Good Reads

Over the past few days as I've been doing a bit of vacationing I've been reading. A couple of good reads:

The Man who Invented Christmas. The book is basically a short biography of Charles Dickens with a strong emphasis on is classic, A Christmas Carol. If you enjoy getting to know great authors and their works in a very readable format this is for you.

How to Break a Terrorist. This great book tells how interrogators in Iraq have used sympathetic techniques to bring down some of the most powerful terrorists. It reads like a Tom Clancy novel while telling a true story. Given all the concerns over torture that have been hitting the press lately, it's well worth the read. You can get a bit of the flavor of the book in an interview by another interrogator who used similar techniques.

Charles Dickens

"How often have we heard from a large class of men wise in their generation, who would really seem to be born and bred for no other purpose than to pass into currency counterfeit and mischievous scraps of wisdom...that a 'little learning is a dangerous thing.' Why a little hanging was considered a dangerous thing, according to the same authorities, with this difference, that, because a little hanging was dangerous, we had a great deal of it; and, because a little learning was dangerous, we were to have none of it at all."

From a Speech given by Dickens on October 5, 1843 at a fund raiser for the Manchester Athenaeum, the industrial capital's primary beacon of arts and enlightenment.

Thought for the Day

Comment Magazine: As a novice, what were your most valuable learning experiences?

DJG: Rarely is anything we do as important as we think. Rarer still are the mistakes we make held against us. If you stay focused and seek to be faithful in life-giving ways to those things that you steward, you will be amazed at how often they succeed, particularly in those institutions that normally do not claim to value what you do. That being said, there is no substitute for being as wily as a serpent and as cunning as a fox.

David J. Goa, Director, Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life, University of Alberta

Full Interview here

A Last Word from the Monk of Abu Ghraib

God forgive our lack of faith, our unwillingness
to believe in Your redemption, and our efforts to
conjure our own. We die of self-absorption, convinced
of our own myths of importance. Forgive my
conflicting allegiances and doubt.

A Prayer to begin the day

O Lord and Master of my life, a spirit of idleness, curiosity, ambition, and idle talk give me not.

But a spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love, bestow upon me Thy servant.

Yea, O Lord King, grant me to see mine own failings and not to condemn my brother or sister, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lenten prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian

More from the Monk of Abu Ghraib

JULY 15
This place has become my monastery. I remain quiet in the evenings and read incessantly, usually with a heart of sorrow. I attend Protestant chapel when energy permits, but the kind of rejoicing in worship that they attempt to draw out of people is very difficult for me. Silence is
one of the only ways I know to deal with this madness. I just interrogated a man who without
doubt deserves what awaits him in this world and the next. One might think me justified
then in being his accuser. But there is a line in the movie The Cardinal, when Father Stephen tells his archbishop that he feels he cannot be a priest because when people confess to him, it is he who trembles. He understands and loves the law, but he is terrified at being the one who dispenses it.

Reflections from Abu Ghraib

You can get the background in the description below. What caught my attention was his not wanting to talk to Evangelical pastors about his struggles because they were to easily co-opted. One of those things that make you think and reflect a big

THE MONK OF ABU GHRAIB
By Joshua Casteel, from emails he wrote while working as an interrogator at Abu Ghraib prison, in Iraq. In February 2005, he filed an application for conscientious- objector status, which was approved in May 2005. A collection of his emails, Letters from Abu Ghraib, was published in July by Essay Press.

JULY 3
Two big interrogations today, and they went very well. But more challenges with my work.
To put it vaguely, it’s the strategy games I have to play with the man across the table, mixing
and meshing shades of truth and lies to assess his responses and defense mechanisms. It’s all
such a dance: motives, methods, means, and then what you do with what you get, and how
much you trust those who then do what they do with what you give them. It can be paralyzing.
I’m going to see how much of this I can talk over with a Catholic chaplain. I don’t want to
go to the Evangelical pastors. Catholics are usually much more fervent and consistent in not
bowing blindly to the state. (They’ve kind of got their own polis in Rome.)

Strength Finders

I spent three days this week doing Strength Finders training with the Gallup Organization. The basic idea is that we do better pursuing and building our strengths than focusing on our weaknesses.
After three days of training, I'm now officially a Strength Finders Coach. Now I get to find 10 people to coach. Sounds like fun. By the way my top ten (there are 34 possible strengths) are:

• Achiever People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.
• Learner People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
• Intellection People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.
• Input People who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.
• Activator People who are especially talented in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They are often impatient.
• Connectedness People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.
• Ideation People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.
• Strategic People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
• Futuristic People who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future.
• Focus People who are especially talented in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act.

:(

Mexico’s Crime Spree

By Ken Silverstein

Speaking of crime and violence in Mexico, consider this number: 6,836.

That’s the number of people killed in drug-related violence since 2007, more than the number of American fatalities in the Iraq War.

Is this something we should care about?

Reading Harper's Monthly on my way to Omaha this week I came across an article on U.S. War crimes--particularly as they deal with torture. The Amnesty International Magazine this month also takes a look at the issue of torture in an article that talks about a trial for Donald Rumsfeld. I thought it might be worth at least putting this out there for reflection. I realize this may well stir up some controversy, but as a nation that seeks to be one that is just, we need to ask hard questions of ourselves. The Atlantic Monthly has also just come out with an article. In it you can find a link to the McCain-Levin (U.S. Senate) summary on how prisoners were treated.

Here's a paragraph from the online Harper's article.

War Crimes

By Scott Horton

How often in our nation’s history has a Congressional Committee published a report which concludes that the President is essentially guilty of war crimes? Only once. It happened last week with the release of the Senate Armed Services Committee report on prisoner abuse. Put a sharper point on it: war crimes that produce the death of a detainee are punishable with the death sentence. And in this case we now have more than one hundred deaths potentially linkable to detainee abuse, linked to the President. Yet to the American mainstream media, which has made virtually no effort to comprehend the report, it was a non-event.

this link brings you to the rest of the article

Oh Canada

Is Lincoln Weeping?

Be On The Lookout: Illinois Governors have high propensity for crime

Number of men elected as Illinois governor since 1960: 7

Number who have been charged with criminal conduct: 4

Number who have served time in prison: 3

Number of years served (combined) thus far by three jailed governors: 6 *

(* — George Ryan, Rod Blagojevich’s predecessor, is two years into a 6 1/2 year sentence. Dan Walker went to jail in 1988 for conduct that occurred after his 1973-1977 tenure. He was released in 1989 due to poor health. Staged miraculous recovery after release; now lives in Mexico. Otto Kerner Jr. served time between 1974 and 1975 on bribery charges. He died of cancer soon after winning his early release.)

Joy

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion Daniel 7

13 “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

The Picture of Bad Government

With millions enduring severe and worsening hunger, and cholera spilling into neighboring countries, there are rising international calls for Mr. Mugabe to step down after 28 years in power. But he only seems to be digging in and even declared Thursday that the nation’s cholera epidemic had ended, just a day after the World Health Organization warned that the outbreak was grave enough to carry “serious regional implications.”

This ferocious cholera epidemic, spread by water contaminated with human excrement, has stricken more than 16,000 people across Zimbabwe since August and killed more than 780. Health experts are warning that the number of cases could surpass 60,000, and that half the country’s population of 12 million is at risk.

The outbreak is yet more evidence that Zimbabwe’s most fundamental public services — including water and sanitation, public schools and hospitals — are shutting down, much like the organs of a severely dehydrated cholera victim.

From the New York Times

The Picture of a good Government?

I'm reading in the book of Daniel. This morning as I read Daniel 4 I was struck by the picture painted there of the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. It seemed a good balance to Paul's words in Romans 13 where the government is given the sword to punish the evil doer. Here the picture is one of human flourishing.

10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. Daniel 4

One of those odd things

What? The Pew Forum's survey of USreligion finds that 20% of atheists believe in God & 57% of evangelicals say most religions lead to heaven

From Leonard Sweet

Long Term Civil Society in a time of Crisis

This week's capital commentary from the Center for Public Justice reminds us of our need to think long term as communities of faith in the face of our present crisis. Below you will find the opening paragraph. You can follow the link for the entire article:

Civic Revival in the Face of Scarcity

December 5, 2008
Four decades ago, the French ethicist Jacques Ellul warned Christians about the dangers of allowing the media to determine which social issues to engage. Ellul's concern was with the short shelf life of the media's attention to certain social problems. When churches become socially active solely because of such media coverage, Ellul reasoned, they drop the issue when the media turns its attention elsewhere. This truncates religiously based social engagement, leaving it incomplete, captive to press interests, and unable to discern its own course of action. In the rush and pressing immediacy of today's events, we are in desperate need of deep and long-term discernment.

Wait a Minute!

As I was doing research for this Sunday's message I was struggling with the fact that life doesn't always give us what we were hoping for. God promises us wonderful things and even promises us the smallest of things (seek first my kingdom and the necessities of life will be given you--see Matthew 6.33), but we don't always get these things. The apostle Paul, for instance, tells us that he didn't always have even the necessities (he was at times cold, hungry, naked). So what do we do with that?

As I was contemplating all of this I remembered Jesus' words about his job being to bring glory to his Father. When I was finding this verse in John 17 I also came across another, about Peter in John 21. It says, John 21:18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” Jesus tells Peter about the kind of death that was going to come his way--so that God will be glorified through it. My thought, "Wait a minute, you mean to tell me that not only doesn't Peter get the necessities, he dies!" Apparently there is something that trumps getting what we want and even what we need, namely, God's glory. And that glory can be known even in our failing to get what we want.

A theme

In the book of Titus, a mere 3 chapters long, there is a powerful theme. One wonders what is going on in Crete that Paul is emphasizing it so much. Could it be that the tendency of the Cretans to be lazy keeps them from doing what they should? Could it be that they are self-absorbed and so don't see the need for a "greater gospel" proclamation through what they do. Whatever it is (I'm sure if I took the time to do some more background an answer would arise), Paul goes after this theme over and over again. Here it is:

16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. Titus 1 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, Titus 2 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2 3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work Titus 3 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. Titus 3 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. Titus 3

For the believers in Crete, good works, are a huge deal. I wonder how big of a deal they are to us and for that matter what do we consider good works. I think that the rest of Titus gives us some pictures of what it looks like to do good works. It's possible that some of those ways have not occurred to us.

China's Future

This week's Comment e-mail contains a "don't miss" article for those who are watching China, its large economy and its future in comparison with the U.S. The article looks at not only the economic capital but also the failing social and religious capital that may spell doom for that nation's economy in the long run. It's worth the read.

How to win friends and influence people

The Apostle Paul could speak in ways that would get us in a world of trouble today. Just one of these that I just came across.

Titus 1.10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true.

Try saying that kind of thing about a group of people today and see how people respond.

Short Memories?

I've notice something at a local used car lot in my hometown of Zeeland. During the time of 4 dollar a gallon gas all the SUVs were moved to the back of the lot, apparently unsalable. Smaller cars and just cars in general that got better gas mileage got pride of place in the front row. Now that price are down those SUVs once again line the front row of the lot, ready for sale. The cars now are in the back. Could we really have that short of memories or are we that naive to believe that gas prices will stay at their current levels?

A look inside North Korea

The video is 20 minutes long, but well worth gaining an understanding of the terror that is North Korea. Be warned, some of the footage is hard to see. The video is also another picture of the horror that governments who fail to be about public justice bring on their people.

A Morning (or anytime) Doxology

Paul in the last chapter of 1 Timothy has this amazing doxology that puts into perspective who God is:

[God] who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 1 Timothy 6.15b-16

The Pain of Unjust Governments

Because of a national cash shortage, Zimbabweans can only withdraw small amounts of money every day - often barely enough buy a loaf of bread.

The country's economic freefall has been accelerating and the latest annual inflation rate was 231,000,000%. Just one adult in five is estimated to have a regular job.

Earlier, the state-owned Herald newspaper reported that water in the capital had been cut because of a shortage of purification chemicals, as authorities try to contain a cholera outbreak.

At least 425 people have died in recent months from the disease, which is spread by contaminated water.

The outbreak has been fuelled by the collapse of Zimbabwe's health and sanitation systems. The disease is easily treatable but hospitals lack medicines and staff.

The health minister said people should stop shaking hands to prevent the disease spreading.

From the BBC News Service

Wizards

Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.

J.R.R. Tolkien