Shelter Those in Need (Or Immigration Part 2)

Exciting life moment! ...I got my hair cut. Or, as my dad would say, I got all of them cut. Yeah, It is a fairly common part of the routine of life, but I found a good place to get it done. The people are nice and, with the exception of once when the gal said that what I asked for wasn’t good and proceeded to cut it way shorter than I asked for, they do a good/great job.

But that is another story. This story is about an Afghan woman. I walked in and saw the offender of the previous experience cutting away at another poor fellow’s head and I thought I had better think fast. I didn’t want to be mean and request anyone BUT her, so I decided that I would request the gal who checked me in.

She was surprised and even blushed a little at my request! She looked over her glasses to see if she recognized me. I didn’t say anything. After the basics of showing her what I wanted I started to ask her questions.

She was from Afghanistan. Her family left the country to escape the Russians almost 30 years ago. They first went to Germany. In fact, some of her family are still there. But she explained to me that Germany is very different from the U.S.A. They were allowed to live there. They could hold a job. They could keep their culture. But they could not join the German culture.

In a sense they are tolerated because they serve an economic and social purpose. But they are forever outsiders. It is like being a contractor with a company. The people who work for the company get benefits, dental plans, retirement, vacation days, etc. Contractors don’t. They are outsiders who are brought in for a limited project.

My new friend felt this edge of coldness and isolation everyday. She wanted more. She moved to the United States. She wanted the American Dream. She loves America because unlike Germany, she was welcomed and not just allowed, but encouraged to become American. She still speaks with an accent. She still holds on to her roots, but she is American. She struggles with American things like how to save enough money to see her adored grandchildren in California. She earns a paycheck cutting people’s hair. She loves her husband and misses her grown children.

She fled to Germany to seek freedom from Communism. She then fled the isolation of Germany, seeking a better life in the United States. She now lives proudly as an American.

The Bible talks about taking in the stranger. It reminds us to shelter those in need. This woman is a reminder that, although she was oppressed, the United States rose above the international status quo and welcomed her with open arms. Remember to take the time in your life to love with open arms. It might change a life.
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Read the rest:
What Makes America Great (Or Immigration Part 1)
Family of Love (or Immigration Part 3)

Political limits and political possibilities

Writing for the Washington Post in an article I linked to last Friday, E.J. Dionne addresses the intersection of Christianity and politics.

[W]hat should most bother Christians of all political persuasions is that there are right and wrong ways to apply religion to politics, and much that’s happening now involves the wrong ways. Moreover, popular Christianity often seems to denigrate rather than celebrate intellectual life and critical inquiry. This not only ignores Christian giants of philosophy and science but also plays into some of the very worst stereotypes inflicted upon religious believers. 

… 

[B]ecause Christians have a realistic and non-utopian view of human nature, they should be especially alive to the ambiguities and ambivalences of politics. The philosopher Jean Bethke Elshtain captured this well in reflecting on Augustine’s writings. “If Augustine is a thorn in the side of those who would cure the universe once and for all,” she wrote, “he similarly torments critics who disdain any project of human community, or justice, or possibility.” 

Christians, she’s saying, thus have a duty to grasp both the possibilities and the limits of politics…

Possibilities and limits. This leads perfectly into this post, which I've been trying to write for a couple of weeks now with limited success. A lack of this duality is exactly what I see frequently in the evangelical conservative Christian circle (I am writing about that realm because it is the one I am most familiar with, but this does not necessarily mean the problem is unique to us).

Were I designing a curriculum to teach politics, two books would be central. The first, which addresses limits, would be Kenneth Minogue's Politics: A Very Short Introduction. In these 111 pages, Minogoue ably identifies what politics is and what it is not. "Politics," he writes in the forward, "is the activity by which the framework of human life is sustained; it is not life itself." And that limitation continues as he explores our conception of politics, stemming from the combined thought of the Greeks, the Romans, and the early Christians, into the modern state. Politics in the classical sense, however, is a method of governing ourselves, an ongoing rational discussion about competing methods. It is not, and does not claim to be, an end all answer. Those are ideologies, which Minogue explains "claim exclusive truth. They explain not only the world, but the false beliefs of opponents as well. Ideologists possess the long-sought knowledge of how to abolish politics and create the perfect society." They thus make everything political, identify a right and wrong answer to every issue, and demonize anyone who disagrees; which is why ideologies so often lead to persecution or prison camps.

But politics cannot save us or usher in the perfect society. Neither can the "right" political candidate. To quote a wise man, anyone who says otherwise is selling something. What is proper subject matter for politics, as well as what politics can accomplish, is limited.

For the Christian, then, politics is not about ushering in the Utopian society and making everyone think like us. Instead, it is a means for us to love and care for our neighbor, i.e. pursue the common good.

But what that means is less than clear. God has not answered all our political questions. Rather, as C.S. Lewis noted, "By the natural light he has shown us what means are lawful: to find out which one is efficacious He has given us brains. The rest He has left to us."

This is where the second book becomes important. For Dionne wanted to talk not just about the limits, but also the possibilities, of politics. Steve Monsma attempts to lay a foundation for just such a discussion in Healing for a Broken World: Christian Perspectives on Public Policy. The first chapter is available here, and if nothing else, please please read and consider it.

Monsma does not look to a specific ideology, and thus rises above partisan bickering. Instead he considers first principles: what it means to be created, what is justice, and what is community. He then takes these general principles and shows some of the ways they apply to hot political topics such as life, poverty, the environment, human rights, and terrorism. However, as he evaluates the issues through the lens of those principles, Monsma refrains from giving "God's answer" to the details of policy positions. He leaves plenty of room for Christians of all political stripes to disagree on policy specifics. He sets a framework, rather than establishing an ideology.

And that is how it should be. The goal of politics, for Christians, is not to win or take power. The goal is and ought to remain caring for our neighbors in this broken world. That is as far as the Christian is permitted to go politically.

But the key word is politically. For there is life beyond politics, and Christianity says much about that life also. We do live in a broken world. Even if it weren't for our theology, mere observation could tell us that. What our observation can't tell us, but our theology does, is that the world has also been redeemed.

That message is not political. It is much more important.

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Related Posts:
The Evangelical Political Tradition, part I
The Evangelical Political Tradition, part II
The Evangelical Political Tradition, part III
The Dangers of Christian Reconstructionism

History with a face

We've all read the stereotypical history book: dull, dry, and lots of meaningless dates. I won't name names, but I've read books full of fascinating information which still put me to sleep. Those are the books that only have a market because they are assigned in classrooms. I almost said they are only read because they are assigned, but I don't want to overstate my case.

And then there's good history. Those stories that draw you in, that show that history is not about dates and events, but about people doing stuff. Important stuff, unimportant stuff, smart stuff, or stupid stuff - it's all about what people do or don't do.

There are lots of authors able to tell these stories, but my favorites are those authors that focus on the little-known events behind or parallel to the significant events. And my favorite author to tell these stories is Ben Macintyre.

Macintyre introduced me to Major William Martin of the Royal Marines, the officer who perished in a airplane accident during World War II and whose body washed ashore with copies of the Allies' invasion plans for Europe. Plans which fell into the hands of Germans and revealed the entire Allied strategy.

Except that there was no William Martin and the plans were faked, planted to hide the real invasion. Using new recently discovered and recently declassified information, Macintyre tells this story in Operation Mincemeat.

He also tells the story of Eddie Chapman, the Frank Abagnale of WWII, who was recruited by the Nazis to serve as a spy in England. Upon completing his training and landing in England, he promptly turned himself in (to the nearest farmer, no less) and became a double agent. He was so successful that he was awarded the Iron Cross from Germany for his service.

In a third book, Macintyre tells the story of Adam Worth, the true-life inspiration for Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor Moriarty. Worth successfully changed his identity several times, ran an international criminal syndicate, and was ultimately tracked down by the Pinkerktons.

Other books that I haven't read (yet) tell about the sister of Friedrich Nietzsche who went to Paraguay start her own racially pure German colony, the story of the first American in Afghanistan and his attempt to establish himself as king, and the story of a group of British soldiers hidden behind enemy in France in WWI for over a year.

But those may just have to wait. For I just found out that Macintyre has another book being published this summer. And Double Cross promises to be just as good as the others:

On June 6, 1944, 150,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy and suffered an astonishingly low rate of casualties. D-Day was a stunning military accomplishment, but it was also a masterpiece of trickery. Operation Fortitude, which protected and enabled the invasion, and the Double Cross system, which specialized in turning German spies into double agents, deceived the Nazis into believing that the Allies would attack at Calais and Norway rather than Normandy. It was the most sophisticated and successful deception operation ever carried out, ensuring that Hitler kept an entire army awaiting a fake invasion, saving thousands of lives, and securing an Allied victory at the most critical juncture in the war. 

The story of D-Day has been told from the point of view of the soldiers who fought in it, the tacticians who planned it, and the generals who led it. But this epic event in world history has never before been told from the perspectives of the key individuals in the Double Cross System. These include its director (a brilliant, urbane intelligence officer), a colorful assortment of MI5 handlers (as well as their counterparts in Nazi intelligence), and the five spies who formed Double Cross’s nucleus: a dashing Serbian playboy, a Polish fighter-pilot, a bisexual Peruvian party girl, a deeply eccentric Spaniard with a diploma in chicken farming and a volatile Frenchwoman, whose obsessive love for her pet dog very nearly wrecked the entire plan. The D-Day spies were, without question, one of the oddest military units ever assembled, and their success depended on the delicate, dubious relationship between spy and spymaster, both German and British. Their enterprise was saved from catastrophe by a shadowy sixth spy whose heroic sacrifice is revealed here for the first time. 

With the same depth of research, eye for the absurd and masterful storytelling that have made Ben Macintyre an international bestseller, Double Cross is a captivating narrative of the spies who wove a web so intricate it ensnared Hitler’s army and carried thousands of D-Day troops across the Channel in safety.

I can't wait.

Post by Nicholas Bolzman.

What makes America great? (or Immigration Part 1)

What makes America great? There may be many answers, but one that I would put forward is the fact that a bright young person from anywhere on earth can dream of becoming American. You cannot immigrate into Germany, China, or Russia and become one of them, but you can become an American!

Earlier today I was flying from Miami to Virginia. On the flight I sat next to a woman from Saudi Arabia. Her story was gripping. At the age of 13, she was forced to marry her cousin. Her oldest child, who she describes as more of a sibling than a son, was born when she was 16 years old. It was clear that she felt her youth was stolen.

She loves her family, but she shared her dream with me. She wants to become an American. Do you want to know why? Although she has children who live both in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, as well as the fact that she speaks better Arabic than English, she feels at home here. She knows that she is welcome; she wants to be free.
She is now 60 years old. Even so, she still longs for the American dream.

America is great because we are able to take in the best from all around the world! All I have to do is look at myself to see the impact of cultures and people from around the world.

I love Italian food. English ideas of justice and freedom form my political philosophy. Jewish history helps to form my ethics. My sister is from Central America. My mom grew up in the Caribbean. To be a Lorrig is quintessentially German. That does not take away my native Shoshone Indian blood. In fact, I am proud of that too, but it is all of it together that makes me who I am today.

The Statue of Liberty sums up what was in my heart when I talked to this wistful woman:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

America is the land of opportunity. We take in the tired and poor and they join our great nation. Together, we can all stand as Americans. The American Dream is to be a city on a hill and a beacon of hope. When everyone who is willing to embrace the idealistic American values stands together, we stand stronger, not weaker.

How can we revitalize America? By embracing those who still believe in the American dream!

1. Reform the system to encourage those who love what America stands for to join the vision.
2. Reform current immigration rules that are based on Cold War politics that do not focus on modern day issues such as terrorism. Instead, make terrorism and the Freedom Agenda the driving force as the backbone of these new policies.
3. Reform the bureaucracy that pervades the process and desperately needs to be cleaned up and streamlined.
4. Provide a carrot encouraging people to immigrate legally by joining the workforce that pays taxes and has stakes in America’s success, not just the stick of deportation.

Historically, America grows and prospers when our laws reflect our values. People all around the world can see that we are a land of hope. We the people can include anyone because where you come from or what you look like doesn’t matter when you become a citizen. When you become a citizen, you are an American!

I don’t know if my new friend will ever actually be an American, but the fact that she can gives her hope and makes her love America.

By Jeremiah Lorrig
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Read the rest:
Shelter Those in Need (Or Immigration Part 2)
Family of Love (or Immigration Part 3)

Friday miscellaneous (4/13)

Here are five reasons strong conservatives have difficulty in Republican primaries.

The Hunger Games is being lived . . . in North Korea.

Even with modern technology we don’t have copies of all the books ever written by famous authors, such as Shakespeare, Austin, and Hemingway. Here’s a top 10 list of those missing.

In the fall of 2011 Michigan elected a Republican businessman as governor. The Democrats despise him, but he seems to be making progress in the state (although he had a strong starting point -- it’s not like he could have made the state much worse).

Here’s a good article on violence and race.

Since my brothers are in the independent film industry, I hear a lot about that market. Here’s an article they recommended on why so many independent Christian movies fail.

Last week we discovered ancient Egypt in California. This week it’s Hoth in Greenland.

Another good article on religion and politics.

And finally, this kid has a future in business. I want a fun pass.

The Cold War - 110 years early

At the end of the first volume of Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville makes one final observation:

There are two great peoples on the earth today who, starting from different points, seem to advance toward the same goal: these are the Russians and the Anglo-Americans. 

… 

The American struggles against the obstacles that nature opposes to him; the Russian grapples with men. The one combats the wilderness and barbarism, the other, civilization vested with all its arms: thus conquests of the American are made with the plowshare of the laborer, those of the Russian, with the sword of the soldier.

To attain his goal, the first relies on personal interest and allows the force and the reason of individuals to act, without directing them. 

The second in a way concentrates all the power of society in one man. 

The one has freedom for his principal means of action; the other servitude. 

Their point of departure is different, their ways are diverse; nonetheless, each of them seems called by a secret design of Providence to hold the destinies of half the world in its hands one day.

This was written in 1835. The United States had not yet experienced the Civil War, Andrew Jackson was President, John Marshall was (still) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and reports surfaced that life had just been discovered on the moon.


Russia, meanwhile, was under the autocratic rule of Nicholas I. It didn't even have a railroad yet.

Both were over a century away from the Cold War. But as Tocqueville predicted, they did eventually "hold the destinies" of major parts of the world in their hands. And not only that, his description of what the struggle would look like was also accurate. Individuals v. totalitarianism, freedom v. servitude. 


Tocqueville doesn't speculate how a clash between the two would turn out. Rather, he simply ends with what I quoted above. I wonder if he would have been surprised with how it happened.