Lying Politicians
January 26, 2009
Sam Adams, mayor of Portland, Oregon, (possibly former mayor sometime this week) is in hot water. Mr. Adams was elected last fall, running as an openly gay candidate. By all reports, he is a passionate Portlander with a compelling vision for the future of the city. He is also a liar.
During the campaign, rumors circulated that Mr. Adams had an inappropriate sexual relationship with an underage young man. He denied the allegations, claiming his relationship was a mentor to a young gay man trying to get started in politics. Facts have come to light disproving that claim. Mr. Adams then explained his duplicity by admitting the relationship was sexual, but that it didn’t start until after the young man was 18. That’s crucial since that line of demarcation keeps the relationship from not only being immoral, but also illegal.
People in Portland are up in arms, not because their gay mayor had a homosexual relationship with a man 30 years his junior, but because he lied about it. The Oregonian (major newspaper), along with Just Out (local gay-community newspaper), have both called on Mr. Adams to resign.
I am confused.
The call for Mr. Adams’ resignation is not related to his moral (in my view immoral) sexual behavior. He is being asked to resign because he lied about it. Are you kidding me?
Since when did lying become grounds for dismissing or recalling politicians from office? Lying to their constituents, usually in the form of promising what cannot be delivered, is par for the course in the political arena. Telling people what they want to hear rather than telling them the truth is another politically acceptable from of prevarication. If Mr. Adams is forced to resign for being a liar, it might open a whole new chapter in the level of accountability we require of politicians and government leaders. While that would be a good outcome, I am pessimistic it will really happen.
We have reached a place in America where licentious behavior is permissible for public officials, as long as they don’t lie about it. Bill Clinton is the most egregious example. Sam Adams is just the most recent. God help us.
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A Good Week in America
January 20, 2009
My travels this past week took me to northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Seeing the capital decked out for the inauguration was inspiring. About 300,000 people are expected to brave the cold and crowd the mall area (there are hundreds and hundreds of port-a-potties along with 21 Jumbotrons awaiting them!) for this historic event. Although it would be great to be able to tell my grandchildren “I was there,” I am more than happy to watch it on television!
The inauguration of Barack Obama highlights much that is good in America. Our nation’s checkered record on race relations and civil rights makes the election of a person of color a powerful statement of our progress in these crucial areas. One young friend recently told me, “I don’t see the big deal about Obama’s race.” Well, that’s because this person was born in the 1980’s and didn’t live through the 1960’s. Generational progress is making us all more color blind in relationships – and that is a very good thing.
The inauguration will also mark an orderly transfer of power. It is amazing our two political parties can attack each other for almost two years and then come together around the newly chosen president. His cabinet nominees are usually confirmed, after a bit of blustering, with overwhelming majorities. His policy proposals are often given the benefit of the doubt as both parties try to get the new administration off on the right foot. It is also amazing the former president hands over power (even hosting a luncheon for all former presidents with Mr. Obama) and moves quietly into retirement.
In many places in the world, an election sets off riots and a lost election initiates a coup. Our republic really is a nation of laws more that parties or personalities. Every election is a reminder of this and chance to affirm it all over again. America, after more than 200 years, remains a great experiment, a living laboratory of democracy in action. We are privileged to participate in such a process.
Our participation in the inaugural celebration doesn’t mean all of us agree with President Obama, his policies, or the platform of his party. In the months to come, we are duty-bound to exert all reasonable and legal influence to express our convictions and demand a voice in the governing process. On issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, strengthening the family, stopping human trafficking, and care for the poor, Baptists and evangelicals must speak clearly and authoritatively. When we have a moral imperative that informs public policy it is our duty to proclaim it.
The right and responsibility to do this also makes it good to be an American!
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The Poor Porn Industry
January 12, 2009
The Porn industry in America has requested a government bailout. Whether it is some kind of warped, quasi-serious request or simply a publicity stunt – the brashness in asking for taxpayer support is amazing. Larry Flynt, infamous porn publisher said in a statement, “People are too depressed to be sexually active. This is a very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such but they cannot do without sex. With all this economic misery and people losing all that money, sex is the farthest thing from their mind. It’s time for Congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America.”
Rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America? The sexual appetite of America seems to be doing fine. Strip clubs are in almost every community, adult bookstores all along prominent freeways, full sexual expression in movies, and even soft porn on basic cable. Porn was a $12 billion industry in 2007. Even though DVD sales have been dropping, the industry continues to grow. Don’t let that drop in DVD sales encourage you. The delivery system has simply changed to the Internet. And, industry leaders report, new technological innovations will create new revenue sources. For example, one company is working to create a way to send porn to iPhones and iPods. It’s obvious no bailout, governmental or otherwise, is needed.
In my adult lifetime, the porn industry has grown into a seemingly untamable monster. In the mid 1980’s, the first adult bookstore opened in our mid-size community. Several pastors organized, with the help of the sheriff and district attorney, a prolonged picket line equipped with video and still cameras to record the activities. Within a few months, we won and the store closed. Can you imagine that kind of united community effort these days? Not likely.
On another occasion, I was part of a group of pastors trying to get a Christian television channel added to the basic cable service in our area. At one meeting, the cable owner proposed giving us the channel, free, if we would not raise a public outcry if he also added the Playboy channel. We declined. Can you imagine that kind of moral resolve today? Sadly, it would be hard to find.
Those of us who work most closely with broken people know the devastation pornography causes. Failed marriages, abused women, hurting children – not to mention economic loss both corporately and personally are all common outcomes for porn addicts. And it’s not just a problem for the weak, poor, or uneducated. It can destroy anyone.
Let’s hope Congress has the good sense to ignore this ridiculous request. Let’s pray and work for the day when men and women of moral courage are elected who will do more than ignore such a request. Let’s pray for leaders who will protect Americans by enacting and enforcing laws to stop this insidious mess.
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God Always Provides
January 5, 2009
With the national economy in distress, many ministry organizations and churches are feeling the pinch. We are not exempt, although we are faring better than most. We have made some cutbacks and trimmed our budget but we are not laying off employees or compromising our mission. We have been frugal in good times, so we are prepared for some tough times.
Having to closely monitor financial issues can be stressful. It’s easy to panic, to forget that God (not donors, the denomination, or competent fundraisers) is our Source and Supply. God always provides for what he wants done. George Mueller, who supported several orphanages and a publishing ministry without ever asking anyone for money once said, “God’s work, done God’s way, will never lack for God’s support.” That is a profound reminder of the goodness of God.
My wife reminded me of this principle in a fresh way during the Christmas season after re-reading the Christmas story. After the wise men left Jesus, an angel told Joseph to take his family and flee to Egypt to protect him from Herod. The Bible says the young family left immediately for Egypt. Ann asked, “How do you suppose they had the resources to drop everything, go to Egypt, and live there for many years?” Her answer, “God provided for their needs through the gifts of the wise men.” That was a new and powerful thought for me!
Previously, my best biblical example of Mueller’s principle, was the looting of the Egyptians by the Israelites when they fled Egypt. As they were leaving after the final plague, God instructed them to ask the Egyptians for gold, silver, jewels, and fine linens. The Israelites plundered the Egyptians and left a wealthy people. For what purpose? Why carry so much booty into the desert? The tabernacle!
God provided for the tabernacle before the Israelites knew they would build one. When God wants something done, he provides the resources. Whether it’s for a ministry project (like the tabernacle) or a family’s protection (like Jesus’ family’s travels), God provides.
So, if you are feeling anxious about how the economy will impact you, let your anxieties drive you to prayerful dependence on God. Allow your needs to prompt a reevaluation of how you are spending your money. Perhaps God is providing, but you aren’t spending it wisely. That’s one of the blessings when a ministry like ours (or a family like yours) has less money for a while. We are forced to reevaluate our work and prioritize our spending on what is truly important to our mission. That may be painful in the short run, but it is always healthy for the long haul.
God provides. He always has. He always will. Let’s ask for wisdom to spend his provision according to his mission. When we do, we will always have enough.
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