Super Sunday

This is funny to me.

SiCKO

Ok I know Michael Moore's film, "SiCKO" has been out for awhile, but I just saw it so I figured I'd write a bit about it since most people I know probably wouldn't watch it.

The documentary is well made, witty, sarcastic, and at times, outright funny. It will definitely hold your attention throughout. There, that's my review, now on to the subject matter...

Over 50 million Americans do not have health insurance. Too many people have conditions that go untreated just because they can not afford treatment. Those of us who do have health insurance are seeing our rates skyrocket and medical costs squeeze our household budgets. My deduction is this: something needs to change. We can not sustain the current rate of increasing medical costs. As a nation, we shouldn't tolerate letting 16% of our fellow citizens go through life uninsured.

Moore's film looks at the health systems in place in England, France, Canada, and even Cuba. While he colors those health care systems as ideal, we are all aware that they too have problems. In fact, I would bet there is no perfect system. However, I think the richest nation in the world should do better than what we're currently doing.

I would recommend you watch SiCKO - not as a presentation of possible solutions to our problem, but as a tool to help you recognize that we have a problem, and as a way to begin thinking that there might be a better way to distribute health care to our people.

Here's the deal though: if you're like me you probably only know that Moore is an icon for extreme left political ideas. I know Rush and O'Reilly might not be my friends anymore because I spent 2 hours watching this movie. That's ok though. If you are really concerned with your own health, and the health of our nation's people, watch this film with a wide open mind. Watch it with the words and actions of Jesus in mind.

Again, I understand that like all of us, Moore has his biases and these no doubt show up in the film. Still, we have a problem in the health care industry and we need to figure out a new way of caring for people.



Matthew 9.35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

Clinton Has A Dream

Ooops.

Mike Huckabee

This political and religious arrogance is enough to make me not vote for Huckabee:

Eschatology

Admittedly my eschatology has changed greatly in the last few years. Sometimes I think God's story should be in the "Mystery" genre. I am sleuthing through God's works to try to figure out where He's going and what's he doing.

Thanks to Jeff Richardson for posting a link to this eschatology determiner.

Here's some insight into where I think God is headed at the end of this act of His story.

What's your eschatology? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Moltmannian Eschatology Jürgen Moltmann is one of the key eschatological thinkers of the 20th Century. Eschatology is not only about heaven and hell, but God's plan to make all things new. This should spur us on to political and social action in the present. Moltmannian Eschatology 100% Amillenialist 90% Preterist 45% Premillenialist 25% Postmillenialist 25% Left Behind 25% Dispensationalist 10%

We Are Called To Be God's People

We're going to introduce a new hymn this Sunday. It's set to Haydn's tune, "Austrian Hymn". Thomas A. Jackson's words wonderfully capture the joyous calling we have as God's people to show the love of God to the world.

We Are Called To Be God's People

We are called to be God's people,
showing by our lives his grace,
one in heart and one in spirit,
sign of hope for all the race.
Let us show how he has changed us,
and remade us as his own,
let us share our life together
as we shall around his throne.

We are called to be God's servants,
working in his world today;
taking his own task upon us,
all his sacred words obey.
Let us rise, then, to his summons,
dedicate to him our all,
that we may be faithful servants,
quick to answer now his call.

We are called to be God's prophets,
speaking for the truth and right,
standing firm for godly justice,
bringing evil things to light.
Let us seek the courage needed,
our high calling to fulfill,
that the world may know the blessing
of the doing of God's will.

Pencils and Books

Yep. I'm heading back to school. I've enrolled in the Hazelip School of Theology at David Lipscomb University. I'll be pursuing the M.A. in Theology with an emphasis in Christianity and Culture.

I'm starting slow by taking only 4 hours this semester: Critical Interpretation of the NT and a 1 hour class about Research and Resource Tools. Most of the classes I'll take will require me to be on campus for a week at some point in the semester for intensive class time with the professor while the remainder of the semester is spent reading and writing.

I'm excited about this new adventure!

In my long and tedious undergraduate studies, I enjoyed some of my classes, but there were so many other "general ed" classes thrown in that some of it disinterested me. However in this program, every class will be enjoyable coursework. I'm really looking forward to being stretched.

Now where to buy my books....


"Learn your theories as well as you can, but put them aside when you touch the miracle of a living soul." ~ Carl Jung

Bush to Visit Israel

I plan to make this my last post about the lack of peace in the middle east for awhile. I have other things to write about and I've probably exhausted this soap box. Suffice it to say, I have great concern over this area of the world (as many people do), but my concern is probably a bit more centered on the ripple effect the conflict has throughout the world, specifically in the realm of US relations with other nations.

Bush plans to visit Israel in January. I'm not sure what his objective is, so I can't comment on whether he has any chance of accomplishing it.

I can say this: without doubt, his presence will escalate the ongoing violence that has again flared up in the last couple of weeks. Although Israel is spending tremendous resources on security for Mr. Bush, expect demonstrations and outbreaks of violence elsewhere in the region. I expect Palestinians will fire up their Katyushas and storm the streets in protest. This will be partly to take advantage of the press attention that Bush's visit will get, but perhaps even more in response to Israel's further cut of Palestinian power yesterday. The power cuts will cause daily 8-hour blackouts to Gaza, which is against international law.

In response to the Palestinians' elevation of its ongoing intifadah, the Israelis will then perform raids and aerial attacks on the Palestinian regions, killing noncombatants in their wake.

And so the circle of violence will continue.

I'm guessing Bush's intent for this trip is to further the supposed peace process. In November he hosted the Annapolis Conference, which was the first Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in 7 years. Coincidentally Bush took office 7 years ago. Perhaps he should have made the peace process more of a priority during his terms.

I think he would do well to reconsider his methods. His visit to the area will incite violence, slowing any peace process that may be in existence.

Meanwhile peace efforts in eastern Congo seem to go unnoticed.

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[EDIT]: About one hour after I posted this blog, this happened.