| Date |
Chapter & Pages |
Quotes and Comments |
Mar. 1
Ash Wed. |
Introduction, pp. 1-3 |
"The most important factor is that fundamentalists have been increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree." [3]
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| Mar. 2 |
Introduction, pp. 4-6 |
"It is in America's best interests to understand one another and to find as much common ground as possible." [5]
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| Mar. 3 |
Chap 1: America's Common Beliefs - and Strong Differences
pp. 7-14 |
"This sharp and growing difference over the issue of whether international disputes can be better resolved by diplomacy or by military action is now the /most accurate predictor/ of party affiliation--more important than gay marriage, homosexuality, or abortion." [10]
"Nowadays, the Washington scene is completely different, with almost every issue decided on a strictly partisan basis. Probing public debate on key legislative decisions is almost a thing of the past. Basic agreements are made between lobbyists and legislative leaders, often within closed party caucuses where rigid discipline is paramount. Even personal courtesies, which had been especially cherished in the U. S. Senate, are no longer considered to be sacrosanct. This deterioration in harmony, cooperation, and collegiality in the Congress is, at least in part, a result of the rise of fundamentalist tendencies and their religious and political impact." [8]
Comment:
It appears that this calls for progressives to work hard to take over the party organizations from the Democratic wimps who are so afraid of losing that they roll over and do not oppose, as well as the throwing out the Democratic pigs who are feeding at the same troughs as the Republicans. In Wisconsin, the People's Legislature (FightingBob.com) and the WI Democracy Campaign are on the right track about what must be done first -- campaign and finance reform. It also calls for progressive Christians to work hard to educate the media and the public that the fundamentalists are a minority as well as a 19th century reactionary deviance (almost heresy) rather than any expression of classic or mainstream Christianity. Right now, I'm not optimistic! -- Dave Steffenson |
| Mar. 4 |
Chap 1: America's Common Beliefs - and Strong Differences
pp. 14-15 |
"When asked if they personally believe it is acceptable for gays and lesbians to engage in same-sex behavior, a majority of Americans respond affirmatively, which is a strong shift in opinion since twenty years ago, when responses to the same question were the reverse." [14] Comment:
This is encouragement to get engaged with defeating the November referendum in Wisconsin that would limit relationship protections to heterosexual couples. Check out Action Wisconsin and Christians for Equality in Wisconsin. -- Wesley White
|
Mar. 5
Sunday |
Attend, Learn From, &
Educate A Faith Community |
|
| Mar. 6 |
Chap 2: My Traditional Christian Faith pp. 16-20 |
"We received the Holy Scripture in its entirety as the revealed will of God, agreeing that the words and actions of Jesus Christ are the criteria by which the Holy Bible is to be interpreted. Although often helpful, human interpretations of the Scriptures were not to be regarded as infallible or as official creeds or instruments of doctrinal accountability." [17, emphasis added]
Comment:
While he has an evangelical Christian spirit, he seems to be what Jim Wallis calls a "red letter Christian," (the words of Jesus highlighted in red in many Bibles), and he is certainly no Fundamentalist in his rejection of all those today who are using the Bible as a weapon or indulging in "bible abuse" with manipulative proof-texting studies. (The Scofield Chain Reference Bible and its descendents are WMDs!). I'm curious to know what methods he used in his Sunday School classes. Look at Carter's list of theologians who have most influenced him, [p. 23] and he obviously is a well-read and sophisticated theologian himself in terms of the last half of the 20th century. I knew about his love for Reinhold Niebuhr since he ran for President, but not the rest. It's an impressive list. -- Dave Steffenson |
| Mar. 7 |
Chap 2: My Traditional Christian Faith pp. 20-25 |
"You only need two loves in your life: for God, and for the person in front of you at any particular time." - Rev. Eloy Cruz [23]
Since no church would accept us, we were forced to have committee meetings in an abandoned school building and to present the film in the local movie theater." [24]
Comment:
Churches sure can get so blinded by God that they can't see their neighbor. It's almost an occupational hazard. -- Wesley White |
| Mar. 8 |
Chap 2: My Traditional Christian Faith pp. 25-29 |
"I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth, possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God's standards of truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love." [28] |
| Mar. 9 |
Chap 3: The Rise of Religious Fundamentalism pp. 30-35 |
"Those Christians who resist the inclination toward fundamentalism and who truly follow the nature, actions, and words of Jesus Christ should encompass people who are different from us with our care, generosity, forgiveness, compassion, and unselfish love." [31]
"I soon learned there was a more intense form of fundamentalism, with some prevailing characteristics:
- led by authoritarian males who have an overwhelming commitment to subjugate women and to dominate their fellow believers
- usually believe that the past is better than the present but retain certain self-beneficial aspects of the modern world
- draw clear distinctions between themselves as true believers and others claims those who contradict them are ignorant and evil
- are militant in fighting against any challenge to their beliefs
- make their self-definition increasingly narrow
To summarize, there are three words that characterize this brand of fundamentalism: rigidity, domination, and exclusion." [34-35]
Comment:
Consider the distinction between being a follower of Jesus Christ ("red-letter Christian" is the latest buzz word) and being a Christian fundamentalist. Carter was labeled a "secular humanist" by his own Southern Baptist fundamentalist leadership and yet lives within that polity. How is your continuing in your religious tradition affected by the fundamentalist leaders in your tradition? -- Wesley White
|
| Mar. 10 |
Chap 4: Growing Conflicts Among Religious People pp. 36-41 |
"Almost invariably the divisions among Christians are based on the presumption of preeminence by one group over others. . . . Beginning about 25 years ago [Reagan era], some Christians leaders began to form a union with the more conservative wing of the Republican Party. Such a political marriage is in conflict with my own belief in the separation of church and state--I would feel the same even if the marriage were with Democrats. Now, leaders of the highly organized Christian Right have successfully elevated into America's political debate some of the most divisive social questions." [38-39]
Comment:
That marriage has ripened into dominance over the Republican Party and some are pushing Christian Dominionism (Theocracy). The Scofield Chain Reference Bible and its descendants is a religious WMD! Proof-texting is intellectual terrorism! (See www.theocracywatch.org). -- Dave Steffenson
|
| Mar. 11 |
Chap 4: Growing Conflicts Among Religious People pp. 41-46 |
"It was clear that much of our energy is spent in internecine warfare, in arguments and debates that not only are divisive but tend to incapacitate us as we work in the name of Christ. We agreed that there was still a gratifying degree of harmony within most local congregations, and that the arguments were at a higher organizational level." [44]
Comment:
Is the second sentence still true or is conflict growing at the local level. I'm out of touch. How do we combat the "know-nothings" seeking to take over the church without increasing destructive conflict. Can we disagree constructively and move beyond the hardened assumptions? -- Dave Steffenson |
Mar. 12
Sunday |
Attend, Learn From, &
Educate A Faith Community |
|
| Mar. 13 |
Chap 5: No Conflict Between Science and Religion pp. 47-52 |
"There will always be people who insist on one aspect of knowledge to the exclusion of the other and are plagued with the realization that religion and science cannot prove each other." [51]
Comment:
This is called the Fallacy of the Excluded Middle! We are plagued everywhere with either-or, polarized thinking and are pushed to choose! Aristotle and Buddha were right that truth lies closer to the Golden Mean -- the Middle Way! -- Dave Steffenson |
| Mar. 14 |
Chap 6: The Entwining of Church and State pp. 53-56 |
"During the last two decades, Christian fundamentalists have increasingly and openly challenged and rejected Jesus' admonition to 'render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's.'" [53] |
| Mar. 15 |
Chap 6: The Entwining of Church and State pp. 56-60 |
"Jesus proclaimed that his ministry was to 'bring good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, and to release the oppressed.' This statement has always been well known to Christian, but after a lifetime of responsibilities in both religious and political arenas, I reached what was, to me, a surprising and somewhat reluctant conclusion. In efforts to reach out to the poor, alleviate suffering, provide homes for the homeless, eliminate the stigma of poverty or racial discrimination, preserve peace, and rehabilitate prisoners, government officeholders and not church members were more likely to assume responsibility and be able to fulfill the benevolent mission." [57] |
| Mar. 16 |
Chap 6: The Entwining of Church and State pp. 60-64 |
"Perhaps one of the strangest and most disturbing examples of this political effort [of 'faith-based initiatives] by right-wing Christians has been to attack the federal court system itself...." [61]
"There is obviously a widespread, carefully planned, and unapologetic crusade under way from both sides to merge fundamentalist Christians with the right wing of the Republican Party. Although considered to be desirable by some Americans, the melding of church and state is of deep concern to those who have always relished their separation as one of our moral values." [64]
|
| Mar. 17 |
Chap 7: Sins of Divorce and Homosexuality pp. 65-70 |
"...an interesting characteristic of fundamentalists is an obsession with one or two emotional issues.... Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, for instance, have elevated homosexuality to a pinnacle of great importance among deviations from their increasingly narrow and rigid definition of the Christian faith." [66]
"The public condemnation and ridicule of gays has been increasingly promoted by a few demagogic religious leaders, and the political acceptance of this treatment tends to authenticate and encourage this discrimination." [66]
|
| Mar. 18 |
Chap 8: Would Jesus Approve Abortions and the Death Penalty?
pp. 71-78 |
"Many fervent pro-life activists do not extend their concern to the baby who is born, and are the least likely to support benevolent programs that they consider 'socialistic.' They ignore the fact that once a doubtful mother decides not to have an abortion, she and her family usually have a number of needs: continued education for the mother, or a maternity leave from her job; special health care, with insurance to cover the costs; housing allowances; an adequate minimum wage; and tax credits to help the employed mother and her child have a decent life. Two-thirds of women who have abortions claim their primary reason is that they cannot afford a child." [73]
"...Canadian and European young people are about equally active sexually, but, deprived of proper sex education, American girls are five times as likely to have a baby as French girls, seven times as likely to have an abortion, and seventy times as likely to have gonorrhea as girls in the Netherlands. Also, the incidence of HIV/AIDS among American teenagers is five times that of the same age group in Germany. It is obvious that our teenagers are mature enough to be give the facts about sex, and deserve to be able to protect themselves -- preferably by abstinence, but with the wise choice of contraceptives if that is their deliberate choice." [75]
|
Mar. 19
Sunday |
Attend, Learn From, &
Educate A Faith Community |
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| Mar. 20 |
Chap 8: Would Jesus Approve Abortions and the Death Penalty?
pp. 79-85 |
"...our nation's almost total focus is now on punishment, not rehabilitation. This is a characteristic of fundamentalism: 'I am right and worthy, but you are wrong and condemned.' More than seven Americans out of a thousand are now imprisoned -- most of them for nonviolent crimes. This is the highest incarceration rate in the world, exceeding Russia's former record of six per thousand. Among the busiest construction industries in many states is building more jail cells, and job opportunities for prison guards have skyrocketed." [79-80]
"One of the key reasons proponents of the death penalty put forward is that it is a strong deterrent to murder and other capital crimes. In fact, the evidence shows just the opposite. The homicide rate is at least five times greater in the United States than in any European country, none of which authorizes the death penalty. The Southern states carry out over 80 percent of the executions but have a higher murder rate than any other region. Texas has by far the most execution, but its homicide rate is twice that of Wisconsin, the first state to abolish the death penalty. It is not a matter of geography or ethnicity, as is indicated by similar and adjacent states: the number of capital crimes is higher, respectively in South Dakota, Connecticut, and Virginia (all with the death sentence) than in the adjacent states of North Dakota, Massachusetts, and West Virginia (without the death penalty). Furthermore, there has never been any evidence that adding the death penalty reduced capital crimes, or that the crimes increased when executions were prohibited." [81]
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| Mar. 21 |
Chap 9: Must Women be Subservient? pp. 86-91 |
"Despite the fact that Jesus Christ was the greatest liberator of women, some male leaders of the Christian faith have continued the unwarranted practice of sexual discrimination, derogating women and depriving them of their equal rights to serve God. This same insistence on the submission of wives to husbands and the branding of women as inferior has also been adopted in some Islamic nations. It is inevitable that this sustained religious subjugation has been a major influence in depriving women of basic rights within the worldwide secular community." [87] |
| Mar. 22 |
Chap 9: Must Women be Subservient? pp. 91-93 |
"To the Romans, Paul listed and thanked twenty-eight outstanding leaders of the early churches, at least ten of whom were women:
'I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenehreae. . . . Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus. . . . Greet Mary, who has worked very hard among you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. . . . Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.'" [92-93] |
| Mar. 23 |
Chap 10: Fundamentalism in Government pp. 94-96 |
"When a judge was killed in an Atlanta courtroom by an irate criminal and the mother and husband of a Chicago judge were assassinated because of a dismissed lawsuit, a Republican from Texas explained in the Senate chamber that frustration 'builds us and build up to the point' that violence occurs against judges who 'are making political decisions yet are unaccountable to the public.' Even though a former judge himself, he suggested that the limited role of the Supreme Court should be 'an enforcer of political decisions made by elected representatives of the people.' It was to avoid this kind of intimidation of the judiciary that our founding fathers separated the three branches of government, with federal judges appointed for life and broad support required for approval of new judicial appointees. [96] |
| Mar. 24 |
Chap 10: Fundamentalism in Government pp. 96-101 |
"I have chosen to us 'fundamentalist' to describe a conglomeration of characteristics, some of them attributable to 'neocons' or the extreme right wing, recognizing that there are no commonly accepted definitions of these descriptive words.
"There are obviously sincere differences of opinion within the religious and political life of our nation, and this is to be expected. It is the unprecedented combined impact of fundamentalism in religion and politics that has helped to create the deep and increasingly disturbing divisions among our people. This is a basic challenge that the citizens of our country will have to meet and resolve, in order to shape the future heart and soul of America." [101]
|
| Mar. 25 |
Chap 11: The Distortion of American Foreign Policy
pp.102-106 |
"The [International Criminal Court] ICC charter, signed in 2002 by 139 nations, was carefully drafted to prevent punishment of Americans for genocidal acts overseas, provided U.S. courts will address any such crimes. However, the United States is now attempting to force subservient nations to guarantee blanket immunity for American military personnel, contractor employees, and tourists. In addition to countries in other regions, twelve Latin American and Caribbean countries are being deprived of military and other aid, arousing deep resentment and damaging their ability and willingness to cooperate with us regarding the control of narcotics, illegal immigration, and terrorism." [106] |
Mar. 26
Sunday |
Attend, Learn From, &
Educate A Faith Community |
|
| Mar. 27 |
Chap 11: The Distortion of American Foreign Policy
pp.106-110 |
"Selig Harrison, who has visited North Korea nine times, most recently in April 2005, states that
'the ascendancy of the [Korean] hard-liners is the direct result of the Bush administration's ideologically driven North Korea policy and can be reversed only if the United States makes a fresh start attuned to the conciliatory engagement approach now being pursued by South Korean President Roh Moo Hymn. . . . In any case, it is increasingly clear that the administration made a catastrophic blunder in December 2002 by abrogating the 1994 nuclear freeze, using the uranium accusation as its justification. This gave the hard-liners their rationale for resuming plutonium reprocessing, thus creating the present crisis." [110] |
| Mar. 28 |
Chap 11: The Distortion of American Foreign Policy
pp.110-115 |
"So far, a fundamentalist policy of not negotiating with those who disagree with us has backfired in North Korea, possibly resulting in the Communist regime's churning out nuclear weapons. At the same time, we have antagonized our Far East allies and diminished America's influence and stature in Asia. It is unlikely that the North Koreans will back down unless the United States meets their basic demands. [111]
"One of the most bizarre admixtures of religion and government is the strong influence of some Christian fundamentalists on U.S. policy in the Middle East.... [The] religious premise [of the Left Behind series] is based on a careful selection of Bible verses, mostly from the book of Revelation, and describes the scenario for the end of the world....This transcendent event will be instantaneous, and the timing unpredictable. There are literally millions of my fellow Baptists and others who believe every word of this vision, based on self-exaltation of the chosen few along with the condemnation and abandonment, during a period of 'tribulation,' of family members, friends, and neighbors who have not been chosen for salvation.
"It is the injection of these beliefs into America's governmental policies that is a cause for concern. These believers are convinced that they have a personal responsibility to hasten this coming of the 'rapture' in order to fulfill biblical prophecy. Their agenda calls for a war in the Middle East against Islam (Iraq?) and the taking of the entire Holy Land by Jews (occupation of the West Bank?), with the total expulsion of all Christians and other gentiles. This is to be followed by infidels (Antichrists) conquering the area, and a final triumph of the Messiah. At this time of rapture, all Jews will either be converted to Christianity or be burned." [113-114]
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| Mar. 29 |
Chap 12: Attacking Terrorism, Not Human Rights
pp. 116-121 |
"During the past four years there have been dramatic changes in our nation's policies toward protecting these right [of freedom]. Many of our citizens have accepted these unprecedented policies because of the fear of terrorist attacks, but the damage to America's reputation has been extensive. Formerly admired almost universally as the preeminent champion of human rights, the United States now has become one of the foremost targets of respected international organizations concerned about these basic principles of democratic life. Some of our actions are similar to those of abusive regimes that we have historically condemned." [117-118]
[quoting Dr. Burton J. Lee III, President George H. W. Bush's personal White House physician:] "America cannot continue down this road. Torture demonstrates weakness, not strength. It does not show understanding, power or magnanimity. It is not leadership. It is a reaction of government officials overwhelmed by fear who succumb to conduct unworthy of them and of the citizens of the United States." [121]
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| Mar. 30 |
Chap 12: Attacking Terrorism, Not Human Rights
pp. 121-127 |
"Another subject of concern among those who came from Northern Ireland, Turkey, Burma, Columbia, Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, Uzbekistan, and other conflict-ridden societies was that the early use of military force and an announce policy of preemptive war sent a signal that violence had become a much more acceptable alternative to peaceful negotiations in the resolution of differences. The general consensus of these experts on democracy and freedom was that policies based on violence always result in a cycle of escalated violence. [125] |
| Mar. 31 |
Chap 12: Attacking Terrorism, Not Human Rights
pp. 127-133 |
"It is an embarrassing tragedy to see a departure from our nation's historic leadership as a champion of human rights, with the abandonment defended legally by top officials. Only the American people can redirect our government's legal, religious, and political commitments to these ancient and unchanging moral principles." [132-133] |
| Apr. 1 |
Chap 13: Protecting our Arsenals, but Promoting Proliferation
pp. 134-139 |
"In rejecting or evading almost all nuclear arms control agreements negotiated during the past fifty years, the United States has now become the prime culprit in global nuclear proliferation. Former secretary of defense Robert McNamara summed up his concerns in the May/June 2005 issue of Foreign Policy magazine: 'I would characterize current U.S. nuclear weapons policy as immoral, illegal, militarily unnecessary and dreadfully dangerous.'" [136] |
Apr. 2
Sunday |
Attend, Learn From, &
Educate A Faith Community |
|
| Apr. 3 |
Chap 13: Protecting our Arsenals, but Promoting Proliferation
pp. 139-145 |
"The fact is that the global threat of proliferation exists, and the destructive actions of several nonnuclear nations -- and perhaps even some terrorist groups -- will depend on lack of leadership among those who already have powerful arsenals but are not willing to restrain themselves. Like it or not, America is at the forefront in making this great moral decision. Instead of setting an example for others, we seem to be choosing proliferation. [145] |
| Apr. 4 |
Chap 14: Worshiping the Prince of Peace, or Preemptive War?
pp. 146-150 |
"...current U.S. policy is threatening the effectiveness of international agreements that have been laboriously negotiated by almost all previous presidents. Perhaps even more disturbing as a threat to the maintenance of global stability is the unprecedented adoption of a policy of preemptive war. This recent decision is not only a radical departure from historic policies of the United States but also a violation of international laws that we have pledge to honor. The United Nations Charter grants to sovereign nations the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense, but only in the event of armed attack. Ignoring even our closest allies, our president has announced a decision that the United States would act as a law unto ourselves and launch preemptive military attacks, while rejecting the standard of "war as a last resort." [149] |
| Apr. 5 |
Chap 14: Worshiping the Prince of Peace, or Preemptive War?
pp. 150-157 |
"Regardless of the exact number of casualties [in the American war on Iraq], there are two basic facts to be remembered: the war was unjust and unnecessary, and our armed forces in Iraq deserve extraordinary gratitude and admiration for their special courage and effectiveness. The fact is that, unlike during other times of national threat or crisis, the United States of America is not at war. To an extraordinary degree, the entire burden of the conflict has been focused just on a few military personnel and their families, with no financial sacrifice or discomfort among 99.5 percent of the American people." [157, emphasis in original] |
| Apr. 6 |
Chap 14: Worshiping the Prince of Peace, or Preemptive War?
pp. 157-163 |
"What are our best responses? Is it better to cherish our historic role as the great champion of human rights, or to abandon our high domestic and international standards in response to threats? Is it better to set a firm example of reducing reliance on nuclear weapons and their further proliferation, or to insist on our right (and that of others) to retain our arsenals, expand them, and therefore abrogate or derogate control agreements negotiated for many decades? Are we best served by espousing peace as a national priority unless our security is directly threatened, or by proclaiming an unabridged right to attack other nations unilaterally to change an unsavory regime or for other purposes? Is a declaration of 'You are either with us or against us' superior to forming alliances based on a clear comprehension of mutual interests? When there are serious differences with other nations, is it best to permit direct negotiations to resolve the problems, or to brand those who differ as international pariahs -- and to refuse to permit such discussions?
"Most of these questions are already being answered by our government's policies -- policies that are predicated on the basic premises of fundamentalism. It is not yet clear if the American people approve. [162-163] |
| Apr. 7 |
Chap 15: Where are the Major Threats to the Environment?
pp. 164-168 |
"The tragedy of the decision to savage the Alaska refuge is that when oil from the area might reach peak production, fifteen to twenty years from now, it will equal the amount that could be saved by requiring the efficiency of 'light trucks' (SUVs) to be the same as that of ordinary cars (20 miles per gallon). To reach the target we set in 1980 would result in far more savings. Perhaps not surprisingly, political pressures from the oil industry and automobile manufacturers have prevailed on this issue, and gas guzzlers have become a major product in our country. This foolish government decision against fuel economy might be a serious long-term blow to the American automobile industry in its competition with more efficient vehicles manufactured in Japan and Europe as fuel prices inevitably rise in the future." [168] |
| Apr. 8 |
Chap 15: Where are the Major Threats to the Environment?
pp. 168-173 |
"Both President George H. W. Bush and President Bill Clinton helped to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol, designed to establish a worldwide commitment to control atmospheric pollution and reduce the buildup of gases that are the cause of global warming. The history of this effort is another disturbing indication of the recent change in our nation's values." [171] |
Apr. 9
Sunday |
Attend, Learn From, &
Educate A Faith Community |
|
| Apr. 10 |
Chap 15: Where are the Major Threats to the Environment?
pp. 173-177 |
"America is by far the world's leading polluter, and our government's abandonment of its responsibilities is just another tragic step in a series of actions that have departed from the historic bipartisan protection of the global environment. Our proper stewardship of God's world is a personal and political moral commitment." [177] |
| Apr. 11 |
Chap 16: World's Greatest Challenge in the New Millennium
pp. 178-182 |
"... the greatest challenge we face is the growing chasm between the rich and poor people on earth. There is not only a great disparity between the two, but the gap is steadily widening. At the beginning of the last century, the ten richest countries were nine times wealthier than the ten poorest ones. In 1960 the ratio was 30:1. At the beginning of this century, average income per person in the twenty richest nations was $27,591 and in the poorest nations only $211, a ration of 131:1!" [179] |
| Apr. 12 |
Chap 16: World's Greatest Challenge in the New Millennium
pp. 182-186 |
"Despite all the goodwill and generosity that exist among American citizens, the amount of foreign assistance going from our government to the poor is still embarrassingly small. Predictably, must of the U.S. government's foreign aid goes to friendly nations and military allies, and Washington restricts many other kinds of assistance with all kinds of political strings. It is distressing to see our great nation defaulting on its obligation to share a respectable portion of our wealth with the most destitute people on earth." [186] |
| Apr. 13 |
Chap 16: World's Greatest Challenge in the New Millennium
pp. 186-191 |
"Sharing wealth with those that are starving and suffering unnecessarily is a value by which a nation's moral values are measured, and there is a strange and somewhat disturbing situation in our country. Americans are willing to be generous in helping others -- and they believe that our government gives as much as 15 percent of our federal budget in foreign aid. But we are, in fact, the stingiest of all industrialized nations. WE allot about one-thirtieth as much as is commonly believed. Our gross national income (GNI) is about $11 trillion, of which we share with poor nations only sixteen cents out of each $100. If we add all the donations from American foundations and from other private sources to the government's funds, the total still amounts to just twenty-two cents per $100 of national income." [187]
"Inevitably, our failure to meet responsibilities is becoming increasingly evident to people in other nations. These differences are likely to become more pronounced and perhaps even a source of criticism or condemnation in the years ahead, instead of portraying America as a powerful nations with strong moral values." [190]
|
| Apr. 14 |
Chap 16: World's Greatest Challenge in the New Millennium
pp. 191-197 |
"A country that is now aspiring to an 'ownership society' will not find happiness in -- and I'll use hyperbole here for emphasis -- a 'sharecropper's society.' But that's precisely where our trade policies, supported by Republicans and Democrats alike, are taking us." [193] |
| Apr. 15 |
Chap 17: What Is a Superpower?
pp. 198-200 |
"Now, more than at any time in history, the United States of America has become the preeminent military power on earth. While there has been a sharp downward trend in worldwide expenditures for weapons during the past twenty years, the United States has continued to increase its military budget every year. It now exceeds $400 billion annually, equal to the total in all other nations combined. The next largest military budget is Russia's, which is one-sixth as large. The only arms race is one that we are having with ourselves. [199] |
Apr. 16
Easter |
Attend, Learn From, &
Educate A Faith Community |
|
| And Beyond |
Keep Preaching
in the Opportunities Given You |
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