Bruce Springsteen, Vote for Change Rally, October 4, 2008

"Hello Philly,

"I am glad to be here today for this voter registration drive and for Barack Obama, the next President of the United States.

"I've spent 35 years writing about America, its people, and the meaning of the American Promise. The Promise that was handed down to us, right here in this city from our founding fathers, with one instruction: Do your best to make these things real. Opportunity, equality, social and economic justice, a fair shake for all of our citizens, the American idea, as a positive influence, around the world for a more just and peaceful existence. These are the things that give our lives hope, shape, and meaning. They are the ties that bind us together and give us faith in our contract with one another.

"I've spent most of my creative life measuring the distance between that American promise and American reality. For many Americans, who are today losing their jobs, their homes, seeing their retirement funds disappear, who have no healthcare, or who have been abandoned in our inner cities. The distance between that promise and that reality has never been greater or more painful.

"I believe Senator Obama has taken the measure of that distance in his own life and in his work. I believe he understands, in his heart, the cost of that distance, in blood and suffering, in the lives of everyday Americans. I believe as president, he would work to restore that promise to so many of our fellow citizens who have justifiably lost faith in its meaning. After the disastrous administration of the past 8 years, we need someone to lead us in an American reclamation project. In my job, I travel the world, and occasionally play big stadiums, just like Senator Obama. I've continued to find, wherever I go, America remains a repository of people's hopes, possibilities, and desires, and that despite the terrible erosion to our standing around the world, accomplished by our recent administration, we remain, for many, a house of dreams. One thousand George Bushes and one thousand Dick Cheneys will never be able to tear that house down.

"They will, however, be leaving office, dropping the national tragedies of Katrina, Iraq, and our financial crisis in our laps. Our sacred house of dreams has been abused, looted, and left in a terrible state of disrepair. It needs care; it needs saving, it needs defending against those who would sell it down the river for power or a quick buck. It needs strong arms, hearts, and minds. It needs someone with Senator Obama's understanding, temperateness, deliberativeness, maturity, compassion, toughness, and faith, to help us rebuild our house once again. But most importantly, it needs us. You and me. To build that house with the generosity that is at the heart of the American spirit. A house that is truer and big enough to contain the hopes and dreams of all of our fellow citizens. That is where our future lies. We will rise or fall as a people by our ability to accomplish this task. Now I don't know about you, but I want that dream back, I want my America back, I want my country back.

"So now is the time to stand with Barack Obama and Joe Biden, roll up our sleeves, and come on up for the rising."

Brian McLaren--Obama, Part 5

Why I'm Voting for Barack Obama, and Why I Hope You Will Too, part 5

by Brian McLaren.

In this post, Brian addresses abortion.

(I know I skipped part 4, you can read it here--it's about the environment.)

hello again

Sorry (if anyone is out there) that I haven't written in a while. Just been really busy and haven't made it a priority. I'm attempting again to remedy that...

life is great, but crazy busy. church is going well, new people are coming around and joining, including some artists. we are in the midst of a series on the Sermon on the Mount, where artists are interpreting and creating and leading us in worship...

check out the Convergence blog to read more...

I've been in an exhausting conversation with a friend who adamantly opposes Obama, basically saying that Christians who support Obama are defying God. 

Four years ago, eight years ago, actually every election since I could first vote in 1984; I have voted Republican, because I was told that Republicans championed Christian values and that Democrats were Godless liberals.

As my thinking has opened up in recent years; and seeing much in the current administration, and our country, that does not reflect God; my political views have changed.

If you are a Christian (or even if not) I encourage you to look at the ProLife, ProObama page from the Matthew 25 website for a different perspective on Christians, the election, and abortion...also see this Put Away Falsehood page from Matthew 25 that addresses a lot of, well, falsehoods about Obama and his positions.

Another good site is Clergy for Obama.

As a pastor, I realize I am taking a risk in endorsing a candidate. I do not do so from the pulpit (we don't us a pulpit anyway :-) )

But we have a very open and diverse community at Convergence, and I think I communicate an attitude of acceptance and respect for all people and all opinions. I would rather us have conversation about politics, and learn from one another, than create an atmosphere where people are afraid to be honest or feel judged if they have a different perspective.

4-1

great story about the Redskins, who have gone from the team expected to finish last in the division to one of the best in the league.

election and abortion

I've been in some good conversations lately about the election, and the typical conservative Christian perspective that you can't be a Christian and vote for a pro-choice candidate.

here are some good blogs that address this issue:

"Pro-Life, Pro-Obama" by Bart Campolo

"Abortion," from Larry Taylor's blog The Word in Focus

McLaren--Obama, pt. 3

Why I'm Voting for Barack Obama...(part 3)

by Brian McLaren

Redskins 26 Cowboys 24

enough politics...onto something really important--The Redskins beat the Cowboys!

great day today; church at New Hope this morning with my family, then a reception for the current exhibit in our gallery, with artist Carl Lennartson.

worship tonight was good. we talked about the atonement--looking at four different models or theories, how none of them is complete on their own, and how a theology based on more than one model can change how we see God.

Here are summaries we looked at--taken from a variety of sources:

Models of Atonement

Christus Victor

Atonement is about the incarnation of Jesus into this world, and of participation and sharing in the suffering of humanity, taking them to the cross, so that God triumphs over evil and all of creation is restored and recreated.

Satisfaction

This model is grounded in the concept of personal honor found in the European feudal culture. Sin dishonors God. A price must be paid to satisfy God and restore his divine honor. The only penalty suitable to God was Christ’s obedience to death.

Moral Influence

Jesus’ self-giving love, expressed in his death on the cross, leads us to love God and love others fully, giving our lives back to God.

Penal Substitution

Christ, by his own sacrificial choice, was punished in the place of sinners, thus satisfying the demands of justice so God can justly forgive sins.

will they debate?

Great piece from Joe Garofoli of the San Francisco Chronicle about McCain's debate tactics.

McCain says he doesn't want to debate because this is a time for America to focus on the crisis, not politics--this whole strategy is a political tactic.

McLaren--Obama, pt. 2

Why I Am Voting for Obama, and Why I Hope You Will Too, Part 2

by Brian McLaren

watch this

Great clip from Stephen Colbert.

election stuff

Why I Am Voting for Obama, and Why I Hope You Will, Too 

by Brian Mclaren

some friends are challenging me to dig deeper and explain why I prefer Barack Obama in the upcoming election. To be honest, I don't have the time to explain it all in my words. Between church and the house and my kids, I'm lucky to find a few minutes here and there to blog.

My purpose in this blog is to express what I'm thinking and feeling and doing and pondering...I blogged a couple times about the unethical practices of the McCain campaign; a couple of my friends told me I shouldn't pay attention to that stuff, but look at the candidates and their platforms. 

Fair enough...but I also think how these men (and women) are campaigning says a lot about their character, and for me, that is an important factor...so for those of you who tell me I shouldn't complain and that I need to spend more time and energy explaining why I prefer Obama--sorry, that's just not the direction I want to go. 

It's my blog.  (this is me jokingly sticking my tongue out) There is enough written out there about all this, some of it slanted, but some of it very accurate. It seems clear to me, even from my friends who are challenging me--that we all prefer to read people and pieces that reflect our perspective, but that we tend to ignore or dismiss those that don't.

I'm trying to read a lot, from different perspectives, but not seeing much that changes my mind. The link above goes to an article I found myself agreeing with.

so...I'm glad to discuss, but I don't want this blog to be about the election. I just happened to post a couple times on stuff that struck me...the next post will probably be about fantasy football or attending a couple upcoming Washington Nationals games.

Thanks for reading! 

(Veritable--I disagree about your words carrying more weight anonymously...I'm more likely to listen if there is some level of trust...but I am curious and always enjoy a mystery. If you'll give me a clue; I promise to not reveal your identity publicly, since you want to remain anonymous)

how can people believe this stuff!

analysis of McCain tactics from the Post

I used to be very conservative; I usually voted Republican. I have shifted quite a bit, but I still think I can be pretty objective. But I am outraged at the lying and manipulation being done by the McCain campaign. It's embarrassing.

I'm trying to teach my daughter about the political process. what do I say to her, when people who claim to be Christians, and who should be setting an example for how we treat others, are committing such horrible acts?

lies

OK, I don't want to just write about the election...but I am really amazed at the dishonesty of the Republican ticket. I'm not saying the democrats are squeaky clean...but I haven't heard anything like this on their end.

Check out this from an article from the AP:

Republican presidential nominee John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, equated lawmakers' requests for funding for special projects with corruption on Wednesday even though Palin herself has requested nearly $200 million in so-called "earmarks" this year.

later on:

Palin routinely claims to have put an end to Alaska's infamous "bridge to nowhere," even though she supported the project during her gubernatorial campaign and turned against it only when it became a national embarrassment and Congress threatened to cut its funding.

In this article, we see how McCain drastically twists an Obama vote on sex education. Obama was voting for legislation that would give schools the ability to warn young children about inappropriate touching and sexual predators. McCain now runs an ad that says Obama wanted to teach comprehensive sex education to kindergartners--a gross distortion.

I am convinced that many conservative Christians in politics (ie. Palin, Bush and others) really believe they are on a mission for God. They are so convinced of the righteousness of their mission, that they have no problem lying to accomplish their goals. that's scary.

hypocrisy from the right

Check out this clip of Jon Stewart pointing out hypocrisy on the political right, from both politicians and media. 

Donald Miller prayer

Here is the text from Donald Miller's prayer at the Democratic National Convention a couple days ago:

"Father God,

This week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future.

We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation.

We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy.

Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.

Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.

Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.

Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle.

Hep us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education.

Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony.

We have tried to solve these problems ourselves but they are still there. We need your help.

Father, will you restore our moral standing in the world.

A lot of people don’t like us but that’s because they don’t know the heart of the average American.

Will you give us favor and forgiveness, along with our allies around the world.

Help us be an example of humility and strength once again.

Lastly, father, unify us.

Even in our diversity help us see how much we have in common.

And unify us not just in our ideas and in our sentiments—but in our actions, as we look around and figure out something we can do to help create an America even greater than the one we have come to cherish.

God we know that you are good.

Thank you for blessing us in so many ways as Americans.

I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice.

Let Him be our example.

Amen."

great spot from The Onion

check out this audio--only 1 minute--but great:

The Onion Radio News: Church Group Offers Homosexual New Life in the Closet.

bruce live

Last night I saw Bruce Springsteen in concert for the 11^th time. That’s right, 11. One more than 10 (which was a nice round number, and one my wife thought was a good one on which to end my Bruce concert career).

But he was in Richmond last night; only an hour away, and I decided to save up my allowance for a couple months and do it. Kenny and I drove down, had a forgettable dinner at the Third Street Diner (Penny Lane was too crowded), and went to the show.

The concert was amazing. Back in the 80’s he played monstrous 4-hour marathon shows. Bruce is 58 years old now; the shows these days usually go about 2-1/2 hours. Last night he played for 3 hours. He talked about how special Richmond was—in the early days, it was the first place outside of New Jersy that he played.

Each concert is an amazing experience. (check this out: The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen.)

There are times when the experience is transcendant. 10,000 strangers (or more, I once saw him with 50,000 at Mile High Stadium in Denver) joined together, connected by the music. And the music is incredible. Bruce sings about life--good, bad, relationships, tragedy, hope. He did a good mix of old and new; several of my favorite songs—"Badlands," "Cadillac Ranch," "She’s the One"...

I thought about how Bruce’s music has been the soundtrack of my life. I began listening seriously when my friend Jeff introduced me to Born to Run in high school.

I was fully converted when I saw him for the first time in Denver--November 11, 1984. Now, 24 years later, I hear the songs and each one takes me back to a different time in my life, bringing memories of an old girlfriend, or job, or home, or car... 

If you've never seen Springsteen; do it next time you get a chance. I've seen a lot of concerts; his are without a doubt the best.

good day, busy week

Great day yesterday; had lunch with good friend Joey Tomassoni. Joey has been instrumental, mostly behind the scenes, in much of what we have done at Convergence. Even more, he is just a really great guy. Loves God, loves people, really bright and encouraging. 

we ate lunch outside in Annapolis--it was a beautiful day. We were joined by two of Joey's friends, Brandon and Darren. Darren leads a ministry that has a lot in common with Convergence called Creative Paradox.

the low point was sitting on the beltway for 2 1/2 hours, going about 5 mph.

but the day got better with a great meeting with Amy, talking about getting some ministry stuff going and organized at Convergence.

I've got a paper due next friday, and a sermon to write for Sunday...but I'm going to bed...

where the hell is matt?

check out this website--Matt traveled the world and filmed himself dancing in dozens of countries, sometimes alone, sometimes with lots of people. My friend David told me about it.

At first I thought it was just funny, but after a while felt it was really profound--watching this man dance with people all over the world. I got this sense of how no matter how different, or far apart we are, we are all connected. It's really kind of beautiful. Take a look.

final leg--Atlanta

We reluctantly left Alabama, but were really glad to arrive in Atlanta to stay with my cousin Brian and his wife Renee. They have two beautiful kids--Declan and Aislan. It was wonderful to see them, my uncle Larry and Aunt Judy, cousin Sean and his wife Debra, Sean's daughter McKinsey, and my cousin Jennifer's daughter Drew. 

I grew up going on vacations with Sean, Brian and Jennifer, and have stayed pretty close over the years. They are all super people, it is great seeing them, and their families...

It was a great way to wrap up the vacation--hanging with my cousins, and watching our children play together the way we used to.