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The goal is to document the power of sports, the national pastime in particular, in helping the nation, and specifically New York, put life back together. Those first games after the weeklong break were tearful, inspiring, and filled with goosebumps and patriotism. The World Series with New York and Arizona was a classic, with Yankee Stadium’s magic  and ghosts of its past heros, willing its team to what would have been a true Hollywood ending.

So hopefully, I get it and have this once in a lifetime opportunity. If not, then I’ll keep my baseball hysteria to its normal level of fandom. When I do get accepted, if you have any questions that you would like me to ask, feel free to drop them off. We can all collaborate.

I sincerely hope that everyone that reads this enjoys their job as much as I enjoy mine. Obviously, there are things about my job that annoy me and that I do not want to do. But the positives outnumber the negatives greatly. I believe that I was made to be a teacher. I hope you believe that you were made to do what you do for your career, your occupation. Not only do I have an occupation, I have a vocation.

The battery’s recharged, vacation’s over, chalk’s out, desk’s cleared, the ideas are forthcoming, papers to be disseminated, knowledge to be gained, future’s beginning. I love my job!

Freakonomics has been out for several years and definitely had its moment as a book that everybody was reading. The two authors do an amazing job, one as the writer and the other as the economist. I would love to see a further study of some of the relationships that Levitt makes and see if they still hold true today, several years after he originally studied the questions that he came up with.

As my uncle-in-law said, Robinson’s book is an unabashedly pro-Reagan book. And for a historically conservative thinker, that’s not a bad thing. Robinson’s 10 chapters break down a part of life that Reagan ended up teaching the author about: religion, work, faith, family, etc. In the end, I think you can take away just as much from Robinson’s insights and analysis as you can from the actual words and deeds of the former president.

I highly recommend both of these books. If you’ve read either one, please comment on  your thoughts and what you took away from either read.

One of the more memorable phrases during the 80s was the description of the Soviet Union as the “evil empire”. During the Bush administration, we came to know the regimes of Iraq, Iran and North Korea as the “axis of evil”. Same party in control, similar religious background and at most 2 degrees of separation in administration, defense and foreign policy officials. However, having seemingly similar beginnings, the results of these two administrations and the words selected to describe the enemies of the day have come to different understandings.

Why did Reagan’s classification of the “evil empire” work for America? I believe that, for the most part, America believed that he was right. For several decades, foreign policy makers were trying to create policy in which the United States and the Soviet Union could coexist if not become allies. This policy of detente came after a time period in which the United States had fought against communism, both internationally and domestically, with mixed results. Ronald Reagan used a black vs. white argument. Soviet Union is black, bad, evil. America is white, pure, good, righteous, “a city upon a hill”. Don’t forget also that even though there were multiple countries throughout the world with Communist governments, small and large, the world viewed the Soviet Union as the beast behind all of the red. By changing the language that everyday Americans heard about the two superpowers, they were able to take pride in the goodness of America, the opportunity of America, the liberty of America.

Why then has George Bush’s similar phrase not raise the same results and reaction from the American people? One reason could be the voice that was used, another could be the level of legitimacy seen by the American people in the president, maybe too many enemies to keep track of.

Much has been made of President Bush’s speaking (in)ability. Now compare that to a man that is known as the “Great Communicator”. Even at his highest approval ratings, Bush was followed through national pride and tragedy. Reagan had so many support him because they believed in him, they believed in his prowess to communicate with the people what they needed, what they wanted. President Reagan never had a problem with proving that he was supposed to be there. America widely supported him, in many parts of the country giving him support that rivaled support given to FDR during the Depression. President Bush obviously fought claims of illegitimacy for 8 years. Last argument. The “evil empire” was tacked onto one nation that was taking over the world. The “axis of evil” was given to 3 rogue nations, regimes that in and of themselves probably does not pose a huge threat to the United States. All three, individually, are viewed as countries that most Americans do not support, but are not feared as the USSR was. I also believe that clumping three those three countries together may have aided to an American foreign policy ADD. An axis of evil? Three different countries? Which one is the worst? Which one is more dangerous?

The “axis of evil”, today looks like an attempt to use American fear of war and terror for a political gain. The “evil empire” was already feared, most Americans had grown up from childhood to adulthood with the fear of an imminent attack. Reagan was able to end that empire and bring safety and peace to not only America but the world. The “axis of evil”, since its inception as a trio of enemies, has continued to pose problems, increase tension and cost lives for the people and politicians of America.

Jamal and Forrester are in Forrester’s apartment hanging out and they are having a conversation and this except occurs.

Jamal: You don’t really believe that do you?

Forrester: No, but it’s like praying, it couldn’t hurt.

I absolutely love that. What could praying and faith possibly hurt. Whether you believe in the goodness of mankind or believe that “man” is innately evil; at some point you’re perception of the reality of man is going to be seen to be false. Why not take the risk and believe in the ultimate goodness of God? Why not pray, call out to a higher being and see what happens? If nothing happens with that request, then maybe your initial intuition was correct and there is nothing more to this world than what is is. But if that request is made, is answered in a way that you were expecting or possibly not expecting, then isn’t it possible that the risk you took was returned to show you something, to prove something to you.

Man has shown an impressive ability to adapt, learn and apply the things he/she has learned to improve our way of life. Unfortunately, we haven’t learned how to spread those technologies and innovations to every man throughout the world for an ultimately better life for everyone. I believe that God’s qualities do not change. He has always been loving, gracious, merciful, kind, trustworthy, provisional, relational. I also believe that when the followers of Christ act and live as he did, the world as a whole and the lives of individuals becomes a better place, a good place, a more equal and just place.

Several people have given a definition of an atheist as someone who does not believe in any of the established world religions until there can be documented proof or evidence of some kind. I can give you my own story because that is proof enough for me but likely not for those that do not believe. Isn’t the fact that you cannot prove your religion is right what makes faith in something so powerful. It is believing in something that you cannot prove and then living in that faith that creates a bond. The proof of faith should be found in those individuals that pronounce faith in something. For me, the proof of Jesus Christ and his teachings is found in my own life and in the lives of those that have modeled the Christian faith for me.

There are many ways that a person can come to believe in the Christian faith or any other faith or religion. There are also many ways an atheist can come to his or her conclusion that there is no God or viable religion. As I have just talked about the examples in my own life that have strengthened my faith, there is a distinct possibility that there are examples that hinder those from believing the same things that I believe. In today’s culture, christians are held to a higher standard which I think is correct and wrong at the same time. We strive to live a life that can be equated with Jesus’ life. We hope to love as he did, be as merciful and gracious as he was, be as kind and generous as he was to our friends, family, strangers, city, country and the world. That is the standard that I live after and unfortunately, fall far from on a daily basis. As has been pointed out, I can be prideful, I am jealous, act in anger, definitely do judge people when I am no better. It’s in that humanity that we all live as humans and as christians. Because I live to reach a higher standard that I believe I am called to, do not believe that I have reached it. I do my best and hopefully do even better at showing the world that I have not reached that point.

Secondly, a point was made that faith in God is not a prerequisite for surviving a deadly disease like cancer. Very true. My mom beat cancer after a year and a half battle with colon cancer through great treatments prescribed by her doctors and great care provided by the nurses here in Indianapolis. I do not believe that God provided a miraculous healing in one touch of his hand. However, I also believe that there was a purpose behind my mom and dad finding a particular doctor who share their faith. I believe that God had a hand in finding a doctor that would pray with them in every meeting they had. I know that my mom was prayed for by our church family throughout the world, that is the meaning and definition of “the Church”. A community of believers that cares for the needs of its members through whatever means necessary and in times when you are separated by a vast distance the only thing that can be done is to pray. For those that did, thank you from the bottom of my heart, because I do believe in the power of prayer. So in the end, when my mother was pronounced as cancer free over a year ago, I do believe that her faith and the faith of others brought her through that bout with cancer and God rewarded her for her faith. Not all people are rewarded in that way. That same cancer would come back within 4 months and taker her life in 2 months thereafter. In that time, her faith was rewarded once again.

“Great leadership requires a great vision, one that inspires the leader and enables him to inspire the nation. Peole both love the great leader and hate him; tehy are seldom indifferent toward him.”  Speaks to the public sentiment of Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, past and present.

“The great leader needs both the vision and the capacity to achieve what is right.”

“Nothing great is done without great men and these are great because they willed it.”  Charles de Gaulle

Winston Churchill on the difference between Socialism and Liberalism “Socialism seeks to pull down wealth; Liberalism seeks to raise up poverty. Socailism would kill enterprise; Liberalism would rescue enterprise from the trammels of privilege and preference. . . Socialism exalts the rule; Liberalism exalts the man. Socialism attacks capital; Liberalism attacks monopoly.”

William Shakespeare on greatness “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”

“Obedience is something a leader can command, but loyalty is something, an indefinable something, that he is obliged to win.”  a West Point aide to Gen. Douglas MacArthur on how he became a great leader of men on the battlefield.

“If experience does not make clear all that we should do, however, it does give clear guidance about some of the things we should not do.”

“It is when we are listening, not when we are talking, that we learn.”

I hope these are thought provoking in terms of our past and lead to reflection and analysis of our current leadership in all arenas of leadership. I have saved a few things to continue at a later date a conversation on the leadership qualities of Presidents Bush and Obama. Oh joy!

Ezekiel 18: 27-31  “And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die. And yet the people of Israel keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right?’ O people of Israel, it is you who are not doing what’s right, not I. . . Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.”

I love the cry of the people of Israel, “the Lord isn’t doing what is right”. There are so many issues in today’s world, today’s America that deal with moral principles and justice such as abortion, capital punishment, gay rights/marriage, civil rights, human rights, healthcare reform, poverty, homelessness and more. There are positions and stances taken, discussed, debated in a competitive, us versus you forum. Part of that forum is our political system which is divided between Republicans vs. Democrats, Conservative vs. Liberal. Generally speaking, conservatives argue that liberals are changing the moral fabric of America, tearing down the Christian morals that this country was founded when it comes to issues like abortion, gay rights. Liberals in turn argue that in many ways, conservatives don’t stand up to those same Christian principles when dealing with capital punishment, civil/human rights, poverty issues. The American institutions of politics, government, religion, christianity cannot fix the problems/issues of our society to a perfect world, a perfect America. Because our political system is divided into two major parties, America will continue to be divided among themselves and continue to disenfranchise certain aspects of our nation racially, economically, socially.

The only solution is to love yourself as God loves you, love your neighbor as God loves them. Out of love comes respect, dignity, kindness, gentleness, trust, faith, and a caring nature. Livin a life that seeks after the heart of God’s through service, sacrifice, love and obedience will save your soul as the Bible teaches but also provides an opportunity to speak to the people around you. As a christian, I hope it speaks to them in a spiritual way but sometimes the most important thing is that that life experience that was shared between me and another person was uplifting for the other person, that person came away with a sense of hope that all is not lost in humanity, there are people in this world that care for the well being of others besided themselves. Until that can happen in a greater abundance I believe God will continue to respond to his people and say it is us who are not doing what is right.

An atheist can be defined as a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.

Is atheism a form of religion? Does an atheist, someone without the belief of a supreme being or things, have a form of faith? If so, what does he or she believe in?

It seems to me, that even though an atheist does not believe in a certain thing or things that may control the events of this world, that they still have a belief system of some kind. Their belief is that there is nothing to believe. Their belief, I suppose is in themselves or reason or science or logic. This belief drives their sense of self, their understanding of the world, just as those that believe in a certain established religion drives their understanding. Their lack of faith in a supreme being leads them to only believe in themselves and their own capabilities.

My mother always wondered how people without any type of faith, institutionalized religion, made it through a battle with cancer. She relied so heavily upon her own faith, the hope that she would end up in a better place if she were to die from this earth, to continue to battle through the treatments, prognoses, etc.  That higher purpose found through her faith, specifically Christianity, was what brought her through her ordeal, she found the energy (the ability) to endure those painful moments from the story and example of a person that she believed lived through something so inexplicably tougher than she had to endure. The story, life and promise of Jesus Christ gave her a hope to live a life of joy and endurance for the people that she loved.

In the end, my question is if someone does not believe in God, does not believe in a higher calling, a supreme being, where do they find hope in these types of circumstances? How do they fight through a deadly disease? How do they cope with the loss of a loved one, a mother or father? Do they believe in the goodness of people, of community with others? I can’t prove one religion over the other, I can’t prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God just as I can’t prove that Mohammed or Buddha or any other character of religion is the true religion. But I choose to believe one of those stories over my own. Because I know my story and I wouldn’t have faith in me if I was anyone else.