Right now there is the biggest pandemic in the history of civilization, happening in the world now with AIDS. It's bigger than the Black Death, which took a third of Europe in the Middle Ages. Sixty-five hundred Africans are dying every day of a preventable, treatable disease. And it is not a priority for the West: two 9/11s a day, eighteen jumbo jets of fathers, mothers, families falling out of the sky. No tears, no letters of condolence, no fifty-one gun salutes. Why? Because we don't put the same value on African life as we put on a European or an American life. [...] We say we can't get these antiretroviral drugs to the farthest reaches of Africa, but we can get them our cold fizzy drinks. The tiniest village, you can find a bottle of Coke. Look, if we really thought that an African life was equal in value to an English, a French, or an Irish life, we wouldn't let two and a half million Africans die every year for the stupidest of reasons: money.
-- from Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas.
28 June 2007
15 June 2007
Action / ideology
Leviticus 25:35-38:
"If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11:
"If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart [...] and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.'
Acts 2:44-47:
All who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 4:32-27:
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.
2 Corinthians 8:14-15:
Your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack."
Ephesians 4:28:
Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Titus 3:14:
And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
1 John 3:17-18:
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
"If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11:
"If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart [...] and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.'
Acts 2:44-47:
All who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 4:32-27:
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.
2 Corinthians 8:14-15:
Your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack."
Ephesians 4:28:
Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Titus 3:14:
And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
1 John 3:17-18:
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
12 June 2007
An excerpt
The madman's explanation of a thing is always complete, and often in a purely rational sense satisfactory. Or, to speak more strictly, the insane explanation, if not conclusive, is at least unanswerable; [...] If a man says (for instance) that men have a conspiracy against him, you cannot dispute it except by saying that all the men deny that they are conspirators; which is exactly what conspirators would do. His explanation covers the facts as much as yours. [...] Nevertheless he is wrong. But if we attempt to trace his error in exact terms, we shall not find it quite so easy as we had supposed. [...]
The lunatic's theory explains a large number of things, but it does not explain them in a large way. I mean that if you or I were dealing with a mind that was growing morbid, we should be chiefly concerned not so much to give it arguments as to give it air, to convince it that there was something cleaner and cooler outside the suffocation of a single argument. [...] A man cannot think himself out of mental evil; for it is actually the organ of thought that has become diseased, ungovernable, and, as it were, independent.
-- from G. K. Chesteron's Othodoxy.
The lunatic's theory explains a large number of things, but it does not explain them in a large way. I mean that if you or I were dealing with a mind that was growing morbid, we should be chiefly concerned not so much to give it arguments as to give it air, to convince it that there was something cleaner and cooler outside the suffocation of a single argument. [...] A man cannot think himself out of mental evil; for it is actually the organ of thought that has become diseased, ungovernable, and, as it were, independent.
-- from G. K. Chesteron's Othodoxy.
24 May 2007
Speaking of Faith.
NPR's Speaking of Faith devoted a program to the New Monasticism, Shane Claiborne, and The Simple Way community in Philadelphia.
It can (and should) be heard/downloaded here.
Additionally, the following articles by Shane Claiborne are freely available:
Downward Mobility in an Upscale World
The Whispers of Troublemakers
Yeast of the Pharisees (Room for Grace)
The Whispers of Troublemakers
Yeast of the Pharisees (Room for Grace)
Cuts from the editing room floor are available here.
Krista's (the interviewer) journal can be viewed here.
Recommended reading and all music played during the program can be viewed here, while other resources can be viewed here.
If anyone actually takes the time to check these out, I'd be curious as to your reactions.
04 May 2007
Everything I've learned I have forgotten.
The "Virginia Tech massacre" occurred nearly (or more than, depending on your math) three weeks ago. Usually I respond to such things in a more timely manner, but I haven't quite known what to say. Still don't.
The Associated Press released a story last Thursday (April 26) that, when I read it to my dad, left us both a bit choked up. You should read it (below), even if the events aren't in the news cycle anymore.
This is the Greenville News version of the story, which is what I read to my father. The full version (which I do not prefer as much) can be found at http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3085731.
Va. Tech Has Little Anger for Gunman
By SUE LINDSEY
BLACKSBURG, Va. Apr 26, 2007 (AP)— Kelly White and her two children visited the semicircle of memorials on the Virginia Tech campus, leaving 32 pink tulips one for each victim in last week's massacre. They also placed a tulip on the stone for gunman Seung-Hui Cho.
"Forgiveness is part of being freed from anger," said White, a Blacksburg resident with relatives who attended the school.
Cho killed 32 people in the worst shooting in modern U.S. history. But there has been surprisingly little outrage directed toward him around campus.
He is memorialized alongside his victims, and students preach forgiveness and talk about him like a troubled family member.
Campus leaders, experts and those touched by the tragedy say there are several reasons for the spirit of forgiveness. Many people are too overcome by grief to think about anything else. The fact that Cho killed himself provided enough retribution, some say. Others say the forgiveness is rooted in the strong Christian values of this area.
And there's also the loyalty to the "Hokie Nation."
After a student organization placed the stone memorials in a semicircle last week on the main campus lawn, senior Katelynn L. Johnson added a 33rd stone for Cho.
"I believe his life had value no matter what he did," she said. "We lost 33 people."
After the first stone for Cho was removed, someone else came forward and placed a new one there. As of Thursday, the stone remained.
In a letter that lay on Cho's stone Thursday, "Erica" said she wished she could have helped him:
"Even though my eyes are tired of crying;
"Even though my campus, my home will never be the same …
"I forgive you.
"And I love you."
The Associated Press released a story last Thursday (April 26) that, when I read it to my dad, left us both a bit choked up. You should read it (below), even if the events aren't in the news cycle anymore.
This is the Greenville News version of the story, which is what I read to my father. The full version (which I do not prefer as much) can be found at http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3085731.
Va. Tech Has Little Anger for Gunman
By SUE LINDSEY
BLACKSBURG, Va. Apr 26, 2007 (AP)— Kelly White and her two children visited the semicircle of memorials on the Virginia Tech campus, leaving 32 pink tulips one for each victim in last week's massacre. They also placed a tulip on the stone for gunman Seung-Hui Cho.
"Forgiveness is part of being freed from anger," said White, a Blacksburg resident with relatives who attended the school.
Cho killed 32 people in the worst shooting in modern U.S. history. But there has been surprisingly little outrage directed toward him around campus.
He is memorialized alongside his victims, and students preach forgiveness and talk about him like a troubled family member.
Campus leaders, experts and those touched by the tragedy say there are several reasons for the spirit of forgiveness. Many people are too overcome by grief to think about anything else. The fact that Cho killed himself provided enough retribution, some say. Others say the forgiveness is rooted in the strong Christian values of this area.
And there's also the loyalty to the "Hokie Nation."
After a student organization placed the stone memorials in a semicircle last week on the main campus lawn, senior Katelynn L. Johnson added a 33rd stone for Cho.
"I believe his life had value no matter what he did," she said. "We lost 33 people."
After the first stone for Cho was removed, someone else came forward and placed a new one there. As of Thursday, the stone remained.
In a letter that lay on Cho's stone Thursday, "Erica" said she wished she could have helped him:
"Even though my eyes are tired of crying;
"Even though my campus, my home will never be the same …
"I forgive you.
"And I love you."
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