Will Christianity Evolve?

(I read an interesting R World posting about the decline and fall of the medieval church. It got me thinking about the state of Christian churches today, so I wrote a comment that became so long that I decided to post it here.)

I'm wondering if a radical move away from fundamentalist Christianity is not too far away, due to the aging of its adherents and the blossoming of many new information sources that challenge many of its long held precepts.

I recently read that membership in the Southern Baptist Convention, which has been growing for many years, has fallen for the first time. This follows major declines in the mainline protestant churches. If you visit any one of these churches you are likely to see a lot of grey hair. The younger folks are not buying into the religious message.

At the same time, the youth seem to be responding to sources that advocate peace, justice, and care for the earth and its inhabitants of all species - all of which have been part of the Christian outlook for centuries. So, it may not be the message but the messenger that's the problem. Old fashioned liturgies and hymns, or even more contemporary dreamy-eyed "praise" services just aren't cutting it. The kids seem to want "reality" shows, and churches haven't yet identified the new approach that will bring them in.

While the churches are faltering, audiences for The Science Channel, The Discovery Channel, and similar educational sources are growing rapidly. Evidence supporting evolution, and clear explanations of the formation and development of the universe are now commonplace. Humanity's short tenure in the overall scheme of things is becoming common knowledge. Given this information, it's hard to believe that God is homo-centric.

At bottom, one must believe either that there is a purpose to creation, or not. Understanding the workings of the universe does not shed much light on this question - it is a matter of faith. Will the Christian church evolve such that it can deal with this mystery and attract the next generation to a new understanding of what practicing religion should be? I hope so.

Idiocy Lives On!

Some of us were once of the mind that the incredible explosion of information in today's electronic world would free us from idiocy. After all, the answers to lots of questions would be at our fingertips!

And, to some extent we were right. Any number of facts are at my fingertips now. I think of a question, type some keystrokes, and there it is - the answer. What is the population of South Carolina's capital? Got it. But it turns out that most of the important questions don't relate to easily retrievable facts. So, idiocy can still thrive in this modern era.

After church on Sunday I stopped to talk with a young man whose primary claim to fame is that he's a veteran of the first Gulf War. Almost immediately he informed me that he had been placed on a "terrorist watch list". I was shocked, and I asked, "How do you know that?". He replied with a straight face, "Because Glenn Beck said that the government believes Iraq War veterans are potential terrorists!" Actually, I think the guy was a bit proud of his new status as a potential enemy of the Obama administration, but I digress.

I'll be seeing the young man again, soon, and I plan to continue the discussion about "How do you know that?" There are any number of good reasons why putting all Gulf War veterans on a terrorist watch list would become general knowledge in a very short time. There are also some good reasons why doing such a thing would be preposterous from a management standpoint. In other words, it would be a dumb idea that would be almost immediately on the front page of every newspaper in the country if it was implemented. But this guy believed it because Glenn Beck said it, maybe. Beck-speak is more artful than the thinking process of most who listen to him.

In summary, having lots of information at our fingertips does not keep us from being idiots. Critical thinking is still a basic human requirement if one is to avoid living in an Oz-like world or being subject to the whims of every manipulative person who makes one a target. Testing assertions that seem important - such as being put on a terrorist watch list - is something that I'd put in the "critical thinking" bucket. Back to Critical Thinking 101, young man.

As an afterthought, I'd like to close by saying that having the ability to change your mind when presented with new facts is a most valuable quality. People who are not embarassed by new information that affects a previously held position, but who embrace the new and change their behavior or their plans as a result of it, have a competitive advantage over those who don't. When I say, "Thanks for letting me know", I mean it. Information is power, after all.

Disappointed in America

I admit it. I've lived a sheltered life. Although my parents struggled hard to get started and raise five kids, I grew up in a great community and school system, and I was taught mainstream Christian values. After maturing a little in the Army and a little more after being married and having children, I settled down to work in another great community and found a church home filled with bright, caring people. Slowly my religious and social views moderated as I took more seriously what I read in the gospels; "love God, and your neighbor as yourself".

All that happened before the new flavor of self-professed "Christian" leaders took over much of middle America in 1994. From the start, they preached a different gospel from mine. They turned introspective church services into rock concerts. They preached "believe, and get get rich!" rather than "don't take thought of tomorrow". They did a lot of judging, but little confessing, and a few of them did major whoring. Their educational institutions turned their backs on science, and they ridiculed academic learning. But, worst of all, these leaders taught people to turn their backs on the poor, the weak, and the different. And they reveled as the money rolled in and their converts elected ignorance to government.

Now it's 2009. A new man is president, a non-white man who has prompted more "Christian" racism than I could ever have imagined in America. That man has put forward a vision that forwards the historically Christian concepts of responsibility and compassion, but he is being shunned by the new false Christians whose Gods are money or racial pride, and who follow those who appeal to these base interests. Sadly, these latter folks through their electoral power are now able to stand in the way of a new day for America.

Obama is not perfect, but he is more perfect than I. He's the president, but he now understands the limits of presidential power. In our democracy a lot of people must be on board to do anything important, and, probably need the prompting of an emergency as well. FDR, for example, needed Pearl Harbor to get the isolationist Republicans on board. At the present time, we have impending calamities but not yet emergencies in health care, social security, financial regulation, and overall federal and state spending. Obama is capable of leading bi-partisan solutions to these vexing issues, but the false Christians stand in the way because he does not look like them and has more education than they do. Who could have predicted this when I was growing up in America?

I'm disappointed in what's happened to America. We glorify our history but so many of us forget we were founded on the principles of religious and personal freedom. Too many of us have more pride in our colleges' football teams than in the scholars they were founded to produce. Too many of us overlook our own immigrant backgrounds when we spurn those who have immigrated later. Too many of us claim to be Christians but espouse selfish views that Jesus rejected. When the consequences of our foolishness finally overwhelm us, I hope it will be clear that we allowed the worst of us to have power over us. Even God will not save us from this folly.

Feeling Sorry for South Carolina

Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina yesterday provided the latest evidence that his state lives by a different set of rules. He forgot that congressmen are supposed to respect the office of the president even when they disagree with the president himself. He called out, "You lie!", when the president said illegal aliens would not get health care benefits under his health care reform recommendations. This outburst will improve his status on right wing radio and Fauxnews, where he'll get plenty of opportunities to explain that, although he apologized for his lack of respect, he was right to call out the president for what he still considers to be a lie.

Wilson's embarassment follows South Carolina's governor Mark Sanford's exposure as a hypocrite for making several trips to Brazil to visit his mistress despite his campaigning as a religious "family values" man. Sanford continues to argue that the controversy is overblown, although the state he represents is proud to claim it's one of the most conservative in the nation.

Neither of these incidents is surprising. The deep south is well known for its double standards. Those in power often behave like scions of Arab monarchies, who jet off to London and Monaco to indulge in activities that would warrant capital punishment in their own countries. Their conduct is normally kept under wraps because it is so common; to convict one would be to jeopardize many. So it is in South Carolina, except that front page exposure forces the power structure to join together in protest that their leaders' gaffes are exceptions.

One could argue that South Carolinians can't be blamed for making the mistakes of electing people like Wilson and Sanford. These are the people who take pride in Bob Jones University, where students learn that people coexisted with dinosaurs. A place so isolated, poor, and provincial as South Carolina resembles Afganistan more than North Carolina. Perhaps we should give the people a break for simply being true to their culture. It would be a kind act to recognize the sad state of the place and feel sorry for those must live in the land of the double standard.

So, I feel sorry for South Carolina and the majority of the people who live there. They've been conditioned to believe that backwardness is a virtue. As with Afganistan, fixing the structural problems of their society is a task fraught with uncertainty, a task with no end in sight. In the meantime, stay tuned for the next headline from Columbia (that's the capital, in case you hadn't heard of it. Population, 116,000; a major metropolis.).

A Wonderful Summer - No Local Warming!

Summer is almost over. Even during the mid-day, today, we had a cooling breeze along with the bright sun. The hummingbird feeder became deserted this week, Ma and Pa hummingbird now fleeing to somewhere in South America. One of the maples in the churchyard is just beginning to turn yellow. There's football on TV, and the golfers are winding up their competitive year. I can't say I'm happy about this, because I love to feel the sun's warmth and sweat on my brow. But summer comes and goes, and fall foliage has unforgettable beauty here in western New York.

Every day or two I hear some new outcry about global warming, and I take the news seriously even though I won't be around to suffer its consequences. But weather is more local for each of us, not global. And local weather this summer in Rochester has been cooler and wetter than normal.

My middle son, who grew up here before becoming a denizen of Phoenix, came home to a place he described as a jungle. Our air conditioning bills have been anemic compared to most years, and not once did I get a "burned out" spot in my yard. I heard plenty of complaints from lake cottage owners, though; "not enough rays!" All in all, a very pleasant summer.

At my age it doesn't take much to please me. Seeing a friend, enjoying a cold beer, watching a pretty girl walk by, hitting a solid golf shot, having supper in the sun room with Good Witch while watching the birds at the feeder, or reading a good book... A comfortable summer is a bonus!

A Death in the Family

The family cat got cancer and slowly faded away. The family took heroic measures to prolong the cat's life while shielding it from too much pain. But the end was sure to come, and one day it was time to let the cat go, peacefully.

The vet and her helper came to the house. Mom and dad and the two young children sat down together with the dear old cat. I imagine they talked of life, and love, and the end of life. Then, the cat was eased out of the life that no longer held interest for her...and the cat was no longer the cat, anymore.

It was a sad day in some respects, but a day to learn about realities that even a child can understand at some level and later come to understand more deeply.

My child and his wife are much smarter about some things than I am.

Something for Sunday

One of my oldest friends, an ordained minister who had his own mediation service for many years, preached at our church today. He's the guy who I accompanied to Washington to protest the last Iraq War. He's the lefty that I, a once-righty, have argued with for almost 30 years. He's a fine artist and a tough competitor in a sporting event. And, he's really tough when it comes to talking about how religious people should act: for Christians, Christ-like, or, if you're Jewish, Isaiah-like.

Below is Isaiah 58:1-11, which was the scripture for Jack's sermon. ATTENTION ALL RIGHT-WING CHRISTIANS! This is the Bible speaking ("The Message" paraphrase).

"Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout! Tell my people what's wrong with their lives, face my family Jacob with their sins! They're busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they're a nation of right-living people—law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, 'What's the right thing to do?' and love having me on their side.

But they also complain, 'Why do we fast and you don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?' "Well, here's why: "The bottom line on your 'fast days' is profit. You drive your employees much too hard. You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist. The kind of fasting you do won't get your prayers off the ground. Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, God, would like?

"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.' (This ends the Isaiah quotation)

I'M TIRED OF HEARING PEOPLE SAY "WE ARE A CHRISTIAN NATION". We are nothing of the kind. Those who sputter about the right to bear arms resemble Nazi's more than Christians. As you recall, Hitler attempted to convert the German Christian church into an arm of the militarized Aryan Nation; the radical right seems to be following this example to the letter. Only if these "Christians" start quoting and following Isaiah 58 will we have a lot more Christians in our nation, and that's not something I'm likely to witness.

Here is Jack's unison prayer of confession for this morning. It's simple and direct. It tells it like it is.

"I read in a book
That a man called Christ
Went around doing good.

It is very disconcerting to me
That I am so easily satisfied
With just...going about.

Forgive me.
Help me to change."

When all American Christians can say this prayer together, and then act on it, we will be a nation where many true Christians reside.

Senior Citizen Malaise

I'm driving the volunteer ambulance tonight for the first time in six months. After ten years of intensive volunteering and management activity at the ambulance corps, I took a break. Surprisingly, I found it easy to fill productively the 80-90 hours each month that I had devoted to that activity. Now I've returned, but not to resume that schedule. Mostly, it's because of the "been there, done that" syndrome. As I've aged, I've found that many previously interesting activities fall into that category. Maybe it's senior citizen malaise.

Some people love a routine and feel lost if their schedule is disrupted. Some people are fearful of the new, or of the unfamiliar, or of the difficult, or of the emotionally-charged. Not me. I love the interruption, the unexpected, the challenge, and the conflict. Those things force me to extend myself, to learn, to win or lose, or to settle something. I'm living if I'm doing these things, but age tends to reduce the opportunities for adventures of all kinds.

This summer I've been back on the Appalachian Trail, which has become more of a struggle with the elements and my endurance but is mostly just the same hard slog interrupted by chance meetings with interesting people. I also water-skiied and did not fall, and kayaked, and sailed a little sailboat, and played some golf, and I dove into a lake and swam awhile. I rode a horse for the first time in twenty years yesterday. And, I'm working out on a regular basis and seeing my muscles start to bulge again. But, none of this was new. I enjoyed all of it, but there was no thrill. I miss the thrill.

The season is beginning to change. The sun is setting earlier, and the grass is wet with dew in the morning. Farmers are cutting their hay and harvesting many of their vegetables. Fall brings a change in routine, with activities put on hold for the summer now resuming. But they are the same activities. I need something new.

Maybe I'll try Pilates or yoga, both of which would require concentration and exertion. Perhaps I'll find a way to mentor some kid who needs help. Or, it might be fun to attempt some serious writing, because I know I'd have to study composition in order to produce even a barely acceptable product. And, thinking "out of the box", there's a chance I could learn some mechanical skill even though I'm not very handy; I'd like to know how to make blades very sharp, for example. There's a world of the new out there, so it's just a matter of getting excited about something. I've got to be purposeful about finding that something, or two, or three.

Senior citizen malaise is a common problem. Many of us Medicare-eligible folks seem to be concerned only about our medical problem of the day, or counting our money over and over again, or complaining about why today's world isn't as good as yesterday's. I don't want to fall into that syndrome. If I can stay future-oriented, constantly looking for the next thing, I'll be alive regardless of how long I live. Being thrilled would be a bonus!

Late Summer Vegetables

Upstate New York has a great climage for growing things. Not far from where I live are orchards that produce more apples than any state except Washingon. South and east of my home are miles and miles of lovely hillside and lakeside vinyards that produce a wide variety of wines, some of them quite good. We have a warm sun, cooler evening temperatures, and plenty of rain. But it's the vegetables I'm thinking of tonight.

What's for dinner and dessert? Within a short distance I can find roadside stands selling fabulous local produce at reasonable prices. One such stand is at a small farm about one mile from here. Sweet corn, beautiful big tomatoes, zuccini, cucumbers, green peppers, acorn squash, blueberries, red raspberries ( pick your own, anyone?), peaches, plums, and melons. How about a dozen fresh eggs from the henhouse for $3.00, or homemade peach or raspberry jam? As bonuses you can pet a beautiful old female german shepherd who longs for your touch, or Mrs. Munz will give you some tips on how to best prepare the veggies you just bought.

It's a short season here, but glorious. For a couple months Good Witch and I can't wait to get to the dinner table. It's hard to find room for a small piece of meat on the plate, with all the various veggies competing for space. Plus, I can eat all I want and the needle on the bathroom scale moves in the right direction.

Tonight's hit was fresh tomato slices sprinkled with Italian dressing, crumbly blue cheese, and salt & pepper. Oh, my!

The Health Care Plan and Obesity

Listening to an NPR discussion of the health care plan the other day, I heard a libertarian caller come out strongly against the plan. One of his arguments was that it was unfair that he, who takes care of himself, should end up paying for the high health care costs of the obese, who don't take care of themselves for the most part. After thinking about this for awhile, I find it hard to disagree with his contention.

Insurance, which is what the health care plan is, has always taken risk into account. High risk means high insurance cost. If you were the insurer, you wouldn't argue with this. As an insured, you know that if you have tickets or collisions, your auto insurance goes up. If you live where hurricanes are prevalent, your homeowners goes up. If you own a pit bull or a chow, maybe you don't qualify for liablility insurance. If you smoke, your life insurance premium is higher. But nobody's talking about obesity and the cost of health care insurance. Why not?

As I've ranted about in other posts, obesity is a major cause of many chronic diseases that are expensive to treat. And, contrary to what some would say, most obesity is voluntary...put in more calories than you burn off, you get fat. In most cases, obesity is as voluntary as speeding, living in a hurricane zone, owning a pit bull, or smoking. In short, obese people are very high risk for requiring extensive long term health care. Why should the general population pay for the excessive costs of their inappropriate voluntary behavior?

An often-mentioned component of the health care plan would provide coverage for the "uninsurable" or those with "preexisting conditions". Based on my ambulance experience, I'd be willing to bet that a high percentage of people who fit this criteria are obese. Giving these folks insurance at normal rates represents a reward for unhealthy behavior and a financial penalty for those who try to take care of themselves.

I'd be the first to admit that diseases are caused by a multitude of factors, including the genetics that make one tend to be obese. But, even a genetic tendency toward obesity does not cause it; the calories still need to be eaten. It's known that 32% of adult Americans are obese, the highest rate of any developed country, by far. This is a major problem, and not just a financial problem.

If we are to have government get involved in paying for health care, then government needs to manage the spending. Putting a mandatory high premium on the cost of health care for obese citizens is not only the fair thing to do but also the most positive. Insurance is insurance.

"Pre-existing conditions" can be voluntary or involuntary. I'm not asking for high rates on those who have involuntary pre-existing conditions. But obese folks should pay more, and not a little more. Tough love.

To Thimscool

"Thimscool" is one of my commentors. Yesterday he sent me a poignant poem titled "Brothers in Arms". It echoes my feeling about war, that so much of it is futile and that so many lives are lost or irrepairably damaged for no good reason. Yet it also points out that there is no more solid cameraderie than that experienced by those who fight together. You can read the poem in his comment.

Thimscool is also thinking about theology, as I often do. He wonders why I don't take the Bible literally, and why I think God would allow our world to be destroyed by a natural catastrophe. He must think that I'm a strange Christian!

Regarding the Bible, I'd say that over many years of reading it I realized that there were lots of (meaning, very many) factual contradictions in it. On top of that, and more importantly, it contains plenty of theological contradictions. A lot of this was resolved for me when I learned more about the Bible's diverse authorship and editing. The contradictions were generally due to varying cultural and political views, and the different "memories" of the many writers...not to understate that they were writing about the most difficult subject in the universe, that is, the ineffable creator of it. Given the challenge I think they did a fine job, but if one believes God "literally" inspired the Bible, then God is certainly not perfect. Since I do believe that God is "perfect", it must be true that God tolerates the poor efforts of men and women to comprehend the Godly and write about what God means to them in their own space and time.

A more scholarly review of Biblical contradictions can be found in a book that our friend RWorld is reading: Bart Ehrman's "Jesus Interrupted: revealing the hidden contradictions in the Bible and why we don't know about them". Ehrman is a respected expert on the Bible. I'd also recommend the Old Testament DVD series by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, who I've blogged about, which explores the various authors and their often divergent purposes in an interesting way. This information informs my Christianity rather than damaging it, makes it more meaningful and less dependent on popular ideologues who in most cases distort what I see as clear meanings of the Bible as a whole. For example, any pastoral speech that does not seem to come from a core concept of "love" I regard as non-Biblical.

Regarding God's willingness to let mankind be destroyed by natural catastrophes, the Bible says God will not destroy humanity with another flood. Unfortunately, that leaves a lot of other options wide open. In a previous post I mentioned a dual star system that could explode at any time, sending a huge burst of gamma rays right at our earth, in which case we would be extinct in short order. We are also subject to impacts from large asteroids, the outcome of which would be to destroy agriculture and, thereby, almost all of us. Giant volcanic eruptions, such as those in the Yellowstone Park area, could accomplish the same result; unfortunately, the Yellowstone eruption happens about every 250 million years and is currently due. I don't expect any of these things anytime soon, but then again, any of them could happen this month. So, let me say "goodbye " now, just in case. (There are plenty of reliable science sources for the above information. This is pretty basic stuff.) God made the natural laws that cause these cataclysms, you know.

I believe God created everything, and within that, us. I also believe God is more than just "aware" of us, and I hope that our having the capability to envision God and to respond to God was part of a plan that keeps our souls alive and with God in some way, after our physical death. But there is no reason to believe that we are alone in this situation, or that God has any special interest in the long term survival of our species. I could even envision a scenario where a loving God has given us the ability to survive by our own concerted action, but we die as a species because we've not been able to act in a concerted manner. "Oh, well. I tried", lamented God after reviewing our final failure. Mr. Thimscool, as a person who seems to believe in responsibility, is it impossible for you to believe God would like to see us exhibit some of it? After all, God gave us brains.

I'm 65 now, and every year I feel smaller and God seems larger. I am so grateful for my life, and grateful that, unlike so many other lives, my life has been priviledged and not marred by disaster. I also have to confess that the more I learn, the less I feel that I am special. We are tiny creatures with unbelievable limitations, whether we understand that or not. This is not to say that life is pointless; it is all we have to work with, and all God has given us. Therefore, I will rejoice in it, experience it to the fullest I'm able, try to recognize my total dependence on God's creativity and mercy, and go to my death with a sense of expectation.

He did not "pass by on the other side"

I had to bail out of my hike this week after 9 miles, unable to cope with climbing Connecticut (Birkshires) mountains in 90+ heat, 90+ humidity, and zero wind. I knew it would be difficult before I started, but I foolishly thought that taking it slow and drinking lots of Gatorade (from powder) would get me through. What I found out is that you lose water much faster than you can replace it.

I won't go into the symptoms that told me I was experiencing heat exhaustion, but they were obvious. I immediately pulled out my map to find the fastest way off the mountain to a main road, and I began hiking my exit, still on the AT. After a few hundred yards I crossed a beautful mountain brook, so I stopped there, prepared another bottle of Gatorade and dunked my feet and lower legs in the cold water for 10-15 minutes to lower my body's core temperature. I was surprised how much better that made me feel! Back on the trail again, I soon found the very steep (meaning, you can fall and die) descending side trail that took me to Massachusetts Route 7. I was careful going down...

Arriving at the road, I saw an entrance to the Housatonic State Park (the Housatonic is a beautiful river) close by, so I walked to within 100 feet of the entrance, put down my pack and hiking poles, and stuck out my thumb for a ride to my car which was parked 10 miles up the road.

A dozen cars and trucks passed me by, but shortly an older large Buick braked suddenly when it reached me. I had a ride! The truck popped open, I dragged my pack and sticks over and into it and parked myself in the front seat where the air conditioner was conveniently on high. I remembered that I had seen a black religious-looking book in the trunk.

The heavy-set driver asked me where I was going, and, upon hearing the answer, said that it was on his intented route. He looked at me and asked if I need to stop to get something to drink, and I answered that I had my Gatorade. I then right off asked him if he was a Christian man, mentioning that I had seen the black book in the trunk. He replied that he was an Orthodox priest who tended to several different Orthodox churches - Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, etc. - smaller churches, he said, and then he mentioned that Rochester, NY, where I live, has several larger Orthodox congregations. He had also done counseling, his explanation leading me to think it had been his way to make a living for awhile.

We chatted briskly as the 15 minutes of our ride together progressed to its conclusion at my blue van. He gave me a minimal synopsis of the four things that he believes make for true religion; contemplation, submission, contrition, and right actions, I believe he said. I told him I was a liberal Presbyterian who sees the model for life in Jesus's actions. We quickly shared experiences of people needing the love and care of others. Then we came to my car, parked safe and sound on the roadside.

My new friend of yesterday was a priest who, upon seeing a stranger needing help on the side of the road, did not pass by. He offered me more help than I requested. He was very much like the Good Samaritan in Jesus's famous answer to the question, "Who is my neighbor?" As I thanked him and prepared to exit his car, he waved his right hand in the Catholic sign of blessing. But in fact, his ride was the blessing.

Jesus ended his story with, "Go and do likewise." It will be fun to try, and I have a new experience of brotherly love to help me remember the lesson.

The "Death Panel"

I had a wonderful day on the links today, cashing in on a golf outing that I'd bought at a church auction. Two friends and I tooled around the golf course, not paying too much attention to scoring. Then it happened...we did something that ultimately brought our attention to the "death panel".

On the third hole we invited a a single golfer who caught up with us to join our group, and he accepted the invitation. He was a very fit 77 year old of Italian extraction named Joe. Joe could really hit the golf ball despite having a knee replacement last fall. He was amiable, and he helped us play at a slower rate so that we weren't always waiting for the group ahead of us.

On the tenth tee Joe said he was really concerned about the Obama health care plan, especially the "death panel".

"You see", Joe said, "when old people get sick they will have to be reviewed by the death panel to see whether or not they get any treatment! This is no good!"

This was my first personal experience with someone who's been suckered in to the "death panel" scam, the lie apparently first cooked up by a conservative female New York politician who was once Lt. Governor until George Patacki sacked her. She said it, she got quoted by the other conservative shills over and over again, and now Joe thinks it's the gospel truth.

In my world there are gradations of sins. One of the ones on the more unpardonable side is to misrepresent someone else's position. It's one thing to espouse a position that you, yourself, do not believe, and many politicians do this. It's another thing to misrepresent another's views to a third party. It's a despicable thing, a thing that I sincerely hope Ms. Ex-Lt. Governor does many extra years in purgatory to atone for...that is, unless she gets her just desserts in this world before her demise. But for now, she's done her work well. Joe believes her lie.

(Author's note: I have edited out the last line of this post, where in anger I made a rather crude remark regarding this lady's character. I take it back. Instead, I'll just say that I continue to be surprised by the baldfaced dishonestly of some purportedly educated people who, by making false statements, create fear in others in order to influence their position on a matter of importance. There is money involved in these actions, as many of us understand. But is it worth it?)

An "Eisenhower Republican"

A reader recently asked why I'm still a republican, considering that I rant against the current bunch of republicans and their repugnant spokespersons. Frankly, I'd love to see the republicans come back, since they once stood for something. Here is my answer to the question.

I'm proud of my political roots. Believe it or not, republicans were once honorable. I'm what they call an "Eisenhower republican". In short, we're for fiscal responsibility, non-interventionism in foreign affairs, social moderation, and individual freedom.

Eisenhower republicans would insist on pay as you go budgets, would never have started Vietnam or Iraq War II, would support national health care in this new day and age, and are fine with whatever people do voluntarily as long as they don't directly hurt anyone else. If you recall, Eisenhower warned against the military-industrial complex as a threat to our democracy, and history has proved him right.

I may be dreaming, but I hope the moderate, thoughtful side of the party has a resurgence when these racist, phony-religionist, know-nothing republicans are finally and totally discredited.

Why don't I join the democrats? Well, they're in hock to some pretty disreputable interests. The big unions, in particular the teachers, public employees, and auto workers, have won concessions beyond reasonability and they have proven to be as selfish as robber barons during this economic downturn. The trial lawyers, another group of big contributors, have made a mockery of our justice system by resisting medical malpractice reform and penalties for frivolous lawsuits. And, the democrat's core consists of radicals in many areas - gay-lesbian-transexual, environmental, animal rights, you-name-it they got'em. Don't get me wrong, I'm for unions, lawyers, sexual freedom, animals, etc. - but, let's not be crazy. Ike was a moderate...all things in moderation. That was my advice to my children, and I stand by it.

If I had to choose between the current crop of so-called republicans, people who disdain education and espouse "Christian" hatred, and the democrats, kind-hearted but owned by the corrupt and the daffy, I suppose I'd choose the democrats and hold my nose. The country might be able to hold the democrats back, but the current republicans (influenced by "C Street") could possibly guillotine their opponents in the name of purity and thereby win out. I like my steak rare, but I'm against capital punishment. So there you have it.