I have been thinking

You know I keep reading the news about the growing threat in Iran, and I can't help but wonder how I would handle the situation if I were in our leaders shoes. I hear that earlier this week Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated that talk about Iran's plan to become a nuclear power had been closed. He also made some foolish remarks about his belief that the Holocaust didn't occur and that there are no homosexuals in Iran. For some this only added fuel to the fire of hatred, and others just laughed.

So how do we address this growing problem. How do we implement the teachings of Christ into our foreign policy? First off, I believe it fairly obvious that we don't seek war as an viable option. I'll just leave it at that. Do we, in an effort to avoid war, laugh at his comments and ignore a growing threat? Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek. Personally I believe that turning the other cheek is not a passive action intended to show submission. I believe that it is a gutsy, proactive gesture that levels the playing field between the victim and the offender.

I am coming to realize that there is never only two possible solutions to a problem. Our culture is obsessed with black and white, right or wrong, Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, that we are not creative enough to think of a third way. We find that every time Jesus was put into a situation where the Pharisees intended for him to make a mistake in chosing one side over another, Jesus always seemed to have a third way. The third way was always creative and effective. Why can't we be as creative as he was?

Now how can this apply to our foreign policy? A few minutes ago I read a comment about Jim Wallis's blog. The reader made a point that really shed light on a new insight for me. "That's why we need to look for the equivalent of turning the other cheek: a paradigm-busting, gutsy move that redefines the debate. Unilateral nuclear disarmament fits the bill." Wow, now there is an idea. Why don't we show Iran how serious we really are about the abuse of nuclear power? I think we all agree that the use of nuclear power as a weapon was a mistake for mankind, yet we continue to stockpile enough weapons to destroy the world several times over. One would think that if the US were serious about nuclear non-proliferation, we would start with our own stockpile. I believe that as a leading world power, the US has a responsibility to lead my example and only then will we be effective in disarming other nations.

Am I naive? It is okay. You can tell me. I won't be offended :-)

8 things you may not know about me....

A couple weeks back I was tagged by Karen and told that I am to write 8 things about myself that people may not know. So here goes;

1) When I was young my family had a pet fox on our farm. My dad raised foxes to eat some of our dead chickens. One day he saved a baby fox whose mother was trying to kill it. We raised him as a common dog and named him Rosco. It was kinda fun seeing people's reactions to a fox roaming round out farm. Good times.

2) Several weeks ago the President of the DRC, Joseph Kabila, strolled across the Air Serv ramp while I was preflighting my airplane. It was a bit surreal having a flurry of armed guards running across the ramp to proceed his arrival.

3) I can't swim. I can float but cant seem to get anywhere. I think I need to practice a bit more.

4) I once got stuck for half an hour on a picket fence, upside-down with my foot wedged between two boards. In attempt to rescue me from my awkward and painful position, my sister promptly found my mother in the chicken house and informed her that Bruce has to use the bathroom. My mom then told her to tell me that I was allowed to go use the bathroom. Evie then came back and told me the good news. :-)

5) I gave the valedictorian speech at my high school. I was a bit of a nerd...

6) Danny Yoder and I once rode on a airline flight, sitting a row behind Ray Charles. Unfortunately he was oblivious to our presence.

7) I was made in Haiti.

8) I love people, but I often don't like crowds. I am a bit weird that way.

Alright, that was a bit tough. I about couldn't finish. So now I am going to pass the honor along and tag my cuz Sheila and friend Jared. Good luck.