Can't serve God and wealth...lessons from the Jesus

I'm not a very religious man, but I did go to a Baptist school as a child. And I learned a lot from some loving teachers there. Ms. Patnaik, Mr. Davis and Teacher Grandma (no joke, that was her name) all taught me lessons about how to be a good man in the world. While I consider myself at best agnostic about the divinity of the man known as Jesus, I do think he, and other religious teachers, have left us with rich lessons and questions for us to work out on our own.

I consider myself a liberal. This radical position grew out of the lessons I learned from my parents and the folks at First Baptist Church. They taught me to have compassion for those struggling in poverty and that I had a responsibility to make the world a better place for all my fellow women and men.

I have problems with those that wrap themselves in the cloak of righteousness, yet practice guileful deception upon the American populace. Those succubi of right wing Christianity that serve themselves first and the Manon of corporate wealth in this country. If you ever get tweaked by some right winger who claims that the GOP is the party most in line with their "Christian" values, ask them, why is the GOP against the poor? Ask them why they're against unemployment insurance for those that lost their job due to no fault of their own? Ask them why they continue to push tax cuts for the rich when such tax cuts have not shown to create any greater capital investment in our economy and help to solidify an oligarchy/aristocracy in this country, in direct contravention of the wishes of our founders?

Then finish with this thought, from the Jesus:
Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

It's pretty clear, our responsibility, at least according to the God of the Christians is to serve His wishes, and those were to take care of the poor, heal the sick, and be good to each other.

Be good to each other...vote for candidates that support universal health care, benefits to help the poor get on their feet, and that exact from those whose wealth was created by the largess of the American system fair progressive taxes to ensure the future prosperity of our nation.

Marriage: Week 1

As a way to keep writing, and think through various issues of politics, culture, love and life, I figure I'll do some blogging.

Today, I'm fired up to say I've been married over a week, and we've had a good one. Mara and I have been lazing around the house, looking at pictures from the wedding and reliving the wonderful time we had. Probably of little importance to the rest of the world, but man, it was an awesome time!

If you're thinking of getting married in Pittsburgh, New Hazlett Theater (great venue), Tiffany Cooper at hotmetalstudio (photographer that made us look beautiful) and Strictly Business Catering all come highly recommended.

Here's to learning more, writing lots and enjoying my time in the 'burgh.