It's About Who We Are

By now you are familiar with the "Urinating Marine Brouhaha." Video and still photos exist showing four United States Marines urinating on corpses in Afghanistan. What you may not be aware of is that according to the Huffington Post Texas Governor and Presidential Hopeful Rick Perry is defending these Marines.

Governor Perry defends the Marines saying on CNN's "State of the Union," "Obviously, 18-19-year-old kids make stupid mistakes all too often. And that's what's occurred here."

I believe Governor Perry is horribly wrong.

Let's start here: Hasn't Mothers Against Drunk Driving taught us "kids do stupid things" is no defense, especially in life and death situations?

Another reason I believe Governor Perry is wrong is that photos like this embolden the enemy and weakens support at home. The effects of the events at Abu Ghraib Prison made this point clear years ago. As the old saying goes, those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. In this case, the time between the two events is eight years.

The article points out that desecration of corpses is a violation of the Geneva Conventions. I say we shouldn't need an international treaty to say it's wrong to pee on the dead. When I managed a bar in the Westport district of KC, MO I once had to tell someone they couldn't pee off of the roof of the bar next door. When he said he didn't see a sign that said he couldn't I said, "Ah dang, someone took my sign? I'll have to make a new one. Get down. If you're so dumb you need someone to tell you not to urinate on a dead body you aren't smart enough to be a marine.

Then article says that Arizona Republican Senator John McCain disagrees with the Governor. The former pilot and Vietnam Era Prisoner of War says we don't lower ourselves to the level of our enemy. Doing what "our enemy does" lowers us. You can disagree with me, but Senator McCain has an expertise in this situation that nobody should ever have. McCain's point about the difference between what we do and what the enemy does is the most important.

McCain's point is not about the enemy. It is not about what "others do so we do the same or worse." It's about who we are. Are we a nation that kicks cats and pees on the dead? Are we a country that doesn't hold young men who wear the uniform of our nation accountable for their actions? Are we a people who blame others for looking at the internet and catching us with our pants down (literally) when we post it on the web?

If the answer is yes, we have become a disappointing nation.

If we hold ourselves to be a Christian nation, we need to hold ourselves accountable to what God wants for us and for all creation. These actions show a basic lack of dignity and respect that takes us too far away "loving God and your neighbor as yourself."

Love God, love the Marine Corp, and hold people accountable for what they do. Sorry Governor Perry. I think you're very, very wrong.

America Loves Tim Tebow, Just Ask ESPN

According to the ESPN Sports Poll, Tim Tebow is America's favorite athlete. When asked "Who is your favorite athlete?" 3% answered Tebow. This may not seem like much, but considering the number of sports and athletes Americans follow, this is huge. The next closest athlete, Kobe Bryant, has only half of Tebow's numbers. Statistically speaking, that's a huge difference! Tebow beat out the rest of the current top 5--Bryant, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. He also beat old favorites like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, and LeBron James.

As for me, what do I say about this as a sports fan? His current mechanics cannot maintain his current output. The way he throws the ball will not thwart NFL Defenses for much longer. And so what! Right now what he's doing is amazing, so enjoy the ride everyone.

What do I say as a person who is a Christian, Presbyterian Minister, and purveyor of popular culture? He lives what he believes and lets the rest of the world judge him by his words and his life, which is all any of us will ever be judged upon. Gotta love that.

Timmy T will join the likes of Michael and Tiger soon enough. I just hope he doesn't join them in the scandal their personal lives later displayed. In a society that puts people on pedestals just to throw them down nobody lasts forever. So enjoy the game and if he throws another game winning 80-yarder like he did last Sunday, marvel some more.

How popular is Tim Tebow? Rocky, the mascot of the NBA Denver Nuggets "tebows" in a #15 Jersey. Face it, when your name becomes a verb, you've done something.

Pastor Paul's January 2012 Newsletter Article

Dear Friends in Christ,

Hymn #296 in the brown hymnal is “Count Your Blessings.” It’s not a bad idea to count your blessings early and often, and the end of the year is a great time to reflect on what kind of year it has been.

It’s been pretty hectic at our house. Marie was admitted to the hospital a couple of times because her ailments fired up. Then there was our car wreck, that was a joy, but when these things came together, something else happened.

When Marie saw the doctor the doctor noted something kind of funny when looking at the back of her eye. From there the doctor ordered more tests. These tests showed something that looked puzzling, so she (she is our doctor) sent Marie to a neurologist for more tests.

Well, getting the tests done was a comedy of errors. Between the doctors and the insurance setting up her appointments looked like three clowns juggling flaming Indian clubs in the circus. What a mess! Well the appointments were had and the diagnosis was confirmed, Marie has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. But here’s what’s special…

The last tests, the ones that took so long to get arranged, showed that her spine was not involved with the disease. Right now, it’s limited to her brain. Sure, we would have loved to hear the words “miraculous cure,” but that was not to be. So if that’s not available we’ll take “contained” every day of the week.

Here’s the big kicker, we may not have done these tests, and we would not have done these tests this fall, if it were not for a car wreck. I’m not going to say that the Holy Spirit arranged for me to crack up the car so Marie could get diagnosed (others may, I wouldn’t), but I must say that this diagnosis and early treatment are blessings that flowed from a car wreck.

Simeon’s blessing from Luke 2 includes the words that as Jesus is salvation—not just for Israel but also for the Gentiles—he is also destined to cause “falling and rising” in Israel. In the midst of Simeon’s blessing, Mary also hears that “her soul will be pierced by a sword.” What a lousy way to end a blessing. “He is God’s own salvation for the world and there will also be pain, grief and sorrow.” That is where I think about Hymn #296, “Count Your Blessings”:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

I wouldn’t say “C’mon, buck up! Look on the bright side!” to someone in the midst of a crisis, that’s lousy pastoral care, but let me say this, in the heart of the greatest blessings, life is not going to be just peaches and cream. In the blessings of our lives there will be pain and there will be disappointment. Our choice is how we deal with them.

Friends, choose the life of the blessings of Christ. Picking to dwell on the disappointments will only make us more in tune with them. Given a choice, dwelling on the blessings is far better than dwelling on the disappointments; and the choice is ours.

God Bless!
Have a Blessed and Happy New Year!

See you in church!
Pastor Paul

Life Sized Gaps

Looking for a sermon illustration about houses, I got out my Shel Silverstein books. Looking at my copy of "Falling Up" (Harper Collins, 1996) I find this inscription dated May 1996:

For Daniel,

Congratulations on your successful transition to Casis and on your wonderful fourth grade report card.

Here's to your continued success.

With lots of love, Dad. 

I read this and it makes me want to cry. I purchased this from Half Price Books (HPB) in Austin, Texas in mid-2004, a little over eight years after it was given as a gift, as a reward from father to son. Daniel would have been about seventeen years old when I purchased the book. Today, for the first time in several years I opened it up to find the inscription again.

Who are Daniel and who are Dad? I don't know. Why did this book come to HPB? What happened in those eight years when a father purchased this book and when I purchased it? There's a gap in there that's that is life-sized; two lives for that matter, and probably several more. My mind wanders.

Was Daniel angry at Dad? Was there a painful divorce and selling this book was like pulling a splinter for a young man? Did Daniel die and a grief stricken family couldn't handle seeing his books another day? Did Daniel and his family just need the four bucks he could get from HPB?

I don't know the answer to any of these questions, I don't even know all of the questions. It makes me wonder, and it makes me sad that a once treasured memento is now now in my hands. So Dad and Daniel, I pray all is well with you today. I pray your hopes and dreams are being realized everyday. Take care and know your book is being cared for.

Is it just me?

I figure it's just me, but I was cruising an NBA story on ESPN.com and noticed the logo (left). Is it just me or at a quick glance does this look like the Grateful Dead's skull logo?

Pastor Paul's October Newsletter Article

So what took me so long to post this? The world may never know...

Dear Friends,

The other day I read a statistic on the interweb from a clinical psychologist who said he could dismiss 80% of his patients if they could just believe forgiveness was real and was meant for them. Then again I also once read on the interweb that 87% of statistics are made up. So it’s safe to say that finding out how factual this figure is would not be worth the time. But let’s not look for facts; I want us to consider the truth behind this statement.

We would all be healthier if we could learn to give and accept forgiveness.

In the September 19, 2011 edition of the Presbyterian Outlook there’s an article by the Rev. Donald D. McCall, a retired minister now living in Madison, Wisconsin. He writes about his time spent on the Nebraska Parole Board. One of the duties of the Parole Board was to do the first read of appeals to the Pardon Board.

The article is about a man who committed a heinous crime, one that doesn’t often receive a pardon. He was sentenced to 25-45 years, served his time, and was paroled. To make this glorious story shorter, he turned his life around. He moved to Nebraska, became a groundskeeper and was promoted to head groundskeeper. He became a member of Kiwanis and was ordained as a Presbyterian Elder. While the article doesn’t say, my guess is that the man was in his 80’s when the appeal was made.

He wrote in his appeal to the Pardon Board that he “wanted a pardon so he could meet his savior ‘not as a convicted felon’ but as a man worthy of the life he had been given to live in this world.” His request was forwarded from the Parole Board to the Pardon Board with their recommendation. This next piece comes from the Outlook article:

Then it came time to vote. It was an emotionally charged moment when the governor finally announced the decision of the board of pardons and granted him his pardon.

There was a moment of hushed silence. Then a small outburst of praise to God that had been building up within him for over 30 years, “Thank God.” Then someone cried out, “Praise God.” Then a few cries of “Praise Jesus” and “Thank you Lord.” Soon there was a burst of shouting and rejoicing as people praised and thanked God for this man’s pardon. Everyone approached him to embrace him. Tears flowed freely. The governor graciously called for a brief recess.

I do not want to take this space to debate pardons or law and order. The man admitted his guilt and sought forgiveness. He made this request to the state to be pardoned for his crime. He had already made this request to his Lord about his sin. Back to the article:

I sat there stunned by what I was witnessing. I said to myself, “I’m an ordained Presbyterian minister. I pronounce the declaration of pardon every Sunday from the lectern during the course of the morning liturgy. We read the confession of sin as it is printed in the bulletin, and then I say ‘Friends, believe the good news of the Gospel: In Jesus Christ you are forgiven (pardoned).’ In over 50 years of preaching I have never to this day ever heard anyone say ‘Praise God’ or ‘Thank you Jesus.’ Nor have I ever seen tears of thanksgiving streaming from the eyes of the congregants. Instead we go quickly right on to the Gloria Patri and then to the Passing of the Peace … as if nothing had happened.”

He ends his article with this:

I think that the next time the declaration of pardon is pronounced during the Sunday morning liturgy, I’m going to stand up and shout, “Praise Jesus. Thank you Lord!” Well … maybe I’ll just do it as a response in my own mind. I don’t think we could handle a recess in the midst of worship.

I mention this because perhaps I am maybe a little nonchalant about forgiveness of sin. Every week I say, “Friends, believe the Good News of the Gospel!” but I take it for granted, or worse, I don’t behave like I really believe.

So friends, believe the Good News of the Gospel! In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. For 100% of our sin, 100% of the time, believe, and know you are forgiven. That’s a statistic that bears the weight of our sin.

See you in church!

Paul

Hank Jr. and High School Civics

Hank Williams, Jr. recently told Fox News that for his political money, President Obama is as big an enemy to his way of life as Hitler was an enemy to the Jews. Because of this comment, ESPN did not play the intro Hank recorded for Monday Night Football. This was the first time in over 20 years that some rendition of "all my rowdy friends..." didn't precede MNF. Hank apologized, but that doesn't mean all is done.

This morning ESPN reported that they have parted ways with Hank, Jr., though Hank says he didn't get fired, he quit them. He quit them because: "By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It's been a great run."

I'm not here to debate the politics. Let me simply say Hank and I will never be seen at the same political fundraiser and that should just about do it. But for my point...

Hank Jr. says ESPN, a private company owned by the Disney Corporation infringed on his first amendment right to free speech. Hank, the first amendment says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (emphasis added)

Hank has just said that the Disney Corporation is Congress. Only Congress can infringe on that right, so Disney must be Congress, right? Wrong, of course. Disney isn't Congress, no matter how powerful Disney is, it still isn't Congress.

So no Hank, ESPN, Disney and everyone else did not infringe on your first amendment rights. In fact, you exercised your rights to say what you wanted to say. And ESPN and Disney exercised their rights to say we don't want to be affiliated with you anymore.

My dad used to have a word for this, consequences. Sure, go ahead and say and do whatever you want, but don't cry about it when you face the music... and in this case, the music isn't yours anymore. Sorry you've lost the only exposure you've gotten in years, but don't cross the water if you can't swim the tide. Your high school civics teacher wants you back for a refresher.

Now for the next question...Will ESPN find a half-way decent replacement to "All My Rowdy Friends" or have they cut off their nose to spite their face? Sure, they exercised their rights, and may have taken some sort of high road (or did Hank when he "apologized then quit"), but what comes next? That may be better than watching the Chiefs on MNF in a few weeks.