study war no more

It's memorial day. The president asked for Americans to take a moment of silence to reflect on the sacrifices made by many in war. In my feeble attempt to honor this request, I couldn't help but think that the greatest way to honor the sacrifices of these men and women is to work tirelessly to bring an end to war. Yet as I look around, I see very little desire to do this in the American public. With the exception of the Catholics and Anabaptists, I see particularly little of this among Christians. I don't understand why every church is not packed today with parishioners on their knees begging God to bring an end to warfare. Certainly none of them expect war in God's fulfilled kingdom. I am not even arguing (here at least) that there is not a place for it now. Yet why are we so comfortable with it? I am posting a video of the old gospel song "Down By The Riverside." For slaves, spirituals were often covert messages of escape plans. Many slaves pursued freedom by travelling on a river. Subsequently, the "riverside" was often used as an image of the point of liberation from slavery. When the song says "I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield, down by the riverside" I find it to be a reminder of the coming day when we indeed will "study war no more."

Myanmar and Sichuan relief

Since I was complaining about apathy towards suffering in my last post, I thought I would be productive. The Mennonite Central Committee is putting together emergency assistance for these areas. Although a Christian organization, MCC is very much devoted to service through action rather than word. I am including links to the fundraising efforts of MCC for both Myanmar and for Sichuan, China. Please be assured that the money is for relief efforts only. Feel free to link to their home page from my link list below for more information on the organization. I have no connection to this organization. I am not even a Mennonite. I just appreciate their work.

a sad cultural text

I was just on the website of a Baltimore network affiliate tv station (WJZ in case your interested). Why do I look at this site? I guess it is the same lowly behavior that draws us to look at horrible traffic wrecks- you don't like it, but you can't help it. Anyhow, on their home page, which theoretically includes the main stories of interest to the Baltimore community, there is not a single mention of the cyclone in Myanmar, nor the earthquake in China. Together these events may have taken 180,000 lives. What is there? A countdown to that all-important day of days, fathers' day (27 days by the way, please get me nothing for this cliche occurance). Also not to be missed are a slide show of CBS' fall lineup, an interview with American idol contestant Kellie Pickler, up to the minute baseball scores, as well as a link to view opinions on whether or not the Baltimore Blast (the local indoor soccer franchise) gets the attentions it "deserves." What does it say about society when the same people (the station as well as its viewers) who don't think the aforementioned tragedies deserve attention, want to spend time analyzing the amount of attention deserved by the Blast? Something seems to have gone seriously wrong with our free press. What was intended as a way to keep the people informed so as to not be controlled by the government, has become a tool to consumerism that seems to increasingly reflect the superficiality of society. Freedom from the government has ironically left us being held captive by our own self-obsession.