O'Biden

I don't know about y'all, but I'm ready for the O'Biden era to begin.
I know there are people who are still fearful of some hidden agenda.
Some say Muslim, some say communist.
I still hear this on local talk radio shows.
No matter how much you try to counter it with the truth some people seem to want to believe what the reactionary right wing pundits like Rush Limbaugh, O' Reilly, and Hannity grind out almost every day
Read Billy Graham's magazine if you want to know if Senator Obama is a Christian or not. There are those who say if you watched Mrs. Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention you would not doubt that Senator Obama is a Christian.
As for a communist agenda for one thing remember that the first Christians called each other "Comrade" and according to Acts 2:42-47 "42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Mr. George Soros is who they often have in mind when they speak of a hidden communist agenda but if you read about Mr. Soros life and you will come to believe that he is no way a communist and has even in his way fought against communism as well as fascism.
The worst thing you could say about Mr. Soros aside from perhaps some insider trading is that he might be an atheist. He considers himself Jewish.
How can you be Jewish and an atheist?
Better to be George Soros than Rupert Murdoch.
Isn't it Mr. Murdoch's television network in Great Britain that broadcasts Al Jazeera?

I can just imagine in a few hundred years historians or archeologists talking about the time of the O'Biden.

Freedom Will you strive for justice and peace among all people , and respect the dignity of every human being? I will with God's help. (BCP page 304)

In the United States today we are at least nominally celebrating freedom.
In the 1940's with other civilized countries we fought a war against "conservative" governments who forced many of their citizens to wear symbols such as golden stars on their clothing so it would be easier to know who they were and hate them.
Is it happening again?
Happy 4th of July !

Attacks against Roma

Italy assailed over plan to fingerprint Gypsies

By Elisabetta Povoledo

Thursday, July 3, 2008

ROME: The Italian government's plans to fingerprint Gypsies living in camps, including children, drew fresh criticism Thursday when a Catholic human rights organization warned that identifying people according to ethnicity would set a dangerous precedent.

"We are very worried about discrimination according to race or religion," said Marco Impagliazzo, president of the organization, the Community of Sant'Egidio, which is based in Rome. "It evokes painful memories, like the Vichy regime."

As part of a broader crackdown on crime, the conservative government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has pledged to take a census of all Roma and Sinti people, as they prefer to be known, who are living in some 700 camps in Italy. The census, which has a mid-October deadline, also identifies individuals' religion and ethnic group.

Evoking a "Roma emergency" in large cities like Milan, Rome and Naples, the government has also said it plans to shut down unauthorized camps by May 2009 and repatriate people who are in Italy illegally.

On Wednesday, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni told Parliament that the idea behind the census was to "put an end to illegal camps and guarantee security to Italian citizens, but above all to the minors who live in these camps." In many cases, he said, people are living in "sub-human conditions, where children are forced to live with rats."

About half of the estimated 160,000 Roma and Sinti people living in Italy are Italian citizens, another 20 percent are citizens of other European Union countries, while the remainder come from the countries that once made up Yugoslavia.

"There is no national emergency," a spokesman for the organization, Mario Marazziti, said. "What is an emergency is that in the 21st century the life expectancy of a gypsy living in Italy is under 60 years of age."

Rather than take a census, he said, the government would do better to "come up with something to improve their lives."

The government has defended its stance, saying that it has been acting within the boundaries of existing Italian law and EU directives.

The European Commission, the EU executive body, issued a report this week on the discrimination and social exclusion of the Roma. It said that their life expectancy was 10 to 15 years lower than that of other Europeans.

On Monday, the European Parliament is scheduled to discuss the Italian census proposal.

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Copyright © 2008 The International Herald Tribune | www.iht.com

Voice of the Martyrs “I Have Heard The Cry of My People”

Pastoral Message issued by the Bishops of the Church of the Province of Central Africa

Posted On : June 3, 2008 11:03 AM | Posted By : Admin ACO
ACNS: ACNS4411
Related Categories: Central Africa

On the Crisis in Zimbabwe

“I Have Heard The Cry of My People”

We the Bishops of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa, comprising Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, “called to share in Jesus’ work of sanctifying and shepherding his people and of speaking in God’s name”. As shepherds of our people we are deeply concerned and dismayed at the escalation of violence in Zimbabwe since the post election of 29th March 2008.

We are alarmed that a government can perpetrate irresponsible acts against its citizens by destroying people’s homes, torturing and killing for the simple reason that they did not vote “correctly”. We fear that the Presidential Run-Off elections on 27th June 2008 could witness a repeat of retribution of those who would have not voted “correctly”.

As bishops our mission has been and will be to preach the gospel of peace and justice for all. Therefore we are distressed at what the people of Zimbabwe are experiencing in an environment devoid of any resemblance of justice and peace.

We call upon the perpetrators of these immoral and criminal activities to respect the rule of law which safeguards and preserves human life and dignity. The reports that people are being maimed, killed, and denied decent burials, paints a contrary picture to our African understanding of Ubuntu.

All these point out to the leadership of these perpetrators that they have lost a sense of nationhood.

As bishops we are also pained to hear that members of the Anglican Diocese of Harare are being denied to pray in their church buildings. We are concerned that their right to worship enshrined in the constitution of Zimbabwe as well as the Article 18 of the UN Charter on Human Rights is being violated. This mirrors the persecution of Christians of the Early Church and in this context we remind the perpetrators that then as now God still triumphs over evil.

As bishops, we pray that the right of the people of Zimbabwe as spelled out in the constitution be upheld, that the judicial system as a reservoir of integrity, without respect of persons in its judgement and ruling, be guided by the spirit of justice and equity. That the law enforcement agents carry out their professional duties to defend shared values. The political parties respect the will of the people regardless of whether the results of the elections are in their favour or not.

We offer this prayer for sanity and resolve to bring all people in Zimbabwe to the realization that we are all God’s children, created in His image to love one another.

As bishops we commend all God’s children in Zimbabwe to His mercy that they may live in love, justice and peace.

In closing we offer this prayer to all:

Lord, you asked for my hands that you might use them for your purpose.
I gave them for a moment then withdrew them for the work was hard.
You asked for my mouth to speak out against injustice.
I gave you a whisper that I might not be accused.
You asked for my eyes to see the pain of poverty.
I closed them for I did not want to see.
You asked for my life that you might work through me.
I gave a small part that I might not get too involved.
Lord, forgive my calculated efforts to serve you
Only when it is convenient for me to do so,
Only in those places where it is safe to do so,
And only with those who make it easy to do so.
Father, forgive me, renew me
Send me out as a usable instrument
That I might take seriously the meaning of your cross.

Issued by the Bishops of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa

1.The Right Rev. Albert Chama - Bishop of Northern Zambia & Dean of the Province of Central Africa
2.The Right Rev. Christopher J. Boyle - Bishop of Northern Malawi
3.The Right Rev. Peter Hatendi - Bishop of Manicaland
4.The Right Rev. Derek Kamukwamba - Bishop of Central Zambia
5.The Right Rev. Sebastian Bakare - Bishop of Harare
6.The Right Rev. William Mchombo - Bishop of Eastern Zambia
7.The Right Rev. Ishmael Mukuwanda - Bishop of Central Zimbabwe
8.The Right Rev. Robert Mumbi - Bishop of Luapula
9.The Right Rev. Trevor Mwamba - Bishop of Botswana
10.The Right Rev. David Njovu - Bishop of Lusaka
11.The Right Rev. Wilson Sitshebo - Bishop Matabeleland
12.The Right Rev. Godfrey Tawonezvi - Bishop of Masvingo
13.The Right Rev. James Tengatenga - Bishop of Southern Malawi
14.The Rev. Canon Michael Mkoko - Vicar General of the Diocese of Lake Malawi
15.The Very Rev. Brighton Malasa - Vican General of the Diocese of Upper Shire

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Published by the Anglican Communion Office © 2008 Anglican Consultative Council