed. Rescue teams were unable to reach the village until 9:00 a.m. because of ongoing heavy IDF bombardment in the area. None of the bodies recovered so far have been militants, and rescue workers say they have found no weapons in the building that was struck.

Qana was the site of a 1996 Israeli air strike on a U.N. compound sheltering fleeing civilians that killed more than 100 people. Human Rights Watch research established at the time that the 1996 strike was also an indiscriminate attack by the Israeli military.

Human Rights Watch researchers have been in Lebanon since the onset of the current hostilities and have documented dozens of cases in which Israeli forces have carried out indiscriminate attacks against civilians while in their homes or traveling on roads to flee the fighting. A report of these findings and their legal consequences will be issued later this week.

Human Rights Watch has also documented Hezbollah’s deliberate and indiscriminate firing of Katyusha rockets into civilian areas in Israel, resulting in 18 civilian deaths to date. These serious violations of international humanitarian law are also war crimes.

“War crimes by one party to a conflict never justify war crimes by another,” Roth said.

To see Human Rights Watch’s work on the Israel-Lebanon conflict, go to:
http://hrw.org/campaigns/israel_lebanon/

Photo credit: " A Red Cross worker carries the body of a girl pulled out of the rubble of the destroyed building after Israeli airstrikes in Qana, Lebanon, on Sunday - CNN."

What is wrong with America's policy in the Middle East?  Dr. Russ Dondero, Pacific University's political science expert (and UCC member) knows:

The Bush-Blair doctrine that a cease fire in Lebanon can only occur when and if Hezbollah relinquishes its weapons is a strategy which can only end in failure - which may in fact be the purpose of the doctrine.  That way, Bush and Blair can justify Israel's military machine destroying an entire nation under the pretext of these so-called preconditions of a cease fire as a prelude to negotiations.

Whether we like it or not, Hezbollah and Hamas have transitioned from terrorist organizations to domestic political entities.  In the later case Hamas was elected to power in a free and open election which we supported.  Hezbollah's role in Lebanon is more complex.  Hezbollah has not met the UN's requirement that it disarm, but it is a functioning part of a coalition government plus a bonified community organization and de facto armed force of southern Shiite Lebanon. 

In both cases, the US/British/Israeli demand that both groups give up their right to armed struggle against Israel is an oxymoronic demand since a fundamental definition of nation-state status is the right of self-defence and to bear arms.  We don't have to agree with their goals or use to which Hezbollah and Hamas put their weaponry.  Targeting innocent civilians violates any semblance of decency whether it's the actions of Hezbollah, Hamas or Israel - or for that matter the U.S.

But the implicit lumping of Hezbollah and Hamas with non-state terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda is to be intellectually disingenuous about the world of the 21st century and to create political conditions which by their definition make any resolution of the immediate crisis on the West Bank or in Lebanon impossible.  The fact is neither Hezbollah nor Hamas will drop their arms, nor end their use of terrorism - until the reasons which created them are addressed.

This will require the US along with her coalition of the willing and Israel to put an end to a neo-colonial strategy which is designed to pit pro-US but authoritarian regimes - Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan - against anti-US but equally authoritarian regimes tied to Shiite fundamentalism - Iran and Syria.  The irony is that US/Israeli policy is destroying any semblances of democracy that existed in Lebanon, the West Bank or Iraq.

So, until our terms for a negotiated settlement change and a ceasefire becomes the first step - Condi Rice is wasting her time and our tax dollars flying in and out of the Middle East.  It's the pretence of a solution to mask a policy of all out war via our Israeli surrogate.  The Bush/Blair doctrine is part of the problem, not part of the solution and Israel has become a witting tool of our flawed and myopic foreign policy.

There's more. 

The Rev. Dr. Arvin Luchs, senior minister at Portland's First United Methodist Church (and my former boss), led the funeral yesterday for another Oregonian lost in Iraq.  U.S. Marine Capt. Christopher T. Pate was 29.  The Oregonian reports:

Under a gray sky, the Rev. Arvin Luchs, a Methodist minister, quoted the 23rd Psalm: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil."

But Luchs also spoke of the Buddhist concept of enlightenment called Sukhavati, a pure land with fragrant rivers and sweet sounds.

A spit-and-polish Marine honor guard fired three volleys. A Marine presented Jerry Pate with the flag from his son's casket and his son's Purple Heart medal. Three leather-clad bikers from a group that honors fallen soldiers, led by a man who calls himself Bubz, also knelt to address Jerry Pate during the ceremony.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski told mourners that he would have liked to know someone as interesting, with such a life force, as Chris Pate.

"I salute him and call him the best Oregon has to give," Kulongoski said. "He was a wonderful young man and an outstanding Marine."

Luchs urged everyone to safeguard the memory of Pate.

"What is remembered never dies and is never lost," he said. "Our eyes are filled with tears, our minds are numb with loss. We will never forget his bravery or his sacrifice."

Capt. Pate attended Aloha High School, where my wife once taught. 

65 Oregonians have now been killed in Iraq.  Over 2,000 Americans have lost their lives in this conflict and somewhere around 40,000 Iraqi civilians have died.

The Seattle Times and CNN are among those reporting today that a mass shooting has taken place at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.  At least one person is reported dead and more injured.  Reports are already casting blame on the shooting on an Arab-American upset over the current conflict - and that may be true - but we should wait and always remember that the Oklahoma City bombing was first blamed on Arab "looking" men.  Pray for those hurt and killed today.  Nothing justifies the violence we are witnessing.

Leave it to Mark Tooley, the former CIA worker turned staffer for the Republican Party-aligned Institute on Religion and Democracy (and political companion of right-wing icon David Horowitz), to use the conflict in the Middle East to score cheap political points against mainline Christians by simply making stuff up. 

Consider this false charge made today by Tooley:

The anti-Israel divestment campaign among U.S. churches has been largely defeated. But in the midst of the terrorists' war on Israel, the Religious Left's hostility to Israel continues.

Religious Left church officials have responded to the conflict between Israel and Hezballah with their usual lamentations over "the violence." But it is "the violence" by Israel that exclusively concerns them. Typical among them has been the reaction of United Church of Christ president John Thomas.

"We watch with horror and outrage as Israel punishes an entire population for the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier in Gaza, and as belligerence escalates with Hizb Allah's attack on military personnel near Lebanon," Thomas wrote in a letter to "Palestinian Friends and Partners." He continued, "While we pray for the Israeli soldiers' release and safe return to family, we also know that these incidents have become an occasion for the further oppression of the Palestinian community, for the massive destruction of economic infrastructure and for the tragic loss of much innocent life."

As noted on this site, Thomas and other mainline Christians have clearly condemned violence on both sides.  "We call on Hezbollah to release the Israeli soldiers in its hostage and end its provocative attacks and hatred against Israel. Hezbollah's rocket attacks against northern Israel, while effecting little military advantage, have instilled terror in civilian populations, killing and wounding many innocent people, and providing Israel with a pretext for pursuing its own attacks," wrote Thomas just yesterday. 

Tooley ignores these comments in his post on Frontpagemag.com (Horowitz's site) and claims that any condemnation of Hezbollah will only be made by the "Religious Left" to "rhetorically facilitate its more heartfelt condemnation of Israel."

Christians are called to be peacemakers.  IRD, a group that has long advocated the liberal use of American military power against other nations, ignores what many consider to be the basic teachings of Jesus. 

It is also simply false that the UCC - as suggested by Tooley - has endorsed or encouraged divestment against Israel.  The General Synod of the UCC has instead called for church resources to be leveraged through investments in corporations that support peace efforts.  Divestment - a tactic only considered as a last resort - has not been targeted at Israel but at corporations (American included) that profit from war in the Middle East.  Like the Pope and groups such as Human Rights Watch, the UCC has condemned violence and advocated reconciliation among all the parties in the Middle East.         

Tooley's IRD was set-up and is funded by voices in Republican Party that hope to undermine the mainline Christian tradition of prophetically speaking out on issues of war, peace and economic justice.  God is not a Republican or a Democrat, as Jim Wallis likes to say, but IRD confuses the Gospel message with the Republican Party platform on each and every issue. 

Don't be surprised to see the Religious Right and their allies float more lies like Tooley's as they seek with intention to drive a wedge between Jews and mainline Christians during this difficult time.

After all, the mid-term elections are coming up and Tooley and other conservative political activists are worried about the outcome.  Division and distortion may be the only tactics they have left to bring voters to their side.

Read the comments on this post from the UCC Forums

A new statement was released today by top leaders of the United Church of Christ calling for an end to the violence in Lebanon and Israel.  UCC General Minister and President John H. Thomas and Wider Church Ministries Executive Cally Rogers-Witte wrote:

We call on Hezbollah to release the Israeli soldiers in its hostage and end its provocative attacks and hatred against Israel. Hezbollah's rocket attacks against northern Israel, while effecting little military advantage, have instilled terror in civilian populations, killing and wounding many innocent people, and providing Israel with a pretext for pursuing its own attacks. We call on Israel to release the thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians it is holding in administrative detention, and to cease its disproportionate assault on Lebanon. While Israel has the right to defend itself, its retaliation has far exceeded efforts to release the soldiers or incapacitate Hezbollah; it is in fact destroying Lebanon. Beyond bombing intended Hezbollah targets, Israel's military has attacked Lebanese infrastructure and residences, killing hundreds and wounding thousands more. The human catastrophe is enormous. Touring Lebanon, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland declared "It's very bad, and deteriorating by the day... I've seen too many wounded children, and too many desperate civilians fleeing from the fighting." No equation of war can justify firebombed children as acceptable casualties.

Perhaps the most important part of the US-Christian denominational statement was the call made by Thomas and Rogers-Witte for American political and religious leaders to support peace:

We are dismayed at the audacity of both Israel and Hezbollah to commit to continued violence. We are troubled that the U.S. leadership has sent advance-shipments of bombs to re-arm Israel and encouraged Israel to take due time to bomb Hezbollah despite the disproportionate impact on the Lebanese people and landscape. We are troubled by those in the U.S. Congress who call for a wider war with Syria and Iran. We are especially distraught that some in leadership twist the label Christian, and use the name of the Prince of Peace, to assert that this violence is ordained and justified because their biblical lens views Israel in an apocalyptic drama and any criticism as blasphemy. In the Senate debate on the escalating fighting, Virginia Senator John Warner called for balance and diplomacy: "[O]ur support for Israel is very strong, Mr. President, but it cannot be unconditional."

Click here for the full statement and news release.

In related news, the National Council of Churches USA launched a new web site today - www.seasonofprayer.org - that "compiles prayers, litanies, scripture texts, hymns, poems and other prayer aids from many religious traditions, appropriate to the current crisis in the Middle East," according to NCC.   

It would be hard to find a more committed group of people to the cause of peace than those who are affiliated with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. On the issue of the current conflict in Lebanon we part ways but RAC always offers a thoughtful viewpoint that should be considered – regardless of where you come down on this issue. RAC has issued statements mourning “the loss of innocent civilian life this conflict is causing on both sides” and is urging people to donate to their 2006 Israel Emergency Fund. Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, the Christian ecumenical relief group, also needs support for their efforts in the conflict area.  Help wherever you can.

Press Release from the United Church of Christ

United Church of Christ leaders are denouncing a Washington State high court ruling on July 26 that upholds a ban on same-gender marriage. Nineteen couples, including a UCC clergy couple, were challenging the constitutionality of the state's ban on same-sex marriage equality.

The Rev. Peter Ilgenfritz and The Rev. Dave Shull, pastors of University Congregational United Church of Christ in Seattle since 1994, have been in a committed same-sex relationship for more than 20 years. They also have been leaders in the fight to overturn a 1998 law passed by the state legislature that limits legal marriage to one man and one woman.

The Rev. Catherine Foote and the Rev. Don Mackenzie, who are also pastors at University Congregational UCC, issued a joint statement today saying UCC members ? both locally and nationally ? are offering support and prayers for Ilgenfritz and Shull during a time of personal disappointment. However, they emphasized, the church will continue its work in support of lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender people, including full marriage equality.

"We were dismayed to hear this morning's ruling that effectively denies marriage rights to homosexual couples," Foote and Mackenzie said. "We know Peter and Dave to be wonderful, sensitive, faithful people of God, and a committed couple, and we have supported and affirmed them as they entered into the lawsuit process which led to today's ruling."

Formed in 1891, Seattle's University Congregational UCC has nearly 1,000 members. Throughout Washington State, the UCC has about 80 congregations, with more than 10,500 members. Thirty seven UCC congregations in the state have publicly declared themselves to be "open and affirming" of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. University Congregational UCC became "open and affirming" about 16 years ago.

"People of faith differ on their response to this ruling," Foote and Mackenzie wrote. "We celebrate that University Congregational UCC has joined with other local congregations and other settings of our denomination in advocating for justice and equality for all people, as children of God, regardless of sexual orientation. We will continue to affirm the lives and relationships of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. We will continue to welcome all people into our life and ministry, and especially at this time those who have been wounded by painful, judgmental and condemning words."

In July 2005, the 1.2-million-member United Church of Christ became the largest Christian denomination to support marriage equality, when the UCC's General Synod, meeting in Atlanta, endorsed a resolution calling for full equal marriage rights for same-gender couples. The non-binding General Synod action encourages other settings of the church, including local congregations, to study the issue.

"My heart and prayers go out to Peter and Dave and to all the plaintiffs in this case, as well as all those affected by this unjust ruling," said the Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer, the UCC's national minister for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender concerns. "Today's ruling makes no sense. The court has apparently chosen not to rely on the state's constitution, but on one particular religious view of
marriage."

"In this decision, the majority failed to respect the freedom of religion, equal protection under the law and the right to privacy," said Schuenemeyer, from the UCC's national offices in Cleveland. "They have denied justice and placed couples and their families seeking the right to marry in harm's way."

In its 5-to-4 decision, the Washington Supreme Court stressed that it was ruling on the constitutionality of the law, not on the question of gay marriage itself, which the court said could be legalized through a state ballot initiative.

The UCC, formed in 1957 with the union of the Congregational Christian Churches in America and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, has more than 5,600 churches throughout the United States.

Press Release from Human Rights Watch

(Beirut, July 24, 2006) – Israel has used artillery-fired cluster munitions in populated areas of Lebanon, Human Rights Watch said today. Researchers on the ground in Lebanon confirmed that a cluster munitions attack on the village of Blida on July 19 killed one and wounded at least 12 civilians, including seven children. Human Rights Watch researchers also photographed cluster munitions in the arsenal of Israeli artillery teams on the Israel-Lebanon border.

“Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. “They should never be used in populated areas.” 

According to eyewitnesses and survivors of the attack interviewed by Human Rights Watch, Israel fired several artillery-fired cluster munitions at Blida around 3 p.m. on July 19. The witnesses described how the artillery shells dropped hundreds of cluster submunitions on the village. They clearly described the submunitions as smaller projectiles that emerged from their larger shells. 

The cluster attack killed 60-year-old Maryam Ibrahim inside her home. At least two submunitions from the attack entered the basement that the Ali family was using as a shelter, wounding 12 persons, including seven children. Ahmed Ali, a 45-year-old taxi driver and head of the family, lost both legs from injuries caused by the cluster munitions. Five of his children were wounded: Mira, 16; Fatima, 12; ‘Ali, 10; Aya, 3; and `Ola, 1. His wife Akram Ibrahim, 35, and his mother-in-law `Ola Musa, 80, were also wounded. Four relatives, all German-Lebanese dual nationals sheltering with the family, were wounded as well: Mohammed Ibrahim, 45; his wife Fatima, 40; and their children ‘Ali, 16, and Rula, 13. 

Human Rights Watch researchers photographed artillery-delivered cluster munitions among the arsenal of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) artillery teams stationed on the Israeli-Lebanese border during a research visit on July 23. The photographs show M483A1 Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions, which are U.S.-produced and -supplied, artillery-delivered cluster munitions. The photographs contain the distinctive marks of such cluster munitions, including a diamond-shaped stamp, and a shape that is longer than ordinary artillery, according to a retired IDF commander who asked not to be identified. 

Pallets of 155mm artillery projectiles including DPICM cluster munitions (center and right with yellow diamonds) in the arsenal of an IDF artillery unit on July 23 in northern Israel. Each DPICM shell contains 88 sub-munitions, which have a dud rate of up to 14 percent. © Human Rights Watch 2006

Close-up of a M483A1 DPICM artillery-delivered cluster munition present in the arsenal of an IDF unit in northern Israel. © Human Rights Watch 2006

The M483A1 artillery shells deliver 88 cluster submunitions per shell, and have an unacceptably high failure rate (dud rate) of 14 percent, leaving behind a serious unexploded ordnance problem that will further endanger civilians. The commander said that the IDF’s operations manual warns soldiers that the use of such cluster munitions creates dangerous minefields due to the high dud rate.

Lebanese security forces, who to date have not engaged in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, also accused Israel of using cluster munitions in its attacks on Blida and other Lebanese border villages. These sources also indicated they have evidence that Israel used cluster munitions earlier this year during fighting with Hezbollah around the contested Shebaa Farms area. Human Rights Watch is continuing to investigate these additional allegations. 

Human Rights Watch believes that the use of cluster munitions in populated areas may violate the prohibition on indiscriminate attacks contained in international humanitarian law. The wide dispersal pattern of their submunitions makes it very difficult to avoid civilian casualties if civilians are in the area. Moreover, because of their high failure rate, cluster munitions leave large numbers of hazardous, explosive duds that injure and kill civilians even after the attack is over. Human Rights Watch believes that cluster munitions should never be used, even away from civilians, unless their dud rate is less than 1 percent. 

Human Rights Watch conducted detailed analyses of the U.S. military’s use of cluster bombs in the 1999 Yugoslavia war, the 2001-2002 Afghanistan war, and the 2003 Iraq war. Human Rights Watch research established that the use of cluster munitions in populated areas in Iraq caused more civilian casualties than any other factor in the U.S.-led coalition’s conduct of major military operations in March and April 2003, killing and wounding more than 1,000 Iraqi civilians. Roughly a quarter of the 500 civilian deaths caused by NATO bombing in the 1999 Yugoslavia war were also due to cluster munitions. 

“Our research in Iraq and Kosovo shows that cluster munitions cannot be used in populated areas without huge loss of civilian life,” Roth said. “Israel must stop using cluster bombs in Lebanon at once.” 

Human Rights Watch called upon the Israel Defense Forces to immediately cease the use of indiscriminate weapons like cluster munitions in Lebanon. 

Background 

Israel used cluster munitions in Lebanon in 1978 and in the 1980s. At that time, the United States placed restrictions on their use and then a moratorium on the transfer of cluster munitions to Israel out of concern for civilian casualties. Those weapons used more than two decades ago continue to affect Lebanon. 

Israel has in its arsenal cluster munitions delivered by aircraft, artillery and rockets. Israel is a major producer and exporter of cluster munitions, primarily artillery projectiles and rockets containing M85 DPICM (Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) submunitions. Israeli Military Industries, an Israeli government-owned weapons manufacturer, has reportedly produced more than 60 million M85 DPICM submunitions. Israel also produces at least six different types of air-dropped cluster bombs, and has imported from the United States M26 rockets for its Multiple Launch Rocket Systems. 

There is growing international momentum to stop the use of cluster munitions. Belgium became the first country to ban cluster munitions in February 2006, and Norway announced a moratorium on the weapon in June 2006. Cluster munitions are increasingly the focus of discussion at the meetings of the Convention on Conventional Weapons, with ever more states calling for a new international instrument dealing with cluster munitions. 

Human Rights Watch is a founding member, and a steering committee member, of the Cluster Munition Coalition: www.stopclustermunitions.org. 

Related Material

Off Target: The Conduct of the War and Civilian Casualties in Iraq
Report, December 3, 2003

Fatally Flawed: Cluster Bombs and Their Use by the United States in Afghanistan
Report, December 3, 2002

Ticking Time Bombs: NATO’s Use of Cluster Munitions in Yugoslavia,”
Report, December 16, 1999

More documents on cluster munitions at:
Thematic Page

For Human Rights Watch’s ongoing coverage of the Israel-Lebanon conflict, please visit:
Thematic Page 

All people shall give as they are able, according to the blessings which God has given them.1

No organization has done more in the last twenty years to fight homelessness than the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH).  NCH is made up of grassroots organizations across the nation sharing a single goal: ending homelessness. This national organization does not provide direct services (though many of their member organizations do) and instead concentrates on advocating for public policy changes that will create affordable housing, decent paying jobs and universal health care. It is nearly impossible for people to remember that a generation ago there was no national homeless crisis on the scale we have today. Federal cutbacks in social services helped to create the problem and economic policies that have led to increased poverty continue to force people into the streets. Instead of facing the issues involved many local communities have worked to create laws restricting the civil rights of homeless Americas. During the summer months there is a temptation to forget about Americans who are homeless. But the need is real no matter the season. As a former board member of the National Coalition for the Homeless, I urge you to click here and make a donation supporting NCH's mission.

1. United Church of Christ Book of Worship

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will be the guest today on Air America's State of Belief. Should be a great program. It just happens that I picked up her memoir last week (a book purchased last summer and never read) and finished it last night.  She has a new book out on religion and world affairs which promises to be equally good.

What do Georgetown College, Wake Forest University and Furman University have in common?  They are among the dozen colleges and universities that have cut ties with the Southern Baptist Convention in recent years, according to The New York Times.

The issues vary from state to state. But many Southern Baptist colleges and their state conventions have been battling over money, control of boards of trustees, whether the Bible must be interpreted literally, how evolution is taught, the propriety of some books for college courses and of some plays for campus performances and whether cultural and religious diversity should be encouraged....

"The convention itself in its national and state organizations has moved so far to the right that previous diversity on the faculty and among the trustees is no longer possible,'' said Bill Leonard, dean of the Divinity School at Wake Forest. "More theological control of the curriculum and the faculty has been the result.''

David W. Key, director of Baptist Studies at the Candler School of Theology at Emory, put it more starkly. "The real underlying issue is that fundamentalism in the Southern Baptist form is incompatible with higher education,'' Professor Key said. "In fundamentalism, you have all the truths. In education, you're searching for truths.''

That is true for all types of religious fundamentalism - Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, etc.  Education becomes less important than indoctrination and critical thinking (a skill we would hope all institutions of higher learning help foster) is to fundamentalism what Kryptonite is to Superman.  Here's hoping the educators win.   

Read the comments on this post from Street Prophets

All Americans should applaud the bi-partisan leadership in Congress which worked this week to ultimately pass The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006.  This was a solid victory for civil rights.  It was unfortunate that many House Republicans, in an effort to weaken civil rights, fought to amend the Voting Rights Act.  But wisdom and decency carried the day.  Take a moment and send your Congressional leaders a message thanking them for this vote.  The only "no" votes were cast by the following House members:

Richard Baker, J. Barrett, Roscoe Bartlett, Joe Barton, Jo Bonner, Dan Burton, John Campbell, Michael Conaway, Nathan Deal, John Doolittle, John 'Jimmy' Duncan, Terry Everett, Virginia Foxx, Trent Franks, Scott Garrett, Phil Gingrey, Joel Hefley, Jeb Hensarling, Wally Herger, Sam Johnson, Steve King, John Linder, Patrick McHenry, Gary Miller, Charles Norwood, Ron Paul, Tom Price, Dana Rohrabacher, Edward Royce, John Shadegg, Tom Tancredo, Mac Thornberry, Lynn Westmoreland

Once again we find the Israeli government taking after the Bush Administration in launching a war directed a civilian targets.  No one doubts that this conflict was initiated by the criminal actions of Hizbullah but the Israeli response - condemned by the United Nations, world religious leaders, and human rights organizations - is also criminal.  Sadly, the Simon Wiesenthal Center has criticized both the UN and the United Church of Christ for calling for peace.  The Anti-Defamation League has also attacked the Pope's statement calling for an end to the violence.  The Simon Wiesenthal Center and ADL have again damaged their creditability by misrepresenting the statements of those opposed to criminal violence on all sides of this conflict.  Like Christians, Jewish people hold a variety of views on difficult issues and Jewish Voice for Peace, a prominent American Jewish peace group, is asking supporters to lend their voice this week to the cause of peace by writing Congressional leaders demanding "that Israel stop its invasions of Gaza and Lebanon, that all civilians, Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese must be protected and that negotiations must replace the violence at once."  Click here to take action.   

Related Link: “What Israel Must Do” - A Report from an American Jewish Activist

This post has been updated

Some good news to share: This past Sunday it was announced that I have been called to serve Parkrose Community United Church of Christ in Portland as the interim minister. My tenure (which will start mid-August) will last between 12-18 months as I help this congregation through a period of transition. Parkrose Community UCC was established in 1913 and has a long history of involvement in community issues.  The church was very active in helping to start Snow-Cap, East Multnomah County's most prominent social service agency.

Parkrose Community UCC is a God Is Still Speaking church and part of the Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ.

My ordination has also been set for Sunday, September 17th at 3 pm. The service will be held at Portland's First Congregational United Church of Christ (1126 SW Park Avenue).  All are welcome.

Update: Words of encouragement from the UCC President and General Minister

I'm delighted that you will be engaged in parish ministry there and want you to know that you and your congregation will be in my prayers as you begin an exciting and productive ministry together.   

Know that I am grateful for your good leadership in the UCC over the past years, helping to articulate our vision.

- The Rev. John Thomas, general minister and president, United Church of Christ

When we moved back to Portland from St. Louis there was nothing we looked forward to more than the cool Oregon summers. St. Louis was miserable during the summer months and pretty miserable during the winter months (though we did enjoy the winter sunshine and snow). What we didn’t want to face again during the summer was this:

This will be the warmest weather Portland has faced in a decade, according to the people who keep track of such things.  At least in St. Louis we had air conditioning.  Though I'll freely admit after all my complaining it is still better to be in Portland today.  Welcome to global warming.

The LORD rises to argue his case;
he stands to judge the peoples.

The LORD enters into judgement
with the elders and princes of his people:

It is you who have devoured the vineyard;
the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

What do you mean by crushing my people,
by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord GOD of hosts.

- Isaiah 3: 13-15 (NRSV)

"The number of Americans living in poverty has risen each year Bush has been president, increasing to 37 million in 2004 from 31.6 million in 2000," reported The Washington Post this morning.  The president took notice of poverty for the first time of his tenure in the White House as poor people drowned and went hungry in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.   

Poverty forced its way to the top of President Bush's agenda in the confusing days after Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast and flooded New Orleans. Confronted with one of the most pressing political crises of his presidency, Bush, who in the past had faced withering criticism for speaking little about the poor, said the nation has a solemn duty to help them.

"All of us saw on television, there's . . . some deep, persistent poverty in this region," he said in a prime-time speech from New Orleans's Jackson Square, 17 days after the Aug. 29 hurricane. "That poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action."

"Bush has talked little about the issue since the immediate crisis passed" and his policies before and after seem to be designed to intentionally harm those Jesus called the "least of these" in favor of economic policies that benefit the wealthiest of Americans.  This year the president opposed an increase in the minimum wage and has proposed cuts in homeless programs, children's programs and programs to feed elderly people.   

Press Release from the National Council of Churches USA

New York City, July 20, 2006--Christian leaders representing millions of Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and Roman Catholic faithful are joining the National Council of Churches USA in calling for an end to the violence in Lebanon and Israel.  Church leaders, many of whom have personal relationships with Middle East church officials, are also offering continuing prayers for those caught up in the spiraling violence.

"The escalating violence and regional dimension of the conflict is alarming," said Churches for Middle East Peace in a letter today to President Bush.  "It is urgent that you call on all the parties to restrain from using force and, rather, to trust a diplomatic process."

CMEP's letter referred to a July 7 statement from Patriarchs and heads of local Christian Churches in Jerusalem.  "The violence and aggression of this present moment is without proportion or justification," wrote the Orthodox, Protestant, Catholic and Anglican leaders nearly two weeks ago.  "It is against law and reason to keep going in the way of death.  The moral imperative is clear. Stop all the violence. Stop the killing.  Protect the life and dignity of the people. Begin negotiations. Break this murderous chain of violence in which we are ensnared," wrote the Jerusalem church leaders.

"The Middle East Council of Churches," in a July 18 statement issued from Beirut, Lebanon, "calls upon the Churches worldwide to intervene firmly with their governments, urging them to exercise pressure for an immediate cease-fire in order to end this dangerous escalation of violence which threatens the whole region.  It also calls on all to assist relief efforts by sending the necessary aid to the displaced families."

Pope Benedict XVI today called for "an immediate cease-fire" to allow humanitarian aid to get to the innocent victims of the violence.

"In reality, the Lebanese have the right to see the integrity and sovereignty of their country respected, the Israelis the right to live in peace in their State, and the Palestinians have the right to have their own free and sovereign homeland," the pope said in a release from the Vatican Information Service.  "At this sorrowful moment, His Holiness also makes an appeal to charitable organizations to help all the people struck by this pitiless conflict," his statement read.

The Holy Father also "proclaimed this Sunday, July 23, as a special day of prayer and penance, inviting the pastors and faithful of all the particular Churches, and all believers of the world, to implore from God the precious gift of peace."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, in a letter yesterday to the leaders of Christian churches in the Mideast said, "My condemnation of this resort to violence is unequivocal. I offer you every support in your efforts to bring it to an end and allow Lebanon to be, once again, a living message of co-existence and solidarity between different religious communities."

The National Council of Churches USA and its partner relief agency, Church World Service, last Friday (July 14) called for an immediate end to the current violence.  And they called for humanitarian aid to the innocent victims in Lebanon, Israel and Gaza.  The NCC also voiced its support of the recent G8 leaders' statement on the Middle East violence.

"These extremist elements and those that support them cannot be allowed to plunge the Middle East into chaos and provoke a wider conflict," said the leaders of eight of the world's most powerful nations.  "The extremists must immediately halt their attacks."

Last Sunday's statement was welcomed by Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, NCC's associate general secretary for international affairs and peace.

"We were glad to see that the G8 leaders...calling on all parties to stop the fighting, including Israel as well as Hezbollah and Hamas, and to see that their actions not lead to further destabilization of the region," Kireopoulos said on Monday echoing the sentiments of Christians in the region.

Other religious leaders in the United States this week expressed continuing concern as the violence seemed to wage on unchecked.

"The escalation of the conflict moves the Middle East further away from a just and lasting peace for which we have been praying and working," wrote Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson in a July 17 pastoral letter to his Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

"I continue to call on the international community and the U.S. administration to do everything possible both to negotiate an immediate stop to the violence that has caused the killing and suffering of innocent people and to urge all parties to resolve the conflict through dialogue."

The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America was holding its annual summer conference in Atlanta when the recent hostilities broke out.  A caucus of their membership on July 14 said, "Although we condemn the actions of Hezbollah, the principle of proportionality has been violated by Israel in its attacks upon Lebanon, which constitute the heaviest bombing of that country in 24 years, since Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982. The targeting of a civilian population is not in keeping with the values of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, and must not be accepted. It is not defensive behavior, but is an offense against the high principles of all of these religions."

"We join others who deplore the escalating violence in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon," Houston, Texas Methodist Bishop Janice Riggle Huie told the United Methodist News Service, "and urge parties to mediate the conflict and end the mounting casualties among the innocent."  The President of the United Methodist Council of Bishops said, "We also join those who urge President Bush to use the strength and authority of his office, with the support of other leaders, to bring the parties together for mediation."

"The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has long been committed to working for a just peace in the region. Over the last fifty-six years we have consistently expressed our concern for peace between Israel, the Palestinian people, and the Arab states," wrote Clifton Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in a letter to President Bush.

"The people of the Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, are groaning under the burden of war and desperately desire peace," Kirkpatrick wrote July 14.  "We implore you to not allow the extremists of the region to dictate the reality and final outcome of this situation. What is needed now is a sane and diplomatic voice, which the United States can provide. Please use all diplomatic means available to you to restrain the violence and calm the situation--for the sake of Israel, the United States, and all the peoples of the Holy Land and the wider region."

A litany was offered yesterday by John H. Thomas, general minister and president, United Church of Christ, entitled, "A Prayer for the Middle East at a Time of War." It concludes:  "While leaders in Tel Aviv and Damascus, Tehran, Washington, and southern Lebanon pander to ancient fears, claim the mantle of righteous victim, and pursue their little empires in the name of gods of their own devising, the people of Lebanon and northern Israel are made captive to fear, true victims whose only advocate is You.  Save us from self-justifying histories and from moral equations that excuse our folly.  Search our hearts for our own complicity.  Spare us from pious prayers that neglect the prophet's angry cry.  Let us speak a resounding 'no' to this warring madness and thus unmake our ways of death, so that we may be made more and more into your image."

Compete statements of these and other religious leaders are linked from the National Council of Churches USA website at councilofchurches.org.

Today the president vetoed the bi-partisan legislation passed by Congress calling for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.  "America was founded on the principle that we are all created equal, and endowed by our Creator with the right to life," Bush told a gathering of embryonic stem cell research opponents.  The legislation, which was passed in the Senate yesterday, was supported by both pro-choice and pro-life members of Congress.  The United Church of Christ and many other Christians (conservative evangelicals and mainline Protestants) also supported the legislation.

Here is a rundown of how the Senate voted:

Democrats - Yes

Daniel Akaka, Max Baucus, Evan Bayh, Joseph Biden, Jeff Bingaman, Barbara Boxer, Robert Byrd, Maria Cantwell, Thomas Carper, Hillary Clinton, Kent Conrad, Mark Dayton, Christopher Dodd, Byron Dorgan, Dick Durbin, Russell Feingold, Dianne Feinstein, Tom Harkin, Daniel Inouye, Tim Johnson, Edward Kennedy, John Kerry, Herb Kohl, Mary Landrieu, Frank Lautenberg, Patrick Leahy, Carl Levin, Joseph Lieberman, Blanche Lincoln, Robert Menéndez, Barbara Mikulski, Patty Murray, Bill Nelson, Barack Obama, Mark Pryor, Jack Reed, Harry Reid, Jay Rockefeller, Kenneth Salazar, Paul Sarbanes, Chuck Schumer, Debbie Stabenow, Ron Wyden

Democrats - No

Ben Nelson

Republicans - Yes

Lamar Alexander, Robert Bennett, Richard Burr, Lincoln Chafee, Thad Cochran, Susan Collins, Bill Frist, Judd Gregg, Orrin Hatch, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Trent Lott, Richard Lugar, John McCain, Lisa Murkowski, Gordon Smith, Olympia Snowe, Arlen Specter, Ted Stevens, John Warner

Republicans - No

Wayne Allard, George Allen, Kit Bond, Sam Brownback, Jim Bunning, Conrad Burns, Saxby Chambliss, Tom Coburn, Norm Coleman, John Cornyn, Larry Craig, Michael Crapo, Jim DeMint, Mike DeWine, Elizabeth Dole, Pete Domenici, John Ensign, Michael Enzi, Lindsey Graham, Charles Grassley, Chuck Hagel, James Inhofe, Johnny Isakson, Jon Kyl, Mel Martinez, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, Rick Santorum, Jeff Sessions, Richard Shelby, John Sununu, Jim Talent, Craig Thomas, John Thune, David Vitter, George Voinovich

Related Post:  "Congress Must Fund Stem Cell Research"

Read the comments on this post from Street Prophets

You did not make us, O God, to die in bomb craters or to huddle through the night in basement shelters. You made us to play under olive trees and cedars and to sleep soundly with animal toys and gentle lovers. Lord, have mercy.

You did not make us, O God, to hold hostages for barter or to rain deadly fury on innocent children and beautiful coast lands. You made us, O God, to welcome strangers and to cherish all creation. Christ, have mercy.

You did not make us, O God, to oppress in the name of security or to kill in the name of justice. You made us, O God, to find security in justice and to risk life in the name of peace. Lord, have mercy.

While leaders in Tel Aviv and Damascus, Tehran, Washington, and southern Lebanon pander to ancient fears, claim the mantle of righteous victim, and pursue their little empires in the name of gods of their own devising, the people of Lebanon and northern Israel are made captive to fear, true victims whose only advocate is You.

Save us from self-justifying histories and from moral equations that excuse our folly. Search our hearts for our own complicity. Spare us from pious prayers that neglect the prophet’s angry cry. Let us speak a resounding “no” to this warring madness and thus unmake our ways of death, so that we may be made more and more into your image. Kyrie eleison. Kyrie eleison. Kyrie eleison.

- The Rev. John H. Thomas,General Minister and President, United Church of Christ

Related Post:  "JVP In-Depth: Israel's Attacks on Gaza and Lebanon"

Related Post:  Christians React To New Violence In The Middle East

No organization has done more in recent American history than the conservative Christian Coalition to undermine both Biblical values of justice and the Constitutional separation of church and state. Led by Pat Robertson and his deputy Ralph Reed, the group has worked with great success to exploit the Christian faith for partisan political gain.

Robertson and Reed created an image of Jesus that was pro-war and unconcerned with the poor and marginalized. Their work has been so influential that many Americans – and certainly many in the media – have come to believe that to be a real Christian you must be a conservative Republican.

Georgia voters last night rejected all that when Reed lost a race for Lt. Governor. It emerged during his primary race that Reed – who claimed as a Christian to be opposed to gambling – was making money from gambling interests along with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Reed denied throughout the campaign he knew where the money had come from but a Senate report produced e-mails from Abramoff to Reed explaining the source of the cash lining Reed’s pockets. Reed has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing. Several investigations into the Abramoff scandal are ongoing.

"The way he sold out our values? That's wrong," Reed opponent Casey Cagle said during the campaign. Cagle, a state senator, was the winner of the race and this fall will face one of two democrats running for the seat.  Greg Hecht and Jim Martin will face voters on August 8th in a run-off primary election.

“The lieutenant governor's race in many ways became a measure of the continued influence of Reed and his Christian conservatives, nationally as well as within the state Republican Party,” reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Reed was backed in his campaign by figures such as Sean Hannity and Rudy Giuliani.

Related Post:  Former Pat Robertson Aide & Jack Abramoff Friend Ralph Reed In Trouble

A small act of peacemaking is being remembered this summer in Oregon.

In the days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor a Japanese man donated a "hand-hewn Shinto symbol called a torii gate" to Waverly Heights Congregational United Church of Christ, according to The Portland Tribune.  Eric Bartels writes:

The gate will be rededicated Sunday at Camp Adams, a sylvan Clackamas County retreat that remains part of the summers and the memories of parishioners at Southeast Portland's Waverly Heights Congregational United Church of Christ.

Glen Pullen, a computer specialist at Portland State University who grew up in the neighborhood, remembers the gate from his youth.

"I grew up in this church," he says. "That torii was always part of the environment. Just part of the landscape."

Pullen says Lee Lynne was pastor of the church for six years beginning in 1936. His decision to install the distinctive gate on a shady stream bank generated controversy. Church members reportedly objected to the presence of a symbol of Japanese culture so soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the 9/11 of its day.

Church lore holds that the gate was once dumped into the stream below it. Pullen wonders if the acrimony led to the pastor's departure from Waverly Heights Church in early 1943.

"He might have been fired. I really don't know," he says....

(Nancy) Tice, a Southeast Portland publicist and lifelong member of the church, took it upon herself to identify the donor of the gate, whose name did not appear anywhere in church records.

Aided by the downtown Japanese Methodist Church, the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center and longtime Portland residents of Japanese extraction, Tice finally located a Portland man with a yearbook from the Minidoka Relocation Center in south central Idaho. There, the yearbook's owner was interned alongside a shopkeeper named Hongero Kato.

Tice believes Kato, whose family relocated to Chicago after the war, was the former owner of the gate, although "we cannot absolutely, positively prove it."

While the United Church of Christ has always had a progressive, all-inclusive profile, Tice says, Lynne's willingness to install the gate remains praiseworthy.

"He was able to look past the current conflict to think about it being a symbol of friendship between nations even though they were at war," she says. "They weren't going to be at war forever.

"It was a way of reminding people that we need to remember the significance of friendship and find other ways to solve problems."

Current pastor David Zaworski says that while Lynne would have been following church principles to act on his conscience, "it may have caused him some heat even within the congregation. The minister does not tell people what to believe in our church."

Zaworski says Lynne's gesture would have been in keeping with tradition at the United Church of Christ and its antecedents, which have opposed slavery, ordained women, and accepted lesbians and gays into their leadership ranks.

"Justice issues have long been an important part of our church's tradition," Zaworski says. "I suspect that was on his mind."

Click here to real the full story and to see a picture of this beautiful gift to Portland.

Kato, who donated the gate, was taken from Oregon as part of the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.  This article in The Portland Tribune reports that he never returned to the state.   

Jewish Voice for Peace has an "in-depth" special report up on their website offering background information on the crisis now taking place in Israel, Lebanon and Gaza.  This is a great resource for those concerned about peace and looking for additional information.

Related Post:  Christians React To New Violence In The Middle East

This post has been updated

Action Alert from United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries

This week, the Senate has been debating the House-passed Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 810).  With passage in the Senate, the legislation will be sent to President Bush, who has pledged to veto the bill.  The legislation authorizes federal funding for research using embryonic stem cells that remain after in vitro fertilization treatments.  Current U.S. law prohibits any use of federal funds for research on new embryonic stem cell lines.

Research using embryonic stem cells has the potential to alleviate the suffering of millions of people with serious illnesses.  Federally funded research holds hope for those living with Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and other disorders and illnesses.  Critics of stem cell research tie their opposition to their anti-choice agenda, but this bill only authorizes research funds for already existing embryos, which will otherwise be discarded.  In addition, this bill has received support in the past from Senators who have expressed opposition to abortion, including Senators Harry Reid (D-NV), Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Gordon Smith (R-OR).

In 2001, the United Church of Christ General Synod adopted a statement in support of federally-funded embryonic stem cell research within National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines.  This statement helps UCC members examine the issue from a theological perspective.  To view this statement click http://www.ucc.org/synod/resolutions/res30.htm

Click http://www.ucctakeaction.org/stemcell to send a message to your Senators and Representative, with a copy to President Bush, in support of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.

Related Post:  Support For Embryonic Stem Cell Research Is A Christian Position

Update: Today the Senate joined the House and voted to support embryonic stem cell research.  "Scientists have done their part in demonstrating the promise of embryonic stem cell research. The House and Senate have kept that promise by passing the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. We hope that the President will not use the first veto of his presidency to break it," said the Center for American Progress in a statement this afternoon.  The president would serve the country well - and provide hope for millions - if he joined the bi-partisan coalition of pro-life and pro-choice members of Congress that voted for the bill and added his voice to the list of supporters of this important research.

The National Council of Churches USA - which last year sent a delegation to the region - has issued a statement condemning violence on all sides:

"As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, `If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace!'" (Luke 19: 41-42a, NRSV)

Jesus' lament echoes over the landscape of the Middle East, and in the hearts of men and women everywhere, as we witness the senseless violence engulfing the region. Is there ever to be an end to violence in the land we call holy?

What has violence solved these last 60 years? What has violence solved these past weeks?

Any hope for peace, itself a miracle in the midst of occupation, was stifled with Israel's missile strike on Gaza and the death of innocent Palestinians. Any chance of reconciliation was hindered by the retributive attacks and kidnapping of an Israeli soldier by Hamas. Any call for restraint was ignored with disproportionate retaliations by Israel. Any plea for reason was cast aside with the capture of two more Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah. Any prayer for an end to this escalation of hostilities was silenced with the Israeli incursions into Lebanon, the subsequent shelling of Haifa and Beirut, and the death of more and more civilians.

We hear Jesus' lament in the cries of the Israelis, Palestinians, and Lebanese, the Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others whose lives are threatened by this unending violence. Where can this cycle of vengeance, retribution and violence lead?

When will all Israeli leaders see that aggression only breeds more aggression, and that security cannot be achieved through the oppression and humiliation of others? When will all Palestinian leaders understand that calls for justice demand the doing of justice, and that suffering injustice does not confer moral license to respond with violence? When will the United States see that being an honest, effective broker for peace requires fairness in our dealings with both the Israelis and the Palestinians, and now the Lebanese, and that doing nothing to end the violence costs us dearly in spirit, blood, treasure, and moral integrity?

The National Council of Churches USA and Church World Service:

Call upon our own government and all governments, recognizing the success of former peace initiatives, to encourage aggrieved parties to engage in earnest negotiation, and through the United Nations to work with all concerned parties to address immediate humanitarian needs and to resolve the long-term issues underlying the continued violence;

Call upon all parties in the Middle East to end the current hostilities, to develop non-violent strategies for engagement, and to work toward a just and sustainable settlement of the issues that plague the region;

Call upon the religious communities of the region to pray, teach and lead their people in the ways of peace, and upon religious communities throughout the world to walk with them in solidarity until peace is achieved; and,

Call upon its member communions to pray for all those who have suffered and died as a result of this violence, and their families and communities, and to engage in humanitarian and advocacy actions for peace.

We issue this statement remembering the words of Jesus Christ: "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword" (Matthew 26:52, NRSV).

The World Council of Churches has issued a similar statement:

One day of new violence in northern Israel and in Lebanon, added to three weeks of on-going attacks in the Gaza Strip, gives cause for increasing alarm around the world. The use of force and the harsh rhetoric of war are driving the new government of Israel and its neighbouring states deeper into a chasm of killings and destruction, and farther away from the prospect of peace.

The World Council of Churches strongly urges all parties to immediately stop and reverse the escalation of the conflict and all use of the rhetoric of war.

We insist fully and firmly on the need for all parties to protect civilians -- Lebanese, Israeli and Palestinian -- in accordance with international law. We call for an end to violent actions, condemning these actions including the destruction of roads, bridges and airport runways and the blockade by sea of Lebanon as is already the case in Gaza.

Implementation of international law including international humanitarian law and of UN resolutions concerning Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon, is the essential alternative to the cycle of incursions, occupations, violent counter-attacks and international inaction that now looms over the Middle East again.

The WCC called two weeks ago for the international community to take new action to uphold law and end violence over Gaza, releasing those detained by both sides, and two months ago for Israel to base its security on equitable negotiations with neighbouring peoples within the framework of international laws and related guarantees. Events in Lebanon show the high costs of inaction by the international community.

This new word of warning comes with our urgent prayers for action by all parties committed to achieving peace with justice.

Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia
General Secretary

Pleas keep all the people of the Middle East - Jewish, Christian and Muslim - in your prayers.  Pray for peace.  

All people shall give as they are able, according to the blessings which God has given them.1

The world lay broken tonight from disasters both the result of human action and natural disaster. Standing in this darkness and offering light is Church World Service.

Founded in 1946, Church World Service is the relief, development, and refugee assistance ministry of 35 Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican denominations in the United States. Working in partnership with indigenous organizations in more than 80 countries, CWS works worldwide to meet human needs and foster self-reliance for all whose way is hard.

Within the United States, Church World Service assists communities in responding to disasters, resettles refugees, promotes fair national and international policies, provides educational resources, and offers opportunities to join a people-to-people network of local and global caring through participation in CROP WALKS, the TOOLS & BLANKETS Program, and the "Gift of the Heart"; Kit Program.

Please consider making a gift to this important ecumenical organization.

1. United Church of Christ Book of Worship

When the Massachusetts courts ruled that gays and lesbians could not be denied the same legal rights related to marriage as straight couples there was a predictable outcry from the Right.  Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and one of the most prominent leaders of the Religious Right, compared the court's decision to the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

The most basic argument against granting gays and lesbians marriage equality has been that in doing so the institution of marriage itself would be harmed.  What has been the impact thus far in Massachusetts?  Bruce Wilson provides the answer:

Divorce rates in the US have been declining steadily since the early 1980's.  Massachusetts has shared in the trend and traditionally has had a divorce rate considerably lower than the national average. In fact, for several years now the Commonwealth has had the lowest divorce rate of any state in the union.

In 2004 the Massachusetts divorce rate, at 2.2 per 1,000 residents per year, was considerably lower than the US national average rate for that year, 3.8 per 1,000. Indeed, it was lower than the national average rate for 1950 (2.6 per 1,000) and even approached the national rate of 1940 (2 per 1,000).

In 2003, total divorces in Massachusetts declined 2.1% relative to 2002. But in the first two years of legal same sex marriage in the Bay State, Massachusetts showed a more rapid decline and will very likely hold on to its title as the US state with the lowest divorce rate in the nation. The field is hotly contested -- divorce rates have fallen dramatically in the last few decades.

The institution of marriage in Massachusetts, as measured by the rate of divorce, has not been healthier in at least half a century regardless of dire predictions of Christian Right leaders and Catholic Bishops.  But the states that have taken aggressive action against same sex marriage, have not done nearly as well during the two year period of legal same sex marriage in Massachusetts.

This month marks the one year anniversary since the overwhelming decision of the General Synod of the United Church of Christ to support marriage equality.  The resolution declared:

Ideas about marriage have shifted and changed dramatically throughout human history, and such change continues even today. At different points marriage has been defined in response to economic realities, by the primacy of procreation and by societal understandings of the role of men and women. In the Gospel we find ground for a definition of marriage and family relationships based on affirmation of the full humanity of each partner, lived out in mutual care and respect for one another. Scripture itself, along with the global human experience, offers many different views of family and how family is to be defined. This unfolding revelation and understanding needs to be weighed carefully by people of faith considering the issue of equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender. Jesus radically challenged his traditional cultural roles and concepts of family life. Jesus boldly declared members of the household/family of God to be whoever hears and follows the will of God.

Gay marriage is not threat to America.  What is truly threatening to our society are those politicians and advocacy groups that seek to divide our nation in an attempt to achieve political gain.  Those who seek to deny civil rights to gays and lesbians are the political and theological heirs of those who fought against racial integration (including interracial marriages).  Our nation needs political and religious leaders who put the goals of reconciliation and justice ahead of personal ambition. 

Politicians often seek votes by diving Americans along racial, economic and gender lines.  That has certainly been the case this year as conservative Republicans in Congress have sought to make Hispanic immigrants the scapegoats for America's economic problems. 

Among Christians, there is nearly universal agreement that harsh anti-immigrant legislation should be opposed.  Roman Catholic bishops and priests, mainline denominational leaders, and evangelical Hispanics have forged partnerships to oppose efforts that would both classify illegal immigrants as felons and punish church-based health and welfare agencies for serving the needs of immigrants. 

For the most part only the hard-line leaders of the Religious Right have spoken out in favor of anti-immigrant legislation.  Many of the groups pushing such legislation have ties with racist organizations and the Religious Right has been historically outspoken in their opposition to civil rights in America for racial minorities, women and the gay community.  It should come as no surprise that today the Religious Right finds common cause with groups such as the so-called Minutemen.

The Christian Century, in their most recent issue, offered a strong theological case for why Christians have an obligation to support immigrants:

All of us in this country are, except for Native Americans, immigrants or the descendants of immigrants. That fact is often cited, and rightly so, by those in favor of providing immigrants who have been living and working in this country a straightforward path to citizenship. Those who want to clamp down on the illegal immigrants (as many as 12 million) complain that the immigrants are driving down wages and overwhelming American culture. The hardliners reveal signs of xenophobia or even racism. The concern that new immigrants stick to themselves, aren't learning English and are threatening American culture was voiced in earlier eras about the Irish, the Italians and the Jews--who at the time were considered members of a different race from Anglo-Saxon Americans.

George W. Bush's experience in Texas, a state that has always had a sizable Mexican population, may explain why he takes a moderate position on immigration, whereas representatives who come from areas that have not historically been home to large numbers of Hispanics use the issue for political demagoguery.

One hardliner, Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R., Calif.), has this response to those who say the economy would suffer without the immigrant laborers to pick and pack the nation's fruits and vegetables: "Let the prisoners pick the fruits." The notion that people in jail could replace immigrant labor in agriculture is absurd....

Jews and Christians share this scripture: "You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt" (Exod. 22:21). Scripture says that God's people are to regard sojourners not with fear, indifference or loathing, but with love and respect. Movements to criminalize millions of individuals, break up families and destabilize industries are bad enough. The notion that the alien among us is anything other than beloved elicits some of scripture's strongest condemnations: "'Cursed be anyone who deprives the alien, the orphan, and the widow of justice.' All the people shall say, 'Amen!'" (Deut. 27:19).

Click here to read the full editoral.

There are many who hope to use this issue in the mid-term elections to further divide the American people.  Our job must be to educate our fellow church members about the issues involved and to seek reconciliation among God's people.  One way to start is to share this editorial with your family and friends.

A Republican candidate running for the U.S. House has attacked her primary opponent for being a member of the United Church of Christ. “"The political arm of the UCC is actively waging a fight against Republican values and principles through a well-organized quest to undermine the support that Republican candidates get from what we think of as the Christian Right," wrote candidate Miriam Masullo in a letter to fellow Republicans. Scott MacLean, an ordained UCC minister, has won the Republican nomination for the House seat now held by democrat John B. Larson. Masullo, apparently bitter over her rejection by party leaders, has forced a primary vote in an effort to deny MacLean his party’s official support. United Church News reported on the issue today. Masullo’s website lists the anti-UCC website UCCtruths, a site that often reprints information from the ultra-conservative Republican Party-aligned Institute on Religion and Democracy, as their source for information on the UCC.

Read the comments on this post from Street Prophets

Read the comments on this post from the UCC Forums

Religion News Service reports today that the Episcopal Church USA is taking some important proactive steps to address Christian-Jewish relations:

Almost unnoticed amid its clamorous debate over human sexuality, the Episcopal Church has directed an internal committee to address "anti-Jewish prejudice" in Christian Scriptures and liturgical texts.

A majority of lay and ordained delegates to the church's triennial meeting in June voted to ask a church committee to "collect and develop materials ... to address anti-Jewish prejudice expressed in and stirred by portions of Christian Scriptures and liturgical texts."

Hailed by members of the Jewish community but questioned by conservatives in the 2.2 million-member Episcopal Church, the measure is part of long pattern of mainline churches taking a hard look at Christian texts, said Rabbi A. James Rudin, senior interreligious affairs advisor for the American Jewish Committee.

Since the Roman Catholic Church issued "Nostra Aetate" ("In Our Time") in 1965 -- a ruling that condemns anti-Semitism and any use of Scripture to support it -- Protestant churches, including the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Presbyterian Church (USA) have followed suit, Rudin said....

Particularly during Holy Week, when biblical texts about Jesus' death are read in church, there can be "misunderstandings in the pews" about the role of Jews in Jesus' crucifixion, Epting said.

"The texts without explanation can lead people to an anti-Semitic point of view," according to Epting. "Commentary and education material will help people understand the context in which these things were said."

Click here to read the entire article.

Related Post:  Can We Stop Trying To Evangelize Jews Now?

Pastor Dan at Street Prophets got an interview this week with Barack Obama.  Check it out.

Another attack against progressive Christians came out today and it wasn't from the Religious Right.  It was the Rolling Stone magazine blog.  Tim Dickinson wrote:

CBS has an intriguing story about the growing momentum of the "Religious Left."

It quotes Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, as saying:

"Jesus never said one word about homosexuality, never said one word about civil marriage or abortion."

Adds the Rev. Tony Campolo:

"We are furious that the religious right has made Jesus into a Republican. That's idolatry. To recreate Jesus in your own image rather than allowing yourself to be created in Jesus' image is what's wrong with politics."

So what's the Religious Left's answer to this `idolatry'? Why, to turn the Lord into a liberal Democrat, of course:

The Christian left is focusing on:

Fighting Poverty
Protecting the environment
Ending the war in Iraq

Did I miss the gospel where Jesus said, "No Drilling in ANWR"?

The remarks show more ignorance about the Christian faith than anything else.  Dickinson is correct that Jesus never mentioned drilling in ANWR but the Scriptures are filled with God's call for us to be responsible stewards of creation and to be peacemakers. 

The risen Christ still speaks to us today as we attempt to discern God's will on contemporary issues through Scripture, reason and our own experiences. 

It would be wrong if the "Religious Left" turned Jesus into an instrument of partisan political warfare in the way that the Religious Right has done for the Republicans. 

But as far as I know no one in the progressive Christian has suggested such a thing. 

It isn't liberal or conservative to talk about fighting poverty, protecting the environment or ending wars.  All we are doing is articulating how we understand Jesus' teachings.  The Religious Right (which is a political movement more than a religious one) by and large argues against environment protections, supports U.S. military campaigns without questions, and argues in favor of economic policies that abandon the poor to market forces. 

Anyone who places emphasis on Jesus' teachings on the environment, poverty and peacemaking would seem to take Scripture more seriously than those who argue the Bible is simply a manual on sexual relations.   

Dickinson and his colleagues at Rolling Stone would better serve their readers if they spent more time studying Scripture instead of mocking those who attempt to faithfully follow the teachings of God.   

Read the comments on this post from Street Prophets

Paul Louis Metzger, a professor at the conservative evangelical Multnomah Biblical Seminary, writes today in The Oregonian:

Many younger evangelical Christians today -- especially those known as "emergents" -- are troubled by the reduction of their movement's moral vision to nothing but the issues of abortion and gay marriage. For these young people, a more expansive frame of reference is emerging, which among other things includes concern for the environment, particularly global warming.

These younger evangelicals reflect a wider trend in our culture. Harvard University's Institute of Politics recently released a poll that concludes that many college and university students today are religious centrists. They don't fit neatly into traditional political party classifications. The study contends that these religious centrists will likely be the most influential group in American politics for years to come. Republican and Democratic candidates alike risk losing out if they don't take these religious centrists seriously.

Religious centrists vote their morals, which include environmental stewardship. Politicians should not assume that championing traditionally conservative stances on abortion, stem cell research and gay marriage will attract the young evangelical vote. While some evangelical leaders have raised doubts about global warming and initiatives to reduce it -- even appealing to science in their arguments -- their young evangelical critics often wonder if such leaders actually care about the breadth of creation. For these critics, the question is not, "Does global warming exist?" The questions are, "What are the causes -- human, nonhuman or both -- and what are the long-term risks if global warming continues unabated?"

The environment - care of creative - ought to be an issue beyond partisan politics for Christians.  Even the conservative Southern Baptist press hailed Al Gore's recent movie - despite their political views.

Too bad the president, majority party in Congress and the political leaders of the Religious Right aren't getting the message.   

My original plan this week was to fly off to New York for the Progressive Faith Blog Con. Unfortunately, I’ll be staying home for some minor surgery. Make sure that you check out the sites of all those attending this important first-ever event:

Every day blogs work to raise money for political causes.

Starting this Sunday I will highlight a progressive non-profit organization on this space which can also use your support.

All people shall give as they are able, according to the blessings which God has given them.1

Please consider supporting the work of the Children’s Defense Fund this week with a donation and your prayers.

Visit their the section on religious action from their website to learn more about how your community can become involved with their work.

1. United Church of Christ Book of Worship

Frances and Katherine had their second birthday today. Two! Today we went to the Oregon coast for the ordination service of our friend Scott Elliott and tomorrow we’ll celebrate their birthday with a family lunch. It seems like it was just yesterday that they were born.

Frances this week at Mt. Hood's Timberline Lodge

Katherine today in Lincoln City

This morning we made the trek down to beautiful Lincoln City Congregational Church for the ordination of Scott Elliott. Scott was a classmate of mine at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He was the only other Oregonian on campus. Scott considered calls across the United States (there have been none until recently available anywhere in Oregon) and settled on an exciting opportunity to minister at Riviera United Church of Christ in Palm Bay, Florida. His home church on the Oregon coast was packed for the ordination service. The picture above is of Scott (on the left) with The Rev. John Gantt, interim minister of the Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ. Scott and his wife Nancy, along with three of their four children, visited our house on Thursday morning. Florida is fortunate to get such a good group of people from Oregon and the UCC is lucky to have such a talented new minister.

Katharine Jefferts Schori, recently elected presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, is a guest this week on Oregon Public Broadcasting's public affairs program Oregon Territory.  The bishop has several connections to Oregon:  she went to graduate school at Oregon State University and served a parish in Corvallis.  Click here to listen to the interview. 

Related Post:  Episcopal Church Names Katharine Jefferts Schori As Presiding Bishop

One of the most competitive political races this year is in Rhode Island where incumbent U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee is running in a contested Republican Primary.  Whoever wins that primary will face a strong challenger from the Democratic Party.  National democrats hope to pick up the seat in an effort to gain a democratic majority.  Our nation would clearly benefit from a change in congressional leadership but a Chafee defeat would be a loss for the nation.

Chafee is one of the last liberal Republicans.  He has fought against President Bush's policies in Iraq, supported environmental protections, is pro-choice, and has opposed some of the president's most extreme judicial nominations.  Chafee has been more progressive on some critical issues than Joseph Lieberman, the embattled democratic senator from Connecticut.  It is no surprise that Chafee is being opposed by a right-wing opponent from his own party in the primary.

During the start of the first Gulf War there was a senate election in Oregon between longtime Republican incumbent Mark O. Hatfield and challenger Harry Lonsdale.  Hatfield, whose views of abortion and economics I disagreed with, was a fierce opponent of the Reagan military build-up, sponsored the first major federal legislation to address homelessness, and voted to oppose G.H.W. Bush's military campaign against Iraq.  Lansdale urged support for the war and ran a negative campaign.  I made a decision then I'd rather have an honorable man in the Senate who shared my views of war and peace than a dishonorable man who would simply support the Democratic Party.

Lincoln Chafee is an honorable man.  Some of the liberal political blogs have joined with right wing extremists in trying to paint Chafee into some kind of political monster and there is a good chance that both the attacks and his voting record will cost him the Republican nomination.  That would be a shame.  I want people such as Chafee talking up issues like the environment and opposition to the war in Republican caucus meetings.  The senate is better off with his voice - and vote.    

Press Release from the National Council of Churches USA

Washington, D.C., July 7, 2006--The National Council of Churches USA has joined Church World Service, its sister humanitarian organization, in opposing a recommendation in a draft report by the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba.  It proposes the U.S. Commerce Department no longer grant licenses for humanitarian aid to the Cuban people that would go through the Cuban Council of Churches, because it violates religious freedom [http://churchworldservice.org/news/archives/2006/07/503.html].

NCC is urging its member denominations, state councils of churches and others to send an urgent message to President Bush with copies to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez urging them not to ban aid through the Cuban Council of Churches, an organization that they have partnered with for decades. Rice and Gutierrez co-chair the commission.

The report is in its second draft and expected to be officially released within the next week. These new restrictions are alarming because they would infringe upon religious freedom and jeopardize the Cuban people, especially children, by limiting aid to reach those most in need.

In 2004, the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba issued its first report.  It resulted in severe new restrictions on family, educational and religious travel to Cuba, and decreased the allowable remittances that Cuban-Americans were allowed to send to their families on the island.

"We have had an ecumenical relationship with the Cuban Council of Churches for a long time, as have churches and councils of churches around the world," said Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, associate general secretary for international affairs and peace at the NCC.

"If these recommendations are accepted by President Bush it would indicate that this administration is trying to dictate who our church ecumenical partners can be and how our humanitarian agencies can deliver aid to people who need it. That is an incredible intrusion into free exercise of religion," said Kireopoulos.

The report recommends that the Department of Commerce "[t]ighten regulations for the export of humanitarian items, other than agricultural or medical commodities, to ensure that exports are consigned to entities that support independent civil society and are not regime administered or controlled organizations, such as the Cuban Council of Churches."

Although the recommendation appears to make an exception for food and medicine--some of CWS's main shipments to the island nation--there is a great deal of concern that the implementation itself might not make room for such exemptions in the case of the Cuban Council of Churches.  Furthermore, other humanitarian items, such as blankets, school kits and sewing supplies, and any other non-food and medicine aid will certainly be off-limits to the CCC.  With the expectation that this will be one of the worst hurricane seasons ever, this seems especially unreasonable.

This new recommendation coupled with new restrictions on travel implemented in 2005 is viewed as an attack by the current administration on ecumenical relations that have existed for years. In addition, NCC is particularly concerned that the Cuban Council of Churches has been singled out, which could set a dangerous precedent internationally.

According to the letter being sent to the president, "It is completely inappropriate for the U.S. government, or any government, to determine who is and who is not a legitimate national council of churches, and to restrict or deny Christian fellowship and humanitarian assistance to any particular national church council, including the Cuban Council of Churches."

Rev. John L. McCullough, CWS executive director, said, "Ecumenical bodies have a right to determine their partners and to relate internationally. This raises grave concerns apart from the politics of U.S.-Cuban relations."

To view a copy of the letter being sent to administration officials or for those who wish to take action and urge the U.S. not to implement this recommendation visit www.faithfulamerica.org.

Few issues in modern times have united Christians in the way opposition to the war in Iraq has.  The Vatican and World Council of Churches spoke for most Christians when they urged the United States not to invade. 

Christian voices supporting the war have been limited almost exclusively to conservative denominational and political bodies in the United States (such as the Southern Baptists). 

However, even conservative support for the war from U.S. Christians may be faltering in the face of clear cut evidence that the Bush Administration lied about the reasons for the invasion.  Tens of thousands of civilians have died as a result.

The Christian Century reports about the latest church body to question American policy:

The theologically conservative Christian Reformed Church, in its first major statement on war in two dozen years, urged its churches to raise moral questions with governments about weapons of mass destruction and preemptive military actions.

Delegates at its synod also asked the denomination's executive director to inquire about standards or requirements for Christian Reformed members serving in the U.S. military to be recognized as conscientious objectors in certain conflicts.

A majority of the delegates, who ended their seven-day meeting June 16 in the CRC headquarters city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, called on its agencies and congregations "to promote and actively engage in international initiatives for building peace with justice," according to the CRC Web site.

Click here to read their statement.

Continue to keep the American troops and the Iraqi civilian population in your prayers.

This morning we took advantage of the 4th of July holiday and drove up to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood where we walked around in the snow and had lunch. The lodge was built in 1936 and was a WPA project. President Roosevelt himself was at the dedication in 1937. Global warming has helped melt a lot of the historic glaciers on the mountain but for now it remains the only place in the US with year round skiing.

Daddy and Frances

Mommy and Katherine

Timberline Lodge

Rabbi Steven B. Jacobs is one of America's true champions of human rights and a remarkable leader in interfaith relations.  During the 2004 elections we had the chance to meet while working with the Clergy leadership Network.  Rabbi Jacobs serves the Kol Tikvah congregation in LA and is a board member of the new Faith in Public Life organization.

He recently wrote this piece concerning Iraq for the Faith in Public Life Blog:

The headline in the Los Angeles Times screams at us, "War's Iraqi Death Toll Tops 50,000." But we may have become tone deaf. At least 50,000 Iraqis have died violently since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion! The toll is devastating. The documented cases show a country descending into violence, as the headline article elaborates. The tone deafness on our part to others' suffering is due to the fact that we only focus on our own 2520 U.S. deaths. It's only our blood that matters. This is a war to save the civilization, and damn those who oppose this administration, while the most threatened and hated Americans are Muslims.

It is not only death, but it is the fact that untold numbers of civilian lives are broken and fractured. There is a loss of the sanctity of life.

We in the religious community must stop courting death. We must sanctify life with our own weapons of respecting all and reaching out to our enemies, not destroying them. We must fight hatred for the rest of our lives. We must not be silent or indifferent to the intricacies and manipulations of government leaders, whether Republicans or Democrats.

Our religious vision of revenge must be in fighting hatred with the power that we bring in the interfaith community. We must lower the walls of ignorance that have allowed hatred to ferment to such heights. We must stand up to the rising cultures of hate, accusation, and deceit.

Finally, the sacredness of life was best articulated by the father of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal journalist beheaded and killed in 2002. Judea Pearl, sharing lunch with me last week, spoke of hatred. "Military battles," he said, "are won in two parallel ways: by making your enemy weaker, and by making your troops stronger." The same applies to battles of hatred. In addition to curtailing ignorance in the world at large, we must empower the troops of peace here at home, and our children and grandchildren to be the elite forces of these troops.

This is what the sanctity of life must be! There are powerful voices in our community who are speaking out against the immorality of war. It is time we come together to speak out.

This 4th of July the United State of America could be served with no better message than a reminder that all the inhabitants of the world are called the be peacemakers.

Over the course of last night someone became the 500,000 visitor to this blog. Thanks for stopping by and thanks to all who have read and commented here.