Jesus gives the Leper a Band-aid

This is part 2 of a series on religion and politics.  Part one can be read at http://bobnbama.blogspot.com/2011/12/jesus-is-born-so-what.html

Do you remember the passage in the Bible where the leper walked up to Jesus and asks to be healed, and Jesus gave him a Band-Aid?  Or how about the time the blind man asked Jesus to restore his sight, and Jesus offered him a seeing-eye dog?

Weren’t you moved when Jesus commanded us to feed the hungry, heal the sick, give the thirsty something to drink and to welcome the stranger, using free market principles in an unregulated market that prove the profit motive leads to greater efficiencies and that market pressures alone will lead businesses to operate in an ethical manner?

Me neither. First of all, Jesus was not interested in half measures. The blind could see again, lepers were cured. And Jesus commanded his followers to care for the sick, welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, clothe those who need it…(Matthew 25:31-46). We were not told how to do it, just to get it done.

So if you are a believing Christian, the question is not if we, as a society should do these things, but how do we try to get it done. Anything less is a step away from Christ. And this is where religion and secular society meet.

The current Republican presidential primary selection race leaves me confused. Every candidate (except perhaps Ron Paul) flaunts his religion and they seem to compete to be the holiest. Yet they condemn “Obamacare” and offer no alternative, government or private. Heal the sick? Not on their watch.

Feed the hungry? No, attack food stamps. Newt Gingrich’s plan is for the needy to cinch in their belts until they have good paying jobs.

Welcome that stranger? Each candidate tries to outdo each other to be harder on undocumented aliens. I’m not arguing for open borders, but haven’t we lost some of our own humanity when we are cheering the breaking up of families? Haven’t we given up on Christ?

Government is not the answer, nor is it the problem. Government is a tool that the people can employ to solve problems that are beyond us individually. What matters are results. Are we fulfilling all of Jesus’ commands through our churches? No one could argue that we are. While churches work to bring the commands of Christ to the world, the job is bigger than churches can do alone.  Will the private sector do the job? The profit motive does not willingly provide products and services to those who cannot pay.

So if you don’t want government to heal the sick, and feed the hungry… please, fellow Christians, tell me your plan.

Part 3 – Why should the rich pay more? Coming soon.

No papers please – a Food Ministry Christmas

They came from all over North Alabama and southern Tennessee, black, brown, white and all shades in between. They were the volunteers on Thursday, December 22.

They came from all over North Alabama and southern Tennessee, black brown, white and all shades in between. They were the hungry, those who needed clothes or toys for their kids for Christmas.

It started off as a food ministry, but now it also fills other needs as well. English was the main language, but Spanish was often heard as well.

On the food line we were given strict instructions; two cans of green beans, two cans of carrots, two of pears, a bag of frozen sweet potato fries and two pounds of rice for each person. No more. Unless someone asked. Our customers in turn would not only tell us if they needed more, but when they had enough at home. “No rice today, I have enough and I don’t want to take it when someone else needs it more”.

The toy line was long. Each person got a ticket for two toys. The supply was limited, but no one complained.  Shoppers were let in 15 at a time because the space was small and the demand was large. Hundreds were served by the end of the evening.

The toys were donated, as was much of the food. All of the help was by volunteers; an odd mix of individuals, a middle school basketball team, an alumni group from a fraternity and many different church and civic groups.

You heard Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and God Bless you often. But what you never heard in this ministry the week before Christmas was, “your papers please”. This ministry answers to a higher law.

Jesus is Born – So What?

Christmas is here and Christians around the world are celebrating Jesus’ birthday. So What? You say you’re a Christian? Jesus is born! So what are you going to do about it?

If you respond and say you show your love of God by going to church, my response is again – so what? To quote the bumper sticker, “Going to Church no more makes you a Christian than standing in a garage makes you a car”. You say you give to your church. That’s nice but if it is all you are doing it is not enough.

First, let’s start with your church. Is it inviting to all? Do you welcome the rich and the poor equally? James 2:1-4 teaches us that if we show favoritism, we are committing a sin. James continues in 2:5-7 “⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?” James’ work was deemed important enough to include in the Bible. Now we would dismiss him as being a radical in the Occupy Movement. What does that say about us? Why is pointing out social injustice threatening to many US Christians?

The prophet Isaiah had this to say about good, church-going folk who make offerings and pray, but stop there. “¹⁵ When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening” Isaiah 1:15. Isaiah explains why God does not listen to their prayers in verses 16-17: ¹⁶ Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. ¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow”. Yes Isaiah knew that God would not hear their prayers if they did not practice justice.

Isaiah’s time was much like our own. Here is what he had to say about the leaders of his time in 1:23 “Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts”. It sounds like money has always corrupted politics and power too often attracts scoundrels.

Do you think that perhaps Isaiah is an anomaly in the Bible? Listen to the words of Amos: “⁷ There are those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground.  ¹² For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. ²¹ “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. ²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. ²³ Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. ²⁴ But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” Amos 5:7, 12, 21-24.

But let’s assume that your church is inviting to all and is interested in social justice. It’s time to get more personal.

James continues in chapter 2 “¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James is clear – faith requires action. To those who are wondering where Grace fits in here, yes, you are saved by Grace, but if you are saved, won’t there be evidence? If your heart is changed to love God, that love will leave tracks for all to see. 

James gives us a hint on one of the things we are to do: feed the hungry. But why don’t we hear from Jesus himself on what we are to do: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
   ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
   ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” Matthew 25:34-40.  Jesus goes on to promise condemnation to those who do not heed this call. 

To be a Christian is a call to action, a call to loving others with more than good intentions and good feelings. A call to feed, clothe and provide medical care to those in need. A call to question the world as it is and to demand, not middle class comfort, but justice. A call in all ways to love one another as you love yourself. 

So there you have it. Jesus is Born! So what? So get moving. 

Coming at the New Year: Part 2 – Jesus gives the leper a Band-Aid, or does government fit into this call to action?

Mo Brooks endorses single payer health care (well not really…but)

At a recent town hall meeting at Grissom High School Mo Brooks made an offhand comment praising South Korea’s freedom loving people, contrasting them to the North Koreans. He stated that he believed that their economic miracle was directly related to their love of freedom.

I could not agree more. The people of South Korea are a democratic society that has experienced an economic miracle over the last several decades. While part of that miracle is due in part to the defense assistance we provide them, the majority of their advances are due to their own hard work and commitment that they have made to the betterment of their own society.

Koreans enjoy one of the best public school systems in the world, in part due to strict federal standards and high teacher salaries that attract high achieving applicants. 

Koreans enjoy the fastest broadband Internet speeds in the world, thanks to strict an energetic federal regulation of the telecom industry.

When automaker Kia went bankrupt in the late 1990’s, the government took over the firm (bailout) until the eventual takeover by Hyundai was arranged. Jobs were saved and the company now thrives as a part of the larger Hyundai Company.

Koreans also spend only 6.4% of their GDP on medical care (2006 -according to the CDC) even though they have universal single payer medical care. We in the 15.3% US spent that same year even though we have gaping holes in our medical system.

So Mo was right. There is definitely something to admire about these freedom loving people. Perhaps one of their most admirable qualities is that the people make the system work for their own good.

House reaffirms 'In God We Trust' as official U.S. motto

 Yes, the House determined that reaffirming "In God We Trust" as our national motto was the most important issue facing our country today.

If we do indeed trust God, why do we need so many weapons?

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-house-motto-20111102,0,4529006.story

Why Wall Street should pay attention to Occupy Wall Street

Occupy Wall Street is now a favorite subject for the media. They seem to vacillate between admiration and disdain. Certainly Fox News leans more towards disdain while MSNBC is more open to examining their complaints. I hope that Wall Street is paying attention. Whether you like them or not, Occupy Wall Street is one symptom of a greater issue – falling confidence.

Each month consumer confidence is reported as an indicator of expected future economic performance. Confidence in the value of the dollar is evidenced by foreign currency exchange rates. Confidence in the Federal Government is reflected in surveys with the general public and by investors with the yield rates on treasury bills. Confidence is a valuable indicator and positive economic outcomes in the long run require confidence – the confidence to spend, the confidence to borrow, he confidence that you will have a job and the confidence to invest.

The Occupy __ (fill in your city) movement is, fundamentally, about fairness; the belief that the economic system is not fair to most people in the United States. Protestors believe that if you work hard to get an education and a job, that you should be able to prosper. The reality they see is that people in finance who game the system have prospered enormously while following the rules may leave you jobless and in debt. They believe that if you should start to get ahead, the financial system is set up to fleece small investors while the powerful prosper at the rest of society’s expense. That is, they have lost confidence in our economic system.

As long as that loss of confidence is limited to scattered encampments in large cities around the country (and world) the protestors are merely a noisy distraction to Wall Street, and perhaps a tourist draw for the curious.

But surveys taken since the beginning of the protests indicate that the OWS movement is the true cutting edge of a wave of dissatisfaction with the direction of our country. TEA Party groups blame the government for their dissatisfaction, while OWS blames greed and the influence of money on the political process.  Both groups know something is wrong, and the OWS movement has been growing in influence.

Our stock markets require investor confidence to attract capital. No investor will send money to his broker with the expectation that he will be fleeced. As more investors examine the arguments of the OWS movement, they may come to agree that the system is rigged against them. If this results in dollars slowly being pulled out of the market, then Wall Street ignores the complaints of the OWS movement at its peril. This loss of confidence will likely not result in a run on the markets, rather is would be evidenced by a slow decline as individuals come to the conclusion that the American dream does not flow through Wall Street.

Is Occupy Wall Street the tip of the iceberg or an annoyance to the wealthy? The public is now focusing on the growing income gap and time will tell.

They wonder why we don’t like them

With the ongoing Occupy demonstrations going on around the country, I’d like to tell two stories about working with banks. Neither of these stories involves large sums of money or great issues, but it is the little things like this that leave us with a negative attitude towards financial institutions. Issues of substance are now magnifying that attitude.  

The refinancing

About a year ago I decided to refinance my house to take care of lower interest rates. I was not taking any cash out, nor was I lowering my payments. The only objective was to cut down the repayment term to pay the house off faster.

I immediately locked the interest rate for 90 days and sent the requested document dump to Bank of America. Then I waited. After a couple of weeks I got an additional document request from a new loan officer. My first contact was no longer on the transaction.  My second loan officer only lasted one day, having apparently left the company about the time that my folder landed on her desk. There was a mix up with the third loan officer, and my refinancing ended up on the desk of a fourth person.

By this time the bank had lost many of the original documents and I was asked to resend them. Several times.

The fourth loan officer was not on the scene long, nor was number five. Because of the churning of the loan officers Bank of America had to extend the 90-day rate lock. Upon the extension I had to update all of my documentation. 

After four months and six loan officers we closed the loan. The final insult of this story is that at the closing we were given the option to have our checking account automatically drafted each month to pay for the loan, and the bank would only charge us $4.00 extra per payment for the honor.

I’m an accountant. I know that the ACH transfer that the bank would use to draft our account is much cheaper for the bank to process than the paper check we would be sending. Yes folks, the bank was charge us $4.00 per transaction to save THEM money. We declined their generous offer.

The checking account

Until last week I had a checking account at Citibank. Two weeks ago I received a notice in the mail that Citi was raising its service charge on checking accounts to $15 per month. The letter also let me know that as long as I maintained a minimum savings balance, I would not be charged – and congratulations I had that minimum balance. After a checking account is set up maintenance on the bank’s mainframe has a negligible cost. I could understand a per check charge – processing checks costs money. But $15 per month just to maintain the account is unconscionable. Although the account would have cost me nothing, I have now closed my Citi checking and savings accounts and am one of the newest members of my local credit union.

We all have a choice. Don’t let yourself be treated like a sheep to be sheared. Don’t do business with companies that don’t value you as a customer.