NowTHINK!AboutIt

Avoiding Hackneyed...Making Sense

Reasons To Believe Jesus Cares More About People Than Issues

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Instead of obeying those in authority, Christians would rather become those in autority.

Jesus Exemplified
A People-First Approach
To Ministry

There is no question that Jesus cares. He endured great difficulties during His short life and that alone gives us a measure of His interest.

Just being born exposed Him to humiliation, inconvenience and threat, and then later He was buffeted by insult, doubt, rejection and finally crucifixion.

And none of that was a surprise. He knew this would happen but it didn’t deter Him.

All of that is to say He’s invested. He cares but the question is what exactly does He care about?

He had to have a good reason to willingly subject Himself to these abuses and we need to ask what that was. [Read more…] about Reasons To Believe Jesus Cares More About People Than Issues

From The Dark Ages To The Modern Era, Catholics Have Come Full Circle

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Neither the leopard nor the Catholic can change their spots.

The Supreme Court
Has Become The New Tribunal

In the colonial years of American history religion was very prevalent. Several denominations were represented: Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Anglicans, Quakers and even Catholics. This plurality was only grudgingly accepted, however, as every colony adopted an official religion.

Puritans and Anglicans were the most prominent but States like Pennsylvania and Rhode Island accepted and encouraged a pluralistic approach.

Historically, that level of religious diversity usually ended in a dog fight. Europe’s Thirty Years War (1618-1648), motivated largely by Catholic attempts to reseize political control, was a good reason for Protestants to escape to the New World.

But abuse wasn’t committed only by Catholics. Even when Catholics weren’t scheming for political advantage the Protestants were killing each other in an attempt to gain power. For Europeans it seemed there was no end in site.

It’s as if the religious in Europe were trying to bring Matthew 10 to everyday life.The best option was to cut and run.

Religious freedom (aka the desire to escape religious persecution) was one of the main reasons immigrants gambled on the long and fraught journey to settle on American soil.

But the abusive nature of religion didn’t fade easily. It’s a strange thing but religious aggression immigrated to America too.

The Puritans (aka Congregationalists), the first Protestants to settle in America, dominated the New England colonies. Their first order of business was to combine church law with civil law and the entire community was held to that standard. Anyone who didn’t show up at church regularly was in trouble. [Read more…] about From The Dark Ages To The Modern Era, Catholics Have Come Full Circle

Autocracy Inc.: A Book Review

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Democracy protects the rights of people as long as people use those rights to protect democracy.

Political Chaos Anywhere
Is A Threat To Democracy Everywhere

Anne Applebaum, the author of Autocracy Inc. is an American journalist and historian. Her writing has focused on the history of communism and other social issues in central and eastern Europe.

Her book is well documented and an easy read.

The title really drew me in.

Autocracy Inc.: The Dictators Who Want To Run The World

It is, of course, no revelation that dictators want to run the world and we know who the dictators are: Putin, Xi, Lukashenko, Kim and several others, all of whom are mentioned in the book.

What most people don’t realize is that these leaders have little in common. I doubt they even like each other. As far as I know, they don’t socialize on a regular basis.

Put them all in a locked room for an extended period of time and it’s likely only one would emerge still standing. [Read more…] about Autocracy Inc.: A Book Review

Democracy Always Beats Autocracy

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The greatest distance between people is measured in emotion, not miles.

Democracy Is Working With People
You Don’t Agree With
To Achieve
What You Both Want

Don’t be fooled by the fact that we just had an election.

it is true that elections are the foundational component in a democratic society. The vote represents the voice of every single person. Individuals vote for the candidates who represent them and they choose those candidates based on the political issues they plan to push, the legislation they intend to introduce.

But that’s not the end of the process. It’s only the beginning.

The fact is we usually pick candidates based on their political views, the issues they intend to support and promote while in office. But the issues are not the issue. It’s also not whether they will keep their campaign promises.

Campaign promises let us know where the candidate stands but we all know that promises are subject to the interactions of law makers in the course of doing their jobs.

The real question is will the candidate I choose be able to negotiate fairly with political peers to get things done? Not will they do everything they said they will do but will they be emotionally mature enough to recognize a good trade off when they see it? Are they wise enough to work with others to get the best possible deal?

We’re learning more and more that what a candidate promises and what they’re able to get done are two different things.

And that should be expected. Candidates come from different places are each working toward different goals. To expect each candidate to achieve their every promise is naive and senseless.

When it comes to politics, middle ground – which is essentially a compromise – is the best you can possibly achieve. It’s the place where both sides get something.

That’s the issue. That’s the democratic process. Elections are necessary but they aren’t enough. The democratic process needs to be well oiled and well used for legislation to move forward in an acceptable manner.

So that means there are two considerations. There’s the vote and that’s where the public engages. Then there’s the legislative process where the elected candidates do their job to work with all other parties to arrive at agreeable legislative solutions.

We call that the democratic process and it isn’t happening so much these days.

Autocrats don’t get it. [Read more…] about Democracy Always Beats Autocracy

It’s No Longer About Democrats And Republicans

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Autocracy, even for the right reasons, is still wrong.

The Best Idea
Is Openly And Diligently Debated
And Eventually Agreed To
By All Parties

This article is focused on what used to be the entrenched two party system in the US. I’m not suggesting we change the system. I’m suggesting it’s slowly morphed into something very different.

We lived with it for many years and, in spite of its flaws, it served us acceptably well. But all that’s been changed.

Reasonable Debate No Longer Applies

What used to happen between the Democratic and Republican forums – debate the issues until acceptable middle ground is agreed upon – is no longer at play and hasn’t been for a while.

Starting at least with Richard Nixon, Republicans began using tactics that could only be tagged as treason. Nixon’s Watergate scandal is common knowledge but that wasn’t his worst infraction. Nixon’s interference in the Vietnam peace talks isn’t talked about as much or known as widely but it far outweighs the criminality of Watergate. Both instances, however, shine a light on what was to come.

His motive in both cases was to win the presidency at any cost.

Things have gotten worse. Republicans are no longer interested in rational debate. They will do anything to win an election.

Nixon was shamed out of office once his true character came to the surface. Now, Republicans act out and dare anyone to question it. [Read more…] about It’s No Longer About Democrats And Republicans