I first heard of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and their struggle for fair pay for farm workers back in 2002 at a youth conference.  The speaker called for a boycott of Taco Bell, one link in the Yum Brands chain of restaurants.  The reason for the boycott was that farm workers who picked tomatoes for Taco Bell restaurants were being paid the same rate for a bucket of tomatoes in 2002 as they were in 1980!  While the CiW struck a deal with the Yum Brands that insured that a premium would be paid for tomatoes used by the corporation and the proceeds would go directly to the workers via a third-party accountant, many workers still live and work in deplorable conditions.  Some are forced to live in two bedroom trailers with 9-10 other workers due to the rent being well over $1000.  There are numerous reports of beatings, theft, and even slavery by bosses, and the FBI has several ongoing investigations into the agricultural practices of farms in Southwest Florida, home of the Immokalee community.   

Since Yum Brands stepped up to the plate and began thinking towards progress for the farmworkers in Florida McDonalds was also compelled to change their policies and payments towards the farmworkers.  However, Burger King, the only restaurant chain actually stationed near the Immokalee community, refuses to regard the humanity of the workers that pick their tomatoes.  You can see a detailed documentation of the conversation between the CIW and Burger King here.  Some actions you can take:

• Give a signed copy of the protest letter to your local BK Manager

• Organize an Immokalee event to raise awareness

• Join the March on Miami (BK Head Quarters)

• STOP EATING BURGER KING until they begin treating farm workers with dignity.   

Posted In: social-issues culture

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In a list that has not been released to the public the Bureau of Prisons has censored the titles of religious books that are to be permitted within prison libraries.  Many well known and loved theologians were left off the list of permitted books.  These included: Karl Barth, Reinhold Niebuhr, Robert Schuller, and all the church fathers!  While I certainly do not agree theologically with some of the folks left off the list, the fact that there is a list in the first place is unsettling.  

The reason behind the list was to prevent prison libraries from fueling extremist recruitment.  While this is a noble cause, it just does not make any sense to limit the library to only 9 C.S. Lewis titles!  Or as Douglas Laylock, University of Michigan Law School, says “Government does have a legitimate interest to screen out things that tend to incite violence in prisons... But once they say, ‘We’re going to pick 150 good books for your religion, and that’s all you get,’ the criteria has become more than just inciting violence. They’re picking out what is accessible religious teaching for prisoners, and the government can’t do that without a compelling justification. Here the justification is, the government is too busy to look at all the books, so they’re going to make their own preferred list to save a little time, a little money.” 

Many titles and authors that have been influential in Christian thought were left off the list due to what appears to be a bias from the list's authors.  This was apparent in a list obtained by the NY Times by the fact that more than 80 of the 120 approved Jewish titles are from the same publisher, as well as the fact that the list for Christian titles appears to be only mainline protestant authors.

From a kingdom standpoint it is a shame to think that some of the titles that have brought prisoners hope, encouragement, guidance, discipleship, and consolation are being ripped from their libraries in a bureaucratic-turned-religious-homeland-security-botch-up. 

However, there is something you can do.  Sojourners has put together a letter writing campaign to the Bureau of Prisons Director, Haley Lappin. 

Source: NY Times: Prisons Purging Books on Faith from Libraries 

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I was introduced to two great artists today.  The first, Ed Cash, is currently a producer of many major Christian recording artists such as Starfield and Bebo Norman.  However, before his major producing days he recorded a few records of his own.  The one I was able to sample is "Where Were You?"  The lyrics of which are poetic - something that is not common amongst Christian songwriters in these days.  The other band, while receiving a little more air-time on contemporary Christian radio, is equally soulful with its lyrics.  The band Leeland is made up of a handful of young men whose lyrics and music connect your heart with the spiritual and physical brokenness of our world.    

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From time to time I switch off the CD player while riding in the car in the pursuit of hearing live people talking.  For some reason, constantly listening to CD's or 'canned' music makes me feel canned.  I guess that live radio would more on the community end of the spectrum than a detached and nearly limitless (which seems to cheapen it) source of music.  And since there is not really any good talk radio that I would tend to agree with (there is NPR, but that would definitely put me at risk of falling asleep at the wheel, and CCM Christian radio station DJ's seem plastic and boring as well - although WAY FM has a great evening DJ) I tend to turn to Knoxville's own 100.3  

While I may not agree with everything proposed by the personalities of this station, it can often times be humorous.  The other day Neil Bortz (sp?) was saying that we should arrange the voting system so that the more money you make the more votes you should get.  This would presumably limit those 'lazy poor folk' from influencing the political machine.  HA!  What bologna!  We know those lazy poor folk don't vote anyways (spoken sarcastically).  

Anyways, the point of this blog is to compare talk radio with blogging.  I have often thought it would be fun to have my own talk radio show.  However, to have to spend an hour or two every day talking about something new is very risky.  The more I talk, especially spontaneously, the more chance I have of letting utter nonsense roll off my lips.  That is why I think blogging is a much better tool for reasonable dialog.  Most conservative talk radio show personalities I have listened to have a tendency to be absolutely right about everything.  Absolutely.  Any callers that dare disagree with the man on the throne are usually battered into silence or concession by horrendous logic.  Although, Shawn Hannity and O'Reilly are usually logical and I believe i have heard O'Reilly apologize.  

Thus, blogging would seem to rise above talk radio as a better medium for dialog because thought can be put into propositions and responses and the blogger or commenter can be quoted exactly.     

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Hey, Check it out - it's me!  This is the photo they used on Knoxville's NBC affiliate's website.  (Link to  Article at WBIR) We were in  poverty simulation.  It was a great experience that gave a wholistic view of what someone in poverty has to go through on a month to month basis.  

Basically what happened was we were placed in families of 3 or 4 and we were given a set amount of money and resources to use for a 'month' (which was actually 4 15 minute intervals).  The objective of the family was to pay the rent and bills, buy groceries, and some various other things.  When money got low, it got very frustrating.  

I played the role of Richard Rogers, the 17 year old son of a single mother.  I had two very annoying siblings.  I was a high school graduate and was looking for a job.  Some of the frustrations I experienced were: finding transportation, helping babysit my younger siblings, looking for a job and the various headaches inherent in that adventure, getting robbed, dealing with the Pawn Broker who wanted to cheat you (we had to pawn our stereo, TV, and furniture to meet rent).  I was even able to find a job, but my first check wouldn't be for a month!  So much for eating.  

All in all it was very well thought out and executed.  Everyone that participated came away with a clearer and more personal understanding of what frustrations exist for someone in that situation.  It is an oppressive state to be in.  

Thanks to Julia Pearce at the Good Sam Clinic for organizing this and inviting me.  I hope to implement something like this for our church.  

Posted In: culture poverty

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I just saw a trailer for a movie entitled Jesus Camp. The trailer seems to signify that the movie’s focus is a militant-like movement within the church to raise up an army of kids. Honestly the trailer makes the movie look kinda scarry. I hope the movie is a little more well balanced than the trailer suggests. If it is not then it seems to be equating ‘evangelicals’ with a very specific branch of Christianity that encourages their children to speak in tongues and convulse on the floor, as well as speak of the Kingdom of God in overly-militaristic language. It looks kinda like Children of the Corn meets Benny Hinn. If I were an unbeliever watching this film it would probably make me very suspicious of Churches. While it may have some eye-opening insider type of critiques like the movie Saved did, it still seems overly propagandised.

However, it does make one aware of the craftiness inherit in media that allows editors to spin images and soundbites so that one group looks better or worse in the final product than they actually are. It is especially alarming the amount of pathos that is carried in the background music of a scene. This makes me question the judgements I have made about other religous groups due to the news or some other video source.

The link for the trailer is http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=2&pmmsid=1698058

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Out of all the meaningless television programming that is piped into our homes (though not by force) Extreme Makeover Home Edition has always been one show that has been different from the plethora of self-centered, and celebrity-centered content that is out there. It is refreshing to see an hour of prime time television devoted to a story of charity and, in a sense, redemption. Though I am not convinced that the brains behind the show are doing it out of total charity, since for instance Sears gets tons of ad time in the show. Nonetheless, it is a unique show that challenges us.

In many episodes the people who are being helped are Christians and their faith is highlighted as the center of their lives. And being a very tolerant bunch of folks, Ty and the rest of the gang become ‘Christians’ for an hour on Sunday night. Yet I suspected that this focus on religion would not remain only in the shows with Christian beneficiaries. During tonight’s episode I found my suspicions to be warranted. This episode focused on helping a Hindu family. The father of which was actually a Hindu priest. While I whole heartedly support any charity to anyone without regard to creed, race, or nationality, the analytical side of me wants to scream when I see a group of people who last season sang a heart felt Amazing Grace now worship “Mother Earth” with in a Hindu ritual.

I know I can’t expect religious consistency from such a popular TV show, but come on… can the hosts please refrain from upholding people of mutually exclusive proclamations as both being virtuous and true and right?! Oh well… maybe next time they can rebuild the Branch Davidian Complex in Waco… an excellent candidate for the show if there ever was one.

Posted In: culture philosophy

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Every so often we are blessed with events in our life that begin and end as a story should. However most of the time we are left with mystery – How does it all fit together? Dennis Covington gives us a description of his sprititual and journalistic journey into the heart of snake-handling churches. This journey unfolds as one of those rare occurences where the chapters of a life are clearly marked, beginnings can be seen and closures are tangible. However, that does not mean that mystery is absent from the story. For in fact, one of the books main focal points is the mystery of snake handling and God’s Spirit in the churches.

Covington begins his journey while covering the trial of Glen Summerford, a snake handling preacher from Alabama who was accused of attempting to kill his wife with snakes. As he probes deeper into the lives of those involved he begins to become one of them – people who handle poisonous snakes, drink strychnine, speak in tongues, lay hands on the sick, cast out demons, and, some claim, raise the dead. Covington soon discovers that his relationship with snake-handlers begins before he was born, with his ancestors – people who were forgotten in his family tree, and were themselves snake-handlers. This true story covers nearly a century of snake-handling history, five states, and the rural religious customs of them.

This was a great book. Covington reads very easily, and for a documentary type of story it was very gripping.

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