Reflections on the mens meeting

I'd been invited to come to the 'Mens meeting' on Thursday evenings by one of our parishioners. I figured I'd go, thinking we'd do some bible study or talk about parish-related stuff. He he. You'd think that I would have learned by now not to have preconceptions dealing with this group.

About 10 guys showed up, most of retirement age (which tracks with the more active members of our church). We sat around and shot the breeze about immigration, politics and other current events in the news as well as what's going on in our lives without any real reference to the church or what-have-you.

In general, it was really nice. A low-key gathering where people could talk about what came to their mind and hash things out. The overall candor and feeling that everyone could express their opinions was wonderful. One of the points that was returned to over and again was about the U.S. obsession with money and how corporations in particular are designed and required to make their bottom line as big as possible. As donations, public works and social projects negatively affect the bottom line, corporations are averse to doing such things and normally will do so only if their bottom line would be even more negatively affected.

The United States represents approximately 7% of the worlds population and consume about half the worlds resources (depending on how you measure and who you talk to). Nearly 60% of all deaths in the world are linked to starvation, yet the U.S. throws away half of it's food. The average american uses 9 times the needed potable water per day. I could go on and on, but the point is made.

So, what's all of this doing in this blog? Ezekiel 16:49. That's what struck me and stuck with me through the whole rambling discussion.

"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy."

America as the new Sodom. *grimaces*