Check it out. http://rednecks4obama.com
I saw this article http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081009/pl_afp/usvoteobamarednecks
a couple of days ago. Made me a little teary eyed and I feel better about the world in general these days.
So, ok. Obama is hugely popular because he is African American. But I think only he could say some of the things he is saying and have it mean something. It is because he is not white, it means something to the people. Have to think about that one for a few days...
So, last Friday, my one strong church member called for a healing service. No biggie. Towards the end (the church folk are of the more old school chruch type that have church for hours and hours) I invited those that felt lead to share to share...I was listening as several people talk about their upbringing. They talked about their faithful parents and the fact that these parents prayed so that they felt they never had to. But now the parents are gone and they have realised that they need to pray themselves.
One of the things that I feel is a shortcoming as a pastor is that I have been a christian as long as I can remember. Even when I rebelled in college, I never left the church. And I like the church. I have many fond memories of the church I grew up in. I'm not bragging nor do I think I am better, actually, I think this all detracts from my ability to connect with the people in my congregation.
I was already fighting an uphill battle with them (the adults -about 5 people). They let their church go. By all rights, that church should have been closed. They stopped coming because they had a crappy pastor. But I have a complete lack of compassion for them. They let their church go. I could possibly let it go but the adults are hostile about me being there (apparently I am too young) and about the children and the church and community center being there. The adults have no interest in the community center. Whatever. I am doing my job to the best of my ability working with children and grown folks who act like children. I really prefer the kids. Its frustrating waiting for grown people to get over themselves.
I did have a non-bitter insight earlier today. My beloved church I grew up in. The ultra conservative small United Methodist Choctaw church. The services were all held in Choctaw. The language that I don't speak or understand. They spoke choctaw and sang in choctaw and really I never knew what they were saying. I could intuit what was being said so I learned about church by people's actions. Meaning I never heard any ultra conservative language. At Drew there were those who had grown up in conservative churches and who were deeply hurt by it.
I find that interesting. Maybe its not. But I have long held the idea that Christianity should be action over talking. Or in simpler terms, Christian should just shut up.
But you gotta love those rednecks right? I do.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
So What (Seriously I should have been a rock star)
I am in my home office listening to Pink thinking about Politics, economics, dirty dishes and worrying about the fact that I am still in my jammies at 1:00pm. I resolve to be dressed for the day by two. I may even go to my work site. (yes I know it all sounds wrong)
POLITICS: I watched the VP debate too. but I may not be able to watch anymore. Seriously, doesn't it depress you? I used to think that there was a government conspiracy because how else did Bush stay in office but as I go around registering folks to vote, listening to folks talk and buy into what the republicans are saying, as well as listening to smart people not wanting to register to vote because of the failings of the democratic party, I no longer think there was a conspiracy. The American people actually voted to keep Bush in office. And now I am afraid, as I was afraid during the last election. The republicans are going to win.
Of course, the republican party wants people to be afraid. Not for the same reasons that I am afraid. But fear is a powerful motivator. Fear will drive all those survivalists people hiding in the woods but who are registered to vote to get out and vote and they will indeed vote. Fear may be driving me to such stark imagery but can you kinda get what I am saying? Then the people who are not impressed with democrats, who aren't registered to vote anyway, will stay at home making sanctimonious remarks about not having anyone to vote for. And poor Tina Fey will be doomed to play Palin for four years (eight years).
I was an Obama fan early on. I liked him better than Clinton. Though I may have felt better with a Obama/Clinton ticket(I am voting for Obama/Biden) I loved how the idea of Obama becoming president seemed to rally the people. The young people, the non-white community who generally feel voting in elections made no difference, the ones who previously felt that their voices were unheard. Or I watched that Will. I. Am. video too much. But people seemed to find hope in the idea of Obama as president. I loved it. Seeing hope on faces. But then Obama made that remark about small town people during a fundraiser. The guns and religion remark. I will agree that the remark is probably more true than not true but, again all those small town religious gun folk are all registered to vote and they will go out and vote. But not for Obama.
As the heat turns up and political manipulations are getting more desperate...I just don't know. I know perfection is not a reality in dealing with people. But I rather dislike the concept of democracy and of freedom that our country claims we have. Its the reason that many people weren't voting in the first place, they saw through the facade. Its the reason I wasn't voting. But, as I tell folks reluctant to register and vote, that reason wasn't working so its time to try something different. Perhaps if we all just admit that we have a faulty system...?
Some other thoughts: Obama is hugely popular because he is an african american. If he was a white man, would he have made it this far talking about change while having less experience?
Honestly, no. Poor Palin is trying the same trick as a woman. But (I think) its not working as well for her as it is for Obama. So Politics comes down to the devil you know as oppose to the one you don't know. And the American mob is saying we know the republicans.
And I'm afraid.
MONEY
I'm not afraid of the wall street crisis. or by Belgian InBev buying out Budweiser, the great American lager. I am not ignorant of what could happen...I just am not afraid. Granted I don't have any money, stocks, a house or anything. I went to a dinner/theater thing at my Alma Mater Oklahoma City University, sat by strange luck at the same table with the President of OCU, the Bishop of both Oklahoma conferences and the treasurer of the Oklahoma conference. Topics turned to money. The President of OCU, Tom McDaniels asked the Conference Treasurer what he thought. Brian said something about being responsible for either 6 or 10 million dollars of the conference's money. they talk about decisions about building houses about stocks. I listened politely but I don't have any money or a house. My church literally has no money. Am I the lucky one?
Worse comes to worse, we will survive in my conference because the majority of us have no money and we know how to make do. Though I feel bad for Brian and his millions of dollars of responsibility. It makes my stomach hurt to think about it. I actually can't tell if my thinking is off or not. It feels wrong but....
Its almost 2:00pm. I need to go get dressed and make some phone calls.
POLITICS: I watched the VP debate too. but I may not be able to watch anymore. Seriously, doesn't it depress you? I used to think that there was a government conspiracy because how else did Bush stay in office but as I go around registering folks to vote, listening to folks talk and buy into what the republicans are saying, as well as listening to smart people not wanting to register to vote because of the failings of the democratic party, I no longer think there was a conspiracy. The American people actually voted to keep Bush in office. And now I am afraid, as I was afraid during the last election. The republicans are going to win.
Of course, the republican party wants people to be afraid. Not for the same reasons that I am afraid. But fear is a powerful motivator. Fear will drive all those survivalists people hiding in the woods but who are registered to vote to get out and vote and they will indeed vote. Fear may be driving me to such stark imagery but can you kinda get what I am saying? Then the people who are not impressed with democrats, who aren't registered to vote anyway, will stay at home making sanctimonious remarks about not having anyone to vote for. And poor Tina Fey will be doomed to play Palin for four years (eight years).
I was an Obama fan early on. I liked him better than Clinton. Though I may have felt better with a Obama/Clinton ticket(I am voting for Obama/Biden) I loved how the idea of Obama becoming president seemed to rally the people. The young people, the non-white community who generally feel voting in elections made no difference, the ones who previously felt that their voices were unheard. Or I watched that Will. I. Am. video too much. But people seemed to find hope in the idea of Obama as president. I loved it. Seeing hope on faces. But then Obama made that remark about small town people during a fundraiser. The guns and religion remark. I will agree that the remark is probably more true than not true but, again all those small town religious gun folk are all registered to vote and they will go out and vote. But not for Obama.
As the heat turns up and political manipulations are getting more desperate...I just don't know. I know perfection is not a reality in dealing with people. But I rather dislike the concept of democracy and of freedom that our country claims we have. Its the reason that many people weren't voting in the first place, they saw through the facade. Its the reason I wasn't voting. But, as I tell folks reluctant to register and vote, that reason wasn't working so its time to try something different. Perhaps if we all just admit that we have a faulty system...?
Some other thoughts: Obama is hugely popular because he is an african american. If he was a white man, would he have made it this far talking about change while having less experience?
Honestly, no. Poor Palin is trying the same trick as a woman. But (I think) its not working as well for her as it is for Obama. So Politics comes down to the devil you know as oppose to the one you don't know. And the American mob is saying we know the republicans.
And I'm afraid.
MONEY
I'm not afraid of the wall street crisis. or by Belgian InBev buying out Budweiser, the great American lager. I am not ignorant of what could happen...I just am not afraid. Granted I don't have any money, stocks, a house or anything. I went to a dinner/theater thing at my Alma Mater Oklahoma City University, sat by strange luck at the same table with the President of OCU, the Bishop of both Oklahoma conferences and the treasurer of the Oklahoma conference. Topics turned to money. The President of OCU, Tom McDaniels asked the Conference Treasurer what he thought. Brian said something about being responsible for either 6 or 10 million dollars of the conference's money. they talk about decisions about building houses about stocks. I listened politely but I don't have any money or a house. My church literally has no money. Am I the lucky one?
Worse comes to worse, we will survive in my conference because the majority of us have no money and we know how to make do. Though I feel bad for Brian and his millions of dollars of responsibility. It makes my stomach hurt to think about it. I actually can't tell if my thinking is off or not. It feels wrong but....
Its almost 2:00pm. I need to go get dressed and make some phone calls.
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