Hundreds of family members of those arrested have taken refuge inside St. Bridget’s Catholic Church, Postville, said the Rev. Stephen P. Brackett, St. Paul Lutheran Church.

On May 12 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 390 people, and are seeking an additional 300 people who were not at the kosher meatpacking plant, Agriprocessors Inc. The purpose of the raid was to secure evidence of possible identity theft, stolen Social Security numbers and illegal immigration, said Tim Counts, an ICE spokesperson. Federal officials said the raid was the largest operation of its kind in U.S. history.

Most of the people arrested were believed to be from Guatemala and Mexico, and some were from Israel and Ukraine, the Associated Press reported. They were taken to Waterloo, Iowa, where most remain. More than 50 people were released on humanitarian grounds to care for children, and a few others were released because of medical conditions. Some who were released were fitted with ankle bracelets, Brackett said.

Church members and others in the community have stepped in to help family members who were not arrested but affected, Brackett said. Those who are at St. Bridget’s include newborns, children, teens, adults, mothers, fathers and grandparents, he said. Brackett estimated that as many as 30 members of St. Paul are helping out at St. Bridget’s by providing and serving food, providing clothing, helping with sleeping arrangements, tutoring students and reading to younger children. Also helping out at St. Bridget’s are several students from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities, he said.

“We’re almost overwhelmed with the food and clothing donations that have come in,” Brackett said. “We’re trying to bring in resources as they are needed.” For those arrested a significant need will be securing legal help, Brackett said. The cost of meeting with a lawyer is at least $150 per person, he said.

No one is staying at St. Paul because most people affected are Roman Catholic and afraid to leave the church building for fear of arrest, Brackett explained. Some children have been able to return to school during the day, he said. A nearby Presbyterian church is housing a few people.

Calling the situation “very traumatic” for those affected, Brackett said some family circumstances are “excessively complicated” because some children are U.S. citizens and their parents may not be U.S. citizens. Families could be broken up if members are deported, he said.

“This could go on for a while,” Brackett said. “We may have people here for a long, long time.”
“Families and friends are suffering tremendous loss and grief,” said the Rev. Steven L. Ullestad, bishop, ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod, Waverly, in a message to the synod. “The long-term implications for these families, as well as the impact on the schools and businesses of Postville, are significant.” The synod is working with the local Catholic diocese to assist at St. Bridget’s, Ullestad said. The synod’s greatest concerns are keeping families together, providing for their needs and making sure children are safe, he said.

The synod is developing a list of pastors who speak English and Spanish to assist families, Ullestad said. He asked Lutherans to pray for the people of Postville, and the bishop invited congregations to talk about immigration concerns.

“The ICE raid in Postville is yet another example of the harsh environment of fear that immigrants — documented and undocumented — now face, especially since the collapse of comprehensive immigration reform last summer,” said Ralston H. Deffenbaugh, president, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Baltimore. “Our immigration law is badly broken and desperately needs reform.”

“Most of those taken into custody are honest, hard-working people just trying to make a living,” Deffenbaugh said. “As a result of the raid, families have been torn apart, children have been traumatized, and a diverse community that was once thriving is now in complete upheaval,” he said.
The Rev. Kevin A. Massey, acting director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, said financial gifts to assist families in Postville may be given to ELCA Domestic Disaster Response.
—
An ELCA “Message on Immigration” is on the ELCA Web site.

NOTE: Financial gifts may be sent directly to ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631-4101. Designate gifts for Postville.

Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via Internet: http://www.ELCA.org/disaster

Other Notes:

• Iowa: Lawsuit Filed Over Raid
• Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service’s Voices of Hope Newsletter (Free)
• Iowa Immigration Raids Meant to Sidetrack U.S. Voters, Activists Say

Over the last week I have seen some completely baffling bullshit from people who identify themselves as Christian.  Against my better judgment I have entered into conversation with some of these people. 

This has got to stop.  I am wasting my time and there is no point in debating and issue with someone who will use the Bible as a source of authority. 

Over at BlogCatalog the simplest conversation can be hijacked by people who feel an overwhelming urge to cast aspersions on science for no other reason than to see their words in ‘print’. 

After one such person decided to argue that believing in the Theory of Evolution required an act of faith because its a "theory", I realized that nothing I can say will help that person see past their religiously indoctrinated views.  It  was this comment that did it:

kristilinauer You talk about evolution as if it’s scientific fact. Interesting….

It’s called the THEORY of Evolution. A scientific "theory" is "an accepted hypothesis", and a "hypothesis" is "an educated guess." So Evolution is nothing more than "an accepted educational guess."

Since evolution can’t be proven (which is why it’s not called a LAW), it takes a great deal of FAITH to believe in it.

After reading that, I did respond with a short explanation of how I felt that despite any flaws anyone can find in evolution, its still a better answer than  any alternative I have seen, including the Bible. 

Then Kristi responded by pasting the contents of this article: Scientific Hypothesis, Theory, Law Definitions. I suppose she felt that using  About.com as a definitive source honestly felt to her like an act of intellectual integrity.  In other comments, she had made clear that she felt both Wikipedia and the New York Times were sources that she rejected when quotes from those disagreed with her rigid views on issues.  The issue at that time was the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  She had voiced frustration that while the US was expected to help out after any disaster like the Asian Tsunami, no other countries helped the US.  When she said " Yet when tragedy occurs within our own borders, I don’t see other countries lining up to help, as with Hurricane Katrina.", a blogger replied with links to Wikipedia and a New York Times story with this lead:

Hurricane Relief From Abroad Was Mishandled:   Confusion over how to handle the emergency supplies, offers of military assistance and $126 million in cash that poured in from foreign governments after Hurricane Katrina meant delays, and in some cases wasted opportunities, in aiding storm victims, federal officials acknowledged Thursday.  …

Thousands of ready-to-eat meals donated by governments, as well as loads of medicine, were never used, because officials learned only after they arrived in the United States that they did not meet federal health standards. Instead of distributing the supplies, the federal government spent $60,000 to store them.

(This is a very educational article that I highly recommend if you have time to read it.)

After reading her rejection of the New York Times, I couldn’t help hearing echoes of Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Ann Coulter’s choral chants about the evil of the ‘liberal media’. 

This post is not about Kristi or any other "person of faith" who chooses to ignore facts in favor of articles of faith.  It’s about my difficulty in ignoring those people.  I am going to make a real effort to just ignore these kinds of statements no matter how much my fingers itch to respond. 

I grew up in an evangelical church and was taught the same things that Kristi and others like her were taught.  Over time I realized that a closed mind is a cold and hard place to inhabit.  I wish I could find the words to get everyone to at least open their minds to the world around us.  The world and all the life in it is so fascinating and ‘miraculous’ to me in both its rich complexity and its simple building blocks.  Why someone chooses to dumb down their senses and mind and emotions regarding the natural world is something I will never understand.  The best I can do is to not waste my own resources beating against a intellectual brick wall.

Unlike most other threads, this one has resulted in several comments that are long enough to be blog posts on their own.   My own comments, so far, contain over 850 words.  These comments are longer than many Comp I essays I wrote in college.  The thing I love about this discussion group compared to many others is that I have have a conversation with a devout Catholic and never once let things devolve into a “because God said so”.

After much consideration, the answer comes down to separating religious values from religious tenets.  Many religions, Christianity included, promote values that I can endorse wholeheartedly despite my rejection of the tenets of the religion itself.  If you look at a value such as protection and support for the poor, it does not matter how or why someone came to hold that belief.  Many of my views about respect for women are informed by reading Robert Heinlein.  If someone else comes to share my views as a result of a different path, thats a wonderful thing.  By focusing on goals and desired results we should be able to move past religious issues in the public sphere.

From an interesting webpage called What does the Bible say about Christian Values and Christian Living ten key items are listed, and who doesn’t love a top ten list?

1. Worship only God (Mark 12:28-30)
2. Respect all people/’Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12:31)
3. Be humble (Matthew 5:5-9, 20:25-28, Mark 9:35, 1 Corinthians 10:24, Ephesians 4:1-6, Philippians 2:2-8, 2 Timothy 2:22-25)
4. Be honest (Mark 10:19, Luke 3:12-14, 16:10-12, 2 Corinthians 4:1-2, 2 Corinthians 7:2, 2 Corinthians 8:21, Ephesians 4:25, Philippians 4:8-9, Colossians 3:9, Hebrews 13:18, 1 Peter 2:12, 3:10)
5. Live a moral life (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
6. Be generous with time and money (Matthew 5:42, 6:1-2, 25:31-46, Luke 6:38, 12:33, 21:1-4, Acts 20:35, Romans 12:6-8, 2 Corinthians 9:5-7, Hebrews 13:1-3, 13:15-16, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, 1 John 3:17)
7. Practice what you preach; don’t be a hypocrite (Matthew 6:1-7, 7:1-5, 7:21-23, 15:7-9, 23:1-33, Luke 20:46-47, Romans 2:21-24, James 1:22-27, 2:14-24, 1 John 1:5-7, 2:3-6, 2:9, 4:19-21)
8. Don’t be self-righteous (Matthew 7:1-5, 9:10-13, 18:10, Luke 6:32-42, 7:36-50, 18:9-14, John 8:1-8, Romans 2:1-4, 3:23, 14:1, 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 13:1-7, 16:14, Galatians 6:1-3, James 2:12-13, 4:11-12, 1 John 1:8)
9. Don’t hold a grudge (Matthew 5:21-26, 5:43-48, Romans 12:17-21, 1 Corinthians 6:7-8, Ephesians 4:26, 4:31-32, Colossians 3:7-8, James 1:19-20, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, 1 Peter 3:9, 1 John 2:9-11, 4:19-21)
10. Forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15)

With the exception of the first item, I can get behind all of those principles. 

 After reading "What’s the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America" by Thomas Frank, I have a lot of sympathy for Christians who get involved with politics and political campaigns.  From the Reagan Revolution until the Republic control of Congress through 2006, Christians who have voted based on their religious views have been cheated of any real change.  While I have sympathy for these folks as individuals, I see it as a condition they brought upon themselves by making elections about a single issue like abortion or gay marriage.

When sincere and well-meaning Christians started joining political groups like now defunct Moral Majority or Rev. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family group they began surrendering control of their own platform for change.  Too many people, my own mother among them, surrender control of their votes to organizations like this and become just a small cog in a big machine this is theoretically driving social change.   You may doubt this, but just look at how many candidates court the leadership of these groups in order to win an endorsement.   By taking part in this system, individuals give up their individuality and willingly convert themselves into a simple demographic unit. 

Liberals do the same thing by jumping on petitions and other methods that try to present a mass unified front in communication with politicians, but it tends to be on a “retail” basis where a lot of people get behind a single issue and then move back into their own smaller groups after the moment passes.  From my point of view, it feels like less of a commitment when I am asked to endorse a policy or write to my congressional representatives to advance an agenda.  The behavior that I observe in some political Christians, particularly social conservatives, comes across as a very black and white, all or nothing, kind of political lifestyle.  The social liberals I know tend to have many more differences of opinion between each other.  I would be willing to bet that this is true among Christian conservatives as well, but the culture of political activism on the political right seems to discourage any vocal divergence from the main platform message.

Richard Gere urges Olympics boycott Actor Richard Gere chases a fugitive Bosnian war criminal in his latest movie role, but in real life the devout Buddhist is pursuing China on human rights abuses and says a boycott of the Beijing Olympics could help. Gere, chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet, told Reuters the 2008 Beijing Olympics were a good opportunity to encourage China to end human rights abuses in Tibet and allow the Himalayan region to decide its future.

I am getting really sick and tired of people with extremely high incomes suggesting boycotts.

If there was indeed a massive boycott of the Beijing Olympics it is not the government that would suffer.  An event like the Olympics brings income to everyone in the area.  There is more work for cab drives, for hotel maids, for restaurateurs and pretty much everyone else.  Anything that keeps people in poverty will just extend the power the government has over the population.  It’s only when people start rising out of poverty that they start having the time and resources to actually fight for their rights.

When a population has fewer economic opportunities, they have a lot more to lose by rocking the boat.  Only after someone gains a little financial independence can they step back and decide how much they will tolerate in terms of government violations of his rights. 

Americans, even lower middle class Americans, can afford to take a stand and let their feelings be known.  Just look at the number of people attending some of our domestic protest marches and you can see that.  When people are living hand to mouth they do not have that luxury. 

Wonkette reports on her new favorite Baptist Preacher after the minister of a Baptist church has been charged with indecent exposure and driving under the influence, and police officers say he propositioned them.

#789185 

<Belial`> you still cant say anything with certainty though
<Belial`> since the bible has like, a fucking black hole between jesus being a kid and his preaching days
<Catoptromancy> Phase 1, birth
<Catoptromancy> Phase 2, ???
<Catoptromancy> Phase 3, Prophet