injustice

How can a person be found guilty for the attempted murder of those he fired at, but NOT the murder of the one in the SAME car that he killed?  Florida... white man... young black men as victims...

The audacity, arrogance and hubris of a false sense of entitlement and superiority has come to this, repeatedly.

The belief that one must have a gun to get along in this world, and not just have one to defend one's home, but have it ON YOU, so that you can, in an instant, fall back on THAT as your default in conflict, rather than other means... is INSANE...

More insane is that the NRA is so powerful that sensible screenings are NOT required for a period of time, so people can REACT almost instantly by buying a gun to ATTACK others...

... and carry them now in GA in BARS and CHURCHES...

Even MORE insane... that it is allowed to buy weapons that can shoot over 30 rounds... one per second, in a crowded school, mall or other public space...

Our society is becoming more violent and volatile. 

Our fear turns to hatred quickly.

Our defense within our home turns to carrying and using the gun outside the home quickly.

... and we return to DODGE CITY, where everyone carries and uses...

There is a REASON why that evolved into LAWS being used instead of guns to settle disputes...

Some are de-evolving, and would have the rest of society do the same...

... and the courts are on their side, at least if they are white and male, and especially if their victims are young, black and male...

NO MORE.
NO MORE.
NO MORE.

Pastor Jamie

All about Agape Love

I believe this life with one another, even with strangers and enemies, is about us learning how to live Agape Love to perfection.
What I see, is that people who God loves and who I am called to love are being hurt by others whose driving force in life is, instead - greed, lust for power and/or an obsession with prestige/position.  It would not matter to me, because I believe that God takes care of these things, except that SO MANY people are being hurt...
    kept away from the table
    kept down economically
    kept back intellectually
    kept out politically
    kept at bay socially
    kept from working
    kept from empowerment
    kept from having an equal chance in life
    kept from having ENOUGH

And this is being done intentionally, systematically, malevolently, deceitfully, insidiously, sometimes brutally... so that someone else can have more wealth, power or position for themselves and those just like them... much more than they need...

I cannot stand idle... I cannot remain silent... I cannot turn a blind eye, hoping to get more for myself... I cannot pretend that this is alright or natural... I cannot participate actively or by my inactivity with this unconscionable, immoral way...

So, sometimes what I write or say or send along on Facebook or teach or preach may seem harsh, but being an advocate... standing with... means standing up against evil... exposing works of darkness and INSISTING on something different... not always pretty or pleasant... but I MUST do that, in order to be Agape Loving of MANY whom God loves...

Pastor Jamie

Resident Aliens and Most Vulnerable

From the nation that
   wiped out whole families, tribes and nations of those who lived here originally...
   split families in slavery, believing people to be property, all for profit...
   interred (Japanese-American) families in camps during WWII...
        while fighting those who wiped out and split up families of people, because
        THEY were EVIL...
   cut food stamps and other aid to families... ongoing... including now...
   continue to pay a sub-survival wage to working parents in families...
   do all they can to keep families from getting the healthcare they need...

   NOW splits up families again because of the deportation of parents and other family members...
        while courting immigrants who are the brightest and best away from their homelands...
        and while still exploiting those same immigrants for cheap labor across the country,
               as we have for generations...

   Yet, many of the same ones who advocate this, support it and vote for it...
        claim to be the "Family Values" folks... really?

"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest (keep everything you have been blessed with for yourself).  You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them (provide) for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God."  Leviticus 19:9,10

"When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.  The alien who resides with you shall be to you as a CITIZEN among you; you shall LOVE the alien AS YOURSELF, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."  Leviticus 19:33,34 (PORTIONS of this Levitical Code are OFTEN quoted in order to judge others, but this one, strangely is skipped)

"You shall not withhold the wages of the poor and needy laborers, whether others of your land or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns.  You shall pay them their wages daily, before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt."  Deut. 24:14-15

"You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow's property in pledge.  Remember that you were a slave in Egypt (once an alien in a foreign land) and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this."  24:17, 18

Regarding tithes... "When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, giving it to the Priests, the aliens the orphans and the widows (most vulnerable), so that they may eat their fill within your towns, then you shall say to the Lord your God: "...I have obeyed the Lord my God, doing just as you have commanded me."  Deuteronomy 26:12-14

... and MANY more references in the Law of Moses...

"For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly with one another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods ( like Mammon - wealth, Mars - power, Bacchus - self indulgence) to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in  this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever."  Jeremiah 7:5-6

"Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed.  And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place.  For if you will indeed obey this word... But if you will not heed these words, I swear by myself, says the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation."  Jer. 22:3-5

There are MANY on the "right" who claim that we are a cursed nation because of this or that.. they NEVER equate our economic, political or climate woes to how POORLY we treat the resident aliens or the most vulnerable among us.  We treat them SHAMEFULLY... and God is not pleased.

"Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land... "make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the refuse of the food."  The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: surely I will NEVER FORGET any of their deeds."   Amos 8:4-7

Jesus (fulfiller of Law and Prophets, Judge of the living and dead, and once an alien in Egypt - a refugee in a foreign land) puts it this way...
"'You that are ACCURSED, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'  Then they (the goats) also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and DID NOT TAKE CARE OF YOU?' Then Jesus will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did NOT DO IT FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU DID NOT DO IT FOR ME.'  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous (ones who DID care for the most vulnerable, including the resident alien) into eternal life."
Matthew 25:31-46

So, wanna be right with God?  Take care of the most vulnerable, including the Resident Alien.  Treat everyone with equal Justice.  If you speak against, vote against, have attitudes against, refuse to help them to keep some more for yourself... you CANNOT be right with God, that is, if you believe JESUS.

Pretty simple, really.

Pastor Jamie
  

What kind of nation?

I was enthused by the President's State of the Union speech tonight.  I was thankful that he talked about unemployment insurance, the minimum wage and healthcare.  I was thankful that he talked about the end of our involvement in Afghanistan and the need to get off a "permanent war footing".  I am thankful that he addressed alternative forms of energy and climate change.  I am thankful that he talked about equality in wages for women and in healthcare costs.  I am thankful that he talked about marriage equality.  I am thankful that he talked about equal education for EVERY student, and especially pre-school for our children.  I am even thankful that he BRIEFLY addressed surveillance of our own citizens and curbing drone attacks.

I wish he had mentioned more about immigration reform, and I am afraid that the claims that he has deported more undocumented aliens from our land is the truth.
I wish he had spoken more about drone use and attacks, and I am afraid that he is allowing more to be done to create more enemies than we know about.
I wish he had spoken more about the NSA and surveillance on American citizens, and I am afraid that he is allowing more of that to happen here and abroad than there should be.

My question, as I watch the divisions across the aisle, is... What kind of nation do YOU want us to be?

Do you want us to be a nation that is controlled by those with the most power and wealth, or a nation OF, BY and FOR THE PEOPLE?

Do you want us to be a nation that makes sure EVERY citizen has EQUAL rights, or that keeps some out of equal rights?

Do you want us to be a nation that benefits only the most ruthless who already have an incredible excess of what they need, or that benefits those who would like to be able to have a stable life for their families?

Do you want us to be a nation that jumps at the chance to get into wars, or that uses every means available to avoid the taking and losing of lives?

Do you want us to be a nation that makes sure a few have stellar healthcare, or that everyone has the ability to have good health?

Do you want us to be a nation that educates some VERY well at the expense of the rest, or offers an EQUAL education to all?

The conservative vision is for the oligarchs among us to have more wealth, more power and more control over the lives of others.

The progressive vision is for the playing field to be truly leveled for everyone to have a chance, not just to survive, but to thrive.

What kind of nation do YOU want us to be?
A ruthless, self-centered, divided, conscience-less, immoral plutocracy, or a nation that regulates the nation's resources so that all have an EQUAL chance?
Should we be a nation of thugs who get all they can at the expense of others, both within the nation and abroad, using our wealth and power to exploit others and then throw them away, or a nation that truly lifts up every human being in whatever ways we are able?
Should we be the "bad guy" in this historical drama, or the "good guy" in how we treat our own citizens and those around the world? 

Greed, the lust for power and self-indulgence threaten to steal the soul of America, now more than ever.  We are becoming less civilized in how we deal with each other here and around the world.  So, what kind of nation will we be?  Thug or Hero?  The thugs, who beat the unsuspecting sojourner because they can, the priest and levite who are the sojourner's own people but who do not care enough to help, or the Samaritan (stranger, rival, enemy) who does not ask the question, "What will happen to/for me if I stop to help", but rather, "What will happen to THAT PERSON if I do not?"

What kind of nation will we be?  Clearly some stand for one way and some for the other.  Others stand for nothing, so they fall for everything.

I know what I want, what I will support and work toward.
What will it be for you?

Pastor Jamie

"Extreme"

Some say that measures to "redistribute the wealth" are and extreme.  Some call it un-democratic and radical.  Some call it alarming and unreasonable.  Some call it aggressive class warfare.

85 people in the world own 50% of the WORLD'S wealth, leaving  the rest of us... 7,142,819,700 with the other half...

1% of Americans (3 million) control over 40% of the wealth of our nation... leaving 99% (314 million) with 60% of it.

Our representative government, OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE...
    House - 362 men, 76 women (51% of our population)
    Senate - 83 men, 17 women
    House - 361 white, 44 black, 25 Hispanic, 7 Asian, 1 Native American (2012 figures)
    Senate - 96 white, 0 black, 2 Hispanic, 2 Asian, 0 Native American

15.1% of Americans live below the poverty line = 47.5 million plus
    70% of those are women and children

Billionaires pour money into politicians' pockets, SO...
    Voter Suppression, especially among black and brown and politically left leaning voters
               is actively being waged in numerous states, as if the gerrymandering already
               implemented has not already stolen enough votes...
    Corporations are now considered as people and given rights a citizens in controlling
               the government they have bought, leaving the lives of real people behind...
    Lobbyists continue to buy politicians and control their votes for their own favor,
               and it is working very well for them in the courts as well...
    De-regulation of pollution, waste and destruction of our environment continues
               while we deny the effects of climate change due to those assaults on the creation
    Regulation over women's own bodies is heightened and rights denied
    Drone attacks are done with impunity around the world, creating more enemies for us
    Wire taps of our own citizens continue in the interest of "national security"
    Unequal Education persists, funded on the basis of property taxes, rather than equal
               student needs and rights, so that those from wealthy school districts maintain an
               advantage over those who are not...
    Private schools are being pushed so that for-profit schools can exclude the poor and cater
               to those who can pay...
    Private, for-profit prisons are on the rise, so that those who are arrested for misdemeanors
               will have extreme sentences and be available to farms and factories as the prison
               ships out its prisoners for profit...
    The unequal prices in the grocery stores, gas stations and in home owners' insurance
               continue, to keep those in poverty IN POVERTY
    The unequal taxation of those among the working poor and lower to middle, middle class
               continue as the highest in income pay a MUCH lower percentage of their wages
               in taxes...
    Corporate welfare continues at 3x the cost to our nation that public assistance does, yet
               when government spending cuts happen, it is for families on unemployment or
               on public assistance and not corporate welfare recipients...
    The "Job Creators", turned Job Eliminators, still demand help from the government,
               while screaming "LESS GOVERNMENT" in regulations and when it comes to
               helping the poor THEY have created... actively trying to defeat any efforts to
               raise the minimum wage or make it a LIVING WAGE, so that people CAN move
               up economically and buy goods from American companies... like them!
    The disparity of wages grows, so that executives make 300x what an AVERAGE worker
               makes in any company... 100% profit goals have been replaced with 300% profit
               goals, and worker lay offs mean bonuses for those who perpetrate them...
    Lives lost on Wars means big profit for military suppliers and industries, so we continue
               at great cost to the nation's economy and lives to wage them
    Healthcare benefits are begrudged by the wealthy, because they have bought politicians
               to safeguard their profits over the most sick in the nation
  
Yet, those who advocate for equality and equity in the workplace, a living wage and help for those with the least in our society are labeled EXTREME and UNREASONABLE... even UN-DEMOCRATIC????   Really?

These are extreme times.  If you do not see that, then you are mentally, emotionally and spiritually asleep, deficient or complacent because you have enough for yourself (right now) and don't care about anyone else.

I believe extreme times call for extreme action.  Non-violent, assertive action is called for in leaving behind the oligarchic plutocracy and returning to a DEMOCRACY of, by and for THE PEOPLE... ALL the people...

I cannot ignore Jesus' teachings on how we are to be with one another, especially "the least of these" in THIS PART of God's Kingdom... I must advocate for justice, equality, equity and fight greed, lust for power and self-indulgence as an entitlement because of that...

Which is the most extreme?

Pastor Jamie

the Law is Agape Love

Jesus made it very clear that He came to fulfill the Law and Prophets in Agape Love. 
Agape Love is not a feeling, but active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy, according to Jesus (Luke 10:25-37).
If we claim to follow Jesus, we MUST follow what Jesus taught, exemplified and COMMANDED.

If we actively commit to neighbor, even stranger and enemy...

We will not promote an economic system that lifts some far above what they need while keeping
     others with less than what they need.  We will make sure our neighbor has what our neighbor
     needs.

We will not better educate those who have more wealth than we do those who do not.

We will not exploit workers at home and abroad so that we can get what we want cheaper, at their
    expense.

We will not take away whatever economic safety nets are in place for those most in need, while
    allowing those who have much more than they need not to pay their taxes.

We will not allow some to go broke and lose everything, or die in the streets because we have
    withheld basic healthcare, while those with means can afford concierge medical services delivered
    to them.

We will not allow some to have sub-poverty wages while others make 300x what the average worker
    makes.

We will not pollute for profit, destroy for profit or waste for profit anything of God's creation.

We will not keep people from participating in their democracy, so that we may continue to corrupt
    politically and economically.

We will not deport the resident  alien in the land that we have exploited for generations, for cheap
    labor.

We will not legislate to keep people from openly living their loving relationships, while de-regulating
    the industries that pollute, destroy, exploit and oppress.

We will not glorify the culture of violence by glorifying the ownership of unlimited weapons
    designed to take lives.

If we Agape Love, as Jesus COMMANDED, we will no longer live like we have been living or make
    decisions like the ones we have been making that promote the idolatry of greed, power and self-
    indulgence over Agape Love for others around us.  The law of unlimited Greed, Power and Self
    -Indulgence flies in the face of the Good News of Jesus.

Yet, MANY who CLAIM to follow Jesus, continue to do these things.

"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord', and do not do what I tell you?"  Luke 6:46
"This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  In vain do they worship
    me..."
"By their fruits you will know them."
"Others will know that you are MY disciples, in that you LOVE ONE ANOTHER."

It really IS that simple.

Pastor Jamie

Values

Me, mine and those just like me... or ... what is best for ALL of US?
Look out for number one... or ... see that I am my brother's/sister's keeper?
Profit over People... or ... People over Profit?
Grab for all the Gusto for self... or ... Make sure others have enough?
Less for them means more for me... or ... Less for them means I am lessened?
If I can, I should... or ... Is this the RIGHT thing to do?
I don't care how I got it for me... or ... is someone else suffering for my gain?
I got mine, let them get theirs... or ... what can I do to help like I was helped?
Might/Wealth makes right... or ... do the right thing for the right reason?
So what if others suffer, as long as I have MY rights... or ... how are my "rights" affecting others?
I should be entitled to this... or ... shouldn't all be entitled to this?
Why should I help someone else who doesn't have what I do... or ... why NOT me?
It's not my fault or responsibility... or ... what can I do to help?
Scapegoat others not like me for our problems... or ... how is it that I contribute to the problems?
Withhold what people need... or ... work to make sure all have what they need?
Give lip service to Jesus as Savior... or ... follow Jesus' teachings as our Lord?
Do whatever it takes to get what we want... or ... consider the needs and rights of others?
Destroy the creation for our own gain and convenience... or ... preserve the creation?
Waste our natural resources for our convenience... or ... conserve our natural resources?
Pollute the environment for profit or convenience... or ... use clean energy and live more simply?
Judge others who are not like us... or ... accept others for who they are?
Legislate others' lives out of self-righteous arrogance... or ... allow others to make their own choices?
Manipulate God's children with the Word for our own gain... or ... preach/teach Jesus' Good News?
Discriminate based on race, class, sexual-orientation, gender... or ... respect and uplift all, equally?
Keep some down so the rest of us can have more... or ... work to make it equal for ALL?
Contribute to the darkness out of fear... or ... be a part of the light out of Agape Love?
Let fear create hatred in our hearts... or ... stubbornly refuse to be afraid, hate or judge?

Jesus' values?  ... or ... The world's values?
Agape Love values? ... or ... Selfish values?
God's values? ... or ... Laissez-faire Capitalism's values?

Yes, it really IS that simple...

Pastor Jamie