4 Mar, 2009
Thousands rally for legislation on climate change
WASHINGTON (AP) Several thousand demonstrators on Monday urged Congress to pass legislation to reduce greenhouse gases, and they targeted the government's own Capitol power plant as a symbol of the problem.
An enthusiastic crowd of mostly young people marched from a park near the Capitol to the small power plant several blocks away, chanting "We don't want the world to boil, no coal, no oil!" Some demonstrators peacefully stood in front of the power plant's gated entrances while police stood by. There were no arrests, said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a Capitol Police spokeswoman.
Despite attempts by lawmakers to clean up the power plant in southeast Washington, it still burns coal and accounts for a third of the legislative branch's greenhouse gas emissions.
Ahjani Yepa-Sprague, an American Indian who lives in Michigan, said coal is destroying her community's way of life. "Every inland lake in Michigan is contaminated with mercury," she said. "This is the first generation in the history of our people that our children cannot eat fish given to us by the creator."
story & photo courtesy of: The Associated Press
Live Boldly. Pray Fervently.
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about living boldly and praying fervently?
Opinions concerning climate change aside, let us find inspiration in the bold dedication displayed by the thousands of young people who braved the cold and risked arrest for the sake of their convictions. While we should all seriously consider how our lives impact the health and well being of God's creation, the most important question for today is, how bold are we willing to act upon our convictions?
Not long after Jesus was crucified by the powers of his day, when Christianity was still an underground, counter cultural movement, the leaders of the Church were frequently persecuted, arrested, and killed for their bold dedication to the kingdom of God. In today's scripture Peter is arrested for his commitment to the way of Jesus. A way of life that was radically transforming people, setting them free from political, economic, religious, and spiritual oppression, and leading them into a lifestyle that was no longer compatible with the way of Rome. Was Peter arrested for plotting a violent rebellion? Not at all!
Peter's only crime was that he was so entirely transformed by his connection with Jesus that he could no longer conform to the ways of the world. It all boiled down to a disagreement over salvation. While Rome promised "salvation" through wealth and military power, Peter invited people to experience true salvation through the grace and forgiveness of Jesus.
In other words, Peter was arrested for showing people Jesus, showing people their salvation.
In the last verse of today's reading from the book of Acts we are reminded that the early Christians were committed to praying fervently to God for the sake of the Church and Her leaders. So we see that the early Church was faithful in both prayer and action.
- Pray fervently for the Church.
- Sit down with your Campus Life director or youth pastor and identify some of the ways God has gifted you to live boldly for Christ.
- Can your friends see that you are dedicated to Christ and his kingdom through your speech and actions?
- Ask your friends about acts of civil disobedience like the one mentioned in today's article, tell them about Peter and the early Christians.
- March 2010 [9]
- February 2010 [19]
- January 2010 [22]
- December 2009 [22]
- November 2009 [21]
- October 2009 [22]
- September 2009 [21]
- August 2009 [20]
- July 2009 [21]
- June 2009 [22]
- May 2009 [18]
- April 2009 [15]
- March 2009 [7]
- February 2009 [17]
- January 2009 [20]
- December 2008 [23]
- November 2008 [19]
- October 2008 [22]
- September 2008 [22]
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [11]
- May 2008 [20]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [18]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [18]
- November 2007 [15]
- October 2007 [19]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [9]
- May 2007 [11]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [10]
- June 2006 [3]
