Christian community—a how to do list

“A good way to start loving God divinely is by generously loving your spouse, children, parents, siblings, and friends. It is doubtful that we will love anyone else if we fail to love the ones closest to us.

Love is the key, love is the secret weapon. Forget about how you feel. Love is not a feeling; it’s a decision to prefer the good of others. Make a habit of this and you will start changing things around you and your work will be amplified.”  Douglas Dewey

And then the author provides 10.5 rules for accomplishing the commandment to love God and others—forming Christian community.  Some may surprise you. https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2018/07/28/10½-rules-for-forming-Christian-community/

Middle class Americans believe in education

We information junkies and professionals (primarily middle class) think if people have information on a better life, good food, climate change, domestic violence, nicotine and condoms then change happens. We believe information/education has the power to change minds, individuals, companies, politicians and eventually the world! But does it?  Public service announcements about mammograms are not the research that will reduce deaths and disfigurements. Reading a brochure on horse therapy for the mentally challenged will not buy and train a horse. Creating a network to reduce duplication is not providing a bed or chair or pots and pans.

I do think much of what is spent  for education and  information syphons off “action” funding.
Looking through the booklet for “Bucks for Charity 2017” which is OSU’s version of “community chest,” it’s evident that information/education is an integral part of many charities. I believe in education and knowledge—it’s been my life’s work—it’s why I blog and dump links and statistics on my Facebook Friends. PDHC where I volunteer provides mentoring and parenting classes, education for pregnant women and has many informational booklets, Bibles in English and Spanish,  and documents on parenting, health, pregnancy, material aid, adoption, chastity, diseases--anything needed to save the lives of babies and build stronger families.

Here are some examples from the community shares and health section of “Bucks for Charity 2017” (250 agencies) which receives 35.5% of total funding (United Way of the various communities receives 28.4%):

“health information” Community Health Charities
“conducts awareness and advocacy activities” ALS Association
“providing information” American Diabetes Association
“education, research, advocacy, outreach” American Heart Association
“educational programming, training, outreach” Down Syndrome Association
“broad based advocacy, education” Hospice Organization
“education programs” March of Dimes
“education and outreach”NAMI (mental illness)
“providing education and support” PDHC (pro-life)
“eye safety education, information” Prevent Blindness Ohio
“promotes greater understanding” American council of the blind
“offers community education” Breathing Association
“proven curriculum of 14 courses” Career Transition Institute
“promotes education” Central Ohio Green Education Fund
“educates about children’s needs” Children’s Defense Fund
“promoting decent, safe affordable housing” Coalition on Homelessness and Housing
“educates . . .insidious effects of homelessness” Columbus Coalition for the Homeless
“provides educational exhibitions, lectures, tours,” Columbus Historical Society
“provides . . . educational events” The Free Press
“educational opportunities, exchange information” Compassionate Communication
“educational programs. . . family learning, education in science, etc.” COSI
“educating and advocating fair treatment"  Equality Ohio (LGBTQ)
“promotes food production, nutrition, gardening” Four Seasons City Farm (east side)
“focused on education, employment and leadership development” Godman Guild
“safety trainings to varied populations” LifeCare Alliance (HIV/AIDS)
“provides education and inspiration” Local Matters (diet related diseases)
“disability awareness” Mid Ohio Board for an Independent Living Environment
“information about reproductive health [aka abortion]” NARAL
“preserving, revitalizing AI/AN values, rights, traditions,” Native Amer. Indian Center
“quality arts education. . . instruction” Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
“education, training, information, referral line” Ohio Domestic Violence Network
“education and advocacy” Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
“classes on yoga and movement arts” Center for Wholeness
“research, education” Ohio NOW Education & Legal Fund
“Provides education, referral, advocacy” Ohio Veterans, Inc.
“promotes [abortion]” Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio
“providing services, knowledge, tools and equipment” Rebuilding Together Central Ohio
“provides service learning programs” See Kids Dream
“connects people to learning opportunities. . .educational outreach” Simply Living
“advocacy. . . education” Stonewall Columbus, Inc  (LGBTQ)
“information, education and referrals” Worthington Resource Pantry (healthy food)

Other organizations describe their goals/missions in these words—action goals.

“provides services,” “care and support,” “funds research,” “fighting xyz disease,” “mission is to cure xyz disease,” “cure, prevent, treat xys disease,” “boost social skills,” “promotes lung health” “helps, adopts, investigates,” “provides adoption services (cats), subsidizes poor,” “provides free breakfast and lunch, medical screenings,” “interpreting, C-print, ADA assistance, employment (deaf),” “provides therapeutic horse programming” “healthcare for LGBTQ, HIV,” “cooperative community gardening,” “provides free furniture,” “financial assistance for families of First Responders,” “provides glass for art,” “builds decent, affordable houses,” “direct services for homeless, HIV, addiction, incarceration,” “provides temporary subsidized housing,” “provides food, clothing, registering for government benefits,” “provides nutritious food,” “provides assistance to families with critically ill children,” “provides food, housing, transportation, employment opportunities,” “transports pets from rural shelters” and “bicycles for transportation.”

Evaluate your time. Check your wallet.  Measure your success.  Education takes a long, long time, and may or may not work. A hot meal and change of clothes is immediate, and gets that task taken care of so you and the recipient (the Bible says he's Jesus) can move on.

If there were no Fox News, I might be 2 or 3 points higher in the polls

Barack Obama told liberal journalist Matt Bai. Every major news source grovels before this man reporting or distorting every thought, word, and move. If there's one that doesn't, he whines about that alternative, the one that provided him with a long interview on O'Reilly, putting him at length in front of an audience who might otherwise tune him out because of the mainstream bias. The broadcast and cable media which has provided us with a steady frame-up of Republican Sarah Palin on ABC, NBC and CNN. This man's fragile ego is amazing! Palin has smiled through all the muck and yuk, and he's a cry baby. He and Team Obama cry "racist" at the most non-racial terms, like "that one," and "socialist." Which backbone is made of steel, is more prepared for the crisis Joe Biden is threatening?

It's hard to pin him down on legislation, however, he does write letters, and it's excruciatingly clear in this one to the FCC about a year ago (Oct. 22, 2007) about how he plans to further restrict our freedoms. Note certain themes, then remember "community organizer" and "ACORN," the oak tree harvest of Saul Alinsky. In your face, swamp the opposition, storm the meetings, community input. Words matter. History matters.

U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin J. Martin, calling on him to launch an independent review panel to develop proposals to further promote media ownership diversity. According to press accounts, following an insufficient 30-day review, the FCC intends to modify existing ownership rules by allowing greater media market consolidation. This would allow large media outlets to become larger, potentially cutting out small business, women and minority-owned firms. Minority owned and operated newspapers and radio stations play an important role in the African American and Latino communities and help bring minority issues to the forefront of our national dialogue.

However, the Commission has failed to recognize the vital role these outlets play in our democracy and has not done enough to further the goals of diversity in the media. In the letter, Obama also asks for the FCC to reconsider the Chairman’s proposed consolidation timeline and start a public review of any specific proposed rule modifications. He also asks Martin to complete a study of the responsibilities that broadcasters have to the communities in which they operate.

Obama and Senator John Kerry have previously written to Kevin Martin asking him to address the issue of minority media ownership, and the impact that new rules would have on opportunities for minority, small business, and women owned firms. http://obama.senate.gov/press/071022-obama_fcc_polic/

In case you don't understand how "community" and "diversity" is used these days by special interest groups, let's look at an example in my quiet, suburban community, Upper Arlington, Ohio when parents went to the library board to ask that explicit, how-to gay publications (bundles of free-circ, boiler-plate newspapers) be removed from the library lobby. Not removed from the collection, but removed from the lobby. Representatives of the gay community packed the meeting, objected (they didn't even live in UA) on the basis of state funding of public libraries. The result? The publications were removed from the lobby, and brought inside the library and placed on an expensive, specially designed unit, now even more prominent. No library is required to be a launch site for free materials that are primarily supported by advertising--not gay newspapers, not church bulletins, not health insurance plans designed to look like health advice. The parents lost, just as they lost the computer filtering battle, and the x-rated video battle.

The power of special interest groups over the media even without new legislation was perfectly clear when Dr. Laura, the 2nd highest rated talk show, literally disappeared over night in 2001 because she was attacted by powerful pro-gay groups when she advised against gay adoption of infants, believing as a counselor and orthodox Jew that children thrive best in a home with a mother and father. A posse of thirty liberal Christian pastors in Columbus has tried to get Rod Parsley bounced by going after his tax exempt status.

This, my readers, is "community" and "diversity" in the 21st century. Not community standards, but "community input." It isn't your community--it's any group that calls itself a community. Since virtually every organization, non-profit and church ministry now receives government money, this leaves them wide open for pressure groups like ACORN or one of their little squirrelly off-shoots planting seeds.