{"id":6119,"date":"2017-02-07T07:42:31","date_gmt":"2017-02-07T12:42:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=6119"},"modified":"2017-02-01T17:11:36","modified_gmt":"2017-02-01T22:11:36","slug":"february-12-2017-love-greater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/february-12-2017-love-greater\/","title":{"rendered":"February 12, 2017–Love is Greater"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bryan Jaster, Winchester, VA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Warm-up Question<\/strong><\/p>\n

What\u2019s something that has happened in your life that has made you feel afraid or uncertain?<\/p>\n

Love is Greater
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The end of January has been pretty intense for the United States and likely for neighbors around the world.\u00a0 The transition from one president to another is normally a time of leadership upheaval and of fulfilling promises made during presidential candidacies. In addition, at this time high levels uncertainty, fear, and anxiety have taken root for many.\u00a0 Relationships with our neighbors in Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Mexico, and other communities around the country are stretched and strained.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tension is high in the Congress.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

A recent executive order fulfilled the promise our new president made when he said, \u201cWe\u2019re going to build a wall.\u201d\u00a0 This new wall is designed to keep America separate from Mexico so that fewer people come into America.\u00a0 Regardless of whether this will be an effective strategy to stem immigration, building the wall would keep people apart.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See http:\/\/www.npr.org\/2017\/01\/25\/511619026\/donald-trumps-moving-forward-with-his-wall-is-it-really-going-to-happen<\/a>) for the story.\u00a0 The president\u2019s press secretary reported that Mexico will be forced to pay for this wall.<\/p>\n

Many scientists are feeling the weight of fear and uncertainty.\u00a0 Recently employees of the EPA and departments of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, and the Interior have received notices to remove web pages and limit communication to the public.\u00a0 See (http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/nasa-scientists-are-launch-rogue-twitter-account-to-defy-trump-2017-1<\/a>).\u00a0 These scientists and government employees have been ordered to post only public safety information and to avoid anything that might influence political or national policy.<\/p>\n

In response, many of these agencies have setup \u201crogue\u201d Twitter accounts where anonymous government employees or scientists post to respond to censorship.\u00a0 They provide a space where scientific facts about climate change, information about swearing-in day attendance, immigration stories, and civil rights advocacy can be shared.\u00a0 Persons post anonymously for fear of being disciplined or fired.<\/p>\n

Discussion Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n