Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie

Christian Leaders React With Concern Over Hussein Execution

 

At church today we prayed for Saddam Hussein because Christians are called to pray even for our enemies.  Hussein was a vicious tyrant whose crimes against humanity were many and he was an enemy to all who love peace and worship God - Muslim, Christian and Jew alike.  He helped to perpetuate a cycle of violence that finally consumed even him.  Global religious leaders from the Christian faith, however, have reacted to his brutal execution with concern.

The Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, general-secretary of the World Council of Churches, released a statement saying:

At the death of Saddam Hussein, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Iraq. We pray to God to grant this suffering nation the mercy, justice and compassion that it has long been denied. We hope against hope for an end to fear and death that marked Saddam Hussein's rule and that continue now from other hands.

That a leader has been held responsible for one of his crimes is significant. However, the World Council of Churches is opposed to the death penalty. Each taking of a person's life is a part of a larger tragedy and nowhere is this more apparent than in a land of daily killings.

We pray that those who hold power in Iraq now and in the future will create a new heritage of government for its people. May Iraq's leaders pursue reconciliation and mutual respect among all its communities. May Iraq's people be freed from violence and demagoguery, and be able to live where power is held to account and shared under the rule of law. May all parties and all authorities in Iraq now work to stay the hands of any that are tempted to use violence for political gain and all who put themselves above the law.

Iraq and its neighbours need peace, the peace that comes with justice for all.

Ekklesia reports a similar reaction came from the Vatican:

Speaking for the Holy See, Father Federico Lombardi told Vatican Radio that "every capital execution is a reason for sadness even when it involves a person who has been convicted of serious crimes".

He added that "the killing of the perpetrator is not the way to rebuild justice and to reconcile society. Rather the opposite, there is the danger that the spirit of revenge will be fuelled and new violence will be sown."

Today the 3,000th U.S. casualty since the invasion was confirmed.  It is possible that over 600,000 Iraqi civilians have now been killed.  How many more will have to die before the futility of this crusade is recognized? 

A Podcast Sermon For New Year's Eve

This morning at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ we marked the end of 2006 with prayers and resolutions for 2007.  Our Scripture readings were Psalm 148 and Luke 2:41-52.

Use the below link to download the podcast of my sermon for your iPod or personal computer.

Download ParkroseL.m4a

(click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

Holding On To Hope

We’ve just come back from a wonderful trip to the Bay Area where we visited with Liz’s family. Tomorrow our Christmas tree comes down (which is a little sad because we really had a good looking tree this year) and it is back to work for me in the morning. Taking six days off in a row has been great. Christmas was great. I’m starting the New Year off with a renewed sense of hope for my church and maybe even a little for the world at large. Hope doesn’t come easy these days, I know, but as Bill Coffin said: “Hope criticizes what is; hopelessness rationalizes it. Hope resists; hopelessness adapts.” The Christmas experience is always one of hope over hopelessness. The birth of Jesus brought renewed hope to the world over 2,000 years ago and remembering that birth opens our hearts to new possibilities again each year. That’s the feeling I want to take away from this Christmas and into 2007: that there are new…hopeful…possibilities.

"Saddam Hussein Put to Death"

Press Release from Human Rights Watch

(New York, December 30, 2006) – The execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein following a deeply flawed trial for crimes against humanity marks a significant step away from respect for human rights and the rule of law in Iraq, Human Rights Watch said today.

Human Rights Watch has for more than 15 years documented the human rights crimes committed by Hussein’s former government, and has campaigned to bring the perpetrators to justice. These crimes include the killing of more than 100,000 Iraqi Kurds in Northern Iraq as part of the 1998 Anfal campaign. 

“Saddam Hussein was responsible for massive human rights violations, but that can’t justify giving him the death penalty, which is a cruel and inhuman punishment,” said Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch’s International Justice Program. 

The Iraqi High Tribunal sentenced Saddam Hussein and two others to death in November for the killing of 148 men and boys from the town of Dujail in 1982. The tribunal’s statute prohibits, contrary to international law, the possibility of commuting a death sentence. It also requires that the execution take place within 30 days of the final appeal. 

Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all circumstances. Increasingly, governments are abolishing the death penalty in domestic law. 

“The test of a government’s commitment to human rights is measured by the way it treats its worst offenders,” said Dicker. “History will judge these actions harshly.” 

A report issued in November 2006 by Human Rights Watch identified numerous serious flaws in the trial of Hussein for the Dujail executions. The 97-page report, “Judging Dujail: The First Trial Before the Iraqi High Tribunal,” was based on 10 months of observation and dozens of interviews with judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers. 

The report found, among other defects, that the Iraqi High Tribunal was undermined from the outset by Iraqi government actions that threatened the independence and perceived impartiality of the court. It outlined serious flaws in the trial, including failures to disclose key evidence to the defense, violations of the defendants’ right to question prosecution witnesses, and the presiding judge’s demonstrations of bias. 

Hussein’s defense lawyers had 30 days to file an appeal from the November 5 verdict. However, the trial judgment was only made available to them on November 22, leaving just two weeks to respond. The Appeals Chamber announced its confirmation of the verdict and the death sentence on December 26. 

“It defies imagination that the Appeals Chamber could have thoroughly reviewed the 300-page judgment and the defense’s written arguments in less than three weeks’ time,” said Dicker. “The appeals process appears even more flawed than the trial.” 

At the time of his hanging, Saddam Hussein and others were on trial for genocide for the 1988 Anfal campaign. The victims, including women, children and the elderly, were selected because they were Kurds who remained on their traditional lands in zones outside of areas controlled by Baghdad. Hussein’s execution will therefore jeopardize the trial of these most serious crimes.

Related Post:  Saddam Hussein Captured

Related Post:  Death Does Not Bring Justice

Liz Smith Currie: "School-based health centers are a smart investment for communities"

Liz had a letter to the editor in The Oregonian about a week ago:

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Gov. Ted Kulongoski have each unveiled major health care reform proposals that would provide access to health care for many Oregonians. It is notable that both of these proposals recognize that providing insurance alone is not enough to ensure access to care; both proposals include a plan to expand school-based health centers.

If these plans are enacted, many children who otherwise might not get the care they need will have access to quality, affordable health care right in their schools. School-based health centers are a smart investment for communities and a winning solution for schools and families.

LIZ SMITH CURRIE, Northeast Portland

Lots of men will tell you they married women smarter than themselves. That’s true in my case and we’ve got the graduate school transcripts to prove it.

When Liz – a former congressional staffer, former public school teacher, mom and public policy advocate – tells you that a proposal will benefit kids in our state the advice is coming from an expert.

On Vacation

We're enjoying some wonderful weather today in San Francisco (the Pacific is right out my window).  Liz's family is from the Bay Area and we love coming down as often as possible to visit.  My time here has been spent recovering from Christmas services and related activites, answering church calls on my cell phone (such is the life of a solo pastor), playing with the kids and their cousins, taking some free time with Liz to enjoy the sites, and reading.  Yesterday I finished a great book given as a Christmas gift: Muhammad: A Prophet For Our Time by Karen Armstrong.  I know so little really about Islam and have always respected Armstrong's insights into this faith.  Well, I'd write more but I'm going to talk a walk down to the beach before we return to Palo Alto. 

John Edwards 2008

Senator John Edwards will announce his campaign for president tomorrow. I'm far from making a commitment to any campaign but have met Edwards and respect his views on poverty and on Iraq. Unlike Senator Clinton, Edwards has admitted that his early support for the war was a mistake. He would make a good president and I look forward to watching his campaign.

Gerald R. Ford: 1913-2006

President Ford's death reminds us that in moments of crisis America has often benefited from extraordinary leaders.  Gerald Ford was one of those leaders.  His pardon of Richard Nixon was seen at the time as an unseemly political move but history "clarified" events according to Senator Edward Kennedy, one of Ford's critics in the 1970s.  Ford won the "Profile in Courage Award" in 2001 and Kennedy said at the awards ceremony:   

At a time of national turmoil, America was fortunate that it was Gerald Ford who took the helm of the storm-tossed ship of state.  Unlike many of us at the time, President Ford recognized that the nation had to move forward, and could not do so if there was a continuing effort to prosecute former President Nixon.  So President Ford made a courageous decision, one that historians now say cost him his office, and he pardoned Richard Nixon.

I was one of those who spoke out against his action then.  But time has a way of clarifying past events, and now we see that President Ford was right.  His courage and dedication to our country made it possible for us to begin the process of healing and put the tragedy of Watergate behind us.  He eminently deserves this award, and we are proud of his achievement.

According to the Kennedy Center:

A distinguished bipartisan committee of national political and community leaders selected Ford and Lewis for the prestigious awards for political courage. The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award is presented annually to an elected official who has withstood strong opposition from constituents, powerful interest groups or adversaries to follow what she or he believes is the right course of action. The award is named for President Kennedy's 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profiles in Courage, which recounts the stories of eight U.S. Senators who risked their careers to fight for what they believed in.

"For more than a quarter century, Gerald Ford proved to the people of Michigan, the Congress, and our nation that politics can be a noble profession," said Caroline Kennedy in presenting the Profile in Courage Award to the former president. "As President, he made a controversial decision of conscience to pardon former president Nixon and end the national trauma of Watergate. In doing so, he placed his love of country ahead of his own political future."

The friendship that grew between Ford and President Carter, the man who beat Ford, became an important one.  Not only did it show the power of reconciliation as a virtue in public life but the two were able to speak out on important issues with a bi-partisan voice.  For example, the two spoke out against the impeachment of President Clinton. 

The American people were fortunate to have President Ford for his brief tour of duty in the White House.

Let us pray for his family during this time of loss.

Photo credit #1: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gf38.html

Photo credit # 2: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Education+and+Public+Programs/Profile+in+Courage+Award/Award+Recipients/Gerald+Ford/

2006 Christmas Message from the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ

2006 Christmas Message
The Rev. John H. Thomas
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" (Luke 2.14) 

The place where, it is said, the angels appeared to the shepherds now lies hard up against the concrete and steel separation barrier that encloses Bethlehem in most places behind a twenty five foot high wall. Young Israeli soldiers guarding the checkpoints eye those who seek to enter or leave with professional condescension, no doubt cloaking an underlying fear. Palestinians endure their virtual imprisonment with emotions oscillating between resignation and rage. Each day is a mockery of the angelic choir’s announcement of peace. In Bethlehem and throughout the world peace is offered only to those we favor, to those who meet our standards of justice, our interpretation of law. As a result, everywhere pilgrims on their way to holy shrines must pick their way past the wreckage of human destruction like children tiptoeing through fields littered with unexploded cluster bombs. Who are the ones God favors? Are we?

We journey toward Bethlehem this year in a world where the angels’ voice is not only mocked, but muted. Iraq, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Darfur form a dismal litany. Even in the Church, even in our church, the promise of peace is elusive as partisans of various kinds of truth and soldiers of all sorts of justice launch assaults against one another, as walls are erected to separate and imprison, and extravagant and idolatrous claims are made for God’s special favor. Have we forgotten who it is we travel to Bethlehem to see? An infant who first and foremost is not a child of truth or of justice, but the Child of God, of Love, of Forgiveness? Have we forgotten that if peace is for those God favors, then surely it must be for all the people?

The great Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmemann once wrote in a reflection on the Lord’s Prayer:

Perhaps the terrible tragedy of our times, of those societies in which we live, consists precisely in the fact that while there is much talk about legality and justice, while many assorted texts are cited, these societies have almost entirely lost the power and moral beauty of forgiveness. This is why the petition in the Lord’s Prayer for forgiveness of sins of those who have sinned against us, and of us and our sins by God, is possibly that very center of moral rebirth before which we stand in this age.

If Christmas teaches us anything, it is that the world is redeemed not by our moral certainties, our ideological truths, or even our steadfast claims for justice. It is redeemed by the power and the moral beauty of forgiveness revealed in the Manger.

In the center of troubled Bethlehem today stands the Christmas Church, built by European missionaries in the 19th century. Its interior very much reflects its German Lutheran origins, save for the dome over the sanctuary which has been repainted a beautiful blue, a color so representative of Islamic culture. And around the base of the dome are the angels’ words, written not in German or Latin, but in Arabic. Here notions of God’s favor burst beyond old and confining limits. Here in Bethlehem, where the hopes and fears of all the years still meet, the heavenly chorus continues its song, and by the witness of the Church its promises may still resound, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favors." Peace. For all the people!

Jesus Be With Us: A Christmas Eve Sermon

Tonight at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ we celebrated the birth of Jesus with a candlelight service.  Our Scripture readings came from:

Proverbs 8:1, 22-24, 27-31
Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7
Matthew 1: 18-23
Luke 2: 1, 3-7

There is no podcast of the homily from night but my notes are below.  KGW was there with a camera crew for the early part of the service so you might catch some of the music from our choir if you tune in at 11 pm. 

When babies are born we have mixed emotions.

It is a joyous time when we celebrate the seemingly impossible miracle of our existence.  We look at our new born children and feel love so deep that it can be overwhelming.

And a few minutes after that we get scared.

What will their lives be like?  Are they healthy?

Can we make it as parents?  Am I about to faint?

Mary and Joseph must have felt all that and more.  Their child was born in the midst of an occupation of their land by the Romans - a dangerous time to be sure - and from the very beginning they knew that this child of God was someone unique... someone deeply touched by the Spirit.

We gather each year at this time to celebrate the birth of the Son of God... a baby so precious that from the very moment of his birth some realized that the hopes of the world rested on his tiny shoulders. 

What a gift Jesus was.   

"In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, God has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the whole creation to its Creator," reads the United Church of Christ statement of faith.

Celebrating the birth of Christ is important is many ways:  it is a tradition that we treasure because it brings us together as family and friends, it is a time when we share gifts with one another to express our love and devotion, and it is a moment that Christians - divided about so much - unite to express our love and faith in the one called the Prince of Peace.

Compassion, love and justice were the central themes of Jesus ministry.  As a Jew, he echoed the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures.  He also called on humanity to envision the Kingdom of God not as some far off idea but as a reality that we should work toward in the here and now.

In the midst of war and deep global poverty the message of the Prince of Peace is as relevant today as it was over 2,000 years ago.

Through the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit we still hear Jesus calling us today. 

We are to be peacemakers - not the instigators of unprovoked wars.

We are to bring justice to the least of these - not bystanders to the world's injustices. 

We are to be faithful to God - people committed so deeply to God's commandments that we are willing to follow Jesus all the way to the cross if necessary.

What happened on the day Jesus was born?

God broke through into the world again - but this time not with the force of the Big Bang or some other cosmic event - no, this time it was something even more powerful: the miracle of the birth of a child filled promise and hope.

Each one of us carries that same promise and hope because we too are children of God and whether we like it our not we have inherited Jesus' mission:  In the words of the Prophet Isaiah we are called to be the "repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in." (Isaiah 58:12)

Jesus said it this way:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself."   

When we come to the table tonight for Holy Communion it symbolizes for us in a powerful way what Christmas is all about.  It is about the start of a revolution... one fought not with armies but one waged in total love for one another and for God.  Sharing a meal with God and all who gather is an act of reconciliation.  We come to the table as liberals and conservatives, Americans and citizens of the world, gay and straight, rich and poor... as neighbors... because in the Kingdom all are welcome.

That was a lesson Jesus' contemporaries could not comprehend.  After all, instead of welcoming the pregnant Mary it is said she was turned away and forced to deliver her baby among livestock.  Jesus himself would die at a young age at the hands of the Romans who saw his message as a threat. 

If Christ is to be with us in a meaningful way today it will take all our efforts to act not just as the beneficiaries of his deeds but as those who follow his way. 

Do we show the same sense of love, compassion and justice as Jesus asked us to do? 

Empires still rule today.  Babies and their families are still left homeless.

It doesn't have to be this way.  There is another way where:

6The wolf shall live with the lamb,
   the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
   and a little child shall lead them.
7The cow and the bear shall graze,
   their young shall lie down together;
   and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
   and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den.
9They will not hurt or destroy
   on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
   as the waters cover the sea.

- Isaiah 11:6-9 (NRSV)

That kind of world - where everything is at peace and justice is perused with vigor - is available to us if we bow down and follow Jesus of Nazareth and finding that peace is what the Christian faith is all about.   

Amen.

The Night Before Christmas Eve

A Prayer from the World Council of Churches:

God of grace,
together we turn to you in prayer, for it is you who unite us:
you are the one God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - in whom we believe,
you alone empower us for good,
you send us out across the earth in mission and service in the name of Christ.
Open our hearts to love and to see that all people are made in your image,
to care for creation and affirm life in all its wondrous diversity.
Transform us in the offering of ourselves so that we may be your partners in transformation
to strive for the full, visible unity of the one Church of Jesus Christ,
to become neighbours to all,
as we await with eager longing the full revelation of your rule
in the coming of a new heaven and a new earth.
God, in your grace, transform the world. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;

Amen.

Just a bit ago I returned from The Grotto where the Parkrose Community United Church of Christ Chancel Choir and Children's Choir performed at the Festival of Lights.  This was the 19th year that our choir has held this concert the night before Christmas Eve.  Celebrating the birth of Christ should be a time when Christians the world over unite in common cause and so it was a delight for me that our UCC choir performed in a Roman Catholic community.  

Tomorrow is, of course, Christmas Eve.  At Parkrose Community United Church of Christ we will be holding two services: our traditional 10 am Sunday worship with a special musical presentation from our choir and a 7 pm candlelight service with Holy Communion.  All are welcome.  If you're reading this from outside Portland and are looking for a congregation to worship with click here for a list of local UCC churches.  

Progressive Revelation

Here's a new United Church of Christ-related blog that I just came across:

Progressive Revelation

Good stuff.  Check it out. 

Right Wing Questions Obama’s Loyalty

Senator Barack Obama's loyalty as an American has been questioned by a right wing activist who frequently appears on MSNBC and other cable news outlets.  Media Matters reports:

Taking the current media focus on Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) middle name a step further, right-wing pundit and regular MSNBC guest, Debbie Schlussel argued that because Obama's middle name is Hussein and the fact that his late father was of Muslim descent, Obama's "loyalties" must be called into question. In her December 18 column headlined "Barack Hussein Obama: Once a Muslim, Always A Muslim," Schlussel asked: Is this "a man we want as President when we are fighting the war of our lives against Islam? Where will his loyalties be?" She ended her column by asking if Obama becoming vice president instead would be acceptable. Answering her own question, she wrote: "NO WAY, JOSE ... Or, is that, HUSSEIN?"

You can read the Schlussel article here.

As Media Matters notes, Obama's heritage has become a target of many on the right but Schlussel's recent comments are truly despicable.  She displays a gross religious bigotry in her comments that must be condemned.      

America has always drawn strength from our cultural and religious diversity and Obama's development as a political leader has been shaped in positive ways from his own family experiences. 

Questioning his loyalty to the nation is a desperate attempt by the right to draw down his poll numbers.  We can expect more of this in the future.  The right will do everything possible - including using religion and race - to try and divide America because they thrive off division. 

Obama, on the other hand, has used his platform as a United States Senator to seek reconciliation among the America people.  Reconciliation is a central goal of the Christian faith and Obama's religious life is anchored in Trinity United Church of Christ - a congregation with an extensive history of working to uplift communities.  After a long period of leaders trying to win elections by dividing us based on race, religion, income and region our nation benefits from Obama's voice - and his story. 

U.S. Christians Condemn Iranian Conference

Making a mockery of history the president of Iran recently held a conference that questioned the reality of the Holocaust of the Jews. 

World leaders correctly condemned the vile assertion that 6 million did not die in Germany's attempt to exterminate the Jewish people.

The National Council of Churches USA released a statement this week that said:

Iran's recent hosting of a meeting of Holocaust deniers is "regrettable, unfortunate and repugnant," said Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, NCC's associate general secretary for international affairs and peace.

The slaughter of millions of Jews and others whom the fascist regime of Adolf Hitler deemed unfit for life is a historical fact recorded as a reminder of the horrible things human beings can do to one another. This historical record is extensively documented even in Nazi archives, which belies the Conference's assertion that the Holocaust was a fabrication.

"It is a critical time for all the world to seek peace in the Middle East, a region that has seen too much death and hatred among peoples," Kireopoulos said.  "An ill-conceived conference called for the express purpose of denying what the world knows is true does not help the peace process at all. In fact, it would seem that such a stance undercuts the potential role Iran could play as a possible diplomatic partner in resolving tensions in the region."

If you've never been - or your children have never been - make sure that one day you plan a trip to the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.  No one should ever forget or question what really happened.   

Perkins School of Theology Takes Aim At Planned Bush Library

President Bush wants his presidential library – which will include a “think-tank” that will pay conservative scholars to write nice things the Bush Administration - to be on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Texas but not everybody on campus is happy about it. ThinkProgress reports:

In a December 16 letter to R. Gerald Turner, president of the Board of Trustees, members of SMU’s Perkins School of Theology have urged the board to “reconsider and to rescind SMU’s pursuit of the presidential library.”

We count ourselves among those who would regret to see SMU enshrine attitudes and actions widely deemed as ethically egregious: degradation of habeas corpus, outright denial of global warming, flagrant disregard for international treaties, alienation of long-term U.S. allies, environmental predation, shameful disrespect for gay persons and their rights, a pre-emptive war based on false and misleading premises, and a host of other erosions of respect for the global human community and for this good Earth on which our flourishing depends.

The letter concludes, “[T]hese violations are antithetical to the teaching, scholarship, and ethical thinking that best represents Southern Methodist University.”

“Perkins School of Theology is one of the 13 seminaries of The United Methodist Church,” according to their website and generally has a reputation of producing relatively moderate United Methodist clergy. The president himself is a United Methodist. Why the controversy here? Bush’s own denomination has been opposed to most of his policies. Unlike some denominations, the United Methodist Church has maintained a faithful and prophetic voice. And while no one questions the president’s faith there are many who question his ability to discern God’s will for humanity. Many, that is, except perhaps for the president himself.

Related Link:  SMU seminary stands against Bush library

A Podcast Sermon On Christian Love For The Third Sunday Of Advent

This morning at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ our Scripture readings included Isa 12:2-6 and Luke 3:7-18.  This is the third Sunday of Advent. 

Use the below link to download the podcast of my sermon for your iPod or personal computer.

Download ParkroseK.m4a

(click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

"Groups want `Left Behind' video game off Wal-Mart shelves"

Written by RNS and United Church News

Thursday, 14 December 2006

Progressive religious groups, concerned by the violence and theology in the "Left Behind" Christian video games, are asking Wal-Mart not to sell them. The "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" game is a spinoff from the best-selling "Left Behind" apocalyptic book series and carries a rating of T for "teen" because of its violent elements. "What is at issue here is this is an instructional video teaching young Christian children about an ideology of religious violence," said author Fred Clarkson, a member of the advisory board of the Campaign to Defend the Constitution, a liberal group that opposes the religious right, in a teleconference call with reporters on Dec. 12. The Campaign to Defend the Constitution says the game invites players to take the role of born-again Christians who must "convert or kill those who don't adhere to their extreme ideology." "Disturbingly, the game's apparent attempts at religious indoctrination are aimed at children and focus on violent, divisive, and hateful scenarios," according to organization's website. "While the religious right apparently has no problem pushing the product this holiday season, America's number-one video-game seller should know better." Wal-Mart is continuing its plans to stock the game, and the company producing it said critics are mischaracterizing it. "The game is about good vs. evil, not Christian versus non-Christian," said Jeffrey Frichner, president of Left Behind Games. "When people understand that, they love what we're doing because who doesn't want to fight against evil?" Clark Stevens, co-director of the Campaign to Defend the Constitution, said the protest is focusing on "the hypocrisy that exists within the religious right" because some affiliated with it, including Focus on the Family, have supported the game even though they generally speak against violent video games. The protest does not seek the removal of any other violent games. Bob Waliszewski, a media specialist for Colorado-based Focus on the Family, said it views the game as one parents can play with their kids. "Quite frankly, it's a game that has a lot going for it from a game-player's perspective, while highlighting some of life's biggest issues, such as Christ's second coming, salvation and the end times," he said. A Wal-Mart spokeswoman said the product has been selling in select stores and online. "As always, the decision on what merchandise we offer in our stores is based on what we think our customers want the opportunity to buy," said Tara Raddohl of Wal-Mart. UCC-supported "CrossWalk America," led by the Rev. Eric Elnes, a UCC minister in Scottsdale, Ariz., has called upon its supporters to boycott the Left Behind game and to contact Wal-Mart through its website.

"Storm Slams Pacific Northwest"

The winter wind storm that knocked our house around last night caused real damage in parts of Oregon and Washington. Heather Moyer from Disaster News Network reports:

PORTLAND, Ore. (December 15, 2006) — More than one million people are without power in Washington and Oregon after a strong winter storm blew through the region. Three deaths are being blamed on the weather.

Wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour were reported in some areas, downing trees and power lines. The National Weather Service issued high wind, blizzard and flood warnings for counties along the coast and inwards in both states. Two people died in traffic accidents caused by the weather and a third person died when she became trapped in her flooded basement.

Coastal and lowland areas are reporting some flooding. Parts of the Cascade Mountains are under winter storm and heavy snow warnings. Three to five feet of snow is expected in some higher elevations.

The National Weather Service released a statement noting that "If you are venturing into or across the Cascades, be prepared for dangerous winter driving conditions (Friday) morning due to heavy snow, gusty winds and poor visibility."

Several major interstates are closed and coastal areas could receive three to five inches of rain, while inland areas along the Interstate 5 corridor will see two to four inches.

Some parts of the coastal mountain range could receive up to eight inches of rain. River flooding is expected to increase today and cities like Seattle and Portland are under flood watches. Some school districts canceled classes Friday due to the weather and power outages.

The storm is expected to bring its strong winds and heavy snow into Idaho, Montana and Wyoming Friday and into the weekend.

The storm also continues to hamper rescue efforts underway on Mt. Hood where three climbers disappeared earlier this week.

Click here to make a donation for disaster relief or contact the Oregon chapter of the Red Cross to see how you can help.

Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Peace: From Crisis to Hope (An Analysis)

Earlier today I posted the text of a statement released by "35 leaders from Jewish, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian organizations" which stated that "our nation has an inescapable responsibility and an indispensable role to provide creative, determined leadership for building a just peace for all in the Middle East."  The statement, released under the umbrella of the National Interreligious Initiative for Peace in the Middle East , specifically calls on the U.S. to, among other steps: "Explore bold initiatives for peace such as appointing a special envoy, hosting an international conference, and/or forming mutually acceptable security arrangements for a negotiated two-state solution" to the Israeli -Palestinian conflict.   

This is an important document.  Over the last couple of years there have been profound differences among U.S. religious leaders over how to achieve peace in the Middle East not only between Jews and Muslims but between Jews and mainline Christians.  For example, the United Church of Christ and others have come under fire for calling on Israel not to build a wall separating themselves from Palestinians.  But the statement released today states:

Israel should remove "illegal outposts," halt expansion of settlements, refrain from constructing the "security barrier" in areas that infringe on Palestinian land and reiterate its previous commitment that the route of the wall does not prejudge final status negotiations.

The release of this statement suggests new common ground among religious leaders in the United States and that is a welcome development.

A press release that accompanied the statement noted:

Rabbi Paul Menitoff, immediate past Executive Vice President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, commented, "The awful events in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel confirm two principles on which we all agree. There cannot be peace without negotiations, and the U.S. Administration with support of Congress has to be the one to move the parties along the path to peace."  Looking ahead, Menitoff added, "We know how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will end.  There will be two states living side-by-side in peace with mutually acceptable arrangements for sharing Jerusalem and resolving the issue of refugees. The only question is how many more Israelis and Palestinians will die before this vision is realized."  Rabbi Amy Small of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association noted, "Our religious teachings command us to get beyond blaming one another and instead admonish us to work together for justice and peace for all God's children."

A commonly voiced assumption among many is that none of the religious traditions truly hope for peace and the sad truth is that many have exploited faith for both violent and political ends - Christians, Jews and Muslims alike.  The signers of this statement, however, are calling for renewed involvement among U.S. religious leaders to press for peace on theological grounds:

Our faith traditions hold that every human being is created in the image of God, that human life and dignity are to be respected, and that all persons are children of the One God. This common religious heritage - which we trace to Abraham - finds expression in a common commitment to peace with justice for all God's children.

The prophet Isaiah links peace with justice. Of those who do not know peace, the prophet warns: "The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace" (Isaiah 59:8). As religious leaders we must heed the call to walk the road of justice to peace and call on others, especially our nation's leaders, to do the same.

Violence, especially against civilians, violates the dignity of the human person and is incompatible with the peace God desires for each of God's children. Our traditions share the belief that each of us is called to pursue peace. Jesus of Nazareth expressed this call in these words: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9).

Building peace through justice is simultaneously an urgent human challenge and a gift of God. As the Holy Koran articulates it, God is the "Source of Peace, Guardian of Faith, Preserver of Safety" (59.23). It is God who calls us to walk the just road to peace with all peoples and who makes that path possible, even when, as today, the way forward may seem unclear.

The signers of the letter have requested a meeting with the Secretary of State to press their case.  You can expect already that leaders in the Religious Right - a group that has campaigned against nearly every peace measure over the last 30 years - are counseling the president to stay the course.  If he does the consequences will be disastrous.  Pray for peace.   

Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Peace: From Crisis to Hope

Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Peace:
From Crisis to Hope

Jewish, Christian and Muslim Religious Leaders
Call on the United States to Make Peace a Priority

December 12, 2006

Preamble

As Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, our shared Abrahamic faith compels us to work together for peace with justice for Israelis, Palestinians and all peoples in the Middle East. As Americans, we again ask the United States to make peace in the Middle East an urgent priority. Our nation has an inescapable responsibility and an indispensable role to provide creative, determined leadership for building a just peace for all in the Middle East.

Peace: An Essential of Faith

Our faith traditions hold that every human being is created in the image of God, that human life and dignity are to be respected, and that all persons are children of the One God. This common religious heritage - which we trace to Abraham - finds expression in a common commitment to peace with justice for all God's children.

The prophet Isaiah links peace with justice. Of those who do not know peace, the prophet warns: “The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace” (Isaiah 59:8). As religious leaders we must heed the call to walk the road of justice to peace and call on others, especially our nation's leaders, to do the same.

Violence, especially against civilians, violates the dignity of the human person and is incompatible with the peace God desires for each of God's children. Our traditions share the belief that each of us is called to pursue peace. Jesus of Nazareth expressed this call in these words: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Building peace through justice is simultaneously an urgent human challenge and a gift of God. As the Holy Koran articulates it, God is the “Source of Peace, Guardian of Faith, Preserver of Safety” (59.23). It is God who calls us to walk the just road to peace with all peoples and who makes that path possible, even when, as today, the way forward may seem unclear.

A Priority for Our Nation

The National Interreligious Initiative for Peace in the Middle East unites the voices of religious leaders of more than twenty-five Jewish, Christian and Muslim national organizations. Beginning in December 2003, we called upon the United States to exercise leadership at the highest levels to secure a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians through concrete support for the Road Map and “12 Steps for Peace.” We have been disappointed that the United States did not more actively pursue the Road Map for Peace which we felt held great promise. While much has changed since December 2003, our fundamental call for the United States to more fully engage in the work for a two-state solution to the conflict has not.

Palestinian and Israeli elections have changed the political landscape. The crises in and near Gaza and the war in Lebanon have cost many lives, destroyed communities, displaced peoples, deepened animosities, and diminished prospects for a negotiated peace.

At this time of crisis and danger, we must speak a word of hope. It is our conviction that the current crisis can also open up new opportunities for peace. Our shared faith in the One God gives us hope and reminds us that God is on the side of peace. Hatred will not have the final word. We are one human family, and people ultimately want the same things for their own families--peace, security, dignity, opportunity.

The unique role of the United States in the region and in the world gives our nation a special responsibility to pursue peace. The United States must make peace in the Middle East an urgent priority. Achieving Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace will have positive reverberations in the region and around the world. Our nation and the world will be much safer if peace takes hold in the Middle East.

A Way Forward

The crisis in Gaza and the war in Lebanon and northern Israel remind us that the status quo in the region is unstable and untenable. Military action will not resolve the conflict. The only authentic way forward is a negotiated settlement built on difficult, but realistic, compromises and security arrangements with international guarantees. The path to peace requires a rejection of violence and an embrace of dialogue. This path demands reciprocal steps that build confidence on all sides. Such a path could lead to a future of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace with security and dignity for both peoples and to a future of stability in the region with Israel living in peace and security with its Arab neighbors.

As Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders we are not naïve about the obstacles that lie ahead. We have longstanding and precious ties to peoples and communities on various sides of the conflict in the Middle East. These ties help us to appreciate the different narratives of Israelis, Palestinians and other Arabs. Each community has authentic stories of suffering and legitimate aspirations. We know that these different narratives can pull us apart, but we choose to stand together. We also know from experience that demonizing the other or seeking simply to lay blame does not move us along the path toward peace.

The way forward requires that we listen and learn from each other. The way forward requires that we work together for active, fair and firm U.S. leadership to help Israelis, Palestinians and Arab states achieve a just peace. We seek by our prayers and by our work together to build bridges among our communities and to generate interreligious cooperation and action for peace.

Elements of a Way Forward

We call on the United States to:

resolving the crisis in Gaza; finding appropriately monitored ways to provide urgently needed humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestinian people; achieving an effective Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire; urging Hamas to reject violence, recognize Israel and accept previous agreements; urging Israel to take steps to support the prospect of a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza ; and calling on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to meet in order to restart negotiations on a viable two-state solution.

• Make peace in the Middle East a top priority and exercise persistent, determined leadership at the highest levels to secure a just peace.
• Work, in coordination with the Quartet (U.S., European Union, Russia, United Nations), to create conditions that bring about serious negotiations on a two-state solution following the lines of the Roadmap, including:
• Build upon principles, benchmarks and practical ideas for peace that emerged from earlier initiatives. Helpful concepts can still be found in the Geneva Accord and People's Voice model peace agreements, as well as in the “Road Map” itself. These benchmarks suggest realistic compromises for final status issues, including: borders and security arrangements, settlements, refugees and Jerusalem. Building public support for these ideas can help convince people that peace is possible and help our religious communities, the media, and political leaders focus on realistic solutions for peace.
• Explore bold initiatives for peace such as appointing a special envoy, hosting an international conference, and/or forming mutually acceptable security arrangements for a negotiated two-state solution. U.N. Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 1397 (supporting a two-state solution) provide the internationally agreed framework for comprehensive and lasting Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace. U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1701 and 1559 provide a framework for resolving the situation in Lebanon .
• Work with Israelis, Palestinians and the international community to guarantee access to the Holy Places and religious liberty for all peoples.
• Support full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1701 and 1559 in relation to Lebanon. The United States and the international community must not lose focus, as has happened after earlier crises. The United States, in coordination with the U.N. Security Council, must work with determination to maintain the current ceasefire, secure the release of kidnapped Israeli soldiers, resolve the issue of release of Lebanese prisoners detained by Israel, and support the expanded U.N. peacekeeping force working with the Lebanese army to assert exclusive Lebanese government authority throughout southern Lebanon. Consistent with Security Council Resolution 1559, the U.S. should also support disarmament of the Hezbollah militia, an Israeli withdrawal to the international border, a permanent ceasefire, and significant reconstruction assistance for Lebanon.
• Provide necessary and generous bilateral reconstruction assistance to Lebanon to help rebuild the civilian infrastructure and restore devastated communities, and aid to Israel to help rebuild communities that experienced destruction due to the war. It is critical that significant concrete assistance commence quickly and be provided long term.
• Undertake diplomatic efforts to restart Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese negotiations for peace. The Israeli-Egyptian and Israeli-Jordanian peace agreements offer precedents, the Arab League Peace Initiative offers support, and the principles and ideas from earlier Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Syrian negotiations offer outlines for possible peace agreements between Israel and Syria, and Israel and Lebanon that would help complete the process of comprehensive Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace.

We call on the United States to encourage Palestinian leaders to:

• Work actively to resolve the current crisis in Gaza and achieve an effective Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire. Resolving the crisis will involve securing an effective ceasefire, stopping attacks against Israel, punishing perpetrators of violence, releasing the Israeli soldier and cooperating with Israeli security forces to improve security for Israelis and Palestinians.
• Work to achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire with Israel, eliminate violent attacks against Israel and punish perpetrators. The Palestinian Authority needs to consolidate security forces, commit itself to take effective measures to prevent attacks on Israelis by extremist groups and punish those who carry out any such violence.
• Make clear that the Palestinian Authority is committed to negotiating a two-state solution with Israel. The government must clearly reject violence, recognize Israel, accept previous agreements and be committed to entering into negotiations that lead to the creation of a viable, independent, democratic state in the West Bank and Gaza living side by side with Israel with security, dignity, and religious liberty for both peoples.
• Continue to develop democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law, ensuring transparency and effective monitoring of aid to the Palestinian people. These initiatives are essential both to create a more stable and effective Palestinian Authority and to engender international confidence and secure international aid and investment.
• Work with Israelis and the international community to guarantee access to the Holy Places and religious liberty for all peoples.

We call on the United States to encourage Israel to:

• Work actively to resolve the crisis in Gaza and achieve an effective Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire. Resolving the crisis will involve securing an effective ceasefire, stopping military attacks on Palestinians, enabling the movement of goods and people, releasing Palestinian officials and other prisoners, and cooperating with Palestinian security forces to improve security for Israelis and Palestinians.
• Seek effective ways to restart negotiations for peace with the Palestinians. Prime Minister Olmert should resume talks with Palestinian President Abbas as soon as possible. Bilateral negotiations are essential. The outlines for a just two-state peace agreement with the Palestinians are well known. The only realistic way to end the conflict is by means of negotiations and compromise. The twin essentials for building peace are real security for Israelis and a viable, secure state for Palestinians.
• Take concrete steps to support the prospect of a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel should remove “illegal outposts,” halt expansion of settlements, refrain from constructing the “security barrier” in areas that infringe on Palestinian land and reiterate its previous commitment that the route of the wall does not prejudge final status negotiations. Israel should also take steps to ease the humanitarian situation of Palestinians and promote economic development, including appropriately monitored transfers of Palestinian taxes collected by Israel to meet the needs of the Palestinian people, and freer movement for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Support full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 in Lebanon. This cooperation includes withdrawal of its military forces to the international border, resolution of the prisoner issue, and cooperation with the U.N. Secretary General to resolve the Shebaa farms issue.

Initiate diplomatic efforts to restart negotiations for peace with Syria and Lebanon. The broad outlines for peace agreements with Syria and Lebanon are clear, based on the prior experience with Jordan and Egypt. The only realistic way to ensure the security of Israel and to stabilize the region is by means of comprehensive negotiations.

Work with Palestinians and the international community to guarantee access to the Holy Places and religious liberty for all peoples.

We call on the United States to encourage Arab states to:

Support formation of a Palestinian Authority government fully committed to achieving an effective ceasefire with Israel and to negotiating a two-state solution. Consistent with the Arab League Peace Initiative, press Hamas to reject violence and accept U.N. Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 1397 as the basis for a negotiated two-state solution with Israel. Provide aid and development assistance to improve the capacity of the Palestinians to build a viable state.

Support full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1701 and 1559 in relation to Lebanon. This includes support for the Lebanese government, with help from the U.N. peacekeeping force, asserting sole authority throughout southern Lebanon, cooperating in preventing the rearming of Hezbollah, releasing Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah, and providing assistance for massive reconstruction efforts in Lebanon.

Undertake diplomatic initiatives to restart and advance Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese negotiations for peace. Comprehensive Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace as envisioned in the Arab League Peace Initiative requires successful negotiations for peace agreements between Israel and Syria, and Israel and Lebanon.

Work toward a comprehensive peace that recognizes Israel and ensures security and peace for all the nations of the region. The comprehensive peace envisioned in the Arab League Peace Initiative should lead to recognition of Israel by all Arab states.

Work with Israelis, Palestinians and the international community to guarantee access to the Holy Places and religious liberty for all peoples.

A Common Commitment to Action

As religious leaders we commit ourselves to working with the Administration and the Congress to support active, fair and firm U.S. leadership to help Israelis, Palestinians and Arab states achieve a just peace. We will pray for God's blessing to sustain all those who seek to build a just peace and will work within and across our respective faith communities to build bridges of understanding and a shared commitment to a just peace for all of the peoples of the Middle East. We commit ourselves to building public support for peace with justice for all in the region. With the blessing of God, we are confident that this urgent moment of crisis can give way to genuine hope for all God's children in the Middle East.

Signers of “Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Peace: From Crisis to Hope”

Christian Leaders:
His Eminence, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Archdiocese of Washington*
His Eminence, Cardinal William Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore*
Most Reverend William Skylstad, President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops*
His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, Primate, Greek Orthodox Church in America*
His Eminence, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate, Armenian Apostolic Church in America*
Bishop Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America*
Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop Episcopal Church*
John H. Thomas, General Minister & President, United Church of Christ*
The Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister, President, Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ)*
The Reverend Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church (USA)*
Ann B. Sherer, Bishop, The United Methodist Church*
The Reverend Michael E. Livingston, President, National Council of Churches USA*
The Reverend John M. Buchanan, Editor and Publisher, Christian Century*
Richard J. Mouw, President, Fuller Theological Seminary*
The Reverend Leighton Ford, President, Leighton Ford Ministries*
David Neff, Editor and Vice-President, Christianity Today*

Jewish Leaders:
Rabbi Harry K. Danziger, President, Central Conference of American Rabbis*
Rabbi Paul Menitoff, Executive Vice President Emeritus, Central Conference of American Rabbis*
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President, Union for Reform Judaism*
Rabbi David Saperstein, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism*
Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism*
Rabbi Elliot Dorff, Rector, University of Judaism*
Dr. Carl Sheingold, Executive Vice President, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation*
Rabbi Brant Rosen, President, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association*
Rabbi Amy Small, Past President, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association*
Rabbi Peter Knobel, Member, Council Parliament of World Religions*
Rabbi Alvin M. Sugarman, Vice President, A Different Future*
Rabbi Merle S. Singer, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth El, Boca Raton, Florida*

Muslim Leaders:
Dr. Sayyid Muhammad Syeed, National Director, Islamic Society of North America*
Imam Mohammed ibn Hagmagid, Vice President, Islamic Society of North America*
Naim Baig, Secretary General, Islamic Circle of North America
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Founder, American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA)*
Imam Yahya Hendi, Chaplain, Georgetown University*
Dawud Assad, President Emeritus, Council of Mosques, USA*
Iftekhar A. Hai, Founding Director, United Muslims of America*

*Organizations for Identification Only

Help Is Still Needed

Here in Oregon we're getting ready for a "powerful windstorm" which has the potential to make life a little messy in parts of the Northwest.  Flooding and downed power lines are expected. 

The hurricane force winds expected for the coast and high inland gusts remind me once again of all the unfinished business on the Gulf Coast post-Katrina and all the work to be done still in Southeast Asia post-tsunami.

Help is still needed in these regions.  Consider making a gift this Christmas season to Church World Service, the relief agency of America's mainline and orthodox churches.  Across the globe - from Louisiana to Chennai - Church World Service is rebuilding communities in partnership with those most impacted by disaster.  They need your gifts and your prayers.      

A New Family-Friendly Congress

United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries Action Alert

With the new 110th Congress preparing to begin on January 4, 2007, and a new congressional leadership in place, a new economic agenda is in sight.  Speaker of the House Elect, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), has proposed addressing four major economic concerns in the first 100 legislative hours – the first two weeks – of the new Congress.  They are:

1. Increase in the minimum wage;
2. Allow Medicare Part D to negotiate for better drug prices with drug companies;
3. Reduce interest rates on student loans;
4. Repeal tax give-aways to oil companies to fund renewable energy research.

The United Church of Christ has a long history of support for all of these issues.  In partnership with the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign, the UCC participated in 6 winning ballot initiatives and several state legislative campaigns that gave workers in 11 states a raise in 2006.  Now we have a chance to make it a federal priority to lift workers out of poverty with a wage that begins to support their families and feed their children.

The other three “100 Hours” priorities mean lowering drug costs for seniors, making college tuition more affordable because of lower interest rates, and stepping up the search for renewable energy sources.  All of these measures are important steps in the right direction to solve the serious health care, economic and energy crises we are facing as a nation.

Events are planned across the country in the coming weeks, with new and returning members of Congress, where we are saying that these priorities should be their priorities.  Click http://www.ucctakeaction.org/100hours to urge your members of Congress to make the 110th Congress the family-friendly Congress.

Attention Clergy: The Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign is collecting clergy and church leader signatures on a letter to Congress calling for a clean bill to increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour.  Click http://www.ucctakeaction.org/ljrclergy to sign this clergy letter to Congress.  The letter will be delivered at the start of the “100 hours” legislative clock.

"Chuck - 1, Lars - 0"

The reviews are in:

"You do such a great job not getting caught by his rhetorical traps."

"It is so good to have someone who knows the facts and has the commitment to speak up to the 'likes' of Lars."

"I am glad you held your own with him. I don't hear him make any reasonable suggestions for the problem."

"I applaud your success in letting Lars embarrass himself and not letting him rattle you."

"Real information is not his gig."

"Only once before in the past 4 years have I heard anyone have any success in focusing a "discussion" with Mr. Lars on the facts. You not only succeeded in that, but also did a wonderful job of not accepting the usual name calling and blaming of victims. Your integrity in not accepting his attempt to label the homeless as "bums" nor those helping them as "the homeless industry" was the highlight of my day!"

"Chuck - 1, Lars - 0"

If you missed my appearance yesterday on “The Lars Larson Show” to discuss Mayor Tom Potter’s new downtown homeless plan you can listen here. Click on the first segment of the 12/11 program. My interview starts about an hour into the program (right after US Senator Gordon Smith) so fast forward until you get there.

Lars embarrassed himself by repeating hateful stereotypes about people experiencing homelessness, suggested that courage is defined by your willingness to appear on his program, and seems to never be swayed by truthful information.

Remember that Lars – who complains about any public effort to assist those living in poverty – is one of Oregon’s biggest welfare recipients. He makes his big salary (one he says he is prohibited from talking about) by spreading his views for free on the publicly owned airways. Yes, the people of the U.S. subsidize his income.

Thanks to those who listened and wrote in with feedback.

Catch Me This Morning On "The Lars Larson" Show

Today I’ll be a guest at 11:40 am NOON on KXL’s “The Lars Larson” (750) show to discuss new initiatives being announced this morning by Mayor Tom Potter to address problems in the downtown core area associated with people who are homeless taking up sidewalk space, scaring off potential shoppers, and urinating in public places.

Over the course of the last year a diverse group of business owners, police, homeless advocates and social service providers have been working on solutions.

There are five key components of the plan:

1. Implement a Day Access/Resource Center with physical space for up to 150 adult women and men open during the day; adequate bathroom facilities and storage lockers, and experienced outreach/engagement/housing placement staff.

2. Provide adequate public seating and benches in “High Pedestrian Traffic Areas” to provide alternatives to sitting or lying on sidewalks.

3. Implement a public restroom plan that makes more restroom facilities available to the public in high traffic areas.

4. Enact a “High Pedestrian Traffic Area” ordinance that prohibits anyone from sitting or lying on a public sidewalk between 7 am and 9 pm in defined High Pedestrian Traffic Areas. Violators could receive a non-criminal citation in West Side Community Court, with the possibility of fines, community service and/or referral for appropriate services/treatment.

5. Create an oversight committee to implement these strategies. $750,000 is being allocated for the initiative.

Portland’s previous response to dealing with this issue has been to beef up law enforcement and the creation of new anti-homeless ordinances. Those efforts have failed for decades. Of course, we need permanent solutions that end homelessness – not just manage it – and that is why I’m thankful the Mayor is working with Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten to support efforts to address chronic homelessness through the city’s 10 Year Plan.

More, however, needs to be done to address the needs of homeless families in the entire Multnomah County area. Working now in the Parkrose neighborhood I see homeless people search for food and shelter in neighborhoods that have few resources. Downtown is not the only area in need of help.

Feel free to call into the show while I'm on to express your thoughts.  Call-in: (866) HEY-LARS

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

We went out to North Plains today where our friends Bill and Carole own a Christmas Tree farm.  Now we're set for the holiday.         

Commander Thomas

Dr. John Thomas was sworn in today as the commander of U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 71. 

With nearly 30,000 members, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary actively provides safety patrols on area waterways and regularly meets with the boating public at marinas and in classrooms. We also directly assist the U.S. Coast Guard in non-law enforcement programs such as search and rescue, and marine environmental protection.

John is my step father.  "71" patrols the Columbia River.

Congratulations, Commander Thomas.

The Conversion Of Gordon Smith?

Christians ought to be open to the idea of conversion experiences.  After all, Paul went from killing Christians to becoming the greatest evangelist after his conversion along the road to Damascus.  The Holy Spirit, God's own breathe, still speaks and even today we should accept that sometimes those who do great damage can repent and become faithful in the pursuit of justice and reconciliation. 

But you'll have to excuse me if I take today's conversion of Oregon Senator Gordon Smith from a Bush hawk into a Mark Hatfield-like dove over the war in Iraq with a grain of salt. 

The AP reports:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Republican Sen. Gordon Smith, who voted in favor of the Iraq war and has supported it ever since, now says the current U.S. war effort is "absurd" and "may even be criminal."

In a major speech on the Senate floor, the Oregon senator called for changes in U.S. policy that could include rapid pullouts of U.S. troops from Iraq. He said he would have never voted for the conflict if he had known the intelligence that President Bush gave the American people was inaccurate.

Citing the hundreds of billions of dollars spent and the nearly 3,000 American deaths, Smith said: "I for one am at the end of my rope when it comes to supporting a policy that has our soldiers patrolling the same streets in the same way, being blown up by the same bombs day after day. That is absurd. It may even be criminal. I cannot support that anymore."

Smith added: "So either we clear and hold and build, or let's go home."

Maybe it is just a coincidence that weeks after the Republicans lose control of Congress that Smith - a Red senator in a very blue state - changes course and offers critical remarks about a war he has backed. 

Is the frozen pea farmer from Pendleton serious about his new views on Iraq or is he running to the middle for political cover concerned that an anti-war candidate could take him down in 2008?

Flashback:  Smith waged a negative campaign against U.S. Congressman Ron Wyden for the seat vacated by Bob Packwood.  Wyden won the race in part because voters saw Smith as too conservative.

When Mark Hatfield's seat opened up two years later a more moderate Smith decided to run.  This new Smith endorsed an increase in the minimum wage and went down to Old Town to have lunch with me at Sisters of the Road Café to talk about poverty and homelessness.  In fact, Smith spent the better part of that day letting me tour him around agencies and housing facilities that benefited from federal partnerships with local communities and private foundations.

Oregonians liked the new moderate Smith and elected him to the Senate where he joined Wyden in representing the state.  But he has spent the last six years of the Bush Administration following the president's lead in Iraq and even supported economic policies advanced by the president that have increased poverty and hunger in America. 

The problem with conversions is how to know when they're real.  Don't be surprised if Smith once again flees to the middle - maybe even a little to the left - but then swings back hard to the right if reelected.  It is fair not to trust him.

If, on the other hand, he uses the next two years to fight the war (if he is somehow channeling the Hatfield we all loved that took Nixon to task over Vietnam) I'll trust that God has spoken and the Holy Spirit has moved this man into the role of a peacemaker.  We need all the peacemakers we can get.   

Obama & Hatch Team Up

Here is a good bit of bi-partisan news sent along from the office of Senator Obama:

WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives today gave final approval to a bill sponsored by Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) to protect an individual's right to continue reasonable charitable contributions, including religious tithing, during the course of consumer bankruptcy. The measure passed the United States Senate in late September and will now be presented to the President for his signature.

"Congress has a long history of protecting our religious freedom to tithe," Hatch said. "That was our intent when we enacted bankruptcy reform last year, and this bill clarifies the law so that those who tithe can continue to live their faith while in bankruptcy."

"For millions of Americans, charitable giving and tithing is an essential part of their lives," Obama said. "And in a country where 37 million citizens live in poverty, we should be encouraging charitable giving, not limiting it."

The Hatch-Obama bill, S. 4044, responds to a recent court ruling that above-medium income debtors in Chapter 13 bankruptcy cannot deduct charitable contributions, including religious contributions, from their payment plans. The ruling was based on an interpretation of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA). Hatch and Obama authored S. 4044 to ensure that all individuals in bankruptcy, no matter their income, would be able to continue giving to charity and their church.

For the record, the bankruptcy "reform" bill passed last year was a give away to creditors at the expense of the poor in America.   Obama voted against the reform. 

Christmas Eve in Portland, Oregon

Merry Christmas

From the people of Parkrose Community United Church of Christ

& The Rev. Chuck Currie

Join us for Christmas Eve services

Sunday, December 24th 

10 am * Morning Worship

7 pm * Candlelight Service

4715 NE 106th Avenue

503-253-5457

www.parkroseucc.org

The Iraq Study Group Report, A Response by the National Council of Churches USA

Statement from the National Council of Churches USA

The National Council of Churches USA urges President George W. Bush to heed the recommendations in the Iraq Study Group Report. While no set of recommendations can right all of the wrongs evolving from the Iraq war, this report does lay groundwork for an end to the war that all sides can find acceptable. The president, as well as the newly-elected Congress, needs to understand the opportunity presented by this report.

The recommendations in the Iraq Study Group Report generally resonate with recommendations made by church leaders through the NCC. In "Pastoral Message on the Iraq War" issued at its November general assembly, the NCC called for a withdrawal of US troops, benchmarks for rebuilding Iraqi society, and steps to meet the security concerns of all Iraqis, including the more vulnerable, smaller ethnic and religious communities.

The Iraq Study Group Report likewise calls for a draw-down of US forces, as well as milestones for Iraqi national reconciliation, security, and governance. While the NCC would have liked to have seen more specificity with regard to a timetable for withdrawal, the fact that the Report redefines the mission of US troops in such a way that makes room for their withdrawal by early 2008 is a step in the right direction. Indeed, the Report’s suggestion of such a withdrawal, even coupled with an increase in the number of troops assigned to the training of Iraqi forces, is a realization that the occupation of Iraq is an ever-deteriorating situation and therefore must end.

The NCC commends the Iraq Study Group Report for its encouragement of multilateral engagement in addressing the situation in Iraq, a move also called for by the NCC's "Pastoral Message." The Report's recommendation that such engagement would include diplomatic initiatives with Iran and Syria, as well as involving the United Nations and other international partners, is consistent with other statements made by the NCC in recent months and years. Also consistent with the NCC's viewpoint is the Report's conclusion that the situation in Israel / Palestine is integrally related to the situation in Iraq, and indeed that a solution to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict is central to the solution of all problems in the Middle East.

In its "Pastoral Message," the NCC lamented the lapse in US moral leadership "as it pertains to our country's justification and conduct of this war in Iraq." The Iraq Study Group Report enables the US to take a step in reclaiming this moral leadership, by stating: "Because of the role and responsibility of the United States in Iraq, and the commitments our government has made, the United States has special obligations." The path our country takes in meeting these obligations can only be determined if we find consensus, as is hoped for in this Report. It is the view of the NCC that this Report offers the best opportunity at this time in our nation's history to find such consensus.

For information, please contact Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, Associate General Secretary for International Affairs and Peace, at 212-870-3422, or [email protected].

Religious Groups Speak Out Against Wednesday Anti-Choice House Vote

The Religious Right and their Capitol Hill allies are taking one last shot at limiting women's reproductive rights in the final days of Republican rule in Congress with new legislation in the House meant to intimidate women into forging abortions:

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice reports:

The bill is misnamed the "Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act." It would force physicians to give women seeking an abortion at 20 weeks or more an inflammatory, unfactual brochure written by anti- abortion legislators, not physicians, and offer them anesthesia for their fetus.

The RCRC Board opposed a similar bill last year as inappropriate interference by Congress in private medical decisions. We take all aspects of the abortion decision with greatest seriousness and we believe that healthcare professionals, religious counselors, and loved ones can best assist women to work through the medical and moral decisions they face in a voluntary and compassionate manner. While solidly in support of providing complete and accurate information about pregnancy and fetal development, our Board called for unbiased, scientifically based research about the possibility of fetal pain before legislation is considered. At this time, there is no reliable, accepted evidence to support the need for this measure.

Many mainline Christian denominations - including the United Church of Christ - are part of the coalition.

The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism released an action alert today saying this "legislation is yet another attempt by those who oppose abortion rights to use unproven and ideologically-based arguments to persuade women from obtaining reproductive health services."

"If the House passes the bill by the required two-thirds vote, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., has said he will seek unanimous consent to pass the bill in the Senate," according to an action alert in favor of the legislation sent out today by the Religious Right group Focus on the Family.  Brownback announced this past week that he is considering a run for the Republican nomination for president in 2008.

Update: Common sense carried the day and the bill was defeated in the House. Thank you to those that contacted your Congressperson.

Statement on Governor Ted Kulongoski's Budget Proposal

As an advocate for those in our state living in poverty, I applaud Governor Ted Kulongoski’s budget proposal. Contained in the budget are increases in funding for affordable housing projects targeted to support homeless Oregonians, new measures to support those with mental illnesses, expansion of health care insurance programs for children, and increased funding for public education. All these proposals will promote the common good in Oregon. The Legislature should both support and build on the Governor’s budget proposal to do everything possible to decrease poverty and increase opportunity in Oregon.

Sunday Offertory

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

Church World Service works across the globe providing assistance to those with HIV / AIDS.

As the world marks another World AIDS Day.....we call on people of faith everywhere to join in prayer with and for individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS. We pray also that each of us will realize that AIDS affects us all. We must own this together as a common challenge. We remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS, and we embrace the hope of an awakened spirit to respond to this pandemic with even greater urgency in the year ahead.

Click here to see the important programs run by CWS in this and support their cause - a cause we all need to share - with a donaton.

1. United Church of Christ Book of Worship 

Portland Zoo Lights

As promised, we went to the Portland Zoo Lights tonight. It was crazy packed but regardless we enjoyed the sites and sounds and the twins kind of bonded with a pair of elephants and with maybe a monkey or two as well. This annual event comes highly recommended by parents and children alike. Check it out.

Remember to dress warm.

Christmas Festival of Lights

Like many, I’m a sucker for Christmas light displays. So despite the rather cold temperatures and the hearty east winds whipping out of the Columbia River Gorge we bundled up the twins and headed out tonight to the annual Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto. If you live in the Portland area this should be one of your holiday stops. Not only are the lights fun and the hot chocolate yummy but there is a petting zoo for kids and daily concerts from different church choirs and other musical groups. In fact, the Parkrose Community United Church of Christ Chancel Choir will be performing there on Saturday, December 23rd at 8 pm. Donations are accepted each night at the festival for Snow-Cap. On our agenda for tomorrow night: The Zoo Lights at the Portland Zoo.

Barack Obama's "Race Against Time"

U.S. Senator Barack Obama gave his speech today marking World AIDS Day at Rick Warren's 2006 Global Summit on AIDS and the Church.  Most know by now that some leaders of the Religious Right attacked Warren for his decision to invite the pro-choice Illinois democrat and member of the progressive United Church of Christ to speak before an evangelical audience.  But Warren stuck by his guns and warmly embraced Obama.  For his part, Obama preached the truth about the worldwide AIDS crisis:

We are all sick because of AIDS - and we are all tested by this crisis. It is a test not only of our willingness to respond, but of our ability to look past the artificial divisions and debates that have often shaped that response. When you go to places like Africa and you see this problem up close, you realize that it's not a question of either treatment or prevention - or even what kind of prevention - it is all of the above. It is not an issue of either science or values - it is both. Yes, there must be more money spent on this disease. But there must also be a change in hearts and minds; in cultures and attitudes. Neither philanthropist nor scientist; neither government nor church, can solve this problem on their own - AIDS must be an all-hands-on-deck effort.

Let's talk about what these efforts involve. First, if we hope to win this fight, we must stop new infections - we must do what we can to prevent people from contracting HIV in the first place.

Now, too often, the issue of prevention has been framed in either/or terms. For some, the only way to prevent the disease is for men and women to change their sexual behavior - in particular, to abstain from sexual activity outside of marriage. For others, such a prescription is unrealistic; they argue that we need to provide people with the tools they need to protect themselves from the virus, regardless of their sexual practices - in particular, by increasing the use of condoms, as well as by developing new methods, like microbicides, that women can initiate themselves to prevent transmission during sex. And in the debate surrounding how we should tackle the scourge of AIDS, we often see each side questioning the other's motives, and thereby impeding progress.

For me, this is a false argument. Let me say this - I don't think we can deny that there is a moral and spiritual component to prevention - that in too many places all over the world where AIDS is prevalent - including our own country, by the way - the relationship between men and women, between sexuality and spirituality, has broken down, and needs to be repaired.

It was striking to see this as I traveled through South Africa and Kenya. Again and again, I heard stories of men and women contracting HIV because sex was no longer part of a sacred covenant, but a mechanical physical act; because men had visited prostitutes and brought the disease home to their wives, or young girls had been subjected to rape and abuse.

These are issues of prevention we cannot walk away from. When a husband thinks it's acceptable to hide his infidelity from his wife, it's not only a sin, it's a potential death sentence. And when rape is still seen as a woman's fault and a woman's shame, but promiscuity is a man's prerogative, it is a problem of the heart that no government can solve. It is, however, a place where local ministries and churches like Saddleback can, and have, made a real difference - by providing people with a moral framework to make better choices.

Having said that, I also believe that we cannot ignore that abstinence and fidelity may too often be the ideal and not the reality - that we are dealing with flesh and blood men and women and not abstractions - and that if condoms and potentially microbicides can prevent millions of deaths, they should be made more widely available. I know that there are those who, out of sincere religious conviction, oppose such measures. And with these folks, I must respectfully but unequivocally disagree. I do not accept the notion that those who make mistakes in their lives should be given an effective death sentence. Nor am I willing to stand by and allow those who are entirely innocent - wives who, because of the culture they live in, often have no power to refuse sex with their husbands, or children who are born with the infection as a consequence of their parent's behavior -suffer when condoms or other measures would have kept them from harm.

Click here to read the full speech.

UCC Statement On World AIDS Day 2006

The United Church of Christ Office for HIV/AIDS Ministries has released the following statement to mark World AIDS Day.

"Grace and peace to you on this World AIDS Day, 2006.  This day and everyday is an important occasion for building awareness and joining our lives and spirits in response to the HIV and AIDS pandemic affecting the communities where we live and throughout the world.

"On the one hand, it is abundantly clear from the recent reports (UNAIDS Dec. 2006) that we are not winning the war against this disease.  In spite of the medical advances, programs for education and prevention, and efforts to increase access to treatment, more people than ever are living with HIV worldwide, including here, in the U.S.  The numbers of those living with HIV and AIDS and those who have died from AIDS related illnesses are truly devastating.  HIV-related stigma and discrimination continues to rear its ugly head.  Whether we realize it or not, in one way or another, everyone is affected.

"On the other hand, it is also abundantly clear that we have made some progress and that stopping HIV and AIDS is possible.  In fact, as former President Bill Clinton suggests, we are privileged to live in this moment of history in which we can make an enormous difference.  It is within our reach to change the course of HIV and end its spread.  When the next generation of children asks what we did in response to HIV (and they will ask), may each of us be able to respond, `Everything we could.'

"There is still so much that must be done.  World AIDS Day reminds us that we must remain vigilant in efforts, working with and for one another to stop HIV and AIDS.  Creating visibility, fostering openness, allowing for the free flow of information, and making sure that everyone has access to treatment and care are among the important steps on this journey of healing and wholeness.

"As people of faith, we remember that we are not alone on this journey.  Not only do we accompany one another, but God, the source of all life and healing is with us to strengthen us and empower us in this mission.  Our faith also reminds us that God is compassionate, a very present help in times of need.  As we remember those who have died, and those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, may we likewise embody such compassion and comfort with one another.  Our God is also a suffering God, who suffers with us as we suffer.  On World AIDS Day, and throughout the year, let us remember that God suffers with all of us who are suffering from the affects of the spread of HIV.  Above all, God is a God of justice.  On this World AIDS Day and everyday, may we become increasingly aware of the inequalities and injustices that foster and perpetuate the continual spread of HIV and AIDS throughout the world, including the U.S.  May the prophetic witness of God's concern for justice and healing awaken us from silence and complacency, and stir us to bold new acts of global solidarity to keep the promise to stop HIV and AIDS.

"The theme for World AIDS Day, 2006, is `Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise' with a particular focus on accountability.  Let us all strive to hold each other accountable in innovative ways as we continue this fight.   As we commemorate this World AIDS Day, may God's loving, transforming, and healing presence be known to each and everyone of us in new, life-giving ways. Together, may our witness bring about all that we envision, as people of God. "

Click here to learn about ways you and your congregation can help in the fight against HIV/AIDS.