Wasilla Magic

Brad — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:47:58 EST

Let's hope it never ends, because it is just funny.

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/crime/story/628010.html

Rick Warren blah, blah, blah

Brad — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:16:20 EST

So there is supposed to be this frenzy over the selection of Rick Warren to present a prayer on January 20, I not sure if I think this issue desires a frenzy response. Joe Klien from Time's Swampland expresses this issue the best. You can read it below.

Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 6:43 pm The Not-So-Right Reverend Rick Posted by Joe Klein | Comments (77) | Permalink | Trackbacks (1) | Email This
I am not a big fan of Rick Warren's. He thinks I'm going to hell. He said so in mixed company, at an Aspen Institute forum. He was asked if Jews were going to hell. He said yes. He can go ahead and feed every poor child in Africa and I'm still going to think he's a fool for believing that. Reverend Rick is also not too big on gay or women's rights. (Indeed, if Jews--and all other non born-again Christians--homosexuals, feminists, and anyone who has either had an abortion, performed an abortion or reluctantly agrees that it's none of our business who has abortions...if all those people are going to hell, then heaven's got to be about as interesting as linoleum.)

I am not a fanatic about the so-called social issues. I spend most of my time worrying about other things. I think gay people are people and should have all the requisite rights that people have. Period. I have qualms about abortion and I don't think it should be allowed in the second half of a pregnancy, unless the life of the mother is at stake, but I may be wrong about that--in any case, I would never demonize those who disagree with me. Finally, it is a matter of unalloyed joy to me that people who don't believe in evolution will no longer have even the teensiest sway over the federal government.

But...

I have no problem with Barack Obama asking Reverend Rick to deliver a prayer at the Inauguration. It will have zero--repeat, zero--impact on the policies of the Obama Administration. And it may do some good, especially if it gives pause to all those people who think that I--and the crypto-Muslim Barack Obama--are going to hell...If it causes those folks to give the new President just the slightest credit for appreciating their worldview, if it causes them to give him the benefit of the doubt on controversial stuff like talking to the Iranians or universal health insurance, then it's worth it. If it causes evangelicals to say, "Well, he's not demonizing us, maybe we shouldn't demonize him," it's worth it. If it makes Rush Limbaugh's toxic blather about our next President seem even the slightest bit ridiculous and over-the-top to his idiot legion of ditto heads, it's worth it.

The thing is, Obama is trying to change the nature of public discourse from the raw blast it has been for the past 20 years to something more civil and tolerable. You sense that every time he opens his mouth. He's all for opening doors. I don't know how many of ultra-conservative evangelicals will walk through the door he is opening by having one of their most popular leaders join the inaugural celebration, but I appreciate his inclusive intent. Even if I think there is an insurmountable roadblock to heaven--I'd guess it's about like the relationship between a camel and the eye of a needle--for those who make blanket judgments about which of us is going to hell.

Bored at Work so...

Brad — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:48:19 EST

I am re-watching speeches Barack made during the primaries. I really feel uplifted.

Social Agengies in Mt. Vernon

Brad — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:59:10 EST

We discussed ways to give back Sunday and I just wanted to provide some links to some social service agencies in our community.

UCM = http://www.ucmagency.org/index.php
New Hope Housing = http://www.newhopehousing.org/
Good Shepherd Housing = http://www.goodhousing.org/

House Party

Brad — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:20:51 EST

While I canvassed for Barack a number of times during the past year, yesterday's house party was the first time i got to sit down with a group of my fellow canvassers/volunteers to discuss the issues that concern our precincts (Hollin Hall and Sherwood). It was enlightening to hear such divergant opinions from food safety to retirement security. Thanks Jeanie for hosting such a great event.

Brad Smith's Blog

Wasilla Magic

Rick Warren blah, blah, blah

Bored at Work so...

Social Agengies in Mt. Vernon

House Party