McCain's Buddhist Faith

Don't believe everything you read. Barack Obama is not a Muslim. John McCain is not a Buddhist. Both are Christians. Let us not come to evaluate candidates by trying to determine which is more "Christian". So with that preface, I thought that you might be interested in this crazy email I received at work. I couldn't find anything about it online elsewhere.

as a member of a small Christian church here in Germany and interested in US and world politics I am watching the events in the United States very closely.

In this context I want to give you my honest assessment about John McCain. I have read that almost all the Evangelical congregations in the US have endorsed him. That's hard to understand.

Frankly: After I listened to John McCain several times, heard his statements and watched his encounter with the Dalai Lama on July 25 in Denver, Colorado, I have very strong reservations about any endorsement of an Atheist or Buddhist candidate who left his wife when she was disabled. There is nothing Christian in John McCain's biography.

I do not see anything in his words and deeds which is in concordance with the words of the Gospel. Absolutely nothing! I only see in John McCain hatred and Buddhist spirituality at the same time.

Look at the pictures of Denver: how the Dalai Lama took McCain's right hand and patted it repeatedly while he spoke and McCain smiled like a Buddhist acolyte. Finally John McCain removed his hand, put it to his heart and said to the Dalai Lama: THANK YOU YOUR HOLINESS.

Buddhism is surely a peaceful religion, so you may wonder why John McCain is exuding so much hatred, infirmity and confusion.

To understand this you have to know very briefly two of the most important constituents of Buddhism, metempsychosis and the concept of Vices:

first there is the idea of a transmigration of souls, metempsychosis (the current Dalai Lama is still worshipped by his followers as a semi-god, because he incarnates the souls of his predecessors) and

second there is the conception of three Buddhist 'Vices', who are driving the life of human beings on their earthly circle (this earthly circle is called 'Samsara' = 'Wheel of Life' in Buddhist religion).

As an acolyte John McCain has often gone to see the Dalai Lama for spiritual guidance.

The last time John McCain visited the Dalai Lama was on Friday, July 25. Of course McCain sought in these visitations an answer how to contain his 'Vices' who are - as he believes it - the 'Vices' of - Greed - (symbolized as a cock) - Ignorance - (symbolized as a pig) and - Hatred - (symbolized as a snake) (all according to the Buddhist religion).

If you look at John McCain's hatred, infirmity and confusion you can easily find these so called 'Vices' of Buddhism as the driving forces behind his 'Samsara' (wheel of life). But McCain's Buddhist spirituality, his aggressiveness and his hatred have absolutely NOTHING to do with Christianity.

Yours sincerely

name witheld (München, Germany)

Video (Washington Post) of the encounter of the Dalai Lama and John McCain in Denver, July 25:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2008/07/25/VI2008072502539.html?sid=ST2008072503003

Apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans

February 27, 2007


Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1)
acknowledges that slavery is incompatible with the basic founding
principles recognized in the Declaration of Independence that all men
are created equal;

(2) acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow;

(3)
apologizes to African Americans on behalf of the people of the United
States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who
suffered under slavery and Jim Crow; and

(4) expresses its
commitment to rectify the lingering consequences of the misdeeds
committed against African Americans under slavery and Jim Crow and to
stop the occurrence of human rights violations in the future.

Full text of bill - it's short.

Why many Americans perfer their Sundays segregated

I found this fascinating and disheartening. CNN article.

Our First Kiva Loan is Repaid

Last December, we lent $25 as part of a collective $1,200 loan to an Ukrainian woman for her shoe selling business in Kharkiv. Now, we just reloaned the money again! What a beautiful cycle possible in capitalism. If you haven't heard about Kiva.org, check it out!

100% Clean, Renewable Energy in 10 years

Olympics on Google

The Summer Games Google Maps lets you view medal and event information based on your favorite regions and sports, and there's a 3D video of the various Games venues you can tour:

Anthrax - Government coverup?

I know I'm behind the times with this. Here's an 8 minute video and a NYTimes article link.

USDA Organic Fraud

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program (NOP)
announced on August 5th that 15 of the 30 accredited organic certifiers
they recently inspected failed the USDA audit and will have 12 months
to make corrections or lose their accreditation with the NOP. It is
clear that there are numerous violations of organic standards taking
place in the U.S. and across the world. (Read the August 5 NOP Audit
Report here)

Rest of the OCA article here.

Free CFL Recycling at Home Depot

It's about time! More.

Organic Foods Priority

From ConsumerReports' Greener Choices: Go for produce first on your organic shopping budget. Then for meats, eggs and dairy. Not surprisingly, Jen and I had come to this conclusion on our own. Nevertheless, it's nice to feel validated! More.

McCain's Funny Alright

This just in from McCain's campaign - the prize that can be yours for a $25 donation! Arguments are confusing to most of us. I think McCain's campaign has a better sense of humor. I suppose that goes with the territory of being a senator for the past 22 years - you can play defense when you know the ropes a little more and have less dramatic solutions for the country. Not that that's a bad thing, necessarily. Seriously. This is a purely humorous post. Too bad I already have a stainless steel tire gauge.

American Life Drops $1 M

This American life - what's it worth? About $6.9 M according to the EPA. That's down one million from five years ago. What about inflation?!?! More.

Instead, economists calculate the value based on what people are
willing to pay to avoid certain risks, and on how much extra employers
pay their workers to take on additional risks. Most of the data is
drawn from payroll statistics; some comes from opinion surveys.
According to the EPA, people shouldn't think of the number as a price
tag on a life.

Email A to Z

This 20 question quiz tests your email aptitude. I scored 14 and passed. I thought I did a lot better than that! Post your score if you take it.

Email Test

Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World

I stopped drinking diet sodas years ago. It didn't taste as good or seem very natural. Considering NutraSweet and Equal are about as old as I am, I'm left wondering why the public didn't know about these health risks? Further, why are many people "dieting" by drinking these scary substances??? It's the most food product studied in the world!!!

Now this is not a great documentary. It's low-tech. I wish there were a filtered version that included the 30-45 minutes most valuable of the 90 minute total production.

Does anybody know anything about Stevia? Apparently the FDA won't look at it...

If you're still eating foods containing the artificial sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, diet drinks, etc.), you need to watch this documentary. Aspartame was approved for widespread use in the U.S. in July of 1983. Within six months, brain tumor rates climbed 10%, diabetes went up 30% and brain lymphoma tumors skyrocketed 60%. Learn how this toxic chemical was scandalously approved by the FDA and is now one of the most widespread food additives in the U.S.
Watch it now: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9978.cfm

Habitat for Humanity Investment

I'm not sure how many will take this investment option offering "up to 2%" over 3, 5, 7, or 10 years. It reminds me of Kiva - with a small, added margin.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL OFFERS INVESTMENT-BASED INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT HOUSE-BUILDING PROJECTS

Investment Program with Calvert Foundation creates an additional way to help finance Habitat’s Work

ATLANTA and BETHESDA, Md. (July 24, 2008) —Habitat for Humanity International and Calvert Social Investment Foundation today announced the launch of the Habitat for Humanity Investment Program, which will enable people to support Habitat for Humanity as they make affordable housing part of their investment portfolio.

Facilitated through Calvert Foundation’s Community Investment Note, the program provides a means for individuals and other nonprofits to invest their money into a fund that directly benefits Habitat for Humanity. The notes start at a $1,000 minimum (when purchased directly from Calvert Foundation – www.calvertfoundation.org/habitat – or through a financial adviser) and $100 when purchased online at MicroPlace (www.microplace.com/habitat ), an eBay company.

The notes may be invested for one, three, five, seven or 10 years, and investors choose to earn an interest rate up to 2 percent. The full value of the principal is then loaned to Habitat for Humanity, enabling Habitat to obtain access to low-cost, flexible capital, which then will be used to serve more families and build houses at a faster rate.

At maturity, investors may collect the principal and interest accrued, or they may reinvest to support Habitat and help provide a sustainable solution to fighting poverty. Investors also have the option of making a tax-deductible donation of their interest to Habitat for Humanity.

“The vast need for decent, affordable housing in our world means that we have to be creative in our response to it, while staying true to Habitat’s mission,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “This exciting opportunity with Calvert Foundation will generate more capital to help further that mission. As supporters invest in the Habitat Investment Program, we will be able to strengthen our capacity, which, in turn, will allow us to invest in more families as together we build simple, decent homes worldwide.”

Calvert Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that raises investment capital through individuals and institutions and uses the funds to provide affordable loans to nonprofit organizations, issues the Community Investment Notes. Calvert Foundation has raised more than $140 million over the last 12 years through similar Community Investment Note programs and has helped build more than 12,500 affordable homes.

“We are so pleased to work with Habitat for Humanity on this investment initiative,” said Shari Berenbach, president and CEO of Calvert Foundation. “For over a decade, Calvert Foundation has worked hard to show the world how powerful investment can be for helping nonprofits thrive and grow. The Habitat Investment Program will make a meaningful impact for

Maybe Bush is not Batman

I'm behind the times in hearing just today about the Wall Street Journal's article comparing Bush to Batman. Here's a response to that opinion piece. This is the final paragraph:

But ultimately this film is about society's desire for a
scapegoat. "You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself
become the villain," say at least two of the characters, and it
climaxes with Batman on the run from the authorities because people
have started to blame him for what is wrong with their lives. In this
regard, the film ends on a note that either satirizes or endorses the
view that George W. Bush has been a shining hero, defending the free
world from masked evil. I tend to think that the film comes down on the
side of the angels rather than the hawks, in the way it raises the
prospect that violence meeting violence produces only more violence.
Indeed, the most hopeful and heroic act in the whole story comes from
one of the men in an orange jumpsuit. But these things can be read a
number of ways, and I could be wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure that in
spite of the film's extraordinary quality, the politics of The Dark Knight are so subtle that this movie will be a great comfort to President Bush in his retirement.

National Housing Trust Fund

In partnership with Habitat for Humanity, a national housing trust fund was created. I'm proud to say I helped encourage my elected officials to create such a program. Here's the news straight from the HFH International CEO:

We did it!

Months ago, we began fighting for vulnerable families and communities hardest hit by the housing crisis in America.

Today, we can celebrate.

After the Senate and House passed a sweeping housing relief bill, President Bush signed the bill into law earlier this week. This is a major victory, particularly given that the new law contains 100 percent of the provisions we have been fighting for - including $4 billion in neighborhood stabilization funding and the national housing trust fund.

The compassion and dedication of Habitat for Humanity supporters like you helped make this possible. Congress made this legislation a top priority because, together, we stood up for this important bill and the families it will serve.

This is a huge victory for families and communities across America caught up in one of the worst housing crises in our country's history. Your support is truly making a difference.

Thank you again for all that you do.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Reckford
Chief Executive Officer
Habitat for Humanity International