conditions

Father Orthoduck would like to applaud Gov. Brewer of Arizona for vetoing the bill out of Arizona which would have required every Presidential candidate to personally file multiple proofs of natural-born citizenship with the State of Arizona. In vetoing this “birther” bill, she commented that this was a “bridge too far.” And it was, but Father Orthoduck would like to argue that it was not for the reasons that most people would think. Rather, there is a Constitutional problem that could rubber band into a much bigger problem in more areas than just “birther” areas.

Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States says:

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

This article was absolutely necessary to prevent chaos between the States and to allow us to function as a country. What does Father Orthoduck mean? Think about all the things that your State licenses, oversees, or controls, and think what would happen if other States would not recognize the actions of your State. Let’s make a very short list, out of the very many possibilities, and you will see the problem.

Do you have a driver’s license? If you drive to another State, what would happen if that State did not accept your driver’s license, in other words, refused to give, “full faith and credit”? So, you graduated from the State university. But, when you apply for a job in another State, that company says that it cannot accept your degree because that State refuses to give, “full faith and credit” to your State’s university. What would that do to your job prospects? So, you had a baby! But, when you take your child to another State, you are detained for possibly stealing a child because that State refuses to give “full faith and credit” to you State’s birth certificate. It is that last one that is the current problem.

You see, much of the legal paperwork for what we take for granted in our lives are actually State functions, not Federal functions. Imagine if that clause in the Constitution were not there. More than that, notice that the clause specifically and directly says that only the Congress has the right to “prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.” The Arizona bill came all too close to denying that clause and to violating the “powers” enshrined in the Constitution. It has certainly been argued that since the election is in Arizona, that Arizona has the right to insist on levels of proof. But, Gov. Brewer was correct. That approach has the tendency to be a “bridge too far”  and to fragment the web of legal relationships that exist between the 50 States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the associated Federal territories and overseas bases and missions.

The “birther” bill that Arizona passed added nothing helpful to our election process. Instead, it could quickly have become a legal nightmare and a playground for lawyers and people who wished to engage in political shenanigans, as Gov. Brewer herself pointed out. Fortunately, Gov. Brewer refused the temptation to go down that road by vetoing the bill. Thank you, Gov. Brewer.

notice

Before you become worried, the image at the right has nothing to do with the latest Ku Klux Klan meeting. It is actually from a Lenten tradition found in several parts of the non-Orthodox world. The people you see pictured there are penitents, and their practice dates from several hundred years before the presence of colonies in the Americas, all the way back to the 1200′s.

Originally, these groups began as flagellant groups, that is, they would whip themselves in self-punishment and purgation for their sins. By and large, most flagellant groups were declared heretical by the Roman Catholic Church, although the practice of extreme self-mortification continues in many places to this day. For instance, during this next week, you will see the inevitable videos from Mexico and the Philippines, of men having themselves crucified in order to “honor” Our Lord during Holy Week. In New Mexico, parts of Arizona, and parts of Texas, there still exist some flagellant groups that pre-date those regions being part of the USA.

However, the photograph is from Spain, where you will see processions of penitentes all during Holy Week. Not all of them are dressed in pure white, several other colors and color mixes are used. In Spain they do not tend to flagellate themselves, although they still wear the mantle, and often the same cross, as those early heretical flagellants.

In fact, most people do not realize that the KKK did not adopt its white outfit until the 20th century. Before that, KKK member tended to use simple hoods, of various colors, with a very limited uniform. The original purpose of the hood was simply to hide the identity of the KKK member.

The Wikipedia says:

A common feature in Spain is the almost general usage of the nazareno or penitential robe for some of the participants in the processions. This garment consists in a tunic, a hood with conical tip (capirote) used to conceal the face of the wearer, and sometimes a cloak. The exact colors and forms of these robes depend on the particular procession. The robes were widely used in the medieval period for penitents, who could demonstrate their penance while still masking their identity. … These nazarenos carry processional candles or rough-hewn wooden crosses, may walk the city streets barefoot, and, in some places may carry shackles and chains on their feet as penance. In some areas, sections of the participants wear dress freely inspired by the uniforms of the Roman Legion.

In León, Holy Week multiple processions involving up to 15,000 penitents are not unusual. The longest procession of the week takes 9 hours, carrying massive statues and involves around 9,000 penitents. The procession stops at 13 different places, so it is a type of Stations of the Cross, and a visual parallel to the reading of the 12 Gospels.

When Father Orthoduck and his wife lived in Arequipa, Perú, similar processions took place every Holy Week. Each day was a different procession, followed by hundreds of people carrying candles and singing hymns. There were uniformed cofradías carrying the massive statues, but no hoods. The main procession that week would involve several thousand people with multiple statues being carried from multiple churches, all headed towards the same place. It involved some very careful planning and coordination to bring that off.

All in all, people knew that it was Holy Week. Much business stopped for the entire week, and many people devoted themselves to the celebration of Holy Week in a way that is not found in the USA, where we are fortunate if people realize that it is Pascha (Easter).

handbook

Father Orthoduck does not have time to write this morning. But, the two comics above point out what part of the problem is. Yesterday, Father Ernesto pointed out that wages have stagnated or dropped while business owners are getting ever larger bonuses. The comic above points out that wealth is being increasingly centralized in groups of the super-rich. This is not the result of increased earnings by companies or of a vastly recovered economy, but is the result of shifting money away from workers to the rich. And, as pointed out by the statistics, this shifting is made possible by stagnant or lowered wages, and by shifting jobs out of this country and laying off workers, not by increased production.

This is why Father Ernesto said that the Scripture from James applies, the one about the wages being withheld crying out to the Lord of Hosts. Wages are being withheld so that the rich may make more, exactly the situation described in James. Worse, notice that the Tea Party supports proposals to lower the wages of those it considers too highly paid (workers) while supporting the lowering of taxes and the undoing of regulations which used to put some brakes on the accelerating accumulation of wealth only by the super-rich. This is why Father Ernesto says that the Tea Party practices the “preferential option for the rich.” He considers them the right-wing version of liberation theology.

Father Ernesto did receive a couple of very well written and considered comments and questions objecting to his conclusions, which objections he will try to answer by tomorrow.

store tools

This is from a news report today:

House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan said Sunday he will unveil a Republican budget for 2012 this week that proposes dramatic changes to Medicare, Medicaid and other political lightning rods.

The plan, to be released Tuesday, calls for a controversial overhaul of Medicare, the health care program for seniors, and would impose deep cuts in Medicaid, which provides health benefits to low-income Americans, Ryan told “Fox News Sunday.”

Starting 10 years from now, in 2021, elderly Americans would receive government help in paying health insurance premiums instead of enrolling in the government-run Medicare program, Ryan said. He rejected the label of “vouchers” for the payments, calling them “premium assistance” payments instead. …

In its analysis of the Ryan-Rivlin plan, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said it involved vouchers. Republican sources have admitted to CNN that the term “vouchers” is politically explosive, especially for such a controversial set of changes like those being proposed by Ryan.

His proposal would only affect people younger than 55, with those 55 and older continuing to receive Medicare benefits under the existing system, Ryan said. …

In addition, Ryan said, his proposal would change the tax code to lower rates but eliminate some exemptions and broaden the tax base. Asked for specifics, he instead repeated the Republican mantra that the nation needed to cut spending to balance the budget and reduce deficits, not raise taxes. …

So, finally we begin to see what the Republican plan is. Though Father Orthoduck has not quoted it specifically in the quote above, here is what is boils down to:

1. Lower taxes on businesses, particularly on multinationals. After all USA businesses are paying too much. Look at GE for instance. It paid no taxes on a supposed tax rate of 35%. It even received some subsidies and paybacks. And, because it paid no taxes and received a subsidy, GE shipped out even more of its jobs overseas. GE laid off people in the USA to send the jobs overseas. Obviously its not paying taxes is simply not enough. We need to give them even more tax money as protection money (oops, did Father Orthoduck say that? He meant “incentive money.”) in order to keep them from shipping jobs out overseas.

2. Lower wages and benefits. After all, Americans already make too much money. It is important that businesses be able to forget about giving holiday pay, overtime pay, or offshift pay. And, 40 hours a week is too low an expectation. If Americans would only make less money, while businesses paid even less taxes, why the economy would magically recover, and even if it did not, why business owners would be able to live the lifestyle to which they are fully entitled. Let’s not make our businesses or business owners sacrifice in any way whatsoever. God loves the rich and simply puts up with the poor.

3. Privatize Medicare. Trust that Americans will completely forget that those who had privatized retirement benefits suffered greatly when the economy tanked a couple of years ago. Rely on the fact that young people will not believe that the same could happen to them. Promise those over 55 that they will not be touched so as to split the population of the USA. Once enough babyboomers die off, there will be time to renege on even this agreement. After all, we are already reneging on promises made to anyone under 55, so why should we keep any promises to those over 55? Saint James only meant “let your yes be yes,” to apply to non-business purely church settings. Besides Martin Luther was right to doubt that his epistle was really canonical, as no true apostle would have said the things that he said about the rich.

4. Come close to eliminating Medicaid. The poor only deserve to die. If they need medical treatment and cannot afford it, why it is their problem, not ours. After all, we are not our brothers’ keepers. Cain was right; Abel was wrong. Besides, “brother-keeping” is a Church function. The State should never have been involved in it. If the poor are not taken care of, why it is the fault of the Church and only of the Church. Of course, since supposedly we are “once saved always saved,” we may be in trouble with the Lord about not taking care of the poor, but ultimately we will be in heaven regardless, so why worry about it?

Do cuts need to be made in the USA budget? Absolutely, every program needs to come in under the knife. But, cutting is not enough to ensure a balanced budget. Corporations have not been paying their fair share for many years. GE is not the only USA corporation who uses the many many available loopholes in the tax code. But, more than that, all too many Republicans only support businesses and show little to no support for workers. It is time for Christians to read again the Scriptures that have to do with the poor and ask themselves from where in our Judeo-Christian culture comes the idea that somehow we must support the rich at the cost of the poor. In passing Father Orthoduck would actually endorse a flat tax, provided that it was a true flat tax with no loopholes. The supposed problem is that we have a purported 35% corporate tax rate. But that tax rate is not paid by any of the major corporations. That tax rate is only there as an election day punching bag which allows businesses to sob crocodile tears while paying little to no taxes. A mandatory flat tax rate would actually mean that most corporations would pay more than what they are paying now!

But, you need not believe Father Orthoduck. Should all the Tea Party proposals pass, you will only need to wait a couple of years, and then you will be shocked at what the result will be.

Late note: Oops, maybe you do not need to wait even a couple of years. See the quote below from a news story from late yesterday:

Declaring 2010 “the best year in safety performance in our company’s history,” Transocean Ltd., owner of the Gulf of Mexico oil rig that exploded, killing 11 workers, has awarded its top executives hefty bonuses and raises, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

That includes a $200,000 salary increase for Transocean president and chief executive officer Steven L. Newman, whose base salary will increase from $900,000 to $1.1 million, according to the SEC report. Newman’s bonus was $374,062, the report states.

Newman also has a $5.4 million long-term compensation package the company awarded him upon his appointment as CEO in March 2010, according to the SEC filing.

The latest cash awards are based in part on the company’s “performance under safety,” the Transocean filing states.

Let the workers die. Let them earn less money. Let them have fewer benefits. At the same time increase the wages of the officers of the company responsible for lowering operating and labor costs, even if they result in the death of workers. After all, workers are replaceable, safety costs money, and the explosion will mean tax credits for lost production and lost equipment. This is Tea Party world now.

 

Father Orthoduck admits it. This is Lent and the time for admitting things. And, despite all the warning about the love of money being the root of all evils (For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.) yet, Father Orthoduck admits to having an envious eye sometimes. He wonders what it would be like to be able to decide to go somewhere and fly there first class. He wonders what it would be like to live in a big house with enough room for everything and for guests to come and stay. He wonders . . . Well you get the idea. In fact, Father Orthoduck knows well that pull of money for he feels it in his own flesh. In fact, he remembers a sermon preached by a Peruvian pastor who said that the three greatest temptations for a pastor are, “fama, faldas y finanzas.” That can be translated as, “fame, females, and finances. (The word faldas actually means skirts.)

Nevertheless, the quote below is from St. John Chrysostom:

In the matter of piety, poverty serves us better than wealth, and work better than idleness, especially since wealth becomes an obstacle even for those who do not devote themselves to it. Yet, when we must put aside our wrath, quench our envy, soften our anger, offer our prayers, and show a disposition which is reasonable, mild, kindly, and loving, how could poverty stand in our way? For we accomplish these things not by spending money but by making the correct choice. Almsgiving above all else requires money, but even this shines with a brighter luster when the alms are given from our poverty. The widow who paid in the two mites was poorer than any human, but she outdid them all.

Father Orthoduck leaves you with the video below, and hopes that you will have a good laugh and walk on this Lent, growing in giving and in your appreciation of your being not-rich.

international

notice

During Lent we are called to fast not simply for our spiritual health, but also in order to save money that can be given to the poor. But, we have to actually give to the poor. It is no good simply feeling bad about the poor. And, please, do NOT just click on a Facebook page. Father Orthoduck has bad news for you. Clicking on a Facebook page may get Betty White on Saturday Night Live, but it does absolutely nothing for the poor.

So, Father Orthoduck recommends that you look around. Is there a reliable local charity to which you can give? If not, Father Orthoduck recommends the International Orthodox Christian Charities found at http://www.iocc.org/. Please give today and give well.

handbook

One of the persistent charges against God is that he should have been able to design a better system. That is, one of the charges against God is that he must somehow ought to have been able to design a system in which people do not suffer. The arguments over that proposition have gone on for centuries. So, look at the comic above and see the way in which the author defines free will. Notice that free will implies consequences, and that those consequences can be good, neutral, or bad. But, the comic above also clearly points out that we are responsible for our choices. The above does not answer every objection to God that is found by those who charge that the evil in the world is a strike against God, but it does point us to what is called the Free Will defense of God.

A better, and quite short, explanation is found in the video below. Father Orthoduck thinks you will enjoy it.

store

Well, Father Orthoduck thought that he and Father Ernesto were done posting on pride and Lent. However, the above comic was too good to pass off. As Father Ernesto commented in his previous post, he knows how easy it is for priests to fall into pride. But, the comic above nicely illustrates the false spirituality that can so easily hide beneath the spiritual practices of Lent. Let Father Orthoduck put it this way. If people other than your immediate family or those you live with know the intimate details of your fasting and prayer life during Lent, you are like that mouse up above. Notice that I said intimate. Most Orthodox will assume that their fellow Orthodox is keeping the full fast. However, if the people around you begin to know what you had for dinner last night, you are like that mouse up above.

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. …

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

partner

Most of you do not realize that Father Orthoduck is an Adjunct Professor of World Religion at an university in the USA. He finds it very interesting to read the answers that students give to various questions. But, the one below had him laughing quite hard. This is only a partial excerpt from all that the student actually said.

Another interesting aspect that I touched on in my post was the actual definition of “evil”. With the wide diversity in the U.S not everyone’s idea is the same. For instance, to key off of comments I have seen, not everyone in the U.S believes in military and actually consider it evil. Being an active duty member myself I would obviously not agree with this opinion, causing a blur between good and evil. That battle has now become what is “fair”, incorporating equal rights for everyone, even when their views or ideas seem naive to a person with a conflicting thought. Ironically, this could be compared to an elementary school yard, leaving the teachers and employees left to make sense of a chaotic scenario.

So what do you think? Has our sense of right and wrong, our conscience, degenerated to the point that all we have is a schoolyard sense of “fair,” as in, “Teacher, that’s not fair, he had the ball yesterday.” Father Orthoduck asks this because it seems that much of the argument over subjects such as the budget or affirmative action or future planning has all become arguments about “fair,” rather than about what is best for this country and her people. For instance, Tea Party Republicans are now talking openly about curtailing, maybe severely, Social Security benefits. The outcry has been all on the line of, “that’s not fair, we have contributed to the system for years.” However, the person has no answer for how to finance the system correctly, because that answer would require some sacrifice, and, yes, maybe some “unfairness” to those who have contributed faithfully. In affirmative action, for years the outcry has been, “That’s not fair, s/he took a job I should have had because I (see myself as) am better qualified.” When it is pointed out that the target group was kept from getting that type of job previously and would have had no chance to get the experience necessary to be as fully qualified, the answer is always, “Well, that is not fair to me, so tough for them.” However, the person has no answer for how to ensure equality between groups, because that answer would require some sacrifice, and, yes, some “unfairness” to those who have had the benefits of the system available to them longer. Future planning in Congress appears to be more about trying to cut those things with which that particular Congressperson (Rep or Dem) politically disagrees and keeping untouched those with which s/he politically agrees rather than of reaching those compromises that would cut from every part of the budget and which would require financial sacrifices from the citizens in order to achieve financial wholeness. From the citizen’s part, despite the years of benefits which we received but were never paid for (deficit spending), there is an outcry that taxes cannot be raised, and must be lowered. There is no sense that maybe we need to sacrifice in this country, whether or not we personally benefited, in order to see financial wholeness return. (In passing, we all did benefit from that deficit spending, we just do not always want to admit it.)

In other words, Father Orthoduck thinks that this student has seen clearly that any sense of “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” has become a childish game of, “It’s not fair!” The idea of self-sacrifice for the greater good has become the idea that no one can touch any of MY entitlements or MY stuff. Please notice that this student is an active duty member of the USA military. S/he knows what it is to sacrifice for the greater good of this country, to the point of laying down his/her life if necessary, and s/he is getting to the disgusted point. So, do you think this student is right?

international

Father Orthoduck saw the following story on CNN:

PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is calling for a more animal-friendly update to the Bible.

The group is asking translators of the New International Version (NIV) to remove what it calls “speciesist” language and refer to animals as “he” or “she” instead of “it.” …

PETA is hoping the move toward greater gender inclusiveness will continue toward animals as well.

“When the Bible moves toward inclusively in one area … it wasn’t much of a stretch to suggest they move toward inclusively in this area,” Bruce Friedrich, PETA’s vice president for policy, told CNN.

Friedrich, a practicing Roman Catholic, said, “Language matters. Calling an animal ‘it’ denies them something. They are beloved by God. They glorify God.”

Now Father Orthoduck is attracted to this story. His first reaction was to agree totally and to insist that Orthodox Ducks should not be referred to as an it, but should be referred to as he and she, as drakes and ducks. But then Father Orthoduck started to laugh uproariously.

You see, the problem is that if everything was translated exactly as the Bible talks about animals, it would be a terrible mess. The problem is that English is a language that does not have genders for every noun. Let Father Orthoduck explain. Many languages, including Hebrew have a gender for each noun. Let me give you an example from Spanish, which Father Orthoduck happens to speak rather well. In Spanish, a mountain is la montaña. In other words, a mountain is a female gender noun. So if one were using pronouns, a mountain would be a she. A soul is a she. A body is a he. A spirit is a he. A car is a he. A rug is a she. In many languages, gender and sex are not the same thing.

This is the mistake that PETA is making. They are trying to insist that a gendered language be translated into a non-gendered language in such a way as to be gender-neutral. This is not simply difficult, it is impossible. In fact, the problem with translations is that they can never fully accurately reflect something written many years ago in another culture and another language. It is also the reason why there are so many translations of the Bible into English. Each translation catches a large part of the original Hebrew or Greek, but no translation can fully and perfectly express the original language into the translation.

In passing, Father Orthoduck needs to comment that this is why one must be careful not to base an interpretation of Scripture on a single word or phrase in a language other than the original language. This is why it is so important to read the Early Church Fathers. They were ever so close to the original writings that their interpretations are very likely to be appropriate reflections of what the Scripture meant when first written.

home