Ali Johnson

I read a book a while ago called “The Death of Outrage” by William Bennet. In it he discusses the impact of Bill Clinton and the failings in his morality, politics and  character. I was struck by this book, because as leaders we have choices to make. He says  ”The accomplishment of Bill Clinton is that he has made the country into one large lawyer-joke. Clinton has marked off the record of an incorrigible liar, faithless to his wife, who cannot be trusted to honor any law beyond his own interest”and the public says, “yes, but what is the problem?” (129). By the choices we as leaders make as an impact on the president set for the societies that we lead.

Today I stumbled across a very interesting project called ‘PostSecret’. In this project a 200,000 people anonymously sent in their secrets on a post card. I can’t decide if this is plain brilliance or just a sign of a much more systemic problem in our society. With the rise of Social Networking where we are given a choice of how much of our private life to reveal and the rest can be hidden. This seems the choice we make in our society and seems to unearth an issue that Bill Clinton brought to light through his actions, that we have a choice to make, just as Adam and Even had and Cain had, we can try to hide things from each other and from God. True community involves use being open and honest together. Struggling together, failing together, enjoying together and devoting  ourselves together. I look at that early church in Acts and see how they lived together and devoted themeselves to one another. This helped them grow together and become better disciples.

I am both impressed by the scale of the this project and also amazed at some of the quotes. Here are some of the postcards

• For 16 wks I prayed and begged for my baby to live. God either didn’t hear, couldn’t be bothered, or doesn’t exist. I don’t care which anymore. January 4 – my baby, God and my heart – all died.

• When I walk my dog, I pick up the trash on the side of the road. Yesterday I found $20. I felt like God was saying thanks.

• Caring for cancer patients has stopped by suicidal ideations

• I wish you knew that everytime you talk about how much you hate people who put their children up for adoption you are talking about my mom.

• Sometimes I wonder if God is real, and if he is then why did he let my dad die? And why does he talk to some people but he never talks to me, even when I talk first.

• I’m more scared to believe in God than not to.

• My parents have never been more disappointed in me as when I told the I am going to be a missionary. I have never been more disappointed.

• I’m a Christian but I’m afraid to learn too much about God because I’m afraid it won’t make sense and I’ll stop believing.

• Dear God, will you still love me if I believe in evolution? My boyfriend won’t.

• I don’t believe in God and I don’t believe in religion, but all evidence points to the fact that I was put here to love you.

What would you write? (check out JR Briggs blog for more thoughts)