“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (from the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America). It is really pretty simple! It’s the basis for the separation of church and state. Recently, though, it’s become clearer that evangelical fundamentalist Christianity believes the words “for Christians” should have followed the word “thereof.” Of course, these are the same “know it alls” who for the most part would rather ignore the scripture “"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." These words were emphasized no less than three times in the New Testament alone, (Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”, Matthew 22:39 “Love your neighbor as yourself”, Luke 6:31 “Do to others as you would have them do to you”). Other religions have a similar admonition. Given this rather pointed direction of the literary basis of Christianity wouldn’t you think that evangelical Christians would want to allow all people to worship the same way they would like to worship?
It is simply outrageous to me as a Christian that the whole Christian community is not rising up to defend the Muslim community in New York City who wants to build a “community center” which includes a couple of floors for interfaith worship two blocks from the former twin towers of the World Trade Center (the center can neither be seen from Ground Zero, nor can Ground Zero be seen from the Community Center to be named Park 51 Center). Because we demand freedom of religion, freedom to worship as we see fit, we should be the first in line to say everyone deserves this right. Religious Freedom is not just for Christianity, or Christians. It’s religious freedom for all. That’s what makes us different from countries that limit the exercise of religion.
All Muslim’s should no more be blamed for the September 11 attack than should all Southerners be blamed for the actions of the Ku Klux Klan. However, if we carried out this very non-Christian attitude that Muslims should be denied the courtesy of building a place of worship two blocks, mind you, from the ground zero shell, then we should forbid white Christians from building churches in the South. The notion is absurd and the Christian Right should recognize this and come to the assistance of these Muslims who have every right to build this Community Center (that’s right it’s not even a Mosque…just a gym, swimming pool, culinary school, with a couple of floors for interfaith worship).
Most religious zealots no matter which religion they are followers of are guilty of taking positions that leave no room for error. They all think they are right and those who don’t believe as they do are wrong. I cannot speak authoritatively for Muslims, or Judaism, or Buddhists, or any other religion since my whole religious experience is that of a Christian. Basic belief of Christianity is founded on the individual having a free choice as to his or her acceptance of God and the principle tenets of the Christian faith. The existence of God is founded totally on believing “in faith.” Thus, it is neither provable nor improvable. Christians are not forced to believe at the point of a sword nor do they openly expound this position. The “Christian power base” is one of intolerance against all who would question them…even their own (that would be me). The power base not only ignores the “golden rule” (do unto other as you would have them do unto you), but, they also ignore admonishment against arrogance and hubris. All Christians should not be held to the un-Christian, radical attitudes of James Dobson, Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell, Sarah Palin, Tom DeLay, Tony Perkins, Rick Warren, or any other arrogant hate merchants who fill the television screens or airwaves, nor should all Muslims be held to the un-Muslim radical attitudes of Osama bin Laden or al Qaeda.
Religious freedom, or any freedom granted by the Bill of Rights is not up for revocation as long as we, as citizens of our country, obey the laws. This being the case…as long a law abiding citizens who happen to be Muslim want to build a community center or house of worship anywhere they shouldn’t be denied this request. Religious freedom is not only a Christian or Jewish right…it’s a right for any religion of any faith. We as Christians would want to be treated this way and we should be the outspoken advocates of any who wish to enjoy religious freedom.
Christians, Jews and Muslims all worship the same God. Yet, all seem to be aggressive to each other. Christians have had a sorted past with the Jewish faith, today many evangelical fundamentalist believe Muslims are out to destroy them and many of these fundamentalist think we should destroy Islam. Israel today is at constant war with Islam, and many have distrust of Christians. When will they all learn that making friends with each other is a lot less painful that being at constant war with each other. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Practicing Christianity is very easy if you start and hold fast to this simple principle.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
DO TAX CUTS CREATE JOBS?
Sunday, August 1, 2010 was a landmark day for the argument for tax cuts ARE NOT the answer to every economic question. First, David Stockman (former Ronald Reagan Office of Management and Budget Director and the brains behind “supply side economics”) wrote a lengthy Op-Ed in the New York Times arguing the Bush Administration Tax Cuts needed to expire. Then, in an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press Alan Greenspan bluntly stated “tax cuts DO NOT pay for themselves.” Conservatives were dressed down by their own experts.
Let’s explore history and compare the tax increases enacted under the Clinton Administration in 1993 against the tax cuts enacted under the George W. Bush Administration in 2001. The score would be 23 million to 3 million. The Clinton Administration created 23 million jobs in 8 years after raising taxes while the Bush Administration created only 3 million jobs after cutting taxes in 8 years. So, never again should liberals give any credit to anyone who argues tax cuts are the engine of job growth while conceding that tax increases kill job growth.
The deficit growth we live with today is a direct result of the $4 trillion of tax cuts enacted under Dubya Bush’s ill conceived economic policy and, conclude those tax cuts for the wealthiest among us, the top 2% of wage earners, will expand that national debt by another $4 trillion. But, more to the point…the extension of the tax cuts to the wealthy will not increase job growth at all. The revenue from those tax cuts need to be used for reinvestment in our infrastructure, aid to the unemployed, training and retraining for a new workforce, and investment into cleaner energy, direct investments that will quickly work into the economy. Ezra Klein, of the Washington Post, states that the biggest bang for the buck for economic stimulus is food stamps. That’s right, food stamps creates $1.71 for every $1 invested…while tax cuts for the wealthy returns only $0.31 for every dollar invested. Why…because rich people don’t spend the tax cut benefits on goods and services…they invest them in the stock market and the trading of existing shares of stock doesn’t produce anything. While the purchase of a gallon of milk supports the grocer, the supplier and the producer. It’s difficult to explain to conservatives that the wealthy don’t spend as large a percentage of their income as do those at the bottom of the income ladder. If you’re rich…it cost you less of your income to eat than it does for those living under the poverty line. The same goes on housing expense, clothing expense, and even entertainment. Low wages earners have to spend 100% of their incomes to exist…while the wealthy have a far great income after expenses to save.
Conservative Republicans, if you really want to address the budget deficit get the unemployment rate back to 4% and the deficit goes away. So, HELLO stimulus! Stimulus for building roads, schools, public buildings of all sorts, high speed rail, and tax incentives for one thing and one thing only…for hiring new employees. Even if we spent another trillion dollars (which is what we should have done in the first place), it will be far less than the $4 trillion conservatives are more than willing to throw away on more tax cuts for the wealthy.
Let’s explore history and compare the tax increases enacted under the Clinton Administration in 1993 against the tax cuts enacted under the George W. Bush Administration in 2001. The score would be 23 million to 3 million. The Clinton Administration created 23 million jobs in 8 years after raising taxes while the Bush Administration created only 3 million jobs after cutting taxes in 8 years. So, never again should liberals give any credit to anyone who argues tax cuts are the engine of job growth while conceding that tax increases kill job growth.
The deficit growth we live with today is a direct result of the $4 trillion of tax cuts enacted under Dubya Bush’s ill conceived economic policy and, conclude those tax cuts for the wealthiest among us, the top 2% of wage earners, will expand that national debt by another $4 trillion. But, more to the point…the extension of the tax cuts to the wealthy will not increase job growth at all. The revenue from those tax cuts need to be used for reinvestment in our infrastructure, aid to the unemployed, training and retraining for a new workforce, and investment into cleaner energy, direct investments that will quickly work into the economy. Ezra Klein, of the Washington Post, states that the biggest bang for the buck for economic stimulus is food stamps. That’s right, food stamps creates $1.71 for every $1 invested…while tax cuts for the wealthy returns only $0.31 for every dollar invested. Why…because rich people don’t spend the tax cut benefits on goods and services…they invest them in the stock market and the trading of existing shares of stock doesn’t produce anything. While the purchase of a gallon of milk supports the grocer, the supplier and the producer. It’s difficult to explain to conservatives that the wealthy don’t spend as large a percentage of their income as do those at the bottom of the income ladder. If you’re rich…it cost you less of your income to eat than it does for those living under the poverty line. The same goes on housing expense, clothing expense, and even entertainment. Low wages earners have to spend 100% of their incomes to exist…while the wealthy have a far great income after expenses to save.
Conservative Republicans, if you really want to address the budget deficit get the unemployment rate back to 4% and the deficit goes away. So, HELLO stimulus! Stimulus for building roads, schools, public buildings of all sorts, high speed rail, and tax incentives for one thing and one thing only…for hiring new employees. Even if we spent another trillion dollars (which is what we should have done in the first place), it will be far less than the $4 trillion conservatives are more than willing to throw away on more tax cuts for the wealthy.
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