Joe Paterno and the stained soul of Penn State

Thursday night's H3 (Holy Happy Hour) topic will be focusing on the scandal at Penn State University. For more preparatory reading information, please see the Grand Jury Presentment found at: www.cosumc.org/h3.

Joe Paterno and the stained soul of Penn State: The state of Pennsylvania gave us Joe Montana, Broadway Joe Namath and Smokin' Joe Frazier. That's a lot of big-time Joes. But added together their moral authority would total a tiny fraction of that established over a half-century by Joe Paterno.

Texas Gun Instructor’s Ad Draws Inquiry

The amnesia of America is amazing to me. No understanding of history. No understanding of politics. No understanding of Christianity. No understanding of Islam. What Crockett Keller is a terrorist. If there are factions of people that don't like Americans or America it's possibly a result of people who express these narrow-minded, heart-wrenching statements of hate and judgment toward a part of God's creation. I propose a new definition for terrorist. Anyone not desiring the very best for the world, its humanity and any part of creation is, in a way, providing terror. I recently had a conversation with a colleague. We talked about the de-evolution of society. Maybe there is some truth in this.

Texas Gun Instructor’s Ad Draws Inquiry: An anti-Muslim, anti-liberal, anti-Obama-voter message drew condemnation in some quarters and praise in others.

Tree Change in North America

Tree Change in North America: Over the last three to four decades, forests throughout much of western North America have been subjected to disturbance at a scale well beyond that previously recorded over the last century. Although some disturbances may be attributed to fire suppression policies, which have resulted in fuel accumulation and denser stands prone to insect attack, climate change is more likely the cause, based on recent surveys and analyses of natural mortality by a new study by Oregon State. In the new report, scientists outline the impact that a changing climate will have on which tree species can survive, and where. The study suggests that many species that were once able to survive and thrive are losing their competitive footholds, and opportunistic newcomers will eventually push them out.

Why We Do What We Do...

[Repost]

Holy Week is the last week of Lent, the week immediately preceding Easter Sunday. It is observed in many Christian churches as a time to commemorate and enact the suffering (Passion) and death of Jesus through various observances and services of worship. While some church traditions focus specifically on the events of the last week of Jesus' life, many of the liturgies symbolize larger themes that marked Jesus' entire ministry. Observances during this week range from daily liturgical services in churches to informal meetings in homes to participate in a Christian version of the Passover Seder.

Palm Sunday observes the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem that was marked by the crowds, who were in Jerusalem for Passover, waving palm branches and proclaiming him as the messianic king. The Gospels tell us that Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, enacting the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, and in so doing emphasized the humility that was to characterize the Kingdom he proclaimed. The irony of his acceptance as the new Davidic King (Mark 11:10) by the crowds who would only five days later cry for his execution should be a sobering reminder of the human tendency to want God on our own terms. Traditionally, worshippers enact the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem by the waving of palm branches and singing songs of celebration. Sometimes this is accompanied by a processional into the church. In many churches, children are an integral part of this service since they enjoy processions and activity as a part of worship. This provides a good opportunity to involve them in the worship life of the community of Faith.

Maundy Thursday offers a variety of events that are clustered on this last day before Jesus was arrested. They are commemorated in various ways in services of worship. These include the last meal together, which was probably a Passover meal, the institution of Eucharist or Communion, the washing of the Disciples feet, the betrayal by Judas (because of the exchange with Jesus at the meal), and Jesus praying in Gethsemane while the disciples fell asleep. Most liturgies, however, focus on the meal and communion as a way to commemorate this day. During the last few days, Jesus and his disciples had steadily journeyed from Galilee toward Jerusalem. On the sunlight hillsides of Galilee, Jesus was popular, the crowds were friendly and the future was bright. Even his entry into Jerusalem had been marked by a joyous welcome. But in Jerusalem there was a growing darkness as the crowds began to draw back from the man who spoke of commitment and servanthood. There was an ominous tone in the murmuring of the Sadducees and Pharisees who were threatened by the new future Jesus proclaimed. Even as Jesus and his disciples came together to share this meal, they already stood in the shadow of the cross. It was later that night, after the meal, as Jesus and his disciples were praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, that Jesus was arrested and taken to the house of Caiaphas the High Priest. On Friday he would die.

Good Friday: The Friday of Holy Week has been traditionally been called Good Friday or Holy Friday. On this day, the church commemorates Jesus' arrest (since by Jewish customs of counting days from sundown to sundown it was already Friday), his trial, crucifixion and suffering, death, and burial. Since services on this day are to observe Jesus' death, and since Eucharist is a celebration, there is traditionally no Communion observed on Good Friday. Also, depending on how the services are conducted on this day, all pictures, statutes, and the cross are covered in mourning black, the chancel and altar coverings are replaced with black, and altar candles are extinguished. They are left this way through Saturday, but are always replaced with white before sunrise on Sunday. There are a variety of services of worship for Good Friday, all aimed at allowing worshippers to experience some sense of the pain, humiliation, and ending in the journey to the cross. The traditional Catholic service for Good Friday was held in mid-afternoon to correspond to the final words of Jesus from the cross (around 3 PM, Matt 27:46-50). However, modern schedules have led many churches to move the service to the evening to allow more people to participate. Usually, a Good Friday service is a series of Scripture readings, a short homily, and a time of meditation and prayer. One traditional use of Scripture is to base the homily or devotional on the Seven Last Words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel traditions. 

Father, forgive them . . . (Luke 23:34)
This day you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43)
Woman, behold your son . . .(John 19:26-27)
My God, my God . . . (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34)
I thirst. (John 19:28)
It is finished! (John 19:30)
Father into your hands . . . (Luke 23:46)

Some churches use the Stations of the Cross as part of the Good Friday Service. This service uses paintings or banners to represent various scenes from Jesus' betrayal, arrest, trial, and death, and the worshippers move to the various stations to sing hymns or pray as the story is told . There is a great variety in how this service is conducted, and various traditions use different numbers of stations to tell the story.
 

Another common service for Good Friday is Tenebrae (Latin for "shadows" or "darkness"). Sometimes this term is applied generally to all church services on the last three days of Holy week. More specifically, however, it is used of the Service of Darkness or Service of Shadows, usually held in the evening of Good Friday. Again, there are varieties of this service, but it is usually characterized by a series of Scripture readings and meditation done in stages while lights and/or candles are gradually extinguished to symbolize the growing darkness not only of Jesus' death but of hopelessness in the world without God. The service ends in darkness, sometimes with a final candle, the Christ candle, carried out of the sanctuary, symbolizing the death of Jesus. Often the service concludes with a loud noise symbolizing the closing of Jesus' tomb (see The Empty Tomb). The worshippers then leave in silence to wait.

Some churches observe communion on Good Friday. However, traditionally the Eucharist is not served on Good Friday since it is a celebration of thanksgiving. Good Friday is not a day of celebration but of mourning, both for the death of Jesus and for the sins of the world that his death represents. Yet, although Friday is a solemn time, it is not without its own joy. For while it is important to place the Resurrection against the darkness of Good Friday, likewise the somberness of Good Friday should always be seen with the hope of Resurrection Sunday. As the well- known sermon title vividly illustrates: "It's Friday. But Sunday's a'comin'!"

Immigration: Mainly of the Illegal Kind, but Open for Discussion!

This week's Theology on Tap Lite topic will focus on immigration, particularly that referred to as "illegal immigration" in the United States of America.

Before I offer up a slew of links, first I want to give some opening thoughts and commentary.  A reminder that we have a commitment to mutual respect and dialogue. Let us engage in respectful dialogue - including the elements of trust, sincerity, respect, willingness to learn, agreement to disagree and commitment to work through issues. If honest mistakes are made, let us support each other with gentle reminding in correcting them.

I believe most folks are of a mind that SOMEthing needs to be done. The problem is finding the solution(s) that is logical, feasible/work-able, and agreeable across all lines.  Essentially, asking the government to finally find a common ground - perhaps, asking the impossible!

The General Board of Church & Society of The United Methodist Church (along with all other mainline denominations) has really done a phenomenal job at putting together a comprehensive statement, along with goals, objectives and resources available to individuals and congregations.  The UMC's stance (similar to that of most mainline denominations) and writings is found here.

Last week, I posed the question on Facebook, "What are your thoughts on Immigration?" Here are some of the responses:

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses...For me, this still applies as long as those individuals pay taxes and obey the laws. We are all descendants of immigrants unless you are American Indian."

"I'm not against immigration IF they're legal, AND they are trying to learn our language, AND everything I do or say isn't considered racist because they don't want to work and they're living on the system (not that tons of Americans aren't doing the same thing, they should get off their asses too)."

"I think the process of legal immigration/citizenship should be simplified. As of now it's a lengthy (sometimes years) , costly (thousands of dollars) and difficult process (I scored poorly on the exam when I took it and I'm no slouch). I believe anyone earning a wage in the U.S. should have to pay taxes and any cash leaving the country should be taxed as well. The language issue doesn't bother me much; I can speak enough Spanish to hold a basic conversation. It bothers me more when Americans butcher our language...I also think aliens convicted of non-capital crimes should be deported at their own expense and not be placed in our already overburdened penal system." 

"I agree with deportation of illegals. It also irritates me that it costs so much and is so hard to become a citizen. It's too easy for them to be here illegally."

"I don't believe our founding fathers ever would have agreed with the concept of forced deportation, illegal immigrant or not. Part of the beauty of this country and the freedoms it allows to all people is the right to be or say anything, s...o I also don't believe that anyone should be forced to learn another language. I believe that our government was created in order to help those who cannot help themselves, that need to live off system for a little while, whether they are legal or not. Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves isn't whether or not immigration is a good or a bad thing, because naturally that's too loaded of a question; but instead, why don't we ask what makes America such a great country compared to where they're immigrating from?"

"'Won't someone please think of the children.' -Maude Flanders. That pretty much is a sermon in its own right. Is it reasonable to disrupt families in exchange for the civic value of reporting/arresting/deporting those who do get caught? I've seen it happen firsthand. There is a better solution, there must be. 'Each society can be judged by how it treats its weakest citizen.' Our weakest citizens, in my opinion, are children of illegal immigrants. Our society deports their parents if we catch them. Ponder that."

"Here's one from a Law Enforcement Perspective. Legal Immigration I have no problem with. Illegal Immigration creates several dangerous problems, and raises several issues. In no particular order...

1. There is no way of confirming identity. This means that if I pull over a person wanted for murder in Ohio, because he can simply change his identity whenever he pleases, his identifiers will not return as wanted. That's not good.
2. On the heels of that, if I arrest an illegal, ICE won't come and get him, which means he is allowed out on his own recognizance. Then, he never comes to court to answer for his charges. You and I cannot disregard the law with such impunity, but illegals can.
3. On the heels of THAT, there are no financial liabilities for illegals. For instance, the illegal who ran into a [company's name] power box last year. He OR'd out (OR - Released on Own Recognizance), never returned. Of course, not only was he unlicensed, he was, of course uninsured. [The company] cannot recoup the cost of that power box, therefore costs are passed on to the consumers. [An individual in town] was nearly killed by an illegal immigrant driver out in California. Court costs, ambulance costs, NONE can be recouped from these people. 
4. Even if a person comes here illegally with the best of intentions, most must use the pipeline through the southern border, through which are also smuggled 12-year old sex slaves, drugs, and guns (the guns are usually southbound), lining the pockets of some VERY bad people.
5. Speaking of guns, traffickers, cartels, etc., we have ceded land to the cartels in AZ. Read here. We are being invaded by a sovereign nation, and the Fed is indifferent.
6. I am, of course discussing the hispanic element coming from the south. This is not racism, as it is so commonly dismissed, it's just what I see every day. I have arrested ten illegal immigrants in the [city] area since I came on the force last year. I don't see illegal Norwegian immigrants, I see illegal Hispanic immigrants. It's not racism, it's fact. 
7. The solution is simple - deny social services, housing, and employment to those here illegally, and they will deport themselves. Put REAL security on the border (like soldiers and a DMZ) and the drugs and human trafficking will desist. None of this is possible without the Fed (by their own admission; they have hotly contested immigration as THEIR jurisdiction in Federal Court), who seem completely apathetic. Extremely frustrating... 

From God's Politics Blog: Rethinking Our Approach to Immigration Reform
 

Heard this on CNN earlier this week: Online publisher pulls assignment on immigration after outcry
 

ICE Nabs Illegals With Criminal Records- Obama Challenges GOP to Reform Immigration
 

130 immigrants with criminal records arrested in Virginia, agency says
 

If you can't open these following links, and have an RSS Reader (like Google Reader), look for them there. NYT started their new "system" this week. You get 20 links a month, then they charge you and you still have to establish an account with them, BUT they haven't done anything to their articles if you subscribe (free) to the NYT through an RSS service: Women, Children and Immigration Reform (NYT Letter-to-the-Editor); As Mexicans Fill Pews, Church Leaders Are Slow to Welcome Them
 

$5 million reward posted in immigration agent's killing

NOT directly related to Illegal Immigration, but interesting reads:
Skilled Immigrants' Talents Go to Waste in U.S. 

Immigration Office Back to Denying Same-Sex Couple Visas After Legal Review