Smoke and Mirrors: July 2005

Sunday, July 31, 2005

Moving into the Conceptual Age.

Very interesting interview with Daniel Pink author of A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age.

Monday, July 11, 2005

Pope John Paul II - In Costa Rica March 1983

Saturday, July 09, 2005

1983 - Pope John Paul II with Turkish terrorist who tried to assaninate him Mehmet Ali Agca.

1983 - Pope John Paul II talks to Turkish terrorist Mehmet Ali Agca.

The Role of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is never easy and is contradictory to our nature. Forgiveness is not fair or just and does not make much sense. We live our lives striving for justice and equality. We follow the law, work hard to make a living, do the best we can to protect our family, try to help others in need, yet we are supposed to forgive some low-life who only takes from life and never contributes anything of merit to society. Most of our initial responses would be "hell no!"

One could argue Jesus' strongest message was forgiveness. He came to live among us as a man and show us exactly what forgiveness is. He asked forgiveness for the men nailing him to the cross. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" and he said, “We should forgive others 70 x 7.” His message was loud and clear.

There is a certain justice to forgiveness because as it is required of us it is also given to us as a gift. All of us, at one time or another, have had to be forgiven and usually over and over again.

I believe it was Donald Shriver, former president of Union Theological Seminary in New York who said on MPR's Midmorning “An eye for an eye” from the book of Leviticus, was originally inserted into the law codes of Israel as a constraint on infinite revenge – not more than one eye for one eye – a beginning on curbing a revengeful spirit. I found that interesting because I always thought that quote was in the spirt of pure revenge.

We have to transcend our nature and our desire for retribution in order to make it possible for us to be compassionate enough to forgive others. Our political leaders should be paving the way for peace between nations as well. Currently we are living in a world where revenge rules but in order for our world to survive that will have to change.

"Even our criminal justice should not act out of revenge, it is not a matter of revenge, rather it should be an act of protecting society and also a matter of expecting that that person might change. It is the most humanizing thing we can do."

-- Donald Shriver, former president of Union Theological Seminary in New York.

Church and State

Recently criticism, targeted at our government for stressing fundamental Christian values and beliefs, is blurring the line between church and state. I believe the framers constructed the foundation of our government on Christian principles and at the very least held a deistic view of existence.

Having said that, I also believe the framers were clear that they did not want organized religion taking any part in the decision making process from the Executive, Judicial, or Legislative branch of government. Their only point of reference should be the Constitution of the United States.

The Bush Administration's attempt at incorporating evangelical Christian beliefs into the decision making process has confirmed for me that religion has no part in government. My reason is that Christianity, as well as other religions, are often interpreted to reflect the viewpoint and agenda of the person claiming to know what Christ would want.

I see no connection between what the Bush Administration is trying to do and Christianity. Jesus preaches about forgiveness and they preach about revenge. Jesus preaches about helping the poor and the "least of our brother" and they further line the pockets of those that already have too much.

Religion is used much too often to validate the immoral actions of the powerful to let it seep into administering public policy.