the sins of the father, nation of sufferingpain in the name of parental oversightin a nation's irrational act of warringequal grief imposing on another's lightonce divided against chaos by self and ias children bear under the will to powerlosing the innocence between i and thypreached or forced to whoever art holierbut what is the purpose of conquering natureif not for a lust for more, to get and greedwhat's truly divine may well not lie in statureand no less esteemed for spirit and mind freed not sold some paradise and original sinlike life was something other than death to win
Written 4/25/09 Copyright, MEWilson
Imagination Joined to Common PurposeMessage from The White Househttp://www.whitehouse.govDear David:Thank you for your recent note, and for sharing your thoughts with me. Your kind words echo the messages of millions of Americans who have welcomed me and my family to the White House with an outpouring of goodwill.On January 20th, Americans spoke with one voice, choosing hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. Our Nation faces serious challenges, but we will overcome them if our imagination is joined to common purpose.Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring spirit, and choose our better history. With your help, we will renew our Nation's promise to carry forth the great gift of freedom to future generations, as our forebears have delivered it to us.Sincerely,Barack Obama
see http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=58917909520
Prayer for the Nation
O God of Hosts, Creator of heaven and earth,
Mother of the universe,[i]
Blessed be your glorious name
That is exalted above all blessing and praise.
You are the Lord, you alone.
You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens,
With all its starry hosts,
The earth and all that is in it,
The seas and all that is in them.
To all of them you give life.
The host of heaven worships you.[ii]
O great and awesome God,
Who keeps covenant and steadfast love
With those who love you
And keep your commandments.
We have not always done what we know is right;
We have often times been rebellious.
We have often times turned from your ways
And followed the ways of our own hearts.
We often times do not listen to
Your messengers who speak in your name,
Who pray on our behalf,
Who are often grieved because of our sins.[iii]
Righteousness is on your side,
O Lord, but this day
Open shame falls on us,
The people of America,
And the inhabitants of lands far and near.
Open shame, O Lord, falls on us,
Our leaders,
Our officials,
And our ancestors,
Because we have not walked in your ways.[iv]
O Creator,
Show us your mercy and forgiveness,
For we are a disobedient
And rebellious people.
We have turned aside,
Refusing to obey your voice.
But even in our waywardness
You have not been far from us.[v]
When we cried out to you
During times of war and famine,
From heaven you heard us
And with great compassion,
You delivered us.
It was you, Lord, who rescued us
From the hand of our enemy.
But as soon as we were at rest,
We again returned
To following our own ways.
Time and time again
You have rescued us
Out of difficult situations.
And each time
We have quickly forgotten
The source of our deliverance.[vi]
O Lord God of hosts
You are righteous
In everything you do.
Yet, we continue to disobey you.[vii]
You only require that
We live righteously and do justly,
That we love kindness and walk humbly.[viii]
O God,
We repent of our evil thoughts
And our rebellious ways.
Forgive us, I pray,
For we are covered with shame.
For many go hungry in America,
The land of plenty.
Many go homeless in America,
Many are without proper health care
In America,
Our children and elders
Are without love and comfort
One of the most compassionate
Nations in the world.
Millions are without jobs
One of the richest
And most industrialized
Deliver us, O God,
From our own ways.
Deliver us from all
Our unrighteousness.
Have mercy on us.
Forgive us for not acting swiftly in
Loosening the bonds of injustice,
For not breaking every yoke
And setting the oppressed free.
God, forgive us for not
Sharing our food with the hungry,
And for not
Giving shelter to the homeless.
Lord, we have even failed to cover the naked.
Nor have we been our neighbor's keeper.[ix]
Lord, we are ashamed for we have not
Loved each other as you have loved us.[x]
And
Forgive us God for polluting
And pillaging Mother Earth,
For not appreciating your wondrous works.[xi]
In all things Lord,
We know you will be just.
Once again, you will act faithfully
In delivering us
From political corruption,
From social injustices,
From economic hardships,
And from moral decay.[xii]
Now O God,
Creator of heaven and earth,
Mother of the universe,
Hear your servants' prayers
For your name sake.
O Lord, Look with favor on your people,
All the people of the world.
Give ear, O God, and hear.
Open your eyes and
See the needs of your people.
We do not make requests of you
Because we are righteous,
But because of your great mercy.
O Lord, Listen!
O Lord, forgive!
O Lord, hear and act!
For your sake,
O my God, do not delay.[xiii] Amen.
[i] I believe God to be the God of everything and every people. I also realize that no metaphor can adequately capture the full essence of God’s being. To this end, I address the deity as God, Creator, and Mother in an effort to touch a diverse group of people. See Fowler, “Postmodern Theologies and the Praxis of God,” (Draft-September, 1993). Fowler’s lecture on “The Praxis of God” on September 21, 1993 that drew from this essay greatly affirmed my belief that the old images of God are becoming obsolete, especially the patristic images.
[ii] Nehemiah 9:5b-6 paraphrased. (All paraphrases are a combination of the King James and the New Revised Standard Version. I have paraphrased in several instances.) This is the beginning of a prayer of confession; it continues through verse 37. The prayer is preceded by praises to God. I think it is appropriate to open any and all communications to God with praise, realizing that God is a universal God—a
cosmic God who is responsible for everything that is. In terms expressed by Sallie McFague, The Body of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993), you might say that the universe is “the body of God,” which is intended as a “holistic metaphysic.” McFague uses “the organic model as a way of re-conceiving the relation of God and the world” (p. 81). She contends that the recognition and appreciation of the interrelatedness of everything in the world should help people act more responsibly. This motif will come up again later on in this prayer.
[iii] Daniel 9:4-6. Here Daniel is confessing the greatness of God and acknowledging the rebelliousness of the people in spite of warnings from the prophets. Even though people may recognize and acknowledge God for who God is, that does not mean that they are prepared to keep covenant with God and follow God’s commandments. See Fowler’s Weaving the New Creation (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991), page 102 for a definition of “covenant.” The covenant of love is between two parties, God and the people who love and obey God.
[iv] Based on Daniel 9:7-8. The moral condition of the people caused them to feel great shame in this passage. I wonder today if we feel great shame because of our immorality. In one of my first seminary group teaching session, we talked about being in solidarity with the poor. Could it be that we too feel great shame because as a society we have systematically neglected the poor and marginalized of the world?
[v] Daniel 9:9-11. In spite of our rebellion, I know God will continue to be merciful and forgiving if we confess our sins.
[vi] Nehemiah 9:27-28. The pattern of faithfulness and falling away is repeated often throughout the history of Israel. The same is true of people of God today. Have we not learned lessons from history? How long do we continue this game of Russian roulette with our salvation? How long will God be patient with a rebellious and unfaithful people? See Weaving the New Creation (Fowler, 1991, p. 136).
[vii] Daniel 9:14. I am careful to uphold the righteousness of God over and against the righteousness of humans. God’s righteousness is steadfast and holistic, whereas people tend to do right sometimes and only in some situations.
[viii] Amos 5:24, Micah 6:8. To do what is good and to hate evil seems like a simple task, but what is good and what is evil? In today’s pluralistic world people are seeking to know the ways of God. In his book, Uncommon Decency, Richard Mouw offers a way—civility—to begin dialogue that makes it possible for people of diverse backgrounds to ponder questions such as these.
[ix] Isaiah 58:6-7. In a discussion on liberation theology, I asked myself the question, “Who are the poor?” “Who are the marginalized?” The “oppressed” in this passage includes the children, the elders, the homosexuals, the bisexuals, women, African Americans, Native Americans, Latin Americans, and any other marginalized group—and lest we forget, the earth and all of its creatures. The intent here is to highlight social issues that people of God should continuously attend to, as opposed to being content with superficial forms of worship within the congregation.
[x] John 15:12. The greatest commandments were that we love God and each other. I am sure that omitting either of the two causes God great displeasure. In fact, God’s covenant with us is based on love. God loves us because God made us.
[xi] McFague, 1993 (Chapter 3). I see humans not so much as God’s body, but the fact that we were made in the image of God and are loved by God should be reason enough to respect all of God’s creation. Creation exists in an interdependent relationship. God designed it that way and the least humans can do is be responsible about how we treat the earth and her creatures.
[xii] Nehemiah 9:33. In every situation, God keeps the steadfast covenant of love. Regardless of the way we live in America, God keeps right on blessing us. Perhaps, our greatest blessings are yet to be realized. If in our sinfulness we still prosper, what would happen if we were to “do good, hate evil, and live humbly” with our neighbors? My intent in this poetic work is to convey God’s faithfulness in answering prayer. Prayer is critical to the faith of a people. During my seminary studies, I especially looked forward to times of “centering” prayer. In reference to the latter part of this section, no theology would be complete without a holistic image of God. I believe we should lift up every issue that is common to humankind when we pray - personal and communal concerns.
[xiii] This is a petition for God to hear the cry of a broken society. Not that God cannot see and hear all at all times, but I understand that it is in our asking that God answers for God knows what we need even before we ask. Various lessons from my seminary training at Emory helped me to understand more and more about ways to pray. See Maria Harris, Fashion Me A People (Kentucky: Wesminster/John Knox Press, 1989), Chapter 5, “Leiturgia: The Curriculum of Prayer.”
Ivan Butcher II, Harlem born Artist, designed and copyrighted in 1975, The Black Evolutionary American Flag, with the Library of Congress.
With the approaching Bi-Centennial, Butcher realized that the Media was ignoring a Legacy of Black (African Americans) accomplishments made into the progress of this Nation, not to exclude the Indians(Native Americans)
As an Artist compelled to create a symbol, that would express the Contributions that African Americans have made, he designed a Flag. Inspired by words from one of Malcolm X's speeches, for us as an oppressed people not to disrespect the American Flag but instead create our own, which then was advocating a nation within a nation.
Along with the threat of Separatism and the fact that Evolution sounded too much like Revolution are the major reasons for The Flag not receiving national recognition from the Media.
Today the flag is named, Flag of Progress ( slogan: Unity is Progress)
Video descriptive presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjzITSGqwz8
Thank you,
Ivan Butcher II
I can remember growing up in the 50’s, when our communities were more self-sufficient. To me, Affirmative Action divided and destroyed what semblance of togetherness we had as a people. Affirmative Action was designed to Window Dress, creating a crabs in the barrel black society.
Affirmative Action is kinda like the Pyramid schemes. Most of those educated and skilled, who understood the scam, took advantage of the opportunity. They were the ones, who were serving as role models, that began moving on up and out of the neighborhoods.
When Malcolm talked of self-sufficiency, he was accused of separatism. The reality is that within the 50 states we are many nations in one nation. During this presidential campaign it was made clear that family and social values were paramount in connecting with candidates. We African Americans are a family and it is time that we begin working toward our own families’ interests. “Charity begins at home”, is not separatism nor selfishness. The neglecting of ourselves and relying on others to provide for us, nurtures that negative perception other families have of our community.
Until we as a people take ownership of our own financial, political and social destiny we will be seen as not deserving of others’ respect. Today it is not a whole lot about fighting for our rights: it is more of how we should exercise our rights. For one, making sure that we are being treated fairly with the allocation of government contracts, loans, grants, scholarships, etc. and with the contracting of capital improvement projects. With a unified voice some of these infrastructure projects will be developed and buil[t]d by us in our communities.
This new world market, which can only expand, provides opportunities that abound; we have family and in-laws around the world, and when the companies and industries begin finding that potential clients and customers are looking to patronize businesses that are more reflective of their family members, those qualified will be in high demand and will be represented from the top executives to the receptionist.
Those of us who are more fortunate should become entrepreneurs in revitalizing our communities. We as a family need to get out of debt and pool our resources, and make our children, our elders and the legacy of our Ancestors, Proud!
The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.
Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.
Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when
Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.
Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
It's been a long time coming, and a change is gonna come! We must, as Americans, continue to pray for this great nation, and our current President as well as President Elect Barack Obama and his family. We must remember to continue doing our part in making and keeping this country a great nation.
The voters stated profoundly that we, as Americans, will no longer stand for the same old same old. We have a voice in our vote and we will stand together to bring about a change in this Nation. Therefore, if there are "repeat offenders" in your legislative, senate, or congressional seats, VOTE THEM OUT! We will not get anywhere with the same people in office. We hear it everyday...if you think you're going to get a different outcome doing the same thing with the same people in control, you're fooling yourself, wasting your time, and remaining stagnant.
It's time to stir the waters, take a leap of faith, and exercise that FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD! Get involved! Your little bit counts - even if it's just helping to feed a neighbor's child; making sure your neighbors are safe and warm; helping the children in your neighborhood complete their homework; lending a hand to the senior citizen in your community; etc. At least participatie and not stand idly by watching things get worse - that is no longer an option.
This crisis is real and WE BELIEVE that YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! YES WE CAN!
We will continue to pray and remain involved in whatever needs to be accomplished to bring Americans together, change the economy, and educate our children - the future leaders of this great Nation.
Take care and GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Mary
10/27/08
And while we're at it, GO Phillies!!!!!!!!!!! And may their win create a surge in the tide for reclaiming our country's Spirit with Obama's leadership.
Dear Father God, in Jesus Name we lift up our Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates to You. We know that our leaders hearts are in Your Hnads, so we ask You to guide them in the way You would have them to go.
Father we pray You would surround them with wise counsel - men and women of integrity who place Your agenda and the good of this nation above their own and whose motives are for the which is right.
We pray that You would give our leaders discernment, understanding and knowledge so that our nation may know stability internally and abroad.
Father we give thanks for our Presidential candidates according to Your Word and thank You for working in and through their leadership so that we might lead peaceable and stable lives in godliness and honesty.
Scripture References:
1 Tim 2: 1,2; Rom 13:1; Prov 28:2, 21:1, 16:10, 8:15
Quote: Direct my thought, words and work, wash away my sins in the immaculate Blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by the Holy Spirit...Daily frame me more and more into the likeness of Thy Son Jesus Christ. George Washington, 1st U.S. President
Pray For Our Nations excerpt
Whew, what a week. Every American man, woman and child suddently got handed a $2,333 bill for the bailout of WallStreet. Don't believe me? You do the math. Divide the estimated $700B needed to buy up all the bad mortgage debt and divide it by the total population of the United States (~300M). This debt is in addition to the already $9.6 TRILLION of debt. The United States of America is a nation maxing out our credit cards. THIS MUST STOP!We need to restore our nation to one that produces more than it consumes. We need to increase and retain our nation's wealth versus exporting it to nations around the world. We need to employ more of our citizens to build what the world needs. We need to be energy independent selling the world our technology enabling them to be energy independent. We need to provide every American with affordable health care which is second to none and selling these medical advances to other nations. We need to reinvigorate our education system insuring that our children are being taught what they need in the new economy not just studying to take a test.I know that this all seems very overwhelming but "The journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step" - chinese proverb. We must all take the first step by getting involved. NO ONE is going to do this for us. We must elect politicians who are committed to REAL change. Change that will put us back on the road to financial prosperity and security.
By Peter Dreier
September 15, 2008
Peter Dreier's 11-year-old twin daughters, Amelia and Sarah, are volunteering for the Obama Campaign.
Twenty-year-old Tobin Van Ostern finished his sophomore year last spring at George Washington University, but this fall he's enrolled in the Barack Obama campaign as a full-time organizer. The Richmond, Virginia, native started Students for Obama on his campus last year as a Facebook group. It now has chapters on 800 campuses, Van Ostern said, and the campaign has recruited thousands of college students and recent graduates to work as both paid staffers and unpaid volunteers through the November election.
Democratic Party strategists believe that in key swing states, a dramatic increase in turnout among young voters--and African-Americans--can be the key to victory for both Obama and the party's candidates for Congress. Campus activists, meanwhile, view the Obama campaign as a means to catalyze a new progressive youth movement among the Millennial (18- to 29-year-old) generation that they hope, unlike the political crusades of the 1960s youth rebellion, will be part of a broader, multigenerational coalition.
Ever since 18-year-olds won the right to vote in 1971, their elders have been disappointed by their level of voter turnout, which has typically been about half the rate of other voters. But after steady declines in turnout since 1972, young voters reversed the trend in the 2004 presidential and 2006 mid-term elections. This year, however, is likely to see a particularly significant increase in voting among Millennials.
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Barack Obama, you changed the tone of the campaign this week. You brought it back to politics and policy. With all of the right policies, you should be winning in the polls.
Again, I say it: Barack, take the highest of high roads. Right now, be the change you want to see.
You want a campaign free of smears? Praise your opponents.
You want a campaign based on truth? Tell us the truth about you. Your plans. Bring it back to you.
Barach Obama, you inspired a nation during the Democratic convention. You inspired us to believe for so many months. We learned all we could about you. We had the audacity to hope.
Then McCain pulled a rabbit out of his hat and inspired his own base.
You have no more rabbits. We all know your message.
All you can bring us is you.
Inspire us again. Speak only kindness. Focus on helping in Texas, even before the financial markets. Go to Texas. Fix things! Be the hope you talk about! Be the change you promise! Start your presidency of hope and kindness and fairness today. Lead us now! Inspire us again. We need you.
As a degreed journalist, freelance writer, and former member of the Society for Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi, who now owns and operates a small business in the graphic arts industry, struggling like so many other Americans to meet payroll and pay for health care and keep up our sales, I urge all editors to carefully check their facts when reporting on the new book by Jerome Corsi called Obama Nation.
As a lifelong Republican, I bow my head in shame as another of my comrades, in a growing list, commits an abomination in his writings, "The Obama Nation."
Mr. Corsi has perverted the very core of the values I hold dear as a proud Republican. I may disagree with Obama, but I can do so respectively - something Mr. Corsi, and frankly John McCain, cannot seem to understand. Deception, lies, and hypocrisy are the most heinous of sins one can commit, yet Mr. Corsi repeatedly finds comfort in these malicious activities. I am even further disappointed that John McCain, whom I voted for in the primary, has reverted to such evil and disgraceful acts. Shame on all of you, my fallen comrades, who slump to such low moral and ethical ground. Shame. I may disagree with Obama most of the time, but I can do so without being disagreeable (Obama said that). I find that Mr. Obama has run a respectful and uplifting campaign, one that John McCain should learn from. Obama certainly does not deserve Mr. Corsi's despicable publication, which I agree is unfit for publication. To this end, I do not see any help for Mr. Corsi, Mr. McCain, or the likes of those who have followed in their perverted footsteps.
I pledge my vote this year to Obama, a man of good character and values.
Dan Moss
Lake Worth, Florida
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/18/2008) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on presidential candidate John McCain to repudiate remarks seemingly made on his behalf by a GOP spokesman during a campaign call in Florida.
On a conference call with journalists arranged by the Republican Party of Florida, Bud Day reportedly said: “The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us... I don't intend to kneel and I don't advocate to anybody that we kneel, and John doesn't advocate to anybody that we kneel.”
SEE: McCain Surrogate Makes Controversial Muslim Comment (CNN)
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/18/mccain-surrogate-makes-controversial-muslim-comment/
SEE: McCain POW Bud: Muslims 'Going to Kill Us' (Miami Herald)
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/07/mccain-pow-bud.html
Proverbs 14:34 (The Message)34 God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak.
I love and cherish the Obama family because Barack exudes Love for God, Family and Country. These are endearing, exemplary and undefeatable leadership qualities. Everything will be thrown against him to extinquish his God given Wisdom, but they/it will not prosper. I am in constant prayer for our country and have never ceased praying for our leaders such as George Bush.
The Obamas are in my prayers constently. I am also praying that any weapon formed against them boomarangs exposing the perputrators by knocking them out!!!!
This is a Great Story for Obama from: 2 Kings 6:8-20 (The Message) (My parenthesis in the story)
15 Early in the morning a servant (supporter) of the Holy Man (Man with Faith in God) got up and went out. Surprise! Horses and chariots surrounding the city! (Those that are bent on trying to destroy him) The young man(supporter) exclaimed, "Oh, master (Leader)! What shall we do?"
16 He (Obama) said, "Don't worry about it—there are more on our side than on their side."
17 Then Elisha prayed (keep on praying Obama), "O God, open his eyes and let him see."
The eyes of the young man were opened and he saw. A wonder! The whole mountainside full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha (Obama)!
18 When the Arameans attacked, Elisha (keep on praying Obama) prayed to God, "Strike these people blind!" And God struck them blind, just as Elisha said.
19 Then Elisha called out to them, "Not that way! Not this city (sometimes some compromise)! Follow me and I'll lead you to the man you're looking for." And he led them into Samaria (confusing them).
20 As they entered the city, Elisha (keep on praying Obama) prayed, "O God, open their eyes so they can see where they are." God opened their eyes. They looked around—they were trapped in Samaria(confusion)!
Psalm 33:10-12 (Contemporary English Version)10The LORD destroys the plans and spoils the schemes of the nations.
11But what the LORD has planned will stand forever. His thoughts never change.
12The LORD blesses each nation that worships only him. He blesses his chosen ones.
Isaiah 12:3-4 (The Message Version)3-4Joyfully you'll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation.And as you do it, you'll say, "Give thanks to God.Call out his name. Ask him anything!Shout to the nations, tell them what he's done, spread the news of his great reputation! (The Contemporary English Version)3With great joy, you people will get water from the well of victory.4At that time you will say, "Our LORD, we are thankful, and we worship only you.We will tell the nations how glorious you are and what you have done.
A nation is most easily defined as a diverse mass of people whom identify with each other based on various traits they share in common; language, religion, history, or like of a certain cheese. A pact is made amongst the individuals that they will provide for the protection of all the other members of that nation. Many, if not most, may not live up to that pact, and it may be very loosely defined what protection they will provide. But, nations whose people take active leadership, and whose leaders clearly define what protections they will provide, these are the nations that stand the test of time.
When the people of a nation stop directing the course of their own destiny, and their governments don’t provide them with the freedom to do so, their ability to keep pace with the other nations begins to decline. Many times as this happens, people begin to lose hope and give up their engagement, relying on the fear mongers to protect them from their perceived threats. And the cycle further progresses with more people losing hope and giving up leadership. One of the first pacts a nation should make is in making sure its citizens have the ability and desire to bring about the better world they crave.
This is what our nation did when they created our constitution. We were given the freedom to engage each other, to protect ourselves and our property, and to insure fair legal practices. Though there were things left out, or even not thought of that should have been in it, the constitution was a protection never seen in the world before. It assured that this nation would allow its people to stand up for themselves and actively promote a better world.
Over time, zealots and autocrats found ways to rework the system to benefit themselves. And though we have pushed them back time and again, we need once again to battle back the forces of tyranny. Nobody is content nor do they trust their government. And voting rates are almost worthless. It Is being said that it is time for change. But the change that is needed most is for the people to regain their power to lead themselves.
Adam E Zandarski
