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While I am not American, I do understand the unique foundations of their country.  Listening to their pledge of allegiance as a child, I understood that the rule of God was to be manifested in their way of life. 

I have since filled in a lot of my childish understanding. 

I am more than ever convinced that a civil society needs God.  Unity will be shattered where a despot or a democracy creates shifting absolutes and selfish approaches.  A benevolent God who cares for the people is the basis of the spirit of love that we exhibit to other citizens.  Law begins in God’s laws.

Then, the country lives in harmony as we determine our culture through shared laws that are determined for the people.  Tolerance is based in the good of God’s laws.  Rehabilitation is based in the intent of God’s laws.  Leadership is based in the service of God’s laws.

A flourishing country lives in the recognition that living under God is done by and through the citizenry.  Not through slavery of the citizenry but through willing participation.  Not through grudging compliance but through enthusiastic enjoyment.  Not through individual edicts but through God-shaped-community decisions.

I am a realist at heart with an optimistic bent.  I would love to live in such a country.  Religion exists to tell us that we are far from that country.  True religion exists to help us reach that country.

RCA Victor was quite a brand in its day.   There was the dog that stood beside the Victorla.  And the early use of an acronym for a product.  Add to that the excellence of the product, and you have a dynasty.  The recording arm of the company is still in production.  The “talking machines” have basically been abandoned.

In exploring our demo house, we found an old RCA Victor tube radio.  Not the large console type.  More the small kitchen counter type. 

Yesterday I cleaned the worst of the remnants of dirt from the cabinet of the radio.  As I ventured into the guts of the machine, everything looked intact.  The tubes were unbroken, the soldering still in place and the wiring all in one piece.

When everything was cleaned and polished, I plugged the radio in.  Nothing happened.  At least for the first few moments.  Then a hiss began.  I turned a knob or two.  All of a sudden the local radio station was clearly broadcasting through the speaker.

I forget that before solid state electronics, tubes took time to warm up.  The power we expect to provide immediate reactions takes a few moments to vibrate through the system.  Then you get a very clear signal.

I suppose our electronic age has conditioned us to only tolerate immediacy.  I wonder if a previous age had something better than us.  Time to reflect, to vibrate and recalibrate before we have to react.  Then our signals can be quite clear.

We have a program called “Defend Dignity” in our denominational circles.  The idea is to stand up for those who are oppressed, particularly those who are involved in the sex trade and being trafficked.

I’ve often wondered why the word “Dignity” is chosen.

As I read the dictionary definitions the idea seems to be centered around worth and respect.  Some commentaries on the idea focus on dignity being given to us upon our birth.  Others figure that dignity is earned.

Who gives dignity?

• God? 
• Yourself? 
• Others?
• All of the above?

When is dignity conferred?

• At birth? 
• Before birth? 
• Upon earning respect? 
• At death? 
• All of the above?

How do we strip others of their dignity?

• Does providing abortion assault the dignity of the unborn? 
• Does providing assisted death assault the dignity of the one suffering? 
• Does bribery assault the dignity of the one paying the bribe? 
• Does bullying assault the dignity of the one being bullied?

If only words didn’t have meaning!

There has been a lot of talk about making sure you have a vision.  A vision for yourself, for your family, for your business, for your church.

The thing about visioning?  We tend to actually brainstorm and strike out in a new adventure – to explore the universe without a map or without a true sense of reality.

Now, when I was younger, I loved that type of visioning.  I am known for sitting at a table and asking young people what they want to be, affirming their gifts and pushing them towards the door of their dreams.

The older I get, the more caution I place on the color of the door.  If it is red hot, then there may be a fire brewing on the other side.  If it is ice blue, then this may end up being full of frustration.  If it is flourishing green, then the path looks rosy and inviting.

The calls come from history – from memory recalled and organized.  When we lose our memory (as David Timms says), we undermine community, cohesion and connection.  Vision without memory recall is nothing but pursuing the next great experience or the next high.

Instead, we need to honour the past.  Honour the pioneers, honour the leaders, honour the plodders, honour the artists, honour the keepers of our souls, honour those who have stitched together a past for the sake of your future.

Learn the lessons that memory teaches.  Tell the stories of the past that parallel the present.  And celebrate that we have a memory to serve us as we vision for the future.