What is it with Israel?

I know that those who question the actions of the government of Israel are labeled as "Anti-Semites," browbeaten and blacklisted. Please know that I am "Pro-Semite" which is why I am Anti-Israel. The Israeli government has worked as hard at making the Jewish people look bad as has any other person, entity or government.

Back in 1967 the Israeli military made a preemptive strike against the United States when during the "6-Day War" the Israeli's targeted the USS Liberty, a US Navy surveillance ship sailing in international waters in the Mediterranean. Why would our "good friends" do such a thing? Simple - flying unmarked planes and attacking with unmarked ships - they hoped to draw the US into its war against Egypt by sinking the Liberty and blaming Egypt for the attack. They almost succeeded in their effort to sink the nearly unarmed Liberty in a two hour attack. Of the ship's compliment of 294, thirty-four were killed and 171 were wounded. At the time the Israeli's demanded the right to do their own investigation - no U.N. help necessary - they "learned" that their military had "mistaken" the Liberty, flying the Stars and Stripes, for an Egyptian cargo ship. "Our bad..."

Once again the Israeli military has attacked unarmed ships in international waters. This time it killed innocent men and women who were attempting to help the people of Gaza. The convoy that was attacked was on a humanitarian mission to supply food, water and medicine to the people of Gaza. One of the ships carried a former US Ambassador to the Middle East to give credence to the mission. Again Israel has demanded the right to do their own investigation into the massacre - but has already publicly declared the ships held weapons - a claim that is unsubstantiated.

What is it with Israel? Better yet, what is it with the rest of us that we don't speak out for those whom Matthew referred to as the least of Jesus' brothers and sisters?

Israel has laid siege against the people in Gaza. They are blockaded from land, air and sea. Israel's perpetual argument is that people, trucks and boats are attempting to deliver items that could be used by terrorists... like medicine and food. Concrete is not being delivered to rebuild the apartments that the Israeli's destroyed in their unlawful attack against Gaza in December of 2008 "because it could be used for terrorist activities." Oh yeah, I've lost count of the number of times terrorists have thrown concrete blocks at people.

When the Germans blockaded the Jews into the Ghettos in Warsaw it was wrong. What makes it right for Israeli to do so against the Palestinians?

When the Germans killed 100 for every person the Jews killed in self-defense it was wrong. What makes it right for the Israel to do so against the Palestinians?

When Germany rolled into Poland because they needed a little room to grow it was wrong. What makes it right for Israel to do the same thing?

It's time the world stands up against Israel and treat it like the petulant child that it is. First step: the United States should cease funding it and treat it as a terrorist country if it's going to continue to act as one. Second step: those in charge of the Israeli military machine should be charged with crimes against humanity.

I know that many "Christian" ministers are promoting the restoration of Israel to it's "historic" boarders to force the Second Coming. I will remind them that Judas the Iscariot also attempted to force God's hand... didn't work the way Judas had planned either. The Reign of Love cannot be brought about by violence.

Finally, if you laid siege on my family - preventing us from going to school, work or hospital while slowly starving us to death - I'd probably start throwing stones at you, too. Israel blames the Palestinians for "unwarranted" attacks... describe "unwarranted."

Not Another Night at Home

For a change I did not spend the night at home, but was actually invited over to someone's house for a drink and a dip in the pool. For those of you who aren't among the ordained, you can immediately go ho-hum yourselves. For me this is huge!

As I've previously posted, the clergy is as welcome as a cockroach at a formal banquet; we are treated like the idiot cousin at a family reunion - occasionally invited out of courtesy but not spoken to - so having a couple invite me over to their house is like me attending the senior prom with the homecoming queen -- absolutely a memorable evening.

I was moderately lubricated with Jose Cuervo pre-made margarita and several pounds of pita chips and hummus before I floating in the pool for an hour or so.

A great evening provided by a couple who didn't expect me to be anything other than myself. What a pleasant change from perpetually feeling stuck in the Beatles "Eleanor Rigby,"... "Father McKenzie, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there..."

To remain "anonymous" I can only say, "Thank you, X and X, for allowing me the opportunity to be nothing but me.

With Love,
ACC

Hello Goodbye

I have wanted to rid myself once and forever of the land-line telephone at the house. Let's be honest... no one ever calls me there - they either call the office or the cell phone. Looking at the monthly expense of the land-line and the DSL that I had "bundled" with it, it no longer made sense, especially when you consider that I had a broadband USB stick from Verizon for my travels and out-of-office meetings.

So I find that Verizon has an incredibly tiny broadband wifi hotspot that will handle up to 5 wifi'd netbooks, notebooks, cameras, etc and I can get it after rebates for $3 and the monthly access fee I'm already giving for the broadband.

I'm using it now - and I feel like using my best MLK Jr. voice as I say, "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I'm free at last" (or at least I will be once I contact the phone company and get them off my back).

Only drawback to the "MiFi 2200" is the instruction page (3.5 x 5") is less than instructive. If you follow the instructions to the letter you will a) load the proper software onto your computer, and b) not be able to connect to the web (even though you have wirelessly connected to the hotspot). After hours of dinking around (no the ACC does not call customer support) I found a blog where some kind guru of electronics explained his similar frustration with the device. Frankly, it made me feel pretty good to know that some tech-savvy acne-scarred post-pubescent couldn't get the thing to work either... anyway, the scoop is don't follow the instructions. Sure charge the battery, use the provided USB cable to connect it with the device where you want the software installed but then DON'T UNPLUG THE USB! Leave the damn thing plugged into the PC, go to the top of the "VZ Access Manager" and click the "tools" tab at the top of the screen followed by "Get Access" from the drop down menu. Badabing, badaboom... it was done.

Apparently no one at the manufacturer bothered to let a non-engineer try to install the software/hardware using the provided instructions. If they had they would have scratched their skinny little Asian butts and said, "Damn... that didn't work."

Oh well. Hello Verizon hotspot, goodbye phone company
ACC

Stand Up, Speak Up or Shut Up

Those who strap guns on their hips and walk into political rallies are not Christians.

Those who support the overthrow of the duly elected government are not Christians.

Those who suggest that God is calling us harm others are not Christians.

Those who believe that the parousia (Second Coming) can be hastened by taking up arms are not Christians.

Those who incite others to violence are not Christians.

Those who suggest (a la Pat Robertson) that God inflicts harm upon us because we aren't living properly are not Christians.

It's time that we who live in the faith of Jesus Christ stand up and take our beliefs back from the fringe who have taken control of our voice. As Edmund Burke wrote, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Stand up, speak up or shut up. Those are our only options.
ACC

Riddle Me This...

When did people begin to see the Church as just another provider of services? I got a call from a woman who wanted to talk with me about having her daughter's wedding here. She said, "We'll have the wedding at your church if we can use the fellowship hall for the reception."

What kind of selling point is this? We go through the trouble associated with hosting a wedding for non-member and on top of that we can have a wedding reception here to? Oh sure... what a deal.

When I told her that the fellowship hall was not available for rent she said, "Well I know plenty of Churches that make their hall available."

"Perhaps you should call one of them."
"If they can do it, you can do it, too."
"Ah, thanks for your call, but this isn't open to negotiation."

And she says... wait for it... here it comes...

"Well this is what's wrong with the Church today. No wonder people aren't going anymore."

Yep. That's it. That's what's wrong with Christianity... glad she pointed it out so succinctly.
ACC

Kickbacks

A sales rep and I met this morning - he'd called and made an appointment with me last week. In my years here I've met with every new rep this company has hired as they've made their swing through the territory. Not that I'm buying what they have to sell, but I figure if nothing else I keep up with what's out there and give them sales experience.

This guy spreads his materials out and I run him through all the objections I can think of and he came up with the best sales approach ever...

If I committed the Church's money to buying into their program I could get (his words) a nice kickback that I could use for whatever I wanted (I could even donate it back to the Church if I so desired, he told me).

Really?! I help this guy screw the Church and I can get a little of what he's taken for my own personal use? Nice.

He won't be coming back to visit me again; but makes me wonder how many of my peers have sold their soul to this 'devil'.

ACC

Ain't No Cure For The Wedding Time Blues

Friday afternoon we had a simple wedding in the Chapel. Bride was lovely. Groom was handsome. Best Man and Maid of Honor were happy. A small community of their family and friends surrounded them.

Storybook stuff until one of our elderly volunteers walked in the back of the Chapel and said in her outside voice, "Why is everyone dressed up for a wedding rehearsal?"

"Shhh," I gently hiss into my microphone, "we're celebrating a wedding."
"Oh, I thought it was a rehearsal," she shouted back.

I smiled, started to say something profound, like, "Do you Nancy take Jim to be your lawful husband?" When volunteer shouted back, "Sorry to bother you..."

Sometimes you wonder what people are thinking.
ACC