Category Archives: common good

“Triggers” Keep Us from Truth, Part 1

To all who are “triggered” by the free exchange of ideas:
Be careful what you agitate for…once you go down the road of restricting liberty of conscience and expression, you will find there is no end to the paranoia, lust for power, and totalitarianism lurking just below the surface. We now have the marginal at the center and the center at the margins.

The lessons of the French Revolution, the evils of the USSR’s formation and expansion, Mao’s murderous Cultural Revolution, Pol Pot’s destruction of Cambodia, Iran’s self-immolation…all of these started with words like “freedom” and “the people” and ended with authoritarians killing “counterrevolutionary” people. 

Now we have feminist pioneers being eviscerated for not wanting men to compete in women’s sports. Science is thrown out the window and feelings reign supreme. Religious business owners (only Christian, by the way) are targeted for destruction. Arresting thieves becomes a cause for accusations of a “history of racism” with college leaders agitating…and when found out, hiding behind the very First Amendment they hate so much. 
Cambridge scholars cannot speak at Oxford. Former Muslims are forced off platforms. Exposure of jihadism becomes a cause for accusation of another “phobe.” 

We can do better in a free and virtuous society. But we must have the character and courage to debate without rancor and live peaceably with our deepest differences.

December 24: Advent Reflections, Part 2: Enjoying Faith, Family and Friends

A Poem for Christmas Eve
Candlelit church services with wiggly children;
Warmth around a fireplace.
Last minute creating and cooking, shopping and wrapping;
Poignant memories of departed loved ones.

Meals served to thousands without a home;
Grace encounters as Christ comes clothed with gratitude.
The kettle bells ring one more day;
Families brave the weather to visit friends in need.

Divine love comes wrapped in swaddling clothes;
A Virgin Mother nurses her Creator and Redeemer.
Longings for peace arise in hearts;
The Prince of Peace comes near.

A Merry Christmas to all!



Immigration

The USA, like most nations, has a checkered history here.
We have been hospitable and xenophobic, paranoid and welcoming. From the Irish to the Chinese, from Eastern Europeans to Jewish Holocaust victims, we have often closed our doors or poorly received “the other.”

And, for over two centuries, we allowed the slave trade to flourish.
For the past 50+ years we have has a confusing system that both welcomes and keeps in the shadows millions of people. I am thrilled that millions want to find a better life from all parts of the world and our Hispanic/Latino sisters and brothers bring family and a great work ethic.

But.

Our current chaos is unacceptable. Borders and security matter and deporting real criminals is part of keeping us safe. On the other hand, inhumane and inconsistent policies keep families apart (and this did not begin with Trump) while opening the floodgates for exploitation.

On the Mexican border, the Democrats want permanent voters (they are even beginning the slippery slope of advocating voting rights for non-citizens!) and many Republicans want the cheap labor. Mexico’s corrupt government fortifies its Guatemalan border while arguing for the right of undocumented crossings to the USA.

Meanwhile, thousands trying to enter legally wait years and pay thousands of dollars.

We can fix this, with courage and wisdom.

First, offer a legal pathway toward either guest worker status or citizenship for current undocumented, non-criminal residents. This means temporarily de-criminalizing the border crossing itself.

Second, deport all convicted felons to their countries of origin.

Third, convene a conference with Latin American leaders and talk frankly about shared concerns about migration, drug trafficking and security.

Fourth, call on the Mexican government to be a partner in helping all secure a better future with border security, hospitable immigration policy and rooting out corruption.

Fifth, improve border security and reunite all families where possible.

Sixth, call the bluff of the sanctuary movements and offer clear pathways out of the shadows (see above) for non-criminals.

And seventh, make sure American citizens and documented/legal residents have priority in education, job opportunities and services. It is wrong for a hard-working American student on scholarship and aid to have to take 5-6 years to graduate while a full tuition paying foreign student breezes through in 4 or an undocumented one gets a full ride.

Conservatives concerned with security are afraid of being labeled racist. Progressives speak of humanitarianism but offer little substance on security.

Let’s get past the accusations and agitation and actually love our neighbor by offering a system that is just! We can do this. Today. In Congress. And millions will rejoice.

Common Sense…Not so “Common”

Almost daily I hear or read friends saying, “Can’t people have common sense? Doesn’t everybody know that [fill in ‘fact’ here]?” The problem is that “common” is under question in every category. From family structure to journalistic objectivity, from core values to affirming simple facts about the world, there is little agreement on reality and truth, even on simple events or observations!

There are three crises underneath the loss of common sense: 1) Abandonment of reverence for God…and therefore absolute truth beyond ourselves; 2) Chaotic anthropology, with gender and identity constantly changing; and 3) Subjective epistemology that ends us with insipid assertions such as, “Well, my opinion is just as valid as yours.”

Here are some commonsense observations as one contribution to restored sanity:

Emotional reactions are easy. Wise responses to our world require reflection. Let’s all pause before speaking or writing.

A decade of empirical global research has concluded that if basic food, shelter and water are present…happiness is a choice.

Life is much more delightful when we think of serving others, not ourselves.

Let’s restore common sense, one thoughtful word, one kind act and one moment of clear thinking at a time.

Justice is Social: Advocacy with Humility

Dear justice warriors,
Advocacy for justice concerning class, gender, race and religion is vital. The key principle underlying effective progress is the dignity of the human person, with all the natural rights inherent in her or his being. I am first a human being made in God’s image, uniquely fashioned and able to contribute. Only after this identity is secured can we then speak wisely about secondary facets of identity, oppression, privilege and responsibility. May we see each person we encounter as a gift and listen deeply for those places of connection and cooperation.

For every necessary prophetic word against evil may we offer a visionary word of hope and justice. As we protest current realities, may we promote a vision of flourishing, articulating what “there” looks like.

Either/Or extremist thinking keeps us from principled compromise and wisdom for the common good. Praying today for all local, state and federal leaders to worry less about sound bites and more about stewardship.
Always hopeful because there is only one God who loves all.