N.R.A. and Values

Part II

Part II of this series on "N.R.A.: Testing the Spirits" will focus on values.  Values drive an organization, move it forward, provide the lens through which it activates its purpose. What are some core N.R.A. values?  I would suggest that the following values are on balance more expressive of the N.R.A. leadership rather than regular members.  Let's see some values.

INFLEXIBLE, ABUSIVE BULLIES:  Four respected national leaders resigned their membership saying: "[The NRA has become] very inflexible and almost radical; they appeal to a fringe element of gun owners." General Norman Schwarzkopf; "[I object to the] ludicrous and offensive implication that federal agents are encouraged to commit acts of violence against ordinary citizens." Congressman John Dingell; "They've become abusive, accusatory, sick, violent, threatening bullies.  They want absolute subservience, and they are not going to get it from me." Former Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell; "[I object to the BATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) being referred to as a bunch of] jack-booted thugs." Former President George H.W. Bush (1)

ANTI-RESEARCH: In 1995 the N.R.A. mounted a successful campaign to cut funding for the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control whose responsibility is to do research on why accidents and tragedies happen, believing that understanding the reason will help lead to higher safety standards and fewer accidents and deaths.  The reasons for their opposition: "They want to foster a negative image against law-abiding gun owners.... All their research comes to the conclusion that owning a gun is bad and dangerous to your health." Their research is "obviously flawed". (2)

Also criticized were two highly respected medical journals: The New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association saying, "We have a problem with these organizations, too, for not holding the articles to their usual standards." (3)

RACIST AND DISRESPECTFUL: Jeff Gordon, N.R.A. Board Member, referred to the Japanese as "Nips" and suggested calling South Africans from Gauteng Province "Orang-gutangs". Comparing Los Angeles with Ho Chi Minh City he said, "LA and Ho Chi Minh City have declared themselves sister cities.  It makes sense as they are both Third World metropolises formerly occupied by Americans." (4)

Ted Nugent, N.R.A. Board Member and celebrity spokesperson, called Hillary Clinton a "toxic c--t".

"This bitch is nothing but a two-bit whore for Fidel Castro." Also, "I met a couple of guys in line yesterday who go, 'Write something to my girlfriend, she won't let me go hunting'.  I wrote her something and I said, "Drop dead, bitch.' What good is she, trade her in, get a Dalmatian. Who needs a wench." (5)

INSPIRED "RIGHT TO CARRY" AND "STAND YOUR GROUND" LAWS: Stand Your Ground laws make it legal for a person who is attacked in public to use lethal force as a first resort.  A new study out of  Texas A&M found that "...lowering the expected costs associated with lethal force..." these SYG laws "...induce more of it".  In Florida justifiable homicides tripled between 2005-2011 because of SYG laws. (6)

STOKE FIRES OF FEAR: Wayne LaPierre writes: "Americans are facing the reality that they are on their own.... People are anticipating dangerous times and are responding in the only sensible, logical way possible - they are buying guns." "America's women are leading the way!... The more women who buy and shoot guns, the safer and better off we'll all be." (7)  The N.R.A. has run ads to promote gun purchasing: "Should you shoot a rapist before he cuts your throat?" and "If you are attacked on your porch, do you want your neighbors to be opposed to gun ownership or a member of the N.R.A.?" (8)

EXTREMIST-MILITIA MOVEMENT FRIENDLY:  "The N.R.A. has made martyrs out of two odd characters, not because either is particularly heroic, but because both came in the cross hairs of the BATF."  Jack Anderson is speaking of Randy Weaver, an avowed white separatist, and David Koresh, child sex molester, who is quoted as saying, "I am God's chosen instrument, and the laws that govern mere mortals do not apply to me." (9) The N.R.A. is consistently referenced in the Southern Poverty Law Center's magazine Intelligence Report which is dedicated to exposing right-wing extremist militia groups, as defending citizens' right to bear arms.  In fairness, the SPLC does not say the N.R.A. directly supports  violent militia actions. Yet, one needs to ask, why the linkage?  Even Jack Anderson asks for an investigation of the linkage between the N.R.A. and the militia movement. (10)

A word about the sources for the above commentary.  Jack Anderson's book, Inside the NRA, copyright 1996, is cited in numbers 1-5, and 9. Jack was a member of the NRA, a Republican, a respected journalist, and a dedicated Mormon, hardly the type of person who would have an ideological axe to grind. I find that what Jack wrote in 1996 is consistent with the present NRA actions.             The Rolling Stone, a 2013 article, is quoted in numbers 6-8.  The Intelligence Report is referenced to support Jack Anderson's inquiry.

Since this is the second commentary on the theme of "NRA: Testing the Spirits", connecting the NRA with a Biblical witness is necessary.  Hence, I conclude with words from the hymn, "Healer of Our Every Ill", ELW 612:

Healer of our every ill, light of each tomorrow,

Give us peace beyond our fear, and hope beyond our sorrow.

Too often the NRA leadership fails the test of being a healer, but instead foments fear, creates the rationale for justifying more violence, makes people into objects, and instills a spirit of "the enemy", us vs. them. I find these outcomes contrary to Biblical witness.

Peace!

Ron Letnes  

The N.R.A - Testing the Spirits

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, 

but test the spirits to see if they are from God;

for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

I John 4:1

It is right and proper to sift all life events and organizations through the sieve of the Word.  The Word is the foundation for discerning what is True of God.  As Christians we are bound to the Word as the source of action.

The National Rifle Association needs a proper sifting.  The NRA is the number one defender of gun rights in America.  The NRA has enormous political clout.  The NRA strikes fear into all politicians: woe to the pol who criticises the NRA or supports gun control measures, as you will be opposed or primaried in the next election cycle.  The NRA is fiercely opposed to most gun safety, gun restriction measures: opposed to universal background checks, opposed to research on gun violence, opposed to bans on automatic and semi-automatic weapons, opposed to restrictions on purchase of "cop killer" bullets, opposed to restrictions on large capacity ammo magazines.  After all, "guns don't kill people, people kill people".  Furthermore, their appeal to the Second Amendment as the holy grail of gun liberty is blindly obsessive! 

Nearly all attempts at common sense gun violence prevention are opposed by the NRA.  Why?  They believe it will infringe on a person's right to bear arms.  They say it is in the Constitution.  They believe people need to have the right to protect themselves, and the government may come and take away your rights. They say a person has the right to protect themselves from government tyranny.

Yet, we have a problem in America.  The United States leads the world in mass shooting homicides.  According to the World Bank-Organization for Economic Cooperation and development, nations who are classified as high income, "...the United States has the highest homicide rate, the highest number of guns per capita, and the highest rate of deaths due to assault.  The USA has more homicides by gun than all other nations than all of the other high income countries combined". 

In spite of this tragic reality, the NRA's intimidation tactics, its blind arbitrariness to opposing nearly all gun violence prevention measures, its obsession with stoking fear of the enemy and vigilance of government tyranny, grind reform to a halt.  Even the massacres at Sandy Hook, Aurora, Virginia Tech, Columbine make no difference to their passion.  

The spirit of the NRA needs to be tested against the Spirit of Jesus.  I am beginning a series of blogs to "test the spirits".   As an introduction, here is a "Special Report" from the NRA leadership to its membership:

THE FINAL WAR HAS BEGUN

A DOCUMENT SECRETLY DELIVERED TO ME reveals frightening evidence that the full scale war to CRUSH your gun rights has not only begun, but is well underway.... What's more, dozens of federal gun ban bills suggest this final assault has begun - not just to ban all handguns or all semi-automatics but to ELIMINATE private firearm ownership completely and forever....

WHAT YOU MUST DO AT ONCE

1.  BURY CONGRESS WITH YOUR LETTERS! Write and ask your congressman to vote against these gun bans....

2.  DEAFEN CONGRESS WITH YOUR CALLS!  Tell your congressman about the secret anti-gun agenda to abolish gun ownership in America.

GET EVERY GUN OWNER YOU KNOW to send money to join the NRA or to renew or upgrade "Your Value-Packed NRA Menbership." 

CONFISCATE, DISARM, DESTROY

HARASSMENT, LAWSUITS, AND CRIMINALIZATION of lawful gun owners.  While armed, violent CRIMINALS rage through a defenseless society, the Second Amendment goes up in flames.  That's the tomorrow your children face.  Only you can stop it, through NRA membership....

GUN OWNERS, STAY FOCUSED

THE FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOMS 

IS FAR FROM OVER!

(Source: Inside the NRA by Jack Anderson)

This apocalyptic spirit of the NRA needs to be tested.  Lives are at stake.  The character of our nation is  at a crossroads.  A Christian response cries out!

Stay tuned.

Peace!

Ron Letnes

  

Evil Redux

Linda and I watched all 13 episodes of "House of Cards", the American version of the original English work of the same name.  It is a political thriller of ambition, narcissism, retribution run amok. Sadly, the series seems appropriate for much of the dysfunction within many legislative leaders today. 

Francis Underwood is the key player.  He is the Democratic Majority Whip who supported the victorious Democratic candidate for President in hopes of being nominated for Secretary of State.  To Francis' chagrin the president nominated someone else, with the president explaining that he needed Francis in the House in order to pass his legislation.  This change of plans unleashes Francis' anger,  causing him to orchestrate the demise of political careers and the death of a House member.

The word describing Francis' character is evil.  Yes, we all do evil. His actions, so dramatically portrayed by Kevin Spacey, can help us recognize evils in Washington, DC and within ourselves. Recognition is necessary for transformation with the caveat that we cannot know all of the evil within. It is God's grace that reveals evil and God's grace transforms our hearts of evil and makes us new. God's grace  "knows" our hearts completely, readies us for renewal, and transforms us to new life. Psalm 139:23-24 lifts up God's microscope of the heart.  "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.  See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

What is evil?  In The City of God, Augustine defines evil as "a perversion or destruction of a previous good" as it seeks to dissolve or destroy what is.  Francis' goal is to dissolve and destroy the good of people's lives to satisfy his ambition, to justify his ideology to achieve what he believes is his.  What "evils" does Francis do?  

A partial list would include: 1) Destroying others' legitimate careers;  2) Taking advantage of others' weaknesses;  3) Infidelity;  4) Harmfully using others;  5) Obsessively controlling others and limiting their legitimate actions;  6) Spirit of retribution and revenge;  7) Destructive manipulation;  8) Murder; 9) Sex for favors;  10) Betrayal of truth;  11) Harming the well-being of the nation by promoting one's ambition.

One scene captures his depth of evil.  Francis enters a church, walks to the chancel area, kneels, and defiantly confesses, not out of belief but of his personal credo: "I pray to myself, for myself," while acknowledging the insignificance of heaven and hell. His face is cold as he walks away from the cross.

At this moment in our nation's history, too much "evil" is poisoning our well-being and destroying the common good.  The sequester is denying necessary resources to the most needy.  The shutdown doubles down on squeezing those same vulnerable citizens. The movement to cancel the Affordable Care Act is unconscionable.  The demand for cuts to Social Security and Medicare "triples down" on the most vulnerable. The quest to destroy President Obama's presidency at the expense of the people's good is treasonous. And all the while the rich get richer and the rest of the country suffers. The list goes on.

What is the way through this evil morass?  Confession.  Acknowledgement of our evilness.  Naming the evil.  Kneeling before the transforming Christ and calling for mercy.  It is then that God's grace leads us forth as new people and prepares us for transformative actions for the common good.  Hymn 843 in the ELW sings:

Praise the One who breaks the darkness with a liberating light;

praise the One who frees the pris'ners, turning blindness into sight.

Praise the One who preached the gospel, healing every dread disease,

calming storms and feeding thousands with the very bread of peace.

Peace!

Hopeful Words-Hopeful Actions

I recall a WWII movie starring Richard Widmark, in which a common phrase served as motivation for action: "Hope is the mother of all men."  At various times during battle, and as he lay dying on the battlefield, the character uttered these words.

Jurgen Moltmann tells the story of how he came to write A THEOLOGY OF HOPE.  He was a captured German soldier living in a POW camp in England after the German surrender.  He writes that his dreams for Germany lay in the ashes of Auschwitz.  He felt hopeless.  The turnaround happened when an Allied chaplain gave him a Holy Bible.  As he read through the witness, the word HOPE became his light.  In Christ was hope.

Certainly there is considerable evidence to validate hopelessness today,  Yet, there are also considerable words and actions which yield hope.  

The ELCA Churchwide Assembly this past August passed a resolution asking ELCA members, "consistent with their bound consciences," to ask their elected officials to pass legislation that promotes universal background checks, prevent gun trafficking, and require reporting of gun loss or theft to law enforcement.  The ELCA is on public record.  Yes, there is "wiggle room" to not take action.  The ELCA has high respect for the individual conscience which can create ethical "mushiness." But it can also inspire, give permission, give cover for those who need cover, for action on gun violence prevention.  HOPEFUL WORDS-HOPEFUL ACTION

Our congregation in Circle Pines, Minnesota, is hosting a RESPECTFUL CONVERSATION on "Guns in Minnesota."  The event is sponsored by the Minnesota Council of Churches.  To quote the MCC, "The focus will not be on changing minds, but on softening hearts while discussing a divisive issue in Minnesota.  Join us to learn and practice how we can discuss this significant issue without disliking each other more, but instead by understanding each other better."  Yes, I know this seems like a weasel-like approach, but keep in mind that the MCC sponsored 50 of these RCs last year focusing on discussing LGBT marriage in response to the anti-LGBT marriage amendment that was proposed for the Minnesota Constitution.  The proposed amendment "failed" to be passed, making Minnesota the only state to defeat similar successful proposed amendments in 30 other states. Perhaps these RCs can assist in encouraging the Minnesota legislature to pass a universal/expanded background check bill this coming session.  HOPEFUL ACTION-HOPEFUL WORDS

Pope Francis said recently in a provocative interview: "This church with which we should be thinking is the home of all, not a small chapel that can hold only a small group of selected people.  We must not reduce the bosom of the universal church to a nest protecting our mediocrity." Pope Francis seems to be openly inclusive, faithfully and lovingly critical, willing to engage the warp and woof of diversity, and embrace an ecumenical spirit within the Body of Christ.  He further says: "...the church has become obsessed with gays, abortion, and contraception to the detriment of its larger mission to be home for all."  HOPEFUL WORDS

Finally, Secretary of State, John Kerry, is engaging in diplomatic efforts with Russia and Syria to eliminate the danger of chemical warfare in Syria, with Israel and Palestine to create a peaceful solution to their decades long impasse, and now with Iran regarding its nuclear intentions.  Diplomacy instead of war.  HOPEFUL WORDS-HOPEFUL ACTIONS

I love the hymn which begins "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." And another hymn which was also Linda's and my wedding hymn, "Lord of all Hopefulness." Paul's mantra in Romans 5 weds hope with life: "Suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.  And hope does not disappoint."

HOPEFUL WORDS-HOPEFUL ACTIONS

PEACE!

Words B4 War

Thankfully, there is hopeful news to solving the Syrian crisis.  War drums are morphing into words, phone calls, person to person diplomacy, and the clicking of characters on paper spelling out specifics. It appears that Syrian leadership will accept the Russian proposal to hand over Syrian gas WMD to an international body like the United Nations, thereby averting a military strike. It appears.  Let us hope appearance leads to resolution.

Interestingly, this surprising development occurred after Sec. of State John Kerry made a comment that a way through the crisis could be just what is happening.  The remark at a news conference was more of a hope than a proposal. Or was it?  President Obama and President Putin had discussed the possibility at the recent G-20 Conference in St. Petersburg.  Whatever the truth, the important fact will be the end result: no military strike and the elimination of poison gas as a tool of war during this sectarian conflict.

Hence, the importance of keeping doors open, of continuing the struggle to find solutions as impossible as they may seem, of restraining the use of military action until all else fails, and then perhaps second guessing oneself and deciding to not strike.  But KEEP TALKING, KEEP BEING CREATIVE, KEEP DOORS OPEN.

This is a key component of NONVIOLENCE.  Let words, nonviolent intentions, struggling creativity, quest for peace, and personal relationships lead the way.  I am reminded of stories during union negotiations with CEOs.  Sometimes they had stayed in the room until there was a solution.  Also, there is an island in Scotland called the Island of Reconciliation, where clan leaders and individuals would go to work out their differences and not leave until resolution.

Yes, the threat of force by the "mightiest military in the world" may have nudged Assad towards this apparent solution.  Yet, what also helped was the strong voice of the American people and other nations to hold back.  People and nations spoke their opposition.  Words again.  Words replaced war.

Words and nonviolence go together because together there is action.  Here are some more W-NV actions for resolutions:

MORE NATIONS OPENING THEIR BORDERS FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES UNTIL THE

          CIVIL WAR IS CONCLUDED

TRANSPARENCY IN EXPOSING THE WARS REALITY SO THE WORLD KNOWS THE

          TRUTH WITHIN THE CONFLICT

THE WORLD COURT DECLARING ASSAD A WAR CRIMINAL AND BRINGING HIM

          TO THE COURT OF JUSTICE

AFFIRMATION OF UNITED NATIONS PROTOCOL AGAINST POISON GAS

APPEALING TO UNITED ARAB LEAGUE FOR RESPONSE

STATEMENTS BY THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, NATIONAL COUNCIL

          OF CHURCHES, ELCA, AND ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES, AS WELL AS

          ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP IN OPPOSITION TO POISON GAS AND THE WAR

STATEMENTS BY NATO

STATEMENTS BY ISRAEL

IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS

CONTINUED UNITED NATIONS INVOLVEMENT

CONTINUED EFFORT TO BRING ALL SIDES TOGETHER FOR A DIPLOMATIC

         SOLUTION

COMMITMENT OF THE SYRIAN PEOPLE TO NONVIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS

         FOR PEACE

Multiple nonviolent options exist for conflict resolution.  Words B4 War.  Come to think of it, Jesus used words and nonviolent action transform the world!  Is there a lesson here?

Peace! 

ELCA Gun Actions

I reviewed the ELCA synodical assembly action reports of 52 of 65 synods in THE LUTHERAN magazine relative to actions on gun violence.  Here are the actions:

SIERRA PACIFIC: Affirmed the moral imperative to reduce violence, death, and injury caused by guns.

PACIFICA: Memorialized the ELCA Churchwide Assembly to promote a culture of nonviolence through education and advocacy for background checks for all gun sales "regardless of point of origin."

NORTH/WEST LOWER MICHIGAN: Encouraged its members to explore "ways and means, including comprehensive background checks, to lessen and limit gun violence."

SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA: Encourage members to contact elected officials to support "responsible control of deadly weapons, background checks for all gun sales, greater action toward issues of mental health and domestic violence...."

NEW JERSEY: Affirmed anti-gun violence action by advocating for closing gaps in the background check systems; prohibiting large capacity ammunition magazines, and encouraging common sense, comprehensive legislative approaches to gun violence.

WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA: Established "gun free zones," prohibiting individuals from carrying concealed weapons within synod churches.

VIRGINIA: Postponed indefinitely a resolution calling for action on gun violence.  Referred to a synod council committee a resolution that requested advocacy for the restriction of the sale of military-style assault weapons and for the mandatory background checks on gun buyers.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Defeated a resolution on gun violence.

ST. PAUL AREA SYNOD: (For the record, these actions were not mentioned in THE LUTHERAN synodical report even though the assembly voted to support them by 84%) Support for common sense gun safety laws, encourage congregations to contact their elected officials in St. Paul and Washington to support common sense gun safety actions to include the banning of assault rifles, elimination of high capacity ammunition clips, instituting universal background checks, closing gun show loophole, creating a national database to track movement and sale of firearms, expanded mental health checks, increasing penalties for carrying guns near school;s or giving guns to minors, separate criminal offenses for gun trafficking, hiring more agents, and elimination of the sale of armor piercing bullets.  Synodical leadership was urged to communicate synodical support for this resolution to appropriate elected state and national officials.

Now what?  Resolutions give moral force for action.  Congregations can cite them for study and response.  Resolutions give congregations and leadership "cover" for action: "The call to action didn't come from me but from the synod!"  Resolutions widen influence for change.  Permission is granted to address change.  A mandate is demanded.  We are not alone.  The strength of the Community of Christ has spoken.  We can act with courage.  The Church has our backs.

Synodical leadership must continue to be vocal in support.  Congregations must seize the call to action that has been placed on the table and burned into our hearts.  Otherwise, resolutions are only words which assuage the conscience into noble intentions but no action.

What of the assemblies that took no action? Did not the carnage of Sandy Hook, Aurora, Columbine, Virginia Tech and numerous other tragedies mean anything?  Why the silence?  Why the defeats?  Why no action?  Why only a referral to a synodical committee?

What is your church leadership doing? What is your congregation doing?

The Church is graced with the power of the Holy Spirit revealing the transforming compassion and call to the peacemaking justice of the Christ. We can be of good courage, fearing nothing, trusting that Jesus has our backs.

Press on!

Travel as Transformation

Linda and I just returned from a 25 day adventure to the Canadian Maritimes: Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, New Brunswick, with Montreal, Quebec City, Campobello Island and Acadia National Park mixed into the travel salad.  

One of the greatest values of travel is the opportunity to allow experiences to become parables or metaphors for peace, justice, and nonviolence.  Psalm 27:13 says: "I believe I shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living."  Similarly, the parables of Jesus are at least 80% real life examples through which the writer gives a theological twist at the end!  If we allow our travel experiences to become parables/metaphors, we "flavor" our adventures with a holy taste, beyond fast food utility to become a banquet of Kingdom delites!  We see life as a gift of grace through which God calls us to care and reflect God's will in all places at all times.  Here are some Maritime Parables/Metaphors:

MONTREAL'S JARDIN BOTANIQUE:  Imagine life size and building size sculptures of animals and beings, made of steel, mesh, and millions of plants and flowers providing the color.  There were buffalo, sheep, monkeys, herons, and more!  There was a Bird Tree of many birds on the verge of extinction.  Mother Earth with her long tresses was notated with a quote from Chief Seattle: "The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth." A turtle was placed atop a grand piano signifying harmony between the animal world and humanity.  The Genesis Creation stories were alive!

PORT ROYAL, NOVA SCOTIA : Canada's first permanent settlement, founded by French settlers in 1604.  The French and Micmag natives formed a strong friendship.  This friendship was tested and triumphed when late one year the village was destroyed by the English.  Winter was approaching and the French were taken in by the Micmag people, enabling them to survive the winter.  Think of Paul in Galatians: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, [French or Micmag], for we are all one in Jesus Christ."

CEILIDH (pronounced "cay lee"): In Gaelic the word means "kitchen party."  It is an evening of foot-stomping, spirited, joy-filled music and dance!  The fiddler is central, accompanied by a guitarist, a form of drum, and keyboardist (if available).  No depressing sounds, just unabashed fun interlaced with Irish dancing!  Think Psalm 150: "Praise God with...."

CHARLOTTETOWN DANCING:  Prince Edward Island's capitol hosts a daily noontime history of Canada through costumes and dances of its many ethnic groups: Native, Chinese, Slovak, Scottish, French, and more.  Such color and joy!  Sing: "I danced in the morning when the world was begun.... I am the Lord of the dance said God."

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: Prince Edward Island is loaded with reminders of this iconic fictional character created by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Lucy made P.E.I. famous.  You name it and there are "Anne of Green Gables" this and that!  Her story comprise the adventures of an orphan girl growing up in a loving, church going household, surrounded by a caring community.  Anne was loved.  Think of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, Moses and Pharaoh's daughter, Boys Town in Nebraska.  And I John: "Where there is love there is God."

BED AND BREAKFASTS: We stayed in several bed and breakfasts.  Most were of Victorian style and accommodated three to six couples.  You go back in time, surrounded by knickknacks of earlier eras, walking on creaking floors, sleeping in comfortable yet aged beds.  Too survive in this highly competitive B&B business, HOSPITALITY is the number one priority.  The way you welcome guests, being comfortable with people, taking the time to converse, always being at the beck and call, keeping the house clean, are all vital for survival.  And then there is the cooking, the unique dishes, the flavor. And always the PRESENTATION of the food.  The owners don't just quickly slop something onto your plate.  There is the parsley, the stylish slicing of the orange, the lightly sprinkled powdered sugar topped with fresh blueberries.  Think of the Lord's Supper, the Upper Room, and Jesus telling his disciples to go into the streets and welcome all to his B&B!

Destinations are more than people and places as in a petting zoo.  I believe that as we allow our travel experiences to become parables/metaphors of God's Reign, we are better able to become expressions of Christ's peace, justice, and nonviolence.  Christ is present in life, and we will be allowing life to reveal the Truths of Christ.

As a good Lutheran travel guy, Rick Steves says: "Happy travels!"

Peace!