Typically, I reserve this Monday morning slot for a question with limited commentary. But, since my schedule last week precluded any posts, I have a couple of things on my mind. Here’s one of them.  Please leave me your comments!  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.  First, a video:

This week we enter our holiday season with the celebration of two American folk holidays. The first celebrates the legendary gathering of Pilgrims and Native Americans in a feast to give thanks to God for their sustinence. The second pays homage to the capitalist God of consumer American greed, reminding us that no matter how much we have, it is never, ever enough.

This week we will flip on the television on Thursday morning to watch corporate propaganda fly by in the form of balloons and marching bands. We’ll injest food and occasionally look up from the newspaper full of ads to acknowledge the presence of family and friends. Yet, this day is just a warm up to what has become the greatest holiday in the insane, unsustainable American economic system:  Black Friday.

This week we will be told that if people do not shop and buy more than they did last year, than our economy is in peril. We will be enticed by coprorations to do the “patriotic thing” and spend our money on Tickle-Me-Elmos and laptop computers to “stimulate” the economy. We will be told that for the season of advent to be special, it must be expensive, and particularly more expensive than it was last year.

And we will offset our obvious greed with unprecedented, isolated acts of generosity. We will watch news reports about turkey dinners, new toys, and good deeds done for those less fortunate souls around us whom we ignored the last 11 months.  Uncontrollably, we will be moved to realize those that are left out of this economic whirlwhind, yet few of us will stop to ask how much better off these folks would be without the whirlwind in the first place.

I would suggest that it is time for a new holiday. If Thanksgiving must be relegated to a simple pre-festival day of commemoration (i.e. Christmas eve), than let it precede, not the insane, unsustainable practice of Black Friday, but the life-sustaining realization that we can Buy Nothing and be just fine.

What do you think?  Will you be shopping on Friday? Or will you take the Buy Nothing challenge?

It’s a new morning at the start of a new week.  If you’re like me, you’ve gone through the routine of eating, grooming, perhaps engaged in some spiritual exercise, and then embarked on your day at work, school, or whatever you do. It is so easy for us to settle into routines, to become captive to the expectation of the expected.  Too easily we assume that our problems our intractable and that our lives are simply destined to follow the railroad track of routine for eternity.

But, I wonder if we can change this discusison by considering, not what is expected or normal, but what is possible. One of my favorite Buddhist authors, Thich Nhat Hanh says, “We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize?” So, my question this morning is rather philosophical, but perhaps practical in influencing how this week is lived:

What possibilities are you willing to embrace this week? What steps outside of the normal are you hoping to take? When this week comes to a close, how will your expectations be changed?

May this week open up many new doors of possibility for each of you.

The air is getting colder as we march towards turkey dinner. We’re another week closer, so without any further ado, here are my Quick Hits from around the web this week:

*  Gebrselassie for Prime Minister.The Ethiopian running legend has announced his desire to enter public office to “better the conditions of my people.” This man is the Ethiopian equivalent to Michael Jordan by a few times more. It’d be interesting to see if he could unseat the Meles government.

*  Mega-Church Pastor Sells his Church. Great article from Jonathan Brink on the Emergent Village Blog. How great would this be?

*  Two of my buddies have put out great posts this week. Ross writes about the idea of “gloriying” God, a phrase which absoltely drives me crazy. Steven posts a letter “To my fellow conservative friends” in the aftermath of the election.

*  Finally, from the God’s Politics blog, a quote from the amazing Emily Dickinson.  This may be the first time Emily has been quoted on this blog, but it should not be the last.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops at all.

- Emily Dickinson

 

Have a great weekend everyone!

In the week and days since the election of Barack Obama, many around the world have waited with anticipation for the messianic fruits of the long-awaited change of leader. Many others have pondered moving to another country, hitting their knees in prayer for perseverance through the imminent doom which awaits us. I, however, would like to offer that neither of these perceptions form a grounded reality. With this in mind, for those who are passionate about the issues, I offer, with a hint of humility, my “Simple Solutions to Fix Everything.”

Abortion

Adopt a Child

The Economy

Stop charging more than you can pay each month. If this means shopping at thrift stores, cooking meals at home, and pulling out the rabbit ears, so be it.  It won’t kill ya.

Homelessness

Clear out your spare room filled with junk, buy a futon, go downtown, get to know a homeless man or woman, invite them to be your roommate.

Terrorism

Join the local mosque and eat dinner with Muslims every week.

Same-Sex Marriage

If you’re married, file your taxes singly this year and give up the marriage tax break.

Health Care

Start Exercising; Maybe walk through your neighborhood each night. It just might be contagious.

The problems we face are real, but they do not define us. These problems are not impossible, but they will not be solved by a President or a Congress or a Court. They will be solved by the simple action of you and me. Let us not be paralyzed by the placement of power in high places. Let us remember that the real power for change lies within us, right here, right now.  Good luck!

As I sat in a faith community gathering this week, we read some remarkable words from Jesus. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is quoted as saying:

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great..”  Luke 6:35

Everytime I hear these words I am challenged on a personal level, though I have been blessed with a limited number of personal enemies. But, what if we read this passage in view of the collective? How would this influence our domestic laws?  our foreign policy? Specifically, should we stop figuring out how to drop a bunker-buster bombs on Al Qaeda members, and start dreaming up ways we can do good to them and give them money?

So, what do you think? Was Jesus crazy or does it just seem so because of our marriage to a militant view of conflict resolution?  I look forward to hearing your view.  Have a great week!

The election is over at last, and now our attention must turn to action. Here’s some interesting tips from around the web.

*  Josh has written a beautiful piece from the perceptive of an adoptive parent. He described better than I can a piece of my elation at the Obama victory. h/t Brian.

* Many around the US are struggling to find things to talk about now.

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

*  Want to be happier? Start going to a religious service or do some yoga.  New Research.

*  NPR has a great story this morning about the Pope’s meeting with Muslim Scholars.  In case you missed it, you can listen here.

*  Finally, the amazing Billy Graham is now 90 years old.While I certainly don’t agree with Mr. Graham theologically, his consistency of service and unwillingness to marry his religion to the Republican party are admirable.

It’s over at last. After nearly two years of campaigning (and too many political posts on this blog), Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States of America. Although more people voted for Obama than any president since LBJ, there are still many in this country who find themselves disillusioned today, disappointed at the results, and carrying the weight of impending doom. Then, there are many of us who are estacic, flush with the thrill of victory and the pandora’s box of possibility which opened last evening. Regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, I think we can agree on one, enduring truth: We have a lot of work to do.

I use “we” intentionally here, for to assume that the future of the United States of America depends on Barack Obama or the Democratic Party is a fallacy. It is our responsibility, yours and mine, to create the country which we desire. We all have an amazing perspective to offer, and together the hidden resources which we possess are more than enough. We need each of us, in our communities, to work tirelessly to shape the future we desire, to bring into view the world we’ve imagined. Last night simply inspires us to know that anything is possible.

This is not a time for polarization. Many on the far right will feel the need to oppose the new President, even claiming that his election is evidence of the impending armageddon as interpreted from Biblical passages. Many on the far left will revel in the power they think they now have and advocate for changes they desire wiht little regard for the opinions of others.  Neither approach is needed in this time.

Instead, we need to come together, to get everyone at the table, to listen to unheard voices and to embody the changes we desire. Barack Obama cannot fix our world. But, together, all of us, one step at a time, with Barack as our leader, we can do so much. This is what changed last night. We now have a reminder that anything is possible, that our problems are not insurmountable, and that we can create a future beyond our wildest imaginations. It’s time to get to work.

In two days we will wake up with a new president-elect of the United States of America. After nearly two years of campaigning, this journey will come to an end and either Barack Obama of John McCain will be named the next president. With as much time, money, and discussion that has gone into this campaign, I’m wondering how you, the wonderful readers of my blog, think the conclusion of this will change your lives.  We’ve both seen people very excited about their candidate winning and claiming this to be the second-coming of Jesus or Mohammed, while others are spreading fear about the sky falling if their guy loses.  My question is this:

On November 5th, 2008, what will be different about your life if John McCain or Barack Obama are elected as President of the United States?  What changes?

As always, I look forward to your responses. I have a couple thoughts on this, but I’d love to hear what you think first.

Happy Halloween Everyone! Here are the quick hits from this week, just days before the next election.

*  Still trying to decide how to vote? Shane Claiborne, urban Protestant monk and activist, gives his view on damage control. Conservative Andrew Sullivan has made his choice.  And The One Campaign has released a comparison of the Presidential candidates views on global poverty (yes, they mention that every now and then).

* Daniel Libit of Politico has written about the “Best lines, worst gaffes of the campaign.”  An interesting retrospective, in case like me you’ve lose track of all that is happened in the decade or so that this campaign has been underway.

* If you live in Wichita, tonight is Final Friday, the evening for art gallery openings. You should check out this opening:  Our Voices:  Youth in ICT Speak Out.

* Last, but not least:  An Archaeologist has discovered what he claims to be the earliest Hebrew text. It hasn’t been translated, but I’m pretty sure it says: “Have a good weekend everybody!”