Community Comment
"Sunday Morning Social Gatherings" by Cheryl Preston
According to recent statistics I have read, surveys taken by George Barna and Pew Research, over 100 million Christians worldwide have stopped attending organized services within a traditional house of worship. This includes 12 million Americans at a rate of over 1 million defectors a year since early 2002. These are not individuals who have abandoned their faith, but are choosing to worship at home in small groups as did the first Christians. When the gatherings become too large to contain within the setting of a house, someone starts another church in their home, and thus the trend continues. I found 3 references in the Bible which verify that home meetings were considered as Church. (1 Corinthians 16:19, Philemon2, Colossians 4:15) And in researching this issue I found three major reasons given for the exodus from organized Christian religious services. They are:
1. The impersonal feel of mega churches where you do not know the person sitting beside you, and you can't speak to the pastor because he is surrounded by Armor bearers, also known as and I quote (body guards, Lieutenants, The A Team)
2. Dogmatic rules which include telling parishioners that if they don't tithe they can't belong to a particular body of believers.
3. First families living lavish lifestyles with the saints' money and passing it off as overflow from Heaven, while a senior citizen within the church can't get $50 to keep her lights on.
No doubt detractors will interpret Hebrews 10:25 as meaning followers of Christ must join an organized fellowship in a building in order to not forsake assembling together, but in Matthew 18:20, Jesus gave a simple statement. He said where 2 or 3 are gathered in His name, He is in the midst. Which then is the true Church? A few in a home meeting in his Name or thousands coming together in a multi million dollar edifice in the name of the almighty dollar? Think About It!
"Profit the world yet lose your soul" by Cheryl Preston
As I am reading the 11th chapter of Luke one day, I stop to listen as Toby Mack, Kirk Franklin and Mandesa sing "I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul," on the morning wake up call on the Gospel Network. When the song is finished I pick up reading where I left off in the book of Luke and find that I am at the passage where Jesus is talking about gaining the world and losing your soul.
In this current economy many are finding that the earthly pleasures they felt were a necessity, are now no longer at their disposal. Increasing numbers of Americans are finding out what many others knew all along. You will live and not die if you can't eat out or go to the movies as you once did. Life does not end if you can't go on your yearly cruise or vacation. All across the nation people are giving testimonies of finding their souls, so to speak, as they live on less, enjoy it more, and are reintroduced to the simple pleasures of life. Unfortunately, there have been murder suicides of entire families as the heads of households could not bear to live without their previous wealth. Those who are accustomed to hard times are not blown away by adversity. But some of those whose lives are summed up by personal possessions they have gained are not only losing their souls but their lives as well. Think About It!
"Cap and Trade" and what it means to America by Bobby Buck
Obviously, the nation was heading for economic and energy destruction at a break-neck pace. Building ever bigger vehicles just to go to soccer practice and the local convenience store with fad transportation sources like the "Hummer" when this was a basic military vehicle that took on "Hollywood" proportions; and GM was continuing to build even more comparable gas/road hogs. The Republican Party evidently is all for this sort of continued energy splurging by wanting to drill and produce more fossil fuel to carry on. Also, they want more nuclear energy to beef up our more than extravagant lifestyles with a prevailing destruction of a region of the US by some sort of accident. It has happened before and I dare say it will happen again. In other words, the nation had gotten to the point of satisfying its personal and personable pleasures of yesterday at the expense of a less polluted, energy efficient, and safer future for tomorrow's generation. Cap and Trade brings common sense back into play. Even China has put a halt to the purchase of "Hummer" from GM because they see it as a fool's boondoggle. The Republican Party continues to cite France as an example of wide usage of nuclear energy and I would advise doing the same in America if that were absolutely necessary...but it's not at this stage of our existence. Therefore, we are at a point where we can cap the use of heavy-polluting energy resources with a gradual trade for cleaner and more efficient energy for our personal and social uses...traveling to the corner store, powering our plasma tv's, and family vacations. Consequently, we will have access to our domestic fossil reserves and quick ability to develop nuclear energy to sustain us in an international conflict coming from anywhere on the globe. Thanks, President Obama for looking out for our nation's future when these damned fools in the Republican Party are only concerned about their pocketbooks...an example, Rush Limbaugh with no nuclear family, not even a wife, just a fat, lonely, selfish, capitalist pig. Believe me, this "ugly American" is not the image the USA wants to continue to promote before the rest of the world.
Sessions vs Sotomayor by Bobby Buck
"Pot calling the kettle black"? Who is the real racist here? Let's talk facts about racism from a close-up and personal perspective. I lived in Mobile, AL where Jeff Sessions was the former US Attorney for the district and had direct and personal contact with him and his office in a Federal lawsuit involving my former employer, IBM. Jeff Sessions had a track record of not giving any sustained attention to the concerns of black people in his district and a driven nabob when it came to civil rights and actions of those promoting civil rights. The major embarrassment for his office came as a result of the KKK, right there under his nose in downtown Mobile, blocks from where I resided and just a few blocks more from the US Attorney's office, decided to murder and hang a black man from a tree. Upon getting a conviction, it was the Mobile DA prompted by deceased Alabama Senator Michael Figures and the "Poverty Law Center" that eventually got some semblance of actual justice through a settlement in violation of the young black man's civil rights, that decimated the financial holdings of the KKK of Alabama. Civil rights and Jeff Sessions were always in opposite corners. He later proclaimed himself a "patriot" in defeating in a pronounced manner any legislation that would eventually begin to resolve this ongoing issue of "illegal immigration"... as if he is looking for one. Before he became a US Senator, he was shot down by the United States Senator of Alabama, the Honorable Howell Heflin, in a bid for an appointment as a Federal judge because of his negative views on civil rights. I submitted all of the information surrounding my bout with IBM and Jeff Sessions to the office of Senator Heflin, now deceased, and deem that is stored somewhere in the archives. It appears that Sessions has more on his hands than simply being a guilty jurist, but the blood of injustice and murder, in his failure to protect the civil rights of fellow Americans.
Judge that ye be not judged...
What will be our legacy in the quick passage of time or will we even have one that will withstand the test of time by either instant castigation or moralistic annunciation? Jesus Christ, Gandhi, and MLK, Jr. have proven this precept of time and testament...for their legacies are eternal in the minds of humanity. In light of politicizing the death of Michael Jackson with recognition of either honor or dishonor, it should be noted that in reality he was an entertainer with human failings such as the likes of Elvis Presley and Rush Limbaugh and like Elvis and Rush, he succumbed to the failing of a junky with a monkey on his back. Unfortunately, he as did Elvis, died before finding a fulfilling peace of mind, body, and soul. Rush, you and those of your political and religious ilk should note this when tossing judgemental stones in a glass house.
Sweat Equity...a noble concept
The Administration, unfortunately, is attempting to be all things to all people. This illusive notion has failed over and over again. As has been stated before, the Administration is consistently saying what it's going to do for everyone instead of asking what can we first do for ourselves? A free society should allow for this discretion for everyone who has reached the age of reason, but the governments seem to be the biggest hindrances in the free society. Along with this responsible adulthood, it should likewise be understood that there are consequences for certain actions and no amount of government stimulus, moral or otherwise can be the safety net. Welfare has a negative connotation for it generally gives the impression of getting something without any personal involvement. This sort of charity undermines one's self-worth and if too widespread will eventually undercut the society of which it exists. There is a Chinese proverb that goes like this: "Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me, and I'll understand." At this juncture, I just don't think Joe Six Pack and family understand. http://infobuck.com/contact.html
A Benevolent Grandfather
My first attempted book was entitled "Buck Sense" that I dedicated to my grandfather, who for all practical purposes was my father and raised me when my father was too immature and irresponsible to fulfill his obligation. Today, I reflect on his role though at the time I was too young to appreciate his wisdom. How does that relate to what's going on in America today?
President Carter is roundly being denounced in the wisdom that he is imparting about the Middle East, the past Republican administrations, the Clinton presidency as well as President Obama's criticism as being primarily racially motivated. Like my grandfather, what he said primarily came to pass in my life in due time and I guess that's due to his life's experiences and wisdom that he accrued over his many, many years. I was just too shallow to know how to thank him prior to his death, thus the little book I wrote.
Somehow, I see President Carter as America's benevolent grandfather, although we as nation might be too foolish to appreciate his insight. He has been called weak for his Iran policy, stagnant economy, and cozying up to Breshnev. Attempts have been made to say President Barack Hussein Obama is exhibiting the same traits. If anything, what this nation and the world had better comprehend is that the nature of this President is unlike any of his predecessors, for he has the morally justified character given by time, injustice, suffering and outright human indignity to react severely to threats to the safety and security of not only his nation but those who are in the struggle to bring humanity to a higher level of respect and future progress.
As might be said in a "pick-up" game on the streets, you would be wise not to play him too close...and for heaven's sake...don't foul him, for a 4-letter epithet might be better understood in the place of "foul".