Stop the Bickering

Before you start reading, check out this clip of Joe Scarborough (currently one of my favorites in the political/media arena).



Since 2008, political turmoil has engulfed this country in a way that I have not yet seen in my life (true, I've only been around for two decades, but still). With Republicans and Democrats refusing to compromise on key issues, progress is in a gridlock and nothing is getting done. Bills are being blocked, budgets have to be reevaluated, and extremists are turning up everywhere, spreading false messages and raising fears in Americans across the country.

Extremism has become the norm for both parties -and because of this, compromise is thrown out the door and constant fighting replaces negotiations. Though it is true I believe one should stand firm in their ideals, I still believe that in order to accomplish political victories, politicians must be willing to compromise with the other side.

The Republicans are not all to blame here. It's true that the GOP has blocked certain legislation in an attempt to show their opposition to Obama; however, they have also refused legislation because it goes against the core of their beliefs. The Democrats are just as responsible. They have forced liberal bills down Republicans throats without any insight from the opposition party.

The problem with all of this is the unwillingness to see the other point of view. With votes continuing to be split completely down party lines, it shows that compromise is no longer present in Washington due to the belief that "I'm right, and the other guy is an idiot". With this mentality, social security will never be properly reformed, health care will continue to decline, and our country's energy future will be in shambles.

We've got to stop the fighting. We've got to end the divide between ideologies. This country has big problems to fix - and they're problems that cannot be tackled by one party alone. So enough with the name calling, enough with the cheap political punches. No ones cares about nationality, whether or not someone spent $100,000 on their wardrobe, or who visits the White House the most. They care about fixing health care, the future for Afghanistan, and reducing the deficit.

Washington needs a makeover- and it needs to start with ending strict party loyalties. I'm not calling for an end to the two party system - but an end to the gridlock of viewpoints that cripples our country. So let's stop the bickering, and let's start a new mentality of working together for a brighter future.

What is Love? Part Two

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God." -Romans 5:6-9

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Understanding what it means to be loved

As the church, we are called to love. That is our vital role on this planet - our way of spreading the good news. We are called to love just as Christ loves, so before we can understand how we are to love those around us, we must understand the love that Christ gives to us.

Jesus revolutionized the world when he began his teaching. Through miracles, sermons, and His actions, Christ showed those around Him that there was an alternative to the lives they had been living. Yet all of His teaching would have been in vain had it not been for the task He carried out at the end of His time here on Earth. Christ's primary mission was not just to perform miracles and teach the good news of love and compassion, but to show that love and compassion in the most ultimate way - the cross.

Christ gave His life on the cross as a sacrifice that would reshape our lives forever. He bore our pain and suffering in the most antagonizing and awful way He possibly could. Fully human, Jesus endured a pain that very few have ever experienced - and He did it for you and me. His sacrifice gave us the grace that we take for granted everyday. We are forgiven of every sin we commit because of His sacrifice, and we are emotionally connected to Him because of it. This was the ultimate display of love.

It's often times hard to grasp this concept. How can something someone did over 2000 years ago affect my soul and the hardships I face? How can someone that walked the earth long before we were ever here truly love us? How can He really die for us? Not understanding this is not understanding the true heart of what it means to be a follower of Christ.

Many people struggle with the concept of love. The truth is that life is hard, and it often time sucks. It sucks real bad. Trying to go from day to day, with the pressures of this world and those in it can almost be unbearable. With all of the hate and discouragement around us, it is easy to believe that love isn't out there, and that we are alone. A friend of mine displayed this during a period in his life.

He grew up in the church, and knew all of the Sunday School stories and rights and wrongs. His family taught him the correct morals and what it meant to be a good "christian boy". Yet as he began to grow up, the simple nature of life became complicated, and the joy of living a godly life was all but gone. Finding it difficult to fit in, this friend began to feel that he was apart from the rest of the world, and that he had no place in it. As he entered high school, he distanced himself from his friends and family, and began to sink into a constant feeling of self-doubt and worthlessness. As he started to loath himself, he bought into the lie that no one else in this world could love him. How could anyone? As a sinner? As an awkward, stupid person, how could anyone really love him? Keeping his head down as he walked through school, crying at night for no reason, and lashing out at those closest to him, my friend began to sink further and further until he hit rock bottom. He no longer cared about life, and began to wish it would just all go away - in fact, he wanted it to.

Yet as he hit the bottom, something happened. He began to cry out to the Savior he had once learned about as a child. Desperately looking for someone to rescue him, he began to find the answers he was looking for. Through the care and compassion of his friends and family, he discovered something he had been dying to find. Love. Not a love that can be found through material things or relationships of this earth - but an undying and unconditional love. The love of a Savior. Through this, he began to find purpose in life. Through this, he began to see the love all around him. And through this, he began to accept himself, and understand what it means to love.

You see I know this friend well. His name was Austin Hostetter.

I spent a bulk of my high school career wanting desperately to leave this world because I hated myself so much. I would try to fill the emptiness in any way a could, but at the end of the day, I was still lost and helpless. But now I know that what I was looking for was not of this world - He was something much, much bigger. And although the transformation didn't happen overnight, I began to realize that no matter who I am or what I do - Christ loves me. This love engulfed my life and changed me from the inside out. I began to accept myself for who I was - and although my situations didn't change, my outlook on them took a whole different tone. I was still Austin - the scrawny, awkward, loser of a person - but I was Austin, the scrawny, awkward, loser of a person who Christ loved. I am nothing significant, special, or exciting - but through Christ, I can be significant, do something special, and see the exciting.

He truly does love us. He died for every sin we have committed or will ever commit - and he will forgive us no matter what we've done. Christ was fully human, therefore, he endured every temptation and every trial we face. He understands what we go through. The truth is that we are all broken. We are all sinners. But that's what makes this thing of Christianity so wonderful. Even though we screw up every minute, even though we are mean, hateful, and self-loathing, at the end of the day, we can still coming running back to him. Every breath we take gives us a second chance to try this thing of life out again. His love does not run out, and it does not pick favorites. He loves us for exactly who we are - every quirk, every imperfection. He hand crafted us to be exactly who we are. Nothing more, nothing less. We are His children - and just as an earthly father cares for and protects his children, so does Christ.

That is the love we are called to show the world. The love of a Savior. The love that says "despite who you are and what you've done, I will sacrifice myself for you." That was the ultimate gift Christ gave us, and that is the gift we are called to give. What is love? Just look at the love Christ has shown you in your life - that is love.

Hoss out.

Big Daddy Hoss's State of the Union

My fellow Americans,

Last week, our President delivered his State of the Union address, outlining what policies and political initiatives will be taking priority throughout the next year. Obama used this year's address to do just that as well as defend his administration's doings over the past year.

With Obama giving his yearly address, I feel as though it is time for me to also give my political priorities for this year. Let's begin with what issues I feel are critically important for 2010. The most obvious is strengthening the economy by creating more jobs. As I've said many times, this new "jobs" bill that's being pushed around should have been passed instead of the "stimulus" bill at the beginning of Obama's presidency. Keeping taxes low (but not lowering them more), helping banks in order to increase credit to small businesses, helping small businesses in general, aiding states in funding, and aiding the housing market are the foundations to creating economic growth once again.

The second priority (in my opinion), is getting federal spending under control and lowering the deficit significantly. This is an issue I feel needs to be addressed NOW or else devastating problems will arise. Deficit reduction can be done by either increasing federal revenues, decreasing federal spending, or doing a combination of both. Because of the state of the economy, increasing tax revenues would most likely not be wise, therefore cutting spending is the only way to go. Spending freezes and using a scalpel to cut away waste spending will help, but will not address the problem. When discussing the deficit, the elephants in the room are defense spending, entitlement spending, and Social Security - and those are the areas that need to be addressed.

The third issue that needs to be addressed is clean energy and climate change. A climate bill focusing on subsidizing energy initiatives such as wind, solar, and geothermal energy in the private sector by giving companies incentives to invest in these technologies, reconstruction of the country's electrical infrastructure by building a brand new, unified smart grid, increase domestic natural gas drilling, and new high-speed rail/public transportation initiatives needs to be passed soon to create jobs, renewable energy, and help combat climate change.

The fourth and final priority is, yes, health care. Because of Scott Brown's recent election in Massachusetts, it looks a though the Democrats health care bill will be gunned down, opening up the option for starting the reform legislation again. I think Congress needs to take the opportunity and rewrite the bill, freeing up the health care process by ending employer-based care, setting up a government regulated healthcare market place, allowing consumers to purchase care across state lines, subsidize independently set up and regulated co-op programs to compete with other plans, fund state-regulated "high risk" pools for people with pre-existing conditions and provide tax incentives for insurance companies willing to cover high risk patients, and lastly, reform medicare and medicaid by making them more efficient.

There are the four top priorities for 2010. Although other issues are in desperate need of attention (marriage equality, education), the top issues for the next year need to be the four I listed above (although these other issues shouldn't just be ignored).

2010 looks to be an immensely interesting year mainly because of the midterm elections that will be taking place. Although the Republican force that is being created looks as though it may be a little exaggerated, it looks like the Republicans could possibly take back one of the houses of Congress. However, because its an election year, expect the issues listed above to be addressed inappropriately by those seeking reelection. Elections always equals politicians voting for what is best for their careers, rather than voting for what is best for the country.

Anyways, this year looks to be a great year in the political arena!

What is Love? Part One

Love - n; a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person

Unconditional - adj; not limited by conditions; absolute

Unconditional Love - v; An unlimited and uncontainable affection for someone despite any condition or circumstance.
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What is Love?

Quite some time ago, a revolutionary figure emerged in the Roman Empire, teaching all who cared to listen about a new way of living. What he was teaching was not the creation of a new religion, rather the creation of a radically new lifestyle. A lifestyle that put an end to the traditions and rituals of "religion", and embraced a new standard defined by one word: Love.

Christ's mission on this planet was not to whipped us into shape or to give us new practices and teachings, rather to show us the ultimate form of love to free us from our burdens and show us what it means to be human. In reality, His teachings boiled down into four words: love God, love others. Christ was love. His sacrifice for us represented the purist, most authentic form of love. Even though we didn't deserve it, He gave us the grace and forgiveness that we all take for granted today - without strings attached.

In the American church today, an awful lot of time is spent on the do's and don'ts. Don't sin, pray before every meal, go to church. All of these things are good, but they aren't essential to living as a Christ follower (we aren't taught to be sinless, but to have a different mindset of sin than that of the world around us. We are taught to pray, but to do so sporadically throughout the day for constant communication with Christ, not as a routine to do at a certain time of the day. And lastly, no where does Christ teach us to head off to a building every Sunday where we sit, listen to people talk about Jesusy things, sing, and then go about our day - rather we are supposed to join together with fellow believers in Christ whenever we need to - for community, accountability, and worship.) Instead of continuing the path of the early church, the American church has become stagnant, hypocritical, and, most of all, oblivious to the message of Christ. It's no wonder Christianity isn't selling as well as it used to.

Today, when people see a Christian, they see someone no different than themselves, except that they go to church on Sunday and throw Bibles at gay people when they walk by. They scream about how much they love God, yet they constantly harp on everyone around them to shape up and live perfectly just like them. Why has the church gotten so far off track? They've lost the heart of the whole thing: love.

When you dig into the scriptures, you can see that Christ laid out a pretty clear agenda for His followers to address - something along the lines of love your neighbor, love your enemy, love everyone. But He didn't stop there. He then went on to say to not only to just love those around you, but to love them as yourself and, here's the best part, love them as Christ loves them.

Christ's love for this world was shown pretty specifically in the New Testament (giving one's life to save the souls of humanity pretty much says it all). As followers, we are called to simply express the same thing. We are called to love everyone in this world - but not just to love them, but to love them unconditionally. That means to love those who we have every right to hate - those that have wronged us or have been mean to us. That means to love those society chooses to ignore - the homeless, the broken, the needy.

What would it look like if we truly loved those around us unconditionally? How would our lives change? What would it look like if we loved unconditionally with our finances? Our actions? Our mindsets towards sinners? Would we still live the same way? If we truly loved with our finances, would we still only give 10% and scream when we discover part of our income is going to welfare? If we truly loved through our actions, would we still put our needs above the needs of those around us? If we truly loved through our mindsets, would we still judge the broken and weary?

Unconditional love. It is what we are called to do. In fact, it is one of the only things we are called to do. Our mission here on this earth is not to judge, nor convict - but to simply love. Christianity isn't a religion, its a lifestyle bent on love. Being a Christian isn't about going to church, or doing good deeds, or living a sinless life. It's about loving God and others so passionately that your life is transformed because of it. So lets stir up a pot of love for a change, and lets truly show this world what Christ was all about.

Sound good?

Hoss out.

Counting Pennies

Mad at the cost of Obamacare and the stimulus package? Check this out, and maybe you'll get a different view of government spending.

Ideology is dead

Welcome to Austin's house of political ideology.

It's a little barren, mainly because I really don't have a set political ideology that I follow (or at least, one that is measured on America's political spectrum).

Everyone and their pet hamster seems to have a core set of political beliefs these days. "I'm a conservative. I don't like that Chevy Chase - he's into recycling" or "I believe in progress, therefore I support a liberal agenda" - everyone is either a morally conscious conservative or a loving, peaceful liberal. In this day of extreme political turmoil - a time when both sides should be meeting in the middle to solve problems, extremist beliefs begin to form, and compromise is pushed out the door.

I have recently thrown my attempt at establishing myself as a conservative, liberal, libertarian, etc. out the door. My views have gotten so spread out over the political spectrum that I'm beginning to convulse and yell at inanimate objects. I can't be put into the narrow category of conservative or liberal. At best I can consider myself a socially moderate - liberal and a fiscal moderate - conservative, but what does that even mean?

I have jumped onto the bandwagon of independence, and thrown the ideas of Republicans and Democrats out the door. The problem with the parties is that despite what they say, they both don't follow a set ideological system. Conservatives favor small government yet believe in a huge military with an incredibly immense defense budget, liberals believe that making abortion illegal infringes upon women's rights yet impose taxes on the wealthy against their right to be successful. For someone that believes government is the answer for our countries problems, the Democratic Party would seem like the right fit - however if they believe the government is the answer to stop abortions, defeat terrorism, and "conserve" marriage, it would seem as though the Republican party might be just a good.

I fall into this ever growing problem. My general mindset is that the government needs to be cautious when dabbling in society (especially concerning the economy); however, I can't help but feel that the government needs to intervene in some areas where nothing is being done - protecting the environment, preserving the rights of its citizens, and fighting poverty. When I have contradicting beliefs such as these, my views on the issues become extremely complex.

For example, I am passionately pro-life (my mom pumps her fist into the air as she reads this). This of course means that I believe the government has the right to protect the lives of the unborn, but, really means so much more. Being pro-life means that I support the protection and preservation of life for everyone. That means protecting the unborn, but also working to make adoptions processes and foster care an easier step for the unborn we are protecting. That means I believe no one should have to live on the streets, steal to feed their family, or work for almost no money. Being pro-life means that I believe every life is sacred and everyone deserves a second chance, therefore, no one should be put to death no matter what they've done. It means that I believe every life on this planet has the right to breathe clean air and drink clean water. And, because I value life, I believe that my country should never inflict pain on an individual to obtain information. This, to me, is what it means to be a supporter of life.

As you can see, an ideology or political party can't hold all of these values (none of them do). That is why I have thrown it out the door, enabling myself to create my own unique blend of political beliefs, specifically designed to foster what is important to me - molded by my values, my convictions, and my life experiences.

Maybe its time this country does away with the typical right and left. Maybe it's time we stop labeling ourselves, come together, and work to better this world. Wouldn't it be lovely if we didn't have to spend 9 months on health care reform, or bite off people's fingers and point guns and town hall meetings? Maybe we can stop doing it.

We'll see.

Hoss out.

A little blast from the past

In Pre-School, I was taught the greatest song in the world. It was brought back into my life this summer during IMPACT. Enjoy.

New Taxes for a New Year

The Obama team and the goons of Congress have hit the new year with a bang. After taking a brief break to reflect on the previous year, it seems as though our leaders in the legislative and executive arenas feel that we need to begin collecting some money to help pay for the large sums we've spent over the past decade.

What?! Really? What an absolutely absurd idea!

Not really.

The first concern is how to pay for the bailout money that was graciously given to banks through TARP. I originally supported the TARP program (against my own instincts), but now I am really tired of hearing about it.

Obama wants to regain the tax payer's money as quickly as possible, therefore he is proposing a so called "financial crisis responsibility fee" on a certain number of banks to pay back the tax payers (aka the government) for the money lent to ease the pain of economic collapse. This would call for these banks to raise an additional $90 billion over the next 10 years in taxes paid to the government.

Where do I stand on TARP? I'd rather not talk about it. I really have no idea. A part of me wants to believe that it was necessary to protect our economy, the other wants to think it was an act of corruption. Despite my views on the bailouts, I do feel the banks owe something back to the American people, therefore this idea doesn't sound all that bad to me. Although I continue to be a firm skeptic of this administration's fiscal policies (much of which are bent on my extreme dislike for Mr. Timothy Geitner - which by the way, I predict will be leaving our humble house soon), I feel as though this particular tax isn't necessarily a bad thing.

On to the next one.

The Senate managed to pass their health care reform package just before Christmas. Now, the negotiations between the House and the Senate begin to finalize the bill. I've stated my opinions numerous times on health care reform (check out the label), so I don't feel the need to bring them up at the current moment. However, I do feel I need to comment on the money involved in both bills. The Dems claimed that both plans would not increase the federal deficit - they were right; however, in order to pay for the initiatives or reform, new means of collecting revenue were proposed. The House proposed a 5% surtax on wealthy Americans making over $200,000 and the Senate proposed a minute increase in the Medicare payroll tax on wealthy Americans and a new tax on so called "Cadillac" health care plans.

After negotiating, it appears as though the Dems in Congress will drop the Senate proposed tax on Cadillac plans to ease tensions with disgruntled unions (imagine that). So it looks like the wealthy will be receiving added taxes in the upcoming years in order to pay for the new health care initiatives. Again, I've already stated my opinions on health care reform, so I will go no further.

With both of these stories progressing, it is easy to see that new taxes are inevitable in the next few years. What do you expect when you live in a country that does nothing but spend the money it doesn't have for a decade?

on a journey ...

After indulging in my template ADD, I decided to pick a new slogan for this new decade. After thinking over what could possibly describe my current status in life, I came up with the simple, on a journey. Thinking over what's been going in my life over the past few months and what's to come, simply stating that I am on a journey describes exactly what I'm going through. I feel as though I am not at a single point in my life, yet that I am traveling through many stages in attempts to define myself. Most people my age (college students), feel this way. This journey is defined on many levels, ranging from my career choices to my beliefs. My journey begins...

On a journey ... of finding my purpose in the world.

After an absolutely amazing experience in the Dominican, I realized that God does have a purpose for me and, although I didn't have the slightest clue of what that purpose was, I felt excited to jump into an uncharted territory.

Now, after a crazy first semester, I am reconsidering my future plans, including my major(s), and why I am at college. I have focused so much on getting my studies done so I could get out of college as quick as possible, however now I am beginning to think the reason I am at college may not be strictly to get a degree. Could it be that I may be positioned here just to be here? Maybe my purpose for going to Ball State is to be at Ball State, not for getting a degree.

On a journey ... of establishing my beliefs.

This one isn't really important to most people, but it is to me. I been focusing lately on reestablishing why I believe what I believe - morally, politically, etc. You may have noticed that some of my more recent posts have been contradictory to what I normally post - this is why. More on this later ...

On a journey ... of finding my spiritual identity.

During IMPACT '09, I was asked the question, "How bad to you want it?" I made a commitment to start living this whole thing of a relationship with Christ out for real. No more Sunday School theology, no more hiding my vulnerability, no more faking it. Although I truly surrendered my life over (not just a typical alter-call commitment) my sophomore year, I had some major issues I had been dealing with throughout high school. Many of those were revealed the summer before my senior year, and I spent the bulk of my final year of high school rebuilding my life into the way I wanted to be living it. I ended the year with a bang, heading overseas on a trip that I insisted on telling myself I was not ready for (and I wasn't ready for it, which is what made it so wonderful). There, God gave me a holy kick in the crotch and showed me that it was time to take this thing to the next level. So I am trying that.

I've moved on to the next stage of my life on the outside (college), and I am also trying to do the same spiritually. I no longer have mommy and daddy there all the time to slap my wrist when I am naughty, I no longer have NMC there every Sunday and Wednesday to guide me. I know have to distinguish right from wrong on my own, find some way to feed myself spiritually, and surround myself with a community that encourages and challenges me. Luckily my family has done one heck of a job at instilling values into me (though in the political realm they may not think so), and a community of true believers found me before I even started looking for them (the Revo). Now, the trick is to continue to grow in my relationship by spending time with Christ. TAWG (time alone with God for all of you non-NMCers) is something I've never been able to get a firm grasp on, so now I am trying harder than ever to stay consistent in it (diving into the Word, finding ways of worshiping our Lord - through service and actions, and prayer).

In short, I am on a journey of discovering life. Glad you've come along for the ride.

Hoss out.

Just signed the Pickens Plan Energy Independence Petition. Let legislators know we need a plan NOW!

Just signed the Pickens Plan Energy Independence Petition. Let legislators know we need a plan NOW!

I've read one of Shane's books (Jesus for President) and I am currently reading another, Irresistible Revolution. They have both convicted me immensely on what a Christ Follower is meant to be, do, and stand for. This video gives a glimpse of the stories and ideas presented in Claiborne's writing.

The Blind Side Review

So everyone has been stating this is one of the greatest movies ever. I held off on seeing it (it seemed like the typical Remember the Titans - Radio phenomenon that everyone just thinks is amazing because it involves a heartwarming story and football) until my family insisted on seeing it New Years Day.

I have to say that my original assumptions on this film were dead wrong. This film was much different than that of its predecessors, and much more emotional. The emotional appeal is why I think this movie is so popular (I found myself on the verge of crying a few times), along with Sandra Bullock's incredible performance. This is easily one of her best role's ever.

Some of the other acting, though, was a little on the poor side, and parts of the plot were a little predictable. However, the film still entertained, warmed the heart, and provided for a good 2 hours. It is definitely worth seeing.

I'm giving it an 8.5 out of 10.

super video blog

cake

Please enjoy these bits on cake from one of my favorite comedians, Jim Gaffigan.

the Prince of peace and the country at war

The War in Afghanistan; The Iraq War. For almost a decade now, America has been engulfed in two extremely violent wars in the middle east. As one of these wars continues to thrive, questions have begun stirring in my mind over what my views on war should be. Yes that's right, Austin has been doing more of his foolish college tinkering over a topic he is not supposed to think about.

Let's first introduce the no-no of this discussion. Let's revert back to how a Christ follower feels (or maybe better put, should feel) about violence. Christ's message directly emphasizes one word: love. That is generally common knowledge to anyone that has studied anything related to Christianity. Christ taught on the ideals of love your neighbor as your self, make peace, and love your enemy. These are strong principles set in the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes (Matthew Ch. 5).

'You have heard people say, "Love your neighbors and hate your enemies." But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong.' - Matt. 5:43-45

Christ's message of love is always preached, however his mission for nonviolence is a concept that is rarely talked about. Christ stating 'You know that you have been taught, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well' pretty much argues the point. Looking at Christ's methods, it is easy to see that he believed violence never accomplished anything - from His teachings on how we are to treat those who wrong us to His reaction to Peter's violence towards the soldier that tried to take Jesus away (as you can recall, Christ stopped Peter after he cut off the soldier's ear).

This mission of non-violence continued during the formation of the early church. Many men were made martyrs because of the way they lived their lives; they refused to fight back to those who insisted on ending their lives. The churches beliefs on violence didn't change until the state (in this case, Rome) decided to intervene and make it culturally and socially fit to be a "christian".

Let's look at today. Now Christianity and America are intertwined, Christians tend to "read the Bible through the eyes of America rather than read America through the eyes of the Bible" (Claiborne, Jesus for President), and patriotism and a radical life focused on Christ go hand in hand. So we've come to think. However lately I've been feeling that this so called "christian nation" isn't really what the church is making it out to be.

Christ message of non-violence has to come up when the whole hoopla over war is debated. As a nation, we have plunged ourselves into various wars in hopes of ending the evil in this world and spreading peace to all nations. My personal view on war has really been that of most evangelicals: Although I don't care for violence, war is generally necessary to rid the world of evil (such as Al-Qaeda and Hitler). Really? Sound hypocritical?

I am now speaking as a Christ Follower. Not as an American, not as an aspiring political blogger, but what I am at the very core of my being. I want to pose this question: How, as Christians, can we condone war in any form?

Can we really approve of the action Christ so passionately spoke out against? War, in its very nature, is violence. Christ, in His very nature, represented the very opposite of war. Peace, love, and forgiveness were the essence of Jesus. If we are to mirror Christ's life and teach the love that He compassionately expressed to us, shouldn't we have a bigger concern over the actions of this country?

The sad thing is we don't. We have mixed living for this country and living for Christ instead of living in this country and living for Christ. Many churches preach about the honor in serving the country in war and justify the wars we entangle ourselves in. They hang American flags in their sanctuaries and discuss how God blesses this country because of its representation of Him. Apparently, Christ blesses those who combat evil through violence and killing. Not exactly how I originally interpreted scripture - but hey, if America does it, it's obviously biblically sound.

I strongly support a troop because of the sacrifice he makes, putting his life on the line for my freedom; however, it's what he does to keep that freedom that worries me. I cannot continue to be silent over America's foreign policy, and the church shouldn't either. We are to radically reflect the life and truth of Jesus Christ. Not America, not the founding fathers - Jesus Christ. It's time to start radically living the way we are meant to live. It's time to take a stand. America will most likely continue to fight wars. The church (definition: the body of Christ) will probably not be able to stop it. However, they can speak out against it. Showing that love and peace can truly impact this world instead of hate and violence is a definite way to share Jesus.

Let's look at the War in Afghanistan. This war started after the horrific attacks that took place on September 11. The war sprouted out of, if we're being honest, vengeance for what was done to us. The whole country united and came behind this effort. Churches assembled and praised the decisions made by the government to find Al-Qaeda and kill those responsible for 9/11 - at whatever cost.

Al-Qaeda attacked this country in an effort rid the world of what they called the American evil. We decided to attack them in an effort to rid the world of terrorism - their evil. Sound similar? Our actions sprouted out of revenge - another topic Jesus was pretty clear about. We decided that in order to end the evil they displayed by killing innocents we should invade their country and kill as well. Hmmm...

What if instead we responded differently to the attacks. What if instead, the President made a national announcement condeming the actions of the terrorists, saying that the attacks were against the very nature of what America stood for. Suppose we didn't send troops, but instead sent individuals to Afghanistan to aid those suppressed by the Taliban, such as the women and children in the country. What if the church rallied together and prayed for those involved in the Taliban and Al-Qaeda? How would the world have reacted? Would it be successful? Who knows. But one thing is clear: it would have sent a message that the church (and for that matter, this country) needs to send.

The church is meant to stand apart from the world around it - offer an alternative to the society in which we live. Our society will continue to wage war, but the church can offer an alternative. As nations continue to quarrel, the church can be a community that praises peace; where people joined to get away from the horriffic acts of society, teaching that love and peace can end the dispute between nations - not violence. That is the mission Jesus gave us. That is what we're supposed to be living for. So let's do it.

Hoss out.

This post was largely inspired by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw's Jesus for President.

"..and then there were none."

Hello, my name is Heather. I am one of Austin's school (Ball State) friends. I haven't been updating my blog as often as I should.. So I have decided to post a blog on Austin's site. Being a dance major, I am fortunate to have my finals a week before everyone else. Unfortunately, this means unnecessary stress is added to my life a week before anyone else has stress building up. However, I have my amazing friend Austin to help me to relieve my stress.. Kind of. He is allowing me to procrastinate and take my mind off of things by typing this blog and posting it on his site. Austin also supplies me with the best old people candy in the world.. Werther's. YUM. I would also like to say that Austin has really nice hair and that he is really skinny. Well.. I think that I will go and start to make up my dance for my acting final. I need to let my buddy get to typing his long blog dealing with.. War? Anyway, thank you for your time and I am proud to present none other than.. AUSTIN HOSTETTER! Good night, Indiana.

kitten surprise

I don't care if you like cats or not.  This is the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

a break for music

During Thanksgiving break, I went on a musicfest.  I put it upon myself to get all of the new albums I've been wanting over the past few months.  Two of them were the new Switchfoot album, Hello Hurricane, and David Crowder Band's Church Music.  Both of the CDs are fantastic, in my opinion.  Here are two songs from these CDs that I love, hope you enjoy.

Switchfoot - Your Love is a Song


David Crowder Band - How He Loves (Single Version, not version on CD)

Obama addresses Afghanistan

The major issue that's been floating around the news and blog world the past few weeks hasn't been healthcare (surprisingly enough), rather the War in Afghanistan.

President Obama plans to address the world tomorrow on his new strategy for the War in Afghanistan. Despite some skepticism coming from those who dislike the President, yes, Obama plans to continue fighting in the middle east. Although Obama has continued to promise less involvement in Iraq, he has always stated that he plans to continue fighting Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to hearsay and my own personal beliefs, it sounds like Obama plans to commit 20,000 to 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan as part of a surge. I would expect the number will be closer to 40,000 than 20,000. On top of this, it is predicted that Obama will already draw timetables for our presence there, giving a clear exit plan that only keeps our troops occupied for a period of time (much different than the Bush Administration's prior plans).

The troop surge is necessary and needs to happen and should have happened a long time ago. Iraq distracted the previous administration from its goals in Afghanistan, making it more challenging to confront now. These additional troops should come in part from Iraq - and they will. However, more than just military strength needs to be initiated in order to successfully address this war. The only way to really gain success is to get the Afghani people on our side. With a stable, democratic government there, this can be achieved. Although the recent elections proved that the newly established Afghan government may not be as democratic as it should, strengthening it still needs to be a top priority for America. On top of this, the Afghani people need to trust us and believe in what we stand for. Currently, much of the educational system is controlled by Islamic extremest, who teach the children to hate America and everything it stands for. If America wants the trust of the next generation, they need to impact them positively by starting new schools.

Timetables seemed reasonable to me at first. Setting a clear strategy that would start with a surge of troops, then slowly dwindle them down over a period of time would prove to be effective in getting things done. However, the message sent to the Afghani people by this action would not be a good one. On one hand, timetables would most likely gain the support of a frustrated America, where only 50% of the population support continuing the war. Timetables would force the generals on the ground to act swiftly and would prevent us from being there another 10 years. However, by setting withdrawal dates, the President is showing the Afghan people that they do not have full commitment from us. If they feel that our full heart is not in achieving victory for them, they may choose to join the other side - a notion that would definitely weaken our chances of success. This would also send a sign to the Pakistani government that aiding us may not be worth taking the risk.

There is another part of this debate that is just starting to surface - the cost. With the additional troops, this war is predicted to cost a total of $1 to $2 trillion. The past administration thought the most fiscally sound way to pay for war was deficit spending; we can now see that they may not have been the wisest choice. With Obama already contributing more to the national debt than any other president in history (with healthcare reform expected to add even more), declaring to add more to it will result in political suicide. How can we possibly pay for this surge? Two words: War tax. Although I am pretty skeptical as to whether or not Obama will actually institute a national tax to pay for this war, the idea has been floating around the realm of talking heads. The tax would make sense when addressing the deficit, but wouldn't when considering the current economic state of most Americans. If it were up to me, I would initiate a tax to pay at least half of the necessary funds, if not more. It should have been done when the war first started.

Wherever you stand, it is easy to see that Obama is in deep weeds. Whatever he decides, he's going to piss someone off. Sending too few troops will upset supporters of the war; too many will anger the liberals that support the President. A timetable for withdrawal would please the majority of the American people, but would most likely hurt Afghanistan's attitude towards our effort. Instituting a war tax would prevent the deficit from rising; however, it would upset many Americans who already think Obama is a taxing nazi.

Whatever happens, I believe this address to the country could possibly define Obama's presidency. This can set a clear message for what the rest of his time in power will look like. After the controversy surrounding the stimulus package and healthcare, this could be the issue Obama rallies all Americans to come behind. We'll just have to wait and watch tomorrow night and see what direction he takes.

Glad I found this video. I needed it.

a demographic change in evangelical voters

The tides are changing.  A large part of the Republican Party, the evangelical base, is shifting many of their views on important issues; much of this shift is due to the new generation that is emerging.  An increase in evangelical support for democratic candidates is showing a new "liberal" shift in Christians.

To many in my parents generation, this is terrifying.  Many of them believe that this shift is contributed to by warped morals that are against what Christ originally stood for.  As someone in this new generation that tends to be a little more liberal than the average evangelical, I ask - Why do they think this?

Top issues for evangelicals in my parents generation:

Abortion
Gay Rights
National Defense

Top issues for evangelicals in my generation:

Poverty
Climate Change
AIDS and Darfur

Liberalism has been viewed for years as an "un-godly" trend that no Christian should be apart of.  This is mainly due to most liberals' views on abortion, gay marriage, and... that's about it.  Most conservatives believe their views of freedom in the market, freedom to own guns, and strong defense policies are biblically sound.  In reality, neither side is biblically sound because God and government don't mixed.

As a member of the next generation, hearing that our morals are warped is honestly disrespectful.  My generation is known for being more tolerant, which apparently is a negative thing.  On top of this, as listed above, we strongly support legislation to fight poverty, help the environment, and aid those struggling and dying overseas.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but the ideas of caring for those less fortunate than us and being responsible stewards of the planet God gave us seem in sync with Christ's message, don't they?

I don't intend on passing myself as a liberal - I am far from it.  But I am also by no means a conservative.  As a Christ follower, I'm O.K. with that.  I strongly doubt that Christ worried about how far to the left or right he was getting.  In fact, I'm pretty sure he didn't really give a rip about politics or the Roman government in general.

My generation has different goals than that of my parents.  Because of the age we live in, we can see the hurt that is taking place in the rest of the world, and even in our own country.  Our way of spreading Christ's love is to combat this hurt - which is the reasoning behind our views on key issues.  The social issues that our parents strive so much to confront aren't out of the picture for us - they're just not as essential as the growing threats we see globally.

Both generations get some parts of the puzzle right and wrong.  However, saying that a focus on fighting poverty and combating AIDS is ungodly is a point of view that will soon be in the past.

Hoss out.

Inglourious Basterds

I've seen a lot of movies lately by haven't really felt like reviewing them.  This particular film, however, is definitely worth my time.

Friday Night BSU showed Quentin Tarantino's new film, Inglourious Basterds.  I'm a huge Tarantino fan, however lately I've been disappointed with his films.

Of course, like anyone who knows what a good movie is, I thoroughly enjoyed Pulp Fiction, the Kill Bills, and Reservoir Dogs.  However Tarantino's latest film (prior to Basterds), Death Proof, was tremendously disappointing to me, therefore I was a little nervous going in to see this film.

Luckily my skepticism was slapped in the face.  Tarantino's newest film is, in my opinion, one of his best.  The nazi-killing flick starring Brad Pitt brought terrific action, wonderful performances and a cinematic experience that was one of the best of the year.


The story was set up just like Tarantino has always done it:  different plots that come together in the end to make one heck of a final scene.  Dark comedy mixed in with over-the-top violence in a Pulp Fiction-like feel made this movie definitely worth seeing.  On top of this, Pitt's performance along with Christoph Waltz's (my all time favorite performance of the year) were absolutely perfect.


The only down sides (that I could see) was the length and the fact that the movie was a tad historically inaccurate.  However, if these things do not bug you, you'll be fine.


Terrific movie, definitely worth seeing.  I'm giving it the highly coveted rating of 9 out of 10!

Meghan Mccain at Ball State

Oh yes.  I just had the opportunity to hear Meghan McCain (daughter of John McCain) speak.  Plus I got to meet her and get this picture with her.

McCain is a rising star for young Republicans.  She is a self-described progressive Republican (sound like anyone you know?), and is a blogger for the Daily Beast.

McCain discussed a variety of issues, but mainly focused on the topic of ending extremist views in politics and moving more towards the middle.  She herself supports gay marriage and is considered "socially liberal", yet is a proud Republican who believes in a strong national defense and smart, conservative fiscal policy.  She brought up the problem that lies within the Republican party: intolerance to moderates and extremest views that push voters away.

Although her presentation was less than professional (which was refreshing), McCain brought up great points and had BSU's crowd in a frenzy.  I throughly enjoyed getting to hear her speak and thought she presented views that the rest of the GOP need to take a look at.

Although she is still young, don't count her out.  You will be seeing much more of her in the future.

helping kids in need ...

If you haven't caught on to the Kid's In Need initiative going on at NMC, you need to check it out.

After a conviction at Summer Camp this year, NMC Student Ministries decided to take an entire year to address the issue of helping kids in need across the globe.  To do this, students are taking charge, planning events and programs to raise awareness and financial support, partnering with organizations such as Feed the Children and Tom Shoes.

Projects that have taken place so far include an entire First Serve Saturday at Feed the Children in Elkhart and a 5K and 1 mile walk.  Later in the year, NMC Student Ministries will be helping out with the Christmas Box Drop at the Revolution Church in Gary, as well as hosting Hoops for Hope during UPWARDS basketball.

The main reason I'm posting this is to inform you about a particular event that is taking place now.  In the tradition of Keyna Night and Rwanda Night, NMC is holding a Silent Auction to help raise funds for the AGC Keyna Baby Center.  Students have sacrificially donated items ranging from TV's and game systems to art and wood work.  You can check out all of the items here.  Bidding begins today and runs until Nov. 25.  This is an excellent opportunity to get involved with this incredible effort.

It is so exciting to see the students of NMC engaging in a cause that tackles what living for Christ is all about: using your time and abilities to spread Christ's message and love to those who need it the most.  It's even more exciting to think about what this is doing to the students who are participating.  Taking time to be a part of something bigger than yourself and learning what it means to give sacrificially are always rewarding and life changing experiences.

When Ishmael Beah was a BSU, he spoke about the importance of getting to know the cause you're supporting before you act.  He stated that when you do this, you will truly be able connect with those you are helping.  Kids In Need is giving the students of NMC the opportunity to truly see what really goes on outside of our comforting, American lifestyle, which will change them forever.

So be sure to check out all the amazing things that is taking place by going to the Kids In Need website, which is linked at the top of this post.

Keep it up NMC Student Ministries! 

my view on the passsing of the healthcare reform bill

Mistakes include referring to the Congressional Budget office as the COB instead of the CBO and the misspellings of Healthcare on the graphics... twice.

Remember, remember the 5th of November ...

guess what I did ...

20 BSU Honors students had the opportunity to sit down with Howard Dean and discuss a variety of issues ranging from Dean's gubernatorial career to current political issues.

weekend movie reviews

What a spectacular weekend for movies!!

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

So it has taken me sometime to see this film, but I managed to go to BSU's showing of it Friday night.  I immensely enjoyed the first film, but was pretty sure this one would tank faster than Michael Moore on a treadmill.  And I was right.  Not that I don't enjoy sitting through 2 and a half hours of robots fighting and Megan Fox running in slow motion, but this film just didn't do it for me.  I was bored half way through the film because of the essentially undeveloped plot, and grew tired of the action because that's all there was.  I will admit that the special effects and battles scenes were spectacular, but it takes more than that to make a film.  Can't say I was disappointed because I expected it to be terrible.  I'm giving it a 4.5 out of 10.

Psycho

Was in a huge Hitchcock mood this weekend (discovered I have a passion for Hitchcock films), so I managed to see two of them with a potential third later this week.  Saturday night we watched Psycho (a typical Hitchcock film to watch on Halloween).  I loved it.  I did predict the ending about half way through the movie, however it still kept me interested throughout the whole movie.  Even though it was old (older movies are many times better than new films because they don't rely on special effects to entertain - cough Transformers 2 cough-), I was intrigued by the mystery of what was happening.  Definitely a classic.  I'm giving it a 8 out of 10.

Shadow of a Doubt

To continue the Hitchcock weekend, we watched Shadow of a Doubt Saturday afternoon (before Psycho).  This was a mystery, not a "horror" film, but it was still suspenseful and kept you guessing up until the end.  I'm not gonna say much about his one, except to say I enjoyed it and that I'm giving it a 7 out of 10.

right now ...

I grabbed this video from a recent NMC Sunday morning message. Yes, I ripped it from the video - I know, I know - not a good thing to do.

action assignment 9 (strictly for ISOM 135 students)

In supermarkets across the globe, debate rages over a simple fundamental that could change our grocery experience forever.  The choice between typical, worker based checkout and the new method of self-checkout is becoming a reoccurring theme for many stores across America.  Many have already made the switch to self-checkout, yet some are still reluctant. Each has their benefits and faults, yet the change is still in the works.

Most are used to the conventional idea of selecting your groceries, waiting in line, and having an employee of the store check the items out for you.  This has been the norm for several decades.  Benefits from this method include a sense of security for customers, a reduction in the risk for shoplifting, and assurance that items are checked properly.  However, increase in the minimum wage as well as constant efforts to reduce costs could persuade stores to eliminate workers, ending this service.

The new, self-checkout method is landing in supermarkets everywhere.  It is met with praise as well as criticism.  This new idea of allowing customers to check themselves out rather than with the assistance of an employee allows stores to cut down workers, or reallocate workers to more pressing duties.  Self-checkout eliminates problems associated with people-to-people interaction that comes with regular checkout.  But even with these bonuses, this process still has its share of defects.  First, self-checkout technology is extremely expensive, although the money gained from reducing workers could make up for this.  This method also brings the idea of increased shoplifting to the table, however many believe the use of proper precautions, such as weight verification and surveillance could solve this issue.

Overall, after looking at both techniques and outlining the pros and cons of each, self-checkout wins.  Even though there are most certainly risks incorporated with this new technology, the reduction of costs or efficiency created from no longer needing workers at the checkout and the sense of independence developed in the customer by allowing them to checkout at their own pace, makes self-checkout a method worth switching to. As more and more companies adopt this new technique, eventually it will completely replace regular checkout.