Being Frank about religion and politics

After a few decades on this planet, I am surprised that I have not yet come to terms with talking about my faith, what I believe deep down inside. 

Oh, if you ask me, I can give a reason for my faith, but I don't like to talk about what I do about my faith. 

Some people are rather glib when talking about what they do at their church. I am not. 

It's not that I am ashamed of my faith or my church. Quite the opposite. I'm thankful the Lord found me and I'm thankful I found our church. 

I think it has more to do with an honest humility about who I am compared with Who God Is. 

I think we know ourselves best when we go to bed and the house is quiet and we are all alone before we go to sleep, no matter how many people are snoring under the same roof. 

I don't criticize those who discuss their religion, unless their attitude comes across as "Look what I do for God! Isn't he lucky to have me!"

In college, I had a dash magnet on my 1974 Ford Pinto (remember when dashes were still made of steel?) It read, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it." I believe that more so today than back then but now I wouldn't be comfortable wearing my religion on my car dash or on my shirt sleeve.

I know a man who glued a copy of the 10 Commandments to his computer monitor so he had to see it every time he worked. People who visited his office couldn't see the list unless they walked behind his desk. The list was there for his use. He never mentioned it to anyone when I was around. 

I feel I need to be reminded of what the Bible says, too. I keep a Bible on my cell phone and one on my tablet. 

I started thinking about this after attending the 100th birthday celebration of a lady in our town. She is in a nursing home. She walked into the dining room, unaware of the surprise party the staff planned for her. 

She was mentally alert and had a good sense of humor. 

When I asked her about the future, she replied, "I'll just take it as it comes. You can't do anything about it anyway." 

No, at 100, I guess not. 

Then I thought of a gentleman in our church who tripped and fell while walking into the church a couple weeks ago. 

He is 98, will be 99 in November and I've reminded him since his 90th birthday party I wanted an invitation to his hundredth. 

"I'll be there," he said. 

It was scary when he fell but he is on the mend and I'm sure he will make it to his centennial. 

Now, I can talk about church when it's just you and me, sitting here, but even in a crowd of two or three or more, I really am not comfortable talking about anything I do for our God. Is that strange?

It just seems that the quiet people I have known over the years hold the moral compass for the rest of us while the TV preachers and the god-spouting politicians do more to hinder the faith than to pass it on.  

By their example, much more than by "preaching," the quiet people point us in the direction we should go as a nation. Like the steady drip of water on a rock over many years they make a great impression on us. 

I love the people who don't wear their religion on their shirtsleeves or in their political speeches, but who live their religion day in and day out, without calling attention to themselves. 

Being Frank about politics -- the art of politics is not always pretty

I'm sure everyone who follows politics is aware of "Christmas Tree Bills."

I first heard the term at a meeting sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce many years ago. Elected officials reported to those in attendance what was happening in Indianapolis that year. 

One state senator talked about Christmas tree bills and the term captured my imagination. 

A Christmas tree, of course, starts out as a single tree and then is "decorated" with lots of baubles and lights to make it prettier. 

Likewise a Christmas tree bill starts out as a single entity, for one purpose, a purpose someone believes is very noble, a much needed piece of legislation. 

Then, other politicians see the popularity of the bill as a means to sneak some of their pet projects through the General Assembly and on to the governor's desk. 

It seems to me the recent religious freedom act in Indiana is a classic example of the subterfuge politicians use. While not a Christmas tree bill, and while the intent was very good, a bill is a legal document and the wording is crucial. 

I covered a Republican Club meeting a few months ago. The main speaker was promoting the bill that became the religious freedom act. 

His presentation made sense in my humble opinion. 

Hobby Lobby and other companies should not have to pay for insurance that provides birth control when the company owners don't believe in birth control. Yet, Obamacare was requiring business owners to violate their religious beliefs in just such a way. 

The bill was to protect business owners from expensive court battles to defend their personal beliefs. 

The speaker at that meeting acknowledged there was some unfounded concern that gays could be denied service if the bill passed.

One state representative in attendance said he had not read the bill in question but supported the principle stated by the speaker. 

I wrote the report on the meeting. I was the only reporter at that meeting. No one said anything about it. The story was published.

Then, - wham! - the whole world exploded when the bill was signed into law. At least, that's the way it seemed. 

I have to believe that the simple idea of protecting business owners in a bill was the opportunity some politicians saw to advance their own agendas. 

Because Hobby Lobby got involved because of what the owners saw as a violation of their religious faith, I have to believe the Indiana bill  as it was passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor was indeed a threat to minorities and the opportunity for bigotry to raise its ugly head. 

If so, Indiana has been rightly called out by people in other states and the law needed to be fixed at the least or repealed. 

Was it a necessary law? 

No. 

I'm sorry if big companies have to spend money collected from their customers -- us --to defend their religious liberty in a court of law but sometimes our religious commitments cost us. 

Our recent holiday demonstrates what it cost one Man and He said His followers should follow his example. 

Frank Phillips is a reporter for The Brazil Times. 

Clinton, O'Bama attention disingenuous?

WOW!
For the first time in 40 years Indiana matters to presidential candidates.
That is exciting and suspicious at the same time.
If I were still a newspaper reporter, this would be an exciting spring. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton keep criss-crossing the state; flying into Indianapolis International Airport and being chauffeured to Terre Haute, South Bend and elsewhere.
The last time I recall someone of their notoriety grabbing reporters' interest was Timothy McVeigh, who was executed at Terre Haute following the Oklahoma City bombing.
No, I'm not comparing presidential candidates to criminals, but the fact that Hillary's husband, former president Bil Clinton spoke at a Clinton, Ind., high school (brilliant!) while Republican nominee-to-be John McCain apparently has never heard of Indiana indicates a certain disingenuous interest in the state.
I wonder if the same qualities that make presidential candidates overlook Indiana are the qualities that make Indiana such a great place to live?

Election issues: Are we lazy or what?

A friend stopped by to see me this morning. He is quite involved in
state politics, not as an elected or appointed official, but as a
volunteer in the Statehouse. He is also involved in Farm Bureau.
One of his jobs is to answer the telephone at the Statehouse when the Indiana General Assembly is in session.
He takes calls on all subjects; in fact, at one point the telephones were backed up 500 calls during the last session.
One of the points he made today was, anyone can lobby for any cause they
wish. But, they have to go to Indianapolis and see the people who make
the laws and plan the state's two-year budget.
A few people will do so, but most won't, he said.
Why?
Do we expect the organizations we join to lobby for us?
I belong to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP),
though I doubt I'll ever be financially able to retire. I'm not even
sure I would want to retire, if I had good health. I always plan to
write, as long as I can hold a pen or produce typos on a keyboard.
But I'm also a member of Alamo Christian Church, Alamo, Ind. To my
knowledge, none of our members lobby on my behalf. We have no paid
lobbyists, according to the monthly financial reports.
I also belong to the Clay County YMCA. Any lobbyists there? Maybe, but I'm not sure.
This all reminds me of something one of my bosses said about a decade ago.
People complain about "special interest groups" running the country,
but we're all part of a special interest group.
Ahh, yes. But that's the rub.
I am a member of several special interest groups. I cannot be defined by just one of my memberships.
Not all retired persons are Christians -- they are certainly not all
members of the little church I attend. I'm sure many members of AARP do
not share my values. As an American I support their right to be
different and I stand up for my right to be an individual as well.
I guess I had better take time to visit the Indiana General Assembly, or not
complain because the state isn't doing what I think is best.
I vote in each election.
Usually, since I began voting in the early 1970s, I have voted Republican
(except for some state and local races). I voted for Gerald Ford
(against Jimmy Carter), I voted for Ronald Reagan (twice) and I voted
against Bill Clinton and against George W. Bush (twice each).
But I never really told any politician how I felt on the issues.
I think my friend was right this morning. You have to be your own lobbyist.