Disappointments

I have had several disappointments lately, starting with the knowledge the President and the Democrats had the chance to face down the Republicans and the Tea Party using the 14th Ammendment to end the debt ceiling crisis.  Yes, I understand the President's desire to work with both sides of the aisle, but it's time to wake up and realize the other side doesn't WANT to work with him on anything - and progressives are starting to become disillusioned with the direction things are going.

My second disappointment is the misinformation that is still floating around in the community about what is, has and could happen because of the deal struck, and the downgrading of the nation's credit rating.  Sadly, too many are willing to let talking mutton heads like Limbaugh figure out their understanding of what's happening.  I NEVER found Limbaugh to be anything but a rude, arrogant SOB who was more willing to fuel the fires of hatred than to try to actually make the country better.

My delight in the President and congressional leaders finally lifting DADT in the military has been dampened by hearing current enlistees talk about the violence and disruption they anticipate as the number of gays increases - have they not listened to people who served with gays in combat situations that noted there was no disruption of morale, that the gay members performed their duties admirably and well in keeping with mililtary protocol?  When we will pull our collective heads out of the sand and realize gays and been among us all the time, and didn't do all the horrible things religious bigots keep telling us they will?

I've also had to transfer employment due to the financial crunch the country is caught in, and saw my pay drop yet again!  From a corporation that is reporting sizeable profits, but continues to try to push out full time workers in favor of part-timers that don't get benefits.  The business community needs to take off their own rose-colored glasses and smell the coffee, or this country could be in for another wave of union organizing and strikes that will really open a can of worms we don't need.

These are indeed tough times!  May we all wake up, and start to work together for the betterment of all humankind!  That is the ONLY way we are going to stop some of this nastiness that is so prevalent in government anymore!

Arrogant, Unfeeling, Bigot . . .

The man I'll only call Terry Jones, because he doesn't deserve the honorific Rev. or Pastor, is an arrogant, unfeeling, bigoted embarrassment to the Christ's name and movement!  He dares to compare himself to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., saying he's ahead of his time.  How dare he besmirch the name of the good R. or the teachings of "his" master!  How dare he!

He burns another faith's holy book "to make a point," and has no concern for the innocents  that have been injured or killed by the radical elements of that faith group, not even realizing how similar that radical element truly is to his own position!  Indeed, I would say that Terry might want to go give and take lessons from them about how to incite hatred, violence and suffering in the name of one's "religious" views.

The true Christian (little Christ) is one who seeks to respect, love and serve the people around them, even while trying to teaching a better way to relate not only to people, but to God and the creation.  Just take a look at the life and teaching of the Master, or the life of his disciples after that first Easter - people who taught, healed, served -- not who prodded, incited and ridiculed so that their opponents decided to riot and hurt or kill others because of their own activities.  Did any of them suffer martyrdom?  Yes.  Will Terry?  Let's hope not!  He doesn't deserve it!

Wake up, Mister Jones, you aren't another Martin Luther King, Jr., nor another Jesus.  You, my sad "friend" are more like Simon who tried to buy the power of the Spirit for personal gain and fame.

Think about it, and don't let this maniac ruin the name of our Master and Teacher!