Recent Events

I watched President Obama's speech yesterday in Cairo. I really enjoyed it. Besides being eloquent, I think that he has very concrete ideas and goals to reach in our quest for peace between all nations in the world. I also liked how he reprimanded each group within the Israel/Palestine conflict. He didn't take one side, but instead identified with each and told each that they are just as deserving as the other for land and peace, but they each also are in the wrong. I believe that Barack has the knowledge and ability to make a difference in not only that conflict, but in the many, many others that are putting our world in jeopardy.

As for all of those people who were offended or put off by his words of equality regarding religions, honestly.. that is so incredibly naive. He used words that were peaceful and invoked a trust from the Muslim listeners. He put each major religion (Christian, Judaism, Islam) on the same field and acknowledged the peace and beliefs of each as not below another. I think that is so important. We must realize that just as I believe in my religion strongly, someone else believes their religion just the same. And I cannot gain their trust if I only talk about my own. It is just as if you were wanting to befriend someone, but only talk about yourself, your family, and your likes and dislikes. That will not cause a person to want to get to know you more, they've seen all they want and understand you as being selfish and self-absorbed.

That is exactly the view of America that we have to show others as being untrue. We have such a power in the world, and we have grown accustomed to it and have abused that power in some instances. History shows over and over again that when this happens, when a person or a government abused its power, there will be a revolt. We have to stop that before it happens. We have to apologize, genuinely care for others and help them, take an interest in the world and its problems including nuclear weapons, global warming and ecological destruction, and especially global poverty, hunger, and often curable disease. We have to reach our hands down to those who don't believe we will help, and we have to help them. If the tyrannical king of a country reaches down to help a poor, filthy, and disease-ridden man from the ground, he (of course) will be skeptical. We just have to push through that skepticism. We have to keep trying and not just give one meal and be on our way. We have to continually care for those who are downtrodden, and honestly don't believe in us.

I believe that is what Jesus wanted us to do. Before Jesus was around, the Caesars and Lords of the land had power and domination over their subjects; after Jesus was risen to heaven, our human nature continues to produce kings, presidents, and leaders who enjoy power more than the difference they could make. And honestly, this could happen to ANYONE: e.g. the Stanford Prison Experiment.

But Jesus showed us how to live, and how to live for others. He put others before his own image, his own power, or his riches. He reached down and helped the lowest who probably didn't trust him at first. His genuineness resonated with those that he helped and those around him. We should pursue that in everything we do.. as a country, as a city, as an individual and within our families and friends.



This had started out as me wanting to write about abstinence-only education because of something I saw on the news. I wondered if this would stir up too much controversy. Would it? I definitely have some opinions on it, incredibly honed-in with help from my mom, Rob Bell, and so many of my peers from highschool and beyond. Perhaps.