What to make of Obama.

As a Christian and a republican, I have been concerned lately about the democratic presidential candidate. Who is he? People were asking that question, even dems, when he first emerged as a potential nominee last year. So, because of some rather disturbing allegations I've been hearing, I decided to go online and do some research for myself.

Let me just say that getting fair and unbiased information on the net, particularly concerning presidential candidates, is almost impossible. On one side people will say that a candidate is the devil incarnate, and on the other side people will refuse to acknowledge even the possibility of a problem with their guy. It's like trying to get to the bottom of a fight between your children. When people are so deeply emotionally invested in a particular side of a complicated issue, you can't get information from them that you can count on.

So I'm guessing, based on what I think I know about people, that the truth must be somewhere in the middle - between "radical leftist who will destroy us all" and "new messiah who will solve all our problems."

Therefore my assessment of Obama is thus:

He is, I suspect, nothing more heinous than a fairly liberal democrat who will probably tax the snot out of richer Americans to pay for social programs that will work fantastically or fail miserably depending on who you ask. He has probably dabbled in and flirted with some level of radical ideology in his younger days. He has rubbed shoulders with controversial leftist individuals and organizations (here and abroad - ask Uncle Fred about Kenya) - but I don't see how he could have avoided some of that, being a black democratic politician in Chicago. To what extent these entities have influenced his future political objectives is still unclear to me. He ultimately wants to do the right thing, but, as we all know, the right thing to one may not be exactly the right thing to another (maybe not even to the majority of Americans).

I suspect he will, unfortunately for me, bring us closer to a society that is at least a little more dependent on government programs and services. Whether or not dependency is his intention I can't say, but we all know that people will eventually become dependent - and the programs and services will replace a healthy amount of good common sense, prudence, applied wisdom, self-government, self-discipline, and old-fashioned American independence and self-reliance. But as so many Americans have been tossing aside those virtues over the past 60 years or so, we can only expect a little more "socialism" to infiltrate our lives. So I guess I won't blame Obama for it when it comes - I'll blame us (too many Americans in general, but not most of the people reading this blog) for needing what he will probably bring.

What really worries me more than anything else is not Obama himself, actually. It's the vote of confidence that radical leftist groups will feel they've been given if Obama wins. Groups like the Nation of Islam (Ferrakhan seems to love him), Earth Liberation Front, ACORN, and so on, may start coming out of the woodwork and asserting themselves more - simply because they feel their time has come (because they do). But even that isn't what really worries me. You see, when the leftist radicals start assuming more legitimacy - so will the radicals on the opposite side. I have a bad feeling that we're going to see a re-emergence of the Klan, the neo-nazis, white supremists, "christian" groups (with a well-deserved lower case "c") who will preach that blacks are the cursed tribe of Dan or carry signs that say "God hates fags," anti-government militias - and the list goes on. In short, I see a very real possibility of a "radicalization" of America. And I fear it will be difficult to stay out of it.

This is where the church must stand for Jesus, not political extremities. We will have to work harder than ever to close racial divides, and show extra love toward individuals whose sin we nevertheless condemn. And we must become painfully aware of our own sin so that we can repent and live lives that are upright before our Lord and our community.

I think the good news is that people will feel a need for Christ in their lives more than ever. Let's prepare for that, brothers and sisters. It's time we as American Christians really start to look like Jesus - and refuse to participate in the cultural ugliness the world may soon wallow in.

For such a time as this.

Stephen

Muddy in the Royal Gorge

No, no, no. I don't mean she gorged on food like royalty! She went with us today to the Royal Gorge and rode a train along the Arkansas River. She really enjoyed the scenery. And she has been a joy to have around. Last night she beat Rachel and the girls in chinese checkers, and tonight she's going to play scrabble with us. I hope she doesn't cheat.

Tomorrow we will take a trip up into the mountains and have a picnic - then maybe drive up to Woodland Park for the only Blue Bell Ice Cream stop in Colorado. (Does Muddy like ice cream?)

I'll put up pictures as soon as I get them off the camera. Thanks for letting us borrow her for a few days. We'll give her back soon!

After 42 years!

I hope someone is there to pick my daddy up off the floor when he reads this - but yesterday, for the first time in all my 42 years, I actually preached a sermon! It lasted only about 10 minutes (I didn't realize 10 was so long), but it went fairly well. My congregation was a group of inmates at the State Penitentiary, and they seemed to receive it well. It was my second trip to the prison, where I have played my guitar in their chapel service. But this time I wanted to prepare something to share from the pulpit. So here's a condensed synopsis of what I shared:

God loves men of action. Men of action are not content to sit idly by and live ordinary lives; they are compelled to act, and so God loves to use these impetuous, passionate, bold, confrontational souls to do awesome works in His Kingdom. But, unfortunately, Satan loves to derail them by leading them toward sinful actions, because, being men of action, they will often appease him quite willingly.

I then shared examples of men in the Bible who were action-oriented, like Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Peter, and Paul. They were not content to sit by and do nothing, when perhaps they should have. Jacob stole his brother's inheritance, Joseph had a big mouth, Moses committed murder, Peter assaulted an officer, and Paul was also a murderer. Yet God saw something in them - a willingness to DO something, right or wrong. When God took hold of them and turned their hearts toward Him, they were all used to do mighty works in His Kingdom that other men would have shied from.

Then I shared Revelation 3:15-16, the verse about being hot or cold, not lukewarm. I hope they caught that this message was all about them. In the spiritual reality, these men are not criminals; they are superheroes, not content to live ordinary lives, but they have been lured away from their calling. They are behind those walls because they acted, where most men would not. But because Satan was guiding their motives, their actions were criminal. I made sure to remind them that if they allow God to lead them and guide their actions - they will do amazing things because they are willing to act where most men are not.

I hope to go there again soon and share more of what God puts on my heart.

Blessings to you all.

Where is Barack Obama's heart?

A few months ago there was a bit of controversy over a photograph of Barack Obama not placing his hand over his heart during the playing of the National Anthem at a fundraiser. I heard about this and researched it a bit on the internet, and I found it to be true and accurate. Yes, he really is right up there on the stage with his hands down in front of him while the other democratic candidates have their hands over their hearts. Of course there are also pictures out there of him in other settings with his hand properly placed over his heart and singing along with the anthem. As to his failure to do so in this photograph, one of Obama’s PR people replied “sometimes he does; sometimes he doesn’t,” and asserted that he is in no way trying to make any sort of statement by this non-action.

Here’s my take on this: Any U.S. senator not placing his hand over his heart during the playing of the National Anthem (when everyone else around him is) DOES make a statement! Whether intentional or not – a statement is made.

Maybe to some this issue is not particularly important. Perhaps a number of citizens have well-spoken philosophical reasons for not paying the traditional respects to the symbols of our nation – and they unquestionably have that right and I would never try to force them otherwise. But – they are not running for president. For an American president, such expressions of patriotism are (and should be) expected.

To me, though, this issue is not really about a lack of patriotism, but a frighteningly clueless lack of empathy and understanding for the American people. I do believe that Mr. Obama does indeed love this country very much, and I don’t yet see credible evidence to suggest he doesn’t. However, Mr. Obama is running for the office of the President of the United States of America, and in this particular country, the symbolic gesture of placing one’s hand over their heart during the anthem has been SO VERY important to SO MANY people for SO LONG that it’s truly baffling to me that the Illinois senator wouldn’t automatically do it – ALL of the time. Doesn’t he know how it makes so many Americans feel to see him there like that, the only one with his hands down? Doesn’t he consider the passions of the millions of military veterans who can scarcely hear the anthem without holding back tears? Isn’t he aware that the office for which he is campaigning is that of the Commander-in-Chief of the whole of the U.S. armed forces, who are REQUIRED to pay proper respects to the flag and the anthem at all times? Doesn’t it occur to him that putting his hand over his heart is an expected symbol of service and allegiance not only to the flag or anthem, but to the PEOPLE who hold them so dear? I can only guess that the answer to these questions is “no.” And that DOES worry me.

When I see that picture of Barack Obama with his hands folded in front of him as if he were watching a golf game, I don’t see a dissident, an anti-patriot, or an America-hater at all – I just see a man who is completely and unbelievably aloof.

Who is smart?

Most of us know a little more about some particular thing than most other people do. Maybe for you it’s mechanics, theology, street sense, agriculture, music, business, literature, people, raising children, problem-solving, or some other subject or discipline in life. But – ALL of us know so very, very, very little compared to how much is known altogether. Therefore, none of us has as much to teach as to learn. The ignorant, I believe, are those who spend more time enlightening others than they spend learning from others.

And so I offer this postulation:

The smarter of any two people will be the one who learns the most from the other.

I hope I will live by it.

My trip to TN

I just wanted to say to all my TN family and friends how much I enjoyed my visit there last month. It was so wonderful to be around family again. Everyone seems to be doing well and it's good to see that. Special thanks to Aunt Bonita for the best fudge ever made by a mortal. I can't wait to see all of you again.

I'm also very excited to be receiving none other than Bonnie Bell Brannen into my home from July 19th to the 26th. She has never been to Colorado before - so Rachel and I look forward to showing her a good time. Maybe Aunt Bonita could stick a few pieces of fudge into Muddy's purse? Or a tuna sandwhich?

I love my family!

A short essay

I submitted the following to our local newspaper, the Gazette, for consideration in its "That's Life" column. I don't know if they'll publish it - but maybe someone will read it here on my blog and like it.



Where Oh Where Has My Armoire Been?

by Stephen Brannen (in exactly 500 words)





I have always enjoyed history, its lessons, its stories, its subtle and undeniable effect on daily life. The past is wonderfully intriguing to me, and so, therefore, are things of antiquity.

Whenever I walk into a nice old building, for instance, I wax romantic, wishing I could live in such a wonderfully experienced place with all its secrets, silent memories, and forgotten knowledge. But my house is only about forty years old, and although I love my home, its history is not remarkably deep. So I have taken to romanticizing my furniture.

My wife and I love antique pieces. We have a few of them in our living room, and although for years I ignored their history, largely because I know of no way to research it, a few weeks ago I began thinking about what my furniture’s past might have been.

First I looked at the old armoire we’ve been using as a sort of entertainment center. All I know about it is that it was built by hand some hundred years ago by a craftsman who must have passed away long before I was born. But I wonder what was his story. What events were transpiring in his life while he was working on this piece? He poured his time, attention, skill, heart and personality into its construction a century ago, and now here it stands – right here in my living room in 2008.

I wonder who else has owned this armoire. Did someone hang his uniforms in here after returning from the Great War? Did children, long grown and passed on, play hide and seek in here? Who and where are the great-grandchildren of the young bride who carefully hung her wedding dress from the old wooden dowel?

It may not have sat in the White House or the Waldorf Astoria, but I’m sure my entertainment center has a rich and intricate history. It probably overheard the news of the Wright brothers’ first flight, the Titanic sinking, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, the war that followed, the stock market crash, Pearl Harbor, Korea, the Kennedys, Vietnam, and certainly yesterday’s headlines.

The hardy poplar panels have been touched by the hands of people who lived in older, simpler times. Their essence has seeped into the grain along with the dark brown finish, mingling with the oil and dirt from my own hands. In this anonymous way, my family and I are connected to the residents of history.

Who knows where this elegant old closet will eventually go. Maybe it will live on after I’m gone – in the living room of some other hopeless romantic. Maybe he will wonder if an old-fashioned CD player ever sat inside it, piping old-fashioned ambient techno music through its speakers.

It’s humbling, because it makes me realize that I am, after all, just one small link in the long chain of history. But I like my place in the chain, the stories I’m making in it, and the armoire I share it with.