tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776711565844840682024-03-13T14:51:45.376-06:00Our ShalomWhere God's Shalom Meets Our RealityThe Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.comBlogger685125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-84477783023198413472020-03-13T06:50:00.001-06:002020-03-13T11:14:11.165-06:00"Shabbat Shalom" in the Time of Pandemic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today is the first Shabbat since Covid-19 has been declared a global pandemic. The words "shabbat shalom" seem so paramount and comforting to me today.<br />
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"Shabbat Shalom." May you have Rest, may you have Peace this day. That's my prayer for us.<br />
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I won't comment on Covid-19 here. There are numerous good sources for information. I recommend:<br />
<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/" target="_blank">The Centers for Disease Control</a><br />
<a href="http://www.who.int/" target="_blank">The World Health Organization</a><br />
Each state in the U.S. has a website and I believe they all have information on Covid-19.<br />
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When I read the creation account in Genesis 1 and 2 I find that "chaos to order" is a predominant theme. There was darkness and a "void" of sorts. God saw the darkness and injected light into it.<br />
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We learn elsewhere in the Bible that light overtakes darkness, creative order overtakes chaos. God Himself IS the order which overtakes chaos.<br />
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And so now we are in the midst of a pandemic. It feels chaotic. Perhaps it feels like the full expression of chaos itself. There is little order.<br />
* People buy a year's worth of toilet paper!<br />
* The shelves for Lysol are empty<br />
* Lines for medication are longer and longer<br />
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You get the idea - I don't need to convince you of this. My sense from listening to the CDC and WHO (and trying to avoid almost all media sources) is that it will feel MORE chaotic before it feels LESS chaotic. When we think back in the future at the year that was 2020 we may well say, "That was total chaos."<br />
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And that brings us back to "Shabbat Shalom." If God is Order and he ordained sabbath rest (as He Himself rested on the 7th day), should we not seek to practice this in the midst of chaos? Don't we all need rest even when times are good? How much more do we need sabbath at a time such as this.<br />
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As we seek the rhythms of sabbath rest, God gives us His shalom. And as odd and counter-intuitive as it feels, we can have peace in the midst of this current storm that feels so chaotic. But Shalom must come from an external source - God in the person of Jesus - because it will not come from our current world circumstances. That's God's offer to us today.<br />
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And so as this week ends, Shabbat Shalom.<br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-43250392582856278152018-04-30T09:39:00.002-06:002018-04-30T09:45:25.201-06:00Becoming Great (Again?)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"I am the greatest."</i> - Muhammed Ali</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"As human beings, greatness is not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves."</i> ~ Ghandi</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Greatness" is trendy today. In fact, it is possibly the most recognizable slogan in the United States nowadays. I find this puzzling at best.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the year 2000, I became pastor of a church in Amsterdam. It just so happened that the church had recently won the coveted "Helix Award" given by the Dutch Evangelical Alliance for the <i>"most successful church in The Netherlands."</i> I was encouraged to attend a ceremony in which I would be given the award, which was in the form of a small trophy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This accolade never set well with me. Was my church <i>really</i> the most successful in the country? How was that measured and what does it truly mean to be successful, or to be "great"?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some years later I served as executive pastor in a church outside Denver. It drew people from a 50-mile radius every Sunday to hear the senior pastor preach (he was very good). The church had constructed a large building a few years earlier to accommodate the growing number of people attending on Sundays. The church was becoming "great."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Until it was no longer great, when the pastor was dismissed for alleged theological error (that is an entire other story, which I won't go into here).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I see several significant dangers in being the most successful, or in being great.</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I call it the <b>"Muhammed Ali Syndrome."</b> Ali is famous for boasting that he was the greatest, presumably in boxing. His greatest was fleeting at best, as his health seriously deteriorated and he died a slow and painful death;</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We can <b>believe our own press</b> and become complacent. We can coast, because the only direction is down and to lesser greatness;</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We can become <b>prideful and arrogant. </b>Somehow greatness becomes equated with being better than others, or dominating them, and can lead to denigrating those who are <u>not</u> great.</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What if we understood greatness in a fundamentally different way?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What if we framed our understanding and "striving" for greatness based on a completely other set of criteria?</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The <span style="color: blue;"><b>central, overarching criteria is the words of Jesus</b></span>: "<span class="text Matt-20-26" id="en-NIV-23819" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="text Matt-20-27" id="en-NIV-23820" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">and whoever wants to be first must be your slave</span></span><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">.” (Matthew 20:26-27). The following criteria provides explanation to Jesus' words<span style="color: blue;"><b>;</b></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Greatness is <u>always</u> about the empowerment of the other,</b></span> it is about giving power to another for the greater good of a cause or communit<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">y;</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Greatness and <u>humility</u> are inseparable.</span></b> One cannot be great and lack humility. If "pride comes before the fall" (which it does), humility causes other people to be lifted up;</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Greatness deflects the spotlight</b></span> and does not call attend to a person or organization that does genuinely great things. I know a foundation that is incredibly generous toward many good causes. Each and every time they issue a financial grant they insist that the recipient sign an agreement that the source of funds will <u>not</u> be made known to anyone. This is am aspect of greatness;</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Greatness and <u>serving</u> are inseparable.</b></span> Often times, some form of <u>suffering</u> comes along with serving. The example that comes to mind is John McCain, who was a POW in Vietnam for 5 years after being injured when his plane was shot down. McCain was serving his country and he suffered greatly for it;</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Greatness requires fidelity.</b></span> Fidelity is about faithfulness and steadfastness. No one is great without fidelity.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Greatness requires a Source other than self.</b></span> A self-centered person (or Narcissistic person) can never be great. There must be a True North to which a person affixes his or her eyes to determine direction and how they will live and serve. For me, that True North is God most especially seen in the person of Jesus Christ. I believe he is the greatest expression of True North.</span></span></span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">We live at a time when many public figures see themselves as "great men" (yes, the most high-profile of these people tend to be MEN). They are not great - at best they are shadows of greatness. The truly great ones don't see the spotlight; they serve behind the scenes in faithful ways, not calling attention to themselves.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-20-28" id="en-NIV-23821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Our communities need truly great ones now more than ever.</span></span></span></span></div>
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-52222944189208875822017-12-08T07:00:00.000-07:002017-12-08T07:00:00.399-07:00An Invitation to the Holy Land<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/244153892" width="448" height="252" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/244153892">Invitation to Holy Land 2018</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user5236714">Brian Newman</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-5587010038463305382017-12-01T07:00:00.000-07:002017-12-01T07:00:14.869-07:00The Peace of Jerusalem?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/241455797" width="416" height="234" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/241455797">The Peace of Jerusalem?</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user5236714">Brian Newman</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-35957480034767804932017-11-30T07:45:00.001-07:002017-11-30T07:45:11.456-07:00Tikkun Olam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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You might remember the final scene of Schindler's List when the prisoners present a gold ring to Schindler to express their gratitude for him saving their lives.<br />
Schindler's response is one of agony and regret, "I could have done more," he tells his friend. "I could have gotten more out." Here is the clip: <a href="https://youtu.be/vOoWpTxKJGA" target="_blank">Schindler's List</a><br />
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Nobody in their right mind would doubt that Oskar Schindler heroically saved more than 1,000 people. In Hebrew this is called, "Tikkun Olam," which is the idea that we do acts of kindness or mercy and in so doing we repair the world. It is a concept from the Mishnah, which are rabbinic teachings.<br />
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I like the idea of "tikkun olam." I grew up with it and appreciate the humanitarian heart behind it. But I have several caveats about it as well.<br />
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First and foremost, we do not "earn" anything by our good deeds, whether that be favor with God, salvation, or honor from others. In my faith tradition (which has its roots in Judaism and is shaped now by following Jesus), we cannot earn our way into relationship with God. That relationship is a gift of grace, given through Jesus Christ.<br />
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Second, tikkun olam at its very best is an <u><b>overflow</b></u> of God's goodness in our lives. We do acts of kindness as an expression of God's kindness in our lives in the first place.<br />
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Third, I believe there are degrees of tikkun olam. When a Jew helps a Jew that is one type of kind act. But when a Jew helps someone whose culture or religion is opposed to Jews that is on another level of tikkun olam. That is what Jesus was getting at when he told his followers to "love your enemies."<br />
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There is no doubt that the world needs Tikkun Olam, now more than ever. I hope, and pray, that it flows from the right motivations in our hearts. </div>
The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-19143213714355266992015-12-07T13:28:00.000-07:002015-12-07T13:28:58.213-07:00To My Friends Who Are NOT "Christian" - Please Read<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrNbYntmEfgTMFNHa6XUouwHWmAIFf9vQoRkwf3yhv-yhl6Jz3EumFyTOHGW8Kllb82Rds-QrrYt0zEfCvKmOZKIu038vUkfl1koV3nSG5GzZOWEpReF8ZgIwtkpCoUkKroHV9_zu8Wk/s1600/can_we_talk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrNbYntmEfgTMFNHa6XUouwHWmAIFf9vQoRkwf3yhv-yhl6Jz3EumFyTOHGW8Kllb82Rds-QrrYt0zEfCvKmOZKIu038vUkfl1koV3nSG5GzZOWEpReF8ZgIwtkpCoUkKroHV9_zu8Wk/s400/can_we_talk.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">T</span></i></span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">o My Friends Who are Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Secular, Agnostic, and anything else besides Christian!</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>I feel really stupid! REALLY stupid!</b> There, I said it. I feel a bit better!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> I wish I could sit with each of you one-on-one over a good cup of coffee and offer my sincere apology for people of the "Christian persuasion" who have acted and re-acted to event so poorly in recent days and weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Rather than wasting your time recounting what they said or did (because I am quite sure you know ALL about it), I would like to share with you how I hope we can build friendships and be community in the face of rising fear in our culture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Most important, I <u>so value</u> your perspective and input regarding these situations. I have a certain vantage point as I try to follow Jesus. And you have a vantage point from your context and I want to understand it and will seek to respect it. We may not agree in some areas, but that must not stop us from seeking to understand one another and to respect one another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> I also hope we can bring the very best from our belief systems and worldviews to the real-life situations of terrorism and street violence in our world. If you know me at all you know that Jesus' teaching in the <i>Sermon on the Mount</i> (found in Matthew 5-7) has blown my heart and mind in the very best way possible. I desire to align myself with the ethic he lays out in these words. I believe that every one of us brings ideas and practices to the table that should be considered as we move forward together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Last, I hope we will all resist painting each other's belief systems with a broad brush. All Muslims do not believe the same thing, all Jews do not believe the same thing. And I dare say that all Christians do not hold the same beliefs or practices. I am asking that we extend grace to one another and not typecast based on "a few bad apples."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Thank you for your friendship. I so appreciate you for who you are and how you enrich my life. Peace be upon you.</span></div>
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-31958352698945324052015-12-02T12:20:00.002-07:002015-12-02T12:20:29.326-07:00The Presence of Greatness at the Prayer Breakfast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDSNM4QmEIZScWa8_C9K9PTKKZCzlQ3nOrxfgTkEzIPxqvBZR9oDfHYXaOuanGkwn-KTAecmtcN1zC9iQLsiRq_r5rRRXJphxXqRYv1PY7UCKD7tgLDSDNHmPh7YHGxNe5pbizzOSWAU/s1600/IMG_2954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDSNM4QmEIZScWa8_C9K9PTKKZCzlQ3nOrxfgTkEzIPxqvBZR9oDfHYXaOuanGkwn-KTAecmtcN1zC9iQLsiRq_r5rRRXJphxXqRYv1PY7UCKD7tgLDSDNHmPh7YHGxNe5pbizzOSWAU/s320/IMG_2954.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I attended the European Prayer Breakfast in Brussels for the past two days. It was poignant that the event took place only 3 weeks after the Paris terrorist attacks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Clearly we were in the presence of greatness at the breakfast - a member of the Belgian monarchy led a prayer, the former President of the European Commission spoke. There were others with significant titles and they are godly, wonderful people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> But two people stood out to me as truly "great" in an upside down sort of way. While many people at the breakfast were well dressed in suits and dresses, these two were a bit different. One wore a suit but it was wrinkled and his tie was not straight. The other was not so well dressed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The first man is a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and he spoke at the dinner the night before the breakfast. He shared about being part of the political opposition in Ukraine for many years and how his life was threatened during the revolution. He was not your typical politician - he was more "gritty" and perhaps war weary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> You could tell that the man has <b>great resolve</b> and <b>focus</b> for his country while possessing a <b>deep humility. </b>I could tell he is a servant-leader, in that order.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The second man is Syrian and he is a refugee living in Brussels. He was part of an 8-person panel in which he was the 7th person to speak (fourth from left in the picture).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> He spoke in Arabic and was translated by someone. He talked about how his village was completely destroyed and how he fled for his life. Then he recounted how his father was killed in a bombing and that this man risked his life to go back to his hometown to give his father a proper burial.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhU_zPiYGEecBuYPybYArGsUAiknGvvRDUzZAv3Mfwh1WMNp0rxE_uI-D9mxPjkNQPq1IuMBuhB-6Xe7nm1MloAW-hdL8ic9tCIRGVOmNCK5V3Dk7cazarLHuNzc92-ZdntGs2QRy40g/s1600/IMG_2952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhU_zPiYGEecBuYPybYArGsUAiknGvvRDUzZAv3Mfwh1WMNp0rxE_uI-D9mxPjkNQPq1IuMBuhB-6Xe7nm1MloAW-hdL8ic9tCIRGVOmNCK5V3Dk7cazarLHuNzc92-ZdntGs2QRy40g/s320/IMG_2952.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Syrian refugee is fourth from left.</td></tr>
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The man sat beside a former U.S. Ambassador. The refugee seemed unfazed by the Ambassador, although he was respectful toward him. Power, in the traditional sense of the word, did not equate with this man's inner strength.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Both men - The Ukrainian Parliament Member and the Syrian refugee - demonstrated three qualities:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="color: blue;"> First, they were unafraid. </b>Both of their lives had been threatened and they have been spared. I am sure previously they feared. But their lives have transcended fear for their security, fear of the unknown, and fear of "powerful bad guys." Earlier during the Prayer Breakfast, a former Danish Parliament member reminded everyone that there are 300+ instances in the Bible where we are admonished to "fear not." These two men demonstrate that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <b style="color: purple;">Second, their influence comes from powerlessness rather than control. </b>In an odd sort of way, I had the sense that both of these men were exercising much influence on the 350+ people at the prayer breakfast. But it came from their humility, their calm rather than using persuasive words or promises.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <b style="color: red;">Third, God is in their midst. </b>The Syrian man is Muslim and the Ukrainian man is Christian. It appeared to me that for both of these men <i>God is near. </i>Of course this is a core tenant of Christianity (Immanuel - God with us), but it surely is not for the Muslim. In Islam, Allah is transcendent and "other." Nonetheless, both men expressed how God is connected to their circumstances, and how He has been intimately involved in their lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> At the close of the panel discussion, attendees came up to panelists to greet them. Many came to shake the hand of the refugee man, many more stood in line waiting to have a longer conversation with the U.S. Ambassador. I just wanted to go up and hug the Syrian man and spent the rest of the day with him.</span><br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-46864242210215845822015-08-26T09:35:00.000-06:002015-08-26T09:35:34.521-06:00Israel: Homeland for All Jews?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For the past year plus I have been seeking permanent residence in Israel. Last week I was denied. Here is an article on this process. <br />
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<a href="https://medium.com/@bnewman5280/israel-a-homeland-for-all-jews-591ba9b5d8ea" target="_blank">https://medium.com/@bnewman5280/israel-a-homeland-for-all-jews-591ba9b5d8ea</a><br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-40698746697747941632015-08-24T13:06:00.002-06:002015-08-24T13:06:18.834-06:00Boom! Coming tomorrow!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tomorrow I will publish one of the most personal close-to-my-heart articles I have ever written. It also crystalizes my thinking around three audience I speak to regularly - the Jewish community, Christians who are pro-Israel, and others who oppose Israel.<br />
This is likely to be controversial and I hope it will challenge many people's thinking about the Middle East, about Jewish people, and about other religious folks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7HNTv9IDG2UW3bgBF3b_bmosOoWWk51tgQxiqjIekgFEtDObUP_4UraPISNpDywZ51CDZT-qItGaHNvn72FVXFvJ0aoz58mYNYXBObmXIHiuF6368W6uRhffyVtysvssBkRtXu90-OI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-24+at+13.01.53.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7HNTv9IDG2UW3bgBF3b_bmosOoWWk51tgQxiqjIekgFEtDObUP_4UraPISNpDywZ51CDZT-qItGaHNvn72FVXFvJ0aoz58mYNYXBObmXIHiuF6368W6uRhffyVtysvssBkRtXu90-OI/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-08-24+at+13.01.53.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-33724282870260890002015-07-06T15:27:00.001-06:002015-07-06T15:40:59.559-06:00Time Has Come ... for New Understanding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2I1mDyL1m_Q5rUrs-EELVgZ-HTtUC5pWGvnkuCkiNtOZBx0vB_c7cSdf2Ni-Fsks_My5Rhr1FTsZ_dOamr2zTw6zcuMtnF8yTb3__MsafF6nAAG4Yal226-FPyFBlIyDXHeYtQMYpTqk/s1600/A+Jew%252C+A+Muslim+and+A+Racist+Sept+11+small.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2I1mDyL1m_Q5rUrs-EELVgZ-HTtUC5pWGvnkuCkiNtOZBx0vB_c7cSdf2Ni-Fsks_My5Rhr1FTsZ_dOamr2zTw6zcuMtnF8yTb3__MsafF6nAAG4Yal226-FPyFBlIyDXHeYtQMYpTqk/s400/A+Jew%252C+A+Muslim+and+A+Racist+Sept+11+small.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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We are excited to announce that The Isaac Ishmael Initiative is hosting a new seminar aptly called, <a href="https://denverchurch.ccbchurch.com/form_response.php?id=401" target="_blank">"A Jew, a Muslim, and a Racist walk into a church..."</a></div>
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Confirmed dates for 2015 are:<br />
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<li>Sept. 11th, Denver. Register <a href="https://denverchurch.ccbchurch.com/form_response.php?id=401" target="_blank">here </a>for the Denver evening.</li>
<li>Oct. 16th, Milwaukee</li>
<li>Nov. 15th, Peoria </li>
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-64004571664133202112015-06-24T00:20:00.002-06:002015-06-24T00:20:30.946-06:00Measuring "Greatness"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the "bizarre" paradoxes in the world is how greatness is measured. We often measure it by whoever finishes first, whoever has the most money, or who is the most powerful.<i> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> "The first shall be last and the last first," </i>said Jesus to his followers who were elbowing each other out of the way for positions of power. Now THAT is different! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Today we measure success, influence, and "greatness" by new and unique measures:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Number of "followers" on Twitter;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Number of "friends" on Facebook;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Number of hits on your website;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Number of readers of your blog;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Number of books sold;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Number of people who attend your seminar or training;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Number of people who regularly attend your church.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> This is about popularity, and exposure, getting known and staying known, and it is about economic survival because you need a following to raise money or sell tickets or books or seminars.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> And yet ... the truly <b>GREAT ONES,</b> the men and women whose lives and leadership are enduring and full of legacy are so fundamentally different than all of that.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> They are characterized by another set of qualities, far more subtle and nuanced than the list above:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"><b> * Faith and Faithfulness: </b>They do not simply BELIEVE in God and faith, they LIVE faith. And because of this, they are rock solid and dependable. When they say "yes" they always mean "yes," When they say "no" they always mean "no." With these great ones, <i>what you see is what you get.</i> There is no duplicity in them. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"><b> * Service to Others: </b>Life and work and service is not about THEM, but always about others. In a world of leaders who are self-centered and often narcissistic, the truly great ones do not call attention to themselves. Ever.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"><b> * Shunning the Spotlight: </b>The truly great ones <i>"share all the credit and take all the blame." </i>What matters to them is the MISSION and getting the job done. They do not need or even want the credit publicly. In fact, if the people pictured below were alive today they would each say something like this about this blog post: <i>"Quit writing that nonsense and get on with life, Brian!"</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"><b> * Honoring their Commitments:</b> The men below were married for 57, 59, and 66 years respectively. Each was married only once, each stayed with their wife "til death do us part." When they started something they finished it. <b><br /></b></span></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"><b>* Generous Spirits. </b>They are givers - regardless of how much material wealth they have. They give time, they give attention, they give their gifts and abilities for the good of others, and they give materially.<b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"><b>* "It's Not About Me." </b>In the 21st century we are a self-obsessed culture. We take "selfies," which is a word that did not even exist 10 years ago! The truly great ones NEVER want it to be about them. They deflect praise and shine light on other people and their accomplishments.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"> Over an 8-month period beginning last September I said good-bye to three of these truly GREAT ONES - Frank Banner, my dad (Marty Newman), and Nate Lindsay. Yes, I am sad not to be able to relate to them any more. More than that, I am humbled and honored to have known them and walked this journey </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: small;">with each</span></span> in different ways. When I grow up I want to be like them.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoV5cOgHGMyj6dWnyF1-PWtXo5_OFyK6kTlx8TGkt9_uI2lJPvzNFBeFwCSIAfXgCGox1ifTVSvohCjpzk9OJEFtNqNwEj0K-D7leKvNJcnbfxjsGEYCDXU_9FIHgaUMfVrEq-GRUOro/s1600/Dad_Mom_65th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoV5cOgHGMyj6dWnyF1-PWtXo5_OFyK6kTlx8TGkt9_uI2lJPvzNFBeFwCSIAfXgCGox1ifTVSvohCjpzk9OJEFtNqNwEj0K-D7leKvNJcnbfxjsGEYCDXU_9FIHgaUMfVrEq-GRUOro/s320/Dad_Mom_65th.jpg" width="234" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Marty Newman: 1925 - 2015</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2vhgitmMvxTLEJgzgNE7ah9SrnwLTML41Qh1iCEyaQdwNYwgbgICCzGwQQtpbnMTFscQDoOiYRjzdiFqyRH6aFWhEybw0EkwMIBUKAFn0WIOZPiyj741oksqeiCU4ecL3EjN64h1q3I/s1600/Nate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2vhgitmMvxTLEJgzgNE7ah9SrnwLTML41Qh1iCEyaQdwNYwgbgICCzGwQQtpbnMTFscQDoOiYRjzdiFqyRH6aFWhEybw0EkwMIBUKAFn0WIOZPiyj741oksqeiCU4ecL3EjN64h1q3I/s320/Nate.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Nate Lindsay: 1936 - 2015</b></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifszy7gMcgs2d40oi911eNUlkduFaGu2Y5zysQj7i-j_SWe7dxs4e9QBnpIf_p64O0avbtQPCotnzk_w6f0EqJhr6Fhyphenhyphen6K7jPSEOUF0CVnW7yKh7DLyWXB0qm4x2A7aYJ_0EX3FhdbFYU/s1600/Frank_Betty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifszy7gMcgs2d40oi911eNUlkduFaGu2Y5zysQj7i-j_SWe7dxs4e9QBnpIf_p64O0avbtQPCotnzk_w6f0EqJhr6Fhyphenhyphen6K7jPSEOUF0CVnW7yKh7DLyWXB0qm4x2A7aYJ_0EX3FhdbFYU/s320/Frank_Betty.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Frank Banner: 1927 - 2014</span></span></b></td></tr>
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-9701508152754950002015-05-28T22:22:00.000-06:002015-05-28T22:22:21.785-06:00TED Talk: Unconscious Bias<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><iframe src="https://embed-ssl.ted.com/talks/yassmin_abdel_magied_what_does_my_headscarf_mean_to_you.html" width="504" height="274" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-23854638867136113192015-05-04T14:44:00.001-06:002015-05-04T22:23:41.146-06:00The Season Called "Fallow Ground"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbUhTTcfiCgopBcZn-H-9Vb4OxXKulv5h8IXvz7DhXdWbkP4KJZ50dOmG8u8ccJc_zFXCBXp6VvVGwdNEVV7Elhn6x5-XKkwam81qSMSn9ksOJJ2Xmi5Ils9U6rUGR2RjqrFGjq3PveM/s1600/fallowground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbUhTTcfiCgopBcZn-H-9Vb4OxXKulv5h8IXvz7DhXdWbkP4KJZ50dOmG8u8ccJc_zFXCBXp6VvVGwdNEVV7Elhn6x5-XKkwam81qSMSn9ksOJJ2Xmi5Ils9U6rUGR2RjqrFGjq3PveM/s320/fallowground.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I tried to find an interesting or exciting photo of a field lying fallow, i.e. fallow ground as it is called.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> I could not find one. <b>I guess that's the point really!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Some people will struggle with the idea that there is a season for a person "to lie fallow," just as the soil does. I was meeting with someone recently who challenged me and said, <i>"I think you are in a season of fallow ground, Brian."</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> He went on to say that the sooner I embrace this season the better I can live in it. I did not like the guy much at that moment, but only because he was right!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> I am indeed in a season in my life of <i>fallow ground,</i> at least inwardly. Before you begin to feel sorry for me, or try to help me "snap out of it," please consider that fallow seasons are necessary and good for growth over the longer term.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Our example comes from agriculture, about which I know virtually nothing. So I have needed to do some research and speak with people who know about land and cultivating crops.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Here are some helpful and hopeful ideas for me about this fallow season:</span></span><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Land uses nutrients to help crops grow, and sometimes it takes A LOT of nutrients to get good crops. These seasons of plenty and abundance come with a cost to the soil.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When you look at a field that is lying fallow it can <i>appear</i> as if nothing is happening. No crops are growing, no seedlings. Nothing. The field <i>appears</i> unproductive.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What is happening on fallow ground is renewal of the soil. Rest. Shabbat. Silence, Quiet. Rebirth.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Fallow ground is rarely beautiful or pretty. It's boring, blah, and ugly. Staring at fallow ground in Kansas is good for nothing - except if you have insomnia!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Fallow ground still needs tending from the farmer. You have to make sure there are no infestations, no critters burrowing holes in the ground, no damage from severe weather. The farmer is not absent, he is mindful and watching the field;</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Fields do not lie fallow forever, or that is just a waste of the land. There is a SEASON for this, and the season eventually comes to an end and the land is restored and able to produce a bounty again. </span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So this is my season. I am sure you can draw the analogies to life from the image of the field. It has been strangely encouraging for me.</span></span><br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-3000511643624105782015-04-30T14:18:00.002-06:002015-04-30T14:18:46.931-06:00Responding to Every Request for a Donation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpyr1BZmIWeNqubcx5eMvqIFH7Dzs6pW_09717mK0A8-w-95_6qzUKXT6racqV-knbJSEzMCPrIZNu7uD02nmC-JuBflLApH68OtYWuKq1XNXZgbu3zix4poqRreRTIg6jKM_nJBBBKII/s1600/Donate_can.232200527_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpyr1BZmIWeNqubcx5eMvqIFH7Dzs6pW_09717mK0A8-w-95_6qzUKXT6racqV-knbJSEzMCPrIZNu7uD02nmC-JuBflLApH68OtYWuKq1XNXZgbu3zix4poqRreRTIg6jKM_nJBBBKII/s1600/Donate_can.232200527_std.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am both a giver and receiver of donations. This is as it should be, in my estimation.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Some of us who raise funds for worthy causes believe that we need to look and sound "poor" or "needy," and being generous does not lend to that. The conventional wisdom is that if people see that we donate to other causes they will not give to ours.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Well if that is the case I would prefer that people not donate to my causes and I can continue to give generously.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The fact is that I actually <b>LIKE</b> asking people to give money to causes that I believe in, those that are seeking to make a positive impact in the world. I even like asking people to give for my personal support. Yes, I'm weird!</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We who are able also <b>NEED</b> to give generously, for many reasons. Among them is that we have the tendency to create idols out of possessions and pay checks and our stuff!</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Well, as someone who raises funds for a couple different causes, I have to deal with a lot of non-responses. I send out an email or letter and hear <u>nothing</u> from people. The silence is deafening!</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The only thing worse than silence is when someone says they will give and they don't. Then I send a reminder, and another one. Then I feel like I am stalking them. Ugh!</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> So let me put on my "donor" hat again and seek to "be the change that I want to see happen!" (as Ghandi said) As much as possible, I try to respond to <b><u>every</u></b> personal request for a donation. Even if I have to say no to the person or organization, I want to encourage them in some way. I say things like this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #073763;">"</span><span style="color: #38761d;">Thank you for asking me to contribute to your cause. I won't be able to this time, but I think your work is important. Press on in doing good."</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I know that it can sound or feel patronizing to the person, but I would prefer that risk to simply saying nothing to them and leaving them in a fog.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We in the West have an epidemic of fear and obsession with personal security. The way we deal with this fear and security "need" is to hold onto money, homes, comforts. They make us feel (falsely) more safe and secure. I do it, you do it. Most people do it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We need to become more obsessed with giving and generosity and less obsessed with security.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> It needs to start with me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> It needs to start today.</span><br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-81332084043216366892015-04-27T14:46:00.000-06:002015-04-27T14:46:19.079-06:00Eulogy: Words to Remember My Father<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YedfcjE9oOcU591EuIunn_j8BARH4u_TiJ1LIRmL4n2Dx2OXiqNpmFZKRA4TBcrMTC-vCOYqLAErqnJQXP0UgWQmzTT3oRP5LrcrFQNc3wHCcY2Uv4eAkZykx0g1W9j5OIA5UoqZoiw/s1600/Dad_Mom_Kids_SD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YedfcjE9oOcU591EuIunn_j8BARH4u_TiJ1LIRmL4n2Dx2OXiqNpmFZKRA4TBcrMTC-vCOYqLAErqnJQXP0UgWQmzTT3oRP5LrcrFQNc3wHCcY2Uv4eAkZykx0g1W9j5OIA5UoqZoiw/s1600/Dad_Mom_Kids_SD.jpg" height="205" width="320" /></a></div>
We had a beautiful memorial service for my dad at Beth Yeshua Congregation in Plainview, New York yesterday. These were the words I shared with everyone there:<br />
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-</style><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">My father
was what I call <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the unlikely believer in
God.</b></span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">… the unlikely survivor – of a bad childhood</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">… the unlikely survivor of World War II</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He was also the unlikely leader …</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">the unlikely person to help others…</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And mostly, the unlikely follower of God.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For a Jewish
kid from Brooklyn, that is quite the unlikely journey!</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Mom and dad visited my family when we lived in Holland for a
decade. They visited many times actually, often around Thanksgiving.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Frequently we invited dad to come along to activities with our
community – a Christian church community. In the early years dad politely
declined.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">You see, dad wrestled with faith, and God,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and belief - as most of us do at times. He
did not want to be a hypocrite, which I respected.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I was born a Jew, I’m going to
die a Jew,”</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> dad would tell me, believing at
the time that he would have to abandon being Jewish to believe in Jesus.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Two events in Holland when they visited began to show me a shift
in dad’s heart and mind. The first was when our church needed to move
locations, from one school to another. There was dad at 77 years old helping
the sound techs and custodians schlep chairs, sound equipment, and children’s
toys onto the moving truck! All of these 25-year-old strong Dutch guys marveled
at dad’s energy!</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The next day I was heading to church early in the morning and
there was dad ready to go with me – a very new thing for him! I asked why and
he said that the sound guys and custodians were his new-found friends. Dad
walked into the new school where we had just moved as if he owned the place.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The second event was when Susy and I
had the privilege of baptizing mom at our church in Amsterdam. Here we were
with 500 mostly young Dutch people watching as mom is baptized. Everyone cheers
wildly as she comes out of the water. And there is dad right at the edge of the
tub to help mom get out, hand her a towel, and carefully help her to walk back
stage.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dad was unconvinced about faith at
the time, but he was open and searching. And he leaned into seeking God.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dad had a lot to overcome to believe
in a God who is good and gracious and forgives sins. It took him most of his 90
years.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He was like the man who meets Jesus
one day and exclaims, “I do belief! Help me in my unbelief!”</span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Today we celebrate this unlikely
follower of the Messiah, Y’shua.</span></span></div>
</div>
The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-69657312374634304892015-04-15T14:41:00.000-06:002015-04-15T16:22:26.090-06:00Why I Am Not "Sitting Shiva"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My father, Marty Newman, died three days ago on April 12, 2015. He was 90 years old when he breathed his final breath.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I am not "sitting shiva" this week, even though our family is Jewish and we want to be respectful of our traditions and customs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyScpW_mwjfVrlgPXKK3HdPrDiw1f3HIn0u31eu1_oPRKzUZkF2eZM5NfWPDvyvQKX8h00EN9tKhrcmtElURvjOts4-cvakOmnm81Iu9XqM2kR6XqXdYCpLoxzKJH2SHSw7cS0zHBe4s/s1600/ShivaChair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyScpW_mwjfVrlgPXKK3HdPrDiw1f3HIn0u31eu1_oPRKzUZkF2eZM5NfWPDvyvQKX8h00EN9tKhrcmtElURvjOts4-cvakOmnm81Iu9XqM2kR6XqXdYCpLoxzKJH2SHSw7cS0zHBe4s/s1600/ShivaChair.jpg" height="120" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Jews "observe shiva" for the 7 days after a loved one dies. The purpose is to grieve and mourn the loss of the person, and is marked by several acts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the mourners do not work during the week, all mirrors in the house are covered, mourners sit on low chairs below visitors (to show their lowly position and grief), a candle is lit in memory of the person, a black cloth which is ripped is customarily worn, and there is a daily prayer service in which the Mourner's Kaddish is said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> All in all, "sitting shiva" is a somber, sullen experience. I remember going to my aunt and uncle's co-op apartment when my grandfather died and we all sat around speaking softly and "looking a bit like death warmed over," as my dad put it at the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I am not sitting shiva because I do not feel somber and sullen about my father's death. Please allow me to explain! I am sad that I will never be able to pick up the phone and call my dad. We won't be able to talk about cars anymore, and I won't laugh at his hysterical stories about life. <span style="color: red;"><i>But all of that is about ME and not about him. </i></span>This is <u>my</u> grief and loss, and I hope I can lean into this mourning process in the coming weeks and months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> There is also a big part of me that smiles at my dad being free of pain and suffering (no more shortness of breath, no more losing his dentures!). Even more than that, I want to shout for joy at my dad being in the very presence of God and the Messiah, Y'shua. If you are Jewish reading this post you might think, <i>"Uh-oh, Brian is being delusional! He's lost his mind!"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> But I haven't. I know that we Jews have resisted and rejected the idea that the Messiah has already come, and we have generally rejected that Jesus (Y'shua) is that Messiah. If my dad could say anything to us right now it would be, <i><b>Believe it! Believe it that Jesus really was and is the promised Messiah of Israel! </b></i>My dad knows it first hand now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> So there is no compelling reason to sit shiva for me. I do not need to be in a state of somber depression over my dad's death.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> There is one aspect of the mourning process that I simply love. That is, saying the Mourner's Kaddish. Shortly after my mom called us on Sunday morning to say that dad had passed, I found myself reciting the prayer in Hebrew under my breath. For all of my years going to synagogue on Long Island, I did not know what that prayer meant in English. Now I do. It is all about God's greatness and goodness, which my father knows now to the full!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><i>MOURNER'S KADDISH</i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><i>Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will.<br />
May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon;<br />
and say, Amen.<br /> May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.<br />
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.<br /> May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.<br />
He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel;<br />
and say, Amen.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-62536890673915214062015-04-06T11:34:00.000-06:002015-04-06T11:34:08.267-06:00Beware: Persian is Not Arab<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKR8LMe7_u5xuCr3ECpBer91BPtCCe451HOyIUc145D9lmRO0XFeOWSCjkCFRl1wbmTFEShfrvWI5VhceASNMfmH2WpZ1dX-Nszuf7idjXpL9omGhRXoyv5evGW1A9vTb0mM9hUj8eo4/s1600/persian_empire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKR8LMe7_u5xuCr3ECpBer91BPtCCe451HOyIUc145D9lmRO0XFeOWSCjkCFRl1wbmTFEShfrvWI5VhceASNMfmH2WpZ1dX-Nszuf7idjXpL9omGhRXoyv5evGW1A9vTb0mM9hUj8eo4/s1600/persian_empire.jpg" height="231" width="320" /></a></div>
It goes against my philosophical and theological framework to speak as I am about to regarding Iran, and the proposed nuclear agreement being brokered with Western powers.<br />
However, I have concerns (some serious) about the political agreement with Iran. My conservative friends may say that, at last, I am waking up to the "evil forces" at work in Iran. To be clear, I am not becoming hawkish about the U.S.'s involvement in the Middle East, and specifically with Iran. I <u>AM</u> hoping to point out three factors or dimensions to this issue that the Obama administration appears to be avoiding or ignoring.<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Persians are not Arabs. </b>Arabs are localized and tribal, meaning that throughout history Arabs have turned on Arabs based on tribal and clan affiliation. Persians (Iranians) are far more monolithic and certainly the Iranian culture is the dominant force in the Persian world. They are unified which makes them more of a political (and military) force to be reckoned with in the Middle East.</li>
<li><b>Understand the Power Structures. </b>While I am not an expert on Iranian politics, I know enough that there are elected officials, who are chosen by the Iranian people, and there are the Ayatollahs who are not. Iran is a self-declared Islamic Republic, which means the Ayatollahs (the religious clerics) have more power than the popularly elected President and his appointed ministers. The Western governments have spent months and months negotiating with the elected officials of Iran, while the Ayatollahs have remained apart. This calls into question the legitimacy of the negotiations in the first place.</li>
<li><b>Iran is Expansionist via Regional Influence.</b> In the Iran-Iraq war of 1980 to 1988 (which the Reagan Administration and many other governments did not care very much about) Iraq attacked Iran, and Iran defended itself. Modern Iran since the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 has not proven to be expansionist in the sense of invading other countries. Unlike ISIS, It does not appear to want to conquer land. However, Iran has proven to be exceedingly meddling and destabilizing in the Middle East through fellow Shiite states and movements - Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, and Hizbullah. No one can deny the Iranians' covert operations and sectarian divide they have exploited with Sunni Muslim states.</li>
</ol>
My good friends on the side of "give peace a chance" will say that the United States meddles and destabilizes in the region as much as Iran. And you are correct in saying that. However, my father taught me that <i>"two wrongs do not make a right!"</i> We can speak out against Iran's meddling and also call the U.S. government to account for its meddling.<br />
<br />
The deal with Iran is bad on its own merits, not because of any direct threat to Israel (or any other state in the region). It is bad because the West has not negotiated with the true power base in Iran, and because the agreement does not address consequences to Iran meddling in the affairs of other Middle Eastern states.<br />
<br />
I applaud the Obama Administration for wanting a nuclear deal with Iran. Sanctions are crippling to the Iranian people, and only embitters the population to the rest of the world. However, we cannot "cut corners" just to get a deal done. It's time to go back to the drawing board.</div>
The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-84346157710800488672015-03-07T15:57:00.000-07:002015-03-07T15:57:02.532-07:00Passover Seder Tickets Available<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpViZmBfWF8N6QveE3RV6ADl0SsbWeAAEnZs88KagWNlQoGGIVpTnKIEtJUbwCvvXt4oehwgZagmbn9F6xHtF_AAZAMGYZOFCtWbN8rV0jqil2dV6YB9VxI_61qT5aT0gm6VsA365MdoU/s1600/DCC_Uptown1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpViZmBfWF8N6QveE3RV6ADl0SsbWeAAEnZs88KagWNlQoGGIVpTnKIEtJUbwCvvXt4oehwgZagmbn9F6xHtF_AAZAMGYZOFCtWbN8rV0jqil2dV6YB9VxI_61qT5aT0gm6VsA365MdoU/s1600/DCC_Uptown1.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a></div>
We are hosting a unique Passover Seder this year. It will be at the former Temple Emmanuel in Denver, which is now home to one of the sites of <a href="http://www.denverchurch.org/" target="_blank">Denver Community Church.</a><br />
As we do each year, there will be special surprises for the kids, we will have two giveaways of handcrafted pottery, and our "Bless Buckets" will be on the tables. This year all donations will go to help and bless Syrian refugees in Lebanon who are in need of their exodus and return.<br />
Buy tickets for the seder <b><a href="https://denverchurch.ccbchurch.com/form_response.php?id=376" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </b><br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-52015404972960250482015-03-04T16:14:00.002-07:002015-03-04T16:14:54.895-07:00Tonight is Purim<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGuiDRPf4fJClPPe7cOpQrXzc0OUOs9-rPpsY3HwopqBvOlUoQkzwTw-vYf70ZQaLBf-zbnUjHRgmEnjRS6JGWWWc3FFj-F_g3dl9dKhU5li3JcKo3VM9ynr1mwTQ4_eIV5nXpXCz27w/s1600/esther-purim2_566_356_c1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGuiDRPf4fJClPPe7cOpQrXzc0OUOs9-rPpsY3HwopqBvOlUoQkzwTw-vYf70ZQaLBf-zbnUjHRgmEnjRS6JGWWWc3FFj-F_g3dl9dKhU5li3JcKo3VM9ynr1mwTQ4_eIV5nXpXCz27w/s1600/esther-purim2_566_356_c1.jpg" height="201" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tonight is Purim, the remembrance of Esther in the history of the Jewish people. You can read the heroic story in the book of Esther in the Old Testament.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A short article in Patheos recently asked the question, <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/pilgrimsroadtrip/2015/02/who-are-our-esthers/" target="_blank">Who are the Esthers Today?</a> It is an important question, but not only because of the rise of anti-semitism in Europe and elsewhere.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> It is important because women are often treated as second-class citizens in a variety of religious contexts - the Church, Judaism, and Islam to mention the three great monotheistic faiths.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Lest we quickly jump on the bandwagon of how some strains of Islam abuse women (which certainly happens), we in the West would do well to do some serious self-reflection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We are quick to see women as objects of sexual desire and look away at a scantily clad Miley Cyrus, but are largely silent about this kind of abuse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> There is an invisible glass ceiling for many, many women in the corporate world. And that ceiling is not even invisible in the Church world of Catholics and Protestants, where well-meaning men hold to theological positions that severely limit women's gifts, talents, and abilities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> So I also want to ask, <i><b>Who are the Esthers today? </b></i>And I also want to ask how men such as myself are identifying, empowering, and sending those Esthers to change the world for good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-81876593695270572382015-02-15T19:49:00.004-07:002015-02-15T19:49:40.447-07:00Our Twilight Zones Where Life Happens Best<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">“There is a twilight zone in our hearts that we ourselves cannot see.
Even when we know quite a lot about ourselves-our gifts and weaknesses,
our ambitions and aspirations, our motives and our drives-large parts of
ourselves remain in the shadow of consciousness. This is a very good
thing. We will always remain partially hidden to ourselves. Other
people, especially those who love us, can often see our twilight zones
better than we ourselves can. The way we are seen and understood by
others is different from the way we see and understand ourselves. We
will never fully know the significance of our presence in the lives of
our friends. That's a grace, a grace that calls us not only to humility,
but to a deep trust in those who love us. It is the twilight zones of
our hearts where true friendships are born.”</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">―
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4837.Henri_J_M_Nouwen">Henri J.M. Nouwen</a></span></div>
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-43421834234979440522015-01-15T07:00:00.000-07:002015-01-15T07:00:07.927-07:00Reflections on a Paris Peace March<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
Consider some paradoxical thoughts about the peace march earlier this week in Paris, in the aftermath of the attacks in that city.<br />
1. Everyone wants peace for themselves. Even anarchists want to live in a secure and safe environment. The peace march demonstrated this primal urge;<br />
2. Some evil acts cause enemies to build a bridge to stand against the evil;<br />
3. Why was President Obama or his representative missing?;<br />
4. There is a fine line between free expression and lack of decency. It was barbaric what terrorists did in murdering people from the satirical magazine. However, it is rude and undignified to draw cartoons ridiculing Mohammed (or Jesus, or Buddha, or other iconic figures);<br />
5. The problem in Europe is less with Islam "inviting" and more about Christianity "fading." Something always fills the spiritual vacuum, which has been created by more than a century of secularization in Europe. What Europe desperately needs is a spiritual revival of millions of people following Jesus in a new way.<br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-41627338269334538302015-01-12T08:00:00.000-07:002015-01-12T08:00:08.155-07:00My Diverse Interests<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last week someone commented on the many and diverse involvements that I have. It is true that I do a variety of things, and I hope they are with purpose and intention. So here is an overview:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 1. I care about <span style="color: red;"><b>diversity of culture, beliefs, and lifestyle</b></span> and the intersection of all of this. This is the impetus behind <b><a href="http://www.isaac-ishmael.us/" target="_blank">The Isaac-Ishmael Initiative</a></b> which I began four years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 2. I care about <b><span style="color: red;">equity economically and socially,</span> </b>especially in the Two-Thirds world where most people live in abject poverty. This is why I am involved with a great relief and development agency, <a href="http://www.dorcas.org/" target="_blank">Dorcas Aid International</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 3. I <span style="color: red;"><b>umpire youth and adult baseball</b></span> for about 5 months per year, because I love the game and because it puts me in touch with real people living life in their own way. Umpiring reminds me of my blue-collar roots in New York and keeps me grounded.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 4. My wife and I have <b><span style="color: red;">raised Labrador Retriever puppies</span></b> for the last few years, because we love animals and embrace the 8 weeks of chaos, sleep deprivation, and joy that puppies bring to us and to the families who adopt them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 5. I <span style="color: red;"><b>serve in my local church,</b></span> <a href="http://www.denverchurch.org/" target="_blank">Denver Community Church</a>, because being in community should not be an option. Church is messy at times. But the alternative is isolation and that's just hell.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 6. For many years I have had <b style="color: red;">a deep concern for and involvement in leadership, </b>which led me to start </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a company called </span><a href="http://www.stepupenterprises.com/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">Step Up Enterprises</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> that I run with my great business partner, Lizzy Wagner. We believe that </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">everyone has a next step,</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> even if it is the tiniest baby step. We have a counseling section and a consulting section - in both we help people and organizations through the many challenges and stresses of life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> So these are my diverse and varied interests. What I hope motivates me the most is that I know I only have a certain number of days on earth and I don't want to waste time. I want to make the very most of the life I have been given.</span><br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-8236513445993596392015-01-06T11:10:00.000-07:002015-01-06T11:10:38.091-07:00The Core of Shalom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is from my friend Tim Addington and his newly released book, "Deep Influence." For me this is at the heart of shalom.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjtUHekmxuBktfo9uu8G7fgiKX7M_4Z1p0jmYzAVdxNmA_q7PwfYc3n8CvRj7ScEg9_jMVLkfnJjp3BuFxUIHAxgdO6g3smVmQo3noJZNiM7dhvLcvvIw-W3c1Sisbwkr8FDj1Ca4b4M/s1600/DeepInfluence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjtUHekmxuBktfo9uu8G7fgiKX7M_4Z1p0jmYzAVdxNmA_q7PwfYc3n8CvRj7ScEg9_jMVLkfnJjp3BuFxUIHAxgdO6g3smVmQo3noJZNiM7dhvLcvvIw-W3c1Sisbwkr8FDj1Ca4b4M/s1600/DeepInfluence.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: purple;">"One
of my greatest fears is that I would settle for a shallow heart,
becoming distracted by strategies, activities, and “accomplishing the
mission”—all good pursuits, but not the foundation of lasting influence.
Growing deep with God and allowing His character to transform me
ensures that my leadership emanates from a mature spiritual and
emotional core. Shallow hearts and minds do not lead to deep influence!"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=503956623" href="https://www.facebook.com/tjaddington">~ T.J. Addington</a> in Deep Influence</span></div>
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-24327653500219073782015-01-05T07:59:00.000-07:002015-01-05T07:59:00.080-07:00Bono on Jesus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is from the A to Z new year's letter by Bono, posted on the <a href="http://www.u2.com/" target="_blank">U2 website</a>:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>J IS FOR JESUS </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">At this time of year some people are reminded of the poetic as well as the historic truth that is the birth of Jesus. The Christmas story has a crazy good plot with an even crazier premise - the idea goes, if there is a force of love and logic behind the universe, then how amazing would it be if that incomprehensible power chose to express itself as a child born in shit and straw poverty.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Who could conceive of such a story? If you believe it was the protagonist, as I do, then we should try to be really respectful of people who think the whole thing is a bit nutty or worse... Religious people are the best and worst of us...handle us with scepticism...</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Strangely, maybe, some of the most rational thinkers see some kind of cosmic sense in all this... Francis Collins, who led the human genome project, is an obvious one… the language of science and faith are not necessarily at odds....</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> But back to the Christmas story that still brings me to my knees - which is a good place for me lest I harm myself or others. Christmas is not a time for me to overthink about this child, so vulnerable, who would grow so strong... to teach us all how vulnerability is the route to strength and, by example, show us how to love and serve.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> To me this is not a fairy tale but a challenge. I preach what I need to hear... </span></div>
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-577671156584484068.post-30904676460031884712015-01-02T07:56:00.000-07:002015-01-02T07:56:45.746-07:00C.S. Lewis on Peace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxYOkzUqw18BAgZbAFPE3QzDP2YilXI3FTfdUoBDixe8UqWf0yv_clwVYEqWrqFpgKsmH_BevR6CeIqy9rTl6DiM_EwEhx2cOGwYfeiKqgiSaD4kjNmBW51FZGZR9WVDHCeOupDvmgEs/s1600/c.s.lewis-ap1-bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxYOkzUqw18BAgZbAFPE3QzDP2YilXI3FTfdUoBDixe8UqWf0yv_clwVYEqWrqFpgKsmH_BevR6CeIqy9rTl6DiM_EwEhx2cOGwYfeiKqgiSaD4kjNmBW51FZGZR9WVDHCeOupDvmgEs/s1600/c.s.lewis-ap1-bw.jpg" height="200" width="144" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Not all kinds of peace are compatible with all kinds of goodwill, nor do all those who say 'Peace, peace' inherit the blessing promised to the peacemakers." ~ "God in the Dock"</span><br />
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The Isaac Ishmael Initiativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05740733915786206478noreply@blogger.com0