I am not sure if it is because I have switched to decaf coffee or not, but each morning the news makes less sense to me. How did we get to this point – our nation in trillions of dollars of debt – with the experts using the word “insolvent” to refer to American’s financial future? America bankrupt? Somewhere between the left and right opinions sparring about how we got here and who’s to blame…the reality of our circumstances uncover a long history of decisions made on the behalf of individual rights, which now collectively seem to have derailed our nation’s fiscal security. Focusing on my rights without consideration of the consequences and cost of those rights to my community will eventually cost everyone more than anyone can pay.
For example, government spends $12,000,000 annually for a character education programs in public schools in an attempt to teach moral soundness to students. However the statistics show it has not benefited 75% of students. I understand the challenge this program faces – imbedding morality into students and the only perfect calibration of morals being illegal to even mention. Additionally, government designates $300,000,000 to the safe and drug free schools program, which cannot claim any recognizable benefits. Again – I empathize for any teacher who must attempt to satisfy every student’s insatiable need for acceptance and quest for an escape from past and present circumstances without being allowed to even introduce the one who offers ultimate acceptance and who is the actual solution to every circumstance.
What if the church and state were not exactly so separate…and finally admitted the need of the other? What if both worked together to take care of people in need in our nation instead of opposing each other? Could the daunting problems with health care and job solutions be answered? This brilliant but plausible fantasy would require Christians actually belonging to one church instead of using our doctrines as declarations of war. If the Christians can work together – then I am sure congress can! The government bravely builds trillions of dollars of debt but becomes tremulous at any suggestion of investing in the church as a potential help with issues such as welfare or crisis pregnancies. And Christians claim to fear God, but dishonor him when we fail to embrace our responsibility to disallow poverty and injustice.
Maybe…if we quit wasting so much energy putting band-aids on gaping wounds we might just have what it takes to work together to build a rich future to offer instead of a bankrupt one. It might be the last unexplored place left in America…It is indeed a wild place – full of exotic generosity, stunning humility and breathtaking unity… but it has boundaries. I am pretty sure “insolvent” might be one of them. I’d like to see this unexplored future for America – and believe we still have what it takes to settle it. Maybe I just need caffeine.
For example, government spends $12,000,000 annually for a character education programs in public schools in an attempt to teach moral soundness to students. However the statistics show it has not benefited 75% of students. I understand the challenge this program faces – imbedding morality into students and the only perfect calibration of morals being illegal to even mention. Additionally, government designates $300,000,000 to the safe and drug free schools program, which cannot claim any recognizable benefits. Again – I empathize for any teacher who must attempt to satisfy every student’s insatiable need for acceptance and quest for an escape from past and present circumstances without being allowed to even introduce the one who offers ultimate acceptance and who is the actual solution to every circumstance.
What if the church and state were not exactly so separate…and finally admitted the need of the other? What if both worked together to take care of people in need in our nation instead of opposing each other? Could the daunting problems with health care and job solutions be answered? This brilliant but plausible fantasy would require Christians actually belonging to one church instead of using our doctrines as declarations of war. If the Christians can work together – then I am sure congress can! The government bravely builds trillions of dollars of debt but becomes tremulous at any suggestion of investing in the church as a potential help with issues such as welfare or crisis pregnancies. And Christians claim to fear God, but dishonor him when we fail to embrace our responsibility to disallow poverty and injustice.
Maybe…if we quit wasting so much energy putting band-aids on gaping wounds we might just have what it takes to work together to build a rich future to offer instead of a bankrupt one. It might be the last unexplored place left in America…It is indeed a wild place – full of exotic generosity, stunning humility and breathtaking unity… but it has boundaries. I am pretty sure “insolvent” might be one of them. I’d like to see this unexplored future for America – and believe we still have what it takes to settle it. Maybe I just need caffeine.
Great post. Hope I get to read more of your thoughts before March. No, seriously, sometime before the trees start budding would be nice. ;)
Posted by: jen | 01/29/2010 at 11:55 PM