Brian McLaren describes the balance between celebrating the successes of our country while recognizing its failures and shameful parts of its history.
It has become fashionable to sell Christians a whitewashed history that minimizes the greed and violence that marks our past. We would do well to remember the father of all lies.
Scripture confronts the sins and failures of the political and religious leaders of the Israelites. The foibles of kings were laid bare. Scripture does not hide egregious sins of Moses, David, and Paul. It does not hide the doubt and fear that plagued the disciples of Jesus even in His presence.
When we call America the greatest nation on earth, we are begging God to humble us. Let's give thanks for our blessings and repent of our self-centeredness, greed, and violence.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Monday, July 2, 2012
One million homeless school children
The numbers are staggering.
The number of people living in extreme poverty has reached record levels. Over 20 million Americans have a few thousand dollars to live on in a country where that will not go very far.
God hears the cries of the poor. Do we?
Our politicians serve the wealthy. Yes, some pay lip service to the poor, but the proof is in the pudding. Every law, budget, statute, and ordinance increases the suffering of people with little or nothing. Our glorious politicians have even made it a crime to sleep in public when the shelters are full. The only exception is that the smallest state in union just passed a bill of rights to protect the homeless.
And the rich, whose wealth has grown obscenely to record levels over the past several decades? Thanks to the loopholes created by our glorious politicians, many pay little or no taxes. They are renouncing their citizenship at a record pace rather than risk their tax bills going up a few percent. Any wonder why Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven?
And our religious authorities? Many are too busy bleating about sexual purity and selling politicians.
Just remember. God hears the cries of the poor. Do we? The Lord of Lords is watching.
For the first time in history, public schools reported more than one million homeless students enrolled, according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Education.
The 1,065,794 homeless students enrolled by U.S. preschools and K-12 schools in the 2010-2011 school year is the highest number on record, and a 13 percent increase over the 2009-2010 school year. Furthermore, this total underestimates the number of homeless children, because it does not include homeless infants and toddlers, young children who are not enrolled in public preschool programs, and homeless children and youth who were not identified by school officials.
Forty-four states reported school year-to-year increases in the number of homeless students, with 15 states reporting increases of 20 percent or more. States with the largest increases in the numbers of homeless students include Kentucky (47 percent), Michigan (38 percent), Mississippi (35 percent), Utah (47 percent), and West Virginia (38 percent). In Michigan, the number of homeless children enrolled in public schools has increased 315 percent between 2008 and 2011.Imagine a child going from school to a shelter or to car to do homework or study for a test. Think about their relationships with classmates. What is their nutritional status? What happens if they get sick?
The number of people living in extreme poverty has reached record levels. Over 20 million Americans have a few thousand dollars to live on in a country where that will not go very far.
God hears the cries of the poor. Do we?
Our politicians serve the wealthy. Yes, some pay lip service to the poor, but the proof is in the pudding. Every law, budget, statute, and ordinance increases the suffering of people with little or nothing. Our glorious politicians have even made it a crime to sleep in public when the shelters are full. The only exception is that the smallest state in union just passed a bill of rights to protect the homeless.
And the rich, whose wealth has grown obscenely to record levels over the past several decades? Thanks to the loopholes created by our glorious politicians, many pay little or no taxes. They are renouncing their citizenship at a record pace rather than risk their tax bills going up a few percent. Any wonder why Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven?
And our religious authorities? Many are too busy bleating about sexual purity and selling politicians.
Just remember. God hears the cries of the poor. Do we? The Lord of Lords is watching.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Wind, Fire, and Spirit
Fire and wind are metaphors frequently used to describe the Holy Spirit in action. You might say that God has used fire and wind to get our attention ever since we were booted from Eden.
After fleeing Egypt to avoid murder charges, Moses became a model citizen in the wilderness. He married the daughter of a respected priest and tended the family's flocks. And then he met God (Exodus 3:1-4):
The sound of a rushing wind announced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:2).
We instinctively pay attention to fire and wind. They arouse fear and awe. And sometimes we have to confront death and destruction in their wake. It has been a terrible week for raging fires and powerful winds.
Wind-whipped fires in the west:
A maelstrom of wind called a "ring of fire" in the east:
Disasters like these storms of fire and wind bring out the best in some people. They rush to help and comfort. And some people react badly. Very badly. They almost seem to gloat that they have been spared tragedy while others grieve. Some cannot resist the temptation to blame the disasters on the wrath of God. Others secretly hope and pray that their enemies will be counted among the victims. You can find that impressive and frankly disturbing range of reactions on display in the comments to this video.
If God speaks to us through wind and fire, then what is the message? It is not complicated. Open your heart to the people who have suffered losses. Love them. Care for them as you would wish to be cared for if it were you in their place. Moses was told two things in the burning bush. God hears the cries of his children. Go help. Simple as that. When you see wind and fire, will you run away or run to help?
After fleeing Egypt to avoid murder charges, Moses became a model citizen in the wilderness. He married the daughter of a respected priest and tended the family's flocks. And then he met God (Exodus 3:1-4):
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
The sound of a rushing wind announced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:2).
We instinctively pay attention to fire and wind. They arouse fear and awe. And sometimes we have to confront death and destruction in their wake. It has been a terrible week for raging fires and powerful winds.
Wind-whipped fires in the west:
A maelstrom of wind called a "ring of fire" in the east:
Disasters like these storms of fire and wind bring out the best in some people. They rush to help and comfort. And some people react badly. Very badly. They almost seem to gloat that they have been spared tragedy while others grieve. Some cannot resist the temptation to blame the disasters on the wrath of God. Others secretly hope and pray that their enemies will be counted among the victims. You can find that impressive and frankly disturbing range of reactions on display in the comments to this video.
If God speaks to us through wind and fire, then what is the message? It is not complicated. Open your heart to the people who have suffered losses. Love them. Care for them as you would wish to be cared for if it were you in their place. Moses was told two things in the burning bush. God hears the cries of his children. Go help. Simple as that. When you see wind and fire, will you run away or run to help?
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Let's play an economic game
Here are the rules. I am going to present two economic scenarios. After reading and thinking carefully about each scenario, I will ask you to make a choice. Whether you share your preference is up to you. This experiment is for your benefit, not mine. If have read my blog, you already know what my choice would be.
SCENARIO 1
Unemployment is a problem. There are too few jobs for the people that need them to provide for their families. A major employer, say the head of an agribusiness conglomerate or an energy company, is hiring workers. A Human Relations (HR) specialist named Peter goes to town at the crack of dawn to interview applicants. In a matter of minutes, the positions are filled.
On the way back to the office, Peter sees a line of disappointed applicants hoping there still might be a job opening. He calls corporate headquarters and explains that he filled the open positions, but there are others desperate for a job to support their family. The order from corporate is clear. "Hire them."
Peter had one question. "What will they be paid?"
"Same as those you hired first."
Peter signed up the rest. By the time the paperwork was signed, sealed, and delivered, it was past noon. He headed to a popular watering hole nearby for a well-deserved glass of wine, fruit, and cheese.
It is past 2 in the afternoon when Peter heads for his car. On the way he is surprised to find people still looking for work.
"We heard a rumor that you hired many people this morning and were hoping for work."
Peter reached for his phone, but knew what corporate was going to say. "Hire them and pay our standard living wage." And off he went to hire all he could find. It was almost midnight by the time he finally pulled into his driveway.
On payday, the people that were hired first and worked the most hours were angry that those with less seniority and hours were given the same salary. The grumbling reached corporate headquarters. Mary, the company's CEO, called a meeting of all employees.
She looked out over the crowded auditorium. "Are you receiving a fair salary for the work you are doing for this company?" Every hand went up, although some were less enthusiastic than others.
"For those hired first, count yourself fortunate to have had security of knowing your family would be able to live comfortably. Be happy for your neighbors that they too can live without fear.
After the meeting, Peter asked if this policy was a wise business strategy. The boss answered. "Yes. I want our customers, employers, and stockholders to be proud to be associated with this company. I would rather have more employees than I need than have people living on the street forced to steal from the company or its employees. I would rather we live in a town where no one goes without food, shelter, and medical care. It is the just and moral thing to do."
If the story seems familiar, you may have seen another version. Here is Matthew 20: 1-16 (a denarius was the living wage 2000 years ago):
SCENARIO 2
The CEO of large company stands before the stockholders. There have been rumors something big is in the works.
"Welcome everyone. I am happy to announce a bold new vision for our company. These moves are expected to bring us rapid growth in profit by slashing costs. We are closing our domestic plants and setting up in places where we can pay people pennies. You should see big increases in stock value and dividends within a year.
A hand in the audience goes up. "What about our current employees, some of whom have been with the company for 30 or 40 years?"
"They will be given a few weeks to find another job. They can keep what is in their pension fund unless we decide to use that money to sweeten an arbitrage deal."
Another hand goes up. "Closing the plants will have a devastating impact on local communities."
"That is not our problem. And if these communities do not agree to cut our taxes, we will move our corporate headquarters to some island. Don't worry about the publicity. We have hired the best lobbyists in the country to bribe politicians, media companies, and religious leaders to support our moves or we will 'go Galt' on them.
.
.
.
Let's talk
Scenario 1 sounds good in theory, but impossible in practice because most corporations do not have CEOs like Mary and a corporate culture that is socially responsible. In other words, social capital (aka, people, communities, nations) does not matter to most corporations. And despite the fact that the parable by Jesus has spiritual and economic ramifications, many Christians in our society are being brainwashed into picking Scenario 2, even when it is not in their own best interests and the best interests of their family, friends, and neighbors.
Scenario 2 is bad for everyone except executives and investors. Only the brain dead and zombies believe it contributes to a fair and just society.
Some will say that the parable told by Jesus was just about grace in the spiritual world. Wrong. "On earth as it is in heaven."
SCENARIO 1
Unemployment is a problem. There are too few jobs for the people that need them to provide for their families. A major employer, say the head of an agribusiness conglomerate or an energy company, is hiring workers. A Human Relations (HR) specialist named Peter goes to town at the crack of dawn to interview applicants. In a matter of minutes, the positions are filled.
On the way back to the office, Peter sees a line of disappointed applicants hoping there still might be a job opening. He calls corporate headquarters and explains that he filled the open positions, but there are others desperate for a job to support their family. The order from corporate is clear. "Hire them."
Peter had one question. "What will they be paid?"
"Same as those you hired first."
Peter signed up the rest. By the time the paperwork was signed, sealed, and delivered, it was past noon. He headed to a popular watering hole nearby for a well-deserved glass of wine, fruit, and cheese.
It is past 2 in the afternoon when Peter heads for his car. On the way he is surprised to find people still looking for work.
"We heard a rumor that you hired many people this morning and were hoping for work."
Peter reached for his phone, but knew what corporate was going to say. "Hire them and pay our standard living wage." And off he went to hire all he could find. It was almost midnight by the time he finally pulled into his driveway.
On payday, the people that were hired first and worked the most hours were angry that those with less seniority and hours were given the same salary. The grumbling reached corporate headquarters. Mary, the company's CEO, called a meeting of all employees.
She looked out over the crowded auditorium. "Are you receiving a fair salary for the work you are doing for this company?" Every hand went up, although some were less enthusiastic than others.
"For those hired first, count yourself fortunate to have had security of knowing your family would be able to live comfortably. Be happy for your neighbors that they too can live without fear.
After the meeting, Peter asked if this policy was a wise business strategy. The boss answered. "Yes. I want our customers, employers, and stockholders to be proud to be associated with this company. I would rather have more employees than I need than have people living on the street forced to steal from the company or its employees. I would rather we live in a town where no one goes without food, shelter, and medical care. It is the just and moral thing to do."
If the story seems familiar, you may have seen another version. Here is Matthew 20: 1-16 (a denarius was the living wage 2000 years ago):
1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a [b]denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ 9 When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. 10 When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered and said to one of them, ‘ Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
SCENARIO 2
The CEO of large company stands before the stockholders. There have been rumors something big is in the works.
"Welcome everyone. I am happy to announce a bold new vision for our company. These moves are expected to bring us rapid growth in profit by slashing costs. We are closing our domestic plants and setting up in places where we can pay people pennies. You should see big increases in stock value and dividends within a year.
A hand in the audience goes up. "What about our current employees, some of whom have been with the company for 30 or 40 years?"
"They will be given a few weeks to find another job. They can keep what is in their pension fund unless we decide to use that money to sweeten an arbitrage deal."
Another hand goes up. "Closing the plants will have a devastating impact on local communities."
"That is not our problem. And if these communities do not agree to cut our taxes, we will move our corporate headquarters to some island. Don't worry about the publicity. We have hired the best lobbyists in the country to bribe politicians, media companies, and religious leaders to support our moves or we will 'go Galt' on them.
.
.
.
Let's talk
Scenario 1 sounds good in theory, but impossible in practice because most corporations do not have CEOs like Mary and a corporate culture that is socially responsible. In other words, social capital (aka, people, communities, nations) does not matter to most corporations. And despite the fact that the parable by Jesus has spiritual and economic ramifications, many Christians in our society are being brainwashed into picking Scenario 2, even when it is not in their own best interests and the best interests of their family, friends, and neighbors.
Scenario 2 is bad for everyone except executives and investors. Only the brain dead and zombies believe it contributes to a fair and just society.
Some will say that the parable told by Jesus was just about grace in the spiritual world. Wrong. "On earth as it is in heaven."
Friday, June 29, 2012
The virtue of greed on display again
It is interesting to hear priests and other religious leaders heaping praise on the "free market." They claim unregulated capitalism will free us from want and evil. Greed and virtue go hand in hand. What a hoot!
Here is how unregulated capitalism works in the real world. In 1998, our glorious political leadership removed much of the regulation of banks. Since that time, there has been a steady stream of bad behavior, not to mention economic catastrophes. I guess the bankers and brokers did not get the memo that the knights of the free market roundtable are supposed to be paragons of virtue.
To wit, J.P. Morgan Chase announced that they made a $2 billion blunder in May. CEO Jamie Dimon claimed the mishap was the fault of a few bad apples and there was no need for any stinking regulation. A little over a month later, it turns out the loss is likely to be at least $9 billion. Whoops. And here is the kicker. Larry Doyle, a former J.P. Morgan securities analyst, is saying something smells funny about this mess.
Here is how unregulated capitalism works in the real world. In 1998, our glorious political leadership removed much of the regulation of banks. Since that time, there has been a steady stream of bad behavior, not to mention economic catastrophes. I guess the bankers and brokers did not get the memo that the knights of the free market roundtable are supposed to be paragons of virtue.
To wit, J.P. Morgan Chase announced that they made a $2 billion blunder in May. CEO Jamie Dimon claimed the mishap was the fault of a few bad apples and there was no need for any stinking regulation. A little over a month later, it turns out the loss is likely to be at least $9 billion. Whoops. And here is the kicker. Larry Doyle, a former J.P. Morgan securities analyst, is saying something smells funny about this mess.
So many questions. So few real answers. Neither the morning news shows nor the major media outlets seem to want to draw real attention to this reported quadrupled loss.
I am compelled to repeat my question posed back in early May, “how do you know if/when Jamie Dimon is not telling the truth?” Did somebody say, “when his lips move?”The experts on worshipping Mammon and God claim that if priests worship Mammon, then corporate leaders will give wads of cash to churches and worship God. This all sounds so familiar. Here is some of what God told Jeremiah to tell the people (Jeremiah 8:10-11):
From the least to the greatest,What harm can possibly come from glorifying greed . . .
all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.
They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Christ, Nessie, and teaching children to love lies
Juicy, embarrassing stories travel faster than wind-whipped forest fires. Here is a case in point. Bruce Wilson published an article in Salon about the nonsense some Christian private schools are teaching children ("Shocking Christian school textbooks"), which appeared on June 19. Within days, Rachel Loxton picked up the story for the Sunday edition of The Herald Scotland ("How American fundamentalist schools are using Nessie to disprove evolution"). Renowned atheist Richard Dawkins had a discussion going on his website a few hours after Loxton's article appeared. Before long, people were mocking the Christian fundamentalists in America across the world.
An estimated 200,000 children across 13 states are being educated using these silly textbooks. And thanks to Bobby Jindal, these books will soon become something of a standard in Louisiana.
And is not just the science textbooks that are dangerously stupid. The history texts are filled with bigotry and lies. A few of my favorites.
Why should you care if children are taught to love lies? If they are not your children, then why should you care if someone else's are rendered incapable of functioning in what is quickly shaping up to be an overcrowded, ugly, poisoned, deadly, and savagely competitive future? If some Christians want their children to be dumber than boxes of rocks, so be it. If their children are not able to function in a hellish future, then what? Well, these children will suffer for the greed, dishonesty, and insecurity of their parents and community. They better be raptured or the future will eat them alive.
Not only will these children likely be playing in a future with the deck stacked against them, but they are likely to lose their religion when they discover how many lies and truly stupid things they were taught by their parents and teachers. Taught in the name of Christ, I might add. Most people throw out the faith baby with the corrupted religious bath water. Violations of trust do that to you. Betrayal does that to you.
And let's not forget the basic message in whitewashed history. Don't worry about your sins and those of previous generations. There is no need to repent and repair the harm. There is nothing Christian about refusing to walk with humility, contrition, and compassion. What do you think Jesus would say about lies in His name? Round of applause from the Lord? Not likely.
People who would be receptive to the message of Christ are going to be turned off by Christians teaching lies and crap. Think about what Gandhi said about Jesus and Christians: "I like your Christ, but I am not fond of your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." In other words, when people cannot see Christ in us, we make terrible witnesses for the Lord. Gandhi would have welcomed Jesus as a brother but questioned claims about His deity because His followers were taking the resources of India and treating India's people like dirt.
Some will benefit from all this. People selling textbooks, serving as curriculum consultants, or running private schools will get rich. Tourism to Loch Ness is going to pick up. Richard Dawkins and other evangelical atheists are going to have a field day mocking Christ because of deliberately ignorant Christians.
Just remember. There is every indication that the future is going to be complex and difficult. Why should God rescue us from overpopulation, dwindling natural resources, and lousy stewardship of this earth? Scripture teaches that actions have consequences. Many kids will be unprepared to compete in that turbulent world because their parents and teachers felt it necessary to pretend the world is a few thousand years old and the Flintstones cartoons were based on reality. We are looking at Christians that are choosing to drop out and dumb up rather than prepare for future that will require innovation and working together to solve big problems.
The Lord gets the last word (Matthew 24: 4-21):
An estimated 200,000 children across 13 states are being educated using these silly textbooks. And thanks to Bobby Jindal, these books will soon become something of a standard in Louisiana.
This 2012-2013 school year, thanks to a bill pushed through by governor Bobby Jindal, thousands of students in Louisiana will receive state voucher money, transferred from public school funding, to attend private religious schools, some of which teach from a Christian curriculum that suggests the Loch Ness Monster disproves evolution and states that the alleged creature, which has never been demonstrated to even exist, has been tracked by submarine and is probably a plesiosaur. The curriculum also claims that a Japanese fishing boat caught a dinosaur.The issue is that is likely to spark the most controversy is than these private schools receive public funding.
And is not just the science textbooks that are dangerously stupid. The history texts are filled with bigotry and lies. A few of my favorites.
“God used the ‘Trail of Tears’ to bring many Indians to Christ.”
"Only ten percent of Africans can read or write, because Christian mission schools have been shut down by communists."
"The [Ku Klux] Klan in some areas of the country tried to be a means of reform, fighting the decline in morality and using the symbol of the cross… In some communities it achieved a certain respectability as it worked with politicians.”The Great Depression was fabricated by socialists and unions are filled with socialists trying to destroy the American Dream given to us by the Great god of Capitalism. How much longer before we hear that slaves were really indentured servants rescued from Africa? Those Africans were loved, respected, given a job, and an acre to grow vegetables and raise a few animals. Only criminal acts were punished with whips, chains, and nooses.
Why should you care if children are taught to love lies? If they are not your children, then why should you care if someone else's are rendered incapable of functioning in what is quickly shaping up to be an overcrowded, ugly, poisoned, deadly, and savagely competitive future? If some Christians want their children to be dumber than boxes of rocks, so be it. If their children are not able to function in a hellish future, then what? Well, these children will suffer for the greed, dishonesty, and insecurity of their parents and community. They better be raptured or the future will eat them alive.
Not only will these children likely be playing in a future with the deck stacked against them, but they are likely to lose their religion when they discover how many lies and truly stupid things they were taught by their parents and teachers. Taught in the name of Christ, I might add. Most people throw out the faith baby with the corrupted religious bath water. Violations of trust do that to you. Betrayal does that to you.
And let's not forget the basic message in whitewashed history. Don't worry about your sins and those of previous generations. There is no need to repent and repair the harm. There is nothing Christian about refusing to walk with humility, contrition, and compassion. What do you think Jesus would say about lies in His name? Round of applause from the Lord? Not likely.
People who would be receptive to the message of Christ are going to be turned off by Christians teaching lies and crap. Think about what Gandhi said about Jesus and Christians: "I like your Christ, but I am not fond of your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." In other words, when people cannot see Christ in us, we make terrible witnesses for the Lord. Gandhi would have welcomed Jesus as a brother but questioned claims about His deity because His followers were taking the resources of India and treating India's people like dirt.
Some will benefit from all this. People selling textbooks, serving as curriculum consultants, or running private schools will get rich. Tourism to Loch Ness is going to pick up. Richard Dawkins and other evangelical atheists are going to have a field day mocking Christ because of deliberately ignorant Christians.
Just remember. There is every indication that the future is going to be complex and difficult. Why should God rescue us from overpopulation, dwindling natural resources, and lousy stewardship of this earth? Scripture teaches that actions have consequences. Many kids will be unprepared to compete in that turbulent world because their parents and teachers felt it necessary to pretend the world is a few thousand years old and the Flintstones cartoons were based on reality. We are looking at Christians that are choosing to drop out and dumb up rather than prepare for future that will require innovation and working together to solve big problems.
The Lord gets the last word (Matthew 24: 4-21):
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
Poor get shanked in the Supreme Court ruling on the health care law
All the major provisions of the health insurance reform law will stand except one. The requirement for states to increase Medicaid spending for the poor was ruled unenforceable by the federal government.
"What you did not do for the least of my Kingdom, you did not do for me," said the Lord.
Regarding the Medicaid portion of the act, the opinion held the expansion of the low-income health insurance constitutional, but said that the federal government couldn't withhold funds for the program from states that don't comply with federal provisions.
Chief Justice Roberts wrote in his opinion, "nothing in our opinion precludes Congress from offering funds under the ACA to expand the availability of health care, and requiring that states accepting such funds comply with the conditions on their use. What Congress is not free to do is to penalize States that choose not to participate in that new program by taking away their existing Medicaid funding."In other words, the poor get bupkis if the state or Congress does not come up with the money to cover Medicaid costs.
"What you did not do for the least of my Kingdom, you did not do for me," said the Lord.
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