On January 29th, President Bush gave his State of the Union address to Congress. In the course of listening to some of the observations following the speech, one of the commentators mentioned the President's use of the phrase "Let's roll." The President used this term to introduce his new USA Freedom Corps.
Through the miracles of the internet we have obtained that segment below:
None of us would ever wish the evil that was done on September the 11th. Yet after America was attacked, it was as if our entire country looked into a mirror and saw our better selves. We were reminded that we are citizens, with obligations to each other, to our country, and to history. We began to think less of the goods we can accumulate, and more about the good we can do.
For too long our culture has said, "If it feels good, do it." Now America is embracing a new ethic and a new creed: "Let's roll." (Applause.) In the sacrifice of soldiers, the fierce brotherhood of firefighters, and the bravery and generosity of ordinary citizens, we have glimpsed what a new culture of responsibility could look like. We want to be a nation that serves goals larger than self. We've been offered a unique opportunity, and we must not let this moment pass. (Applause.)
My call tonight is for every American to commit at least two years -- 4,000 hours over the rest of your lifetime -- to the service of your neighbors and your nation. (Applause.) Many are already serving, and I thank you. If you aren't sure how to help, I've got a good place to start. To sustain and extend the best that has emerged in America, I invite you to join the new USA Freedom Corps. The Freedom Corps will focus on three areas of need: responding in case of crisis at home; rebuilding our communities; and extending American compassion throughout the world.
Further information can be obtained at the web site: www.usafreedomcorps.gov.
At first glance this looks like a good plan, and compared to most of the programs the government comes up with, it probably isn't that bad, but when you look at the details in the source documents you see that it really cannot accomplish its desired aims without some Divine intervention. The question then could be ask, "Is God going to bring this about for the furtherance of the American state and reach it's intended goals, especially with a well meaning Christian President as the author of the program?"
I am a firm believer in miracles, but I do not think that the USA Freedom Corps qualifies as miracle material. Let me explain.
My mother and my aunt used to make candy as Christmas gifts for friends and relatives (there is a difference). My mother made peanut brittle from a secret recipe given to her in confidence by one of her closest friends. It was the best peanut brittle I have ever eaten.
My aunt made fudge. It too was something I looked forward to receiving each holiday season.
In a thrift store at the appropriate time of the year, I ran across a used candy making book from the editors of the Farm Journal. Now Farm Journal cookbooks generally have excellent recipes, and by looking in the index, I found a number of recipes for both peanut brittle and fudge. Resources were tight at Christmas, and since I also don't believe in giving people a bunch of stuff they really don't need or desire, I decided to purchase the book and give candy making a shot. After all, I could afford fifty cents.
I remembered my mom remarked that the keys to making her peanut brittle were the marble slab she used and raw Spanish peanuts. I found a couple of sources of the raw peanuts right away and similarly a large enough piece of granite in a surplus building supply place, to substitute for the marble slab.
What about the fudge? Well, I have never met a piece of fudge I didn't like!
What an excellent idea I had. Make candy for my friends (and relatives) and not spend my poor evenings bummed out in front of the television. Praise the Lord, Thank you, Jesus!
This is just what we see in the President's USA Freedom Corps proposal. Sounds like a great idea, but before we begin the rollin' of the "Let's roll," it would be nice to see the results of my candy making experience. Seeing Dubya allowed his speech writers to use the rollin' colloquial saying first, "The devil is in the details," might also apply.
Now, some of you right wing Republican's are way ahead of me. "Since he hasn't made any candy in his life what is he going to do with the batches that are not good enough to give away?"
Well, every fiscal conservative knows, you have to eat the bad batches, they are too valuable to throw away. The result? Fat, about 10-15 extra pounds I didn't need to begin with. My formerly loose fitting pants, now barely stretch around the middle. Those tight ones, well they will remain hanging in my closet for at least another month, till most of those pounds succumb to a little dietary discipline, when they again may stretch to fit.
This is an application to government programs even those liberal Democrats can clearly see.
The moral to the story is of course, great ideas are wonderful, but as you roll on toward the desired goal, or even before you begin, it is wise to think through the plan to the end.
Volunteerism is only as good as the quality, not the quantity of the volunteers. Just as with the principles of leadership, good volunteers are created through training, not born. The prime prerequisite is not just a warm body willing to work, but a warm living body, with integrity. It is the moral fiber of this country, that made America the only remaining super power. That moral fiber is derived from Judeo-Christian ethics, not from the osmosis of some ethereal spiritual essence.
The decision to begin movin', or rollin' is an important first step, just as the outline of the President's Freedom Corps. However, sound moral training throughout all of history has always come through the leadership of religious teachers. This leadership that has had a positive impact, not just an impact, on culture and society has always stemmed from applications based on the Bible, the word of God.
The art of creating that leadership within Christian circles, should come from a sound basis in the true gospel of Jesus Christ's propitiatory sacrifice. In modern society, that true gospel has not found many Christian leaders true to its provisions, resulting in a form a Christian egalitarianism, based upon the leadership of worldly economic, political, and religious interests.
The key is for Christian pastors and lay leaders to focus again on the truth of that gospel message, and not programs that pamper self and gluttonous indulgence, personal, political, or religious. That begins with at least some identification with Christ's sacrifice as a potential fulfillment of the individual's life
In his State of the Union address, the President's "Let's roll," remark, in context, sounds like the well intentioned ideas of and Ivy League "preppie" who has always "had his cake and ate it too." Dubya is however, well aware that the current times are not covered in the case studies of his Harvard Business School education.
He and his administration seem to be willing to take some chances, make some mistakes, as we're movin' to enter a new era of transitory change. Sadly to say, since September 11th, the vast majority of Americans, and perhaps citizens of all countries except Israel, have decided that this act of global terrorism, was just a one time event.
The reason for this "head in the sand" approach is of course most people do not have the moral or the religious understanding to truly face reality. That grit is sadly lacking in much of the teaching of the Protestant church also.
I was listening today to Ezekiel Chapter 34. Since much of the leadership of the church is unaware or unwilling to look at the personal ramifications of this prophetic word, perhaps this is truly the time the prophet forecast in his visions.
I believe I could also speak for President Bush on this assessment. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every Christian living in America, or around the world , could point to their nearest local church and say, "There resides the true freedom that the corps of all people say they seek."
But this today is not the case, instead we have proposed another government program, created only because the church of Jesus Christ is not doing its job. In the words of Abraham Lincoln we used last week, "This too shall pass."
The question remains, movin, or rollin' on, are you ready for your future in this changed world?
Thank you all. May God bless. (Applause.)
END
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