tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14457001.post114646958846360842..comments2024-01-31T09:33:05.146-08:00Comments on Two World Collision: Insomnia, the Crazy Week, the Swollen Ankle, and that VideoErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03948061964482528393noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14457001.post-1146664377011787102006-05-03T06:52:00.000-07:002006-05-03T06:52:00.000-07:00Preach it, Eric!Preach it, Eric!Christine Bakkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14262976600427879137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14457001.post-1146543536732370772006-05-01T21:18:00.000-07:002006-05-01T21:18:00.000-07:00Thanks Matt, yes i agree that i'm glad that we liv...Thanks <B>Matt</B>, yes i agree that i'm glad that we live in a country where people can express their frustration with elected officials.<BR/><BR/>Thanks <B>Angel</B>, i've kept ice on it and i've been trying to stay off it most of the day. =)<BR/><BR/>I appreciate you weighing in, <B>Ryan</B>. (Long time no talk eh? Hope you are well!) I don't think the lyrics of the song completely expresses a "victim" mindset. Much of the song communicates how disconnected she feels from the President and how she feels he is disconnected from many people she represents. She and so many others don't feel like the President really gets them. I don't think that's necessarily a "victim" mindset.<BR/><BR/>I do understand what you mean though, and I agree that we can't blame the President and our government on all the problems that so many people live through. I do believe that we each ought to be responsible for the decisions we make in our lives. But . . .<BR/><BR/><I>"I work hard but can't make it because I have been irresponsible with my sex life and have a kid on the way." So the president should do something to help? What?"</I><BR/><BR/>Is that really fair? I honor the work that you do with the homeless, but is that statement <I>really</I> representative of the experiences of all those who are sincerely struggling? If so, why should the Church even help? There are so many people out there that have not been irresponsible with their sex life but do have a kid on their way. What about them?<BR/><BR/>Sure the Church has the power to help. We can be mobilized to serve and help the homeless in many ways. In what way? and who? Who do we help? Everyone? Just the ones who weren't <I>"irresponsible with their sex life"</I>? Is our Father's business about filtering who gets the help? How many times do we forgive anyway? <BR/><BR/><I>"...and we are to blame for the current reality"</I><BR/><BR/>I don't necessarily think even the Church is the "blame" for the current reality. We all do have to take responsibility. However, i think what would be more accurate would be to say that the Church could be doing more to affect the current reality. Hence, living out our faith, each one of us, to <B>be</B> the Church for and with many people who are struggling.<BR/><BR/>(Note, at this point not all of this is directed at you Ryan. These are general statements i'm making right now.)<BR/><BR/>As for the President? Who are we kidding? The President of the United States does have a kind of power at his disposal to affect the current reality. Besides, our Mr. President (many would say) is also part of the Church, so why shouldn't it be on his top ten list since (many would say) God placed him there? Even he can live out the Kingdom values in his position.<BR/><BR/>Is it the role of Mr. President to create a program to change people's lives? Um, why not? It's mine...it's yours...it's all of our call to be salt and to affect each other. He is in a position to affect lives on a massive scale. Okay, so maybe the President shouldn't have to create an actual program (that's debatable). But the President of the United States is the Chief representative of the people that elected him. At the very least, isn't it fair to want the President to call on those people - to inspire those people - to mobilize and go into the communities and have us come up with whatever programs are needed locally? <BR/><BR/>He does have motivational power. All he has to do is talk about the current reality a bit more than a passing reference in the State of the Union address. He campaigns for other "issues". Why not this one?<BR/><BR/>As for the song's reference to fathers might hating their daughters if they were gay . . . that's a reality that is true enough to sing about.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03948061964482528393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14457001.post-1146533844052037222006-05-01T18:37:00.000-07:002006-05-01T18:37:00.000-07:00I hope your ankle is feeling better soon!That vide...I hope your ankle is feeling better soon!<BR/><BR/>That video....wow. Though I agree in part with what ryan had to say--the church needs to care about the people *here*, not just overseas missions.The Rainbow Zebrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10556423049067122472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14457001.post-1146526275867364692006-05-01T16:31:00.000-07:002006-05-01T16:31:00.000-07:00Interesting video... I must admit, after spending...Interesting video... I must admit, after spending a week working with the homeless in the street, I feel that Pink and the girls have adopted a similar "victim" mindset to the three folks I have been helping. You see, those problems are not the problems of big government but ours. Mr. President cannot create a program to change people's lives. We the people can and ought to. We need to stop playing the victim role... "it's all the president's fault", "I work hard but can't make it because I have been irresponsible with my sex life and have a kid on the way." So the president should do something to help? What? The reality is we the church have the power to help... and we are to blame for the current reality. We have not been about our Father's business. Can we look each other in the eye? How can WE sleep?Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06808052799022283270noreply@blogger.com