Category Archives: News

paris terrorist attack, picture of arc de triomphe and Paris at night

Paris Terrorist Attacks: A Prayer

News,

Last night I was dreaming about France, and I was speaking in French. Once in a while, I still dream in French, although this is rare since I studied in France ten years ago. When I woke up and heard the news about the Paris terrorist attack, I understood why I dreamed in French. The Holy Spirit was interceding through me for the country that I still love.

The story is that Muslim terrorists opened fire this morning on the offices of a French satirist newspaper, Charlie Hebdo. Twelve people were killed, and three others were injured. Here is an ABC News report with more information. read more

Sydney siege

Sydney Siege: Jesus Answers Religious Terror

News, ,

My Twitter feed this morning lit up with comments about the Sydney siege. I read the news with sadness:

CNN: With two hostages and gunman dead, grim investigation starts in Sydney

A Muslim man (I will not give him the honor of saying his name) held a cafe hostage for many hours, terrorizing innocent Australians who were just enjoying a morning cup of coffee. The terrorist ended up killing two people, young people in their 30s who should have had a long earthly life ahead of them. The man proclaimed himself to be a sheik, a Muslim religious leader. During the siege of the café, he flew a black flag in the window, declaring Allah and Islam as the only true religion. read more

I can't breathe

I Can’t Breathe: Eric Garner, Police, Jesus

News, Social Justice, ,

I Can’t Breathe. Police Above The Law.

I can’t breathe.

The last dying cry of Eric Garner.

His voice echoes on earth through millions of voices in the streets protesting for justice. The people are crying out for freedom. Freedom from fear of police officers who shoot and choke the life out of their victims. Freedom from terror of a violent, racist police force.

I have heard the argument many times that most police officers are caring, upstanding citizens who are forced to work with thugs. Yes, I do believe there are some good officers out there. I read their stories of delivering babies on highway shoulders, saving suburban house from robberies, pulling over drunk drivers before they hurt someone. read more

Eric Duncan uninsured

Eric Duncan Uninsured Ebola Patient

News, Social Justice, , , ,

Thomas Eric Duncan went to the hospital seeking care for a deadly, and highly contagious, disease. The hospital staff saw his race and his lack of insurance and sent him home. Eric Duncan uninsured Ebola patient, died. Now Ebola virus is spreading in the United States.

Eric Duncan Uninsured and Black with Ebola

Thomas Eric Duncan, whom friends called Eric, was a Liberian immigrant to the United States. After a recent visit to his Ebola-stricken home country, Eric came back home to America and fell sick. He must have been relieved to be covered by the world’s greatest medical system. But, tragically, unlike the other white, wealthy, insured Ebola patients who recovered in America, Eric Duncan was uninsured, so he faced closed medical doors and ultimately death in America. read more

NFL violence

NFL Violence, Adrian Peterson, and Child Abuse

News, ,

Adrian Peterson is the latest casualty/perpetrator of the epidemic of NFL violence. Peterson is accused of brutally whipping his child in a twisted form of corporal discipline. Peterson is also a celebrity player, worth millions to the Minnesota Vikings. Are celebrity football players above the physical law? What about the moral law of holy justice? Would Jesus whip and bruise his child?

One Game

There is something sinister about the Twin Cities metropolitan area, which I am not proud to currently inhabit, plus the NFL as a whole, that Adrian Peterson could brutally beat his son and then only miss playing one game. He had many Vikings supporters rallying in Minneapolis to have him play again. Peterson was suspended from Sunday’s football game, then reinstated under the guise of leaving the allegations for the courts to sort out. read more

austerity and end times

Austerity and End Times

News, Prophecy

People are taking to the streets right now in Greece as the government passes new austerity measures (New York Times). A schoolteacher can no longer buy food for her family as her wages plummet 20%, and she is forced to line up at the soup kitchen. A government worker loses his job overnight, and he faces the prospect of losing his apartment and finding a new home- on the street.

Austerity is the Pain of the Poor

The situation is grim and will soon be repeated around Europe and the United States. Do not think that we are immune. Our government may not be calling it “austerity measures,” but every cut to Medicaid, every dollar taken from the food stamp program, every government job cut, is another person closer to disaster. We, too, will someday see rioting in the streets as people have nowhere else to turn. We must change course. read more

churches help homeless families

Churches Help Homeless Families

Christian Culture, News, ,

Churches help homeless families. A few churches in Portland, Oregon have answered the call to give a small amount of money toward the big needs of families suffering homelessness this winter. Will more churches answer the call, or are they too focused on prosperity and pretty trimmings?

JOIN: New City Initiative for the Homeless

There is a nonprofit group called JOIN in Portland, Oregon. They have put together the New City Initiative as a way to gently push churches to help homeless families among the overwhelming homeless population in Portland. They are asking for 10 churches to give $2400, $800 a month for three months, to help house 10 families for three months while they get on their feet. The organization is also asking that these churches provide a few volunteers to visit with the homeless families. If $800 is too much to ask, then the organization suggests that several churches band together to support one family. Furthermore, this is not an ongoing commitment. It is only a one-time thing. Easy peasy. Read more with this Oregonian article Expanding capacity to help homeless. read more

karley buckland, Martin Luther King portrait

Karley Buckland – The Truth

News, ,

In just a few days, we will celebrate Martin Luther King Day, and his dream that one day children of all colors will hold hands in love and in the march for freedom. When will we ever reach that point? The recent news of the Karley Buckland incident shows how much more work we have to do on the issues of racism in Portland and the whole United States.

The Oregonian: Trimet Beating of 14-year-old

Karley Buckland, a white teenager. was recently beaten and injured by a couple of black teenagers as she boarded a Max train by the Clackamas mall. This is a sad story, but it is far more complicated than the media narrative of innocent little white kid beat up by gangster black thugs. read more