JBT (Jonestown Bank & Trust): What do yo do when banks steal from you?

So what is one suppose to do when he deposits $300 at a bank’s ATM and the bank claims he only deposited $150? As it turned out, nothing.

My wife and I do our banking at a credit union. We often deposit our checks and cash at ATMs owned by other financial institutions. One would think that such transactions are relatively secure—and perhaps that’s the culprit: the security of one’s transaction with a bank isn’t a 100% guarantee.

Needless to say, we trusted the legitimacy of JBT (Jonestown Bank & Trust) when we deposited our monies. You can imagine our reaction when we received a letter from our credit union notifying us that the deposit amount we entered was incorrect.

“Crap, did we screw something up?” Banks do not lie. We double-checked our entries. Something wasn’t right, not in our checkbook but with JBT’s transaction. We deposited a cash amount of $300, which included fifty-dollar bills—the perfect opportunity for a bank teller or manager to inconspicuously slip a couple of these bills into his or her pocket.

Our credit union notified us that our deposit was $150 off. Our checkbook said otherwise. So we informed our credit union that our deposit was indeed legitimate. They followed protocol and investigated the matter. Unfortunately, the investigation solely involved sending a letter to JBT demanding that they provide records of our transaction. Not surprisingly, JBT had no record of the missing $150. What can one expect with cash? If stolen, it can’t be recorded. For all you know, I could be a mischievous citizen trying to get some extra money from the bank.

So I ask again: what is one suppose to do? Never deposit cash at an ATM even if it’s with a trusted financial institution. And second, warn your friends and acquaintances of a particular bank. The experience I shared in this post occurred at JBT, near Lowes on Rt. 72 in Lebanon. If anyone regularly banks with this particular JBT, I encourage him/her to go to a different location. The questionable acts of its employees should not be rewarded.

The Reunion

A friend of mine has written what I think is one of the most creative plays celebrating Easter. Since I created some of the artwork to accompany the acts, I've had the pleasure of reading the script. I was blown away.

Typically, Easter plays are just regurgitations of the gospel narratives. There's nothing wrong with them, per say, but I think they're creatively stagnant. I don't know about my readers, but these plays do not compel me to contemplate the mystery of the incarnation and resurrection. If nothing else, it contributes to my propensity to take Jesus' sacrifice for granted. Of course, I can't speak for anyone. I know there are people that walk away from, say, Easter cantatas with a deep spirit of celebration. But from what I've observed, there aren't many.

Given my opinion, you're probably wondering what's so great about my friend's play, The Reunion. Well, you know I can't write about it until it's production on Easter Sunday, but I will briefly share its tone. One thing I can tell you is that you won't see the gospel narrative, though God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are indeed characters in the play. The play is a creative drama that interprets the "fall" and "redemption" conceptually and artistically. In essence, the nature of the play is contemplative and so each scene and act are focal points for the viewers to contemplate the mystery of God and his divine love for humanity and, well, creation.

And that's the beauty of the play--it includes creation and the fall in its narrative. Redemption is revealed as a much grander act than the salvation of humanity. It is the redemption of all power and principalities, of all the humans and beasts, of all the stars and galaxies--for God so loved the cosmos (everything and everything) that He gave His beloved Son . . .

Another thing I can say is that the play will be thought-provoking. Some of the elements in the play will challenge people, possibly on a theological level, but mostly on their predispositions. So for those of you who are interested, go check out the play. Below is the info.

The Reunion
This Easter Sunday, April 12th
10:30 AM
Cornerstone Christian Fellowship
515 Cumberland St
Lebanon, PA 17046

www.cornerstonelebanon.com

Click here for map.

Reconstructed Capitalism

There’s a lot of talk about how our economy can be fixed. The solution: spend a lot of money, whether it is done by the private (businesses and consumers) or public sector (government). I’m not an economist. I’m just an ordinary guy who goes to work every morning, pay his taxes, and goes home to his wife. But it seems obvious to me that any economy system built on massive consumerism, materialism and profit-gain has a death wish written all over it. The people cry, “Save our capitalism!” It is assumed that capitalism is absolute truth. So the solutions that our government and economists are conjuring is set not to solve the so-call economic crisis but to ensure the survival of capitalism. In other words, our ideologies are more important than the people who are suffering.

I heard a host on conservative radio talk about how there’s nothing wrong with capitalism. It works. It’s the people who don’t know how to use it and thus our economic problems. But here’s the problem with this piece of absolutism: people invented capitalism. Capitalism is flawed because people are flawed. And if capitalism needs to be reevaluated and fixed for the good of the people, then it must be done.

I believe that any economy system that elevates government or business or an elitist minority at the expense of others is ineffective and in the long-run, destined to fail. Our capitalism has little concern for people. Our capitalism’s goal is profit-gain, the bottom line. Obama is upset that executives gave themselves high bonuses and bought corporate jets with the bailout money they’ve received. He calls it shameful and irresponsible. Is that it, Mr. President? What do you expect from a system that keeps no one accountable. What do you expect from a system that allows companies the right to do what they please for the buck? Is it really a surprise that greed, which drives our capitalism, still exists even when you give the greedy help?

Perhaps, like any truths we uphold, we need to reevaluate our economic paradigms. I’d like to see a post-capitalism movement that calls for a balance between free market and social justice/fairness. I would like to see our capitalism resemble our view of freedom: You are free to be and do whatever you like so long as it does not harm another person. Businesses, I would argue, should be regulated when it comes to exploiting employees nationally and internationally. They should be regulated when it comes to hurting their local communities, economically and/or environmentally. Businesses need to balance not just their check books but also their social impact. I call for a holistic business model that makes the wellbeing of people a priority; that ethics and social awareness drive economical success. Haven’t we learned that when we take good care of people, in return, they take good care of us? It's an ingenious business strategy! Like government, free market needs checks and balances.

I’m tired of hearing conservatives condemn big government but praise big business, as if it’s any better. And I’m tired of liberals applauding big government spending as if it’s going to solve an economic problem that has very little to do with currency and more to do with people’s ethics and priorities.

We’ve heard enough from governments and corporate businesses. Now let’s hear from the source of their existence and survival: the people who are hurting.

Praying for Osama bin Laden

The following are excerpts from Secret Believers, by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen:


There is a war raging. I’m not talking about the wars we read about in the papers or watch on the news but a spiritual war that is reflected in the global conflicts. If we focus on fighting in the Middle East or responding to terrorist acts around the world, we miss the big picture…

So are you ready to engage in battle?

…have you ever prayed for terrorists in Al-Qaeda or Hamas or Islamic Jihad or Hezbollah? Let me be more specific. Have you ever prayed for Osama bin Laden? I ask because prayer is the primary way we wage this war. If you say you did not pray, I ask you, “Is that the reason Osama is what he is—because we didn’t pray?” Can we pray him into the kingdom? Or can we neutralize his hatred and effectiveness by prayer? Let’s go on a prayer offensive! Let’s contest with the devil for the soul of the man, not with military might but with the gospel. After all, God is in the business of transforming lives. If our only response is to go out and destroy Muslim fundamentalists, we won’t win a single soul. We cannot win the war on terror with guns and bombs because everyone we kill is replaced by dozens more who seek revenge. The only answer is total, radical commitment to Jesus Christ.

Will you pray for the angry men living in refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan and Gaza who believe their only hope is fundamentalist Islam and who are being recruited to wage jihad against Israel and the West?

Will you pray for the young men who are preparing to strap on explosives, walk into a crowd in Iraq or Israel or London, and blow themselves up? Will you pray that someone will reach them before it’s too late and tell them about Jesus?

Will you pray for preachers in thousands of mosques, including those in Europe and North America, who incite hatred against Christians?

Will you pray for a harvest of souls among Muslims? Not one or two but millions? Will you choose a Muslim country and pray specifically for it—as long as it takes for God to move in the hearts of men and women there?

I.S.L.A.M.
I
Sincerely
Love
All
Muslims

May we conquer the world with the love of Christ.

Gender Issues with God

I’ve been contemplating for a while the language I use when referring to God. As many others do, I refer to God as a masculine deity. But, since gender is a physical aspect of our humanity, I know that God is neither male nor female, or rather, that He possesses both masculine and feminine attributes. Interestingly, the Spirit of God, in the Hebrew Scripture, is grammatically feminine. In fact, very often the Spirit of God is given very feminine attributes: she is maternal, she is nourishing, she longs to be found beautiful, etc. I want to best express these realities in my religious language.

For a while now, I’ve wanted to refer to the Holy Spirit as a She. But I’ve taken for granted my view of a masculine God, so I don’t even think about it. I don’t have a problem with people referring to God in the feminine or masculine pronoun. I realize, however, that many Christians do. There are those that would shout, “Heretic! How dare you promote goddess worship?” But I wonder, what are these critics arguing against? The term goddess comes from ancient religions that believed deities possessed a physical gender. A goddess was actually female with respective sexual organs. Gods and goddesses, in this paradigm, were capable of having sexual intercourse with one another and humans. What the argument seems to be advocating for, then, is that only a male can be worshipped. God, it seems, is of a masculine gender. However, I know this is not what the critics are arguing for. Thus their criticism is irrelevant.

God is neither male nor female. God does not have a penis or a vagina. At least we don’t think He does. And throughout Scripture, God is given the personification of a man and woman, warrior and bride. Would it be wrong, then, to refer to God as either my Father or my Mother depending on the context of my situation? Perhaps to some it may be, but there’s nothing in Scripture that tells us otherwise.

I have good reasons for wanting to refer to the Holy Spirit as a She. I think using this pronoun helps to put the transcendence and holism of God in perspective. God is not just a male figure, She is also a female figure and we just might perform a terrible injustice to God’s nature if we only refer to Him as a male. Grant it, I wish we had a better language that we could use for God that expresses simultaneously His/Her feminine and masculine attributes (maybe YHWH did it for the ancients?). This would spare the bitter divisions and accusations within Christendom.

I suppose that this conversation leads to deeper issue among Christians, which unfortunately miss the scope of my present posting. These deeper issues can be consolidated into the following question: What are Christians so afraid of?

Freedom Fries

With a new U.S. President coming into the White House, we are left to ponder about the previous President, George W. Bush. Without a doubt the Bush Administration left us with a legacy that has particularly reshaped our view of freedom. I believe one of the most memorable reform during Bush’s presidency was the congressional legislature that changed the name French Fries to “Freedom” Fries (let’s not forget Freedom Toasts).

Let’s think about this for a minute. The French disagree with our decision to pursue war in Iraq and so to get back at them the government legislates a name change for fast food? What were they hoping to do? Hurt the French’s feelings? At the time, I thought this was ridiculous! I’m paying taxes so politicians can get paid to rename French fries!

Looking back, however, I’m beginning to become fond of Freedom Fries. In fact, I find it very appropriate and reflective of American freedom. After all, fries are a symbol for America. Freedom and fries just might belong together. Fries are cooked in fatty oils. They reflect America’s high rate of obesity. We may be fat, but we are free! Freedom gives us the right to eat whatever we want in whatever quantity. We are free to be obese. Free to be unhealthy. Free to go to McDonalds.

As I think more about it, freedom fries reflect more than just our health. It is also indicative of our health care system. We have a broken health care system that is based not on a person’s wellbeing but on revenue and the bottom line. Freedom maintains that health insurance providers can do whatever they want. My wife and I are struggling with finding affordable health insurance because she has pre-existing conditions. Insurance companies don’t need to cover such people. Those that must cover them, after every insurance company has denied them, do so but at a much higher cost. A cost, I’m afraid, we cannot afford.

Of course, this is not a problem for citizens that have a good income. But for the rest of us, who are struggling to pay bills and circumstantial debt, affording good health insurance is not quite easy. Approximately 15% of American adults under 65 are underinsured, meaning they are not covered for all medical situations. These people not only pay a premium but also pay high deductibles, co-payments and out of pocket expenses for medical coverage, driving most of them deeper into debt. Many just don’t go to the doctor or are unable to pay for recommended treatments. About 25% of American adults under 65 are uninsured. So let’s put this in perspective. Approximately 40% of non-elderly adults are either underinsured or lack insurance coverage altogether. That’s 75 million people; 25% of our population.

But hey, this is the cost of freedom right? Soldiers aren’t the only ones exhorted to sacrifice their lives for the sake of our freedom. We’re called to do the same with our health. Rather than being concerned about health, the buck comes first. I heard a conservative politician talk about how we have the best health care system in the world; that health insurance is accessible to every person. I commend the man for cautiously choosing his words. Indeed anyone can access health insurance. But the politician failed to mention that health insurance is not affordable for every person.

The Hebrew Scriptures tell us “the poor will always be with you, so take care of them.” I would interpose that the sick will also always be with us, so we should take care of them. After all, when Jesus came to heal the sick, he didn’t just heal the spiritually sick but also the physically sick. He calls us to do the same. Let me transform this into a humanistic argument: if our government is of the people, by the people and for the people, then they have a responsibility to take care of its people, which includes all people. I’m a fan of universal health insurance. But if there’s a better model that will make sure everyone is covered at a price that all people can afford, then by all means let’s make it happen.

By the way, I don’t want to leave the reader with the impression that the brokenness of our health care system is Bush’s fault. It isn’t. And I despise the rhetoric of Democrats who blame him for our poor health insurance policies. Democrats have done nothing to better the system.

I have to say this: if we can’t afford anything else, at least we can afford freedom fries. A few bites of these delicious, crispy French-cut potatoes will make one temporarily forget the complex issues that inflict our revenue-centered capitalism.

Liberalism, Conservatism, Truth

I have friends from both sides of the spectrum: conservatives and liberals (religiously and politically). It's not that I'm categorizing them as so. These labels are self-professed. I get the satisfaction of hearing two different perspectives. It's quite nice to hear different perspectives, actually. It keeps me in check. It keeps me connected.

I am somewhat of a moderate, though the term does not do justice to the complexity of my thinking. Categorically, I can be a liberal or conservative, depending on the issue. I don't side with anything just because it's dubbed a conservative or liberal ideal. In other words, I'm not (at least in attempt) partisan. I need to hear the two sides of the story. I need so see the black and the white. Otherwise, I might be in danger of missing the truth.

Truth...that's at the core of my nonpartisanship. Truth comes in many facets. Truth is neither conservative nor liberal. Truth transcends politics and religion. It is not confined by human rhetoric, ideologies or doctrines. Truth can be found in the left or in the right; socialism or communism; atheism or theism; Christianity or Islam. To be a seeker of the truth means we approach it with no preconditions, no limitations, no expectations. We seek knowing that when we find it, it will either confirm our beliefs or turn them upside down. We need to be prepared. We need to be courageous.

Jesus revealed Truth that shattered the worldview of the Jewish leaders and people. Why should we not expect the same?

Like I said, I enjoy listening to different perspectives. Most times they are extremely hard to swallow and it takes me days or even weeks to contemplate it, sometimes resulting in having to deconstruct my perspective to embody this new Truth. This is always a challenging task, but if I truly care about Truth, I gotta do what I gotta do.