First Lutheran can face the headwinds

It's nice to see some churches as a holdout against the prevailing attitudes out here. I happen to attend one such church. It has retreated badly since its heyday. Facts can easily underscore this. We had two services every Sunday for most of my life. You'd choose the "early" or "late" service. We had more than one full-time pastor. We had a "visitation pastor." 

Slowly we saw the political winds begin to shift in our rural areas. Today the attitudes of Steve Boyd go a long way with lots of people. He had reservations about our incumbent congressperson. As I recall, he dismissed her as someone who was merely very good at keeping her job. A common charge against incumbents I guess: expedience to keep a certain level of support. Get re-elected! That's the idea. 

The incumbent Michelle Fischbach had no hesitation for being receptive to what was going on at our U.S. capitol on Jan. 6. I shall repeat that she voted against certifying  the election results. This as a literal mob was fomenting the dangerous spectacle at the capitol. We are learning steadily more about the president's actual role in bringing this on. 

That's former president now, DJT, who had plenty of goons lined up like Rudy Giuliani. Rudy Giuliani "the president's attorney." Would we even want Giuliani to be a practicing attorney in Morris MN? Would we want him to be the city or school board attorney? No, we'd want polished and capable professionals who aren't singularly focused on one person who is political. Not really wholly political because I don't think DJT even believes in government unless government can use its power to reduce the extent of government. 

So DJT is a "naked capitalist?" Of course we support capitalism. But all advanced nations are a combination of free enterprise and socialism. Yes socialism and you'd better agree with that if you depend on Social Security and Medicare. 

A lot of people need help these days. And strangely, the biggest factor in the adversity may be something that got no attention in the debates. Do you recall any questions for the candidates about the Federal Reserve? That's the central bank of the U.S. Today it is inextricably linked to the fortunes of the stock market. 

It was not like this when I was younger. In fact, if you asserted that the "Fed" had to act to help the stock market, you'd be dismissed by sharp minds who would say that's not the Fed's role. It is not. But today the central bank acts like this and is totally undeterred. That is because of the interests of the very wealthiest people. There is such a drumbeat now for the lowest possible interest rates.  It gets our attention all the time from the media. 

The media have begun reporting that it's "good news" whenever rates are cut, in the same way the media reports that it's good news "when the home team wins" in sports. And hardly anyone rises up to object. So many people with their "401Ks" think it's great. 

But here is the very real downside: artificially low interest rates push inflation.  

The rate cuts devalue our currency. That is how we feel inflation. Why can't we live with more modest gains by the stock market? Why can't the stock market just go into a holding pattern sometimes? Well it's greed. It's greed that is exuded in such a cheerleading way by the richest people. 

Kevin O'Leary

I don't know to what extent Kevin O'Leary is really rich but he probably is. He is quoted so often in the media and what makes him so wise? What makes him so much wiser than me, even? Well he's a celebrity. Being a celebrity is what got Donald Trump going, this guy born with a silver spoon in his mouth. 

Seems to me it's a matter of time before the broad public wakes up to the Kevin O'Learys and Elon Musks of the world. These people at least have ideas, a modicum of a sense of justifying their pronouncements, whereas Donald Trump would seem totally motivated by wanting to avoid prison. And I hope he's getting medical help for his reported problem of defecating in his pants. 

America has been dragged through such a spectacle. Heaven knows if we'll come out "on the other end" intact. As of today I am not at all sure that we will. We're off the deep end so badly out here in rural western Minnesota that we gave a far-right person a chance against our incumbent congressperson who herself might be described as a looney-toon. 

If Congress had not certified the 2020 election results, what was supposed to happen? I'm sure if we had asked Fischbach this, she would have said "that was yet to be determined." So then what? 

 

Ah, "Dark Star"

I remember that when the Bush-Gore race reached its denouement and there was talk of legal challenges, the late WCCO radio personality "Dark Star" felt a little fazed and said "all my life, I'm used to getting up on the morning after the election and finding out who won." 

The situation is far worse today. If Fischbach had gotten her way, heaven help us for what could have unfolded. And now DJT's Republican Party is poised to try to do the same thing again. Bulldoze away the opposition to make way for "Project 2025" and the far-right agenda. 

Meanwhile no one wants to make an issue about the Federal Reserve. Some might say to me "well, that's an independent organization." It surely is. And since it technically does not answer to anyone, isn't that dangerous? Of course it has to answer to some sort of constituency. Don't be Pollyannish. "He who has the gold makes the rules." So I think J.D. Vance, Kevin O'Leary, Elon Musk and all their gilded comrades are influencing the direction. 

And with the rest of us having to live with ever more problematic inflation. What happens when there's another major blast of inflation? Will this almost completely wipe out the restaurant business? No opportunity to enjoy dining out any more? It will make us feel isolated. 

  

FLC of Morris

The old "UMM Sunday"

Tomorrow is Sunday and I'll be at my church of First Lutheran again. First Lutheran once had a robust annual event called "UMM Sunday." It was a truly big deal. Some students would speak at the service and there would be a big potluck meal in the fellowship hall. I have to remind people we once had this - it has disappeared. 

Trump has greatly hurt the interests of our UMM because he in effect "chased away the foreign students." And, the foreign students were this institution's "cash cow." Arguments about money impress you? 

We shouldn't be surprised because it has often been said re. DJT that he "destroys everything he touches." In the end will we realize he has destroyed UMM? The institution rather looks on its heels now. 

 

Testing troubled waters

First Lutheran Church is taking a huge risk both tomorrow and the following Sunday. The theme will be "exploring Christian nationalism." Uh-oh. Obviously since we are a progressive denomination we do not look at all favorably on "Christian nationalism." But many other churches in our area do. 

Progressive as First Lutheran and the ELCA are, we have held on to a few Trump voters probably because these people have a family church history. Bless them for that. But the next two Sundays might be the tipping point for them. I know of one very important family at First Lutheran that has "Trump" signs in front of their house. The next two Sundays might be the end for them. 

I don't see why Christian nationalism is at all necessary. I attended First Lutheran over the eight years of Barack Obama's presidency - a Democrat - and at no point did I see my right to worship freely as threatened. But the DJT people can be so paranoid and flat-Earth. 

Maybe I should say "good riddance" to the Trump voters. But First Lutheran needs to hold on with our current membership. Instead we could lose ground because certain people feel they need to bend over backward for a man who is simply trying to stay out of prison. 

If DJT deserves prison, I say bring it on. And he does deserve that.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com