Posted 53 days ago
Originally published on the November 2009 Issue of Sojourners Magazine
The Public Option and the End Times: Searching for sanity in the health-care debate
by Tom Sine
“This is about the dismantling of this country … We don’t want this country to turn into Russia,” declared Katy Abram, 35, to prolonged applause. Abram was sharing her concerns at a town hall meeting in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, as the health-care debate began raging in August. I am sure Sen. Arlen Specter, who hosted the gathering, and many others wondered what Russia has to do with the American health-care debate.
To get a deeper picture of what’s undergirding the health-care conversation, it’s important to unpack the “end times” sub-text for millions of conservative Christians who are intent on defeating this initiative. As I explained in Cease Fire: Searching for Sanity in America’s Culture Wars, “To understand the Christian Right, you need to understand not what they think or even what they believe. You need to begin by discovering what they are afraid of.”
Many of these good people, deeply influenced by popular prophecy theories, live in abject terror, in these “last days,” of being collectivized into a one-world Marxist gulag in which their liberties, faith, and guns are taken away and their families are placed at severe risk.
One of the most influential prophecy buffs is Tim LaHaye. His Left Behind series and his first book, The Battle for the Mind, sought to persuade evangelicals that their lives, families, and country will be taken over by the socialists as the first step in preparing for the reign of the Antichrist and the creation of a one-world government. For many religious conservatives, “socialism” has become the code world for this terrifying one-world takeover. I am convinced that politicization of eschatology is one of the major reasons for the migration of so many American evangelicals into the arms of the Far Right over the last 30 years.
In February, Tim LaHaye was interviewed on The Rachel Maddow Show. According to the online magazine Religion Dispatches, “LaHaye repeatedly returned to the dual claim that prophetic scenarios foretell a stage of socialism in which ‘government controls everything’—redistributing wealth from the haves to the have-nots—and that Obama is [such] a socialist working for such a world.”
This fearmongering is used extremely effectively by both the political Right and the Religious Right to galvanize opposition to President Obama’s health-care initiative. Not surprisingly, these conservative activists particularly link the socialist threat to the public option, since it would be government funded.
The Christian Coalition helped defeat the last health-care initiative, during the Clinton administration, by raising the specter of a socialist takeover of America. “Stop the Government Takeover” is a new campaign sponsored by today’s much-less-powerful Christian Coalition to defeat current health-care reform. The Coalition encouraged conservative Christians to download its “fact sheet” to take to town hall meetings this summer. The “fact sheet” reads in part: “It’s socialized medicine, plain and simple ... This plan represents the ‘foot-in-the-door’ to a massive ‘single-payer’ system, where private insurance is completely abolished and all medical personnel work for the government.”
Clearly, it is extremely difficult to reason with anyone who lives with such deeply held fear. But perhaps we can help cast another eschatological vision of hope that transcends right and left and reflects God’s deep and abiding commitment to bring justice, wholeness, and healing to the most vulnerable in our midst in these turbulent times.
Tom Sine is author of The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time (www.msainfo.org).
Add your comment or view comments » 1 people have responded
Posted 56 days ago
by Christine Sine
I thought that some of you might be interested in these offerings from our time at Eastern Mennonite University.
The first is an article that appeared in the Mennonite Weekly Review – Hard Times Offer Chance to Help More
The second is a podcast of our address at EMU – New Possibilities for Life After EMU
Posted 57 days ago
by Christine Sine
As the second week of Advent draws to a close all of us continue to wait in anticipation and expectation for the coming of Christ. Some of us wait with deep yearning in our hearts for a better world in which all things are made new. Others wait with joyful hearts for the coming of a child whose birth two thousand years ago turned the world right side up. Our hopes and longings are many and varied as you can see from the posts that have come in this week
Second Monday of Advent – My Violin Advent by Barb Buckham
Second Monday of Advent – Waiting Disagreeably for the Prince of Peace
Second Tuesday of Advent – Waiting Down Under by Andrew Wright
Second Wednesday of Advent – What Does Copenhagen Have to do with Jerusalem by Malcolm Duncan
Second Wednesday of Advent – More Advent Resources
Second Wednesday of Advent – Advent Waiting a poem by Andrew Wade
Second Thursday of Advent – Finding the Christ in Christmas by James Prescott
Second Friday of Advent – Waiting Without a Calendar by Kristin Tennant
Waiting for the Lord – Music From Taize
Waiting for the Homecoming of God – A Liturgical Reflection
Those of you that missed the earlier posts may also like to check out the reflections from the first week of Advent
First Monday of Advent: Reflections from Mosaic Bible and Lynne Baab
First Tuesday of Advent: Waiting for a Job – Reflections by Coe Hutchison & Judy Naegeli
World AIDS Day – What Are We Waiting For
Shifting Your Wait: An Advent Reflection by Jason Fowler
First Wednesday of Advent – Waiting: A Reflection by Julie Clawson
First Thursday of Advent – Actively Waiting in Newness of Life – David Bayne
Waiting for the Advent of Light – Christine Sine
Advent Reflections by Karl Westerhoff on the Loss of A Daughter
Let Our Eyes Be Opened – Advent Reflection by Kimberlee Conway Ireton
First Saturday of Advent: Holy Waiting – A Reflection by Liz Dyer
You may also like to check out some of these other entries with Advent resources
Daily Bible Readings For Advent
The Coming of the Lord is Near – An Advent Meditation Video for 2009
Posted 57 days ago
by Christine Sine
As the second week of Advent draws to a close all of us continue to wait in anticipation and expectation for the coming of Christ. Some of us wait with deep yearning in our hearts for a better world in which all things are made new. Others wait with joyful hearts for the coming of a child whose birth two thousand years ago turned the world right side up. Our hopes and longings are many and varied as you can see from the posts that have come in this week
Second Monday of Advent – My Violin Advent by Barb Buckham
Second Monday of Advent – Waiting Disagreeably for the Prince of Peace
Second Tuesday of Advent – Waiting Down Under by Andrew Wright
Second Wednesday of Advent – What Does Copenhagen Have to do with Jerusalem by Malcolm Duncan
Second Wednesday of Advent – More Advent Resources
Second Wednesday of Advent – Advent Waiting a poem by Andrew Wade
Second Thursday of Advent – Finding the Christ in Christmas by James Prescott
Second Friday of Advent – Waiting Without a Calendar by Kristin Tennant
Waiting for the Lord – Music From Taize
Waiting for the Homecoming of God – A Liturgical Reflection
Those of you that missed the earlier posts may also like to check out the reflections from the first week of Advent
First Monday of Advent: Reflections from Mosaic Bible and Lynne Baab
First Tuesday of Advent: Waiting for a Job – Reflections by Coe Hutchison & Judy Naegeli
World AIDS Day – What Are We Waiting For
Shifting Your Wait: An Advent Reflection by Jason Fowler
First Wednesday of Advent – Waiting: A Reflection by Julie Clawson
First Thursday of Advent – Actively Waiting in Newness of Life – David Bayne
Waiting for the Advent of Light – Christine Sine
Advent Reflections by Karl Westerhoff on the Loss of A Daughter
Let Our Eyes Be Opened – Advent Reflection by Kimberlee Conway Ireton
First Saturday of Advent: Holy Waiting – A Reflection by Liz Dyer
You may also like to check out some of these other entries with Advent resources
Daily Bible Readings For Advent
The Coming of the Lord is Near – An Advent Meditation Video for 2009
Posted 63 days ago
From Christine Sine
This first week of Advent has been a wonderful opportunity to explore different aspects of our Christian journey as all of us wait for the coming of Christ. Some of us wait in joyful expectation, others wait in the midst of heartache and pain, all of us wait with hope and anticipation for the promises of God to be fulfilled.
First Monday of Advent: Reflections from Mosaic Bible and Lynne Baab
First Tuesday of Advent: Waiting for a Job – Reflections by Coe Hutchison & Judy Naegeli
World AIDS Day – What Are We Waiting For
Shifting Your Wait: An Advent Reflection by Jason Fowler
First Wednesday of Advent – Waiting: A Reflection by Julie Clawson
First Thursday of Advent – Actively Waiting in Newness of Life – David Bayne
Waiting for the Advent of Light – Christine Sine
Advent Reflections by Karl Westerhoff on the Loss of A Daughter
Let Our Eyes Be Opened – Advent Reflection by Kimberlee Conway Ireton
First Saturday of Advent: Holy Waiting – A Reflection by Liz Dyer
You may also like to check out some of these other entries with Advent resources
Daily Bible Readings For Advent
The Coming of the Lord is Near – An Advent Meditation Video for 2009
Posted 67 days ago
Some of you may remember Ricci Kilmer’s review of A Walk to Beautiful from the July 2008 issue of the Seed Sampler, Women in the Two-Thirds World. We are pleased to share with you that the film has won an Emmy:
Engel Entertainment is thrilled to announce that A Walk to Beautiful is the recipient of the 2009 Emmy® Award in the category of Outstanding Informational Programming — Long Form, for the 52-minute version that premiered on NOVA (PBS) on May 13, 2008, of the original feature film. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony on Monday, September 21st, at Rose Hall at Lincoln Center.
Selected to appear in over 30 film festivals worldwide, A Walk to Beautiful has won international praise and awards including the Best Feature Documentary Award from the International Documentary Association, the People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary at the Starz Denver Film Festival, the Audience Award at both the San Francisco and St. Louis International Film Festivals, Premiere Selection (opening night film) at the Australian Human Rights Film Festival, and the Human Rights Award at Docupolis, the International Documentary Festival of Barcelona, Spain. We are honored to add the Emmy to this film lauded achievements.
The film tells the story of five women who find new life through medical treatment of childbirth injuries that had ostracized them from their communities. All profits from the sale of the DVD and commercial viewings will go toward the Fistula Foundation.
Read more about the film here.
Read Ricci’s review here.
Posted 70 days ago
Monasticism Remix: Traditional & Neo-Monastic Spirituality in the 21st Century
Mustard Seed Associates invites you to an evening of prayers and explorations of Traditional & Neo-Monastic spirituality.
In this event neo-monastic practitioners and traditional monastic sisters and brothers will come together for a generative conversation about living monastic spirituality in the 21st century.
The evening will include a light meal, prayers, conversation, and a compline service at the end.
You are welcome (and we encourage you) to come to the 5:00 PM service at Church of the Apostles beforehand as well.
When? Dec. 13 – 7:00 PM
Where? Fremont Abbey Arts Center – 4272 Fremont Ave N, Seattle
We will gather in the downstairs cafe area of the Abbey. The worship service takes place in the Great Hall upstairs.
Suggested donation: $5-10; no one will be turned away for lack of money
Feel free to contact us at mail@msainfo.org / 206-524-2112 with your questions.
We are looking for volunteers to help us set up and clean up afterward. Contact us if you are interested in volunteer.
This is event is hosted by Mustard Seed Associates in partnership with Church of the Apostles
Posted 77 days ago
Please note that the MSA team raises their own financial support. If you are interested in these positions, we will work with you to help you raise funds. We would also accept long-term volunteers.
Mustard Seed Associates is looking for a communications manager to join their team. A large part of our ministry revolves around resources and publications that we produce. This main resource is a monthly e-zine called the Seed Sampler that addresses issues we feel will impact our churches and communities both now and in the future. Each issue of the Seed Sampler highlights a different topic. Other resources include prayer books, study guides and manuals, articles, blogs, and curricula. We are looking for someone to be the point person for all of MSA’s written communications and to apply consistent language and focus to all our publications. Our constant struggle as an organization is integrating everything we do and describing ourselves to people outside our networks. We hope the right person in this position will gently guide us toward a unique language and a consistent, unified voice.
Responsibilities
Required qualifications
Nice-to-have qualifications (any or all)
Our founders, Tom and Christine Sine, routinely speak at events locally and globally on issues of preparing for the future, spiritual rhythms, the innovative edge of the church, and the kingdom of God. Their passions lie in researching and writing, and they need someone to handle the details. We need someone available 20 hours per week to work on site.
Responsibilities
Required Qualifications
Nice-to-Have Qualifications
Posted 90 days ago
by Eliacín Rosario-Cruz
The following is the last paragraph in a response I wrote to an article about New Monasticism published in Geez Magazine.
Ultimately, the 12 marks are not the only expressions of neo-monasticism around. People like my parents and other sisters and brothers have been living kingdom-saturated lives for longer than the name new monasticism has been coined. We need to differentiate between a way of living and one expression of that way of living. The movement needs some time to grow, to allow what we know in our heads to move into our hearts and become who we are. The 12 marks can serve as points of inspiration, but not as the definition of neo-monasticism, or as a litmus test of what “serving the other” is. As always, the kingdom is much bigger than this new expression of faith and praxis.
Posted via web from Eliacín Rosario-Cruz
Posted 90 days ago
The following is the last paragraph in a response I wrote to an article about New Monasticism published in Geez Magazine.
Ultimately, the 12 marks are not the only expressions of neo-monasticism around. People like my parents and other sisters and brothers have been living kingdom-saturated lives for longer than the name new monasticism has been coined. We need to differentiate between a way of living and one expression of that way of living. The movement needs some time to grow, to allow what we know in our heads to move into our hearts and become who we are. The 12 marks can serve as points of inspiration, but not as the definition of neo-monasticism, or as a litmus test of what “serving the other” is. As always, the kingdom is much bigger than this new expression of faith and praxis.
Posted via web from Eliacín Rosario-Cruz
It’s here! The recession response manual, Turbulent Times—Ready or Not! A Creative Response Manual for Missional Congregations 2010 to 2020 is available FOR PURCHASE – only $10.00. This resource has been in the works for more than a year and anticipated by many. Its purpose is to help churches create innovative... More »
You Say You Want a Revolution? Creating Liberated Spaces in the Empire What? a facilitated conversation Where? The Boise Street Asylum | 7030 SE Boise St. Portland, OR 97206 When? February 13,... More »
by Christine Sine Rhythms of Grace workshop – facilitated by Christine Sine Register here “Walk with me & work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t... More »
by Christine Sine Fifteen years of gardening experience has finally been compiled in one place—in To Garden With God, Christine’s new garden manual. Practical advice for backyard gardening is interspersed with... More »
Friends of MSA… To celebrate the launch of The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time we are offering Tom’s new book for $15 {US} plus postage. If... More »
