Thursday, May 15, 2008 |
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California Now Pro-Gay Marriage |
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Posted by:
Amanda Carpenter at
1:30 PM |
Gays and lesbians will now be able to legally marry in the state of California.
The California Supreme Court overturned their state's ban on same-sex marriage today, calling state marriage laws "discriminatory."
Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger released a statement following the decision that said: "I respect the Court's decision and as Governor, I will uphold its ruling. Also, as I have said in the past, I will not support an amendment to the constitution that would overturn this state Supreme Court ruling."
California is now the second state to allow gay marriage, following Massachusetts.
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Wednesday, May 14, 2008 |
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Happy 60th Birthday, Israel |
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Posted by:
Michael Medved at
6:56 PM |
If you've been listening to the radio show, you know I've been traveling this week (California and Georgia), so it's been difficult for me to keep up with the blog. Nevertheless, my wife, Dr. Diane Medved, wrote such a beautiful piece about Israel's birthday that it seemed to me appropriate to share it with you here.
blog and photos by Diane Medved (www.brightlightsearch.blogspot.com)
It's modern Israel's 60th birthday. As every day, today is a miracle; even more so for Israel.
I grew up wondering what it was about Israel that had all my Jewish friends so reverent, so stalwart. Israel was one topic about which you did not joke, about which there was no dissent, a rare subject for a group of argumentative people. Most of my childhood friends were "very Reform," meaning they didn't even know, much less keep mitzvot (commandments). They ate "kosher style" bagels and sandwiches at Junior's Deli (on Westwood Blvd. near Pico in West L.A.). They went to services, usually at some overflow location, for the High Holidays; they lit menorahs. That was about it.
My family did none of it; my Jewish father had married a non-Jew and our home was basically devoid of religion, save for the Guideposts pamphlet-size magazine my mom got by subscription every month, the "God loves you" publication of Norman Vincent Peale. Though she kept each issue by her bed, she never spoke of it.
Though all my school friends were Jewish, there had been the interlude when at age ten a new friend moved onto the block--the daughter of an Episcopal priest, who made it a condition of our friendship that I attend their church in Beverly Hills. Dutifully, I tagged along with the "PK" and sincerely wanted some of the spiritual goodies that family lived by--but try as I might (and I did try, learning their liturgy and even becoming "confirmed" at age 12 along with my friend), that lightening bolt from heaven never struck, and when my friend moved away, so did any attachment to her brand of religion.
That left me back with all the Jews, just when they were having bar and bat  mitzvahs. I had a great time attending those, but watching my friends give speeches about the arrival of their adulthood was more ludicrous than meaningful. In high school, along with my friends, I joined the George Gershwin chapter of the B'nai B'rith Girls (the Reform youth group, the goal of which is to insure that Jews date only Jews). This was before the Reform branch declared that lineage moves through the father as well as the mother, so I was the group's blond "ringer." I dated the Jewish guys, cozied in with my new best friend, whose family ate chocolate babka, and attended high holiday services, leaving the tedium with my cohort for acceptable breaks and then tip-toeing back to the endless prayers.
What does all this have to do with Israel? Even in such a non-spiritual Jewish world, Israel was sacred. It was understood that Israel was God's apology for the Holocaust. You gave tzadaka (charity) to Israel. You prayed for Israel. You planted trees in Israel. You evaluated political candidates on their support for Israel. Then you voted for the Democrat.
 My family was conservative. My Jewish daddy, who never made any reference to his birth-faith, read US News and World Report at the dinner table. He voted for Nixon and in 1964 Goldwater--I still have a metallic gold campaign button that reads, "I'm an extremist, I love liberty!" written around Barry Goldwater's smiling, bespectacled face. But when it came to Israel--well, Israel was special and worth defending at all cost.
My first trip to Israel was 22 years ago, after my Orthodox conversion and much intense study. In order to make a phone call then, you had to deposit hexagonal silver tokens with holes in their centers into the pay phone--if you could find one. Then, you hoped there was an operator to put the call through. Sometimes people lined up waiting to use the public phones, since many private citizens did not have their own. The traffic was sparse; the country had the feel of a third-world, developing nation where not everything worked as it should.
I have been to Israel many times since; this summer my husband and I will escort 200 tourists there again (taking our fourth tour), eager to amaze and awe them with the ruach (spirit) so palpable there. Our daughter lived in Jerusalem for a seminary year; close relatives have made Jerusalem their permanent homes. Israel has emerged as a high-tech center for the world (the assonance nearly compelled me to write "a high tech mecca," but I just couldn't do it), where cell phones are ubiquitous and sophisticated. The pace is fast; cars squeeze through non-lanes and park on the sidewalks. And religiously, as the level of Jewish connection around the globe has grown, its fervency and urgency in observance at its source and center has burgeoned exponentially.
So, Happy Birthday, Israel! Sixty years is not a long time in the sweep of history, and only a blink after an exile of 2,000 years. But the amount of change, advancement and strength that has gathered in that short span only confirms it as the Land wonder-fully blessed and unique.
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Wednesday, May 07, 2008 |
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Yet Another "Evangelical Manifesto" |
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Posted by:
Hugh Hewitt at
11:29 AM |
Between Two World's Justin Taylor summarizes it, but don't expect much beyond today's press release.
Christians at work in or near the public square represent a vast spectrum from left to right, and an astonishing array of doctrines and creeds. The effort to define for this incredibly large and diverse collection of believers a "manifesto" is to me an exercise in pride going before a snooze.
Tell me the issue. Then tell me your take based upon your understanding of the Gospel. Then we can agree or disagree and perhaps reason together on where we part company.
But, please, don't tell me or imply to the public that you speak for evangelicals. It simply isn't true and cannot be true.
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Monday, May 05, 2008 |
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Defending Jeremiah? |
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Posted by:
Michael Medved at
10:17 AM |
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Amidst all the raging controversy, a few brave voices have come forward to defend Pastor Jeremiah Wright. They deserve more attention than they’ve received because they illustrate the pompous fatuity so typical of the religious left.
For instance, within his own denomination, the Rantin’ Rev most certainly enjoys his supporters. Reverend Richard Wagner of Union Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, says the Pyrotechnic Pastor displays Biblical stature, and speaks “with the same passion and hyperbole as the Hebrew prophets.” The New York Times adds that “clergy members have cited Amos, who cursed all the nations, saving his harshest words for his own.”
There are no end of ridiculous elements to this comparison, but we might as well start with the fact that Jeremiah Wright doesn’t see the U.S. as “his own” nation; he considers himself a loyal son of the African Motherland, and speaks no harsh words about the continent that produced his ancestors.
Moreover, the Hebrew prophets lived ascetically and humbly (remember Elijah being fed by ravens in a cave?) and it’s hard to imagine them relishing a multi-million dollar home built with congregational funds, or gleefully commanding the spotlight on PBS or the National Press Club.
Finally, the prophets were profoundly serious people, virtually possessed by the voice of God, willing to disregard their personal welfare to convey a message.
Despite the carefully cultivated image as a dashiki-wearing rebel, Jeremiah Wright is a self-serving careerist, a media-mad showoff who will even say things he knows to be untrue (lying about the nature of the Tuskegee Experiment to make people believe the government created AIDS) in order to advance his own standing and interests.
His egotistical behavior in putting his own standing and publicity ahead of the fate of his supposed friend, Barack Obama, simply provides the latest indication that this unbridled showman is more about profit than he is about prophet.
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Sunday, May 04, 2008 |
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Ragamuffin Soul and the Future of Godblogging |
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Posted by:
Hugh Hewitt at
10:22 AM |
Here is Ragamuffin Soul, a blog by Carlos Whittaker, a friend of Randy Elrod who is a friend of mine, and whose Ethos is a magnificent blog.
Yesterday I met Fermin Whittaker, the father of Carlos, at the commencement ceremonies at California Baptist University. Carlos encouraged his father to start blogging, which Dr. Whittaker, the Executive Director of the California Southern Baptist Convention, has done, here at A View From Within.
"As we talked, our world became smaller," Dr. Whittaker wrote of our few minutes of conversation. Small world stories have that effect, but behind the simple appreciation for shared friendships was a recognition that four very different people are linked by the new technology, and that the youngest of them by far, Carlos, will be using the medium for evangelization for the rest of his life and not merely a half or a third of it.
A hundred years from now, church historians are going to be studying how folks like Randy, MarkDRoberts, Joe Carter, John Mark Reynolds, Al Mohler and others transformed the practice of evangelization by embracing, improving, and popularizing blogging and new media. Carlos and his generation, which includes folks like Alex Chediak, a young faculty member and blogger at CBU, are simply following their lead and extending the reach of the Gospel via the new medium.
Which is a long way of saying you really ought to be planning to be at GodBlog 3 at the second BlogWorld and New Media Expo September in Las Vegas. The church is changing, and Dr. Whittaker's willingness to be led by his son to use a new tool is an example for the entire church to follow.
And if you are anywhere near Atlanta tomorrow through Wednesday, you should get to the DriveConference. It is being led by Andy Stanley, whose online invitation includes the wonderful line, "Church is a team sport."
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Friday, May 02, 2008 |
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Conservatives Stand Up for TV Ministries |
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
1:35 PM |
A group of Christian and conservative orginizations (including the Christian Anti-Defamation League and the 60 Plus Association), as well as conservative leaders (including Paul Weyrich, Ken Blackwell, and Star Parker), are concerned about the Senate Finance Committee's probe into the records of television ministries.
They signed the following letter, which was delivered to committee members this afternoon:
United States Congress
U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20002
May 2, 2008
Dear Senate Finance Committee Member:
We write respectfully to let you know of our concerns about the Senate Finance Committee’s investigation into the finances of several churches, all of which share the same branch of evangelicalism, and all of which promote socially conservative public policy positions such as support for the traditional definition of marriage.
While we recognize that some evangelical teachings and socially conservative policy positions are controversial, and that these churches have been the subject of sensational investigative journalism, we are nonetheless concerned that this would possibly justify an investigation outside the normal confines of the Internal Revenue Service and established administrative and judicial procedures.
Read More... |
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Tuesday, April 22, 2008 |
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The Semiotics of "God Bless America" |
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Posted by:
Carol Platt Liebau at
3:32 PM |
The Seattle Times today runs a revealing piece by a couple of professors about Barack Obama's use (or non-use) of the phrase "God bless America" and what it means -- or doesn't (HT: Real Clear Politics):
Consider this reality: The omnipresence of "God bless America" as a political slogan is an entirely recent phenomenon. We know because we've run the numbers. Analysis of more than 15,000 public communications by political leaders from Franklin Roosevelt's election in 1932 — the beginning of the modern presidency — through six years of George W. Bush's administration revealed that prior to Ronald Reagan taking office in 1981, the phrase had passed a modern president's lips only once in a major address . . .
They go on to conclude:
That's the problem with the "God bless America" test: Like most of the other tests that constitute modern political discourse, it doesn't mean anything.
They're wrong. Consider the first excerpt above. Did the authors ever wonder why the presidents prior to Reagan didn't feel the need to use the phrase? Could it be that it was because people knew their presidents (Republican and Democrat alike) loved America, considered her an exceptional country, and believed her worthy of seeking God's blessings?
Beginning in the late '60's but really coming to fruition in the post-Watergate, Carter era, many in the New Left made it clear that they didn't believe in American exceptionalism -- and, in fact, didn't consider this country worthy of any blessings, much less God's (assuming, of course, that God wasn't "dead," as so much of the left apparently believed). Carter-style moral equivalence insisted that this nation wasn't significantly better than the totalitarian Soviet Union.
It was into this environment that the great Ronald Reagan began seeking God's blessing on this country in public. It was a wonderful and meaningful act.
Contrary to the authors' thesis, when politicians these days say "God bless America," it's more than just a meaningless, ritual invocation of the Almighty. It's also taken by many of us as a sign of several things: A politician who is not too "sophisticated" to be embarrassed about saying God's name in public; a candidate who is implicitly casting his (or her) lot with those who believe that this land is a good one, one that has already been uniquely blessed by God; and a person who is defining him- or (her-) self as a religious believer.
"God bless America" means a lot -- including, of course "God bless America."
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Monday, April 21, 2008 |
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Happy at Home, Depressed About the Rest |
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Posted by:
Michael Medved at
6:06 PM |
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The recent headline in the New York Times proclaimed:
“81% IN NEW POLL SAY THE NATION IS HEADED ON THE WRONG TRACK.”
When you read the body of the poll (by the New York Times and CBS News) the numbers tell an oddly contradictory story.
“How would you rate the financial condition in your household—72% Good, 27% Bad
“In the last couple of years have you been….”Getting Ahead or Staying Even, 71%, Falling Behind, 28%
“How concerned are you that someone in your household might be looking for a job in the next year---Not at all Concerned, 45%; Somewhat concerned 26%, Very Concerned, 28%”
As usual with these polls, in other words, the respondents make a clear distinction between the state of the country at large (which they learn about from the media) and their own situation (which they know first-hand).
The contradiction looks as striking as always – 72% who say their own financial condition is “good,” while 81% say the nation at large is on the wrong track.
Once again, the people express the sense that “I’m Okay…. But everybody else is in a mess.”
When a majority embraces this puzzling contradiction, it’s evidence of confusion and uncertainty – not desperation.
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Monday, April 21, 2008 |
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A Nation of Zacchaeuses: Benedict's Extraordinary Welcome And Messages |
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Posted by:
Hugh Hewitt at
8:11 AM |
There is so much excellent reporting and commentary on Benedict XVI's visit to the U.S. that it is hard to keep the pointers to a useful two or three.
But start with the Pope's prayer at Ground Zero and with The Anchoress and her understanding of Benedict's roots in the barbarism of the 20th Century.
I am still amazed at the reception Benedict received and the enthusiasm that met him everywhere he went. For a nation allegedly in the grip of the "new atheism," it sure seemed that there were a few million Zacchaeuses running ahead to catch a glimpse of the successor to St. Peter going about the work of Jesus Christ in the 21rst century.
It may be that Benedict's messages and his meetings mark the moment when the Roman Catholic Church in America began its recovery from the the sex abuse scandal, and began as well to act consistently with the confidence and moral clarity that long distinguished it before disastrous years of indifference to the scandal in its midst, the fecklessness on such issues as President Reagan's bold challenge to the Soviet Union, and the rudderlessness that has marked much of the change that followed Vatican II. Benedict is such an unlikely fountain of charisma that the enormous outpouring of affection for him must be a long submerged affection for and dedication to the Church he represents --a church of clarity, certainty as to truth, and compassion, and of courageous witness and a commitment to service, especially to those least able to defend themselves. In other words, a Church built on Christ's courage and example.
As Benedict himself acknowledged, there is still an enormous amount of rebuilding left for the Catholic leadership and laity in the U.S., and new leadership is still urgently needed in many dioceses. Recovering the sense of mission among the Catholic colleges and universities is obviously a priority for the pope, and an effort that will be ongoing long after his pontificate is ended.
The struggle with America's deep attachment to the pleasures of abundance, its episodic acceptance of its responsibilities as the world's great economic engine and last resort, and its malign elements free to divert, mock and destroy assures that the country will always be struggling to do the right thing and often failing to do so. But the pope's message at the White House was a brief but powerfully focused appeal to all Americans --Catholic and Protestant, Christian or not, believer or atheist-- to keep in mind America's mission in the world:
"Mr. President, thank you for your gracious words of welcome on behalf of the people of the United States of America. I deeply appreciate your invitation to visit this great country. My visit coincides with an important moment in the life of the Catholic community in America: the celebration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the elevation of the country's first Diocese -- Baltimore -- to a metropolitan Archdiocese, and the establishment of the Sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville. Yet I am happy to be here as a guest of all Americans. I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society. America's Catholics have made, and continue to make, an excellent contribution to the life of their country. As I begin my visit, I trust that my presence will be a source of renewal and hope for the Church in the United States, and strengthen the resolve of Catholics to contribute ever more responsibly to the life of this nation, of which they are proud to be citizens.
"From the dawn of the Republic, America's quest for freedom has been guided by the conviction that the principles governing political and social life are intimately linked to a moral order based on the dominion of God the Creator. The framers of this nation's founding documents drew upon this conviction when they proclaimed the "self-evident truth" that all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights grounded in the laws of nature and of nature's God. The course of American history demonstrates the difficulties, the struggles, and the great intellectual and moral resolve which were demanded to shape a society which faithfully embodied these noble principles. In that process, which forged the soul of the nation, religious beliefs were a constant inspiration and driving force, as for example in the struggle against slavery and in the civil rights movement. In our time too, particularly in moments of crisis, Americans continue to find their strength in a commitment to this patrimony of shared ideals and aspirations.
"In the next few days, I look forward to meeting not only with America's Catholic community, but with other Christian communities and representatives of the many religious traditions present in this country. Historically, not only Catholics, but all believers have found here the freedom to worship God in accordance with the dictates of their conscience, while at the same time being accepted as part of a commonwealth in which each individual and group can make its voice heard. As the nation faces the increasingly complex political and ethical issues of our time, I am confident that the American people will find in their religious beliefs a precious source of insight and an inspiration to pursue reasoned, responsible and respectful dialogue in the effort to build a more humane and free society.
"Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience -- almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one's deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate. In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good. Few have understood this as clearly as the late Pope John Paul II. In reflecting on the spiritual victory of freedom over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in eastern Europe, he reminded us that history shows, time and again, that "in a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation," and a democracy without values can lose its very soul. Those prophetic words in some sense echo the conviction of President Washington, expressed in his Farewell Address, that religion and morality represent "indispensable supports" of political prosperity.
"The Church, for her part, wishes to contribute to building a world ever more worthy of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God. She is convinced that faith sheds new light on all things, and that the Gospel reveals the noble vocation and sublime destiny of every man and woman. Faith also gives us the strength to respond to our high calling, and the hope that inspires us to work for an ever more just and fraternal society. Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realized, when political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth and bring the wisdom born of firm moral principle to decisions affecting the life and future of the nation.
"For well over a century, the United States of America has played an important role in the international community. On Friday, God willing, I will have the honor of addressing the United Nations Organization, where I hope to encourage the efforts under way to make that institution an ever more effective voice for the legitimate aspirations of all the world's peoples. On this, the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity -- as brothers and sisters dwelling in the same house and around that table which God's bounty has set for all his children. America has traditionally shown herself generous in meeting immediate human needs, fostering development and offering relief to the victims of natural catastrophes. I am confident that this concern for the greater human family will continue to find expression in support for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress. In this way, coming generations will be able to live in a world where truth, freedom and justice can flourish -- a world where the God-given dignity and rights of every man, woman and child are cherished, protected and effectively advanced.
"Mr. President, dear friends: as I begin my visit to the United States, I express once more my gratitude for your invitation, my joy to be in your midst, and my fervent prayers that Almighty God will confirm this nation and its people in the ways of justice, prosperity and peace. God bless America!" Rarely does an entire country get a week-long tutorial on its blessings and its duties. Benedict XVI gave such a seminar, and we are all the better for it.
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Friday, April 18, 2008 |
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Catholic Prayer Breakfast |
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
9:24 AM |
I'm at the Catholic prayer breakfast. Here's a good line President Bush just had about the Pope's visit this week;
"It's been a joyous time for Catholics -- and it wasn't such a bad week for Methodists, either."
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