Oh How the Tides Turn

Oh how the tides so quickly turn. Could the gay community actually be upset at the one man that was to be the hope for a better future? The one man whom the gay community fought so diligently to get elected? The one man who promised so many things to the gay community and is now backing down from every single one of them …

The answers to those questions are yes, yes, and yes again. And a few very influential gay organizations are wearing thin on Obama’s stale (would they even go so far as to say “Republican”?!?!?) rhetoric around GLBT issues. As a friend of mine who works for a well known gay political organization told me:

“Obama, you can talk all you want about “declaring June our month” and how much respect you have for us, but your talk is what got you elected. It’s time to show you’re different than everyone who came before you because your talk isn’t getting you anywhere anymore.”

Such the tangled (and bandwagon hopping on and off) web we continually weave…

Looks like the thoughts in my book about living in a "false model of the ideal situation" go much further than the culture war that is conservativism and homosexuality. It's almost comical in a very sad, structural mindset type-of-way because the system is set up to perpetuate these mirage ideals of best existences. And still no one learns that no matter what, there is no best existence because the system is faulty in its construction of what is deemed worthy of legitimazation.

Interesting article from Politico that I saw highlighted on CNN.

What are your thoughts about the gay community turning on Obama?

What are you thoughts on my thesis of 'mirage ideals of a best existence'?

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org

Gays in the Military

I recently read an article by a national Christian organization claiming that having open gay and lesbian people serve in the military would be a threat to the congruency of our armed forces. Three things came to my mind:

1. A few years back a study in TIME said that 60% of publications from 1940-1950 stated that gay people were:

a. A direct threat to the strength of the US military
b. A direct threat to the security and strength of the US government
c. A direct threat to the safety of the general American public

It saddens my heart to realize that, although not the majority, some of us in the Christian community still believe those claims of governmental, societal and personal destruction from a half-century ago.

2. What do people in the actual military think?

The same Christian organization also reported that 10% of the people in the military would not reenlist if “don’t ask don’t tell” was repealed. My general belief is that, like my friend Shane Claiborne says,

“America needs the Amish for homeland security and Jesus for President.”

Beyond my general thoughts on war, my wife knows some military “lifers” who are hard-nosed, small town, country-strong, non-Christian soldiers who have done a number of tours in the Middle East, and now train soldiers to do the same. She asked them on my behalf what they would think about a repeal of “don’t ask don’t tell” and each of them said (to some variation of the wording):

“Everyone knows who the gay guys are because most of them don’t hide it. In a life vs. death battle, none of that matters anyway. No one really cares except the extremely homophobic people who keep their distance outside of active duty—and that seems to be a really small number.”

3. The broader issue I can’t get past is:

Why would we want to stop gays and lesbians, who would give their life for our country, from enlisting? If someone is willing to enlist and actively engage in combat around the world (something personally, I wouldn’t willfully do), why would I want ban them, or anyone else from doing so? That just doesn’t compute for me.

Agree? Disagree?

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org

Obama and Bishop Robinson

Since yesterday I have been asked quite a few times what my thoughts are regarding Obama's choice of the first openly gay Episcopal Bishop, Gene Robinson, to give the Invocation at the Lincoln Memorial. Just like I believed that Obama strategically chose Rick Warren to publicly reach out in a bipartisan nature to the millions of conservatives around the country, so I believe he is doing the same for the gay community by selecting Robinson.

The GLBT community has been UP IN ARMS at Obama recently, totally furious at him since his selection of Warren. I have been told by many in the gay community across the country that they see the choice of Warren as a stab in the back by Obama because of Obama's promises about repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell and his favorable take on gay civil unions. For that sole reason, it is my belief that Robinson is the quickest and most efficient way to tone down the blasts coming from an entire population of people who more then had Obama's back when election day rolled around. Politics is what it is, and Obama seems to be politically maneuvering with the best that have ever come (at least in my lifetime, thus far).

At the very least I can say this much:

During any election whoever is running for an office always talks about bipartisanship: "I will reach across the political divide and unite."

You can quote any politician who has ever run - they all say the same stuff. And whenever I hear those words from a politician I easily disregard them because I don't think I've ever actually seen it happen on a large public scale. And if it has, it's usually just the "safe" pick of a person who is already three-quarters of the way to the other side. Until now. It seems to me that Obama is trying to actually reach across and do something - or at least make a statement. Who knows if this is all for show or if it will last. But at least he's trying to set some type of unique precedent the day he takes office.

I live in Chicago and I come from the political juggernaut that is Chicago politics, so I'm naturally very skeptic of anyone that received their on-the-job political training in my unfortunately corrupt city and State. Though for the time being, good for Obama and what he's trying to do. I can only pray his original bipartisan promises continue.

Here is a great article from the New York Times about the Obama/Robinson situation.

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org

Thoughts on Obama and Warren

In light of the Pope controversy yesterday and it being Christmas Eve today, I wanted to link you all to a friend of mine, Scot McKnight, who wrote a brilliant post about Obama's choice to have Rick Warren give the invocation. His post is by far and away the most level-headed, well thoughtout commentary I've seen. Be blessed by his words and insights. You can read his post here.

Have a Merry Christmas.

Much love.
http://www.themarinfoundation.org/

The “other” pink elephant in the middle of the room—Illinois Government

On the heals of GQ Magazine naming Chicago their City of the Year, our (I’m from, and live in Chicago) governor just got arrested by the FBI for trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Doesn’t surprise me one ounce. In fact, it has been common knowledge in Illinois that Rod Blagojevich has been under Federal investigation for months now. Can someone please tell me the thought process of how a man already under Federal investigation goes about making a decision to try to illegally sell the President-elect's Senate seat? As the Apostle Paul says:

"I say this to shame you..." (1 Cor. 6:5).

Let me make this clear:

I was one of the very, very few people in Chicago to NOT vote for Rod Blagojevich and his cronies.

Take for instance the other “winner” in my city's government: Todd Stroger. That nincompoop, along with good ol’ Rod, do nothing more then give their relatives 12% raises in the midst of an economic recession (can you blame Todd though, that’s how he got his job: from his dad! He just thinks that’s normal—and so does Mayor Richard Daly who was given his empire by his dad as well). Not only are family pay increases the usual, but these idiots also decided that it’s a great idea to raise Chicago’s sales tax to 10.25%...the highest in the United States of America! Are you kidding me?! That is over 1% higher then the next highest: New York City.

Where is the concern for the poor that they so boisterously claim to speak for? If they care so much about underserved and underprivileged people, why would they make everything more expensive for a group of people who already couldn't afford the previous cost of living?

How about Illinois' tollways—they get something like a million dollars a day in car tolls, and where does all that money go? Illinois gets multi-millions every week in the lottery, and where does all that money go? Why did Rod and Todd (sure sounds like they were made to work together, doesn't it?) have to drain our hard working teacher’s pension fund with IOU’s to pay for whatever they needed that couple billion to pay for? We still don’t know where that money is almost three years later!

Before his arrest, Rod’s approval rating was at 36%, and rightfully so. The problem is that most of Chicago—which accounts for a forth of Illinois’ total population—just vote along Democratic party lines. Why? Well, that’s just what Chicago does. We’re corrupt, everyone knows it, and hopefully this will finally be the catalyst to do something about it.

Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE CHICAGO. You’ll have to pry my dead cold body out of Chicago to get me to ever move anywhere else. I honestly believe that there is no better city in the world. We have clean streets and neighborhoods, we’re generally nice people who have found a good balance between the neuroticism of most of NYC and the sometimes too laid back ways of LA. We have a great tradition, amazing architecture, the country’s tallest building, and of course we have the Cubs! So much good, and yet one glaring bad—our ridiculous State government. I just hope Barack was able to escape the Chicago pull and doesn’t drain our country like so many despicable “leaders” have drained my city.

Much love.
http://www.themarinfoundation.org/

Election Day

I voted this morning.

It’ll be an interesting night not only for our nation, but also here in Chicago (Barack Obama’s setting up camp in Grant Park about a mile away from where I live – they are expecting about 650,000 people in attendance tonight).

More importantly, it’ll be an interesting next 4 years – whoever wins.

And regardless of whoever wins the election I know that the Body will need to rise up, together, and live faithfully.

Focusing on the Father and not the Flag.

The Lord has entrusted us with the responsibility to be a flesh representation of Him here on earth while our time lasts, and thus, our charge has clearly been defined as Followers of the Way – not the President – well before or well after November 4th, 2008.

Be Bold.

Much love.
http://www.themarinfoundation.org/

Pitt-Jolie and Jesus?

In a world where anyone can create a blog and write whatever they want and claim it as truth, why not get in on the fun right? It's about time I guess ... that, and all of my super tech-y friends keep harassing me to do it. And for the first time in my life, well, second if you include Facebook; I've given in! So here we go:

I recently heard on CNN that the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Foundation just donated $1 million dollars to clothe and feed the Iraqi children whose families have been killed in the war. The first thought that popped in my head was, why are celebrities doing what Christians should be doing?! I was actually offended.

If the Bible tells us to love our enemies, what does that tangibly look like in time of war? I can think of no better expression of that command then to follow in Pitt-Jolie's footsteps. As much as I can't stand celebrities and their unwarranted and annoying political opinions, I have to stand in awe that someone - especially with those type of financial resources - was willing to do such a thing. Thank you Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. (I never thought I'd say such a thing!)

Following Christ is about doing, and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are flat out just out-'doing' Believers. I'm willing to put my limited resources where my mouth is ... I'm going to financially give to that cause as well. Let this challenge you, as Christians, to know what it truly means to live out your faith. No fluff, no talk, just action.

Countercultural. Faith. Love.

Go out and read my friend Shane Claiborne's book Jesus for President. It will change your life and you'll be yearning to live an authentic Pro-God, not Pro-Flag, life. We're all God's children and it's time we actually start believing it.

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org