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Bob and Sue, a young married couple had always dreamed of owning a home, but with no down payment and limited income it seemed out of reach, until they were offered a low-interest loan to purchase the perfect house. Sure, there was an accelerated balloon payment in about three years, but Bob’s income would increase by then and, worst case scenario, they would sell the house for more than the purchase price and pay off the loan. Unfortunately that’s not what happened. Housing prices declined, the payment went up, and Bob, a building contractor, lost his job. Today, Bob and Sue are losing their home at the end of the month. They fell victim to one of the biggest financial meltdowns in US history.

This scenario isn’t too far away from the truth. Just recently millions of people lost their jobs, houses, and their hope. But just what happened to the U.S. economy in 2007 – present?  The answer is that the United States banking system in plain and simple words became insolvent.  Bad loans offered during times of prosperity were sold off to domestic and foreign investors and became worthless bonds. This was the catalyst for the insurance companies, like AIG to exhaust their resources trying to cover these bad deals. This led to the downward spiral that is today’s crash.

The question many people wanted answered was how did this happen and what are we going to do about it?  Not a simple answer, but here are a few explanations for what caused this crash and possible solutions.

Easy credit, plentiful jobs resulting in plenty of money, combined with mortgage backed-securities enabled people, investors and institutions to over invest in the U.S. housing market. This combined with peoples’ expectation that home prices would continue to rise, led to huge defaults on sub-prime loans (where the borrower has a greater risk of defaulting and therefore pays a higher interest rate) and ARM’s (adjustable rate mortgages where payments can balloon beyond one’s means to pay).

Predatory lending and deregulation were additional contributors to the economic meltdown as well.  Consumers were lured by low initial interest rates which were unsafe and unsound and which would later convert to a higher amount.  Also regulation did not keep pace with new financial innovations. In fact, laws were passed but not enforced or the laws passed were weak and unnecessary, allowing self-regulation to take its place.  This was a recipe for disaster.

One last cause worth taking a look at is the idea that Capitalism itself is to blame.  It has been suggested that a surplus of money, which could not be placed in productive capital investment, was instead diverted to financial markets. This combined with deregulation and human greed was the real cause of the financial meltdown.

The impact of this collapse is that credit markets crashed, and corporations couldn’t get loans to fund operations.  Consumer credit lines were slashed or became non-existent.  Spending slowed to the point where businesses were forced to close and unemployment soared.

So what was done to counter this collapse? The immediate response to this was the controversial 700 billion dollar bailout of financial and business institutions.  This was then followed up by a 1 trillion dollar stimulus package to offset the decrease in private sector demand.

Long-term goals will involve more in depth and forceful regulation, and possibly even a governmental watchdog agency to keep laws enforced, to ensure that human greed doesn’t get the foothold it had during and before this crisis.

But no matter how popular or unpopular the U.S. government’s liquidity injection into the credit market is, it probably staved off a global financial collapse.  CSUS retired Economics Professor Albert Lee called it “a necessary evil.”  The purchases of troubled financial entities and businesses has stabilized the economy and slowed the economic contraction.  While job losses, foreclosures, and tight credit continue to plague many people, conditions have improved and the economy has been pulled back from the precipice, at least for now.

The U.S. has been a big giver throughout it’s own history, from the aid given to the Panamanians, to the tons of goods shipped daily to many of the peoples of South East Asia, and also to the food shipped to many countries all over Africa. We’re just trying to help out is all. But, what happens when people complain about the help given to them?

In 2010 when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti almost 300,000 people had died and far many more made homeless from the ensuing chaos. Soon after, countries from around the world pledged billions of dollars of aid to Haiti in order to help them rebuild as fast as possible. The UN wiped out millions in Haitian debt, and even went as far as to allow Haitians because of the huge loss of homes as a result of the Earthquake.

However, news stations from around the world started to spread information undermining the way the United States was giving out aid in Haiti. They made it seem as though the United States was militarizing the region and was especially militaristic in their aid. As PJ Crowley, US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs,

stated, “News outlets falsely compared military activities at the airport to a little Green Zone,” comparing this to the United States controlled Green Zone in occupied Iraq.

As if the sticks and stones weren’t enough, Christian missionaries from Idaho that were attempting to deliver children from Haiti to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic were also hit with kidnapping charges from the local government. Haitian police stopped the ten missionaries on January 29, 2010, as they tried to take thirty-three Haitian children across the border to the Dominican Republic. They claimed to be trying to get the children to a safe place, since many of them had lost their parents from the earthquake. Was this the best idea? Probably not, but, should the Haitian government really treat this as huge an issue as it has? Thankfully, nine of the ten missionaries have been acquitted and one still stands trial, the leader of the group, who is likely to be acquitted.

As Luke 6: 34-36 says, “(34) And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ lend to ’sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. (35) But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (36) Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Basically, we are called to love our enemies and continue to help them and give to them no matter what. The people in Haiti are truly feeling pain like none other, so is it really appropriate to bring politics into the realm of aid? We must continue our aid to Haiti and simply ignore what other people say, and other countries will follow in stride. We can only do this and spread the hope that we bring these people with the love of God.

War, famine, disease, death and destruction are all around us. There is a constant state of flux in the Middle East, terrorist factions growing and receding in strength. There is disease and famine in Africa. Even here in America, we are vulnerable to attacks both inside and out. When the Twin Towers fell on that horrific day, the fear and realization that we can be attacked finally hit home; the spark of panic started an inferno of fear.

This inferno also enflamed the basic human desire to find understanding in a world that seems so uncaring and cold. Many people find solace, in family or in a sense of community; still others seek comfort in their faith. There are those, however, who look to the prophets who warned about cataclysmic days ahead, one of the more famous is Nostradamus.

Nostradamus was a “prophet” that lived during the 16th century. He made a profession out of predicting future events that ranged from wars and famines to simple things like when to plant crops. His first prophetic books were simple almanacs, which were well received by the public, heralding Nostradamus’s first success as a prophet. Although his almanacs were purchased and taken seriously, the majority of his 6338-prophesized events never took place. Nostradamus followed up these works with his 1,000 quatrains-quatrains being the rhyme scheme he used to make his predictions. The thousand quatrains are divided into sets of 100 and are called centuries. The quatrains are small prophetic “glimpses” of future events, catechisms and even the herald of the end times.

There is just one problem with the quatrains, they are far too vague, far to ambiguous and far too simplistic in their style and presentation that it becomes almost impossible to discern any real measurable “prophetic” outcome. What is meant by this is that Nostradamus wrote in such a way that any prophecy could relate to almost any person or event that has happened in the last several hundred years. Mabus, listed by Nostradamus as the herald of the end, could relate to a historical figure as abominable as Adolf Hitler, to someone like our current president Barrack Obama, or even former presidents such as Reagan or Bush. The ambiguity of the quatrains literally means that Nostradamus could never be wrong, because eventually as it always happens, some figure or some event would match up almost perfectly with his predictions.

A college student by the name of Neil Marshall demonstrated this simplistic ambiguity back in 1997. He wrote a “prophetic” quatrain in the same style as Nostradamus that has been cited as credible evidence that Nostradamus predicted the events of 9/11. The student wrote this “prophecy” to prove that the vagueness can be repeated by almost literally anybody. In spite of the fact that these predictions proved to fall short, end times continues to sell.

Shortly after the Towers fell Nostradamus books started to show up on the Best Sellers list of many stores. And we all know about the publishing gold mine that is “Left Behind” the series. With 63 million copies sold, it is clear that even fiction is fodder for the insatiable desire to know “what is ahead.” Obviously, the “power” of prophetic books hits upon a base desire in humans, the desire to understand why events happen, a desire to know the future, and a desire to have someone to blame for the evils of the world. This desire applies to not just the books of Nostradamus, but the Mayan calendar and the Book of Revelations as well.

But where does the Book of Revelations fit in, in this new era of fear of the unknown future? Well, if it is to be taken at face value, as the Word of God, then Christians should both be concerned for their unbelieving friends and family and yet be prepared for the redemptive blessing of Jesus’ return. The “rapture” as its come to be known is a time of tribulation, heralded by the coming of a figure who will ascend to a throne of power. Connection with the Mabus figure in Nostradamus’s writings is obvious. In fact it seems that, while vague and simplistic, Nostradamus seemed to connect his prophecies with those presented in Revelations. The most prevalent connection between the two are the prophecies dealing with the coming of an Anti-Christ. Nostradamus most likely based his prophecies off of Revelations.

At any rate, it does not matter what prophesies have been “fulfilled” or not. Revelations is full of predictions that can be associated with any cataclysmic event that has occurred over the last thousand or so years, just the same as Nostradamus’s prophecies.

Yet, Jesus spoke of all that must take place before He would return, His descriptions are viewed by many like those of Nostradamus, simplistic and vague. Jesus describes war and famine and plague in Matthew 24:6-8 but goes on to say that these are just the early stages of the end. For when the end truly does come it will come unexpectedly.

As Jesus said in Matthew 24:42, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” This is an exhortation for us; we are not to live in constant fear of the future, but to live a life worthy of our Lord. Panic and fear will not be our savior, Nostradamus will not redeem us. Only the power of Christ and the assurance we have of an everlasting life with Him will be our assurance in these dark times.

An unpopular, costly, and supposedly failing war, with no end in site. Did you imagine the Vietnamese War? Nope. I’ve just described the opinions regarding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States started this war with good intentions, attempting to seize the nuclear weapons held by Iraq, and capturing Osama Bin Laden, yet no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq and Osama Bin Laden is now hiding somewhere in Afghanistan. As American opinions of the war wane one has to wonder, will we repeat the mistakes of the past?

What is the War on Terror?

The War on Terror is simply described as the war on militant radicals around the world who are harming defenseless civilians. These radicals are fighting against many of the laws the United Nations prescribed to modern warfare. But according to Chuck Roots, pastor and Retired Military Chaplain, the term is something of a misnomer. “Terror is an emotion. Terrorism, on the other hand, is an action brought against a person or nation. Because of the events of 9/11, and the thirty years of other terrorist activities brought against the United States and our people/interests around the globe, it was determined that we needed to take the fight to the enemy. “

Why Don’t the Terrorists Like Us?

So what did we ever do to them? Roots explains there are three basic reasons why the Terrorists seek to destroy Americans and their interests.

1. First, there are people who have ideological, philosophical and theological differences with us as Americans. Because of the culture of Islam, everything in life is religious. There is no such thing as the “separation of church and state.” In their perverted thinking they have justified the killing of anyone who is not like them or doesn’t think and believe like them. Even if we as Americans all converted to Islam, they would believe they are in the right to kill us because we were infidels prior to our conversion. Thus, our acceptance of Islam could be called into question.
2. Second, because we are Americans, we have a far superior life as far as enjoying the blessings of this world. Our citizens are wealthier than anywhere else in the world. Muslims live in arid lands that are primarily desert, wind-swept, desolate places. Only with the discovery of oil in the Persian Gulf and its surrounding environs has this people managed to enjoy anything remotely close to the comforts and abundance we enjoy in the USA. This truly angers many Muslims who feel they should be the ones blessed by Allah instead of the infidel Americans.
3. Third, this is a war that will never cease until either Muslims are thoroughly defeated, or Jesus comes back first. Why do I say this? Because Muslims believe it is their mission in life, based upon the teachings of the Koran, to engage in conquering all nations for Islam. Every country is to be subjected to Allah, Sharia Law, and the final example of jihad.

Occupation vs. Liberation

The United States, unlike any other country, approaches war in a very different way. Rather than permanently occupy a nation that violates UN sanctions, the U.S. is a liberating force. “The United States is not an occupying force, except in the sense that we enter a nation to destroy their army, then we sit there until the folks of that nation can get themselves put back together,” explained Roots. “Once that has happened to our satisfaction, we leave. Take Japan and Germany at the end of WWII. Once these two military powers surrendered, we established a military jurisdiction until such time as the government of that nation could function in relative safety. Once that occurs, our boys come home.”

If the United States really is a liberating force, shouldn’t the citizens of that country reflect attitudes of gratitude? According to Roots, that is exactly what he’s experienced in the Middle East. “ I’ve had Iraqis tell me they were glad the Americans came when I was there. They hated Saddam, but they were powerless to remove him. He was a ruthless, murdering thug.”
“ Our military was uncovering mass graves of people killed by Saddam’s henchmen. What was their crime? Nothing. Saddam’s ego was so large that he killed just to show that he could do it. Where the First Marine Expeditionary Forces Headquarters was located was in Babylon. Saddam used to visit this ancient biblical city 45 miles south of Baghdad a few times a year. He would cruise around the neighborhoods and have his thugs take women and girls that he selected, bring them to his nearby palace and then have his way with them for the next few days. Then they would be beheaded, their bodies dumped in the nearby tributary of the Tigris River.

“Then in Afghanistan the Taliban had a torturous rule, wantonly beheading people because they could. Women, who showed even a tiny bit of skin, say on their wrist, could be dragged away from their husbands and children, and into the soccer stadium and publicly executed. Such insanity was commonplace. Until our military showed up, there was no one to put a stop to it. It is these same creeps who train to kill Americans in our streets.

“If you were an Iraqi or an Afghan wouldn’t you want to see us come in and stay until the bad guys were eliminated?” says Roots.

What’s A Christian to Do?

Still, opinions of the United States war on terror are generally are strong. Many believe we must draw out of these militaristic quagmires at once, while others call for staying the course until the country is stabilized and a safe pullout is possible. But what exactly should the Christian response to terrorism be?

Roots believes there are God ordained responsibilities we cannot ignore. “As Americans we are to protect our nation and its people. This is a biblical principle. God expects me to protect and care for my family. To be able to do that, my town and community must be protected. For my community to be protected, my state needs to be protected. For my state to be protected, my country needs to be protected.

“Now, while we’re engaged in this war, we need to follow the teachings of scripture by praying for our enemies and doing good to those who persecute us. One of my favorite pictures is of a young Marine doing a fireman’s carry with a wounded combatant – only this combatant was the enemy. The Marine carried him off the battlefield and into our field hospital where our military medical personnel treated his wounds! Do you think for a moment that this Marine would have received the same kindness if the situation was reversed?

“Our nation was founded upon Christian teaching and morals. Even non-Christians in our country act in ways that reflect those Christians values. I frequently prayed for Iraqi soldiers, terrorists, and Saddam Hussein while I was over there. If they were to allow the Lord Jesus into their hearts I would rejoice, and praise God. But the Christian still has an obligation to protect and defend our nation.”

Matthew was born on December 1, 1976 in Casper, Wyoming. He went to school in Casper until his junior year, at which time, he moved to Saudi Arabia. He finished his American schooling in Switzerland. In both of his schools, he was known as easy to talk to and was everybody’s friend. Eventually, he went to college back in Wyoming.

Then came October 7, 1998. That night, just after 12 a.m., two men kidnapped Matthew and took him out to the middle of nowhere. They tied him up on a fence and proceeded to beat him almost to death. Then, the two men decided to just go, leaving Matthew out in the cold, left to die. About 18 hours later, he was discovered by a man on a bicycle. Matthew was beaten so bad, the bicyclist mistook him for a scarecrow. Matthew died five days later at 12:53 in the morning.

You may be wondering why people could kill a person who was kind and admired by almost everyone he came in contact with, and the answer is sad but simple: Matthew Shepard was a homosexual.

Too often in this country, people judge others before they get to know them. They look at some of their actions and they make assumptions. One of the groups that this happens to most is the homosexual. It appears that our Love Your Neighbor As Yourself command hasn’t applied to this group of individuals.

Christians say that homosexuality is a sin, and in fact practicing homosexuality is against what God has commanded. It is quite clear in Leviticus 18:22, which says, “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.”

Christians also have this belief that there is a gay agenda, which includes many things that go against Christianity. A lot of times, this obvious disdain for the homosexual lifestyle turns violent, as was the case with Matthew.

Is There a Homosexual Agenda?

Many people think that homosexuals are out on a rampage, trying to destroy everything good about Christian marriages. Others think that they are recruiting our children to join in their gay festivities. Still more think that they are just trying to tick off all the Christians, as with the infamous No on Proposition 8. Is there really an organized agenda? Well, yes there is. The Homosexual Agenda was created by Hunter Madsen and Marshall Kirk. These two men proclaimed an agenda in 1989 in a book titled After the Ball. Their “strategy” is stated as such:

• Talk about “gays” and “gayness” as loudly and often as possible
• Portray “gays” as victims, not aggressive challengers
• Give homosexual protectors a “just” cause
• Make “gays” look good
• Make the “victimizers” look bad
• Solicit funds: get corporate America and major foundations to financially support the homosexual cause.

Hunter and Madsen believe “The principle…is simple: almost all behavior begins to look normal if you are exposed to it long enough at close quarters and among your acquaintances.”

So in a nutshell, the entire purpose of the homosexual agenda is simply to force Americans to accept homosexual behavior as normal.

How Does the Homosexual Agenda Affect us Today?

Although only approximately one to two percent of the population practices a gay lifestyle, almost half of the population is okay with gay marriage, an increase of nearly ten percent over two years, from 2004 to 2006. This is all part of the agenda that the homosexuals have set forth. As a proof of their blatant attempts to sway public opinion, look at the television shows of modern society.

A popular comedy, “Modern Family,” introduces a gay couple that has ended up being favorites on the show. ABC portrays them as being very kind and loving towards a new baby girl they adopted from Vietnam. In one of the episodes, the show displays a judgmental father who is not comfortable with his son’s gayness. He openly derides his son for this flaw and often bashes on gays. By doing this, the homosexual community is subliminally showing us that gays are victims and should be more accepted.

Another popular show that has openly supported homosexuality is “Parks and Recreation.” In the first episode of the second season, the main character performs a marriage of two male penguins. Then, a Christian organization tells the main character to annul the “wedding” or else resign. The show portrayed the Christian representative as a cruel, hating, homophobic, zealot. It goes on to show homosexuals as victims, not sinners.

On a more invasive level, homosexuality is also being taught to young children in schools, in an attempt to make the homosexual lifestyle look okay, even appealing, to young students. In Queens, NY, a chancellor of a school introduced the so-called “Rainbow Curriculum,” which included curriculum introducing two very pro-gay books, Heather has two Mommies and Daddy’s Roommate.

And books are not the only venue for preaching the homosexual message to our children. According to Carmen Pate, Vice President of Concerned Women of America, the video It’s Elementary, “is a training tool for breaking down a child’s natural resistance to homosexuality,”

What does God Think?

Of course for believers, it all comes down to what God thinks about homosexuality. The scriptures are clear that the homosexual lifestyle is not what God had intended for his creation.
Passages in the Bible make that clear:

• In I Corinthians 6:9-10, we read, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (NIV)
• Matthew 19:4-5 reads “‘Haven’t you read,’ Jesus replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and two will become one flesh.’” (NIV)
• Romans 1:24-27 reads “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the Truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.” (NIV)

Although those trapped in this lifestyle would like to argue that it is God who made them gay, believers acknowledge that the God who has created the universe is also the one who has set down laws that promise the best for mankind. King David expressed it this way in Psalm 119, “Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right.”

What is the Christian Response to Homosexuality?

Now that we know that God did not make a provision for the homosexual lifestyle in his great plan, how are Christians supposed to respond to those who have chosen to practice this lifestyle? How do we reach out to them with the love of Christ?

One man knows that answer first-hand. Dennis has experienced both sides of that struggle. After reaching adolescence, Dennis reached out to the church regarding his homosexual thoughts. The pastor responded, “Just pray.”

“I felt like I was going to have to figure this out on my own without the church’s help.”

This lack of direction sent Dennis down a dark path, expressing his sexuality with other men, one of which was a Christian missionary. Today as a believer in Christ, who has turned away from that lifestyle, Dennis believes this is not how the church should handle these kinds of situations. And since God calls Christians to love our neighbors as ourselves, that might mean reaching out, along with others, to help those who struggle. Dennis gave these suggestions to reaching out to a lost brother or sister trapped in the homosexual lifestyle:

1. Listen. Don’t jump in and start telling them all the verses. Many want to deal with it. If Christians seem like they have all the answers, the homosexual will shut down.
2. Find out what they want to do? Are they committed to changing?
3. Spend time with them and don’t let them feel like they are a project. Don’t major in this one area of their life, there is more to them. They have talents and gifts too; this is just one broken area.

Winning the War

So does that mean that we need to ignore the attacks on heterosexual marriage? Craig Osten, author of The Homosexual Agenda, believes, “It is vital for Christians to understand the homosexual agenda and how it threatens many personal and religious freedoms. If Christians sit back and surrender, giving those involved in homosexual behavior everything they think they want, those trapped in homosexual behavior will never be able to hear and respond to Christ’s redemptive love for him or her.

“Christians need to be a consistent witness and friend to those practicing homosexual behavior. However, despite the need for us to demonstrate love and be a strong witness, we cannot compromise the Gospel and people’s need for repentance.”

Churches can play a big part in helping the homosexual give up that destructive lifestyle, although as Dennis would attest, the temptation to sin is always there. Dennis explained the hope he finds in Christ by practicing Centering. “Centering means to move to center,” says Dennis. “You can’t think about two things at the same time. I sing songs and hymns; I talk to the Lord. You can’t think those (bad) thoughts when you are thinking about something else. For me temptation is a call to worship. I decide who I will worship.”

“Two years ago I was a good man, livin and workin and supportin. I had a girl and we were gonna start our own family. But, the booze got to me. I just drank from time to time at first but then I had to get a drink any time I could and anywhere. She [his girlfriend] kicked me out and I have been here ever since. Now, I’ve done some things in my time, but what did I ever do to deserve this?”

-Elijah Thomas, Homeless Citizen of Turlock

Right now in the United States you will find at least 3.5 million people, or about one percent of the United States population, on the streets begging for help. As the rate of poverty quickens so too will this number. The current state of economy means that these people will continue to be on the streets for longer periods of time than ever before. But, what actually defines “homelessness?”

A homeless person is someone who has no housing and must sleep on the streets or at a homeless shelter. Contrary to popular belief, about 80% of homeless people you see will only be on the streets for about 3 weeks. They either find a job or family to take them in. While only 10% of homeless people are going to be where they are for an extended period of time, usually these people suffer from a mental disease or a substance addiction. 40% of these homeless have children residing with them on the streets.

Of those that are homeless, 20% have been homeless for more than five years; this amount of time encloses the largest population of homeless people. 62% of their total population suffers from alcohol addiction, 58% from drugs, and 57% from mental diseases.

The struggles of these poor denizens start early. The ones who suffer from a mental illness usually had a normal lifestyle and job, until they were afflicted and could not maintain paying bills, going to work, or maintain relationships with family members.

Others are drug addicts who cannot pay for their addiction while trying to live a normal life, with all the expenses that entitles. Surprisingly 5% of the total homeless population is simply unaccompanied children! Most of the youth on the streets are those who have grown up in the foster care system and, finding themselves without any support or direction, must turn to the streets and live a life of meager begging.

He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother

So, what are we going to do about it? Legions of people have amassed to build homes and sustain these downtrodden citizens. Like never before you see relief projects sprouting up, such as Habitat for Humanity, Shelter Plus Care, Housing First, and Assertive outreach.

The question arises, “Should we be helping these people? Could they not just get a job and assist themselves?” As states before, many homeless are substance abusers, the mentally ill, and, most of all, those suffering from a failing economy. The largest people groups of homeless are those of families with children. These families have tried to pay their bills and live as upstanding citizens, but their meager wages cannot handle to pay the soaring mortgage and rental rates in this country. In this financial climate some people who were not part of the homeless culture have found their homes foreclosed upon and in need of assistance. Their credit score is so low, that no one would sell or even rent to them with their history. Finding no where else to go, these people turn to the streets and community service centers, hoping things get better.

Many non-profit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, are directed solely to this people group of unfortunate families. Regardless of a person’s political opinions regarding homelessness, homelessness is not going to go away. Poverty still plagues the United States. Which means churches as well as organizations have to band together to help these poor souls.

As Eric Shinseki, a Vietnam War veteran and Obama’s Secretary of Veteran Affairs, states, “President Obama and I are personally committed to ending homelessness among [many] within the next five years… Those who have served this nation should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope.”

A few of the TC Students weighed in on their opinion to the homeless situation.

Ashley Yonan: “Homeless people should have our support through community service, projects, and churches, everyone should help out.”

Zach Baskins: “We gotta think outside the bun to solve this problem!”

Mitchell Everett: “I think we should help homeless people, but I also think they should be able to help themselves by getting a job and other things.”

Gigi Cezar: “It is all our duty to help those in need. As Co-President of the Samaritan Club, I urge anyone wanting to serve to either contact me or Paige Ulrich for more information about our community service projects.”

Every day, thousands of young girls go home after school and enter their bedrooms. Most spend countless time in front of the mirror, criticizing things that they hate about their bodies. Pressure to be beautiful, made even more relevant by the media, lures women across the country to undergo plastic surgery.

All throughout America, women, and sometimes men, are nipping and tucking, sucking and lifting, injecting and implanting, all in the pursuit for better looks. In 2008, over 10 million cosmetic procedures were performed. The top five procedures were breast augmentation, liposuction, eyelid surgery, and rhinoplasty (nose jobs). Women accounted for 92% of these surgeries while the other 8% were men. Many believe that women undergo more plastic surgeries than men because of lack of confidence or they just want to feel more comfortable in their skin. Perhaps there is the hope that men will look at them differently. Regardless, with over $13.2 billion spent on cosmetic surgeries in the U.S. last year one thing is clear…America likes to look pretty.

Complications

There are countless risks that accompany plastic surgery. These include blood clots, blood loss, drop in heart pressure, and infection to name a few. Recently, the Florida Board of Medicine issued a statewide moratorium on combination tummy tucks and liposuctions, due to the number of deaths in that state. And although it is crucial to find quality care when pursuing cosmetic surgery, the reality is many doctors not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) have begun practicing.

Forever Young

We’ve all witnessed on television and the big screen older celebrity women undergoing plastic surgery in order to preserve their youth. It propagates the message; to be beautiful you must look young. Does that mean aging women are not beautiful? It’s true that beauty at 20 looks a lot different than beauty at 50, but is that even fair to compare the two? Scripture makes it clear that our bodies will not stay the same. 2 Corinthians 4:16 reads, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

Even though on the outside we become older, inside we are learning and finishing our walk with the Lord on earth, and are being renewed by His love. Perhaps age is something to embrace, not to be at war with?

Sure, plastic surgery is a personal choice. But, next time you look in the mirror, remember: God made you on purpose for a purpose. The body you were given was given to you for a reason, and it should be cherished. It’s the same message God gave Samuel when he said about King David, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

A woman rushes her critically injured son to the hospital. She speeds past stop signs and rockets through red lights. Coming to a halt within the emergency parking lot, she lunges at her son and musters all her strength to pick him up and carry him inside. The doctor takes her son to the emergency room; the frazzled mother is exhausted, but relieved. However, the worst news has yet to come, the hospital’s nurse enters the room and informs the mother that her HMO will not cover her son’s treatment.

Step into the world that many people face on a daily basis. There are nearly 46 million people in the United States who do not have health insurance this day. Either their employer does not offer the insurance or they simply cannot afford it. With this many people in constant danger, what will the government plan to do?

Barack Obama’s cabinet plans to push legislation offering free healthcare to all United States citizens. This means Americans will no longer need to pay for health insurance that is often unused, and that those who actually require healthcare will get it. Seems like all positive things, right?

Well the opposition to this plan states that free healthcare could influence people who have minor afflictions to abuse the system by increasing the frequently of doctor visits, or attending the doctor without need, thus skyrocketing the price of this reform. Arguments also come from the overall massive price of instituting the plan and the right of people to have free healthcare.

Some will argue that healthcare is not an inherent human right; therefore the government is not responsible for providing something that is not needed. However, those who promote the bill believe that health is a fundamental part of being human, which makes healthcare a right.

So Where is it?

For some, like our own Congressman Cardoza of the Central Valley, the jury is still out regarding crucial details concerning the bill. “This is a very complicated issue and there currently is not a final bill for me to review or to take a position on,” he explained.

“There are several proposals working their way through Congress and subject to change as the legislative process unfolds. Eventually these proposals will be pulled together into one final bill. There are some good and bad parts in each of the proposals. But until I have seen the final bill, I cannot take a position on it” he added.

Congressman Cardoza, a staunch supporter of bills that support the people and the furthering of humanity as a whole, regardless of which side of the fence such proposals lie, is quick to recognize the need for healthcare exists.

“ I believe that health care reform is absolutely needed. Costs are spiraling out of control. As a result, we have too many people going without medical treatment. And we have too many people who are forced to choose between purchasing their prescription drugs or putting food on their table.”

Most people will agree that some type of healthcare reform is needed, but can a middle ground be found? Congressman Cardoza says he’s counting on it. “I think there are many things that members of Congress from both parties widely support. I do hope we are able to find a middle-ground for the overall health care reform effort in the coming weeks.”

Of course this still doesn’t address fiscal implications. How much money are we talking about here you say? Well Congressman Cardoza explains that, “The cost of the health care proposals being discussed is still in flux as the details are being worked out. However it has been projected at around $900 billion, yet The Congressional Budget Office promises a measure would actually reduce federal deficits by $81 billion over a decade. Keeping perspective, remember healthcare money it is just a drop in the bucket compared to the United State’s fourteen trillion dollar annual GDP.

How’s That Working for You?

It is widely known that several other countries have systems of free healthcare long in effect. Canadians are very much in support of their healthcare system. This system offers free treatments and appointments to all citizens of Canada, with all scenarios of sickness covered. The spending for this in Canada is about one hundred-sixty billion dollars in Canada, which translates to about 10% of the countries total GDP. However, there is some criticism with the Canadian healthcare system. Waiting time is quite problematic, with the average time before you see a doctor being one to three months. Dr. Brian Day, an outspoken Canadian physician, was once was quoted as saying “This is a country in which dogs can get a hip replacement in under a week and in which humans can wait two to three years.” Currently, the Canadian government is putting about five billion dollars into the system in an attempt to decrease wait times.

Concessions

Back at home, Congressman Cardoza wants to make sure his support of any healthcare plan actually benefits those he represents. “I wholeheartedly support the idea of reforming our health care system. Right now we pay more for health care than any other country in the world. Yet we are not healthier for it. It is clear that our system is broken and I would very much like to support reform. However, I cannot vote in support of a bill if it will not increase the number of physicians in the Central Valley. I also will not support a bill that will do nothing to control health care costs and make coverage more affordable for businesses or families, or if it won’t benefit my constituents.”

• Only 1% of the People of China breathe air that is considered safe by the European Union
• The U.S alone produces enough trash everyday to outweigh the Empire State Building
• 1 in 4 mammals faces extinction
• About 30% of the ocean is acidic, due to pollutants, and no longer supports basic forms of life, such as plankton which is necessary for the food chain to continue
• 20% of the Polar Ice Cap has melted since 1979

Going Green, is it an issue that has a basis in fact, or is it propaganda spewing forth from the mouths of nutty socialists?

For many Christians, there are several factors causing alarm with the Green Moment. First there’s a general lack of trust with Going Green proponents. The majority of those supporting the movement are found to be Left Wing supporters, with the loudest mouthed supporter of the Green Movement being Al Gore, “inventor” of the Internet. Then there’s a belief that the movement might be politically driven. After all, billions of dollars were earmarked for “Green” projects last year. But perhaps the most genuine concern is seeped in faith. What is the proper Christian response to the Green Movement in light of what Christ teaches?

History of Green

Christians might be surprised to learn that the Green Movement began with ideals most believers would agree with. During the Industrial Revolution for instance, there were no health inspectors so businesses were free to pollute to their hearts content. The areas around Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania for instance were so heavily polluted that the public drinking water became contaminated.

Later on, health inspectors were appointed in New York due to the epidemic of yellow fever, caused in part by smog spewing smoke stacks surrounding the city. When the 1900’s saw the inception of the gasoline powered engine for both motor vehicles and ships, air became heavily polluted with smog, and the seas and rivers became contaminated with oil spills. But thanks to environmentalists, the last 30 years has ushered in corporate awareness in companies such as General Motors, who have begun to take a more environmentally friendly approach to how they build engines.

During the late 1960’s through the early 90’s however, the movement shifted to cult status. The name Hyper Environmentalists comes to mind or tree huggers; those people that chained themselves to trees in order to prevent lumberjacks from doing their jobs. Those supporters gave the Green Movement a bad name because they used fear of a doomed world to garner support.

The Green Movement of today is a far cry from the days of the Hyper Environmentalists, who regarded a total, albeit completely voluntary, self extinction of man as a good thing for “Mother Earth. Going Green in the new millennium is often about caring for the environment by investing in renewable energy programs, preserving endangered animals and making life here on planet earth as enjoyable as possible for everyone.

Green Pork

There is a lot of debate over the politics of the Green Movement. Some groups use the “Go Green” slogan to garner support from real “Greens”; ironically it sometimes results in a nominee that is not a supporter of the Green Movement and its causes. But for the most part, Members of the Green movement are generally Democrats, leading Republicans to be a little suspicious of the movement, especially when Democrats paint Republicans as insensitive earth destroyers.

Also of concern are the billions of dollars earmarked toward eco-friendly businesses. Some outspoken conservatives, like Rush Limbaugh, have gone so far as to accuse the Obama administration of pushing a political agenda that remains grossly unsupported by the American people. “Nobody wants them!” Announces Limbaugh regarding government subsidized hybrid-vehicles. “The manufacturers are making them in droves to satisfy Obama,” he says.

Whatever the political motivation regarding the Green Movement, Christians need to get involved. There is much money at stake and silence is seen as a free pass for congressional spending.

God Made Green

For Christians looking to God’s Word for answers about how to live life, the question must be asked. Are the scriptures silent on all things green?

We read in Genesis 1:28 an account of God mandating Adam and Eve to, “Be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” This leads us to believe that we are to be caretakers on behalf of God, to replenish what we use for the benefit of mankind.

And in Romans 8:21 the Bible tells us that all of creation will benefit from Christ sacrifice and resurrection. We are to take care of, and even in some cases, better the earth to glorify God.

So what if all the facts are true? What if our planet is dying? What is our biblical obligation? Although it’s important to discern whether this movement is based upon a liberal agenda, or fueled by power hungry politicians, it’s imperative that Christians have a biblical opinion, and that it is based upon fact, not fear.

After all you can go Green for God.