Category: Art

America, church, Citizenship, Ethics, First Amendment, Politics, Story

Revisiting the First Amendment

Gary Furr

A book worth your time. I bought this book and read it as part of my preparation to teach my class on Religion and the First Amendment at Auburn University for the OLLI program (adult lifelong learning). We had 37 students, mostly retired professionals, former professors, religiously diverse, and a few “nones.” It was a great class, robust discussion, deep love for this country and worry about the blurred lines of the present. This book, along with several others by Jon Meacham, Edwin Gaustadt, John Fea and older work by Martin Marty, Sydney Ahlstrom and others, along with original works … Continue reading Revisiting the First Amendment

Story2 Comments

Whose House?

Gary Furr

If Congress, representing us, voted for it, and we, through our taxes, paid for it, it would be fine. Presidents are renters. The House belongs to America, not the temporary occupant and his rich friends. He never asked us. They never stopped it. 49.8% in the popular vote was not an “overwhelming mandate.” Neither was a decisive electoral victory in a system overwhelmingly skewed to rural areas over the total populace. It was a four year rental agreement. That’s in the original ownership document. Of course, if the maintenance company we voted to hire to look after our considerable assets … Continue reading Whose House?

Story

The Weak and the Strong

Gary Furr

Worth pondering. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison told us to care for this beloved country and warned us about this moment. “Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit. In a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature, where the weaker individual is not secured against the violence of the stronger; … Continue reading The Weak and the Strong

America, Christian Nationalism, Citizenship, Constitution, Culture, First Amendment, Politics, Story

Universal, Inalienable, Non-negotiable

Gary Furr

I keep coming across so many wonderful and true quotations in my preparations for the class. I am teaching at Auburn for the Oshner Lifelong Learning Institute this fall on the First Amendment and Freedom of Religion. The U.S. Constitution is “the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man”—William Ewart Gladstone, the British Prime Minister, North American Review, Sept./Oct. 1878. Every week, my class and I recite the First Amendment out loud together, sensing together the power of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and the founders, who had the courage and … Continue reading Universal, Inalienable, Non-negotiable

9-11, America, Anger, Bible, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Citizenship, Culture, death, fear, Grief, Politics, Story, Tragedy2 Comments

Reaping the Whirlwind

Gary Furr

Waiting out the firestorm while America goes for its kerosene cans and lighters. Some random thoughts: It is striking to see the overwhelming need to comment about a senseless murder. We’ve all become content providers and there are no consumers left to think about each others’ thoughts. The one thing about tragic and unexpected loss is that the more you say to the sufferer the worse you make it. The less you say, the wiser you appear. If you are silent, you are kept from stupidity. If you post your opinions about it your foolishness can live eternally. Much is … Continue reading Reaping the Whirlwind