Of Iran, Lipstick, and School Lunches

Among the headlines today was Iran's loading nuclear fuel rods into a research reactor despite repeated warnings from the international community and the United Nations to stop their nuclear development program. In addition, the Iranians have moved one of their nuclear testing sites into a deep underground facility near the city of Qoms. It is likely that in a few months all of Iran's nuclear facilities will be housed in underground bunkers which will make for difficult military targets, whether Israeli or American or United Nations.

And we have been hearing this week of attempts made on the lives of Israeli diplomatic personnel in India, Georgia, and Thailand. Israeli authorities have placed the blame on Iranians and their proxies Hezbollah. Fortunately no one was killed, although the wife of one Israeli diplomat in India was severely injured, yet thankful that her children were not in the car with her. These attacks come in response to Iranian accusations that the Israeli Mousad has been behind the recent string of assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists, which involvement Israeli authorities have strongly denied.

Continuing our focus on the Middle East. This past Sunday a new poll was released by the Independent Palestinian Center for Public Opinion that indicated that if elections were held now, Palestinians would re-elect President Mahmoud Abbas over Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal by a 49.9 to 29 percent margin. In addition the poll suggested that 40 percent of Palestinians believe that their economic plight will only deteriorate under a unified Fatah-Hamas government. This poll came after Abbas and Mashaal had signed a reconciliation deal a few days earlier in Qatar, which gave Abbas the title of President and Prime Minister. Hamas leaders in Gaza have been furious over the deal because they were not included in the planning. One thing is for certain: this new deal will not advance the cause of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Let me ask you: Aren't you glad that your government is watching out for you? Ladies, aren't you glad that the government has said that certain lipsticks you have been using "might" contain enough lead to cause medical problems. As I read that article in this morning's paper, I thought to myself: how can the government protect me from all the risks that come because I am alive? Life necessarily brings risks. If I undergo surgery, there are risks for infections. If I eat at a restaurant, there are risks of e-coli bacteria that might be present. If I use a cell phone there are risks of electrical waves that might cause brain cancer. If I get into my car and drive to my office at the Church, there are risks that I might have an accident. Yet I do drive to my office; I do use my cell phone; I do enjoy eating at various restaurants; and I will have surgery when the need arises. I do not need the government to monitor my life telling me how to avoid risks. Maybe I am over-reacting, but I do not believe that it was the intention of the framers of our American way of life that the government should be intrusive into every area of that life.
Even Jesus, when asked why 18 people died when the tower in Siloam fell on them, basically said that there are risks in life and that one needs to be prepared for what occurs when death does come (Luke 13:4).

What really got me angry was reading an article out of Raeford, NC, where a young preschooler at the West Hoke Elementary School had a state agent inspect his lunch which his mother had packed for him. The lunch included a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, apple juice and some potato chips. The agent said that the lunch "did not meet US Department of Agriculture guidelines." In other words, it was not "healthy" according to Federal guidelines. The preschooler was then given a school-lunch and a note was sent home saying that the child owed $1.25 for the three chicken nuggets which he ate off the tray. Really makes you wonder what goes on behind closed doors in Washington?

Yet there is good news, friends. Jesus is coming! How we need to keep clinging to that powerful truth!