"As Jack Jenkins reported in Religion News Service, Representative Mike Collins suggested that Budde should be deported. Rev. Franklin Graham called her a “socialist activist” and suggested she should not have even been in the Cathedral for the prayer service. Representative Josh Brecheen has even introduced a resolution in the U.S. Congress to condemn Bishop Budde." If this is how they treat Bishop Budde, how would they treat Jesus Christ who I have no doubt would give a very similar sermon?
We are in a time in which the very essence of democracy, its values based on equality must rise up from the core of who we are as human beings. Equality and oneness are interconnected. This is not an intellectual exercise. This is a challenge to go within ourselves and discover, truly perhaps for the first time in our nations history, just what this grand experiment means at our very heart. The newborn child of a refugee, the woman who miscarries at six months and needs immediate healthcare, the person who identifies as trans and serves in the military, yes even our new president~these are not only our neighbors. They are us and we are them. We are all one, interdependent, interconnected. Fostering division among one another is as useless as the leg cutting off the arm.
We can shred one another to bits, decimating this republic once and for all. Or we can transcend the fear and all the devious expressions fear takes and wake up to the wonder that the sacred has always been hidden in plain sight within one another, the beautiful creatures of the Earth, and this awesome world and universe. I heard Jesus Christ in Bishop Budde's heart, soul, and powerful gentle voice beckoning us to see that heaven could be right in our midst. At that moment, we will join that shining city on a hill.
This is a time for each of us to choose. I choose love over fear. I choose compassion and mercy over contempt and hatred. I choose to strive however imperfectly to see the sacred in your eyes, even when we disagree.
Thank you, Chris, for this detailed explanation and the links to good news sources. I personally am not religious, but I certainly support a Bishop who tells the truth to power. She is a leader to follow.
What I need to know, and maybe it is below in the comments, is just what that support should look like. What are the best suggestions for practical action?
I am committed to practicing the defense of democracy every day, as an antidote to anger or helplessness, but I don't always know exactly what to do. How do I provide support for Bishop Budde?
I offer some thoughts about practical action. Your city or town may have a church or group that helps immigrants. Find them & ask how to support their efforts. Maybe your time or a skill. Donating cash, collecting clothes, helping w meals.
Write/call/web contact your elected officials at every level to advocate for your beliefs. It’s less about how eloquent you make your message, more about them hearing from & counting how many constituents want a particular action. Be sure you’re counted!
Talk with friends & family & find like minds/hearts. Acting together can be more powerful, and fun.
None of us has THE answers. Each of us CAN do SOMETHING. Just get going and do it 😇
Well, I very much hope Bishop Budde will be the little girl who pointed out that the "Emperor" isn't wearing any clothes.
I have complete theological disagreement with her, and it's possible I have areas of political disagreement with her, but as you very rightly point out, that's not the point.
President Trump did not dare to confront bishop Buddy directly. Only afterwards when she was not present did he attack her. This is typical of his lack of courage. This is the way it always has been since he had skirted conscription in the 1960s.
Thank you for the valuable mobilization messaging. I am sharing the petition and your post. We must shake the foundations of this Reich of "Christian Conservatism" which is nothing but power disguised with cheesy religious overtones and no scriptural justification anywhere. The world-wide oligarchy is using them as tools to suppress and eliminate democracy in any form, including denominations that the Reich sees as - fill in the blanks.... THANK YOU.
1. There are millions of people here illegally. This must be dealt with properly and with mercy and understanding.
2. Why do they enter illegally by paying large sums of money to find a point of entry? Most come for a job and better life, not due to threats.
3. The jobs are obtained from businesses that know they are also doing something illegal. In other words, they are illegal businesses run by criminals. They may be farmers or construction company owners but they are criminals who are knowingly breaking the law. The owners and managers are the root cause of illegal immigrants.
4. The only way to fix illegal immigration is to fix the root cause. My immediate proposal is to pass a new law that a gives quick, low cost fine to the business who hired a person without a valid Social Security card, which is easy to detect. Like a speeding ticket, low enough to not fight in court. Second violation, the price goes up. One guy I know was hired at a milk plant to manage hiring. The owner, a billionaire from Argentina, told him he thought there were illegals working there and wanted it cleaned up. He told 300 employees they needed to bring in their SS card on the next Wednesday. 40 people did not show up ever again.
5. If you still believe people who are law breakers should be allowed to stay here, then quit complaining about a felonious rapist running the WH. Quit complaining about Hegseth.
6. Regardless of the crooked, lying politicians and business owners, we must work with them to keep from losing more.
7. Remember, the dastardly Senator Mitch McConnell voted against Hegseth. A few more is all we need to get real work done, but they will not work with those of us who would like to push more aggressively left. Unfortunately, we need to wait until enough people wake up and recognize that we are all misled to some extent. Work to hold our current position instead of pushing further left at this time.
I commend the ethical spirit in #1 and the positivity of your last line. My experience is different than your #2; I’ve never seen real stats for how many immigrants pay how much to coyotes & cartels. Some do hope to buy services, some are robbed or extorted which is a very different situation. Also my anecdotal experience is that most have credible fear per policy, but of course I don’t imagine the crossing points near me have the same folks arriving as every other possible location.
Your #3 & 4 are key points that have never been addressed in my opinion. Simpson-Mazzoli 40 years ago had ineffective provisions and nothing more has been passed since. We need to confront the dishonesty and contradictions between having a well managed system including temporary workers (high & lo skilled) versus allowing businesses to run a shadow employment system to exploit/mistreat people, including American workers.
We must continue to lobby our politicians to actually ACHIEVE progress on the areas where most Americans DO agree.
"As Jack Jenkins reported in Religion News Service, Representative Mike Collins suggested that Budde should be deported. Rev. Franklin Graham called her a “socialist activist” and suggested she should not have even been in the Cathedral for the prayer service. Representative Josh Brecheen has even introduced a resolution in the U.S. Congress to condemn Bishop Budde." If this is how they treat Bishop Budde, how would they treat Jesus Christ who I have no doubt would give a very similar sermon?
We are in a time in which the very essence of democracy, its values based on equality must rise up from the core of who we are as human beings. Equality and oneness are interconnected. This is not an intellectual exercise. This is a challenge to go within ourselves and discover, truly perhaps for the first time in our nations history, just what this grand experiment means at our very heart. The newborn child of a refugee, the woman who miscarries at six months and needs immediate healthcare, the person who identifies as trans and serves in the military, yes even our new president~these are not only our neighbors. They are us and we are them. We are all one, interdependent, interconnected. Fostering division among one another is as useless as the leg cutting off the arm.
We can shred one another to bits, decimating this republic once and for all. Or we can transcend the fear and all the devious expressions fear takes and wake up to the wonder that the sacred has always been hidden in plain sight within one another, the beautiful creatures of the Earth, and this awesome world and universe. I heard Jesus Christ in Bishop Budde's heart, soul, and powerful gentle voice beckoning us to see that heaven could be right in our midst. At that moment, we will join that shining city on a hill.
This is a time for each of us to choose. I choose love over fear. I choose compassion and mercy over contempt and hatred. I choose to strive however imperfectly to see the sacred in your eyes, even when we disagree.
Thank you, Chris, for this detailed explanation and the links to good news sources. I personally am not religious, but I certainly support a Bishop who tells the truth to power. She is a leader to follow.
What I need to know, and maybe it is below in the comments, is just what that support should look like. What are the best suggestions for practical action?
I am committed to practicing the defense of democracy every day, as an antidote to anger or helplessness, but I don't always know exactly what to do. How do I provide support for Bishop Budde?
I offer some thoughts about practical action. Your city or town may have a church or group that helps immigrants. Find them & ask how to support their efforts. Maybe your time or a skill. Donating cash, collecting clothes, helping w meals.
Write/call/web contact your elected officials at every level to advocate for your beliefs. It’s less about how eloquent you make your message, more about them hearing from & counting how many constituents want a particular action. Be sure you’re counted!
Talk with friends & family & find like minds/hearts. Acting together can be more powerful, and fun.
None of us has THE answers. Each of us CAN do SOMETHING. Just get going and do it 😇
You’re not alone. We’re out here WITH you.
Blessings
Well, I very much hope Bishop Budde will be the little girl who pointed out that the "Emperor" isn't wearing any clothes.
I have complete theological disagreement with her, and it's possible I have areas of political disagreement with her, but as you very rightly point out, that's not the point.
President Trump did not dare to confront bishop Buddy directly. Only afterwards when she was not present did he attack her. This is typical of his lack of courage. This is the way it always has been since he had skirted conscription in the 1960s.
Strength in numbers.
Thank you for the valuable mobilization messaging. I am sharing the petition and your post. We must shake the foundations of this Reich of "Christian Conservatism" which is nothing but power disguised with cheesy religious overtones and no scriptural justification anywhere. The world-wide oligarchy is using them as tools to suppress and eliminate democracy in any form, including denominations that the Reich sees as - fill in the blanks.... THANK YOU.
What Ben said long ago is still true today: "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately"
All of this is well and good. But...
1. There are millions of people here illegally. This must be dealt with properly and with mercy and understanding.
2. Why do they enter illegally by paying large sums of money to find a point of entry? Most come for a job and better life, not due to threats.
3. The jobs are obtained from businesses that know they are also doing something illegal. In other words, they are illegal businesses run by criminals. They may be farmers or construction company owners but they are criminals who are knowingly breaking the law. The owners and managers are the root cause of illegal immigrants.
4. The only way to fix illegal immigration is to fix the root cause. My immediate proposal is to pass a new law that a gives quick, low cost fine to the business who hired a person without a valid Social Security card, which is easy to detect. Like a speeding ticket, low enough to not fight in court. Second violation, the price goes up. One guy I know was hired at a milk plant to manage hiring. The owner, a billionaire from Argentina, told him he thought there were illegals working there and wanted it cleaned up. He told 300 employees they needed to bring in their SS card on the next Wednesday. 40 people did not show up ever again.
5. If you still believe people who are law breakers should be allowed to stay here, then quit complaining about a felonious rapist running the WH. Quit complaining about Hegseth.
6. Regardless of the crooked, lying politicians and business owners, we must work with them to keep from losing more.
7. Remember, the dastardly Senator Mitch McConnell voted against Hegseth. A few more is all we need to get real work done, but they will not work with those of us who would like to push more aggressively left. Unfortunately, we need to wait until enough people wake up and recognize that we are all misled to some extent. Work to hold our current position instead of pushing further left at this time.
Keep the faith and do not be ruled by fear.
I commend the ethical spirit in #1 and the positivity of your last line. My experience is different than your #2; I’ve never seen real stats for how many immigrants pay how much to coyotes & cartels. Some do hope to buy services, some are robbed or extorted which is a very different situation. Also my anecdotal experience is that most have credible fear per policy, but of course I don’t imagine the crossing points near me have the same folks arriving as every other possible location.
Your #3 & 4 are key points that have never been addressed in my opinion. Simpson-Mazzoli 40 years ago had ineffective provisions and nothing more has been passed since. We need to confront the dishonesty and contradictions between having a well managed system including temporary workers (high & lo skilled) versus allowing businesses to run a shadow employment system to exploit/mistreat people, including American workers.
We must continue to lobby our politicians to actually ACHIEVE progress on the areas where most Americans DO agree.
Paz, amigo