March 08

Three Proven Steps to Advance the World’s Women, on International Women’s Day

On the occasion of International Women's Day, here are three interventions that have a good record in improving the lives of women around the world.

Some people have recently said some things that lead me to think there is confusion about me and what I do so I want to take a minute to clear things up.

I lead a group of people who minister to and love the very poor and homeless. And as long as that is all I talk about, then most folks have no problem with me or my work. But when I talk about gay issues, or gender issues or imply the church ever did anything wrong, folk become very concerned. And tell me that if I stray off homeless issues, they won't support me. Or even be associated with me. In fact, some have actively tried to stop me. One guy called churches that I work with and told them I was a false prophet and heretic. (As we say in the South, "bless his heart".)

Let me be loud and clear about something. The same thing I see in Jesus that leads me to have concern and love for the very poor and homeless puts me squarely on the side of anyone who is on the margins.

Let me be even more clear:

I have only one desire, one mission, one calling. It is to reach out to those-

who are broken
who are hurting
who are marginalized
who feel forgotten
who are passed-over
who are weeping
who are unloved
who have been so hurt they are afraid to love
who have been told they are outside of God's love
who have been hurt in the name of God
who are not sure there is a god
who want to give up
who are so lonely they ache
who have only seen God used as a weapon
who have serious questions they are afraid to voice
who are afraid to hope anymore
who have been told their sexuality or gender separates them from God
who  have been been made to feel less than fully human -

and to tell those people that God is on their side.

Jesus called them the poor in spirit. And he called them blessed.

And said they get the Kingdom of Heaven.

If you have this God thing figured out, if you%u2019re convinced that you do all the right things that make your God happy, if you have no questions, no doubts, no fear %u2013 you aren't poor in spirit you are rich in spirit.

And Jesus doesn't have much of anything to say to you.

Sorry. I know that isn't what you wanted to hear.

But that is what I am here to say, and shout, and live out.

READ THE REST

This gets a big loud pentecostal holler from me.

Great post from Julie.

My thoughts: I never experienced lack of confidence until a couple years ago when I went through a horrible, demeaning, insulting and abusive "realease from ministry" - the abuse was typified by a refusal to even speak to me like an adult and instead going "through my husband" even though I was usually the one who was "in trouble" (mostly for doing things like asking questions). Ever since then I have struggled in a most profound way, ultimately to the point of seeking therapy and having to be on medication for anxiety and depression. I'm still not out of the woods.

disturbing. Tom's whole post is excellent.

No Pepsi at the Super Bowl? Here's where you'll find it.

Pepsi is skipping out on the Super Bowl to invest in this socially-conscious social media push. Pepsi's "Refresh Everything" campaign asks consumers to think up ideas that will make the world a better place, promising $20 million in grant money to fund the winning causes.

Starting on January 13, visitors age 13 and up can upload their ideas to refresheverything.com. On February 1, voting will open to the general public, who will decide which ideas deserve funding. The $20 million will be divvied up into grants of $5k, $25k, $50, and $250k. After the January session, submissions will be accepted for the rest of the year for the first half of each month or until 1000 ideas are received, with voting to take place from the 15th.

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LOVE!

Since don't ask, don't tell was introduced, the military has discharged more than 13,000 lesbians, gays and bisexuals, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. A 2005 government report found that about 800 of them had skills deemed "critical," such as engineering and linguistics, and that it cost the military about $200 million to recruit and train their replacements.>> MORE

ok, I won't claim to really be in the know about GLBTQ rights abuse stats but this number was SHOCKING to me - 13,000?! This is appalling. Be sure to read the whole story, it's about one man's discharge experience.