The New Terrorists . . .

Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden are familiar names. They stir deep emotions as we envision the twin towers of the World Trade Center burning like candles and then disappearing into heaps of rubble. If we aren’t very careful hate begins to ooze into our subconscious and we become terrorists—who hate so much we want to hurt, injure and kill people we don’t even know. Hate becomes the over-riding emotion when we think of such men with their twisted logic about how to make the world a better place.

So how should we respond to terrorists and terrorism? How should we react to such despicable acts of violence?

Hate is a powerful emotion. It twists our thinking and distorts our values until red looks green and green looks red. With the distortion comes bad decisions. That is a danger to you and me just as much as it is to Hussein and Bin Laden. If, because they have done despicable things we allow hate to rule our emotions, we too, can easily cross the line to become terrorists. Then hate wins.

On the other hand, we can reject hate and base our lives on love, which is also an emotion, and we must be careful or it too can be distorted to the point of irrelevance. Every parent knows how difficult it is to know when love requires discipline and correction, and when it requires sympathy and mercy. If it were easy to know the difference, we might all be perfect parents, but we’re not.

So what do we do about terrorism and terrorists? Do we give in to hate and let it eat us alive like corrosion on steel— making us worthless for any productive purpose? Or do we try to find a better way?

I’m reminded of another terrorists from the east. He was originally know as Saul, of Tarsus and was ruled by hatred for those who disrupted his way of life. Later he wrote about a “more perfect way” and went on to describe it more fully in his second letter to followers in Corinth. He was then known as Paul and was loved by those who formerly had feared him.

I still think that is the best way to deal with terrorism. The question is, how can we change the heart of a Saddam Hussein or an Osama Bin Laden? I could say, “I don’t want to change their hearts, I want to cut them out!” but if so, I may have crossed the line to become a terrorist— who wants to kill those who disagree with me instead of listening, seeking to understand their views, and giving genuine consideration to the possibility that they could be right. When we disagree with someone we must be willing to consider they could be right in some way or we are not really listening.

So what do I suggest? Because the United States of America went to war against Iraq many people died. It may have been necessary, but war is never a good answer. (This question will be debated for years to come and may never be fully answered). We do know more hate has been produced and the cycle of bitterness, revenge and retaliation continue into another generation.

On the other hand, I would not want to live in a community without a police force, nor would I want to live in a world without armies. Sometimes evil must be restrained before good can triumph. I pray President Bush and other political leaders will make wise decisions for the good of everyone on earth. I pray the Iraqi people will be able to become a functioning democracy where good people can flourish, criminals can be restrained and the enemies of political and religious freedom can be defeated.

But what can you and I do as ordinary citizens? We can pray. That sounds weak and insipid to those who don’t know the power of prayer, but many of us know prayer to the God of all creation, the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, is powerful beyond comprehension. It changed Saul of Tarsus into Paul the Apostle and it can also change all the terrorists of the world. Jesus destroys his enemies by converting them into beloved brothers and sisters. He did it with you and me and he can do it with all of them. His way of love strikes terror to the hearts of those who love to hate.

I'm Rick Blumenberg . . .
And that's my view from Tanner Creek.

Living Together in Peace . . .

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. ”

Wait a minute! There’s something missing.

The question is— should that which is missing be included or should it not? That is one of the debates going on in our nation today. Since sometime in the 1950s, at the urging of President Eisenhower, our pledge of allegiance has included the words one Nation, “under God”.

A few years ago my wife and I were in Chicago with family. We rode in a taxi and because the back seat was full, I rode up front with the taxi driver. In our conversation I learned he was from India so I asked his opinion about the India-Pakistani conflict that was going on at that time. He answered that he is married to a Pakistani woman and they would like to see peace come to the area because they each have family about whom they are concerned.

In the Middle East today people are killing each other in the name of religion. Moslems and Jews are finding it impossible to live together peacefully, but here in our nation peace between Moslems and Jews is the norm rather than the exception. In Iraq, the possibility of stability is in real jeopardy because of differences between two Moslem sects.

In Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan a person can be hanged or beheaded for converting from Islam to Christianity, but here in the United States it is legal for Moslems to have Mosques and other facilities to convert Christians to their faith. As I write this Abdul Rahman has been sentenced to be beheaded because he converted to Christianity sixteen years ago while he lived in Germany. Apparently he returned to Afghanistan after the Taliban were expelled because he thought it was safe to do so.

Recent pictures of him on the web and on television show a man with a warm smile in spite of obvious wounds on his face. I pray God will use his deep conviction and Christ-like smile to win millions to the faith all around the world. The blood of the martyrs has always been the best seed for the Gospel. I hope and pray our Brother Abdul Rahman will be allowed to live in Afghanistan in peace and safety and continue to witness to his faith. I pray millions all around the world will be won to the Lord because of his courageous witness.

I also pray for the cleric I saw recently on television who said Abdul should be excecuted. This from a holy man? I pray God will bring conviction to the cleric for this attitude, by the loving spirit of Abdul, so that he too will accept Christ as his Lord and Savior.

It wasn’t too long ago that most of the news from Ireland was about the conflict between Catholics and Protestants. Yet right here in America we have Catholics and Protestants who are good friends and who have great respect for each other and even worship together often in community services. Why is it that in our United States people can usually live together peacefully when in other parts of the world they are at war?

One reason is because we hold dear the concept that every person is free to worship God, or not, to worship the God of the Christians, Jews and Moslems, or not.

That freedom should be prized by all of us even when it means adapting our ways to leave room for someone else’s convictions. I personally like “One nation, under God” because I know it is true. We are under God’s dominion whether or not we recognize it. On the other hand, I don’t want someone else telling me how or what I should believe about God, so, as a Christian I must do to others as I would have them do to me. If I insist that everyone else believe as I do then I don’t really follow the teaching of the Christ whose name I bear.

So, in my opinion, if our courts believe the phrase “One nation under God” in our pledge of allegiance violates the freedom of another American, or any other person who adopts our wonderful land, then they have my permission to take out those two words. (As if they needed it.)

It won’t hurt God a bit and it is still a fine pledge to that wonderful flag of our great nation.

And those of us who want to, can still put it back in any time we say it.

I'm Rick Blumenberg . . .
And that's my view, from Tanner Creek.

Living in Paradise…

A few years ago, Carol and I moved to the sand dunes here in Bridgman and as near the lake as we could afford. Some of our most enjoyable times are spent hiking through Weko Beach and the Warren Dunes State Park.

Fall brings an absolutely awesome variety of color, and in the winter we enjoy the broad expanse of the dunes through the barren trees, with an occasional green splash of a hemlock. In the Spring we see wild flowers coming out of the ground to cover the woodlands with a beautiful green carpet interspersed with various blossoms such as Trillium, Dutchmen’s Britches and Columbine. In Summer we limit our hikes in the woods partly because we enjoy the mixture of sunshine and water on the beach, but also to avoid being eaten alive by man-eating mosquitoes.

I’m a native of Southeast Missouri along the Mississippi river. Aside from the theological implications which I don't accept, I grew up thinking that under the skin I was really a reincarnation of Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn. I still love that river with its raw power at flood stage and its slow, languid power in the hot summer sun. I try to visit it every time I go home.

As a child we lived for a while in Southern California with snow-capped mountains always within view of our home in the warm foothills. On our return to the Midwest I remember visiting the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest of Arizona. Carol and I visited there again a year or so ago.

When we were in Tanzania we lived in the Rift Valley, just east of the Rift Wall near Vilima Vitatu, (literally the “three hills”). These were three small mountains grouped together in such a way that as you approached them from a distance they looked exactly like the Pyramids of Northern Africa. Someday I may tell you of our trip up the mountain road in early spring when a washout on one of the switchbacks seemed perilously close to ending our story before it could be told.

I say all of that to say this: we live in a world of amazing variety and incredible beauty! I've studied some geography and a little geology, and I know many educators can explain every form of terrain by "the Ice Age" or some other geological phenomena. As for me, however, I enjoy thinking about what it must have been like when God created the world. I believe He made every part with loving care. I think when the Bible says that God "saw that it was good" that was probably putting it mildly.

I can imagine when God placed our great lakes here in North America he must have smiled and thought of us—countless generations of people and other living creatures that he knew would enjoy the beauty, variety, and immense wealth of this part of His creation.

I can see Him taking his powerful hands and forming the Andes Mountains in South America, then running his finger down through the continent of Africa and creating the rift valley and the mountains of the wall. I think when he finished one of those big projects he may very well have leaned back and laughed right out loud because He enjoyed it so very much. I can imagine the angels stopped a moment to ooh and aahh every time something new came into existence.

I have traveled more than some and much less than many, but I have seen enough of earth to know that the beauty and variety we see, and the wealth our earth holds must have been put there by God— a person of infinite variety and creativity. He must love us very much to provide such a beautiful home in which to live.

As you can see, I really am convinced God enjoyed creation, but I can’t imagine why he created mosquitoes! Oh yes— bat and bird food. I grouch and complain when they eat me, but my neighbors the bats, say "Thank you Lord for this food."

Rick Blumenberg . . .
And that's my view from Tanner Creek.

Welcome to "My View from Tanner Creek"

Hello to citizens of cyberspace! Let me introduce myself. I live on Lake Street in Bridgman with my wife Carol and we are transplants to our delightful community. We’ve lived here almost thirteen years now and really do feel at home nestled into the sand dunes here on the banks of Tanner Creek. We see Lake Street as Bridgman’s Yellow Brick Road to the local land of Oz, better known as Weko Beach and Warren Dunes State Park. We can take a hike anytime we feel like it, take a swim anytime it’s warm enough and all it costs is to keep up the various payments life brings and remember the taxes we so joyfully pay. (OK, I admit that last part is a bit of an exaggeration.)

This began when I was privileged to write a column for the Bridgman-Baroda Beat (a monthly newspaper) based on my view of life from Tanner Creek. Previous to that, for three and one half years I edited and published a 16 page tabloid sized monthly newspaper called Church of God News. I don’t miss the grind of putting out a monthly newspaper, but I do miss the opportunity to express my opinion on current events and other things I find interesting. I most enjoyed writing the editorials. Let’s face it. I am rather opinionated and there is a limit to how much my wife, children and grandchildren will listen to what I think, so after a bit of begging and pleading, our local Editor / Publisher agreed to let me write a column. My monthly column appeared for about three years until the paper ceased publication. So now, I’m writing a blog.

Sometimes I’ll write about what happens in our home if I can get it past my wife. It will most often be about life in the Bridgman-Baroda area or other parts of Southwest Michigan and many times it will be just what it says at the top— My View from Tanner Creek. I’ll write about current and world events as I see them and I’ll try to convince you to agree with me, but I’ll enjoy your comments just as much even if you don’t as long as your comments are written in good taste.

I may occasionally write about religious issues since I am a minister and presently serve as an Associate Pastor of Life Groups, Missions and Prayer Ministries at First Church of God in St. Joseph, Michigan.

I call this column “My View” so I can write it the way I see it. I usually have an opinion about everything whether I know very much about it or not. Sometimes because you agree you will think I’m a great communicator. When you disagree you’ll think I’m just another hack writer. I hope you continue to read as you have time and inclination. I’ll try not to be narrow-minded or intolerant. I’ll always try to see both sides of every issue but sometimes I may give both sides without telling you how I see it.

The “from Tanner Creek” means it will be a view from the heartland. I’m conservative in my views, although my fellow Missourian Rush Limbaugh would probably consider me a flaming liberal. My view is molded by a Midwestern up-bringing, Southwest Michigan living, and conservative Christian theology. I lean toward Republican party, but I’m a staunch independent. I often vote for Democrats and occasionally for third party candidates who have no chance of winning— if I think they say something that needs to be heard. My vote is to thank them for saying it.

I’ll try to keep My View From Tanner Creek very positive. I won’t often complain and will emphasize positive values that give life meaning, as well as recognize wonderful people that make life worth living.

I hope you’ll read “My View from Tanner Creek” and if you like it, share it with friends and family. I also hope you will write your thoughts and comments.

I'm Rick Blumenberg . . .
and that's my view from Tanner Creek.