First World Problems

It's easy to complain, isn't it?

That's why the First World Problems meme making its way across the intertubes is so brilliant.  It highlights the thousands and thousands of things people say & do that are "problems" for people who live in wealthy, developed countries.  Your cell phone battery died?  Your fast food order wasn't right?  The video below is fantastic, and if that's not enough for you there's the #firstworldproblems hashtag on Google+ or twitter that will supply you with millions more examples.  And obviously, if these are the worst things we have to worry about in life, then we really don't have much to worry about in life.  Compare these problems to, say, for example, I don't know, maybe, the people of the Nuba mountains in Sudan?  Time to stop complaining & do something good.  Like stop the killings in Syria & Sudan.

But it's too bad he forgot to mention Justin Bieber.

More on the man who stayed behind

A couple of weeks ago I posted on the man who stayed behind, a story from last October about Ryan Boyette, a guy from Florida who has been living in Sudan despite the constant fear of bombings from the Sudanese government.  The story was by NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, and since then Kristof has visited Sudan and has written several articles on the situation.  A couple of days ago he posted a must-read update, which includes a short video showing the atrocities.  Kristof visited Boyette to get a first hand account of the threats, the damage, and the need.  Children are hiding in caves to avoid being killed or brutally injured by bomb shrapnel.  A horrible injustice is being carried out, and I hope and pray that the rest of the world will awake to this issue and build the societal will necessary to do something to stop the bombings and get food to these people before serious starvation occurs.

This is way more important than whoever wore & won whatever at the Oscars tonight.

NYC Churches allowed back in NYC Schools... for now

Huff Post has an article today stating that Churches can have access to public schools in order to hold religious services.  Churches have long rented space in public schools, just like a number of other organizations including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, music groups, civic societies, and others.  New York City has singled out religious groups, however, and tried to state that they were not allowed because it violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government to endorse a particular religion.

The Judge ruled in favor of the Churches, stating "... losing one's right to exercise freely and fully his or her religious beliefs is a greater threat to our democratic society than a misperceived violation of the Establishment Clause."  In other words, this isn't a violation of the EC, and the City instead is unlawfully restricting the free and full exercise of religious freedom.

Well said, Judge.  It's not like the Churches are getting any favoritism over other groups, and it's not like only a single denomination or a single religion are the only ones able to use the schools for their activities.  The schools are clearly not endorsing any one particular group simply by renting the space to them on the weekend.

Of course, NYC has said they will appeal the decision.

More kids being born outside of marriage

An article today in the NY Times describes the changing social norm of children being born outside of marriage.  It states that for women under 30, more than half of the births now occur outside of marriage.  This contrasts sharply with data from just two decades ago.  Yet a deeper look at the numbers shows that college graduates still overwhelmingly marry before having children.  The divide in behavior therefore is significant between those who get a college degree and those who don't.

The risks to these children are considerable.  The article goes on to state that "Researchers have consistently found that children born outside marriage face elevated risks of falling into poverty, failing in school, or suffering emotional and behavioral problems."  Children need both fathers and mothers, together.

I don't know anyone who wants their children to fall into poverty, fail at school, or suffer emotional or behavioral problems.  We all want the best for our kids.  So waiting to have children until marriage is a good way to do what's best for your kids.

The Church and society need to really take a long hard look at why marriages and even marriage as an institution is failing among those who are poor and who are poorly educated.  One doesn't have to be rich or educated to get married, so what's the cause of this, and what needs to be done to help reverse the trend?  We must care for the poor, think carefully about their personal situations and the related societal issues, and act in ways that bring benefit.

And parents, make sure your little girls get a good education.

Great concept video

I'm not terribly familiar with this artist, but I saw this video today and had to share.  Song is called "The Same Love" by Paul Baloche, who though a quick google search is a pastor & musician who has written a number of popular Christian songs.

I love the imagery of the red cups, and the people on the street walking by who's ears are covered by headphones or earmuffs.  Life is like that - we can't hear the music because we have already filled our ears with something else.  We walk right on by and miss something wonderful.

In the creation story of Narnia, right before Aslan says "Love. Think. Speak." he first says "Awake!".  The main difference between being awake and being asleep is being aware of what is going on around you.  The people in the video walk right on by the hanging red cups, unaware that something wonderful is happening right there next to them. There are a number of times in life where I'm that person.  And so everyday I have to re-examine for just a moment, and make sure I'm awake and aware that people like Paul Baloche are calling from the roof tops and singing a message of hope.



Happy Valentine's Day!

The Man Who Stayed Behind

This news is a bit old, coming from last October, but it was new to me and so impressive I had to share.  The story is of a 30-year old guy, Ryan Boyette, who has been living in Sudan and trying desperately not to get killed in doing so.  NYTimes columnist Nicholas Kristoff wrote up a piece about him, The Man Who Stayed Behind, that is a must-read.  He started out working with the international aid agency Samaritan's Purse, but when they required that he leave, he resigned.  He had, by that point, been living there 8 years and had gotten married to a local woman named Jazira.  I found another article on him, including an interview at Pantheos that is also worth reading. His life is a story that all of us need to hear, and upon hearing, act.  But what to do?  I'll be honest - I don't know.  There certainly are aid organizations where money could be sent, such as those linked to above.  But also, share his story.