Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie

Ira Glass Would Have Been Welcome At Parkrose Community United Church of Christ

There was controversy here in Oregon this week over the venue chosen by Oregon Pubic Broadcasting for a performance by Ira Glass, host of the popular program This American Life (my wife's favorite program, I might add).  OPB originally picked New Hope Community Church, a congregation know for their advocacy on behalf of legislation and initiatives designed to limit the civil rights of gays and lesbians.  Bloggers and OPB listeners demanded a change in venue and the show has now been moved to the Oregon Convention Center.  There are plenty of churches in Oregon, however, that are welcoming of all.

Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, for example.

In Galatians 3.28 we are reminded that despite our differences we are all "one in Christ Jesus." Therefore, we, the people of Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, declare ourselves to be open and affirming. With God's grace, we seek to be a congregation that includes all persons, embracing differences of sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic, religious, political or social-economic background. We welcome all to share in the life and leadership, ministry, and fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of participation in our congregation. This is God's church and no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

You don't hear it much in the media but not all churches in Oregon share the theology preached at New Hope Community Church.  Check out the growing membership list of the Community of Welcoming Congregations to find a place of worship near you.   

Larry Craig and David Vitter: No Difference In Their Crimes

Larry Craig apparently has sex with men in public bath rooms.  David Vitter apparently frequents prostitutes.  Both serve as members of the United States Senate and both are Republicans.  Ignore for a moment - if it is possible - all the political considerations involved.  It would appear that both these men face major mental health issues and are deserving of our compassion and prayers.  Having said that, neither should be serving in Congress.  Their hypocrisy is astounding.  Craig is a long time opponent of civil rights for gay and lesbian Americans.  Vitter is a champion of "traditional" conservative values.  For the moment their legal and moral difficulties outweigh whatever gifts they bring to public life.  So why is it that Republican leaders are quick to demand that Craig resign his seat while Vitter, who it would seem has a long history of involvement with illegal prostitution, is basically getting a get out of jail free card from his party?  Could it be that simple homophobia is at work?  If Republican leaders want to be taken seriously on "moral values" they need to acknowledge that Vitter's long history of soliciting sex from prostitutes is at least as big a moral failing as anything done by Craig. 

Biking For God’s Creation: Why I’m Taking The Bike Commute Challenge 2007

We recently purchased a Honda Fit – one of the most fuel efficient vehicles on the market (one small step for the environment). In September, I’m going to take another small step that will help reduce the release of pollutants into the air and perhaps slow the ever expanding size of my waistline: I’m going to take part in the Bike Commute Challenge 2007. During the month of September I’ll try and ride my bike as often as possible to Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, where I serve as the interim minister. My office is less than five miles from our house and so I don’t really have an excuse. For most of my twenties I didn’t even have a car and so a bike was my main form of transportation. I need to return to that (as much as you can with 3-year old twins and pastoral responsibilities that often require a car). This for me will be as much of a spiritual exercise as a physical one. As a minister, I believe and preach that what we are doing to the earth is a sin. God called God’s people to be stewards of creation and we have messed this planet up. What will be left of the world for our children and their children if we don’t stop and take that responsibility seriously? One small way I can help is to take my bike out of the garage and get it on the road.

Related Link: A Podcast Sermon On Psalm 8: Stewardship And Creation

"Churches remain faithful to Gulf Coast rebuilding"

Reprinted from the National Council of Churches

New Orleans, August 29, 2007 – "If it had not been for the Church, we would be in even worse shape than we are now."

So said the Rev. Patrick Keen, pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in New Orleans. He was addressing 50 volunteers from 14 Christian churches taking part in Ecumenical Work Week (Aug. 19-25) sponsored by the National Council of Churches (NCC) USA’s Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast. Bethlehem Lutheran hosted volunteers for the week and provided dinner during the week.

"The people of God from all around the country have come to help," Pastor Keen said.

The work week was held last week in New Orleans and Biloxi, Miss. In addition to the six houses the workers helped to repair and rebuild, the week was intended to point out the ongoing need for volunteers and the work done by church volunteers and organizations in the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina two years ago today.

In a survey conducted by the Special Commission of the NCC's 35 member communions it was estimated those churches sent more than 120,000 volunteers. They donated 3.6 million hours in helping victims put their lives back together. Those churches sent an estimated $250 million in financial aid to local churches and relief agencies. The survey was compiled by Tronn Moller, the Special Commission’s Gulf Coast consultant.

"The Road Home has been a bureaucratic nightmare," said Bishop Thomas Hoyt, co-chair of the Special Commission and past president of the NCC.

He said the money sent by government agencies has not been shared equitably among the victims nor has it been managed properly. The Rev. Michael Livingston, current NCC president, co-chairs the Special Commission with Bishop Hoyt.

"The task ahead is still a mammoth one," said Bishop Hoyt. "We need people to stay with us." More volunteers are needed to help people struggling all along the Gulf Coast, Hoyt said.

"We didn't come here to get noticed," said the Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell, NCC's associate general secretary for justice and advocacy. "We came here to give notice that we will be here until the work is done."

In Biloxi, the volunteers worked to repair two homes, including the home of Myrtle Davis. She was born in the house 81 years ago as was her brother who will be 85 next month.

During a lunch break the workers heard from representatives of two dozen different organizations. The message from each was please keep sending volunteers. They warned of a pending housing crisis if the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) begins to evict residents of FEMA-supplied trailers. The temporary housing was designed for only 18 months to 2 years.

At a Tuesday night prayer service the Rev. Dr. Bob Hill, pastor of Community Christian Church in Kansas City, Mo., preached following a tour of the Lower Ninth Ward. In describing his emotions he said he felt angry but did not share that out loud until he realized, "anger is always an appropriate response when our values have been violated."

Bishop J.D. Wiley of Life Center Cathedral in New Orleans and the Rev. C. Dan Krutz, executive director of the Louisiana Interchurch Conference in Baton Rouge, La., also preached at nightly prayer services.

While much of the media attention leading up to today's anniversary has focused on the Lower Ninth Ward, volunteers also saw other neighborhoods where little seems to have been done in two years. Gentilly, Lakeview and New Orleans East, were also areas the workers saw that are still struggling to rebuild and virtually uninhabited.

In addition to the work of the 50 volunteers, visiting clergy spent two days on a listening tour about the environmental impact of the post-Katrina flooding of this city and what still needs to be done in the area. The tour was coordinated by Cassandra Carmichael, NCC's director of eco-justice programs.

In February of this year the Special Commission issued a report card on the status of recovery efforts. After more than a half a dozen post-Katrina trips to the Gulf Coast region and extensive on-the-ground analysis, the NCC's Special Commission on the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast gave low marks across the board to local, state and federal governments. The report card reviewed response and rebuilding efforts in the city of New Orleans, the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and the federal government in areas such as transportation, healthcare, housing, schools, insurance, and environmental justice.

The NCC's Special Commission was formed in September 2005 in response to the spiraling neglect present in the Gulf Region after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Commissioners representing NCC member communions convened for the first time in Louisiana in November 2005, a few months after the storms ravaged the Gulf Coast, to analyze on-the-ground progress post-Katrina. The Special Commission has since toured the Mississippi coast, met with religious leaders and community activists and government officials in New Orleans and Mississippi, including Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. In addition, the Special Commission has met with members of Congress and officials at FEMA about efforts to rebuild.

The ecumenical work week was organized for the Special Commission by Moller and the Rev. Leslie Tune, NCC's associate director for justice and advocacy. Work projects were coordinated through the United Church of Christ disaster relief, Episcopal Disaster Relief and Disciples of Christ Disaster Relief in New Orleans. In Mississippi the work was coordinated with Episcopal Disaster Relief.

"It was not a sacrifice for us to be there. It was an immense honor and privilege to be the hands and feet of God and to help people rebuild," said the Rev. Tune. "It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life that people allowed us in their homes and trusted us to help them get things back in order."

The volunteers and clergy came from NCC and other denominations: African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, American Baptist Churches USA, Armenian Orthodox, Christian Methodist Episcopal, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church, International Council of Community Churches, Presbyterian Church USA, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ; as well as members of Roman Catholic and Full Gospel Baptist churches plus FaithfulAmerica.org.

OPB Airs Interview Concerning Attack On Oregon Homeless Man

OPB's Colan Fogarty reports this afternoon on Oregon Considered about the issues I blogged about this morning concerning the recent attack on an Oregon homeless man:

Police describe 43-year-old Andrew Gonzalez as a transient. He told investigators that on July 31st, he met 19-year-old Samuel Morton, 16-year-old Shawn Glancy, and 17-year-old Rauno Helmik. When police were called out on reports of an assault early the next morning, they found a badly beaten man in a rocky area by the Willamette River.

Gonzales was taken to OHSU with serious head and hand injuries. He underwent surgery and was released a few days later. The crime remains unexplained.

Chuck Currie: "The first thing I thought when I heard that story is that it's a familiar story. It's an increasingly familiar story across our country."

Reverend Chuck Currie is pastor at the Parkrose Community United Church of Christ in Portland. For several years, he served on the board of the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Last year, the group documented 142 violent attacks nationwide against homeless people,  including murders, rapes, and six people being set on fire. Those figures do not include homeless-on-homeless violence.

Currie says nationally, attacks on transients by non-homeless people is on the rise.

Chuck Currie: "And these crimes are more often than not done by young kids, young teen agers who are sometimes saying that they're doing it out of boredom, sometimes saying it because they see it on television and think it will be fun."

Currie cites programs like so-called "Bum Fights," videos -- which are sold in video stores -- that show fights between homeless people.

Click here to read the full transcript or to listen to the audio. 

American Kids Still Trapped In Poverty; Rates Of Uninsured Jumps High

More bad news today on the economic front.  The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities reports:

The new Census figures are disappointing for the fifth year of an economic recovery —showing a significant decline in poverty for people over 65 but no significant decline in poverty for children or adults aged 18 to 64, and only a modest improvement in median income.  In 2006, the poverty rate remained higher, and median income for non-elderly households remained $1,300 lower, than in 2001, when the last recession hit bottom.  It is virtually unprecedented for poverty to be higher and the income of working-age households lower in the fifth year of a recovery than in the last year of the previous recession.

The new figures are the latest evidence that the economic growth of the past few years has been very uneven, with the gains concentrated among the highest-income Americans.  Too many low- and middle-income families are not sharing in the gains.  These figures are inconsistent with claims that the policies of recent years have produced an outstanding economic track record.

Number of Uninsured Children Climbs by 600,000

Perhaps of greatest concern, the number of Americans without health insurance increased by 2.2 million in 2006, and the number of uninsured children jumped by more than 600,000.  The steady progress of recent years in reducing the number of uninsured children stalled in 2005 and began to reverse in 2006, in part because funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) grew scarcer.

This is particularly noteworthy because the President has vowed to veto legislation that the House and Senate passed (in different versions) that would resume progress in this area and shrink the number of uninsured children by 3 to 4 million.  In addition, on August 17, the Administration unveiled a controversial new policy that would force many states to cut back their SCHIP programs, forcing up to several hundred thousand more children into the ranks of the uninsured.  Today’s sobering data on the rising number of uninsured children should prompt the President to rethink his positions on children’s health insurance.

The President has promised to veto the legislation because the health care increase is paid for by a new tobacco tax.  What does it say about our president that he would put big tobacco interests ahead of the health care needs of children?

Attack On Homeless Oregonian Symptomatic Of Spiritual Crisis

This post has been updated

The recent violent attack against a homeless Oregonian that resulted in the arrest of three Milwaukee area teens is part of a growing trend of violence perpetrated against people who are homeless. Last year the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) documented 142 violent attacks against homeless people – including 20 murders, five rapes, and six people being set on fire. “Attacks have increased 65% from last year, and over 170% since five years ago,” according to NCH. These figures do not include “homeless-on-homeless” violence.

According to the NCH report Hate, Violence, and Death on Main Street USA: A Report on Hate Crimes and Violence Against People Experiencing Homelessness 2006:

“Even more disturbing than the violence of these attacks are the identities of the attackers and their motives. In a significant number of cases, the crimes were committed by teenagers and young adults, for no apparent reason other than boredom. This March in Orlando, FL, August Felix, age 54, was beaten to death by five teenagers. The youths, all between the ages of 13 and 16, attacked Felix and others ‘for sport,’ according to local police. Later that same month, 21-year-old Braymond Harris of Detroit was shot and killed by a 15-year-old boy. In the words of one Detroit police officer, the boy and his friends ‘just wanted to beat up a bum.’”

Much of this violence can be blamed on a culture that devalues people who are homeless. We step over homeless people every day on city streets. Voters often support efforts to cuts food and housing assistance for those living in poverty. Teen-agers buy videos like “Bum Fights” where producers pay intoxicated people to violently attack homeless people for the sport of it.

Jesus says in Matthew 25:40: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,* you did it to me.”

Attacks against people who are homeless are symptomatic of a spiritual crisis that has allowed us to make the “least of these” in America invisible and unimportant.

The National Coalition for the Homeless argues that attacks against people who are homeless ought to be considered hate crimes.

Update: OPB Radio is scheduled to run an interview with me about this issue today (Tues., Aug. 28th) between 4:30 and 5 pm.  You can listen on the radio or via their website. 

Glad To See Alberto Gonzales Go

After months of unfair treatment that has created a harmful distraction at the Justice Department, Judge Gonzales decided to resign his position, and I accept his decision. It's sad that we live in a time when a talented and honorable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeded from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the mud for political reasons.

- President George W Bush

Listening to President Bush comment today on the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales it reminded me of listening to a hardcore alcoholic deeply in denial.  This president never takes responsibility for his own actions.  Someone else is always to blame.

The truth is that the president appointed Mr. Gonzales to a position he was both professionally and morally unfit to hold.  The result has been scandal after scandal which has created chaos throughout the American justice system.

People for the American Way released the following statement today that captures many of my own feelings:

“It’s high time this attorney general resigned. Alberto Gonzales was the 'Enabler General' for the imperial Bush presidency. He undermined the Constitution, made a mockery of the rule of law, and turned the Justice Department into an arm of the Bush Administration’s political operation.

“Gonzales protected the interests of George W. Bush over the interests of the American people at every turn. He oversaw a Justice Department that was twisted to serve political interests, from the president’s domestic spying program to bogus allegations of voting fraud that kept minorities and poor people from the ballot box. He showed open contempt for oversight by Congress, and gave testimony under oath that was at best incompetent and at worst, deliberately untrue.

“We first called for the Attorney General to step down in March, and our petition calling for him to step down garnered more than 80,000 signatures.

"Now, it’s time to heal the Justice Department, and find a new attorney general who will restore integrity to the office. The next attorney general must demonstrate the independence of the Justice Department from the Bush Administration, respect the rule of law and accept the just oversight of the American people. The Justice Department must once again be worthy of its name.”

America needs an Attorney General who is independent and committed to the rule of law.

Christianity and the Social Crisis

Back in May I challenged the Wall Street Journal to a duel (in jest, of course) to defend the honor of Walter Rauschenbusch. An op-ed piece in the paper had argued that Rauschenbusch’s work wasn’t Christian in character.

Rauschenbusch was the major proponent of the Social Gospel, a theology that, in the words of The Rauschenbusch Center, “emphasized that sin is not just a private matter between a person and God, but in the spirit of the prophets, there are also social sins against humanity that must be addressed for Christianity to have any relevance.”

Believe it or not, people have been arguing about Rauschenbusch’s work for a hundred years now. The WSJ article was in response to the republication of Rauschenbusch’s 1907 book Christianity and the Social Crisis.

Paul Rauschenbusch, Walter Rauschenbusch’s great-grandson and associate dean of religious life and the chapel at Princeton University, edited the re-release which includes essays from leading modern theologians and religious activists responding to Walter Rauschenbusch’s book. Paul Rauschenbusch was kind enough to have a copy sent to me and I took in along this week on vacation.

My own theological beliefs are deeply indebted to those who preached the Social Gospel early in the last century. There are, of course, valid criticisms of Rauschenbusch. He was too optimistic, his theology was too tied in with national goals, and he wasn’t as sensitive to the issues of race and gender as we would be today. In other words, he was a product of his time. But in re-reading Christianity and the Social Crisis this week I’m struck once again by what is right in his work: a deep and abiding belief that God calls God’s people to be more concerned with matters of justice than the practice of worship. Our common task is to build up the Kingdom.

“Rauschenbusch understood that we would never perfect this world,” writes Paul Rauschenbusch, “but he also knew that was not an excuse not to try.” Christianity and the Social Crisis remains current despite it’s age as a challenge to the church and to all who claim the title Christian.

Feedback from the Blogs

Some of my most recent posts have drawn the wrath of other Christian bloggers.

In a post entitled "Heritics 'R Us" the writer of 4Simpons Blog argues that a recent sermon I delivered was a demonstration of a minister "preach(ing) heresies."  Check it out and draw your own conclusion.  I suspect the author has a good heart and loves the Lord a lot so if you leave any comments be kind and respectful. Sadly, he has not shown that same courtesy to me but we can witness God's compassion together in our interactions with him.

The new "Saving Jesus" class that I'll be teaching in September has drawn some fire.  Read A Shiny Brand-New Messiah:

Reverend Chuck Currie of the UCC announces a seminar called "Saving Jesus." (Guess Jesus is not strong enough to save himself these days.)...

I have no problem with people thinking the bible is not divinely inspired, nor denying the doctrines it contains (those of "the early church"). Nor do I have a problem, per se, with vigorous arguments against mainstream of traditional Christian faith and in favor of another belief system.

But most such critics are honest enough to admit that they are outside that faith. It takes a special kind of dishonesty to imply that people who promote new views are the legitimate heirs of a faith, while those who believe pretty much the same thing their parents and grandparents believed are somehow radicals who are "kidnapping" an ancient faith and turning it into something it has never been.

Anwyn's Notes of the Nargin had this to say recently:

Support Obama, Portland, Says UCC Minister

Filed under:Church of Liberalism, Blogging, Jerks, Politics — posted by Anwyn on August 22, 2007 @ 6:54 pm

Because no way he’s even sniffing that sweet “special interest money.”

This guy’s personal blog post was linked off the front page of the website of The Oregonian, oregonlive.com. Nice when you don’t even have to bother to pay your editorialists.

The comments left on this post where really interesting:

I thought it might be Currie before I clicked the link. He abhorrs the influence of conservative Christians’ influence in politics, but loves the liberal influence.

Comment by Steve — August 22, 2007 @ 7:17 pm 

I haven’t run across him before. A real piece of work–sees no conflict (and thus offers no defense for it) in being Christian and pro-choice.

Comment by Anwyn — August 22, 2007 @ 7:23 pm

If this had been a Southern Baptist preacher promoting the appearance of a Republican candidate, all heck would have busted lose from the Left. (Rightly so, I might add.) But somehow its OK going this way? Shouldn’t be.

So, the church is a tax-exempt non-profit, eh? What says the IRS about his candidate (as opposed to issues) advocacy? Hmmm… might be worth looking into.

I’m not going anywhere near the pro-choice/Christian thing.

Comment by Norm — August 22, 2007 @ 7:48 pm

Oops. It’s a personal blog. He’s speaking on behalf of hisself, not on behalf of his church. Anyone want to bet he takes a deduction on the blog as a business expense? And his business is… ?

Comment by Norm — August 22, 2007 @ 7:51 pm

Issues of church and state are big one and can be confusing (at least for me).

Her’e a little bit of what I’ve written on this subject:

When I endorsed Barack Obama I said this:

“As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I trust deeply in the Constitutional principle of separation of church and state and my endorsement is therefore a personal one and does not reflect on the church I serve or my denomination. But as a citizen I believe that all Americans must engage in the political process as individuals for democracy to thrive. So I choose to add my voice today with millions of other Americans concerned about the direction of this nation.”

In a following post I made it clear how important I believe it is to separate any partisan political work from church life:

“…I refrain from any campaign work during work hours, the campaign knows only to call my private cell or home numbers, I do not discuss my involvement on campaigns with church members, and I would never promote my endorsement of a candidate from the pulpit during worship or during any other church related activity.”

I would never use church resources of any kind to promote a candidate. My endorsement was made on my personal blog and on the senator’s website. As USA Today reports, that isn’t the case for The Rev. Wiley Drake, a leading Southern Baptist Convention figure. Drake recently endorsed Mike Huckabee’s campaign for president on church letterhead. Now he wants God to silence his critics:

http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie/2007/08/southern-baptis.html

There are lines we cannot cross as clergy.

Finally, no I do not use by blog as a tax deduction.

If you want to argue with me do it in a civil manner. We don’t need to spend all our time tearing people apart.

And I'm happy to respond to any questions / concerns you might have.

Good night.

Comment by Rev. Chuck Currie — August 22, 2007 @ 9:54 pm

Hi Chuck. I read about Drake, and his behavior is heinous.

There is no Constitutional principle of separation of church and state. The phrase came from Thomas Jefferson and has nothing to do with the Constitution.

Nobody is being uncivil here. I did not come onto your blog and begin arguing with you, nor did I argue with you here. I simply questioned your assumption that Obama does not receive campaign money from interest groups and commented in passing on the Oregonian’s partisanship. Commenter Norm made some incorrect assumptions, which you have now refuted.

I have no “questions or concerns” for you. If you were my pastor, I would, but thankfully that is not the case and you do not answer to me in any way.

Take care.

Comment by Anwyn — August 22, 2007 @ 10:37 pm

You called me a “real piece of work” and filed your post under “jerks.” Norm suggested that something I was doing was illegal or unethical. The tone itself is uncivil. So was your final comment stating how thankful you were that we did not worship together

Comment by Rev. Chuck Currie — August 22, 2007 @ 10:47 pm

1) Yes, I called you a piece of work for the reason stated in that comment. Abortion is a hot-button issue for me.

2) I have filed posts referring to Obama under “Jerks” before, and it was he I was referring to now.

3) Norm did. You have refuted him.

4) My final comment did not say that I am thankful we don’t worship together. It said I am thankful you are not my pastor. If you call that uncivil, so be it. I call it noting the fact that you are not a man I could look up to as a Christian leader.

Comment by Anwyn — August 22, 2007 @ 10:57 pm

Chuck,

For my part in this discussion, I will apologize. I made some incorrect assumptions based upon my admittedly limited and anecdotal experience with pastors abusing their authority.

Anwyn,

It was Roger Williams (a Baptist minister) who first used the phrase.

Comment by Norm — August 22, 2007 @ 11:56 pm

Thank you, Norm.

Comment by Rev. Chuck Currie — August 23, 2007 @ 8:08 am   

I was glad the exchange ended with Norm's apology.  But I'm struck once again through all these posts at how "Christians" cannot even debate theology with getting slammed by those who use harsh political language.  I'm reminded that I need to be more careful in the language that I use. 

Support the Smithfield Workers in Tarheel, NC

Action Alert from United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries

One of the most important worker struggles in the country at this time is taking place at the Smithfield Packing Company in Tar Heel, North Carolina. In this slaughterhouse, the largest in the world, some 5,500 workers, primarily African Americans and Latinos, process 32,000 hogs a day.

The workers are experiencing excessively high injury rates, provocations by management to stir up racial hostility, and extreme interference with their efforts to form a union. The courts have found the company illegally assaulted, arrested, harassed, intimidated, coerced, threatened, fired, suspended, disciplined, and spied upon employees engaged in legal union organizing activities.

Support the Workers

The shareholders of Smithfield Foods, Inc., the parent company of the Smithfield Packing Company, will meet on August 29. You can support these workers by signing a petition urging the company to allow workers to choose whether to form a union without interference. Please add your name to this statement today.

Last month in Hartford, the UCC General Synod adopted a Resolution supporting the workers at the Smithfield Packing Company and urging UCC members to become informed about their struggle and to advocate for justice there.

For more information about conditions in the plant, check out “The Pork is Packed with Oppression” from Justice and Witness Ministries. 

Here are some additional ways to support the workers.

• Don’t buy pork that was processed at the Tar Heel, NC, plant. Learn how to avoid these products by visiting the United Food and Commercial Workers Union site, Justice at Smithfield.
• Tell your local supermarket not to sell pork products from the Tar Heel, NC, plant. (These products are sold under a variety of brand names.) Learn what to look for and how to take action by visiting How to Help on the Justice at Smithfield site.
• Send a letter urging Smithfield to treat workers in the Tar Heel, NC, plant with fairness and dignity, and allow them to freely determine whether to form a union. Write to Joseph Luter III, Chairman, Smithfield Foods, Inc., 200 Commerce St., Smithfield, VA 23430.

For more information or to arrange a visit to the worker support center in North Carolina, contact Edie Rasell, Minister for Workplace Justice, Justice and Witness Ministries, UCC, at [email protected] or (toll-free) 1-866-822-8224, ext. 3709.

World Council of Churches Seeking Interns

Reprinted from the World Council of Churches

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will welcome five young people (aged 18-30 years) to serve as interns in its Geneva offices from February 2008 to January 2009. Interns bring valuable experiences to the WCC at the same time as they undertake several modules of ecumenical learning.

The next 12 months' internship period begins in February 2008. In Geneva, the interns will be assigned to one of the WCC working areas. They will carry out their tasks in co-operation with programme staff and under individualized supervision. During their stay in Geneva each intern is expected to plan an ecumenical project to implement in his or her home context when they return in February 2009.

The next generation of interns' areas of work will be 1. the Decade to Overcome Violence; 2. youth and ecumenical relationships; 3. visitors programme/media relations; 4. faith, science, technology and ethics; and 5. just & inclusive communities.

Successful candidates are people committed to the ideals of the ecumenical movement, who will bring their energy, commitment and a fresh vision to their specific work assignment. Applicants must send, along with their application, background information about their church or Christian youth network that will help them in implementing their proposed ecumenical project.

Closing date for receiving applications for the five internships is 20 September 2007.

More information on the WCC internship programme

Read a personal report from the WCC's current interns

Download the application form as pdf (172 KB) or as MS Word document (1.36 MB)

Download the background information form as pdf (119 KB) or as MS Word document (627 KB)

Dylan: Shark Catcher

Dylan, my nine year old nephew, came across this shark today on the Oregon coast.  A another beach walker made efforts to get the shark back into water but to no avail.  This is going to make a great "What I Did This Summer" photo when Dylan goes back to school next week.

(Permission must be obtained to reprint /republish this picture) 

Barack Obama Coming to Portland Sept. 7th

It's official.  Barack Obama is coming to Portland on Friday, September 7th for a rally / fund raiser.  The $25 cover charge for the 8pm event at the Oregon Convention Center will help Senator Obama compete against the special interest money being raised by other campaigns.  Click here for more information. 

Related Post:  Together We Can Change the Nation on People of Faith for Barack

Podcasts Now On ITunes

Most weeks I podcast my Sunday sermons.  You can now subscribe to those podcasts on ITunes.  Just open the ITunes application and use the search function to find

"Chuck Currie"

then click on the "Subscribe" button.      

Church World Service Needs Your Help

With earthquakes and hurricanes doing battle with the earth this week the good folks at Church World Service...

...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...

need your help.   

"Saving Jesus" In Portland at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ

Mark your calendars now! Parkrose Community United Church of Christ (www.parkroseucc.org) will be offering a new 12-week adult education class – Saving Jesus – that will run from Tuesday, Sept. 4 – Tuesday, Nov. 20 (6pm – 8pm).  The public is welcome to attend.

The class will start each week with a potluck and then center around some exciting discussions.

"Ever feel like Jesus has been kidnapped by the Christian Right or the Secular Left? Saving Jesus is a revolutionary DVD-based small group exploration of Jesus Christ for the third millennium."

There will be a $25 charge to cover costs (scholarships are available for PCUCC members).

We'll talk about these topics and more:

1. Introduction: Jesus through the Ages
2. Who was Jesus? Featuring Matthew Fox
3. What Can We Know About Jesus (and How)?
4. The World into Which Jesus Was Born Featuring John Dominic Crossan
5. Jesus' Birth: Incarnation
6. Teachings of Jesus: Wisdom Tradition Featuring Bernard Brandon Scott
7. Jesus' Program: The Kingdom of God Featuring John Dominic Crossan
8. Jesus' Ministry of Compassion
9. Killing Jesus, Part One: Who Killed Jesus? Featuring Amy-Jill Levine and Helen Prejean
10. Killing Jesus, Part Two: The Atonement Featuring Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker
11. The Resurrection of Christ Featuring James Forbes
12. Why Jesus Is Worth Saving Featuring Marcus Borg

Please RSVP by calling the church office at 503-253-5457 or e-mailing [email protected].

People from outside the church are welcome to RSVP and attend but keep in mind this disclaimer from the creators of Living the Questions, the folks who also created the "Saving Jesus" curriculum:

“Living the Questions” is a study for the countless people of faith who have suffered in silence as the voices of fear and false certitude claim to profess the unchanging truth of Christianity. It’s purpose is to provide a resource for the discussion of what is already believed and practiced by many faithful people still holding on within institutional religion while harboring a conviction that what most churches teach isn’t the whole story. It may even be helpful for those who Jack Spong calls “believers in exile” – those who have left the church because of its refusal to take their questions or life’s situation seriously. It is not intended to spell out new doctrine or create new dogma but to serve as a catalyst to perhaps crack open the door to the future.

To make the implicit explicit, this study is not for:

• those whose personal faith requires them to believe that the Bible is the inerrant and inspired word of God.
• those who believe that the doctrines set forth by the early church are sacrosanct and not to be questioned.
• those whose eternal salvation depends on their unswerving commitment to the above.
• those who believe the reason the mainline churches in Europe, North America, and Australia/ New Zealand have been losing members and influence for generations is because they haven’t been teaching “orthodox” Christianity or preaching the true Gospel.

Please be aware that the issues and concepts discussed in the DVDs and written material will challenge many people’s worldview and understanding of the divine. For some it will be radically new information. For others, it will be an affirmation of what they’ve known deep down for a long time. Both facilitators and participants will want to be prepared for anxiety, conflict, and the need to be patient with those who are struggling.

"NCC’s Edgar departs for Common Cause; Interim Named"

The Rev. Bob Edgar will be stepping down soon as the general secretary of the National Council of Churches In Christ USA (NCC).  The council has grown under his leadership and become a more effective voice for Christians in the United States.  As a United Methodist minister, former seminary president, and former U.S. Congressman he brought a unique set of skills to his job.  When he took the helm at NCC no one knew if the organization had the capacity to survive into the future.  Bob leaves the council with the budget deficit erased and on a stable footing.  More importantly:  NCC has been a prophetic voice on issues like the environment, the war in Iraq, and on a range of poverty issues.  It has been a pleasure for me to get to know Bob over the last several years.  He will be missed after two-terms of visionary leadership.

Related Link: Podcast Interview: The Rev. Bob Edgar On "Middle Church"   (Sept. 18, 2006)

Related Link: Podcast Interview With Bob Edgar: The National Council Of Churches Urges An Increase in The Minimum Wage (November 7, 2005)

Related Link: The Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar Talks About The National Council Of Churches, Iraq, and Voter Registration (June 30, 2004)

Press Release from the National Council of Churches

New York City, August 20, 2007 – The Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary at the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) since January 2000, departs at month's end for Common Cause.   He will then assume fulltime responsibilities as the nonpartisan advocacy group's president.

Anticipating Edgar's departure the NCC's executive committee has appointed Clare Chapman, NCC's deputy general secretary for finance and administration, to be Acting General Secretary.

"We are blessed to have the administrative gifts and talents in Clare Chapman to manage the day-to-day leadership of the NCC," said the Rev. Michael Livingston, president of the NCC.  "Clare will carry us through to the end of the year when we expect to have our next General Secretary in place."

A search committee has been considering candidates for the General Secretary position for several weeks.

"The NCC and its member communions continue to be in ministry together, striving for the unity to which Christ calls us," said Chapman.  "The Council has strong leadership in its Governing Board and Executive Committee and I look forward to working with them in a new way in this leadership transition.  While we all acknowledge the improvement in financial stability that has occurred in Bob's tenure, his strong leadership in advocating for peace, working for environmental justice and helping those living with poverty is his real legacy," Chapman said.

Edgar's nearly eight years of leadership at the NCC saw numerous events that called upon the churches to speak out and witness to the gospel.  A photo retrospective produced and written by Philip Jenks, NCC's director of interpretation, is available online http://www.ncccusa.org/bobedgar/.

Edgar is returning to Washington, D.C. to head up Common Cause, a grassroots, non-partisan advocacy group with 36 state organizations and nearly 300,000 members.  Edgar lived in the Washington area for 12 years while he served as a Member of Congress from Pennsylvania, 1975-1987.

The National Council of Churches USA is the ecumenical voice of 35 of America's Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches.  These NCC member communions have 45 million faithful members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 states.

The Portland Police Association Vs The People of Portland

Portland Mayor Tom Potter fired a police officer this week that inappropriately used deadly force. That decision, according to The Oregonian, has drawn fire from the police union. Portland Police Association spokesman Pete Simpson told the paper: “"He has shown little to no respect for the police force from the moment he took office."

That is foolishness but not surprising if you consider the source. Over the years the Portland Police Association, the union of rank and file bureau members, has been a source of right-wing bile spewed against the city of Portland. As The Oregonian notes, PPA has a litany of complaints:

As chief in the early 1990s, Potter irritated old-school associates by taking controversial public stands such as his decision to march in a gay pride parade alongside his daughter, also a police officer. …

He angered many officers in 2005 when he pulled Portland police out of the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force, saying he wasn't comfortable with the amount of oversight officers were receiving. He sent a letter of apology to all officers in 2006 after saying that multiple police stops of a Somali American resident "smacked of racism."

Potter has been far more willing than predecessors to compromise on health care costs.

But officers say that whenever there is a public debate over the Portland police, Potter seems to side against them. He bucked the wishes of then-Chief Derrick Foxworth, for example, in pulling out of the terrorism group. He agreed with mental health advocates who said officers did not have enough training and accountability after the death of a mentally ill man, James Chasse Jr., in police custody. He blamed Kaer for escalating things with Young, a convicted felon.

When Portland Police officers killed James Chasse, an unarmed man suffering from chronic mental illness, the union sent out a press release questioning the commitment of Chasse’s family to his care. As one of the clergy who presided over the Chasse memorial, I learned of the family’s unflinching commitment and advocacy on behalf of James.  As an advocate for programs that help lift people out of poverty and homelessness, I can testify that PPA has often been an opponent of efforts to tackle social issues.

Over the years the Portland Police Association has served as a right-wing noise machine that often obscures the good work done by the bureau. PPA is, in the end, a political group with a conservative social agenda that does not reflect the values that have made Portland an open and progressive city. Mayor Potter’s leadership, on the other hand, does demonstrate those values. His policies are meant to improve public safety and accountability. Unfortunately, the Portland Police Association doesn’t want to be held accountable and in many cases they simply do not meet the high standards for public involvement our citizens should insist on.

It Was Ten Years Ago Today

Today years ago today Portland lost one of our leading advocates for causes such as ending homelessness and battling HIV/AIDS when Gene Ediger died.  Gene was the partner of (now) well known Portland blogger Worldwide Pablo (aka Paul Nickell).  During his life Gene was one of the administrators of Baloney Joe's and in his final years he served as the chair of the board of directors for Outside In.  He was an early mentor of mine.  I know for all his family and friends it is difficult to even think that ten years have gone by without him here to rally our spirits or to get the first beer poured.  Gene was such a strong and caring presence that in many ways it is still possible to think of him as being around.  He is always missed and will never be forgotten.

Read The Oregonian article about Gene's passing.   

Photo credit:  The ever talented Sue Elwood Buce.   

Southern Baptist Minister Mistakes Mike Huckabee For God

When I endorsed Barack Obama I said this:

As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I trust deeply in the Constitutional principle of separation of church and state and my endorsement is therefore a personal one and does not reflect on the church I serve or my denomination. But as a citizen I believe that all Americans must engage in the political process as individuals for democracy to thrive. So I choose to add my voice today with millions of other Americans concerned about the direction of this nation. 

In a following post I made it clear how important I beleive it is to seperate any partisan political work from church life:

...I refrain from any campaign work during work hours, the campaign knows only to call my private cell or home numbers, I do not discuss my involvement on campaigns with church members, and I would never promote my endorsement of a candidate from the pulpit during worship or during any other church related activity.

I would never use church resources of any kind to promote a candidate.  My endorsement was made on my personal blog and on the senator's website.  As USA Today reports, that isn't the case for The Rev. Wiley Drake, a leading Southern Baptist Convention figure.  Drake recently endorsed Mike Huckabee's campaign for president on church letterhead.  Now he wants God to silence his critics:

God is being called upon in a bitter dispute between a California Baptist pastor and the organization Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Specifically, Rev. Wiley Drake of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, Calif., is asking his supporters to use "imprecatory prayer" to curse Americans United and its leaders.

The argument centers on whether Drake violated federal tax law by "electioneering" when he recently endorsed the presidential candidacy of Republican Mike Huckabee. Americans United on Tuesday asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate.

Today, Drake told us by telephone that he has called for prayers aimed at smiting the AU and its leadership not because they oppose him personally, but because "they are attacking God's people."

Drake also said he had been careful to state that he was "personally endorsing" Huckabee, not throwing his church's support to the candidate. He put the endorsement on the church's letterhead, Drake said, "because I'm not going to let anyone tell me I have to hide who I am. I use letterhead to pay my phone bill and to send my mother a note."

Drake's use of church resources is inappropriate.  He has crossed legal and ethical lines.  But he has also crossed a theological line by asking God to smite Americans United and their leadership for simply defending the Constitution.  It is a mistake to suggest that God supports one political candidate over another. 

(Hat tip to Pastor Bob Cornwall) 

Bush's Iraq Legacy: Women Prostituting To Feed Children

Remember how we were going to "liberate" the people of Iraq from their brutal dictator?

Now the people of Iraq live in worse and more violent conditions than ever before.  As many as 600,000+ civilians have died since the U.S. invaded the nation to search for non-existent weapons of mass destruction and to punish the Iraqi regime for ties to the 9/11 terrorists - ties that turned out to be lies put out by the Bush White House to build a case for war.

Just last night we heard that the suicide rate among U.S. troops is at the highest point in 26 years.

Today CNN reports on the growing number of Iraqi women turning to prostituion to feed their children:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The women are too afraid and ashamed to show their faces or have their real names used. They have been driven to sell their bodies to put food on the table for their children -- for as little as $8 a day.

"People shouldn't criticize women, or talk badly about them," says 37-year-old Suha as she adjusts the light colored scarf she wears these days to avoid extremists who insist women cover themselves. "They all say we have lost our way, but they never ask why we had to take this path."

A mother of three, she wears light makeup, a gold pendant of Iraq around her neck, and an unexpected air of elegance about her.

"I don't have money to take my kid to the doctor. I have to do anything that I can to preserve my child, because I am a mother," she says, explaining why she prostitutes herself.

Anger and frustration rise in her voice as she speaks.

"No matter what else I may be, no matter how off the path I may be, I am a mother!"

This is the legacy of George W. Bush and his war in Iraq.  May God forgive us all.

Note to President Bush: Your Soldiers Are Killing Themselves

Today brought new horrors out of Iraq.  As predicted by many, the U.S. invasion has been disastrous. 

And the impact on American troops has been a nightmare.  The Washington Post reports tonight on a new report documenting a dramatic increase in suicides among U.S. forces:

WASHINGTON -- Army soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a new military report.

The report, obtained by The Associated Press ahead of its scheduled release Thursday, found there were 99 confirmed suicides among active duty soldiers during 2006, up from 88 the previous year and the highest number since the 102 suicides in 1991 at the time of the Persian Gulf War.

The president has maintained that American troops are needed to protect Iraq's "democratic" government.  But it becomes clearer each day that our invasion and continued military presence does nothing to improve the situation.

Related Link: United Church of Christ Action Alert Calling for End to Iraq Conflict 

Rev. Johnny: "Queer Lutherans Take A Risk!"

Rev. Johnny writes:

The Lutherans made a risky move recently. 82 LGBT ministers and seminarians outed themselves to their religous community. The result of their brave act of solidarity and resistance is a resolution that urges bishops to refrain from disciplining pastors who are in "faithful committed same-gender relationships." It is true that this is not a statement of full inclusion of queer people, but I believe it is a good start. If I had my way queer people of every faith tradition would come out at the same time - October 11th, 2007 (National Coming Out Day) . What would religious leaders do then? They might crucify us. It's happened before. But, the Rule of Heaven may just be made manifest here on Earth; the oppressed may have victory over their oppressors not through acts of violence but through truth-telling and acts of mercy. Even if the only result was that each faith tradition resolved to urge their authorities to not discipline their ritual leaders who are in "faithful committed same-gender relationships" I would call that a solid step toward victory.

What can we do today? Today we can help a woman named Vicki Pedersen, one of the 82 LBGT Lutherans who outed themselves. If you are or were you a Lutheran; if you are ecumenically minded, if you are committed to justice; and/or if your are a distributor of information, then please read the request below. And if you have a blog or an email list, please pass this along. It is my honor to introduce to you, Pastor Vicki Pedersen.

And it is my honor to introduce you to Pastor Vicki through Rev. Johnny's blog.

"CWS appeal: India floods (Assam, Bihar, Orissa and W. Bengal)

Press Release from Church World Service

Throughout southern and central Asia, flooding in recent weeks has been the "worst in living memory," according to the United Nations. Across northern India, countless villages have been flooded, leaving tens of millions displaced and stranded.

"The sheer size and scale of flooding and the massive numbers of people affected pose an unprecedented challenge to the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian assistance," the UN said.

Long-time CWS partner in India, Church's Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), is reporting that at least 340 people have lost their lives, and that 45 million have been affected in some way by the storms and flooding in the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.

Tens of thousands of people are camped out in relief camps set up by the government. In the state of Assam, people have taken refuge in emergency camps or have been cut off in their villages by receding waters and soaring temperatures, which have led to concerns of potential disease outbreaks.

Safe water, food and shelter are among the items most needed to help families cope. Government forces are now using helicopters to drop relief supplies, but they can only meet the needs of a fraction of the displaced population.

RESPONSE: CASA is responding to this disaster by providing initial relief assistance to 17,500 families - 5,000 families in Assam, 2,500 in West Bengal, 5,000 in Bihar, 2,500 in Orissa and 2,500 in Uttar Pradesh.

The specific objectives of the CWS-supported response include:

• Providing cooked food to the flood affected families.

• Providing relief sets of clothing, blankets and other articles of daily use to 17,500 affected families - specifically: 5,000 flood affected families in Bihar, 2,500 in Uttar Pradesh, 5,000 in Assam, and 2,500 each in West Bengal and Orissa. The 17,500 relief sets consist of 1 woollen blanket, 1 Dhoti (a garment worn by the men), 1 Saree (women’s apparel),and nine pieces of aluminium utensils.

• Providing dry rations - including rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder -- to the 17,500 affected families, as well as tarpaulin sheets that will serve as a temporary shelter.

• Providing water purification tablets and bleaching powder in the affected areas.

• Providing assistance to 5,000 affected families for repair and construction of huts.

Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Contributions may also be made by credit card online, or by calling: (800) 297-1516, ext. 222.

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; [email protected]

Karl Rove

Buh-bye, Karl Rove. On your way out of the White House, don't let the screen door hit you where the dog should have bit you.

- Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post

I have nothing more to add.

Neosho, Missouri Church Shooting

Yesterday there was a shooting at a church in Missouri where three people were killed - including the pastor. The congregation is scheduled to join the United Church of Christ this September. My seminary colleague Carole Barner wrote the following e-mail this morning:

Dear friends in ministry,

The congregation in Neosho, MO, which suffered the tragic shooting during worship yesterday afternoon was a Micronesian congregation renting space from the mentioned First Congregational Church. While this First Cong. is not affiliated with UCC, the Micronesian congregation is set to become a member of our Western Association in the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the UCC in September. Rev. Rehobsen (one of the three killed) has presented at several of our Association gatherings over the previous year. Asking for your continued prayer support for our sister congregation.....

Peace..... Carole

Please keep all those impacted in your prayers.

"U.S. church leaders want presidential hopefuls to tackle Middle East"

It is hard to imagine that any president could do as much damage to the cause of peace in the Middle East than President Bush.  Whoever assumes the office in 2009 will have to clean up a huge mess under difficult circumstances.  Church leaders wrote to the current U.S. presidential candidates this past week asking them all to commit to the effort.  ENS reports:

A coalition of U.S. church leaders has called on candidates hoping to stand for the 2008 U.S. presidential election, to support stronger diplomatic efforts to promote a Middle East peace that addresses "the basic needs of both Israelis and Palestinians."

Clergy and laity from the UCC-supported Churches for Middle East Peace, a Washington-based group, wrote to nine candidates from the Republican Party, and eight from the Democratic Party, to urge them, if elected as U.S. president, to support a "two-state peace between Israel and the Palestinians as a top priority."

Churches for Middle East Peace is a coalition of 22 Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant church bodies and organizations, including the UCC, that support a two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The signers said U.S. leadership was needed to help a stalled Middle East peace process, and also to restore "the goodwill that the United States once enjoyed in the region."

Visit Churches for Middle East Peace for more information.

Unfortunately, much of the rhetoric from candidates in both parties on this issue has been unhelpful.

A Podcast Sermon On Isaiah 11:6-9, Isaiah 65:18-25, and Luke 11:1-4: What Is The Kingdom Of God?

This morning at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ our Scripture readings included Isaiah 11:6-9, Isaiah 65:18-25, and Luke 11:1-4.  My sermon topic was: "What Is The Kingdom of God?"

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

Download ParkroseKingdom.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).

During the sermon I invited our members to reflect on three questions:

1.  What is the Kingdom of God?

2.  What is the role of the church in building up the Kingdom of God?

3.  What is the role of the individual in building up the Kingdom of God?

Everyone was invited to share their answers as part of the service.

I'd be interested in how readers of this blog would answer those three questions.  Feel free to do so in the comments. 

Following the sermon you'll hear our new communion liturgy - used for the first time today!  This liturgy was put together using elements of services previously published by Living the Questions and in the United Church of Christ Book of Worship.   

High Point Church: Only Buries Non-Gays

In the sick and obscene department comes this news about High Point Church in Arlington, Texas via MSNBC:

ARLINGTON, Texas - A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay.

Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright. But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off.

“It’s a slap in the face. It’s like, ’Oh, we’re sorry he died, but he’s gay so we can’t help you,”’ she said Friday.

Something like this is just nuts.

Wright said High Point offered to hold the service for Sinclair because their brother is a janitor there. Sinclair, who served in the first Gulf War, died Monday at age 46 from an infection after surgery to prepare him for a heart transplant.

The church’s pastor, the Rev. Gary Simons, said no one knew Sinclair, who was not a church member, was gay until the day before the Thursday service, when staff members putting together his video tribute saw pictures of men “engaging in clear affection, kissing and embracing.”

‘It’s not that we didn’t love the family’
Simons said the church believes homosexuality is a sin, and it would have appeared to endorse that lifestyle if the service had been held there.

“We did decline to host the service — not based on hatred, not based on discrimination, but based on principle,” Simons told The Associated Press. “Had we known it on the day they first spoke about it — yes, we would have declined then. It’s not that we didn’t love the family.”

And so to prove their love they refused to bury their beloved kin.  Maybe they should have thrown his body outside to the dogs to really make their point.

In Matthew 22 we read:

³⁶‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ ³⁷He said to him, ‘ “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.” 

Here's my question for Rev. Simons:

When you turned this family away didn't you break the greatest commandment of all? After all, Jesus says not a bad word about gays. But he does preach about love and compassion as being available to all.

You can call or write Rev. Simons by clicking here if you want to ask him yourself.

Those of us who are Christian need to stand up and say loudly that actions like these do not represent the teachings of Jesus or God's will. 

Update:  My letter to High Point Church.

Sometimes The Best Laid Plans....

Here's how we intended to spend this afternoon and evening:  First, at a BBQ at our friend Magda's house in SE Portland with the twins.  Then we planned to head off across the river to Vancouver to help our friend Michelle celebrate her birthday.  Instead a truck hit us and nicely banged up our new car as we drove to Magda's.  None of us were hurt, thank God.  The car is another story .  We never made it to the BBQ or to Vancouver but not all was lost:  Symphony in the Park was about two blocks from our house and after spending a little time at that we left the girls with the babysitter we'd already scheduled for tonight and headed over to our neighborhood theater to see The Bourne Ultimatum.  It wasn't how we planned to spend the day but at least we're all ok.          

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Holds Churchwide Assembly

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - a full communion partner with the United Church of Christ - held their Church-wide Assembly this week and among their decisions was one related to gay and lesbian clergy.  NPR reports:

A national assembly of Evangelical Lutherans urged its bishops Saturday to refrain from defrocking gay and lesbian ministers who violate a celibacy rule, but rejected measures that would have permitted ordaining gays churchwide.

Still, advocates for full inclusion of gays were encouraged, calling the resolution a powerful statement in support of clergy with same-gender partners. 

This will be the story that makes all the headlines but there were other important decisions as well -  including the adoption of a new statement on the Iraq War:

CHICAGO (ELCA) -  The highest legislative assembly of the 4.8 million member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America declared its opposition to "any escalation of the war" in Iraq and called upon the U.S. government to "take immediate and comprehensive steps to end the violence and establish a peaceful, stable, and just society in that country."

The resolution, passed with no discussion and by a vote of 874 to 78, also urged Lutherans to engage in "moral deliberation about the situation in Iraq and the policies and actions of the government of the United States of America in relation to them" and urged expanded concern for military personnel and their families. Lutherans should also make their views known to members of Congress, the resolution said.

The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,071 ELCA voting members.

Click here for information on other issues the ELCA considered.

Street Prophets In The New York Times

Nice write up on Pastor Dan and his website Street Prophets in The New York Times.

"Anti-immigrant sentiment is 'racism' declares Edgar"

Press release from the National Council of Churches

New York City, August 9, 2007--"Immigrants have become the contemporary scapegoat," writes the Rev. Bob Edgar. "It's time we call it for what it is -- racism."

The General Secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), writing in a guest commentary carried by the Religion News Service (RNS) yesterday, contends the "fearmongers among us are devilishly clever. They have used nearly every scare tactic they can think of to reduce us to a highly suspicious lot all too willing to not love the alien as ourselves and to evict them from their homes, get them fired, separate them from their families, in an all out rampage of oppression and prejudice."

In the commentary, which RNS entitled, "White Immigrants Get a Pass; Brown Ones Do Not," the Rev. Edgar points to conservative blogs and certain radio and television talk show hosts who are "trying to scare us."

The RNS commentary points to the numerous verses in the Bible about how to treat immigrants.

"When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God," Edgar writes, quoting Leviticus 19:33-34. Similar verses appear in the books of Exodus, Numbers and the Prophet Jeremiah.

"Demagogues keep preying on post-9/11 fear to whip up hatred and suspicion of people who have come here in search of the same thing my northern European ancestors were seeking," writes Edgar. "They want a better life for their families, more opportunities for their children and to learn English. They already pay millions in taxes and contribute to their communities."

Edgar concludes his RNS commentary incorporating words of the Prophet Jeremiah who warned against oppressing the resident alien: "It seems before God will dwell with us in this land we had better change our ways and 'truly act justly one with another' regardless of where we were born or the color of our skin."

The RNS commentary is available to more than 100 major daily and weekly newspapers including The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times and USA Today. In addition, hundreds of magazines, television stations, religious publications and websites subscribe to RNS.

The National Council of Churches USA is the ecumenical voice of 35 of America's Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches. These NCC denominations have 45 million faithful members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 states.

Related Post: Deep Ties Between The Minutemen Project And White Supremacists

Related Link: The Bible as the Ultimate Immigration Handbook: Written By, For, and About Migrants, Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers

Sometimes Elections Are About Moral Leadership

Tonight the democratic presidential candidates (minus two) debated issues important to the gay and lesbian community in Los Angeles. 

That doesn't sit well with the Religious Right.  CNN reports:

Tony Perkins, the president of the conservative Washington-based Family Research Council, suggested Democratic candidates are debating merely to court money from special interest groups that cater to gay rights. But he suggested there may be some political backlash.

"If they [Democrats] want to make a social statement it's a great thing to do," said Perkins. "If they want to raise money among special interest groups it's a great thing to do. But if they [Democrats] want to win the White House, polling shows it's [courting the gay and lesbian vote] not the thing to do."

Perhaps Mr. Perkins, whose past political work has included connections to the KKK and other hate groups, doesn't understand that for some elections are not just about winning votes.  Some candidates actually want to offer moral leadership to the nation.   

A Christian Code Of Conduct For Evangelism?

Back when the tsunami hit Southeast Asia there were some Christian churches and aid groups which descended on the disaster zone not just to assist the survivors but to convert them.  There were many gross displays of unethical behavior.

Do Christians need a "code of conduct" on how to appropriately evangelize?  The World Council of Churches and the Vatican are moving in that direction.  WCC reports:

With Evangelical and Pentecostal representatives joining in at an 8-12 August consultation in Toulouse, the joint Vatican-WCC study process on religious conversion gets one step closer to its goal of a common code of conduct in seeking converts to Christianity.

Kicked off in May last year at a meeting that affirmed freedom of religion as a "non-negotiable" human right valid for everyone everywhere and at the same time stressed that the "obsession of converting others" needs to be cured, the three-year joint study process moves now into its second phase.

Intended as an intra-Christian discussion - whereas the first encounter featured participants from different faiths - the project's second phase will consist of a high-level theological consultation entitled "Towards an ethical approach to conversion: Christian witness in a multi-religious world". The consultation will take place at the Institute of Science and Theology of Religions (ISTR) in Toulouse, France, from 8-12 August.

At the consultation, some 30 Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Pentecostal and Evangelical theologians and church representatives will aim to articulate what a common code of conduct on religious conversion should look like from a Christian viewpoint.

"Conversion is a controversial issue not only in interreligious relations, but in intra-Christian relations as well", says Rev. Dr Hans Ucko, WCC's programme executive for inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. "In Latin America it is a source of tension between the Roman Catholic Church and the Pentecostal movement, while in other regions Orthodox churches often feel 'targeted' by some Protestant missionary groups."

"Since there are many accusations of 'sheep stealing' among Christians we will most likely also focus on this issue. The consultation in Toulouse will be the opportunity for doing so", Ucko adds.

Scheduled speakers at the consultation are: Prof. Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, World Evangelical Alliance (WEA); Bishop Dr Tony Richie, Church of God (Pentecostal); Fr Dr Fiorello Mascarenhas, SJ (Roman Catholic Church); and Rev. Dr Hermen Shastri (WCC). The Catholic Archbishop of Toulouse, Mgr Robert Le Gall, will also be present.

The three-year study project jointly undertaken by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the WCC's programme on inter-religious dialogue and cooperation bears the name: "An interreligious reflection on conversion: From controversy to a shared code of conduct". It was launched in May 2006 in Lariano/Velletri, near Rome, and aims to produce a code of conduct on religious conversion commonly agreed among Christians by 2010.    

Developing such a code of conduct would be a terrific moment for the ecumenical movement.  Pray for the participants as they meet.

Related links provided by WCC:

Additional information on the study process, including the report of the first meeting

WCC's Office on Interreligious Relations and Dialogue

Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

Institute of Science and Theology of Religions (ISTR)

Democrats Caved; Our Voice Needs To Be Heard

Action Alert from MoveOn.org

The Democratic-controlled Congress did the unthinkable on Saturday night: They gave President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales more unchecked power to wiretap Americans without a warrant.¹ Yes, that's the same Attorney General who is currently mired in scandal and probably committed perjury on this very issue.²

Why'd they do it? Because the president used fear to intimidate them and it worked.³

Enough is enough. We have to send a strong message to Congress that there is no trade-off between fundamental liberties and security. Preserving our Constitution is essential to our security—we can't lead on freedom around the world when we're actively undermining the rule of law at home.

A good place to start is by having hundreds of thousands of us sign on to this petition demanding that Congress reverse their capitulation to Bush and the politics of fear. The petition statement reads:

Full petition text:

"I'm outraged that Congress capitulated to President Bush and gave him more unchecked power to wiretap Americans without a warrant. I demand Congress act swiftly to reverse this reckless act."

If enough of us speak out we'll send a clear message that Americans aren't buying the administration's scare tactics. Clicking here will add your name:

http://pol.moveon.org/capitulation/o.pl?&id=10919-5540571-e1o4Ln&t=3

We'll make sure to deliver your comments to your representative and senators within the week.

The President used fear of another terrorist attack to bully Congress into giving him more unchecked power and they gave in to his scare tactics. While most Democrats voted against these expanded powers, Democratic leaders in Congress didn't put up much of a fight and they didn't stand up and say 'no' to Bush. We've seen this play out before—most notably when almost every member of Congress voted for the Patriot Act—many without even reading it.⁴

They do this because they're afraid of being seen as weak on security—and because they buy the conventional wisdom that voters don't really care about constitutional freedoms. If enough of us sign, we can make it plain just how broad support for preserving the Constitution is.

The only good news here is that these new unchecked powers that Congress gave the Bush administration aren't permanent. They'll expire in six months and we have to make sure that Congress doesn't renew them then.

Here's how the Washington Post's editorial board described what happened:⁵

"The Democratic-led Congress, more concerned with protecting its political backside than with safeguarding the privacy of American citizens, left town early yesterday after caving in to administration demands that it allow warrantless surveillance of the phone calls and e-mails of American citizens, with scant judicial supervision and no reporting to Congress about how many communications are being intercepted. To call this legislation ill-considered is to give it too much credit: It was scarcely considered at all. Instead, it was strong-armed through both chambers by an administration that seized the opportunity to write its warrantless wiretapping program into law—or, more precisely, to write it out from under any real legal restrictions."

To keep focus on this, we're helping start a new long-term effort called the American Freedom Campaign to keep the pressure on Congress and make sure they fix this mess instead of making these powers permanent. We hope you can help over the coming months.

It's Congress's job to act as a check on the president's authority—not as a rubber-stamp. They have to know that we're watching them and we're demanding real accountability for this overreaching president.

Click here to add your name to the petition:

http://pol.moveon.org/capitulation/o.pl?&id=10919-5540571-e1o4Ln&t=5

President Bush still hasn't responded to Congress' subpoenas demanding the legal rationale for his warrantless wiretapping. If they don't rein him in now, it is unlikely that he—or any president that comes after him—will ever comply with this kind of necessary oversight.

Thanks for all you do,

–Nita, Wes, Justin, Carrie and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
  Tuesday, August 7th, 2007

Sources:

1."House Approves Wiretap Measure," Washington Post, August 5, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2869&id=10919-5540571-e1o4Ln&t=6

2. Senator May Seek Gonzales Perjury Probe, Washington Post, July 26, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2870&id=10919-5540571-e1o4Ln&t=7

3. The Fear of Fear Itself—NYTimes Editorial, New York Times, August 7, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/opinion/07tue1.html

4. Rep. Jim McDermott, Congressional Record: July 8, 2004,
http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2004_cr/h070804.html

5. Warrantless Surrender,Washington Post, August 7, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2871&id=10919-5540571-e1o4Ln&t=8

http://pol.moveon.org/capitulation/o.pl?&id=10919-5540571-e1o4Ln&t=4

"Church" Can Be Anywhere

This past Sunday the people of Parkrose Community United Church of Christ abandoned Portland for the farm lands of Battleground, Washington for our annual "Worship On the Farm and Summer Picnic."   

In this photo, Frances and I are trying to get a better look at some of the live stock, 

You can check out all the great photos by clicking here.

Bring Them Home!

From The Washington Post:

BAGHDAD, Aug. 7 -- Iraq's political crisis deepened Monday as five more ministers withdrew from cabinet meetings, delivering a major blow to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's fractured unity government and efforts to reconcile Iraq's warring parties.

Hours earlier, a truck bomb in a Shiite village near the northern city of Tall Afar killed 31 people and wounded scores more, striking an area that was once hailed by President Bush and U.S. military commanders as an oasis of stability, following U.S. operations against insurgents there. Six children were among the dead, police said.

The U.S. military also announced the deaths of nine American soldiers, including four killed in an explosion Monday in volatile Diyala province, where U.S. forces are engaged in a major offensive against Sunni insurgents. The blast injured 12 other U.S. soldiers, the military said in a statement.

One soldier was killed by a sophisticated roadside bomb in west Baghdad on Monday, and another was killed during combat in eastern Baghdad on Sunday, the military said. Three soldiers were killed Saturday when a roadside bomb struck their convoy south of Baghdad, the military announced Tuesday.

Bring Them Home!

United Church of Christ Action Alert: Sign the Petition to End the Iraq War

A History Lesson For George W. Bush

This was the first story I heard on NPR this morning:

U.S. military officials have lost track of at least 110,000 AK-47 rifles and 80,000 pistols sent to help Iraqi security forces fight insurgents, according to a federal report.

It appears that some of these lost weapons are now being used to kill civilians and to fight U.S. military personnel. 

Not only has President Bush created one of the most unstable military situations in a generation but the incompetence of his government has helped to arm people intent on killing Americans.

Just today I picked up John Dominic Crossan's God & Empire: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now.  Check out this paragraph from a discussion about the Roman Empire:

Augustus knew the difference between war and diplomacy.  He understood about a river too far.  He settled for imperial boundaries on the Rhine, not the Elbe, and for imperial limits on the Euphrates, not the Tigris.  He also learned another vital lesson, this one from Arminius: when you train and arm tribal forces to fight for you, they can use that knowledge to fight against you as well. (pg. 27)

How does that old saying go?

"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."

Action Alert: Call for an End to the Bloodshed: Sign the Petition to End the Iraq War

62nd Anniversary Of Hiroshima Bombing

August 6th marks the 62nd anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima - one of the single biggest attacks against civilians in war and one of only two times atomic weapons have been used during a military conflict (both times deployed by the U.S. against Japan in the closing days of WWII).

This year the anniversary coincides with a debate occuring in Japan over the future of their "peace" constitution.  Kyodo News reports:

Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba warned that proliferation of nuclear arms is gaining momentum because a ''handful of old-fashioned leaders...are...turning their backs on the reality of the atomic bombings and the message of the hibakusha.''

This year's memorial has been overshadowed by events such as then Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma's remark in late June that the atomic bombing of Japan ''could not be helped,'' and the slaying in April of then Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito.

Meanwhile, the legal battle continues between hibakusha and the government over recognition of their illnesses as caused by the atomic bombing, and the anniversary follows the crushing defeat of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Councillors election in late July.

In light of public worries that Japan might amend the war-renouncing Constitution to strengthen its alliance with the United States, Akiba urged the government in his Peace Declaration presented at the memorial ceremony to ''protect, as is, the Peace Constitution, while clearly saying 'No,' to obsolete and mistaken U.S. policies.''

Click here to read the full story.

"Where did the gun come from?"

This website - Where did the gun come from? - was mentioned on The Caucus, a blog published by The New York Times and the site asks a great question:

Why ask, Where did the gun come from?

In most shootings, two crimes are involved: the shooting itself, and the transaction that put the gun in the wrong hands to begin with. Too often, the media and public only focus on the shooting and forget to ask, “Where did the gun come from?”

By working together and asking “Where did the gun come from?” police, the media, community groups and policy makers can be powerful allies in the fight against gun trafficking.

If reporters are trained to ask, “Where did the gun come from?” they can support police by keeping the question alive in the public’s mind. If community members, faith leaders and public officials begin to ask, “Where did the gun come from?” they can send the message that people are paying attention to illegal gun activity in their neighborhoods.

When we can answer, “Where did the gun come from?” we’ll begin to stem the flow of illegal guns at the source and save lives. 

There are a lot of people making a lot of money off selling weapons used in criminal activities - and those sellers know what they're doing.  They ought to be held accountable. 

Related Post:  After Virginia Tech Churches Need To Jump Start Gun Control Debate 

"Summer time, and the water is sacred"

Statement from the National Council of Churches

Washington, August 3, 2007 – During the hot and dry months of August and September, the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program is asking churches to use water wisely as part of their Adamah Congregations quarterly action program.

The NCC hopes to reach people in the pews through organizing bible studies on water across the nation. Churches can register to host a bible study at www.nccecojustice.org/adamahh2o.html.

“The sacredness of water in our faith tradition is stated clearly throughout the Bible," says Cassandra Carmichael, Eco-Justice Programs Director.

"The average American uses 80-100 gallons of water per day. We pray that as congregations study the scripture that they will be moved to protect this precious gift.”

The Adamah Congregations program started in January 2007 as a way to engage congregations in taking simple actions to “green” their church.

Previous actions include asking churches to switch to a fair trade coffee hour and replacing incandescent bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs.

The Eco-Justice Programs office of the National Council of Churches works in cooperation with the NCC Eco-Justice Working Group to provide an opportunity for the national bodies of member Protestant and Orthodox denominations to work together to protect and restore God's Creation. 

Why Gene Robinson Is Right & Welton Gaddy Is Wrong

Yesterday the campaign of Senator Barack Obama received the endorsement of Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson.

The Chicago-Sun Times reports:

He (Robinson) stressed that his endorsement was as an individual, not as bishop.

''I will not be speaking about the campaign from the pulpit or at any church function,'' he said. ''That is completely inappropriate. But as a private citizen, I will be at campaign events and help in any way that I can.''

On the Obama campaign site People of Faith for Barack (which I write for) it was noted that this was Bishop Robinson's first political endorsement.

“As my work shows me every day, leadership means bringing people together and inspiring them to live out their values. Barack Obama sees beyond the partisanship and hopelessness that have dominated in recent years, and the movement he’s building is bringing vital new energy and optimism into our democratic process. I’m excited to work with Barack to bridge the old divides and make this country one again.”

But his endorsement drew fire from my friend Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance and host of Air America's State of Belief.  The Washington Post's blog The Trail reports:

Three hours after the announcement, Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, said it was "just the latest example of candidates misusing religious leaders for political gain."

Gaddy said he was sending a letter to all the presidential candidates asking them not to make endorsements that appear to be speaking on behalf of their house of worship or denomination.

"In recent presidential campaigns little concern has been in evidence about the negative consequences that certain political strategies bring about for houses of worship," Gaddy's letter read. 

When I endorsed Obama I said nearly just what Bishop Robinson did:

As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I trust deeply in the Constitutional principle of separation of church and state and my endorsement is therefore a personal one and does not reflect on the church I serve or my denomination. But as a citizen I believe that all Americans must engage in the political process as individuals for democracy to thrive. So I choose to add my voice today with millions of other Americans concerned about the direction of this nation.

Welton invited me to come on his show right after I made my endorsement and asked me to explain why I was supporting Obama and what I thought the role of churches should be in politics. He told listeners that my answer was one of the best he had ever heard (you can listen to the show here).

Few people in America have earned my respect the way Welton Gaddy has.  He is a tremendous champion of the separation of church and state and a strong voice for the progressive religious community.  But if he is suggesting that religious leaders cannot as individuals engage in the political process he is simply wrong. 

Religious leaders should be (and are under the law) free as individuals to become involved in all aspects of public life but must do so without bringing our churches along for the ride.  I understand and appreciate Welton's concerns but disagree with his conclusions.   

Related Post:  "Guidelines for Congregations and Clergy on Political Action"

Sunset High School Class of 1987

Here’s a hard one for me to take in: it was twenty years ago this summer that I graduated from Sunset High School out in Beaverton. This weekend is our reunion and tonight Liz and I had the chance to gather with several Sunset alum and their partners for a “pre-union” get together. One of the great joys in my life is that I’ve been able to stay in such close contact with so many friends from high school and before – people like Heather, Jon, Larisa, Erik, Jani, Kate, Michelle and others I’m blanking out on right now because it is late. Every high school has problems and growing up in the suburbs in the 80s wasn’t always the easiest thing to do but we were so amazingly fortunate to attend a well funded public school that offered a full array of programs. Without teachers like Bill Pressly and Jim Barlow – now two dear friends – I would have been lost as a teenager. Looking back after twenty years it is clear to me how fortunate we all were to be in a community that could afford to fund their public schools. Every child deserves what we had growing up. Now this nearly middle aged man – who looks so young in this picture – has to go to bed to save up some energy for tomorrow night.

Barack Obama: Putting The Health Care Needs Of Kids First

Today On People Of Faith For Barack

U.S. House Votes To Expand Children's Health Care

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed critical legislation that would expand health care coverage to another 5 million uninsured American children.  House Republicans fought the legislation and President Bush has promised a veto. 

Their major objection:  the program is paid for by increasing taxes on tobacco.

Republicans in the House and in the White House clearly place more importance on big tobacco than on the lives and health of our nation's children. 

The Washington Post reports:

The House (today) approved legislation vastly expanding a federal health insurance program for the children of the working poor, shrugging off a fresh veto threat from President Bush and the fierce opposition of House Republicans.

The Senate, where the legislation has strong bipartisan support, is expected to follow suit as early as (Thursday), voting on a more modest version of the program and probably setting up a showdown between congressional supporters and the White House, which says the measures are far too expansive.

The legislation would launch the most significant growth in federal health care in a decade, and Democrats hope it will fortify their members as they head home soon for the summer recess amid voter perceptions that they have accomplished little since taking control of Congress.

"This is the children's hour," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declared... "We are able to meet our moral obligation to our children."

The 225 to 204 vote in the House -- largely along party lines -- came after hours of delaying tactics, strident rhetoric and trench warfare from Republicans who called the bill the first step toward "socialized medicine," financed by an unfair tobacco tax increase and cuts to managed-care companies in Medicare.

But in the end, the Democrats had weapons that were just too powerful -- a promise to insure 5 million more children who otherwise would have no access to health care, adding to the 6 million children already covered -- and the backing of Republican and Democratic governors, the American Medical Association, AARP, the March of Dimes, the Catholic Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and even cyclist Lance Armstrong. And the prospects are good in the Senate, where a key Republican, Orrin Hatch (Utah), said, "It's difficult for me to understand how anyone wouldn't want to do this."   

House Republicans tried to scare senior citizens into opposing the bill but that effort failed:

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio), pointing to the cuts to Medicare managed-care plans, dashed off a letter to AARP, calling for the powerful seniors lobby to retract its endorsement and halt its full-throttle campaign for its passage.

But John Rother, AARP's policy director, responded that funding for Medicare physician reimbursements and free medical screenings more than makes up for any difficulties managed-care companies might face when they reap the same reimbursement rates as the core Medicare program.

President Bush has spoken out often against the bill:

...Bush opposes such a major expansion of the program. In an interview with The Washington Post last month, he said, "When you expand eligibility . . . you're really beginning to open up an avenue for people to switch from private insurance to the government."

The House bill would enlarge the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, by $47 billion over five years to provide coverage to the additional 5 million children.

As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports, Bush's argument is bogus.

What can't be argued is that millions of children in our nation go without medical care and need this legislation.  It is also clear that House Republicans and George W. Bush don't give a damn and will do everything in their power to keep children from getting the care they deserve.

Related Post: George W. Bush: Putting Tobacco Companies Before Kids