The Flap Over Taxes

So Mitt Romney put his foot in his mouth at a fundraiser when he said 47% of Americans don't pay tax and won't vote for him because it does not matter that he is going to lower taxes.
       Here are some things I am dumbfounded about in America. Thanks to groups like the Tax Policy Center (which is fairly non-partisan), here is what we know about Americans paying taxes:
       1. 76 million Americans did not pay federal income tax last year. That seems like a lot of people to me;
       2. Of the 76 million Americans who did not pay taxes, 50% of them do not pay tax because their actual income is low. It seems to me that you should not have to pay tax if your real income is very low;
       3. About 5% of these 76 million Americans - something like 430,000 people - earn between $50,000 and $100,000 and pay NO federal income tax. This makes NO sense to me. And by the way, I am one of these 430,000 people;
       4. Of the 430,000 people, approximately 4,000 of them have more than $1 million in income and still pay NO income tax. This makes even less sense than point #3;
       5. A whole lot of the 76 million Americans do not have to pay taxes because of those wonderful things called "tax loopholes." Some biggies include: earned income tax credit (12 million people), tax credit for college expenses (I like that one!), mortgage interest deduction, charitable giving deduction, etc. etc.;
       So here is my thought: A while bunch more Americans need to be paying taxes and that money needs to reduce a MEGA debt that we have.
       Some of my simple conclusions:
   - People who earn a lot of money need to pay a bit more (like if you make over $250,000). But please, let's not be naive and think this will solve everything!
   - People who earn $50,000 to $250,000 also have to pay some more. So, Mr. Romney and Mr. Obama, PLEASE stop talking about middle class tax cuts. It may get you elected but it is just makes no sense.
       - And, we all need to suck it up and ditch many of these "sacred cow" tax loopholes. I'm the first to admit that it will be like pouring lemon juice on a paper cut for me, but it's part of the "shared sacrifice" value that seems to be blatantly absent in this political season.
       Thus is my political rant for today.

Seeing in a Different Way

I love the film, "Dead Poets Society." It is one of my all-time favorites.

       One of the wonderful scenes is when Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) stands on a desk in his classroom.

       The dialog goes like this:
   [Keating stands on his desk] 
   John Keating: Why do I stand up here? Anybody? 
   Dalton: To feel taller! 
   John Keating: No! 
   [Dings a bell with his foot] 
   John Keating: Thank you for playing Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.
       Keating is talking about PERSPECTIVE. Gaining better and better perspective is a core part of maturity. We have to look at issues that really matter in life from different perspectives which might challenge even long-held views.
       Let me be the first to say that this freaks me out a bit. I like the comfort of living in my pre-conceived and long-established beliefs and prejudices. Thank you very much.
       It just seems to me that one of God's purposes in sending Jesus to earth was to shatter people's long-held views on things. The Jews were waiting for a Messiah who would be a military conqueror who would crush the Roman invasion of the Holy Land. Jesus was anything but a military conqueror. But conquer he did - by laying down his life, dying on a cross!
       I need to resist the "pack mentality" and keep working at perspective and charting a path that is different than the one traveled by others. I need to learn to stand on desks even when everyone else is sitting in seats.

What WOULD Jesus Do?

I have never worn those W.W.J.D. bracelets. I have feared that I would be doing something that Jesus would certainly NOT do and someone would see me do it! That's a total testimony killer!
       But I have wondered the past couple of days what Jesus WOULD do in the midst of a horrible film depicting Mohammed, the violence in Egypt, Libya, and now Yemen, and hateful rhetoric on all sides: Jewish, Muslim, and Christian.
       I imagine Jesus entering the situation as he did in Luke 19 when he was approaching Jerusalem. He looked over the City of David, also called the city of PEACE, and he wept over it. (Luke 19:41). Why did he weep? He tells us:
"If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes."
       Jesus weeps at Jerusalem's defiance at receiving God's Kingdom, at receiving God's true SHALOM. He weeps at people building their own kingdoms and seeking their own "peace."
       I imagine that Jesus might show up on the wall of the American Embassy in Egypt and be in the midst of the people - Muslims as well as the Americans into the barricaded walls.
       I imagine that he might get incredibly angry - as he did when he entered the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers - because a small fragment of Jews have abused power and funded and created a terrible film which dehumanizes people.
       I imagine that he might confront the Muslim clerics who incited people to riot. I imagine that Jesus  would challenge them to seek His Kingdom before any other, and to live by the Sermon on the Mount.
       And I imagine that Jesus would weep with those who weep - the families of Christopher Stevens and the other people killed in the embassy, the mothers and fathers whose sons decided to riot and who hurt others or were hurt in the crowd.
      That's what I think Jesus might do today.
       Now how about you and me?

Complexity

My brother recently wrote an article entitled, "Keep It Complicated." You can read it HERE. It is well written and I agree with him.
     This has been so incredibly apparent to me as I delve into the Israel-Palestine issue. If there has ever been a wildly complex and complicated matter it is this one.
     I am currently reading "The Palestine-Israeli Conflict," written by an Israeli and a Palestinian. Whew, this is complicated! And our attempts to simplify and "dummy it down" actually make it worse. We stereotype. We generalize. We draw conclusions before examining the many facets of the issue.
     In simplifying complex matters we tend to put ourselves in a simple box: "I am pro-Israel, the Israelis should be in the land, others should get out." Or, "Israel should be destroyed, the Palestinians should have their own country," etc.
     The challenge of complexity is that we can become stuck in it, throw up our hands, feel paralyzed, and give up. That would be the worst thing to do.
     Jesus spoke of "foreign" and complex things all the time. The Sermon on the Mount blew people away. His teachings on the Kingdom of God left people scratching their heads. And most of all, his trial, execution, burial, and resurrection was anything but simple and straightforward! God calls us into the complexity, not to escape from it.
     Now I have to go back to reading about the Palestine-Israeli Conflict.! Woohoo!

A New York Jew Reflects on 9/11

"Where were you on 9/11?" I remember exactly where I was - standing outside the Free University of Amsterdam putting money in a parking meter. It was about 3:30pm local time. A man came up to me and asked if I had heard that two planes had struck the World Trade Center towers in New York.
     I remember asking him, "TWO planes hit EACH tower?" He replied with a frantic, "Yes."
     I got home as soon as possible and watched on the BBC and CNN as events unfolded. I was horrified, almost sick to my stomach.
     I was also keenly aware that I was (and am) American, Jewish, and from New York. In the ensuing days I felt this intensely, as my kids and I were interviewed on Dutch TV and our church held something of a memorial service the following Sunday.
     I still process the events of 9/11 through a New York Jewish lens. The Towers were iconic symbols of New York. When they were destroyed something deep inside every New Yorker was pierced.
     The fact that the planes which struck the Towers were hijacked by Middle Easterners from Muslim backgrounds has heightened my sensitivity of being Jewish and processing 9/11.
     In some warped and bizarre way, 9/11 provided rationale for my suspicion of Arabs and people from Muslim backgrounds. The tragedy of 9/11 gave me "permission" to hate and to seek vengeance.
     The "problem" (which is not ultimately a problem at all) is that I follow a Jewish rabbi who teaches me that the only way to overcome hatred is with love. This rabbi - Jesus the Christ (Messiah) - tells me that His Kingdom is the very opposite of what 9/11 represents. His Kingdom is one in which those who have strayed the most from God are sought out to be saved from their sin and brokenness. His Kingdom is not so much for the righteous, but rather for the sinner.
     Somewhere in the midst of trying to find a place in my heart for the 9/11 tragedy I have been challenged to let go of hatred and seek Truth about Jesus and His Kingdom. It is a Kingdom for Jews and Gentiles and, yes, Muslims. It is a Kingdom for all peoples who follow this Jesus and are saved by grace through him.
     I still cannot separate out being a New York Jew from the events of 9/11. This tragedy has caused unique pain in many people, especially in New York Jews. It pierces our hearts in a very painful way. I just need to remember that someone else's heart was pierced far more dramatically and painfully, for the sins of the world. 9/11 reminds me of our great and desperate need of Jesus - Savior, Lord, King.

Planning 50

In a month I will turn 50 years old! Having seen a number of friends face milestone birthdays (50 and 60 most recently) I realize there is a few different responses you can have to it:
1. You can keep it quiet and try to ignore it as best as possible;
2. You can become bummed out at your mortality;
3. You can throw a big party and celebrate.
I am opting for number 3.

     My friend Jim (in the photo) and I turn 50 within 3 days of each other. So we are throwing a party together. It should be a blast!
     I learned this from my friend Faith, who turned 60 a few years ago and hosted a party at the Mount Vernon Country Club. Susy and I were invited. I was so moved by the CELEBRATION OF HER LIFE by her husband, children, and friends. I remember saying to myself, "when I turn 50 I want to celebrate like this!" So that's what I am doing.
     By the way, the day I turn 50 I am applying for my AARP discount card. It's a dream come true for a Jew!
     And to get you in the mood for celebrating 50, here is a little video clip of Sally O'Malley and Doty O'Donaghan (thanks to the inspiration for this from my wife Susy who showed a very funny clip of Sally at Susy's 50th last year)

Go Where You Are Needed

I do not always agree with John Piper's style, and sometimes with his content. But he is challenging and mission-focused.
       This 3-minute excerpt from a sermon gives a good perspective about why I am focused on Jews and Muslims. I agree with Piper and appreciate his passion and compassion.

Remembering Jhan Moskowitz

One of the leaders of the Messianic Movement in the United States died this week. Jhan Moskowitz was among the first staff members of Jews for Jesus. He died suddenly after a fall and resulting brain injury.

       I did not know Jhan personally, although I was influenced by him in the early 1990s when I was a student at Fuller Seminary and he visited Jews for Jesus staff at our apartment complex. I remember listening to Jhan's story and thinking, "this guy is a pretty down-to-earth person." He was humble, clear-minded, and had a huge heart for his people.

       Here is a 3-minute video of Jhan telling his story of coming to faith in Y'shua.

The Beginning of the "Empty Nest"

Steven with roommate Carter

We brought Steven down the road to the University of Denver two days ago, thus putting our toes into a new chapter affectionately called, "the empty nest."
       So, how do I feel about this? Strangely RELIEVED. I'm excited for Steven as he steps into the world. I'm thankful for the past 7 years, when we came to America to help our kids launch into adulthood.
       I am reminded of William Bridges' comment in his book Transitions, "We come to beginnings only at the end."
       Well this is an end and a beginning for sure - both for Steven and for us.
So, Steven, go and make your good mark on this world! Soar like an eagle!

We Jews Are Taking over the World!

Excuse the blurry photo, but I just snapped it quickly with my iPhone. It is a reminder to me of how influential we Jews are in the world.
       This week at the University of Denver there is a Resource Fair, with a variety of companies, students organizations, and faith-based groups present.
       There were three tables for faith-based groups, TWO of which were for Jewish groups! The third table was a mish-mash of "other" groups such as Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and the campus chaplain. By the way, I did not see any Muslim groups represented.
       Hillel and Chabad (the two Jewish groups) had their own tables (White and yellow table clothes in photo). The Chabad table was staffed by a real rabbi, wearing tallis, yarmulke, and boasting a big busy beard.
       Chabad is having a Challah and Matzah Ball soup dinner this coming Friday evening for Shabbat. I don't think the Christians, Buddhists, or Hindus are doing anything like that. I kind of want to go - I'm sure the soup will be good!
       We stopped and spoke with the rabbi for a few minutes - a very personable guy. He offered us some classic Jewish wisdom, "Never go to a sabbath meal at a skinny rabbi's house." Needless to say, he was not skinny.

The Challenge of Inclusion

Last weekend I found myself sitting around the table with an Afghan and an Arab. What was a nice Jewish boy like me doing in a place like this?
       What's even more bizarre is that we had a true kinship, bond, connection, vision! How did that happen?
       As my friend Aram says in the title of his book, "The answer is always Jesus!" The three of us follow and love Jesus and have submitted ourselves to him. And so in a very real sense we can submit ourselves to one another.
       I have found that I have the opportunity to grow and mature the most when I am inclusive and with people who are very different from me. Some examples:
* Fouad is a Lebanese Arab who grew up during the civil war in Lebanon. He was there when the Israelis invaded his country a couple of times. He has some legit reasons to be angry with Jews. We work closely together in ministry;
* Roger is a card-carrying NRA member from Texas. A Republican, conservative. I am none of those things. We have built an incredibly strong friendship over our years in Denver. He won't show me his guns because he is concerned that I will UNfriend him! (but I won't)
* Mariya is an Afghan (Persian), about half my age, she has been a follower of Jesus only about 2 years. She has this tremendous evangelistic zeal to share her faith with everyone and anyone. We might as well have grown up on different planets!;
* Jim and his wife are my liberal buds. I don't mention her name only because her dad is way conservative and it might cause some tension in the family! I cannot hang out too much with Jim because we just think we are right all the time!
       This is my point: Living in diversity and being inclusive demands that we HAVE convictions, not that we abandon them. Living in diversity means that we be open to learn from others, to listen carefully, to be slow to judge and to not be judgmental. I need to be in community with people who are very different than me. It's humbling in the best sense of the word.
       I am more Christian (wanting to truly, fully follow Christ) now that I rub shoulders with more and more people who are not Christian - Jews and Muslims in particular. I want them to follow Christ also - but not because I am right and they are wrong. Rather I want them to be fully alive (in Christ), to learn to live in diversity and to become inclusive (Jews and Muslims generally are not good at the diversity piece), to experience a taste of heaven on earth. I love that the book of Revelation tells us that heaven will be made up of people from every culture, every language (ta ethne in Greek)!

A Persian, a Jew, and an Arab Meet

This photo means so much to me. It's a microcosm of what I see in Scripture of the Kingdom of God.
     The caption I have put on it is, "A Persian, a Jew, and an Arab meet to dream about what God is doing among Muslims."
       In other words, "thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven." 

Every Privilege Has a Purpose

This helps me find at least some context for living a privileged life. It also raises some important questions for me.

Little Seen, Not Overlooked

Once upon a time (when I first moved to Denver) I found myself at a mega-church which had recently removed its wildly popular senior pastor. The church was in danger of going from "boom to bust." I was asked to do some consulting for the church.
       I spent most of a year hanging around the church, coming alongside the staff in some ways, helping where I could. There was a guy on that staff, Karl, who had come along as an interim teaching pastor (I think). He is a great communicator, loves Jesus, and probably could have stayed at that church for many years.
       But Karl (and others on staff) had a new vision for Church, and wanted to see if the dinosaur of a mega-church could change. In the end, the leadership of that mega-church would not take a chance on this new vision. They paid a lot of money to a head hunter who found a "high octane" pastor. The church has exploded with growth in the past 6 years. The rest is history, as they say.
       These years later I am reminded of Jesus' words, "the first shall be last and the last first" when considering this mega-church and Karl. You see, Karl now co-pastors a church of self-declared misfits and people who don't go nicely into a box. The church is small with few material resources. It's a real community, but not outwardly "successful" by some standards.
       The mega-church had income of more than $8 million last year and a staff of about 60 people, up from 25 when Karl and I were there 6 years ago. By many standards this church is successful, and certainly makes an impact in the community and around the world.
       I track with Karl via his blog and almost always find myself horribly confronted by his insights on what it means to have faith in Jesus. It strikes me that he has traded in success (after all, he could pastor a lot of big churches around here) for something else - weakness, humility, frailty. Hmmmmm... I'm not sure I am that courageous.
      Here's to you, Karl. You gained my respect years ago at that mega-church. My respect for you continues to grow.

What Does $500 Million Buy?

News outlooks reported this week that more than $500 million has been spent on the U.S. Presidential election to date, and it is still more than two months until Election Day. It is estimated that more than $1 Billion will be spent on this presidential election.
     So I got to thinking: "What could $500 million do in the world today?" Here are some ideas:
* Feed 9.2 million malnourished children around the world for 50 days;
* Immunize 29 million children for life;
* Provide clean water for 500 million people in the developing world for 40 days;
* Buy 166 million anti-malatrial mosquito nets in Africa.
(source: NBC Nightly News)
     I have lived and worked in the Developing World (parts of Africa, southern Asia, and Latin America). I am not so naive that $500 million can simply be thrown around in these parts of the world and these problems eradicated. I know it's just not that straightforward.
     Nonetheless, it is shameful that my "home" culture is marked by such obscene spending on political campaigns. And even if 90% of the $500 million might be wasted or misused in the process of immunizing 29 million children, I would prefer to spend it that way. A $50 million investment in children's health in Africa is worth far, far better than $500 million spent on a presidential campaign.