Jesus Christ, Inc.
Easter and Christmas are the most obvious days of observing the life and legacy of Jesus Christ by Christians around the world. Obvious, because both days are basatardized into consumer holidays for multinational corporations. Most telling is the fact the American economy’s health is in large part based on Christmas spending. Retailers’ profits and financial well-being are made or lost by this holiday spending.
Easter, though less commercialized, is also an important consumer holiday. Easter bunnies, candy and large amounts of food are necessary to properly celebrate the season in most Christian homes here in the United States. And all those Hallmark moments need Hallmark cards to tell loved ones what could easily be said around the table or in the privacy of the home. But, somehow, there seems to be a great need to have a token of love. Cards and presents are the American way.
All this begs the question where Jesus Christ fits into the picture. Christ has become the golden calf of the retailers and merchants of the Christian world. Jesus is the late night pitchman that seems to compel Christians to consume, spend, consume. And Christmas and Easter are only the two most obvious examples of how Pharisees have marketed the name of Jesus Christ.
In the city I live there are hundreds of large and small stores profiting from the sale of Christian products. Bibles, prayer books, statues, cards, rosaries, jewelry, shirts and on and on are all part of the marketing of Christ. Each sect of Christianity has their own items for sale. Each one has their own biblical interpretation requiring separate bibles for their faithful. Some families insist on having an expensive family bible. It’s not clear if having the expensive bible makes one a better Christian or paves the way to heaven but Christians are influenced to buy bibles for Christ.
Since I’m a former Catholic, and also Baptist, I can witness to the wealth of the churches from buildings to organizations to overt commercialization of the image and philosophy of Christ. At the Vatican there are countless pieces of art that are priceless. But were they for sale they would garner huge amounts on the open market. Any other organization would call this bounty what it really is – assets.
The evangelical movement of Christianity has become not only a faith community with huge following but it is a multi-billion dollar business operation. Focus On the Family and multiple mega-churches don’t just preach the word of God and Jesus, they preach the Word of capitalism and consumerism.
As a child growing up in a Baptist family from the South, I always wondered why there was always a collection for building a new church. It seemed the “not quite full” church building in real time wasn’t ever large enough. As I grew older and looked around the towns and cities I grew up in, I kept seeing larger and larger church buildings that seemed to be architectural masterpieces. I couldn’t help wondering how much it cost congregations to build these structures. I kept thinking about the Tower of Babel as I saw more and more of the elaborate church buildings.
I began to question why Christians thought expensive buildings and settings honored Jesus Christ’s life. How did the humble carpenter who sacrificed himself for his disciples become associated with wealth and materialism? How did days intended to honor the most holy of days become the Holy Grail for retailers and multi-national corporations?
It seems ironic in Christian America; Muslims are portrayed as godless and fanatical while Christianity is portrayed as the “true religion”. Why, then, is it Muslims who demonstrate respectful humility and reverence in honoring their most holy days while most Christians have “incorporated” materialism and profit into their most holy days?
I’ve still not shaken my uneasy feelings about Christian churches cajoling and begging for more, more, more from their parishioners through tithing or appeals. Since these churches have taken the financial route in the practice of faith, I have to ask what parishioners are getting for their money. NGOs around the world are sponsored by various religious groups and bring relief to those most in need around the world. Some, however, have imposed conditions on receiving the “charity” of the church. Struggling communities of different religions are often proselytized by NGO members prior to receiving needed supplies in the control of the NGO. This practice dates back to the settlers of the American West that opened Indian schools on reservations and demanded indigenous people accept the European way of life and religion. In some Christian homeless shelters the homeless must listen to the “word” before being served their meals.
And despite the good deeds sponsored by the money of the churches, there still seem to be more and more leaders of the churches living in the splendor of wealth and avarice. From the Pope living in the Vatican’s lavish settings to Joel Osteen and Pat Roberson living in mansions and having the ear of Presidents and the powerful it seems too much of the money collected on Sundays and through contributions of the lay people is being spent on things other than what Jesus may have intended to be spent in his name.
I know such heresy is challenged by faithful followers of Christ with arguments that are simply illogical. They’ll tell me “the church” isn’t a building or a man at the pulpit; it’s what’s in the “heart”. I know spiritual belief is an essential part of most human’s lives. I just question why the beauty of that spiritual belief is allowed to be soiled and tarnished by the cynical modern day Pharisees of Wal-Mart, Target, Macy’s and the others who take the love and joy of Christ and pervert it. I keep wondering why the faithful allow the most holy days honoring the birth, death and resurrection of Christ to be used to reap profits for corporations without souls and certainly not individuals as the U.S. Supreme Court would have us believe.
I also wonder who would remain faithful if their churches gave away the wealth accumulated and met in humble surroundings. Would the spiritual belief remain as strong? Christ was challenged in the desert and his faith in his father endured. How many alleged Christians could withstand a personal challenge in the desert?
Just saying.
Wm. Terry
Monday, April 25
Wednesday, April 20
Taxes are An Investment in Jobs
As the world turns back into the neo-con era of Bush and Cheney on steroids, the question must be asked; where are the so-called liberals, progressives and radicals to counter this obscene ruse of the plutocracy?
Where is the rage that ten years has passed and we’re still at war? Where is the outrage about the biggest rip off in American history when Wall Street and the banksters ruined our economy and then reaped huge rewards in taxpayer bailouts? And why don’t the American people know about the back door handouts given the rich and the same corrupt thieves from Wall Street and the giant banks by the Federal Reserve?
I still read about the elderly opposing healthcare reform and siding with the very corrupt politicians that plan on taking away vast amounts of care they will need in the very near future. What kind of toxic Kool-aid is being given these people that they fail to understand their collusion in the destruction of their own healthcare assurances in Medicare and Medicaid?
It simply boggles my mind when I hear teachers, cops, firemen and unions are responsible for the current economic disaster this nation finds itself. How stupid have we become!!
If we look back in history to see the most prosperous time in American history, we will find it was during the post-World War II period when unions had the highest membership. It occurred when we were building our infrastructure such as Eisenhower’s interstate highway dream. It occurred when Americans built things rather than flipped burgers or worked in the local 7-Eleven to supplement their incomes at Wal-Mart or other poor paying jobs.
Once the people in this nation took risks to accomplish things thought impossible. Once people in this nation understood social change had to occur and eventually it did occur. But in the world we have today we are like the kids riding bikes or being driven back and forth to school and back. We’re so afraid of a bump or bruise of some unnamed boogey-man we’ve become a nation of inertia. We’re frozen in indecision and fear promulgated by the lords of industry who seek to destroy all labor rights and lower the wages of the workers to a rate comparative to third world countries.
It’s already happening as companies like IKEA from Sweden are flocking to the shores of America for cheaper labor and freedom of union interference. Already the main American production site of IKEA has been accused of unfair labor practices and racism. IKEA deliberately chose sites in cities and states with the right to work laws crippling rights for collective bargaining.
In Sweden IKEA is a model of a company that has union workers paid at a reasonable wage (19.00 per hour) with benefits of “socialized medicine”. Unions respect the company for fair bargaining and allowing worker substantial leave time and a wage that is a living wage, meaning their workers can save.
But IKEA saw the right to work for less law in the US and realized they could pay workers 8-9 dollar per hour without benefits and without the right for collective bargaining. They saw the opportunity to enter a third world nation without worker protection that would lead to higher profits. They were also provided tax incentives from local governments allowing them to pay little or no American taxes.
Welcome to the third world, America!
We can only expect more of the same as Republicans elected to governorships and local offices have colluded to destroy labor rights and insure lower wages. This is the new jobs program they really had in mind. An example of the new America was the 50,000 jobs being offered by McDonalds across the nation. Thousands more than could be hired showed up desperate to get one of the jobs. The jobs once held by high school students and young people looking for their first job have now become premium jobs paying 8-9 dollars an hour.
Sensible people might think if Americans are to return to prosperous days it might take some investment in jobs building infrastructure and paying the workers enough to live on. In order to build and repair all the necessary things cities and states need to repair and build taxes must be raised to pay for the projects. Bond issues must be passed.
As strange as it seems to mention increasing taxes, common sense shows it is a perfect way to stimulate the economy. Put people to work earning enough to have some disposable income and they spend to drive an economy. Revenue increases for local and state governments allowing them to provide better schools, better roads, and better services governments should provide.
An example has taken place here in my hometown of Denver. The citizens of Denver passed several bond issues to improve the infrastructure of the city. Building cranes and workers are obviously evident all around downtown and all along light rail routes. Denver citizens were able to understand they had to tax themselves to “build” their city.
Where is the rage that ten years has passed and we’re still at war? Where is the outrage about the biggest rip off in American history when Wall Street and the banksters ruined our economy and then reaped huge rewards in taxpayer bailouts? And why don’t the American people know about the back door handouts given the rich and the same corrupt thieves from Wall Street and the giant banks by the Federal Reserve?
I still read about the elderly opposing healthcare reform and siding with the very corrupt politicians that plan on taking away vast amounts of care they will need in the very near future. What kind of toxic Kool-aid is being given these people that they fail to understand their collusion in the destruction of their own healthcare assurances in Medicare and Medicaid?
It simply boggles my mind when I hear teachers, cops, firemen and unions are responsible for the current economic disaster this nation finds itself. How stupid have we become!!
If we look back in history to see the most prosperous time in American history, we will find it was during the post-World War II period when unions had the highest membership. It occurred when we were building our infrastructure such as Eisenhower’s interstate highway dream. It occurred when Americans built things rather than flipped burgers or worked in the local 7-Eleven to supplement their incomes at Wal-Mart or other poor paying jobs.
Once the people in this nation took risks to accomplish things thought impossible. Once people in this nation understood social change had to occur and eventually it did occur. But in the world we have today we are like the kids riding bikes or being driven back and forth to school and back. We’re so afraid of a bump or bruise of some unnamed boogey-man we’ve become a nation of inertia. We’re frozen in indecision and fear promulgated by the lords of industry who seek to destroy all labor rights and lower the wages of the workers to a rate comparative to third world countries.
It’s already happening as companies like IKEA from Sweden are flocking to the shores of America for cheaper labor and freedom of union interference. Already the main American production site of IKEA has been accused of unfair labor practices and racism. IKEA deliberately chose sites in cities and states with the right to work laws crippling rights for collective bargaining.
In Sweden IKEA is a model of a company that has union workers paid at a reasonable wage (19.00 per hour) with benefits of “socialized medicine”. Unions respect the company for fair bargaining and allowing worker substantial leave time and a wage that is a living wage, meaning their workers can save.
But IKEA saw the right to work for less law in the US and realized they could pay workers 8-9 dollar per hour without benefits and without the right for collective bargaining. They saw the opportunity to enter a third world nation without worker protection that would lead to higher profits. They were also provided tax incentives from local governments allowing them to pay little or no American taxes.
Welcome to the third world, America!
We can only expect more of the same as Republicans elected to governorships and local offices have colluded to destroy labor rights and insure lower wages. This is the new jobs program they really had in mind. An example of the new America was the 50,000 jobs being offered by McDonalds across the nation. Thousands more than could be hired showed up desperate to get one of the jobs. The jobs once held by high school students and young people looking for their first job have now become premium jobs paying 8-9 dollars an hour.
Sensible people might think if Americans are to return to prosperous days it might take some investment in jobs building infrastructure and paying the workers enough to live on. In order to build and repair all the necessary things cities and states need to repair and build taxes must be raised to pay for the projects. Bond issues must be passed.
As strange as it seems to mention increasing taxes, common sense shows it is a perfect way to stimulate the economy. Put people to work earning enough to have some disposable income and they spend to drive an economy. Revenue increases for local and state governments allowing them to provide better schools, better roads, and better services governments should provide.
An example has taken place here in my hometown of Denver. The citizens of Denver passed several bond issues to improve the infrastructure of the city. Building cranes and workers are obviously evident all around downtown and all along light rail routes. Denver citizens were able to understand they had to tax themselves to “build” their city.
Tuesday, April 19
The Worst of Times
It has been the worst of times as my life dwindles down to precious few years left. The once proud American has become disillusioned, greedy and lacks compassion. The corporations have won not only personhood via a Supreme Court decision but they’ve won the battle of labor by pitting workers against each other. Meanwhile banks and Wall Street investors continue their toxic policies of ripping apart the American economy.
The crash of ’08 has done little to end the fraudulent practices of the robber barons. America’s most wealthy are on their way to making record profits while they dupe the public into believing a tax cut for the wealthiest ten percent will lead to jobs.
This fallacy of job creation by cutting taxes of the richest is accepted by Americans because they only listen and read the information from the media outlets owned by the very same rich.
Meanwhile a new movement of Tea Party Americans foolishly thinks they are a grassroots organization expressing the will of the American people. They refuse to understand or accept their roots stem from the dollars of Karl Rove and his cronies intent on carrying on the PNAC….plan for the new American century.
What’s even more astounding is the call for the end of Medicare and Medicaid, which are actually the most efficient healthcare systems in the nation. Not to mention they are the safety net for the poorest and the elderly. Amazingly the very elderly who will be most affected by such a bogus plan are falling all over themselves to support the actions that will gut these programs.
What the Tea Party really seems to be is a group of predominately white people who come across as people saying "I've got mine and I intend on keeping all of it without sacrificing anything". The TP's seem to be a mixture of racists, libertarians and survivalists who cannot accept a black man was elected President. They speak code that clearly demonstrates their racist ideology and their hatefulness toward the poor and the weakest living in this nation.
I see the same people in the Catholic church I attended. They are affluent and hold the parish hostage with their tithes in exchange for control of the parish dogma. The soothe their consciences by giving money to Catholic charities but look dimly on including the disenfranchised into the parish community. They look dimly on any priest suggesting the long wars in the Middle East are immoral and troops should be withdrawn.
In the rituals of the mass there are prayers for the "peace keepers" protecting American values meaning the troops. Whenever the deacons or priests are reminded there should be a petition for the innocent humans killed by our wars their response is akin to patting a schoolchild on the head and saying they understand. But they seldom petition their God for these innocents or for the end of war.
I've suggested the Church is implicitly supporting the wars because of the insurgents' faith being Muslim. What we are seeing is one more crusade of Christians against what they feel are godless Islamic fanatics. They fail to differientate or suggest the fanatics are a small minority of Muslims just as there is a small minority of fanatical Christians perpetuating the hate.
The hate is pervasive and palpable in this nation. And hate-mongers like Sara Palin, Rush Limbaugh and the Fox network make sure the hate keeps on coming. This hate and divisiveness keeps Americans distracted from the real issues of two wars costing billions upon billions, an unchecked and unregulated banking and investment system which diverts the wealth of Americans to the top ten percent and a government in city, state and federal realms intent on destroying all pretenses of a safety net for the weakest citizens of our nation.
The middle class is cannibalizing itself at the urging of the rich masters of industry and commerce. I can never remember a time of less hope for my country. Obama ran on a platform of hope but instead has led us to despair.
The crash of ’08 has done little to end the fraudulent practices of the robber barons. America’s most wealthy are on their way to making record profits while they dupe the public into believing a tax cut for the wealthiest ten percent will lead to jobs.
This fallacy of job creation by cutting taxes of the richest is accepted by Americans because they only listen and read the information from the media outlets owned by the very same rich.
Meanwhile a new movement of Tea Party Americans foolishly thinks they are a grassroots organization expressing the will of the American people. They refuse to understand or accept their roots stem from the dollars of Karl Rove and his cronies intent on carrying on the PNAC….plan for the new American century.
What’s even more astounding is the call for the end of Medicare and Medicaid, which are actually the most efficient healthcare systems in the nation. Not to mention they are the safety net for the poorest and the elderly. Amazingly the very elderly who will be most affected by such a bogus plan are falling all over themselves to support the actions that will gut these programs.
What the Tea Party really seems to be is a group of predominately white people who come across as people saying "I've got mine and I intend on keeping all of it without sacrificing anything". The TP's seem to be a mixture of racists, libertarians and survivalists who cannot accept a black man was elected President. They speak code that clearly demonstrates their racist ideology and their hatefulness toward the poor and the weakest living in this nation.
I see the same people in the Catholic church I attended. They are affluent and hold the parish hostage with their tithes in exchange for control of the parish dogma. The soothe their consciences by giving money to Catholic charities but look dimly on including the disenfranchised into the parish community. They look dimly on any priest suggesting the long wars in the Middle East are immoral and troops should be withdrawn.
In the rituals of the mass there are prayers for the "peace keepers" protecting American values meaning the troops. Whenever the deacons or priests are reminded there should be a petition for the innocent humans killed by our wars their response is akin to patting a schoolchild on the head and saying they understand. But they seldom petition their God for these innocents or for the end of war.
I've suggested the Church is implicitly supporting the wars because of the insurgents' faith being Muslim. What we are seeing is one more crusade of Christians against what they feel are godless Islamic fanatics. They fail to differientate or suggest the fanatics are a small minority of Muslims just as there is a small minority of fanatical Christians perpetuating the hate.
The hate is pervasive and palpable in this nation. And hate-mongers like Sara Palin, Rush Limbaugh and the Fox network make sure the hate keeps on coming. This hate and divisiveness keeps Americans distracted from the real issues of two wars costing billions upon billions, an unchecked and unregulated banking and investment system which diverts the wealth of Americans to the top ten percent and a government in city, state and federal realms intent on destroying all pretenses of a safety net for the weakest citizens of our nation.
The middle class is cannibalizing itself at the urging of the rich masters of industry and commerce. I can never remember a time of less hope for my country. Obama ran on a platform of hope but instead has led us to despair.
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