The Ceremony
2009 January 20
Our staff crammed into the largest room in our office area to watch the Inauguration. I’m guessing that’s just happened in offices all over the country (and world).
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A good clip for the day — a day in which the call for the country and the world to be united has been sounded.
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That was so great. May God’s blessings and help be with our new President.
I watched some of it at the gym, but had the ipod on too.
http://www.matthewmorine.com
I thought Obama’s speech was good — especially the Reaganesque parts. I did not like the benediction — it seemed divisive and out of place.
But where was this call to unity and cooperation a few years ago? It seemed all we heard from the Democrats, the media and Hollywood elite is how horrible Bush is. It would have been nice to hear all this love and togetherness talk, and all these celebrity pledges back then.
Having said that I honestly do hope that Obama makes good decisions and accomplishes good things for our country.
I hope President Obama can lead the country as well as he can dance! He is smokin’ at one of the inauguration balls!
Obama reminds of the preacher with all these missional ideas, but can’t get pass the elders. Obama has some great ideas, but ulimately Congress run the show. let’s hope and pray that congress sees the mulitude of people present today and grace Obama with favor and the environment in D.C. to be this country greatest leaders that restores, dignity, respect, equality and justice for the American people. We live in a great country!!! Yes we can!!
Joe Almanza
Shortly after the inaugural speech ended, my daughter called me to discuss the morning’s events. She asked me if I ever thought I would see the day this would happen. She said it made her think of two dear ladies who have been like grandmothers to her. I wish that I could have watched the inauguration with them – to watch their faces. They have told us some of the stories about having to sit at the back of buses, drinking from separate water fountains, not being allowed to go certain places, etc. Both are well past 80 years old, so they have lived a lot of the history. Both have loving hearts and gentle spirits. I’m glad that my daughter has both heard their stories and seen the new era in our history. We have come a long way, but we “have miles to go before we sleep.”
I voted for President Barach Obama and he still has my support but allowing a reported 170 million to be spent for his inauguration party… I am all for a good party but considering the economic trouble the nation and world is in, perhaps a little less money spent for a party is in order.
Grace and peace,
Rex
Do you know where one could procure a copy of this video or purchase a copy? I would love to use it in a sermon.
Peace.
Quite honestly, I’m not sure who the liberal-Christian messiah is anymore…
But I’m just being divisive. Let’s get to the real focus of hope for change. I mean, like, I love to change for the sake hope – and hope that we can all change to become more hopeful. And to ride unicorns.
I watched with a dear new friend in her classroom of jr. high kids. Both of us were blessed with the opportunity to articulate the significance of this event to these 7th & 8th graders. We wanted them to realize they were watching history being made that is of equal importance to MLK. It was a treat to see this through their eyes and engage in meaningful discussion.
Our city had a very inspiring MLK celebration Sunday afternoon. John and I stood out just a tad, but we wouldn’t have missed it! I would love to bottle up our African American brothers’ and sisters’ enthusiasm as they worship our Father and share this spirit with our assemblies.
Mike,
And in response to Jim D., I actually thought that the benediction stole the show at the inauguration. In my opinion, the prayer is not inciting division, but reaching for God’s help in reconciliation. It includes scripture from the prophets (1) Amos quotation – “justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream” and 2) modernization of Micah’s “swords to plowshares” – now “tanks will be beaten into tractors.” I also appreciated the prayer for all nations, in contrast to an appeal for American nationalism.
While I am not championing every word of the prayer (or every idea/platform to come from Obama’s administration), I do embrace the call for unity, especially among the racial divide.
Here’s a website address displaying the entire words of the prayer.
(http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-inaug-lowery-prayer-text21-2009jan21,0,7681406.story?track=rss)
I remember right after 911. We were all shocked and President Bush calmed a nation and he held about a 90% positive rating with the country. About that time, Hillery Clinton made a statement “that I am not going to agree just to agree, I will say what I want and you can in this country.” Seems like Reid said the same thing, it is probably on youtube.
We were all praying to God about the country and we were all in this thing together. For two years everything President Bush did the minority Democrats held up and yelped and nothing seemed to get done. It even got worse later on. The Democrats held the congress for the last two years and all this mess happened. They got rewarded for the mess by getting the entire government. I wonder just how much sway any President actually has anymore. I hope the President governs from his thoughts and not his partys-is that possible?
With all the media coverage when they were in the minority and questioning, will the minority now get the same coverage? Why am I feeling like the other shoe is about to drop.
I wonder if anyone else is laughing today at the re-taking of the oath. Such a CoC moment! His “election” was sure, the requirements of the law had been fulfilled, and the words were correct–but because they were not said in the correct order, maybe we better have a do-over. Legalism rules!
The Ceremony was indeed a moving and important mile marker in our country’s history. However, I cannot in good conscience, give an “amen” to his first actions as president: Open governmental support to abortion in foreign countries. Fetal stem cell research is now given an ok without a glance at the moral, much less, godly implications.
I’m praying about the roiling nonsense coming out of the Congress – to charge, indict and criminalize President Bush and his VP. I doubt seriously that this new president has the internal fortitude to stand down this kind of nonsense. He has shown no inclination to take part in confrontation.
I hope and constantly pray for him, that he seek God’s wisdom and direction, but it looks as though, at this moment, he’s going to race right down the destructive path of ignoring God’s will of protecting the innocent that cannot defend themselves, i.e. unborn children.
I’m aware that I run the risk of being chided and scolded about my views, but mine they are and I’ve no difficulty in standing by them.
I solemnly agree with your thoughts.
The “change” has arrived!! And it’s all a matter of perspective, I guess…
Headlines On This Date 4 Years Ago:
“Republicans spending $42 million on inauguration while troops Die in unarmored Humvees”
“Bush extravagance exceeds any reason during tough economic times”
“Fat cats get their $42 million inauguration party, Ordinary
Americans get the shaft”
Headlines Today:
“Historic Obama Inauguration will cost only $120 million”
“Obama Spends $120 million on inauguration: America Needs A Big Party”
“Everyman Obama shows America how to celebrate”
“Citibank executives contribute $8 million to Obama Inauguration”
The “Change” is Here!
Linda, you crack me up! I had the exact same thought about the re-taking of the oath. Then my thought was, “When did he REALLY become the President?” Was it when he first took the oath, or was it at Noon, or was it when he RE-took it? Hmmm…… so reminded me of us trying to figure out when we are REALLY saved!
Hooteewho, thou art truly a hoot.
Well struck, mate!
qb
Um… I know that ideology makes it easy to want to rewrite history, and there’s some astonishing rewriting going on here.
I know that facts haven’t really been popular for the past 8 years (viz. the suppression of scientific data), but there are facts–proven, now, by many of Bush’s own appointees:
The US conducted an illegal spying program that spied on ALL AMERICANS without warrants, violating the bill of rights. Violating YOUR rights.
The US by its own legal definitions tortured detainees, violating treaties and US law. And disregarding habeas corpus. Established in the Magna Carta. In 1215.
When people ask for the prosecution of key figures in the previous administration, they’re arguing that we should uphold our laws and hold these people, who took an oath BEFORE GOD to uphold and defend the constitution (and thus our laws), responsible for their crimes. And crimes is the right word–that’s what violations of law are called. Whether those are justifiable or not is for a court to decide. That’s the way America works. It’s the “justice for all” part. And the “all men are created equal” part.
Is it really worth sacrificing that for ideology? And as Christians, do we really want to defend people who acted unjustly and violated their oaths to God?
And to those of you who are still big Bush fans: that’s fine. You’re entitled to your opinion. But remember that 3 out of 4 Americans disagree with you. And they have reasons for disagreeing that go far beyond the easily dismissed rationales that Rush, Bill, Anne, and Fox claim is behind it all.
When this country is attacked again Obama will be toast.
Chris, are you rooting for the attackers now? Are you on their side? You and Rush? You better be careful, because Bill O’Reilly (though he was talking about Bush at the time) said that anybody who doesn’t fully and without reservation support the president is unamerican. You wouldn’t want O’Reilly to think that about you, would you Chris?
Kathy, remind me how our last administration protected the unborn again…
Let’s see, the Republicans had the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court and the Presidency there for a while… And though I heard a lot of talk about the “culture of life” over those years, I don’t remember a whole lot of action on that front. Deregulation, yes. No-bid contracts, indeed. Consolidating power by firing (illegally) people from the other party, you betcha. Protecting businesses and the rich? Yessiree. Turning back Roe v. Wade? Uh, no. Helping end the poverty that’s often behind women’s decisions to have abortions? Nope. Helping to prevent pregnancies among young people (who also often have abortions)… Well… Uh-uh. I mean, lots of talk about abstinence, but without birth control options, pregnancies increased… From Time, 1/21/08:
“Close to half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended, and 40% of those end in abortion. The U.S. still has one of the highest teen-pregnancy rates in the developed world — nearly twice as high as England and Canada, eight times as high as the Netherlands and Japan — and in December, the Centers for Disease Control reported that the teen birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years. Likewise, the U.S. abortion rates are disproportionately high: Rates in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands are less than half that in the U.S. — fewer than 10 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44.”
Hmmmm.
So is there any way–given what we saw when they actually had a chance to DO something about it–that we could say the previous administration or the Republican party were serious about the “culture of life?” Or does it look more like a hollow campaign promise that gets people to feel good about voting for them–that’s trotted out when they need to stir the base–but isn’t ever really on the agenda. You tell me…
They talked a good game when it was necessary, but my guess is that the unborn (and the born) will be more protected under Obama than they were under Bush. Because abortion is about more than sex. It’s about poverty. It’s about education. It’s about class. And it’s about healthcare.
And if you really want to talk about the sanctity of life, there’s those other ugly bits: the war. At least 100,000 Iraqi civilians dead. And the massive increase in poverty over the past 8 years (not counting the current economic collapse), of which children are the largest segment. And the refusal to renew S-Chip, cutting health care for millions of children.
Granted, they’re not the unborn. But they’re still the innocent. Aren’t they?
Protecting life is right, no question. Protecting children is right, absolutely. It is a Christian’s duty, as James (among others) reminds us. But I don’t think the Bible parses life as carefully–or as politically–as we often do…
Hopefully when you talk about protecting life, you’re talking about all human life. That’s something we could all stand by.