Houston civility

You may be aware of the Houston TX mayor who brought subpoenas against five pastors who opposed an LGBT ordinance that she supports.  Mayor Parker's subpoenas demanded that the pastors hand over "sermons and electronic communications with congregants containing their opinions on homosexuality and gender. . "

Christians see this as totalitarian overreach which is inappropriate in America.  But instead of responding with acrimony, many around the country responded benignly - standing with the Houston pastors by sending their own sermon copies and Bibles to the mayor's office, for a total of 500-1000.

There's been some backing down by the mayor's office.  "[She] credited pastors and religious leaders she met with Tuesday with helping sway her decision . . "These pastors came to me for civil discussions about the issues,” [she] said of the meetings. “They came without political agendas, without hate in their hearts . . "

Civility between opponents is not easy, and is fragile.  This story isn't over but I think it's good to highlight the effort they've made so far.

Toxic people

The author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 thinks we can train ourselves to better handle the toxic people we have to deal with.  Some of them don't realize the damage they do to others' feelings, and some of them actually try to create conflict and stress (why??).

Either way, toxic people can leave you upset and drained.  "Emotional intelligence", "skill in perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions", could keep your work day (or whatever day it is) from de-railing after a bad encounter. 

"You don’t need to respond to the emotional chaos ..."  He suggests these things to stay calm:

1) Put a little distance between you and upsetting people
2) Don't blindly absorb their opinions
3) Focus on facts instead of on their chaotic feelings

These and more good insights here.

Past glory

French photographers created a picture essay of Detroit's ruined buildings.  These spectacular photos communicate the feelings of despair and abandonment that must have accompanied the city's decline.

The first photo is of Michigan Central Train Station (used 1913-1988), huge and empty, with windows busted out.  There's a school, an elegant house, a once-beautiful theater.  None could be restored, because the wealth of the community melted away.

A Bloomberg opinion writer thinks that the Detroit car makers refused to innovate and that's what caused the decline.  He says it is still happening, that now they are pressuring politicians to protect their industry from the innovations of Tesla Motors, Inc.

"Any industry that shelters behind government restrictions that hurt consumers is headed for decline and deserves to be."

Love Detroit

The city of Detroit, Michigan, has been a disappointment to many.  Jobs were lost, grand buildings were ruined, homes were abandoned - and finally the city declared bankruptcy in July of last year.  The financial crisis had been building for decades.

photo: lamericaclub.blogspot.org

It's a lot to overcome.

But overcomers are working for a return of vitality.  One of them is Veronika Scott (whose story you read in last Friday's post, "A Solution"), and she says "I love Detroit."   The non-profit she started, The Empowerment Plan, manufactures warm coats that become sleeping bags for the homeless.  Her distinctive is that all the employees were homeless but willing to work.  GM makes an interesting contribution to the cause (read here).

She says, “We currently have 13 seamstresses working full-time at The Empowerment Plan and most of them have been able to transition out of the shelter system into their own home or apartment. We believe in giving second chances to those who want it, and providing warmth to those who need it.”  That's far better than just giving away a coat.

Veronika lists five other women who are trying to lay foundations of growth and life in Detroit here.

God says

If you are a Christian, you have resources.  Your faith will grow as you read and hear the word of God, the Bible.  Here's a blog that will help you do just that.

Pastor Tim's post of last Friday is "You say - God says."  This is spiritual growth - we hear what God says, compare it to what we tend to think, and line up our assumptions with His promises.

Here are just a few Bible promises from the article:

"You say: "I can't figure things out" God says: I direct your steps 
(Proverbs 3:5-6)"

"You say: "I can't forgive myself" God says: I forgive you 
(I John 1:9 and Romans 8:1)"

"You say: "I'm not smart enough" God says: I give you wisdom 
(I Corinthians 1:30)"

A solution

Veronika Scott did what entrepreneurs do - find a need, imagine a solution, fail a lot, then figure out a way to just get it done with benefits for all involved.

Here's her story.  As a college student, she was giving coats away to homeless people, a good work.  But one of them loudly protested on the grounds that it was only temporary help and not what they needed most. It was a "band-aid for a systemic issue."

By sticking with it and not walking away (which would have been far easier), she wound up starting a coat-manufacturing business that hires and trains motivated homeless women who want jobs.

photo: forbes.com

Now she has a Wikipedia page.

African leaders

Fred Swaniker (yesterday's post) has a passion to develop a new generation of leaders for the continent of Africa.  His goal is to produce leaders that are both effective and ethical through the African Leadership Academy (ALA).

If they make the cut, teenagers 15-19 come from all over the continent.  Their application is considered on the basis of what kind of contribution they can make to the development of businesses and institutions.

The impact of a leader is great, Fred says, especially in Africa. In another TED talk he tells the story of one of ALA's graduates who has blessed thousands of lives - and he's only 22.

Ruined - Fixed

Could one individual man be responsible for ruining a country?  Fred Swaniker thinks so.  His experience tells him that a single leader can destroy a nation . . when he is a corrupt leader like Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

He makes the point that one bad leader in America can be stopped by our laws and institutions which limit political power ("checks and balances").  In Africa, he says, dictators have no such restraints and so can create disaster.

Fred's not-so-modest goal is to train 250,000 African young people to become the leaders Africa urgently needs.

Ebola & churches

Here's a view of the ebola problem in western Africa that won't come up in any mainstream media coverage.

Someone, maybe a missionary, working with churches in the affected African countries finds that those African Christians are somewhat fatalistic about the disease  They pray fervently, and of course prayer is vital, but they seem to be resigned that whatever happens will be God's will.

"When we came in as fellow Christians . . our folks would explain all about hand washing, how the virus would be transmitted  . . then the pastor would end by . . saying something like, “We hear all that but we are just dependent on prayer, and we know that nothing we do can change God’s will for us."

I hope they think it's God's will to take basic safety measures.

Sold: Arcadia CA

There are something like 250 billionaires in China.  Some of them are buying & building houses in the Los Angeles area,  and real estate values are soaring.

"Why are Chinese millionaires buying mansions in an L.A. suburb?" 

This article answers its own question: "For buyers from mainland China, Arcadia offers excellent schools, large lots with lenient building codes, and a place to park their money beyond the reach of the Chinese government."

"The city, population 57,600, projects that about 150 older homes—53 percent more than normal—will be torn down this year and replaced with mansions."

Brave lawyers

Meriam Ibrahim is now safely living in America with her family.  She was sentenced to death for, as the state of Sudan claimed, converting from Islam to Christianity.  After months of prison and impending doom, many prayers were answered when she, her husband and children all escaped.

Sadly, the lawyers in Sudan who helped her gain freedom are in trouble.

[A]nother attorney, Iman Hassan, complained they had “tarnished the image of Sudan by allowing human rights organizations to put pressure on the government.

"The lawyers are not Christians but work against injustice and for the freedom of the country’s religious minorities."

Here is Megyn Kelly's interview with Meriam after she came to the U.S  She talks about what it was like in prison, the harsh circumstances Christians live under, and her hopes for the future.

Good missionary

NY Times writer Ross Douthat makes the point that Christian missionaries fighting ebola in Africa are carrying on a tradition that goes back two millennia.

Back in the Roman Empire during the first few centuries after Christ, the Christ-following Galileans were known for their humanitarian aid to the sick and the poor.  
Fourth century emperor Julian complained that “all men see that our people lack aid” from pagan sources, even as “the impious Galilaeans support not only their own poor but ours as well.” 

Douthat finds that complaining tone in a Slate writer who disapproves of missionaries courageously fighting disease today in western Africa.  The writer seems to think that "the separation of medicine and religion should be absolute, proselytization is wicked/backward/ignorant, helping people is what governments and secular groups are supposed to do."

The secular mind may disapprove Christians who don't do enough good and Christians who do too much good.

Work well

"The Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics is a non-profit Christian research organization committed to promoting biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society."

Free and flourishing society . . that's what most of us want.

Their blog post of 10.09.14 was written by a new intern serving as communications fellow.  It relates to one of the organization's core concepts, flourishing in our work as a function of being created in the image of God.

I like this quote from it by Dorothy Sayers, British writer living during World War II, a contemporary and friend of C. S. Lewis:

"[M]an, created in God's image, should make things, as God makes them, for the sake of doing well a thing that is well worth doing."

No longer strong

(follow-up to last week)

The people of Venezuela have been losing their national wealth for years, partly due to severe inflation (see last week's posts, Tuesday-Thursday).  They have the highest inflation rate in the world at 63.4% as reported in September.

Here's an article of last May from Forbes explaining the situation:

"From the 1950s to the early 1980s, Venezuela had the strongest economy in South America. Today, it’s one of the most repressive regimes in the world, especially with regards to property rights."

How does very high inflation affect people?  

• "workers lose purchasing power and are less able to obtain what they need including the basic necessities of life"
• "it tends to create a two-class system, eliminating the middle-class"

Product reveal

Another new revelation from Elon Musk, who founded and runs both Tesla Motors and SpaceX, came out last Thursday. He unveiled a new version of the Model S that has been available a couple of years.  

At an LA airport on a runway, the new car was brought in by a "giant robotic red arm . . The arm made picking up this huge chunk of metal look effortless as it waved the car’s body up and down, left and right, and in circles."  

This version of the Model S has autopilot, two motors, and all-wheel drive, "a sedan that can go 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds. A sedan; 3.2 seconds."

“This car is nuts,” Musk said. “It’s like taking off from a carrier deck.”

“You can step out of the car and have it park itself in the garage,” Musk said. “Later, you will be able to summon the car. It will come to wherever you are."

Focused teen

One focused person, a teenager, a girl in Muslim Pakistan, is making a difference. She is gradually training people of her village and others to stress good traditions, and to quit bad traditions. Her story:

"My friend was murdered by her own family. She wanted to marry someone she liked, and she had proposed that idea to her mother. Her mother, who was very scared, frantically shared this news with her father. They planned her murder by taking her away from home and killing her."  

Khalida was rocked by the murder, and she started a movement against honor killings.  She's campaigned door to door, started embroidery classes - and changes her strategy when it's needed.

 "I see myself as part of a big campaign for our future. I know that things are going to be very, very different and amazing for my country."

Go here to see this amazing woman speak in Rio de Janeiro at TED Global 2014. 

Wealth damaged

A national economy can be in trouble for a long time before there's a national shortage of something as basic as bread (yesterday's post).

That is the status of Venezuela's economy, in trouble for a long time:  since 1973, they have averaged an inflation rate of 27% per year.   The current crisis can't be a complete surprise.

In 2013 V's population grew by 450,000 while the gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 5%.  So there's more people in the country, and less wealth in the country.

Socialists have ruled since the revolution of Hugo Chavez fourteen years ago.  General prosperity takes a back seat to the priority of government control.

Less wealth

I had the opportunity to ask Jay Richards how he defines "wealth" about two weeks ago when he was speaking to a group about his book Money, Greed, and God.  His answer was . . means.

The people of Venezuela (where inflation is now 63.4 %) would like the means to feed their families. Watch this CNN video to see young men break into a shop to get not jewelry or electronics but  bread.

CNN's story clip includes an economist who explains that government price controls have produced shortages of ingredients like cornmeal, cooking oil and flour.

What does the government do when people demonstrate for more food?  First they arrest merchants on the charge of hoarding,

Then Venezuela's president, in this video, tells his people to cut consumption!  Yes, his solution to people being hungry is:  stop eating so much!

Wealth

What exactly is wealth?   It's not that easy to pin it down.

Try to define it without using the word money, because it really is not money.  In Venezuela, or any place suffering from "inflation," people have lots of money but that doesn't mean that they have lots of wealth.  Their money is increasingly worth less.

See what you think about this youtube video by George Gilder, author and really smart person.He says that wealth is created by innovation and growing knowledge.  Does he make a good case?

Spending

It isn't good to keep spending money you don't have.  Here's some advice for America on how to quit that.

Finished

Speaking of religious minorities in Iraq hunted and persecuted by IS, the U. S. President recently said, "We cannot allow these communities to be driven from their ancient homeland."  This author says it's too late, it's already happened.  

In his words, "Christianity in Iraq is Finished."

"Christians, of whom around 120,000 have taken refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan, will not be going home even if their tormentors suddenly disappear.

"I spent 10 days talking with Christian refugees in Arbil . . this month, and they are adamant they will not be returning . . . 

"It is not simply . . that they lost everything, including their homes and businesses, and in some cases spent days and even weeks in detention while being badgered to convert to Islam, where they saw babies taken from mothers’ arms to be held for ransom and busloads of young people ferried off into the unknown . . .

"No, it is because, for Christians in Iraq, the past three months have been the climax of 11 years of hell."

Moral limits

I love the optimism of Peter Diamandis ( Tuesday's & Wednesday's posts).  We do have more abundance and more possibilities and more empowerment on earth than ever before, and not just a little more. If humanity were morally perfect,  I would be as confident in his great future vision as he is because today's technology is changing the world.

Technology explodes education.  It explodes communication.  It frees people from drudgery that used to imprison body and mind.

But technology also empowers evil.  Just a small number of people - or one - can do a lot of damage.  How many systems that we depend on are controlled by computers that could be controlled by someone with evil intent?

The corruptible nature of men and women is a major factor in our present and will be in our future.  As Christians we recognize our need for God, and that our ultimate destiny is with Him.

Enthusiasm

Inspiration is conveyed to others by someone who is him/herself inspired!  That's Peter Diamandis it seems (yesterday's post).

He's an optimist, full of faith in the future.  Really, you should see his TED Talk, "Abundance is Our Future."  We live in an extraordinary time - no other time in the life of humanity has seen so little poverty, so many possibilities.

Imagine a "tricorder" that you can cough on to get a better diagnosis than you could from a "board of certified doctors", that can prevent a pandemic anywhere in the world before it gets going.

Image a billion people soon having access to the internet (almost all the information on earth) resulting in "contributions we can't predict" - yes.

Disclaimer:   I've written about things I admire in this individual, but it's not some kind of blanket agreement.  I think he's left out an important factor that will influence our future as it has our history (see "Moral limits" tomorrow).