Obama’s prayers

Barack Obama April 6, 2010
April 6, 2010 "Before a prayer breakfast, the President met privately with clergy members in the Blue Room at the White House. At the conclusion of the meeting, a final prayer was delivered as they held each other's shoulders." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama shared an insight into his prayers at the National Prayer Breakfast this week.

He mentioned three re-occuring themes in his prayers:

  • ability to help those who are struggling
  • humility
  • and that he would walk closer with God and make that walk my first and most important task

Very insightful…
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Jesus is a liberal Democrat and Stephen Colbert is a genius

Jesus in the desert - Day 21

While I agree more with Shane Claiborne’s understanding of Jesus’ politics these two clips are pure Stephen Colbert genius…

Just wait for the great closer at the end of clip 2.
Continue reading Jesus is a liberal Democrat and Stephen Colbert is a genius

Aung San Suu Kyi and Grace, a thought that changed the world

Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi

In 1990, after her party swept the majority of the Burmese elections, Aung San Suu Kyi was expected to become the next democratically elected Prime Minister of Burma.

Instead of a peaceful transition to her leadership, she was denied the results of the election and she’s faced oppression from the ruling regime and spent 15 of the last 21 years under house arrest.

She was released earlier today.

20+ years of oppression and today she walks free.

“The release of political prisoners is the most important thing for all those who truly wish to bring about change in Burma.” – Aung San Suu Kyi (via e-mail from Amnesty International)

During their U2 – 360° Tour, U2 has been dedicating their song, Walk On, in support of Aung San Suu Kyi and those living under oppression everywhere.

With her release, U2 has issued a statement regarding the release of Aung San Suu Kyi today…

I thought they beautifully summed up the ideas behind a Love Insurgency…

“For a life denied the basic freedoms, she has lived so vividly in the minds of her people and supporters and accomplished so much. By putting the people of Burma’s interests above her own, she has lived in stark contrast with her oppressors. Her struggle has become a symbol for all humanity, of what we are capable of – best and worst. Her very grace so infuriating to the bully government whose brutish gorging of the country’s rich resources have left the people of Burma poor and hungry.

May we all lives that put the interests of others above our own.

May we live lives in stark contrast to our oppressors.

May we all live lives so full of grace and love that we infuriate those who wish to oppress us.

And may we all live lives that prove, beyond a shadow of doubt, that love wins!

What priorities would your administration have?

Obama and Bono discuss development policy in the Oval Office, April 30, 2010. | Official White House photo.

I found myself watching Dave, with Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver last night.

As a quick recap (or spoiler)…

  • The President has a stroke and falls into a coma.
  • Kline plays a presidential impersonator and is brought in to “fill in” for the president.
  • Eventually, the first lady (Weaver) figures out there’s a cover-up involving Kline (she doesn’t know her husband, The President is still in a coma) and both Kline and Weaver decide to jettison the White House in hopes for an easier life.

But before the leave town they both reflect what they love about the office — helping those in need.

Weaver then asks Kline, “What would you do if you were still there?”
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Leading through a nuclear free tomorrow

nuclear winter
nuclear winter | Photo/art by Jimmy Brown

My college newspaper recently shared an opinion piece on Obama’s recent nuclear negotiations…

President Obama signed a nuclear arms control agreement with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday to reduce the stockpiles of nuclear weapons of both nations. The agreement, called the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, builds on a previous Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that expired in December. If passed, it will cut the number of both countries’ nuclear weapons by about a third.

With policies like the START agreement, the public health care bill and charging terrorists in American civilian courts, the Obama administration is weakening the United States’ power to influence other nations. We are stepping down from our destiny instead of rising to the potential of a world leader.

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