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DECEMBER 2008
Dec. 19: Microfinancing a brilliant way to help needy
"Microfinance."
That is a rather intimidating, seemingly complex word.
However, "microfinance" is a deceptively simple, brilliant way to help people in need through sustainable, self-help programs.
According to Opportunity International, a nonprofit organization, microfinance is the practice of providing financial services --- such as working capital loans, savings and insurance --- to people living in poverty. Such programs help the working poor create businesses and work their way out of poverty.
These programs can include a variety of repaid or forgivable financial services. For example, Opportunity International provides repayable loans. The repayments are used to provide new loans in perpetuity, constantly creating new entrepreneurs.
Can a $25 loan really do so much? Yes. In fact, a smaller investment can change a life; give someone a goat, and they can improve their nutrition and perhaps even start a business.
Children appreciate this --- perhaps intuitively. A new children's book written by Katie Smith Milway and illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes helps further illustrate this concept.
"One Hen: One Small Loan Makes a Big Difference" was inspired by the life story of Dr. Kwabena Darko. In the late 1960s, he received a microfinance loan for his chicken farm. He went on to help build Opportunity International's organization in Ghana, West Africa.
Today, Darko owns one of the largest chicken farms in West Africa. He got his start as a young man, when he was mentored by Al Whittaker, founder of Opportunity International. Whittaker flew Darko to the United States for a tour to learn about chicken farming. Whittaker even introduced his protégé to Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Harland "Colonel" Sanders.
"One Hen" tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who must help his mother provide for his siblings after his father's sudden death. Early on, Kojo collects and sells firewood to make money. When he receives a small loan to buy a hen, he takes advantage of the opportunity to help his family and eventually, his community.
Through hard work, Kojo builds his flock to 25 hens. This allows him to hire neighbors to work at his chicken farm. In turn, Kojo's initiative --- and that first micro-loan --- creates opportunities to overcome poverty for generations of families.
"'One Hen' teaches children that one person can make a difference in the lives of many," says Milway. "The story educates them about giving back. It teaches them about entrepreneurship, finance and giving everyone a chance. It is the kind of approach to development that every child who has run a lemonade stand can grasp.
"And in current times of economic turmoil, it offers early lessons in starting businesses that create real value."
"One Hen" includes richly illustrated scenes that demonstrate the challenges of children who grow up in poverty. The central theme is that "a hand up, not a hand out" is what makes a real difference for the world's working poor.
In addition to the book, I recommend onehen.opportunity.org, a companion Web site that is colorful, fun and extraordinarily interactive. Among the site's features is a game that allows players to earn beads and loan them to small businesses. For each bead loaned, the site makes a real donation to entrepreneurs through Opportunity International.
Dec. 5: Remembering the purpose for the Christmas season
We hear this phrase frequently this time of year: "Remember the reason for the season."
Some Christians rattle this statement off, perhaps without fully considering why they feel compelled to do so.
Others Christians have come to consider it a cliché. Maybe they think, "Of course I know Jesus is the reason for the season; I know how to celebrate Christmas."
Prior to reading Rick Warren's new book, "The Purpose of Christmas," I would have said my personal observance of Christmas was just fine. That is, I didn't need any help --- or new perspective on the holiday.
Warren, a well-known pastor and the best-selling author of "The Purpose Driven Life," decided to tackle the "reason for the season" in "The Purpose of Christmas." For inspiration, he went to his personal history with Jesus' birthday. As a small child, he asked his parents if the family could celebrate Christmas as a birthday party for Jesus. They agreed, which began what is now a 50-plus year tradition for the Warren family.
Warren's tradition cuts through the ribbons and bows to the real issues: Many Christian adults have lost their connection to the celebration, awe and wonder of the Christmas story. In "Purpose," he encourages readers to reconnect with the story's message of hope and peace.
I enter the Christmas season with good intentions. First, I'm going to keep it simple. I also make plans to focus more on how my faith relates to the season and less than on obsessively rearranging the limbs of my pre-lit Christmas tree. I repeat my Christmastime mantra several times each day, especially on weekends: I'm not going to go overboard.
By the second or third time I've gone overboard, which usually happens shortly after Thanksgiving, I find myself wondering how I let it happen this time.
I doubt I'm the only Christian who loses a bit of focus at Christmastime. I want to toe the line, but I also want to have everything just so.
For me, Warren's book reminded me of how I came to the Christmas story as a child. One of my most vivid childhood Christmas memories is of the year when I desperately wanted a Bible. Today, I don't remember why I wanted it. Perhaps it was because I had some sense of my need to connect with that story.
"Purpose" helped me remember the last time I had truly connected with the Christmas story in that childlike way.
It was eight years ago and I was in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. The feeling hit me in Shepherd's Field, believed to be the site of an important visit from an angel who bore "good news of great joy for all the people," as it says in the second chapter of the book of Luke. I walked from the field to the Church of the Nativity, the presumed site of Christ's birth. The walk was part of a candlelight march in support of peace in the Middle East. That experience connected the story I'd cherished as a child to the present time.
Yet Warren's book made me realize I don't need a plane ticket to feel that connection. He writes that Christmas is about understanding and celebrating the Christmas story. For example, Luke 2:11 states that "Today in the city of David there has been born for you a savior, who is Christ the Lord."
"God doesn't waste any energy," Warren says in the book's accompanying DVD study guide. "He doesn't do stuff that isn't needed. Everything God does has a purpose. If you didn't need a savior, God wouldn't go to the effort to send one."
"Purpose of Christmas" and the accompanying music CD and DVD study guide are available at most booksellers.
NOVEMBER 2008
Nov. 28: Documentary explores intelligent design
I believe most of us would stipulate that Albert Einstein was in at least the top five in terms of the smartest people ever.
He was a scientist, and his writings and other materials indicate he had a belief in God, at least generally speaking. Although some would disagree, Einstein said many things to reveal this belief.
One of my favorite Einstein quotes is: “God always takes the simplest way.” He also said, “I want to know the mind of God; the rest is detail.”
I’ve always believed this to be a prime example of Einstein’s ironic sense of humor — a scientist describing his ultimate puzzle.
Perhaps Ben Stein, another well-known super-smart guy, finds comfort in Einstein’s wish to know God’s thoughts. In his documentary, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” Stein, a television personality and former presidential speech writer, laments what he says is the scientific establishment’s desire to ignore the hand of God in designing the universe.
Stein has noticed an “alarming trend” that can have “dire consequences” for Americans. As Stein sees it, the issue is that we must have the freedom to legitimately challenge “Big science’s orthodoxy without persecution.”
“The debate over evolution is confusing and, to some, bewildering,” notes Stein. While he believes many assume the debate was settled years ago, he believes it’s not so simple.
“The truth is that a staggering amount of new scientific evidence has emerged since Darwin’s 150-year-old theory of life’s origins. Darwin had no concept of DNA, microbiology, the Big Bang (Theory), Einstein’s theory of relativity or the human genome.”
Stein’s crusade is to bring “intelligent design” into scientific debate — something he says “mainstream scientists” have tried to ignore.
He describes intelligent design as an effort to detect empirically whether the “apparent design” in nature acknowledged by “virtually all biologists” is the genuine design of a superior being or the product of an undirected process, such as natural selection acting on random variations.
“Expelled” rejects that the case is closed on this topic and “exposes the widespread persecution of scientists and educators who pursue legitimate, opposing scientific views to the reigning orthodoxy.”
According to Stein, these discoveries have led a “growing number of scientists” to reconsider the simple view espoused by Darwin that life is a random, purposeless, chance occurrence. In fact, says Stein, the universe is far more diverse, complex and mysterious than Darwin imagined.
One opponent of intelligent design says it “stunts (a student’s) educational growth.” Another says that if you “get intelligent design in the schools today, you get prayer in the schools tomorrow.” Yet another dismisses it as “utterly boring.” (I’m sure many of us wish all our educators had been so concerned about omitting “boring” curricula.)
Stein’s documentary highlights incidents in which scientists hoping to explore notions of intelligent design have been ostracized. Often, these scientists are labeled as religious fanatics of sorts and “right wing fundamentalists.”
“Expelled” is now available on DVD at most retail outlets. For more information, go to www.expelledthemovie.com.
Nov. 21: AIDS still a very real and personal problem
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Editor's note: Courier columnist Karris Golden spent two weeks traveling in cities and rural areas in South Africa as part of a study seminar focused on the global AIDS/HIV pandemic, women's issues and racial justice. Below is a reflection on her experience.
I am HIV positive.
It was hard for me to type those words, because I'm afraid of what you will think of me. Although it infuriates me that stigma is associated with disclosing HIV and AIDS status, I nonetheless cringe at the idea of personal involvement.
It is time I faced this truth: As long as HIV/AIDS exists in the world, my life will be touched by it. I believe we all face this reality. We either have HIV/AIDS, know someone who has it, lost someone or several someones to it or fear someone we love will get it. We are all HIV positive; the world has AIDS.
Despite assumptions, AIDS hasn't gone away in the United States. In particular, new cases are growing rapidly among U.S. young people. We think of AIDS as an "Africa problem," but we share many common problems with sub-Saharan Africa. Chief among these is that heavy stigma makes Africans and Americans alike afraid to talk about AIDS, get tested or disclose their HIV/AIDS status.
The World Bank and other sources note that poverty may play the biggest role in HIV/AIDS susceptibility and mortality.
Among the issues is that poor people lack access to life-prolonging drugs.
In South Africa, for example, a low- to no-income AIDS patient must literally be near death to receive free antiretroviral medications. Once the person is "well" again, the costly ARVs are taken away.
Another sad similarity: I spent two weeks talking with South African women of all ages who lament that HIV/AIDS, sex and other related issues aren't talked about at church.
This is true in the United States. We don't talk about sex. We don't talk about what poverty does to gender roles and sexual relationships. We don't talk about sexually transmitted infections and other related topics.
But young people are having sex --- in large numbers --- and they are contracting STIs, including HIV/AIDS.
In addition to the discomfort associated with talking about sex, we also are afraid of being judged in our faith communities.
Maybe sex is an inappropriate topic for church, but I don't think so. Not when people are dying. Not when the U.S. teen-pregnancy rate is skyrocketing. And as one of my American travel companions says, "We're constantly telling kids not to have sex, but we don't tell them why."
While I don't technically have HIV/AIDS, I have learned the disease affects me, especially because I say I am a person of faith.
I feared discussing HIV/AIDS --- and sex in general --- with my daughter and other young people. I wanted keep AIDS/HIV at arm's length.
In reality, my conscious memory is shaped by a world where AIDS exists. I was a child in 1981 when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded the first infection related to what we now call AIDS. Unlike my mother's generation, most of my lifetime --- and perhaps my daughter's --- probably will include this incurable illness.
Studying in South Africa awakened me to the problem at home. We must stop thinking of illnesses as fads; HIV/AIDS lives among us and has not gone away.
Nov. 14: Jesus has a special place in Egypt's history pages
The Bible's account of the period after the birth of Jesus Christ tells readers the holy family fled to Egypt to escape Herod's death decree.
According to Matthew 2: 13-15, Jesus' father, Joseph, had a dream where God told him to take his wife, Mary, and son, Jesus, into Egypt. They stayed there "until the death of Herod" and returned to Nazareth after an unspecified period of time.
Author Paul Perry traveled to Egypt shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. Upon arriving, he had the notion that the child Jesus left a distinct mark on the country.
Perry began to ask Egyptians if they knew any stories of Jesus' time there. They did. But instead of reciting the lines from Matthew, Perry was instead regaled with vivid stories that were not included in the Bible.
Perry, a New York Times best-selling writer, was moved. Today, he calls Christ's time in Egypt "the greatest story never told."
Until now, that is. He teamed with investigative archeologist John deBry to retrace the holy family's Egyptian exile. The result is a documentary film, "Jesus: The Lost Years." In it, they share the folktales, church lore and legends of Jesus' time in Egypt.
Perry and deBry begin their story in the Sinai Desert. They ask, "Where did Jesus go in Egypt? Did he leave a mark? Is there proof of his exploits?"
Ever the researchers, Perry and deBry crave evidence. What they discover is compelling "proof" that Jesus is, at least, linked to the early Egyptian Christian traditions. Likewise, it appears Jesus' non-biblical Egyptian exploits were recorded in writing as soon as it was possible to do so.
Retracing the holy family's journey, Perry and deBry find that the terrain is demanding and unforgiving.
In addition to a grueling physical journey, the filmmakers discovered that the holy family and young Christ in particular had a lasting and profound impact on Egypt's Christians.
Of course, whether it is fact or colorful, loving invention is ultimately for the viewer to decide.
I watched the film twice, once to "just watch" and another to take notes. I decided most of what the Egyptian church leaders, historians and experts shared at least met the same criteria many Christians use to "verify" the traditional biblical accounts of Christ's life. And many Egyptian accounts of Christ's exploits sound like the man who would later create a grassroots ministry in what is now Israel.
I found myself wondering, "Is the average Christian skeptical of the biblical account of Christ's story? Do Christians need empirical evidence to support each story?"
One Egyptian town has passed down the story of Jesus being enrolled in its school. He left after a few days, because the teachers said he had "learned all they could teach him." Another Coptic church has windows that depict ancient, non-biblical stories passed down through oral tradition.
In the documentary, Perry says the Egyptian Christians believe the Old Testament asks questions that the New Testament answers. Some of those questions are answered in Egypt.
What's fascinating about the rich stories of the holy family's time in Egypt is that these tales are ingrained in that country's Christian traditions. It's another side of Jesus, but one many Christians will likely find familiar.
"Jesus: The Lost Years" is available for purchase at most retailers and department stores. For more information, go to www.LostYears-TheMovie.com.
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Nov. 7: Transformation may bring ‘society without racial divisions’
It is hard to prepare to be changed — transformed.
Preparation for great things makes me worry. Chief among my concerns is that I will miss out on an opportunity to gain the deepest insight from a particular experience or moment.
For the past several months, I have grown anxious with the prospect of studying in South Africa. I am currently in Johannesburg, South Africa, for a study tour coordinated by the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and ELCA Global Missions.
While in South Africa, we will travel to cities, a game reserve and rural communities and villages to study everything from racism and gender struggles to poverty and the country’s AIDS/HIV epidemic.
To prepare, I read. In addition to the assigned materials for the seminar, several books by Nobel Peace Prize-winner Bishop Desmond Tutu have been quite helpful.
The nation’s religious leaders have long been among its freedom fighters. From colonialism to the modern era’s struggles with apartheid, black South Africans have demonstrated a nearly inexhaustible faith.
As a result, Tutu is perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols of Christian patience.
Tutu fought injustice on the front lines. Among his many accomplishments, he was the first black general secretary of the South African Council of Churches. In his Nobel lecture, he said his life is devoted to creating a “democratic and just society without racial divisions.”
This is apparent in his written work. His 2000 book, “No Future Without Forgiveness,” is particularly poignant in light of South Africa’s post-apartheid legacy.
April 27, 1994, marked the first day black South Africans could vote.
“I had waited until I was 62 years old before I could vote. Nelson Mandela was 76,” Tutu writes.
For many years, Tutu had preached that despite appearances and worldly power relationships, God was in charge of all.
However, the bishop had sometimes wondered why God didn’t make it more “obvious.”
Tutu, who spends mornings in prayer and meditation, was reminded of when transformations had been revealed to him.
When he voted, the same occurred; it was the beginning of the journey toward peace.
South Africa is still on that journey, and Tutu and other religious leaders have pushed for a plan focused on reconciliation.
In “God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time,” Tutu discusses the transformative power of faith. And this transformation is open to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, social class or any other factor.
Nearly 15 years after the first blacks cast votes, South Africa is still in transition.
The idea of faithful adoration and thankfulness is a key aspect of spirituality for South African Christians, writes Tutu.
“All of us are by nature worshipful,” writes Tutu in “An African Prayer Book.” “In adoration we begin where we should —- with God. … Our Lord taught his disciples a special prayer and it began with God, ‘Our Father,’ and then proceeds to glorify him: ‘hallowed be they name.’”
Using the following hymn as an example, Tutu illustrates the human need to worship, especially when in the presence of beauty, truth and goodness:
“All shall be Amen and Alleluia.
We shall rest and we shall see,
We shall see and we shall know,
We shall know and we shall love,
We shall love and we shall praise.
Behold our end which is no end.”
OCTOBER 2008
Oct. 31: Avoiding confrontation is not always the right thing
I asked, and you delivered.
In the Oct. 10 On Faith, I opened the proverbial flood gates by asking you to share with me your thoughts on what to do when someone makes a bigoted remark.
Should you ignore it? Should you say something? Should you say something only if the remark is an affront to a particular group you belong to?
I have discovered that people don't like to talk about bigotry. However, many of you were stirred to talk about not talking about it. Several of you approached me to say things like, "Yes, I have said nothing when I should have said something! It makes me so mad at myself when I do that!"
I can commiserate. I didn't want to write about this topic because it makes me uncomfortable. I was even more uncomfortable with the notion that people would want to talk with me about what I'd written. I decided to stop being uncomfortable.
It would be easy to become discouraged, but I try to remind myself that things have changed dramatically in the past 10, 20 and 30 years. If you look at the spectrum of our nation's social history, people are more open-minded.
Bigoted statements are something we often ignore. Some even believe we are plagued by a mysterious group of unnamed people who assume "we're never going to end bigotry."
The mail I have received in the past few weeks proves otherwise. Dozens of white people called, wrote and approached me at work and even Hy-Vee to say that they're going to speak up.
I was particularly struck by an e-mail from my dear friend, Kathy, who is white. She is a person of incredible character, and I had long assumed she always knows what to do and say when confronted with bigotry.
Not so. Kathy e-mailed and wrote, "Your article about being quiet when you are presented with insidious comments about race, gender, creed, sexual preference, etc., hit home with me personally. How many times (I find myself) just being quiet, no comment, walk away --- whatever to avoid confrontation."
"Not you!" I replied. Her response was, "No, I know your article was about me! Quite honestly, I needed it so I think God was nudging me to read it and not forget it. (We) need to see it as an opportunity to just say something small that would maybe make the person think a little bit.
"When people send me racist, etc., e-mails or say something (bigoted,) I always think, 'Why would they think I would want to see that or hear that.?'"
How true, I thought. When I get bigoted e-mail forwards, I just delete them. But what if I sent a message to the sender telling him or her I don't approve of the content and why?
Eddie from Hawkeye wrote that we must always speak up when bigoted remarks are made. He believes doing so will create a ripple effect.
"Adults are like kids when it comes to these things," Eddie notes. "We have to have someone show us correct behavior and the proper, civil (and) respectful ways we handle relations when dealing with our fellow men and women. To point out --- show us --- the errors of our ways. Those actions appeal to our better natures and encourage us all to remove the blotches of bigotry from our society."
Oct. 24: Miracles go against all odds and happen every day
Sometimes I wonder if we have lost our sense of wonder.
Most faith traditions contain wonderment --- mysterious events that depend on believing without seeing. But we compartmentalize this in the past and balk at modern, unexplainable occurrences.
One exception may be childbirth, but we sometimes have this attitude: Babies are born every day, so is that really a miracle?
Yes, says Warren Wortham of Waterloo, and his grandniece is living proof. In August, he went to the movies with several family members.
His nephew, Travis Galloway, and girlfriend, Kianna Meeks, were among the group. Meeks was 36 weeks pregnant and began experiencing intense pain.
An ambulance took her to Allen Hospital; the baby's heart rate had dipped to 60 beats per minute. The placenta had detached and ruptured.
An immediate Caesarean section was performed, but the baby's heart stopped. It was restarted after 45 minutes of CPR. The baby, Adrianna, was airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Meeks remained in Waterloo in critical condition.
Family rushed to Iowa City with Galloway and Adrianna. Others remained at Allen.
"The newborn was given less than a 1 percent chance to survive," Wortham recalls.
Doctors told them to prepare for Adrianna's death; she had sustained fatal brain and organ damage. The best they could hope for was permanent life support.
"We kept seeing these responses from her, such as eyes opening when her father would talk and some arm movements, but the doctors said it was reflex actions from her brain stem," Wortham says.
Adrianna was born Aug. 12 and defied the odds by surviving a few days. Meeks was transported to UI Hospitals in time to help Galloway with a difficult decision: when to turn off Adrianna's life support.
"We all had accepted it. We had to let Adrianna go, but we all continued praying for a miracle from God," Wortham says. "God spoke to me about letting the parents know that their baby needed a full seven days and seven nights to begin being healed by God, but I was afraid to share this."
By Sunday, the parents had decided to stop the life support. Family members voiced concerns about turning it off too soon. Like Wortham, they believed the baby needed more time.
"Upon hearing this, I told everyone what had been placed on my heart in a divine way, so we told the parents," Wortham says. "Adrianna's mom instantly began crying, because she had received the same message."
They eventually decided to wait until Aug. 21 to turn off life support.
"Adrianna never stopped breathing once unhooked from everything," says Wortham. "Several hours later she was still here."
Doctors ordered tests and determined there was no brain activity.
"Shortly thereafter Adrianna opened her eyes," Wortham says. "She began turning her head to follow her parents around the room as they talked. She began to grasp people's fingers (and) wiggle her toes. She started behaving like a baby is supposed to. At each point the doctors said, 'Those responses to stimuli and movements are deliberate and not just brain stem reflexes. We don't fully understand the human brain. Write down everything she does.'"
Doctors said she probably wouldn't ever cry, but she did --- that night. Another milestone was taking a bottle, also something doctors had determined unlikely.
Adrianna is now at home with her parents in Waterloo. She holds her own bottle --- often with one hand.
Oct. 10: Take time to correct friend's prejudice words
I have an acquaintance who is a bigot.
To be honest, I probably have several such acquaintances. My sense is that many of us do, but perhaps we don’t always think about it. Perhaps we don’t want to.
Some of us don’t want to talk about this because we “want to see the good in people.” There’s a limit. I don’t harbor intense hatred for bigots; I simply don’t want to be around them.
Many years ago, someone at church used a particular slur to describe me during an informal meeting. The church leadership ignored it, and I left the church.
Some say I should have “let it go” and not let it bother me. For a long time, I wondered if I was wrong because I wasn’t willing to go back. I finally realized forgiving and moving on didn’t mean I had to return.
I left and stayed gone because the church let me; many considered it easier and safer to expect me to change my expectations or let me leave if I wouldn’t. A church should be a haven, not a place where “different” people should be expected to blend in at any cost.
But how often do we do this at church and in our daily lives? How often do we straddle the line between speaking up and keeping the peace?
As I have matured, I have eschewed the company of those who make bigoted remarks. That’s not as easy as some would believe. The toughest situations are large get-togethers where downright racist, anti-gay and misogynistic remarks are sometimes made.
The bigoted acquaintance I initially mentioned constantly uses slurs, believing them to be humorous. His remarks are usually about Jews.
I decided to call him on the remarks. I asked, “Do you even know any Jewish people?” The response was “no,” and then: “You’re not Jewish, are you?”
His question made me pause, because there was fear in his voice. It’s ironic, but I’m sure he doesn’t want to offend me. Instead, I believe the stream of remarks come from insecurity, immaturity and plain ignorance --- a desire to be funny and “folksy.”
I’m not Jewish, either culturally or by religious affiliation. That does not matter. To fight bigotry, I must take it personally when anyone is maligned, stereotyped or otherwise attacked.
That’s tough. I don’t always do what I should. Sometimes I wonder, “Should I have said something?” And when I say something, I worry about how that will be received, too.
So my response to, “You’re not Jewish, are you?” was “Are you sure I’m not? I have a Jewish name. How would it change what you say in front of me if you learned I’m Jewish? Does it make it more or less wrong?”
Unfortunately, the result wasn’t good. When I have seen the acquaintance since, he has directed the cutting anti-Jewish remarks at me.
He didn’t get my point, but I’m glad I spoke up. He knows I don’t condone his behavior, even if he doesn’t understand why.
What do you believe? Should we say something when bigoted remarks are made? Should we only say something when it’s our group(s) being maligned?
What should we say? How should we say it?
Please e-mail me your comments or send them to me via mail in care of the Courier, 501 Commercial St., Waterloo, IA 50701.
SEPTEMBER 2008
Sept. 26: Community organizers deserve respect for all they do
I'm not in a good mood.
I usually get this way during election season. This year, I've just about had it.
I'm mad because I dislike the political rhetoric. It's pointless and unproductive. My vote is won by the person with whom I agree most --- the person who is honest about what he or she can do.
That is, it's not necessary for me to blindly love one candidate and despise the other. Both candidates can be good people, and sometimes they are. I want to make a decision based on a candidate's sense of personal integrity; stand on real issues; preparedness; and strategic plans.
This expectation is naïve on my part. At least that's what I infer from political campaigns. Instead, politicos believe we vote emotionally, choosing the person who most "looks" most like us. Then inevitably one or both candidates "go negative," and I don't like what gets lost in the shuffle.
These smoke screens are as plentiful as they are absurd. We in Iowa endure it longer than most, and in the bargain we're sometimes dismissed as knuckle-dragging bumpkins. In 2004, "hot button issues," like what kind of Christian the candidate was, clouded concerns about ability to lead, the economy and child welfare.
This year signals the return of "religious" misdirection, this time accompanied by an unhealthy dose of code words, such as "elitism." These silly matters do enthrall some while distracting from serious concerns.
The recent insinuations that community organizers "don't do anything" offend me deeply, but not on behalf of the person at whom the attacks were leveled. Instead, I'm upset because from the city to national levels, society would essentially shut down without the community organizers who were swept up in this incredibly facetious statement. Being a community organizer was already a thankless job, complete with long hours and little or no pay.
It's not that community organizers "don't do anything." They do everything, and they don't use one hand to hold a microphone and the other to pat their own backs.
Perhaps that goes without saying. However, the 2008 presidential election cycle has taught me it's sometimes necessary to state the glaringly obvious.
Community organizers act on their personal convictions; they live what they believe. They follow in the spiritual lineage of diaconal ministers, St. Francis of Assisi, the Dali Lama, Jesus, Mother Theresa and Desmond Tutu. They are fair-housing activists, elder-care advocates and Sunday school teachers. They fight sexism, racism and economic injustice. They work in day cares and preschools and do the extensive legwork of political campaigns. They get signatures on petitions, serve dinner in the park on the National Night Out and volunteer in hospitals. They are chaplains, coaches and church youth directors.
President George W. Bush himself has affirmed and reaffirmed the role of faith groups as community organizers and agents of positive change. His wife, Laura, led with this point when she addressed the Republican National Convention earlier this month.
Ultimately, I believe we are truly led by the community organizers, including our local elected officials. We don't have to agree with their perspectives, causes or decisions, but we should respect what they give of themselves and their desire to help.
Sept. 19: Cawelti finds challenge, personality through guitar
Scott Cawelti was in eighth grade when the power of music made an impression.
It was 1958, and his music teacher had announced that all the boys were to select and sing a song --- a cappella --- for the class.
“It was a minor nightmare,” Scott recalls.
Mustering courage, Scott decided to imitate Elvis Presley singing “Heartbreak Hotel.” Relating the story to dinner companions recently, Scott channeled his teen angst with an a cappella sample.
Though “Heartbreak Hotel” was a song of unprecedented popularity, the reaction of Scott’s female classmates shocked young Scott.
“The girls screamed as I sang,” he says. “I now think we were all just imitating what we saw on TV. I was imitating Elvis, and they were imitating the girls screaming at Elvis.”
The message was clear: “I began thinking I needed a guitar,” Scott says.
After dinner, Scott demonstrated how the instrument enhanced “Heartbreak Hotel,” playing it first on an eight-string acoustic guitar and then on an electric Fender Telecaster.
Listening to Scott wax philosophical on his affinity to guitar playing offers insight.
The guitar didn’t necessarily make the man, but it was and is integral to the person he would become.
“One might suggest this relationship amounts to a spiritual practice akin to meditation or anything that yields an egoless flow activity,” Scott says. “Performing music on any level actually does this. Even just practicing, when really focused, can do it, though less so than performing.”
He first picked up the guitar because it was popular and girls liked boys who played the guitar.
“Millions of kids get guitars when they’re old enough to hold them,” he explains. “A goodly number of them become friendly with the instrument quickly, then turn into fast friends who remember their adolescent guitar-playing fondly. Throughout their adult lives, they look up their old stringed friends occasionally to pick or strum or arpeggiate some fondly remembered old tune.”
Scott’s first friend was a $25 “cowboy guitar” with a bucking bronco on it.
He also had an electric guitar and began picking out other early rock and rockabilly tunes.
For those who stick with it, guitar friendship can blossom into romance, says Scott. “(They are) always searching for better versions, always playing the vast field of guitars, loving one here and there, staying with it awhile until something better comes along.”
A few go further still, forming a lifelong bond with the guitar.
“(They) discover one specific guitar or a specific model or maker and, in a matter of speaking, form a domestic partnership, or in states where it’s legal, marry that guitar,” Scott quips. “From then on, they’re hitched for life.
“I’m going to argue that everyone can benefit from a relationship with an object that demands their attention and repays it with profound satisfaction, and ideally that includes an aesthetic dimension.”
Scott has a deep connection with three special instruments: an eight-string acoustic made by fellow guitarist Bob Long of Waterloo; an electric Fender Telecaster; and a handmade classical guitar from famed craftsman Lawrence Smith.
Guitar playing continues to inspire and challenge Scott. He writes a few songs, learns new music and, of course, practices. This pursuit is deeply contemplative.
“Music comes from (the guitar) because of the interplay among ears, brain and hands,” he says. “It’s very personal and very unforgiving, and therefore challenging like few other instruments.”
Sept. 12: Childhood poverty epidemic heard nationwide
A small bumper sticker is pasted to the window at my daughter's school. It reads, "I'm voting for kids."
The first time I saw that, my reaction was, "That's what everyone should do." Now every time I pass it, it reminds me to consciously advocate for all children.
I understand "voting for kids" in two ways. As adults, whether parents or not, we all have a responsibility to vote on behalf of children.
Likewise, we must also consider how issues affect and ultimately benefit children and cast votes accordingly.
I'm baffled by those who believe otherwise. For example, it's strange that someone can see the benefits of investing in sustainable infrastructure or saving for retirement but believes children are the sole responsibility of their families.
Kids are our nation's greatest resource. Consider the social, political and economic ramifications of a nation that does not strive to educate, feed, care for and improve the lives of children.
Unfortunately, the situation of millions of children may indeed prove the United States is such a nation, but we have the means and ability to change.
On Tuesday, the Every Child Matters (ECM) education fund (www.everychildmatters.org) will sponsor Step Up for Kids Day, a nonpartisan, nationwide event to draw attention to issues that affect children.
Iowa will host an event at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Battle Ship Iowa Memorial of the State House Rotunda in Des Moines.
The event is free and open to families. (Entertainers are still needed, especially those who appeal to younger audiences.
For more information, contact Tom Lapointe at (515)-244-2423 or tlapointe@everychildmatters.org.
The national event will take place in Washington, D.C., where attendees will gather on the steps of the Capitol to draw attention to everything from childhood poverty to education.
Speakers will include pediatrician Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, Elizabeth Clarke, of the National Association of Social Workers, and others.
In essence, National Step Up for Kids Day is about addressing the fact 13.6 million U.S. children live in poverty. UNICEF reports that the United States ranks 20th in child well-being among 21 developed democracies.
Add to that the 8 million who have no health insurance. (Nationwide, Iowa ranks 13th in the number of children living in poverty. Less than 7 percent of the state's children are uninsured.)
Step Up for Kids Day is also intended to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect. According to ECM, 3 million U.S. children are abused or neglected and 14 million are alone after school.
Some trust the prevalent myth that "everyone" has access to "the same" education. That is simply not true. For example, statistics from the U.S. Department of Education show that while early childhood education is now widely valued and accepted as necessary, many children don't have access.
What's disheartening --- and maddening --- is that we know how to fix these problems. Federal spending for children is down, and long-term trends show this will continue.
And what upsets me is that I've taken too much for granted because I provide for my child.
I have often made the unconscious assumption that she is the only child my husband and I need to worry about.
Stakeholders, particular faith communities, have a responsibility to serve as leaders in children's advocacy. As Iowans, we are poised to lead; the state ranks fifth in the nation in per capita child-welfare spending.
Through community- and faith-based initiatives, we can demonstrate how to value children.
Sept. 5: Republican convention begins: 'McCain embodies faith, hope'
It was a time for prayer, conveying the blessings of God on individual and country and sharing religion-themed stories.
The event wasn't a faith gathering, per se; it was the Republican National Convention, which took place earlier this week at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Some pundits, such as analysts from Reuters News Services, have speculated that the RNC's pronounced religious (Christian) tone was due to Republican nominee John McCain's difficulty in wooing influential conservative Christian stakeholders.
The RNC's second evening began with an invocation by former U.S. Air Force chaplain.
The Rev. Miles McPherson, former pro-football player and senior pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, then took the stage and offered this prayer: "Thank you, God, for always being there for us, and thank you for making America the greatest country in the world. We pray these things in Jesus' name."
Christian contemporary artist Rachael Lampa was next, and she sang religious-themed numbers with links to the evening's "service" theme.
The RNC wasn't all Christian brother- --- or sister- --- hood, as religious tensions flared. Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, went on Rush Limbaugh's radio program prior to the RNC to clear the air about "anti-Mormon" statements.
Limbaugh had said Huckabee, a former a Baptist minister, tried to align fundamentalist Christians against a vice presidential bid by Mitt Romney, a Mormon. Huckabee denied this.
In addition, the Council on American-Islamic Relations asked RNC speakers to "offer more inclusive speeches" and avoid divisive "Islamophobic" rhetoric.
The Washington, D.C.-based group charged that McCain and others marginalized, especially Muslims.
McCain has told the New York Times the nation was founded "primarily on Christian principles," adding he would not be comfortable with a Muslim in the White House. (He has also made overtures to the Muslim community as well, saying he would vote for a Muslim if he or she was the best person to lead the country.)
Former U.S. House majority leader Dick Armey told the RNC Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has a "funny name" that could "give people concerns that he could be or have (sic) been too much influenced by Muslims, which is a great threat now."
Like the Democratic National Convention, which took place Aug. 25-28 in Denver, Colo., the RNC offered many smaller forums to discuss the intersection of religious beliefs and political action.
However, religious rhetoric seemed much more prevalent during RNC mass gatherings, which drew more than 50,000 attendees.
That is, Republicans seemed likely to invoke the name of God --- especially when sending a Christian message --- quote the Bible and pray. And audience members appeared comfortable with such displays of faith.
Raza Development Fund President Tommy Espinoza addressed the convention Tuesday evening, saying,
"I'm Catholic, Hispanic and a Democrat, and I'm proud to call John McCain my friend," said Espinoza, who is also godfather to McCain's son.
"My wife, Elvira, and I have built the typical Catholic Hispanic family, loving our five children and 13 grandchildren. Jesus Christ and La Virgen de Guadalupe are at the center of our home."
Espinoza told the story of meeting McCain 25 years ago in an effort to explain why he would stump for a Republican. Quoting Matthew 25: 35, Espinoza said McCain embodies faith and hope.
"I asked (John): 'What sustained you while you were in that prison camp?' He looked intensely at me and said: 'My faith in God, my country and my family.'"
Meanwhile, first lady Laura Bush praised her husband's attention to religious chairities. "The president has empowered faith-based and community charities to partner with government to help those in need. Engaging these groups is successful policy. One way we know is this: Across the country, 35 governors from both parties have started faith-based and community initiatives of their own."
2008
Aug. 29: Political affiliation should not equal a religious claim
There’s an adage to the effect that you’ll do all right as a conversationalist if you avoid the topics of religion and politics.
That would have been tough in Denver, Colo., this past week. The city hosted the Democratic National Convention. Despite what some would have you believe, it was a time for deep religious discussion and reflection.
I am not a Republican. I am not a Democrat. I’m independent —- little "i," and I prefer the word "an" does not precede "independent."
I cringe at the idea of jumping on board and pulling a lever; things are rarely that easy. My big decisions are complex. Some of the little ones are, too. I like to mull. I rail at preconceived notions and snap inferences. I consider a situation and the people involved. A political system that consists mainly of two political parties doesn’t always cover those concerns.
That said, the idea that one of the nation’s major party has the lion’s share of religious devotion bugs me. This notion was rampant during the 2004 presidential election cycle, when some said that the "Christian vote" and a vote for George W. Bush were the same. Being a Republican doesn’t make you a Christian, just as being a Democrat doesn’t mean you’re not.
This time around, voters will have to sift through somewhat different matters of faith and politics. With reports about Barack Obama’s presumed religious affiliations and comments made by his pastor, as well as comments made by John McCain’s pastor, faith will be a hot topic of the 2008 presidential election.
The 2008 Democratic National Convention solidified this assertion. Representatives from a variety of faiths converged on Denver to voice their perspectives.
Perhaps the largest and most varied discussions were interfaith gatherings (watch the video at www.DemConvention.com). The first of these events covered a range of issues under the theme "Common Ground on Common Good." The second gathering offered a panel of religious leaders who addressed the topic "How an Obama Administration will Engage People of Faith." The sessions concluded with dialogs about "Moral Values, Issues Abroad" and "Getting Out the Faith Vote."
The Solomon Project and National Jewish Democratic Council hosted "A Square Table Discussion: Practicing Politics with Jewish Values" during the convention. The event included senators and representatives of the Jewish faith, as well as rabbis, activists and media professionals. The group also hosted a "Jewish Vote" seminar.
Ira N. Forman, NJDC executive director, asserts that the "Jewish vote" will get "more attention than ever before" during this presidential election cycle.
Responding to attacks by the Republic Jewish Coalition, which called Sen. Joe Biden (D, Delaware) a poor Democratic vice president choice because of his views on Israel and Iran, Forman said, "Biden’s record is clear; he is great friend of the American Jewish community, with extensive foreign policy experience and a strong pro-Israel record. Even if Democrats had picked David Ben-Gurion (Israel’s first prime minister) to run as vice president, the RJC would be charging that he was anti-Israel."
Meanwhile, Catholic Democrat members were (www.catholicdemocracts.org) was also on hand in Denver to educated delegates and other attendees about the "Catholic voice" within the party. The organization is comprised of state-based groups who want to advance the public’s understanding of Catholic social teachings.
What are your thoughts on the 2008 presidential election as it relates to matters of faith. I welcome your comments. Write me in care of the Courier, or send me an e-mail.
Next week, I’ll take a look at faith-related issues from the Republican National Convention, which meets in Minneapolis-St. Paul Monday through Thursday.
Aug. 22: Book highlights civil rights struggles
As a little girl, I had an irrational fear: I’d eventually read all the books in the Waterloo Public Library.
Of course, I eventually realized my fear was baseless. However, I still sometimes find myself in no mood to reread a favorite for the 10th time and put out with my favorite authors for "slow" production. During those moments, I remember my silly girlhood fear and decide to take a chance on something new to me.
Such was the case when I recently picked up Pat Cunningham Devoto’s "The Summer We Got Saved." I didn’t have high hopes, so I was floored by Devoto’s ability to create truthful, likable, flawed characters.
The book opens in the early 1960s in the South. Integration looms, challenging the long-held traditions of Bainbridge, Ala., and touching the lives of white farmer Charles Rutland and his wife, children, siblings and parents. "Saved" follows several stories, such as Charles’ and those of his oldest daughters, Tina and Tab, and Tab’s black girlhood friend, Maudie May.
As the eldest son and a white, third-generation farmer, Charles suppresses his personal ambitions and aspirations to run the family farm. He struggles to make ends meet, fulfill his responsibilities and toe the line as a political moderate.
Charles has long dabbled in politics, and he eventually decides to publicly support a pro-integration gubernatorial candidate. His lineage proudly includes Civil War veterans and a Ku Klux Klan founder; endorsing this candidate is tantamount to defying God.
His older sister, Eugenia, previously shouldered the burden of rebellion alone. Long annoyed by "a woman’s place," she moved to progressive San Francisco and championed every liberal cause she could find.
When Eugenia makes her annual summer visit, she wants to take high schooler Tina, and Tab, a naïve junior high student, on a road trip. The plan is to see Eugenia’s college friend and introduce the girls to society.
But Eugenia actually whisks the girls off to Highlander Folk School in rural Tennessee, an interracial social advocacy and civil disobedience training camp. The "school" is a multigenerational summer camp of sorts. Some activities there are illegal, from integrated sleeping quarters to interracial romance.
This, Eugenia declares, is how the girls will be "saved."
Meanwhile, Maudie May longs to leave Tuskegee’s polio ward. She sees working as a voter registration educator as an opportunity to leave for a big city, such as Atlanta. She’s instead sent to a rural Alabama church, and no one really wants her there.
Her job is to teach blacks "to read enough so they can vote." Eventually, Maudie May does connect with some church members.
An unlikely cast of characters "got saved" --- from the girls and Maudie May to the idealistic and slightly manic Eugenia. The "saving" was an awakening. For two of the religious characters, this was a life-changing prospect that proved too difficult. Doing the right thing is tough when you realize it won’t allow you to protect your flock from immediate mortal danger.
One of the most tragic, riveting scenes takes place during a sit-in at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Nashville. But the image I continue to ponder is the segregated drive-in movie theater --- a seemingly trivial image Devoto uses to illustrate how Jim Crow laws touched every aspect of black and white life.
Devoto drew on her experiences and research of events and landmarks from the era in writing "Saved." Her family has been in Alabama since the 1820s, and she was a third-generation student at the University of Tennessee. Today she has homes in Alabama, Atlanta and Montana.
As an epilogue, she offers her perspective on the novel, as well as discussion topics for book clubs. Her Web site, patcunninghamdevoto.com, has information for teachers.
Reading "Saved" gave me more perspective on the U.S. civil rights movement. I finally had insight into why some blacks and whites urged caution. Devoto’s book, though fiction, stands as a tribute to all who shepherded the nation through those volatile times.
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AUGUST 2008
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Aug. 15: Find purpose in life, pack as much into it as possible
When a person dies young, we struggle to find the meaning in their death.
It is human to want to know why. Our inevitable mortality is perhaps one of the toughest aspects of religious belief and spirituality. We will ask "why?" but only guess at the answer.
We will die --- some sooner, others later. Whether we live long lives or short ones, what binds us is the often-held desire to pack as much meaning into the moments of every life.
Comedian Bernie Mac died earlier this week at the age of 50 from complications related to pneumonia.
As he's remembered by family, friends and fellow celebrities, an easily missed detail is that he had a disease called sarcoidosis.
According to the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that can affect any organ in the body.
It causes a person's immune system to overreact, resulting in damage to the body's tissues. Granulomas, or microscopic clumps of inflammatory cells, form and interfere with affected organs function.
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Doctors have yet to find cause for sarcoidosis. Genetics likely play a role.
In the United States, it's more prevalent in blacks and those of Scandinavian descent. It was once believed rare, but the FSR now says sarcoidosis is widespread and affects people across the globe.
In the United States, blacks are the most affected group, whose risk for developing it might be as high as 2 percent.
Mac's publicist told the Associated Press the comedian's death was not related to sarcoidosis. But those of us who have educated ourselves about this illness know Mac's death was likely caused by the disease.
My dad died in 1991 from sarcoidosis. He was 37 and seemed healthy.
His death at a young age has marked everything from my faith to how I parent. I don't want anyone else to lose someone this way.
Dad knew he had sarcoidosis, but it appears he didn't know it could kill him. His doctor didn't seem to understand this, either, which FSR says is common.
In fact, the foundation notes a relatively high number of doctors are unaware of sarcoidosis and often misdiagnose its symptoms.
Some symptoms are fever, fatigue, weight loss, night sweats and malaise, says FSR. Sarcoidosis affects the lungs in more than 90 percent of patients. It can also target the heart, eyes, lymph nodes, liver, skin and other organs.
Over the years, my dad assumed he was fine. When symptoms like a persistent cough and chest pressure flared up, he attributed them to allergies.
Instead, sarcoidosis had consumed his right lung and most of his heart, which simply stopped beating one day.
My dad was diagnosed seven years before he died and wasn't treated for the disease.
The outlook for patients is better than it was 17 years ago. For one, treatments have been developed and education is better for those who are diagnosed.
To learn more about sarcoidosis, go to www.stopsarcoidosis.org/.
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Aug. 8: Commission work reveals intimate portrait of Iowans
The sign read, "Caution: I lost my life here."
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Someone had spray-painted the words on the siding of their home. I stared at the words, craning my neck to keep looking after the bus I was on began pulling away. I wanted to burn the words into my memory. I wanted to hope.
This tour of devastated areas of Coralville, Iowa City, Palo and Cedar Rapids was part of the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission on which I serve. Last week, we visited affected areas in Linn and Johnson counties, listening to and solicited input about the rebuilding process. RIAC did the same in Louisa County earlier this week, and we will visit the Cedar Valley Aug. 19.
With RIAC, I have listened and I have seen. When faced with the physical evidence of Iowa's prolonged exposure to weather-related devastation and listening to the determination of those who will rebuild and the sadness of those who can't bring themselves to, I have understood who we Iowans truly are.
To process and remember what I see, I take notes. I have continued to do so even after realizing these images, words and ideas will haunt me regardless of note-taking.
Part of my role on the commission is to chair a task force on rebuilding Iowa's cultural heritage areas and records management systems. We will restore the state's devastated museums; historical societies; historic churches and buildings, sites, cemeteries and artifacts; libraries, county and municipal records; archives; and so on. We also will protect these resources from future damage.
I take this seriously, for reasons both practical and emotional. We need records, such as deeds and birth certificates. We also need to remember that our culture and heritage is our identity. It adds texture to our lives, and it's the stuff that sticks in the minds of visitors.
As a writer, I'm keenly aware that I can do what I do from anywhere. I often do. So I understand that some artists and cultural arts workers have considered moving elsewhere to start over. One visual artist in Cedar Rapids, for example, must begin again after losing the work of his 62-year lifetime. He's rebuilding in Iowa.
Let's find ways to persuade as many as we can to do likewise. Prior to this disaster "incident period," which began May 25 with the tornado and remains open, Iowa was 45th in the nation in terms of its spending on the arts. To put it in perspective, our state subsidizes the arts to the tune of less than 50 cents per citizen, while the national average is more than $1 per person. We're also ninth --- and last --- in the Midwest; Minnesota, for example, spends $1.67 per citizen. In rebuilding, we have an opportunity to do better, and we must consider those intangibles that nonetheless speak to quality of life.
"Caution: I lost my life here" was emblazoned on a home in Cedar Rapids. The home was red-tagged, which means it's structurally unsafe for entry. Such was the case for other homes of the neighborhood, as well as a nearby church.
As we drove past these houses, Linn County Board Supervisor Linda Langston offered a sobering reminder: "Some of these people lost their homes, their jobs and their churches --- - the main things they rely on in a crisis."
Earlier this week when I drove home from the Louisa County meeting, I made my way through Cedar Rapids. As I did so, I reflected on Langston's words, considering the scope and profundity of the loss. Then I saw billboard stating that beneath it stood a great city that is rebuilding itself.
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Aug. 1: Critically acclaimed PBS show coming to DVD
One of the most watched, high requested and beloved animated televisions, "Adventures from the Book of Virtues," will soon be released on DVD.
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The critically acclaimed PBS series, including "Adventures in Courage," "Adventures in Honesty" and "Adventures in Faith," will be released Aug. 12, individually and as a boxed set. The retail prices are $12.98 and $29.98, respectively.
Based on the No. 1 bestselling series by William J. Bennett with more than five million copies sold, "Adventures from the Book of Virtues" teaches children life lessons and morals. Seen through the eyes of a young boy and girl, the stories rely primarily on classic, internationally known heroes and tales, focusing on core values like honesty, compassion, responsibility, courage, self discipline, work, friendship, loyalty, perseverance and faith.
"Adventures in Courage" includes the episodes "Icarus and Daedalus," "King Alfred and the Cakes," "William Tell," "The Minotaur," "Ulysses and the Cyclops" and "Scarface."
"Adventures in Honesty" features "The Frog Prince," "George Washington and the Cherry Tree" and "The Indian Cinderella." IN addition, it offers "Diamonds and Toads," "The Bell of Atri," "Phaeton" and "The Emperor's New Clothes."
Among the stories offered on "Adventures in Faith" are "The Good Samaritan" and "Daniel in the Lion's Den."
The entire "Adventures" series has aired on PBS for more than eight years. Each DVD runs roughly 75 minutes and includes Spanish-language dubbing. For more information, go to www.porchlight.com.
The DVDs are distributed by PorchLight Home Entertainment, which emphasizes entertainment focused on family values. Some of its other titles are the LeapFrog holiday special, "A Tad of Christmas Cheer"; the "Wheels on the Bus" series; and the "Travel with Kids" programs.
Earlier this year, the company also launched two specialty labels: PorchLight INSPIRE, which distributes inspirational and faith-based family entertainment, and Ocean Park Home Entertainment, which offers diverse, independent films.
On Aug. 26, PorchLight and Ocean Park Home Entertainment will also introduce a new film for older children and young adults. "Pope Dreams" has been described as "Good Will Hunting" meets "Garden State."
Starring Julie Hagerty, Stephen Tobolowsky and Phillip Vaden, this coming of age film follows the story of a 19-year-old "directionless dreamer" named Andy (Vaden).
To date, "Pope Dreams" has won 11 awards at film festivals across the country and features music from many new bands. It will sell for a retail price of $24.98. More information on it is available at www.porchlight.com.
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JULY 2008
July 25: Network sells garments to improve lives of women, children.
A few weeks ago I attended a women's gathering in Salt Lake City. Among the event's features was an area filled with informational and vendor booths.
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I was drawn to an area that contained a variety of African jewelry, baskets, batiks and other items. After perusing the goods, I selected a dress for myself and another for my daughter.
Both were handmade from gorgeous East African prints; my daughter's is an array of rich greens and giraffes and mine boasting deep shades of pink.
As I stood in line, I was quickly reminded of how many women bond over shopping rituals: I ran into two friends from my church in Waterloo shortly after I had made two new friends who had queued behind me. All gave opinions of the dresses, and the two new friends encouraged me to try on my dress while I waited.
As I slipped the dress over my clothes, one told me the print was good luck because the elephant it bore pointed its trunk skyward.
This bit of folklore was not the only thing I learned. In completing my purchase, I received information on the group that brought the items to the United States.
The items were distributed by Asante Network, which sells the work of Neepu and Rewenzori Mountain women's groups of Uganda and NAAPOK and Micchi women's groups of Tanzania.
In Swahili, the common language of the region, "asante" means "thank you." It's a fitting name for this network, which improves the lives of impoverished East African women and children.
Our dresses were made by Micchi women, who depict animal and plant life in their batik textile products. Neepu women are basket weavers who use native raw materials in vivid colors. Rwenzori artisans create baskets from plants and dyes made from homegrown roots. NAAPOK women make beautiful jewelry, napkin rings, Christmas ornaments and clergy stoles, reflecting their tradition of beading.
The artisans range in age from 20 to 60 --- - daughters, mothers, grandmothers, widows and students. Many built their two-room homes. Few have running water or electricity; water is carried from the community well, and meals are cooked over open fires. The women's homes usually have small plots where they grow their own food. A handful may own a goat, cow, pig or chickens.
Education is limited, because children must help with chores. The goal of Asante Network is to offer self-sustaining educational opportunities that will take the women and their families out of poverty.
Asante Network was founded by Mary Ann Sheets-Hanson and her husband, Jack Hanson.
Sheets-Hanson, a retired insurance professional, visited East Africa about six years ago. The women she met there prompted the couple to move from Valley City, Calif., to North Dakota, where Sheets-Hanson grew up.
She decided the move would allow her to transition to becoming a full-time volunteer for Asante Network. She now helps the artisans market and sell their goods.
Asante Network is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization that belongs to the Fair Trade Federation. Profits and donations are returned to East Africa to fund projects and micro loans, funding everything from schools to training centers and feeding initiatives. Artisans use their income to feed, shelter, clothe and educate their families, including many HIV and AIDS orphans.
According to the network, "All efforts … are designed to provide dignity, hope and a better life for these women and their families."
For information on ordering items, call (888) 627-4543 or write: Asante Network; 605 Eighth Ave. NE; Valley City, ND 58072.
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July 18: Jackson's vulgarities leave audiences astounded
Last week, the Rev. Jesse Jackson used what he later called "crude language" to criticize Barack Obama's support of expanding President George W. Bush's faith-based social service programs.
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In what Jackson said he believed was a "private conversation" with Reed Tuckson of United Health Group --- - on "Fox News" while wearing microphone Jackson thought was turned off --- - he went on to describe what he would do to Obama.
It was fairly vulgar, and I'm sure you already know what was whispered to a grimacing Tuckson. You've probably seen the fallout, too: Jackson's comments have led to much debate on the differences between the old guard of "insular" African-American leadership and new black leaders who are said to be far more interested in broad-based, cross-cultural community action.
But is that really the issue here? I don't think so. I also don't believe we really care if Jackson likes Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
One thing the furor over this story illustrates is that many whites still hold the with the mindboggling assumption that it's odd for one black person to dislike another. It's equally astounding that people are actually surprised that Jackson thinks bad things with regard to Obama. (The real news is that Jackson says it was an accident, given his more than 40-year love affair with television cameras.)
The real problem people have, even if they haven't articulated it, has everything to do with Jackson's status as a pastor. I mean, here's a guy talking about faith-based initiatives one minute and castrating a man the next.
Except, Jackson isn't just a regular "guy." He is a man of God --- - ordained to preside over worship services, marry couples, administer baptism and carry the banner for social improvement.
I believe that's what really bothers a lot of us: We don't like it when pastors say catty things --- supposedly sotto voce --- in pubic or otherwise. Pastors are supposed to be above all that. They're supposed to cluck their tongues when they hear us doing it.
Maybe we don't want to admit it, but many of us hold pastors to a higher standard. Pastors aren't supposed to gossip, cuss or even get angry. These women and men are supposed to be the calm voice of reason --- unfailingly wise, beatific and shepherd-like.
But isn't that an unrealistic expectation for us to place on them?
Well, no. After lengthy reflection, I've realized that we should ultimately be able to expect the best from pastors, because we're supposed to follow them.
The word "pastor" comes the medieval French and means "shepherd." It has come to define the role of an official congregational leader --- - especially in a Christian setting.
As a result, that person should strive to embody such qualities. She or he shouldn't name call or talk behind someone's back.
And if the pastor fails sometimes, her or his transgression should be forgiven. We're all human. We make mistakes, and we should learn from them. But it's dangerous to adopt the attitude that because "everyone else" behaves badly, it's OK for pastors to do it, too.
The real shame isn't that Jackson had an opposing viewpoint. It's that he forgot his responsibility as a spiritual leader and made a thoughtless, angry comment.
He's better than that. He's a pastor.
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July 11: Church, religion not a 'drive-through' matter
I feel a little guilty when I press the buzzer outside my dry-cleaner's door, asking myself why can't I get out of my car and schlep my clothes inside?
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But when I want a fast meal, I usually succumb to the guilt and pick health over remaining ensconced in my car.
Convenience is a valid reason to like "drive-thru" services. On any given day, I run three or more errands before or after work. If I don't have to leave the car, it saves significant time. I can drive up to a window and drop off my dry-cleaning and stop at another to pick up a prescription. (Note to budding entrepreneurs: Please figure out how I can work out at a drive-thru fitness facility.)
So does the idea of a drive-thru church sound appealing? Do you love the smell of exhaust fumes on Sunday morning?
This isn't my idea. In fact, it's not even a new one; one report notes that 11 churches nationwide currently offer drive-in worship services of some sort.
Armbrust (Pa.) Wesleyan Church started its drive-in service in the 1970s and draws about 70 each week, according to the Washington Times.
The church's pastor, the Rev. Tim Stradling, tells congregants that because the church is in a residential neighborhood, they should make a joyful noise in response to the sermon: "If you're saying 'amen' by beeping horns, you might be waking up a neighbor. ... If I say something and I'm looking for response, they flash their lights or stick their arms out of the windows."
More than three years ago, the Metropolitan Church of the Quad Cities in Davenport joined the list of liturgical pit stops. Metropolitan's Memorial Day weekend service came complete with communion, the day's Scripture, a take-home homily and a free gift.
Why did the church do it? Organizers anticipated that a lot of people would be too busy picnicking and camping to attend traditional worship services, a member told the Associated Press at the time.
New Hope United Methodist Church in Marietta, Ga., staged a drive-in service late last week to draw attention to their small congregation and its dwindling membership. The service recalled drive-in theaters of bygone eras, according to the Post-Bulletin of Rochester, Minn.
"Maybe they don't have a church or don't care to get dressed up to go to church; let's find a way to eliminate all that," said the Rev. Norman Markle, New Hope pastor. "People go where they're comfortable."
According to the Post-Bulletin, the service included hymns, a Scripture reading and a sermon. However, it was all broadcast over AM radio. Congregants had the option of staying in their cars, spreading a blanket on the ground or going inside the church.
I have mixed feelings. There are some good points --- - I guess. I can really only think of three: It's a different way to connect with new people; you can bring your dog; and your church will get publicity (I'm not convinced this is a good way for a church to get it).
Ultimately, I believe in the power of faith communities; hanging out in your car doesn't cut it. My spiritual experiences are enriched by interaction with others.
I don't think that can be accomplished through a grab-and-go type of service, nor one where you can surreptitiously eat your breakfast and read a magazine during the intercessory prayers.
*****
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July 4: Radicals to be thanked for America's freedom
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"Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds."
- Thurgood Marshall, 1908-1993
My list of exemplary Americans is a combination of the famous, un-famous and possibly infamous.
You've heard of some --- people like Benjamin Franklin, Black Elk and Oprah Winfrey. My criterion requires the person to possess innate personal faith and live extraordinarily.
As U.S. residents, we risk becoming complacent. An alarming number of us don't even know we're in this struggle. Instead, we falsely assume our nation's greatness lies in its ability to build consensus among its citizenry.
To be certain, our greatness isn't derived from a collective ability to go along to get along. Yet national pride has created an unfortunate public relations campaign to recast rabble-rousers like Thomas Jefferson, Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth as "conciliatory."
No, they weren't.
Our nation is great because of the conflict agents. They champion unpopular causes. They disobey. They extol difference, even as difference is abhorred.
As we celebrate Independence Day, let's remember the birthday of an old-school American rebel, Thurgood Marshall. Known primarily as the first black U.S. Supreme Court justice, he would have turned 100 on July 2.
Although history has reinvented him as a politically correct hero, he was anything but. According to the biography "Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary" by Juan Williams, Marshall possessed the right combination of intelligence and determination at a key juncture in our nation's history. He wasn't a foot soldier of the U.S. civil rights movement; he was among its founders.
"A child born to a black mother in a state like Mississippi ... has exactly the same rights as a white baby born to the wealthiest person in the United States," Marshall said. "It's not true, but I challenge anyone to say it is not a goal worth working for."
Marshall successfully struck down the legal concept of "separate but equal" education for blacks, winning the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision in the case of Brown v. the Board of Education. Calling Marshall America's "leading radical," Williams writes that the attorney's work was greater than the combined influences of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
"None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps," Marshall said of affirmative action. "We got here because somebody --- a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns --- bent down and helped us pick up our boots."
However, there were those who later labeled him a "sellout" because he spent his 50-plus year career changing the system from within.
I fear lawyers often face this; we don't fully comprehend their work. We don't realize people like Marshall act as caretakers of our freedoms.
Marshall devoted himself to the law, because he came from a Baltimore-based, multiracial family of social justice advocates. In turn, his career put meaning behind the idea of "the land of the free."
Through the law, he fought for equality of blacks, women, children, prison inmates and the homeless, writes Williams. Marshall was a pragmatist who understood creating equality in a multiracial society required hours spent hovering over books and rewriting the nation's framework.
"Today's constitution is a realistic document of freedom only because of several corrective amendments," Marshall once noted. "Those amendments speak to a sense of decency and fairness that I and other blacks cherish."
*****
JUNE 2008
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June 27: Summer offers chance to catch up on reading
I don't know if I have more time in the summer or if I'm more constructive about its use. At any rate, this is the time of year I find myself setting goals to read actual lists of books rather than simply selecting randomly from the library's shelves.
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I have a list of favorite volumes I re-read each summer. Among the staples are Jane Austen's novels and Maya Angelou's "Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas." This year, I'm also going to revisit Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein."
Many books of faith and spirituality also make the list. For example, I usually find myself re-reading the Bible's book of Samuel. I'm also reading "The Passion of the Lord: African American Reflections," edited by James A. Noel and Matthew V. Johnson.
I've come up with a list I'd recommend for great summer reading, whether you're just discovering these books or looking to re-examine their wisdom.
When Kent Keith was a sophomore at Harvard University, he wrote "The Paradoxical Commandments" as a challenge to student leaders to do the right thing without looking to be rewarded. In the ensuing 25 years, these ideas became the guiding principles of his life. His list eventually became the book "Anyway," and the paperback edition, "Do it Anyway: Finding Personal Meaning and Deep Happiness by Living the Paradoxical Commandments."
In 1978, the New York Times proclaimed Roland H. Bainton's "Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther" "illuminating and eloquent." It was first published nearly 60 years ago and remains culturally relevant. Time Magazine called it "the most readable Luther biography in English," and I have long appreciated its mixture of narrative and quotes from Luther's letters and other writings.
This weekend marks my 10th wedding anniversary, and I have recently been flipping through "The Christian Handbook on Marriage." It offers tools, humor and practical guidance for the early, middle and late years of "sickness and health."
The gorgeous and strange (in a good way) "Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Khadromas and the Way of the Pilgrim" bills itself as a "transformative book of photography and pithy sayings." Those sayings are in English, French and Italian. I say it's strange because the photo of the author, Simhananda, is purposely dark enough to completely obscure his appearance. (He does a lot of public speaking, but he's also a confirmed recluse.) This oversized volume is brilliant and qualifies as a coffee-table book. However, it differs from most because it's hard to put down.
Methodist pastor Joe B. Jewell wrote "The Elements of Prayer: Learning to Pray in Real Life" because, "Everybody believes in (prayer), thinks it works and feels it's necessary to their life of faith and even life in general," he writes. "But a lot of people do not think they really know how to do it." This pastor with more than 25 years parish ministry experience offers the way to praying with confidence.
Likewise, Christina Baldwin's "Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives through the Power and Practice of Story" reconnects readers with their personal narratives. In incredibly poignant and significant language, Baldwin urges readers to "wake up" the story burning within and reconnect with spirituality and emotional centeredness.
Summertime is also great for beginning regular devotional practice. There are many good resources, and one of my favorites is "Why Buffalo Dance: Animal and Wilderness Meditations through the Seasons" by Susan Chernak McElroy. The summer cycle starts with the meditation " On Pulse and Rhythm" and tunes readers into the details of the seasons.
All the books mentioned here are available through area booksellers and online. If you're interested in more titles, please e-mail me.
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June 13: Practicing patience may put things in perspective
It has been said patience is a virtue --- among the good qualities to which we should aspire.
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Patience is not something I come by easily. I'd venture to say most people struggle with being patient at various times. We don't like to wait. We don't want to sit idle. We crave action and progress.
I pride myself on my schedule and despise being late. When my lateness is caused by outside factors, it bothers me greatly. I try to maintain serenity, and sometimes I fail.
During the week, I leave the house with two goals: drop my daughter off at preschool in Waterloo and get myself to work in Waverly. Most days, these tasks take 45 to 50 minutes.
Of course, what I like or dislike matters little in the face of floodwaters.
Our current situation in the metro area and the waiting it creates are completely out of my control.
Perhaps that's the most galling thing about having to wait; there is rarely anything we can do to move things along.
Or is there? Can changing my attitude --- practicing patience --- put things in a better perspective? Would remembering there are those enduring far worse than a stunted commute remind me of what's really important?
To be certain, my impertinent impatience is a source of great personal shame. So as I have waited in traffic this week and gazed at vast bodies of water where there should be grass and pavement, I have reminded myself to reflect on the Buddhist concept of patience, or "kshanti."
Those who have studied Buddhism know patience is one of the six perfections. These perfections are central to the quest for enlightenment.
"The Bodhicaryavatara," a Buddhist text, teaches there are three areas in which to develop and practice patience.
The first is to remember we have little control of the external world, such as nature. We can develop our ability to be patience with the world through experiencing minor and major discomforts. The more we seek comfort in our lives, the less able we are to endure discomfort and hardship.
The second is to remember to be patient with ourselves. That is, we must view our spiritual and physical progressions with patience, understanding we will age, experience illnesses and not lift every boulder in our path.
The third area of patience focuses on being patient with others.
A Zen monastery in Japan traditionally makes newcomers wait outside for two or more days. The wait is a test of their commitment to joining the monastery --- their patience.
While waiting, prospective monks must kneel. Once in a while, a monk will emerge from the monastery and try to chase the aspirants away.
The test is a lesson in humanity: Patience requires endurance and the ability to conjure positive energy, and it demands hope.
The lesson Buddhism teaches is that patience's opposites, such as anger and frustration, are wasteful; if we are to expend energy on something outside our control, it should be positive, not negative, energy.
Floodwaters have taught me a lesson in the importance of patience. I waited and waited some more. I remained calm in the seemingly endless traffic, because there was little else to do.
Instead of counting to 10 to calm myself, I count my blessings. I have my home and family. Waiting pales dramatically by comparison.
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June 6: 'How Would Jesus Vote?' focus of book, TV program
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If you're of the opinion there is nothing new to add to the 2008 U.S. Presidential election race, you probably haven't heard of "How Would Jesus Vote? A Christian Perspective on the Issues."
Jerry Newcombe and the late D. James Kennedy wrote the book to address Christian perspectives on politics. In it they ask, "Does God care how we cast our ballot?"
Their answer is a wholehearted "yes."
"For many years Christians have abstained from politics, and now they are shocked that the culture around them has deteriorated," they write. "Certainly, we should not rely solely on political power to right the world's wrongs. All politicians are human. Even the best of them will disappoint. Yet how would Jesus have us vote? When Jesus was on Earth, he did not reside in a democratic republic and had no opportunity to cast a ballot. Meanwhile, those of us who make following him our first priority believe he has spoken through his word and given us principles that can inform us on how to vote on many issues."
Newcombe will appear on C-SPAN 2's "Book TV" and present a program based on "How Would Jesus Vote" at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. He will discuss his book and answer viewer questions. (This program was previously recorded.)
The book and program do not endorse a specific candidate, nor do they intend to.
"What side is God on?" they ask in the book. "People have wanted to know that since the beginning of warfare. During the Civil War, people wondered which side God was on. Initially, many pastors and their congregations were duped by Adolf Hitler... Surely, God did not approve of Hitler's anti-Jewish, anti-Christian, anti-freedom regime.
"We want to vote 'correctly,' but how do we know the right way to vote --- - the Christian way to vote?"
Through the book, Newcombe and Kennedy share their interpretation of socially conservative Christianity and relate its principles to issues like abortion and the death penalty.
Chapter one is titled "Do Jesus and Politics Mix?" While they say Jesus is "certainly above politics," they point out that Jesus and his followers could have an impact that politics can't.
"The objective of ... Chicken Little squawking is to convince us that the Constitution is falling --- that conservative Christians intend to abolish the Bill of Rights, outlaw sin and replace democracy with a theocratic state that will make Calvin's Geneva look like Hugh Hefner's bachelor party."
Together Kennedy and Newcombe wrote several books, such as "What if Jesus Had Never Been Born?" and "What if the Bible Had Never Been Written?" Newcombe is also senior producer of the weekly syndicated TV show "The Coral Ridge Hour," and he has produced and co-produced more than 50 documentaries and hosts two weekly radio programs. Most recently, he served as host for the DVD "Pastors, Pulpits and Politics: Christian Rules of Engagement."
Newcombe has a bachelor's degree in history from Tulane University and a master's in communications from Wheaton Graduate School.
MAY 2008
May 30: Churches join in to help those hit hardest by tornado
My friend, Dawn, says she was lucky.
Early Sunday evening, Dawn's Parkersburg home was destroyed by the mile-wide tornado that hit our area.
Most people wouldn't call that luck. When I heard news of Dawn's loss, I immediately thought of all the irreplaceable mementos the winds whipped away --- - all the cherished items she'll never see again.
But Dawn feels blessed because her family is OK; she can replace the stuff. Her perspective reminds me to be thankful for the truly important things and leaves me impressed by the speed with which the churches of Parkersburg, New Hartford, Dunkerton and surrounding communities came to the aid of tornado victims.
Some churches lost members. Others sustained varying levels of damage. All will persevere and be deeply involved in helping their communities restore a sense of calm.
Among those the tornado killed were Richard and Ethel Mulder, both 80 and members of Parkersburg Christian Reformed Church.
According to the Christian Reformed Church of North America, the Parkersburg church didn't sustain any damage. In addition to the Mulders, the CRCNA noted eight Parkersburg CRC member families lost homes and belongings.
Earlier this week, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee deployed to Parkersburg two rapid response team leaders. An additional seven CRC committee volunteers from Holland are helping with the relief effort, and Holland fire rescue chaplain Gary Nibblink has been at work in Parkersburg since Sunday.
"Right now, we're offering people strong comfort and compassion; we're there to support them as they sift through what's left of their homes and belongings to salvage what's left of their lives," said Nibblink in a CRCNA statement.
First Congregational Church (CCCC) of Parkersburg was located in the midst of the heaviest area of destruction. The building sustained minor damage, but the church reports that many members lost homes and businesses, and some were severely injured. The church is accepting donations at the Deacon's Fund, First Congregational Church, P.O. Box 100, Parkersburg, IA 50665. (Please don't send cash.)
First Baptist Church in Dunkerton is among the congregations of the Northeast Iowa Baptist Association, which has dispatched its Iowa Baptist Disaster Relief feeding unit. The Winterset-based unit is staffed by Iowa volunteers. Once operational, the unit will be set up in Aplington feed up to 1,500 people per day.
Holy Family Catholic Parish in Parkersburg, which also serves Grundy Center, Dike and Reinbeck, did not sustain any building damage. However, roughly half the stones in its cemetery were damaged, and all the trees were uprooted. Eleven families lost their homes, while many others received substantial damage. Financial support can be directed to the parish: 204 G Ave., Grundy Center, IA 50638.
First United Methodist Church in New Hartford and Dunkerton First United Methodist Church belong to the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church. The conference has established a fund to support relief efforts. Checks should be made out to the Iowa Annual Fund with "Tornado Relief #247" in the memo line. Send donations to Tornado Relief Fund, Iowa Conference Center, 2301 Rittenhouse St., Des Moines, IA 50321.
May 23: Annual outdoor festival helps raise money
St. Paul Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls hosted its fifth annual praise band outdoor festival last week.
Praise bands from Westminster Presbyterian and First Baptist churches in Waterloo and Cedar Heights Presbyterian Church in Cedar Falls played a set of songs. The Brass Roots ensemble played between sets.
Concertgoers were asked to vote for their favorite praise band. The band that received the most votes received $300 to donate to its favorite charity. The second and third place bands each received $150 for their charities.
Cedar Heights Presbyterian took first place honors and designated Compassion International as its charity. Compassion International is a child advocacy ministry that was founded in 1952 as a way to help Korean War orphans. Today, it serves more than 1 million children in 24 countries. More information is available at www.compassion.com.
Westminster took third place and donated its $150 to Cedar Valley Hospice. CVH is northeast Iowa's leader in end-of-life care, serving Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, and parts of Fayette and Tama counties. It provides physical, emotional, social and spiritual support for terminally ill patients and their families. More information is available at cvhospice.org.
First Baptist used its $150 to help Family & Children's Council of Black Hawk County. The nonprofit organization works to prevent child abuse and strengthen families through prevention education programs in schools, parent education, in-home support and training for professionals. More information is available at www.fccouncil.net.
The Brass Roots donated its performance fee to St. Paul Lutheran's mission church in Namibia, Africa, which is the companion of the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Among the great things about this praise band event --- and there were many --- was free and offered a variety of inexpensive, delicious treats. The church's lawn and parking lot were lined with lawn chairs and blankets.
The event is organized by Mike Michalicek, a member of St. Paul who serves as contemporary music director at Westminster. Michalicek also plays the keyboards in the Westminster praise band, and many will know him from his many years as a band instructor for the Waterloo Schools.
With a little help from the community, next year's event may even boast a freshly painted band platform.
May 16: Anti-immigration outside most religious teaching
A writer was asked to create a children's story for a faith-based publication. The editor told her to convey biblical principles in response to social-justice issues.
This writer turned in a story about a person who wanted to feed everyone --- even the poor people out on the fringes.
"Good job," said the editor.
As the story made its way through the publication process, a red flag went up.
"Why did the writer disguise a pro-immigration story within a children's tale?" asked another editor.
"Huh?" said the writer. To herself, she added, "That's preposterous!"
Then the writer re-read her story. She realized someone could indeed find "pro-immigration" sentiments in a story based on biblical directives to feed and serve the poor and strangers.
Ah, there's the rub; is there a way to write a biblically based story about justice without including service to the strangers, poor, sick and outsiders?
Open immigration erodes the conventional makeup of the United States, writes Lawrence Auster in his booklet "Erasing America: The Politics of the Borderless Nation."
Auster's thesis is that a "nation" is not based on vagaries; instead this nation grew from Western civilization with certain religious, cultural, linguistic and ethnic characters. He concedes those categories are flexible but insists the United States has "stretched them to the breaking point."
Just as open immigration may threaten someone's sense of nationhood, I find it difficult reconciling anti-immigration rhetoric to religious beliefs.
What do we do? Every faith and values writer and editor faces this particular issue. If you remain true to the texts and principles on which faiths are based, you risk the wrath of those who compartmentalize --- religion over here, politics over there.
In 2006, the Hindu American Foundation joined Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities to call for fair and equitable immigration legislation that respects the "God-given dignity" of all individuals while protecting the nation's economic and national security interests. The four faiths released a statement that highlighted scriptural references from each to show how all regard charity and kindness to strangers as among the highest virtues.
To be certain, few if any faiths are anti-immigration.
Hindus believe in the transmigration of the soul --- the transfer of the soul into another body at the time of death.
Through pure acts, thoughts and devotion, you can be reborn at a higher level, eventually escaping this cycle and achieving enlightenment. Hindus look gravely upon causing others harm, as it can result in being reborn at a lower level. The unequal distribution of wealth and suffering are seen as further punishments for bad deeds in this and previous lives.
Christianity's founder, Jesus, told followers to welcome and show hospitality to everyone, especially the poor, enemies and strangers, (Matthew 25 and Romans 12).
Islam encourages the same and abhors inhospitality. Muslim theology teaches humanity's chief failing is pride, according to "The Koran: A Very Short Introduction" by Michael Cook.
Judaism also places high value on good deeds --- or mitzvoth --- which are considered the most important part of religious life, according to "Contemporary Jewish Theology: A Reader" by Elliott Dorff. Traditionally, Jews are among the most vocal supporters of immigration.
Buddhism advises its students to strive for complete "dana" (generosity) and "ahimsa" (the belief we should not harm any living things, a belief shared by Hindus and Jainists).
Shantideva's eighth century "Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life: A Buddhist Poem for Today" uses the example of the hand and foot to explain our interconnectedness.
In chapter seven, he writes, "All sufferings are without an owner, because they are not different; they should be warded off, simply because they are suffering."
May 9: Mother’s Day meant to celebrate, not spend
"Make Mother's Day magical" promises an electronic newsletter from Disney.
I wondered, "How so?" and opened the message. I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't what I read: an invitation to whisk the family off to a Disney theme park. To be honest, raiding my IRA to trudge through the Magic Kingdom doesn't sound like a treat for me.
I'm not interested in a big Mother's Day to-do, magical or otherwise. In fact, in a lot of ways, it's "just" another day, which suits me fine; being a mom is fun, challenging and life-changing.
According to holidays.com, the modern U.S. celebration took shape in a Grafton, W.Va., church in 1907 when Anna Jarvis handed out white carnations to congregants. By 1909, the tradition of hosting an annual Sunday service in honor of mothers had already spread to 46 other states. U.S. Congress adopted Mother's Day as a holiday in 1914.
Some biographies of Julia Ward Howe, writer of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," note she wanted Mother's Day to be a celebration of women in the public arena. Jarvis wanted it to emphasize women's roles in their families. Neither wanted it to become a commercial enterprise.
At 3, my daughter, Zoey, doesn't truly comprehend the concept of Mother's Day, and that suits me fine. Instead, she usually seems elated by my presence. When the mood hits, she tells me she loves me, often several times a day. And she's so proud to make gifts of simple things, from homemade artwork to a violet she picked in the yard.
While I agree moms should be venerated and lifted up because of our greatness, we shouldn't be taken for granted. And that means moms should remember the other women who serve as mother figures for our children. Where would our kids be without the grandmas, aunts, godmothers and other special friends?
All things being equal, I agree with both Jarvis and Howe and believe celebrating motherhood should merge family and community. I think of my dear friend, Kayla Becker of Jesup. She's an incredible young woman of incomparable faith, intelligence and depth. Zoey adores her and even calls her "My-Kayla." Kayla is one of many who serve as mother figures to my daughter.
Zoey has also forged a special relationship at church.
A one-hour worship service with a preschooler offers a microcosmic view of the mother-daughter relationship. Some days, Zoey sits through most of the service and pays relative attention to what's going on. Other days, she's in her own world, consumed by coloring, drawing or "reading" a book.
And sometimes Zoey simply won't sit with me. Instead, she wants to sit with her Sunday school teacher, the wonderful Kathy Jo Porter.
It took roughly 10 minutes for Zoey to decide Kathy Jo is her special friend. She greets Kathy Jo with unbridled enthusiasm. She sticks to her like glue. She delights in her presence. She loves her.
There is also Michelle Gebhardt of Cedar Falls, Zoey's dear friend and mine. Michelle is Zoey's godmother, and she is somehow able to get actual results from the phrase, "It's time for bed." Michelle is also a mother-figure who has achieved "My-" status in Zoey's estimation.
What would Zoey do without such women in her life? What would I do? On a day for mothers, what I want for myself and other moms is that all children will experience such joy-filled relationships.
May 2: Text messaging pervades everyday life
Text messaging bugs me.
I just don't want to do it. In fact, "texting" is on my short list of popular trends I don't buy into. It tops my list because I consider it irritating to type using tiny keys. This form of communication is incredibly isolating, too; why can't we talk to people anymore?
I'm also morally opposed - really - to purposely misspelling words for brevity's sake. We all make mistakes, but doing so intentionally should be counterintuitive. Using "U" in the place of the word "you" flies in the face of all I consider holy. "Nite" instead of "night"? No way. But then I'm someone who uses my best grammar when typing even the most mundane of e-mails.
This past year I've found a new reason to be even more annoyed with the continued shift to virtual communication: Too many people, young and old, will not disconnect from their electronic devices, when normal propriety demands. They slyly and inappropriately use portable electronic devices - even during church.
It's not an age thing; I see baby boomers covertly texting during meetings. I have a friend who contrives to discreetly use a small earpiece and his cell phone to catch sports scores during worship services. I've seen tweens and teens in church - sitting next to their parents - tapping away on portable video game devices.
And my smart, wonderful and otherwise well-mannered friend just told me she sent her dad a text at church to "see what he'd do." He was sitting a few pews ahead of her. His response was not to give her a withering look. He answered it.
I'll admit: I let my daughter color during church. She's 3, and I don't expect anything will hold her attention for an hour. But I do expect more from the rest of us. Is it possible we'll never return to the days when we did one thing at a time - even at church?
Beyond my admittedly heavy-handed, grammar-nerd finger waggling, there is also a practical concern: Experts say texting may be destroying kids' writing style and ability.
"We have a whole generation being raised without communication skills," says Jacquie Ream, former teacher and author of "K.I.S.S. Keep It Short and Simple."
According to a recent study from the Center for Education Statistics, only one in four high school seniors are proficient writers. A College Board survey of U.S. blue-chip companies found two-thirds of their employees to be capable writers.
"These kids aren't learning to spell," says Ream, who adds that texting and the Internet are destroying teens' communication skills. "They're learning acronyms and shorthand. “(S)tudents aren't writing letters, they're typing into their cell phones one line at a time. Feelings aren't communicated with words when you're texting; emotions are sideways smiley faces. Kids are typing shorthand jargon that isn't even a complete thought."
The core problem, adds Ream, is kids aren't developing critical-thinking skills or formulating original ideas. They know how to read, but they aren't likely to be able to articulate their thoughts about what they've read.
"Teachers are forced to use what little classroom time they have to teach to the standardized tests," Ream explains. "The kids learn how to regurgitate information to parrot it back for the correct answer, but they can't process the thought and build on it."
Consider what that means in terms of a 12- to 17-year-old's religious education; how can a child become engaged in a faith tradition if they're unable to process the information critically?
APRIL 2008
April 25: Middle names have played important role throughout history
Middle names matter.
If you don't think so, just ask Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. He posted an Internet transcript of remarks he made in a March interview. The gist of his remarks are the election of someone named "Barack Hussein Obama Jr." would give terrorists cause "dance in the streets."
King's comments sparked international furor. Earlier this week Scott Brennan, Iowa Democratic Party chair, announced he has filed charges with the U.S. House Ethics Committee against King.
"King is violating House ethics rules by promoting his political comments on his taxpayer-funded Web site," Brennan said in a press release. "Iowa's taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for King's hateful political commentary on the 2008 presidential election."
Brennan says the rules regarding the frank --- the privilege of transmitting materials without charge --- ban the use of taxpayer-funded media for references to past or future campaigns or elections. In addition, Brennan notes that "comments critical of policy or legislation should not be partisan, politicized or personalized."
I applaud Brennan's moxie, but it bugs me that so many people agree with King's comments, ignoring that they are anti-religious, anti-Muslim and simply ridiculous. Is there really so much in a name?
In Arabic, "Hussein" means "good." That seems innocuous enough. Outside the ribbing Obama may have taken in grade school, does anyone really believe your middle name influences your character?
Prior to this week, I didn't think much about middle names. I only think about mine when I'm around my Southern relatives, who call me "Karris-Anne," running it together as if it's one word. That's nonthreatening enough. (We'll cover the emotions "Karris" evokes another day.)
Unfortunately, a lot of so-called adults consider "bad" middle names deal-breakers. I even found a semi-popular Internet blogger who insists John Sidney McCain III is gay because of his middle name.
Grant W. Smith, professor of English at Eastern Washington University, has studied voter reaction to candidate names. He recently told Slate that his research shows undecided voters can be turned off by unusual names.
Yet it's usually last names voters respond to, and many find "Obama" is fun to say. However, the similarities to the names of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden "stir very powerful associations," Smith notes.
My late father didn't have a middle name, nor did his namesake, my grandpa. I didn't realize this makes some wary until the late Jimmie S. Porter, founder of KBBG Radio in Waterloo, clued me in:
Apparently, some who feared the spread of communism were mistrustful of the middle-nameless. According to legend, a popular rumor about Harry S Truman was he originally lacked a middle name. Failing to give your child a middle name was presumed to be a Russian --- and therefore communist --- practice. As a result, some believed Truman added the "S" so people wouldn't think him a communist.
There is a sliver of truth to the tale; his middle name was simply an "S" without a period. But his parents, who couldn't agree on a middle name, gave him the letter. As a politician, some of Truman's opponents insisted the "S" was indicative of his inability to stand for anything. He ignored them.
In our nation's infancy, middle names weren't commonly used, according to "The Language of Names: What We Call Ourselves and Why it Matters." On the whole, we didn't adopt this naming practice until the mid-1800s. Only three of the first U.S. presidents had them: John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison and James Knox Polk.
Today, the most popular U.S. middle names as noted by Parents Magazine emphasize religious figures, such as Ann, (an English form of the Hebrew "Hannah,") and Hebrew names Elizabeth, Jacob and Michael.
April 18: Author works on connection between faith and literature
The ability to engage children in reading great works of literature is a reward itself.
However, Cedar Falls-based writer Gina Burkhart wants to help kids, parents, schools and churches make connections between faith and literature. She is a big fan of the Harry Potter novels and wrote "A Parents' Guide to Harry Potter" for other Christian parents who read the books with their children.
Burkhart recently released "Finding Purpose in Narnia: A Journey with Prince Caspian" to help Christians better connect C.S. Lewis' work with the biblical allusions he incorporated. In particular, Burkhart focuses on "Prince Caspian," the second novel in the classic series of seven.
"What I love about reading C.S. Lewis' Narnia tales is that he never lets us forget what it is like to be a child," Burkhart writes in the book's introduction. "When I was a child, these stories spoke to me on my own level. They understood me and pulled me in so that I felt understood. In Narnia I was able to work through my fears and struggles. However, as I read this story as an adult, I marvel at how C.S. Lewis connects us with the lessons of Scripture. In particular, he brings to life the verse of 1 Corinthians 13:13."
That verse is "And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." Burkhart's book focuses on Lewis' ability to connect faith, hope and love to everyday life.
To that end, she organizes "Finding Purpose in Narnia" into three sections based on those principles. Within each section, she explains the connections between the quest for faith, hope and love found in "Prince Caspian" and 1 Corinthians, from exploring "The Myth of Power" to "Holy Giftedness."
Each chapter includes questions related to finding purpose, as well as suggested Scripture readings and reflections.
In "Do You See what I See?" Burkhart reflects on how Lewis' character, Lucy, illustrates how frustrated children become when adults fail to understand their point of view. Lucy knows she is right but no one believes her.
"Lucy's experiences strongly speak of hope," writes Burkhart. "They remind us of the times that we did trust in what we saw even when others did not see it and may have called us crazy. God often leads us to see what others do not. When following God's lead, you need to be able to see and believe in what you see."
Burkhart also shows how Lewis' experiences figured prominently in his character development and faith formation.
She explains how the character Nikabrik illustrates hatred in "Prince Caspian," linking the character's severe unhappiness to Lewis' own painful experiences at school.
"He recounts many school experiences with students called bloods that caused him to hate (his school). Lewis describes the bloods as using all means to humiliate and torment the boys beneath them. The system was devised for protecting the strong against the weak," writes Burkhart.
These experiences led Lewis into a period of surly atheism. However, certain events revealed happiness to Lewis, and he eventually reclaimed his faith, as he relates in his autobiography, "Surprised by Joy."
Burkhart teaches English courses at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Drawing on her experiences as an educator, author and mother, she also hosts workshops and discussions focused on using literature to explore Christian themes and foster moral development in children. Headline Author works on connection between faith and literature Author works on connection between faith and literature
April 11: Bestselling author to visit Northeast Iowa
It's not often that an author can effectively and compellingly combine fantasy, Christian themes and adventure in the fantasy-epic genre.
Author Bryan Davis does so quite well. I've read the first two books in his "Dragons in Our Midst" series, and they are wonderfully riveting. His newest series promises to be his best yet.
Early next month, the bestselling Christian author of the "Dragons in Our Midst" and "Oracle of Fire" series will speak in Marion and Cedar Rapids. The book signings/speaking engagements are free and open to the community, and organizers have specifically designed these events to introduce families to Davis' latest work.
Davis will visit the Lemstone bookstore at 1426 Twixt Town Road in Marion from 9 to 11 a.m. May 3. He will then speak and sign books at the Lemstone store at 3005 Wiley Blvd. SW in Cedar Rapids.
Davis will speak about "Beyond the Reflection's Edge," the first book in his latest young adult series, "Echoes from the Edge."
The story begins when 16-year-old Nathan Shepherd's parents are murdered during a corporate investigation. Prior to their deaths, everything made sense. Nathan traveled with his dad, a traveling investigator, and his mom, a renowned violinist.
To protect himself after the murders, Nathan goes into hiding at the home of his father's friend. There, he enlists the help of Kelly, the friend's teenaged daughter.
Together, Nathan and Kelly launch their own investigation of the Shepherds' deaths. As the story unfolds, the two teens are led away from their familiar world and discover mysterious mirrors with phantom images, a camera that takes photos of people they can't see and a violin that echoes voices from unseen speakers. As the teens explore each puzzle, they're drawn further into an alternate universe.
The mirror seems to be the key to finding the killers --- and they want it, too.
Davis has been compared to C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien and is one of the true luminaries of the contemporary young adult fantasy genre.
And as with any great young adult author, Davis' work resonates with older readers as well. The first book in his "Dragons" series, "Raising Dragons," appeared in July 2004. Since then, that series and his second fantasy series have become placeholders on the Christian Book Association Young Adult bestseller list.
Davis is also the author of "The Image of a Father" and "Spit and Polish for Husbands" and four additional books on the life of Jesus and other Christian-related themes. He and his wife have four daughters and three sons.
He taught himself to read before he started school and has long had a passion for writing. However, he earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and was a computer professional for 20 years. He's now a full-time writer.
For more information on Davis' work or to read his blog, go to www.dragonsinourmidst.com.
April 4: Seminarian begins prison stint for protest at military school
By the time you read this, my friend will have been in jail one day.
Le Anne Clausen, a 30-year-old Mason City native, received a 30-day sentence for her part in a peaceful protest of the former U.S. Army School of the Americas. In November, she attended the 18th annual "Vigil to Close the School of the Americas." According to videos available on You Tube, the protesters carried white crosses and sang quietly.
Le Anne was among a group of 10 SOA Watch activists who entered Fort Benning Military Base, which houses SOA (protesters still call it SOA, though SourceWatch says the Pentagon renamed it Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation in 2001). The goal of the small group was to carry the protest to the site of SOA/WHISC.
In January, Le Anne stood trial in Columbus, Ga. She entered jail Thursday.
Le Anne tends to be soft spoken but is nonetheless fierce in her convictions. Engage her in conversation and you'll discover she has dedicated her life to "ending all forms of religious violence." Her blog is available at www.young-activist.
Le Anne put off seminary --- several times --- to do human rights work in the Middle East. At the outset of the Iraq war, she served as a human rights worker there.
Today, Le Anne is a student at Chicago Theological Seminary and a candidate for ordination in the Presbyterian Church USA. She's also a student pastor at Hyde Park United Church in Chicago and co-founder and director of the Center for Faith and Peacemaking.
"My professors at Chicago Theological Seminary have been very kind in rearranging my assignments so I may complete this semester," she says. "My family has been very supportive and understanding of my activism. I have a great peace about going (to jail), more so than any of the anxieties -- that accompany this journey.
Protesting SOA/WHISC is a natural extension of Le Anne's activism. According to the Center for Media and Democracy, SOA/WHISC is a Spanish-language U.S. military training institution for officers from Latin America.
The Center for Media and Democracy notes that SOA formally closed in 2001. WHISC is housed in the former SOA building and offers many of the same courses. The U.S. Army funds SOA/WHISC, and student tuition is covered mainly by grants from a variety of federal programs, such as the International Narcotics Control program.
Why protest such a school?
"(O)ur arrest for nonviolent civil disobedience at the School of the Americas (was) an action taken to call attention to the ongoing abuses committed by graduates of the SOA; church workers needing to flee their parishes in South America; (and) known human rights abusers from these schools coming to teach the students --- actions that speak louder than the words of the so-called human rights curriculum," Le Anne said in a sermon she delivered in February at University Methodist in Madison, Wis.
According to Center for Media and Democracy, SOA training manuals from the 1980s through 1991 promoted techniques that violated human rights and democratic standards.
To write Le Anne while she's in jail, send correspondence to McHenry County Jail, Le Anne Clausen, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098. Use plain paper without embellishments. Don't include extra stamps, paper, newspaper clippings, computer printouts and the like, as such items will be confiscated. Put your return address on the letter itself, and write only on one side of the page.
Friends will maintain Le Anne's blog while she's in jail, and she's scheduled for release May 3.
MARCH 2008
March 28: Obama pastor dispute shows racial divide is still wide
The nation is abuzz with talk about the nation's racial divide, thanks in no small part to Barack Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
I'm intrigued by those who don't understand why a black minister "still" decries the treatment of blacks in this country. Why, some ask, is he so angry? There have been tremendous improvements in access and equality during the past 50 years.
Don't misunderstand me. Like Obama, I don't agree with much of what Wright has said. But like Obama, I'm willing to get where Wright speaks from. But just as the United States hasn't delivered everyone an "American Dream," it's also not a nation that wants to hear about its problems.
In dismissing Obama's recent Philadelphia speech about race as eloquent but "nothing new," some critics have revealed a colossal irony: It's still necessary for someone to point out our nation's gaping racial divide. And we're still not ready to hear it.
We live in a time of tremendous paradoxes: As far as blacks have come --- and we have --- - we've still got a lot of work to do. Everyone does. However, we're in danger of failing to learn from the horrific discrimination that got us to where we are today.
That is, we can't simply "drop it." We can't forget or be afraid to talk about our nation's past and present racism and inequality. If we don't acknowledge this and talk it through, we can't fix contemporary problems with roots in the recent and distant past.
We've come a long way, but we haven't come all the way. In fact, we haven't come as far as we think.
Progress means being able to talk about the painful legacy of slavery, Jim Crow laws and institutional racism. Progress means we can frankly discuss why we tell other nations to tear down walls while building our own. Progress also brings with it an honest assessment of our educational and judicial systems.
Likewise, if we have truly progressed, we'd see the wisdom in the Martin E. Marty's article in the Chronicle of Higher Education: www.chronicle.com/free/v54/i30/30b00101.htm.
In this commentary, the legendary theologian and prolific writer paints a different portrait of Wright, his former student at the University of Chicago. Marty, who is white, also explains how Wright became his friend.
"Now, for the hard business: the sermons, which have been mercilessly chipped into for wearying television clips," writes Marty. "While Wright's sermons were pastoral … they were also prophetic. At the university, we used to remark, half lightheartedly, that this Jeremiah was trying to live up to his namesake, the seventh-century B.C. prophet. Though Jeremiah of old did not 'curse' his people of Israel, Wright, as a biblical scholar, could point out that the prophets Hosea and Micah did. But the Book of Jeremiah, written by numbers of authors, is so full of blasts and quasi curses --- what biblical scholars call 'imprecatory topoi' --- that New England preachers invented a sermonic form called 'the jeremiad,' a style revived in some Wrightian shouts.
"In the end, however, Jeremiah was the prophet of hope, and that note of hope is what attracts the multiclass membership at Trinity and significant television audiences. Both Jeremiahs gave the people work to do: to advance the missions of social justice and mercy that improve the lot of the suffering. For a sample, read Jeremiah 29, where the prophet's letter to the exiles in Babylon exhorts them to settle down and 'seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.' Or listen to many a Jeremiah Wright sermon."
March 21: Tupac’s unsolved murder still resonates for Generation X
We tend to put a lot of stock in generational labels and what they mean.
Our birth years and the formative eras that follow define generations. What happened, didn't happen and who rose to power or died too soon shape our collective identity and mark each of us as products of our times.
As a Generation Xer, I count the still unsolved murder of rapper Tupac Shakur as one of the normative events of my identity shaping.
No one has ever been charged in Tupac's September 1996 murder. Los Angeles Times staff writer Chuck Philips reopened the dialogue earlier this week by publishing an Internet-only article deconstructing a 1994 shooting and its crucial role in Tupac's murder.
The Pulitzer-prize winning journalist also links the shooting to the 1997 murder of the Notorious B.I.G., another rapper. Philips has also hinted at plans for two more related articles later this year.
A poet and budding actor, Tupac was beginning to show the true depths of his talent when he was killed at age 25. He was also the product of a violent past and present, which likely played a role in his death.
Philips links the 1994 shooting at a New York City recording studio to Tupac's eventual murder two years later. Tupac was beaten, robbed, shot and left for dead in the incident and vowed revenge against Sean "Diddy" Combs, whom he insisted was responsible.
In a tale that harkens to Old West gun battles over bruised pride, hurt feelings and organized crime, the Times article claims Combs orchestrated the 1994 shooting, which he vehemently denies.
But as Philips tells it, Tupac had rebuffed Combs' requests to sign with his record company --- presumably a fatal insult. The shooting was to be a warning, but Tupac allegedly sealed his fate when he recovered and wasn't deferential to Combs.
That threw the now famous "East Coast-West Coast" hip-hop war into full swing, writes Philips. He based his article on interviews on FBI interviews with an informant, whom he later found and interviewed himself. He also interviewed the three alleged perpetrators of the 1994 shooting, all of whom are in prison for unrelated crimes.
In addition, Philips notes Tupac's assertions about Combs are supported by FBI interviews with individuals present at the recording studio when the shooting took place.
For my generation, this story and Tupac's death reinforce the need for our society to acknowledge something is dangerously wrong in the lives of too many young men. It is a warning cry for churches, particularly black churches, which were previously believed to be the community's immutable moral center and compass. In many of our cities, a real war is waged, and Tupac's shooting should push us all toward a solution.
If something positive came of it, Tupac's death showed the nation --- and its black community --- that young, white, middle-class American kids care deeply when a black man from an underprivileged background is gunned down in the street.
If you take Generation X as a whole and want to understand us, it's important to realize Tupac's murder matters. The man who in "Black Jesus" said "searching for black Jesus ... you can be Christian, Baptist, Jehovah Witness, ... Islamic, won't matter to me" truly did give voice to the social and philosophical struggles of his generation.
Maybe he wasn't someone who would become a national leader, but he could have been. We won't know. For all the violence, destruction and death that swirled around Tupac, there was an intelligent, talented man longing to warn us about the world that would eventually consume him. We heard him. But are we listening?
March 14: Faith finds way into all aspects of life, events
Readers sometimes write and ask why I don't always stick to the focus of this column --- writing on overtly faith-oriented themes.
They usually give a list of examples when I have strayed "off topic:" What does domestic violence, poverty, racism, political unrest and the like have to do with faith? My response is twofold: I believe everything has to do with faith --- to divorce faith from the problems of the world is shortsighted.
And why are some people willing to eliminate religious institutions from the solutions to societal problems? Faith is not an escape into ancient stories, wisdom and doctrine; it's not a way to stop thinking about all the bad things in the world.
Instead, faith offers us a way to inject a sense of optimism into seemingly unsolvable problems. Instead, we sometimes forget the major role local religious people and communities play in "secular" society.
For example, a group of Northeast Iowa churches has joined to help solve global hunger problems. On March 30, the Trinity Lutheran Church Choir will join with church members from Fredericksburg to host the second "Celebration in Song for World Hunger." The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Trinity, South and West Fourth streets, Waterloo, and includes a music program, soup luncheon and information on hunger justice issues and initiative. Donations will be collected, and proceeds benefit "Share the Harvest," a Fredericksburg-based program of Foods Resource Bank.
FRB is a national hunger fighting organization that in 2006 helped more than 88,000 families. Share the Harvest member congregations include Antioch Baptist Church, Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, Hillcrest Baptist Brethren, Peace United Church of Christ, St. Frederick's Catholic Church and St. Paul's Lutheran Church, all in Fredericksburg.
Trinity of Waterloo is the Share the Harvest FRB "urban partner."
"Sharing the Harvest connects the people of Trinity Lutheran ... with like-minded people of Fredericksburg," said the Rev. Gary Olson, Trinity visitation pastor. "Both faith communities have representative(s) who have toured and inspected --- firsthand --- Third World hunger projects."
Representatives from Share the Harvest will be on hand at the March 30 event to share information about this ministry. According to FRB, its goal is to engage U.S. farmers in alleviating the global food shortage. Its membership includes 15 members representing mainline Christian denominations and agencies.
This consortium then supports smallholder agricultural food security programs in some of the world's poorest communities. FRB's work is funded through a network of community growing projects throughout the United States, such as the one in Fredericksburg and 40 others throughout Iowa.
Growing projects raise a crop or another marketable resource, sell it and make the proceeds available to FRB. Some projects raise and sell corn, pumpkins, fruit or even livestock.
In 2007, the Trinity Choir sponsored a music-oriented fund raising event and raised $1,200 to add to funds raised by Sharing the Harvest. When combined, proceeds totaled more than $12,000 and were divided between growing projects in Nicaragua and Niger.
For more information on the event, contact Trinity's office at 235-6269.
FEBRUARY 2008
Feb. 22: St. Luke’s seminar focuses on forgiveness
Forgiveness is one of the most difficult human acts.
Quite often, to forgive is to go against our instincts. When we are unfairly wronged, we want the pain that arises to be acknowledged and validated.
Even when that happens, it's hard to forgive. And forgiveness seems nearly impossible when a person wrongs us and won't acknowledge the act or ask for forgiveness.
Sometimes, the act of forgiveness is misunderstood. For example, there is the adage "forgive and forget," which is often - and incorrectly - attributed to the Bible. Instead, perhaps the biblical ideal is that we should forgive in a way that prevents us from endlessly resurrecting the wrongs.
That's tough; it's human nature to learn from our experiences. Some experiences teach us not to trust once we've been betrayed. But numerous studies have shown that failing to forgive means we hold on to anger and resentment. This can further hurt the person who was wronged.
The concept of forgiveness will be explored when St. Luke's Episcopal Church hosts "The Path of Forgiveness" from 2 to 4 p.m. March 2. The workshop is free and open to the community.
St. Luke's is located at 2410 Melrose Drive in Cedar Falls.
"The Path of Forgiveness" focuses on the psychology of interpersonal forgiveness, asking participants to explore how anger from being hurt personally and unfairly can affect relationships, work and physical and mental health.
In addition, the workshop will explain the difference between forgiveness and simply excusing a wrong.
Organizers say "The Path of Forgiveness" targets people struggling with issues of forgiveness and those interested in learning about the healing process.
In particular, the session provides ways those who have suffered wrongs can benefit from forgiveness. It's also for parents who want to teach their children about healthy forgiveness.
During the workshop, participants can walk St. Luke's indoor labyrinth and reflect on their own personal forgiveness journeys.
The church's labyrinth is modeled after the famed Chartres Cathedral labyrinth in France.
A common misconception is that a meditative labyrinth is a maze. It is instead a meandering path leading both in and out of the center.
This form of walking meditation is intended to "quiet the mind, relax the body and refresh the spirit."
Suzanne Freedman, Ph.D., an associate professor of educational psychology and foundations at the University of Northern Iowa, will lead the workshop. Her doctoral dissertation on forgiveness therapy with incest survivors is considered a landmark study and was published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
Freedman has been a student interpersonal forgiveness for two decades. Her research subjects include at-risk adolescents, incest survivors, Holocaust survivors and others. She has also delivered numerous workshops on the psychology of forgiveness and has spoken on the topic of forgiveness at national and international conferences.
If you plan to attend the workshop, coordinators ask that you leave a message at the church office so they know how many people to accommodate. To do so, contact 277-8520 or st.lukes@cfu.net.
Feb. 15: Preaching traditions in danger of being lost
"The old-time Negro preacher is rapidly passing. I have here tried sincerely to fix something of him."
James Weldon Johnson wrote this in the introduction of his 1927 book, "God's Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse." What was true 80 years ago is certainly true today; the distinctly southern, African-American delivery of religious speech is in constant danger of being lost.
When "God's Trombones" celebrates its 100th anniversary in 20 years, will we still remember the cadences? Will we relish the pauses? Will we nod knowingly when we hear the stories?
"God's Trombones" was inspired by Johnson's childhood memories of sermons. The title comes from his recollections of a memorable preacher who possessed a unique voice.
"The change in the congregation was instantaneous," Johnson wrote in the book's introduction. "An electric current ran through the crowd. It was in a moment alive and quivering; and all the while the preacher held it in the palm of his hand. He was wonderful in the way he employed his conscious and unconscious art.
"He strode the pulpit up and down in what was actually a very rhythmic dance, and he brought into play the full gamut of his wonderful voice, a voice --- what shall I say? --- not of an organ or a trumpet, but rather of a trombone, the instrument possessing above all others the power to express the wide and varied range of emotions encompassed by the human voice --- and with greater amplitude."
Immediately following this passage, Johnson cited a dictionary definition that notes the trombone as the instrument that most resembles the range and sound of the human voice.
Johnson developed the idea for "God's Trombones" after noticing a dearth of folklore study, especially what he described as the "folk sermon." Such sermons were a defining feature of his youth in Florida.
By using poetry, "God's Trombones" recalls the uniqueness of black church speech of the Deep South during the late 19th century. Using pauses, symbols from black folklore, hyperbole, repetition, alliteration and biblical passages, Johnson documented the art as well as its dialect.
"I remember hearing in my boyhood sermons that were current --- sermons that passed with only slight modifications from preacher to preacher and from locality to locality," he wrote.
Among these were "The Valley of Dry Bones," based on the vision of the prophet in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel; "Train Sermon," in which God and Satan were pictured as running trains --- one with heaven-bound saints, the other with hell-bent sinners; and "Heavenly March," which detailed the journey of the faithful from earth.
"Then there was a stereotyped sermon which had no definite subject, and which was quite generally preached; it began with the Creation, went on to the fall of man, rambled through the trials and tribulations of the Hebrew Children, came down to the redemption by Christ, and ended with the Judgment Day and a warning and an exhortation to sinners," wrote Johnson.
Throughout his lifetime, Johnson had a number of careers, from writing to teaching college. He was an ardent employee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He also published "Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man," first anonymously in 1912, then under his name in 1925.
But many churchgoers are probably aware of his most famous work, if not its author; he is the lyricist of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the "national anthem" of African-Americans.
You can download "God's Trombones" for free at http://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/johnson/johnson.html.
Feb. 8: Confidence in self connected to faith
A few weeks ago I wrote a column about the concept of faith --- specifically how deceptively difficult it can be to come by.
This led several readers to e-mail me their thoughts and essentially ask what is faith --- truly?
Among those who engaged in correspondence with me was Courier columnist Scott Cawelti, with whom I had a lengthy communication about the components of faith. Is faith a belief in the supernatural? Do people whose religious beliefs don't include a "higher power" have faith? Would religious faith possibly "save" those lost in despair enough to commit suicide?
I responded with my personal beliefs on this topic, which I offer here as well. I'm not an expert --- just interested.
I've written about faith long enough to have developed strong beliefs on spirituality and related matters. I've also gone through lonely periods when I believed --- erroneously --- everyone but me had religious faith. I believe faith is more than belief or trust in a supernatural being.
To put it simply, religious faith is a negotiation between beliefs and how I personally act on them. It's not about charging ahead irrationally and illogically, oblivious to influences that could help my beliefs evolve.
Many people of faith go through rough times --- periods when things don't work out the way we want or expect. We may question the religious ideas to which we adhere.
If you belief in a "higher power," maybe you have at times been angry and questioned its existence.
Maybe these periods of difficulty and reflection change us or our beliefs.
Or perhaps you don't believe in a higher power but have questioned your religious beliefs. For example, if spiritual beliefs include some form of the adage "What goes around comes around," you likely can recall hundreds of instances when that was disproved.
As difficult as trusting our spiritual beliefs can be, faith in a "higher power" and/or a set of religious tenets is not as difficult as believing in yourself. When you lose sight of faith in yourself --- or simply can't muster it --- no blessing will be enough to sustain you.
In the end, I believe it is lack of self faith that leads someone to suicide. Spirituality is often accompanied by a support system, but believing in yourself can be a solitary endeavor.
Consider this: Our multimillion dollar "self-help" industry is woefully ineffective. Its shortcomings lie in the fact that as much as you're told to love, care for and believe in yourself, the clincher is the voice in your head.
Religious and self faith are interconnected; true religious faith comes from believing in yourself --- a level of honesty it can take a lifetime to achieve. Reaching that level eliminates fear of what you can't control --- death, the future, other people.
You can't accept a set of religious beliefs and/or the power of any supreme being if you don't have confidence in your skills of discernment. It's the difference between wading in the shallow end and jumping off the high dive. It means accepting you are directly responsible for your life and what happens to you.
You must live with your thoughts --- especially the ones others aren't privy to. You must find a way to reconcile yourself to all the things you have done and have not done.
Faith in yourself gives you what it takes to make it, and not just in the big sense; it's about getting out of bed every day, navigating life and make the right decisions.
That's my perspective. What are your thoughts? Send me an e-mail or write me in care of the Courier.
Feb. 1: Big returns come from investing in yourself
I have a confession to make: I get a massage every month.
Admitting that makes me feel a bit guilty, especially when I confess I've been doing it for nine months.
Massages are quite an indulgence --- especially when I consider ways the money could be put to better use. Sometimes I have the same feelings about working out in a swanky fitness facility.
When I decided to invest in the massages, I knew I had to ensure I'd stick to the plan. As a result, I booked six months in advance. I did something similar when I realized I might be tempted to find a less expensive --- and potentially less effective --- fitness plan.
But I'll be honest: Monthly massages and daily workouts are among the only things I do just for me. The time spent working on my "inside" --- decreasing stress and focusing on physical, spiritual and mental well-being --- shouldn't provoke guilt.
I look forward to my monthly sessions with the amazing Andrea at Jiva Salonspa. I appreciate being listened to and having someone work the knots in my shoulders.
Women have a pronounced aversion to self care, because our focus is on others. We help others within and outside our religious organizations. We organize, direct and clean up. We care, nurture and mentor.
In the midst of this, we put the needs of others first and our own as the bottom of the list. We are not taking care of ourselves.
As a result, heart disease remains the No. 1 killer of women, and many of the risk factors are preventable. That is, if women took the time to improve our diets, exercise and reduce stress, we could change the statistics dramatically.
The fourth annual Go Red for Women luncheon presented by Allen Health System will take place Feb. 15 at Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo. It teaches women about living heart-healthy lifestyles while building a support network.
The day's events include vendor booths and free heart-health evaluations, beginning at 9 a.m. Breakout sessions on exercise and risk factors take place at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.
The luncheon will begin at noon, with speaker Dr. Nieca Goldeberg, a cardiologist. Tickets for the luncheon are $35, with proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association.
This year the event also will include Hearts D'Lite a new, free event that will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. The event is sponsored by Jiva Salonspa and Jennifer's on Main, both in Cedar Falls, and will feature live entertainment, a walking style show, chair massages, wine and chocolate samples and a variety of vendors.
Former event chairwoman Patty Berning developed the idea for the event.
"So many women take the whole day off for Go Red," says Berning. "We wanted to enhance the luncheon and give people a chance to relax afterward."
She notes stress is a major heart disease risk factor and one of the most difficult for women to avoid. As a result, Heart's D'Lite is focused on women pampering themselves.
The event will include a raffle for more than 15 vendor-sponsored prizes, and tickets will be on sale all day. This particular event also will include a silent auction of an original Go Red-inspired painting by local artist Paco Rosic, and 100 signed posters of the painting will be on sale.
Among the Heart's D'Lite vendors are Indulgence, Karmen's Studio and Gallery, Organically You, Hilltop Market Florist, Stay Sassy and many others. Jennifer's will host the event's style show, and Jiva will offer chair massages, hand massages and makeup tips. The sponsors also will provide goody bags with coupons and giveaways to attendees.
JANUARY 2008
Jan. 25: Faith can be difficult to come by
I often read the covers of the magazines at the grocery store checkout. Beautiful, fit, wealthy, "perfect" people are splashed across the covers.
Tabloids often trumpet the pain of celebrities, while fashion magazines idealize their joys.
Sadly, for some these magazine racks are a source of spiritual guidance. The message is that if you look a certain way, you'll be happy --- at a price. The "moral" this imparts reinforces that happiness lies in accessories, not necessities.
I don't necessarily mean money. Money can buy a lot, regardless of what people will tell you. You can believe yourself happy for quite a while if you have enough money. It can alter your looks, make a problem go away and make people act as if they like you.
Yet we need only to consider Britney Spears' ongoing meltdown to realize money is not the path to happiness. According to the Associated Press, the 25-year-old waning pop star makes --- and spends --- $737,000 per month. More than $100,000 of that amount goes toward entertainment, gifts and vacations. (It's a fact, documented in court records.)
When I learned of Spears' wealth I thought of all I could do with one month of her income --- how happy it would make me. Sure, it hasn't worked for her, but I would be different.
The recent death of actor Heath Ledger, 28, by apparent overdose made me rethink this. A critically and publicly acclaimed actor, Ledger seemed destined for a long, fruitful career. What would cause a talented, wealthy actor to take too many pills, accidentally or otherwise?
So many talented celebrities have died due to suicide or murder, such as John Belushi, Phil Hartman and River Phoenix. Many more have careened dangerously toward similar fates --- Anne Heche, Margot Kidder and Whitney Houston, to name a few.
Upon hearing news of Ledger's death, I remembered comedian Dave Chappelle walking away from a $50 million TV deal. In 2005, he fled to South Africa for a "spiritual retreat." Life had become too hectic, he told Time Magazine, and his departure was a "clumsy dismount" from it.
Many people called Chappelle "crazy." I did, even after he explained himself. He's a smart man, so I believed he could have forced himself to have the proper perspective on his wealth.
But perhaps he saw where the money would take him --- what it would truly cost. He craved spiritual centeredness, and he knew himself well enough to realize money would cloud his judgment.
Life is tough, no matter what you have or have going for you. One of the toughest things for some is not lukewarm faith; it's that faith is hard to come by.
Having faith is a staggering prospect. If, like celebrities, all my desires were met and I were surrounded by people who told me only what I want to hear, I think my confidence would falter and I'd trust no one.
We kid ourselves, believing faith must be unwavering and never-ending. However, real faith evolves and grows. Sometimes, we lose it and have no idea how to reclaim it. Rarely do we talk to others about such difficulties, out of fear or pride.
Ledger and Chappelle illustrate why the quest for spiritual sense is so important, if illusive. No one can buy faith. Maybe we have to earn it.
Jan. 18: From Iran, with love: Filmmaker shares vision of ‘Muslim Jesus’
What if Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" were remade from a Muslim perspective? Perhaps the result would be "Jesus, the Spirit of God."
Director Nader Talebzadeh says his film shows the common ground between Muslims and Christians. "Spirit of God" won an award from the Religion Today 2007 Film Festival in Italy. Plans are in the works to remake Talebzadeh's state-funded film into a 20-episode television series for broadcast on Iran's state-run national station.
This expanded version will further explore the links between Jesus and Imam Mahdi, a key figure in Islamic writings. It is not yet widely available in the United States.
Talebzadeh is an Iranian journalist, TV producer and host and documentary and feature filmmaker. His most well-known work are documentaries about Iran's war against Iraq during the 1980s.
While Talebzadeh praises Gibson's 2004 blockbuster film, he told the Khaleej Times "Passion" misses the mark.
"Gibson's film is a very good film," he told the newspaper. "I mean that it is a well-crafted movie but the story is wrong; it was not like that."
Talebzadeh notes two key differences between "Passion" and the Muslim view of the story. The first divergence is that in Islam, Jesus is a prophet, not the son of God. The other key difference is that Muslims do not believe Christ was crucified.
Beyond these two points, most of Talebzadeh's film is said to follow the traditional New Testament Gospels. It deviates from the Christian narrative when God saves Jesus from crucifixion and takes him straight to heaven. (Jesus is played by Iranian actor Ahmad Soleimanj Nia, who sports fair skin and blonde locks for the role.)
According to the Koran, Judas, not Jesus, was crucified. Judas' crucifixion is dramatized in "Spirit of God." In Islam, there are four great prophets --- Isa (Jesus), Nuh (Noah), Musa (Moses) and Ibrahim (Abraham). These prophets were sent to earth to announce the coming of Mohammed, the final and greatest Muslim prophet.
Talebzadeh told the Khaleej Times he hopes to emphasize links between Jesus and Imam Mahdi, a key figure for Shiite Muslims. It is a view shared by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has said he is working to hasten the Mahdi's return.
According to "The History of al-Tabari," "Mahdi" means "the guided one." The history also explains that Muslims believe the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam. The Mahdi is said to have disappeared 1,200 years ago, and his return to earth has been a key tenet of Ahmadinejad's presidency.
Many Muslims believe the Mahdi will return alongside Jesus to restore a perfect and just Islamic society. (This story isn't related in the Koran but is supported by other key Muslim texts.)
Talebzadeh says he hopes his film will heal rifts between the two faiths. In a copyrighted story for Agence France-Presse he said, "It is fascinating for Christians to know that Islam gives such devotion to and has so much knowledge about Jesus. ... By making this film, I wanted to make a bridge between Christianity and Islam, to open the door for dialogue since there is much common ground between Islam and Christianity."
Jan. 11: Obama refuses to bow to pressure concerning his racial identity
I have waited a long time to share my thoughts about Barack Obama. I wanted to comment fully on his racial identity but resisted until after the caucuses.
There is an assumption that people who represent certain groups, especially marginalized groups, can and should act as spokespeople or poster children for those groups. For example, Obama should tell us "what black people think."
I like the way Tina Fey explained this phenomenon in the January issue of Playboy. She bemoaned the fact that when a female comedian bombs, some say it means women aren't funny. But when a male comedian bombs, the same assumptions aren't made.
In addition to facing the "poster child" stigma, whites and others have marveled that Obama doesn't necessarily have the "black vote" in the bag. They believe all blacks agree with each other about everything and base important decisions solely on skin color.
There was speculation among all, including black journalists, Obama may just not be "black enough" to get the black vote, because his mom is white and his upbringing doesn't fit stereotypes.
Obama is not who "we" decide he is, regardless of what Rush Limbaugh or others say. Having a white mother, talking about her and honoring her in his description of himself doesn't make him less black. That his father was Kenyan and not African American is also fairly ridiculous criterion for gauging his blackness; U.S. blacks do not corner the market on hardship.
What some find maddeningly is that Obama won't stop "pointing out" both his parents aren't black. Instead, he professes biracial identity.
Identifying as one race or ethnicity when you represent two or more is not easy, as some may think. It can mean denying a significant part of yourself. Nothing --- not money, public office or notoriety --- is worth that.
I identify myself as a "biracial/multiethnic person of African/black descent." It's a mouthful, and I'm OK with that. I am black, but I have been told I'm not. I've been openly laughed at when I proclaimed my blackness. No matter; being black is not a club someone can kick me out of. It is my birthright.
However, my parentage means I have an identity outside the black community as well. My biracial/multiethnic identity is who I am --- what I come from. My family background, heritage, my upbringing and other factors make me both.
I grew up in the late 1970s and 1980s in Waterloo at a time when there were a handful of biracial children my age. To be honest, it was tough --- tough to be yourself and not constantly feel different. I got picked on. In those days, the words for what I was didn't get it right --- "mixed," "half-breed," "mulatto." My dad discouraged "tragic mulatto" talk. Black kids told me I wasn't black. White kids called me "nigger."
There was a lot of pressure to just say I was black. I sometimes did, because it was "easier." But I longed for the opportunity to claim my true identity.
It was a lonely time that ultimately led me to shape an identity encompassing the breadth of my heritage. I don't hold much stock with biracial folks who pick one because "everyone looks at me and sees a black person" or similar reasons.
Don't get me wrong; if you personally identify with being solely black, that's great. However, if you identify that way because others tell you that's what you are, you're not in charge of your identity. I'm not sharing these things to elicit sympathy. I'm sharing to give you insight to what someone like Obama probably goes through. I admire him because he has remained who he is --- a biracial/multiethnic person --- without bowing to the pressure to let others define him.
Jan. 4: Author looks at spiritualism's impact on President Lincoln
Today the rest of the nation will hash out who Iowa Republicans and Democrats selected as presidential nominees.
In the meantime, many Iowans will settle into a sort of boredom with the process, sure we know "everything" about the candidates.
Something we don't seem to find boring is the religious beliefs of politicians, especially past presidents. So many are sure they know what people like George Washington or Richard Nixon believed, but do we --- really?
A recent book on Abraham Lincoln shows we may indeed have a lot to learn about even the most beloved of U.S. presidents.
You're likely skeptical about the "newness" of Lincoln information. After all, he's the subject of more than 6,000 books. However, Susan B. Martinez's meticulously researched "The Psychic Life of Abraham Lincoln" explores uncharted territory --- the 16th president's relationship with "higher powers."
Lincoln's religious life has long been a topic of debate. Often, biographers and historians avoided mention of Lincoln's spirituality and glossed over "unconventional" aspects of his faith, Martinez explains.
Others simply attributed such evidence to the dalliances of his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln --- something Lincoln tolerated but did not truly indulge. "In these dark hocus-pocuses Mrs. Lincoln found comfort, and Lincoln let them go on for a time, careless of whether the intellectuals of the capital thought him addle-pated or no," wrote biographer Lloyd Lewis in "Myths After Lincoln."
Many writers cryptically referred to Lincoln as a "free thinker" who didn't adhere to organized beliefs. However, "Psychic Life" presents evidence he was a Spiritualist.
The Spiritualist movement came to prominence in the United States after publication of Andrew Jackson Davis' 1847 book, "The Principles of Nature; Her Divine Revelation; and a Voice to Mankind." The concept centers around the belief that spirits of dead people communicate with the living, and the living can communicate with them. It wasn't a new belief, per se, but it did captivate an unprecedented number of people during the 19th century.
In "Psychic Life," Martinez explores Lincoln's "mystical practices and occurrences." For example, she believes her research shows Lincoln had prophetic dreams and psychic powers. He also consulted with psychics and attended seances, she writes, and he believed he could enter altered states of consciousness.
Martinez is a scholar, journalist and activist with a Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University. She was raised by agnostic/intellectual parents and discovered Spiritualism in the early 1980s. Since then, she has conducted extensive research, writing books on psychic phenomena and specializing in modern Spiritualism in the Victorian era.
Don't dismiss Martinez's assertions too quickly; the nation's "Great Age of Spiritualism" turned the heads of many prominent public figures. We may never fully understand how such beliefs shaped our national consciousness if we don't take this era seriously. "Psychic Life" shows that to ignore or downplay the role of U.S. Spiritualism is to misunderstand an important aspect of our culture.
"Today's so called New Age is but a pale and effete imitation of those heady days of table-tipping, séances and spirit communion," writes Martinez. "Without some understanding of 19th century grassroots Spiritualism, Lincoln's psychic life can hardly be appreciated. That he was chosen by a higher power to lead the nation through its darkest hour is both the theme of this book and his own personal conviction, sustaining body and mind throughout the wicked storm of civil war."
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