Why the death penalty is an abomination before God--

I'll start by saying that it doesn't matter one wit whether the person is guilty.  And it doesn't really matter whether you believe the bible or not.  This is one of those things that's a matter of logic--the bible says this, so the death penalty is evil.  You can reach my conclusion even if you think the bible is a fairy tale.  You just need to take it seriously as literature.

I guess a prerequisite for thinking about this is reading the bible like you have a brain.  So, don't just say "well, the bible says 'eye for an eye'".  That was written (according to the Talmud) as a rule to keep people from going too far.  If someone pokes out your eye, you can't kill them.  It was an upper bound.  This is what centuries of serious Jewish thinking has concluded.

So, what does that leave?  Well, you have to interpret the death penalty in the context of the thrust and meaning of the bible.  And the bible, above else, is really the story (ies) of redemption and rescue.  Look at the story Joseph and his brothers. They sold him into slavery.  Their own brother.  (Apparently, he was kind of a prick, but you still can't do that.)  Then they turn up in Egypt starving, and what does Joseph do?  He doesn't say "Oh, well, I'd like to help you out, but you know how an eye for an eye works.  Sorry. Off with their heads"

No, he embraces them as his brothers and forgives them.

When we as a society kill someone, we really are robbing them of a chance at redemption.  Redemption is God's business and we have no right to deny that.  It's really evil at its core.  That's the bottom line for evil. We make our own judgment a substitute for God's order.

So, where is MIke?

As most of you know, I've set sail for a new job and home, at UAB.  As you may know, I'm living on a lake, and that is working out great.  It's 67 miles to work--about 45 are on the interstate and 15 are on country roads.  About 7 are in congested areas.  the whole thing seems to take 75 minutes consistently-- with sirius radio and flexibility about when I go, it seems pretty easy.  I would anticipate going about 3 days per week.

the lake is lovely; the water, quite refreshing.  Brother Cadfael the corgi is exhausted from swimming, running in the creek, chasing squirrels and frogs.  so he seems very happy.  Hannah and I are enjoying as well.  The house is a nice size and a good fit for the summer and beyond.

As for my job, it's a little overwhelming.  The idea that I can spend money is taking some getting used to.  My department bought me new furniture for my office but I'm moving across the hall to an office with a window.  And I'm getting new furniture again.  There are three new faculty members (myself included) this fall.  given the state of the academic economy, that's pretty amazing. 

I'm not teaching in the fall, but I'd like to start a tradition of (basic) math bootcamp.  Hopefully, I'll be able to do that starting this fall--

Mary and some of the other kids are coming in about two weeks--I think the lake is warm enough that even Mary will be able to swim!

Will post some pictures shortly...

Why I still Believe in Christmas

This year has not been a good one for organized religion.  Most prominently, Iraq has dissolved into sectarian chaos.  Closer to home, religious groups argue over gay marriage and the role of women in the church.  Religion has (or religious people have) done enough harm around the world that critics can claim that the world would be better off without religion entirely.  It’s hard to argue the point. 

Indeed, my own faith, Christianity, has harmed the world in many ways over the centuries, and one fears more is to come.  Some Christians hope for the end of the world, looking forward to the time when the godless “get what’s coming to them”.  That Christianity and other religions are the source of so much division is enough to make anyone despair.

Can the Christmas season bring us some relief?  At first glance, perhaps not.  The orgy of consumerism seemingly swamps the season’s small, quiet acts of kindness.  Noisy zealots ironically wage war in the name of Christmas, fearing public menorah may steal the spotlight from the Christmas tree.

Furthermore, parts of the Christmas story itself strain the credulity of an educated person.  God sent his son to the world to share in our struggles.  If that’s the case, why did his son arrive in a way no one before or after has used (via the virgin birth)?  Parts of the story just make no sense.  As Jesus grew, his parents were often surprised by his actions.  Honestly, if I had a child without having sex and had been visited by angels warning me in advance, nothing that child did subsequently would be surprising.  So, even at Christmas time, there are parts of the story that are a bit hard to swallow. 

There is, however, a part of the story to which I desperately cling.  It is the story of a young Jewish girl, pregnant and afraid, in a strange place with no where to lay her head.  How could a God that made the universe care about someone so insignificant?  Why did God choose that woman to bring his child into the world?  What could such a powerful God have in common with those so powerless?  It is this God who gives me hope.   I believe this God cares about me and gives me hope that I might one day be more like his Son and his mother.

In Luke 2 (verse 50ff) , the blessed Mary proclaims

“His mercy extends to those who fear him,

      from generation to generation.

 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

      he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones

      but has lifted up the humble.

 53He has filled the hungry with good things

      but has sent the rich away empty.

 54He has helped his servant Israel,

      remembering to be merciful

 55to Abraham and his descendants forever,

      even as he said to our fathers."”

This story is one of mercy and justice—a story of hope for a better tomorrow.

Are there alternative sources of such hope?  Perhaps humans might perfect themselves over the time.  If the past year has been bad for religion, it’s been ever worse for this hope.  Rather than rejoicing in their freedom, Iraqis turned on each other to settle old scores.  Warring factions in Africa turn children into soldiers and commit unspeakable acts against their families.  Those who hope that human beings will learn from their mistakes and will renounce violence and selfishness see trends in world events that are hidden from me.

Perhaps science is a source of hope.  I’m not one of those who fear science and religion are in conflict.  I do feel, however, that science is more the road than the destination.  The wonders of the human body and the world around us don’t make me wonder whether God exists.  Rather they make me humble.

So, I cling to the hope that Christmas and the one it honors can make me better.  My hope for the world is that all religions will contribute positively to the world in the coming year.  I hope in the coming year we find fewer hungry people and fewer rich people who take their blessings for granted.  My hope is that the powerful of the world will spend more time lifting up the poor than trampling them.  I hope that you can come to embody the best of whatever religion that is meaningful to you.  For me, I hope that I can better embody Mary’s spirit of servanthood and humility.

December 2006

House G.O.P. Leader Signals He’s Open to Obama Tax Cut - NYTimes.com

House G.O.P. Leader Signals He’s Open to Obama Tax Cut - NYTimes.com

The GOP really does hold the key to moving the country forward....

What are you six rules for your kids going to college?

Thanks, hannah, for asking.
These rules are based on working on a college campus for all my adult life.

1) Be Safe
Universities do a good job hiding how many college students are victimized in one way or another.
Please be safe.  Don't be embarrassed to call for the escort service.

2) No Greek life until junior year or beyond.
Not a comment on the activity per se , but there's no question that it insulates a student from the rest of campus life.  Get your feet go and wet before you decide to go that route.  (It's insane universities allow freshman to rush.  They've not been there an entire semester--they have idea what the university is about.)

3) Live on campus through  junior year.
As best I can tell, a lot of the bad stuff that happens to college students happens in off-campus housing.
Stay on campus--when else are you going to have that chance?  If you must, get an apartment as a senior--a reasonable way to transition into post-college life.

4) Go to church or related activity 5 times per semester for freshman year.
Part of becoming an adult is learning what you do or don't believe.  Don't just slide out of church through sleeping in on sundays.

5) If you get in trouble for alcohol + cars, you're coming home.
You're coming home the moment I find out.  You then will work in the most lousy job I can find.
My first choice for you is
  http://www.poopyscoopync.com/
Then you will pay me for room and board.

6) Pick your friends as well as you have done while living at home.
That will go a long way toward taking care of the other rules.

Also considered
-Take calculus.  For god's sake, every educated person should know one of the great human accomplishments.
- Spend a year abroad.  (Good idea--doesn't seem like it needs to be a rule)

I'm genuinely befuddled--what is the big deal with gay marriage?

I just do not get it.  In a country where half of marriages end in divorce (and the rate is higher among conservative Christians), I just do not understand why people are so up in arms about gay marriage.  The consequences for children, research suggests, are benign.  That's my experience, too.  When I know kids that have two moms, they generally work it out like "one is is mom and one is mommy.  problem solved".

And in terms of legal rights, it's appalling that basic civil rights are denied to gap couples.

And as for the church's involvement with marriage, that's something of the last couple of centuries.  For a long time in Europe, marriages were strictly a civil issue.  

My own preference would be to just separate the church ceremony from legal issues, and let those who believe have church weddings.  God, the number of people who don't give a crap about the Church who get married in church is a lot worse than having two devoted gap people who are devout married in the church building.  And don't get me started on the number of unmarried couples who get married in church.  I don't want to be a prude, but the Bible has a lot more to say about fornicating than gay issues, that's for sure.

45) Why is the death penalty wrong even for Malvo and KSH?

Here's the reason. Bishop Kalistos of the eastern Orthodox church puts it well. (I've been reading more about the desert fathers and so was reading his book.) He says

Because he or she is an icon of God, each member of the human race, even the
most sinful, if infinitely precious in God's sight. "When you see your
brother or sister", said Clement of Alexandria, "you see God". And
Evagrius taught: "After God himself, we must count everyone as God Himself".

Really, you can't forfeit this inherent value, and you certainly can't take it from someone else.

As for KSH, what I'd do is stick him a cell for the rest of his miserable life. But the special cell would be lacquered with all of the peaceful things Muhammad had to say about the Jews and their status as God's protected people.

KSH is as good an advertisement for Islam as Pat Robertson is for Christianity.