Working On Capitol Hill – HillFaith: Good News For Congressional Staff

Abortion, Sex And Working On Capitol Hill

Okay, let’s talk about sex on Capitol Hill. There is a lot of it. Always has been, probably a lot more in the past than either the present realizes or the past is willing to admit. There was always a lot going on behind prudery.

Regardless of the frequency, sex on Capitol Hill among single people has consequences, as does sex between married and unmarried people. Try as we all might and have, sex is not something to be taken casually and recognizing that fact cannot be avoided, either.

It’s also impossible to avoid the issue of abortion, especially for those who work for Members of Congress and/or congressional committees. It’s a constant presence for everybody, those who are pro-abortion and those who are pro-life.

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Kristina Baum Is Running The Race Of Her Life

Imagine yourself fielding calls from journalists on your job while receiving cancer treatment in the hospital.

Spend a little time on Capitol Hill and odds are good that sooner or later you will see Kristina Baum running, either literally on one of her regular jogs or professionally as the Republican staff communications director for the House Natural Resources Committee.

To look at her striding along, you would not know she is battling cancer. And I don’t choose that term “battling” by chance. You will quickly see why in this superb interview with Baum by Roll Call’s Heard on the Hill reporter Kathryn Lyons.

Why Do You Persecute Me?

By Bret Bernhardt

How are we to respond when various threats are made against us as believers?

Bret Bernhardt, former chief of staff for senators Don Nickles and Jim DeMint.

One such threat was discussed in this space — “TOLERANCE TODAY: Harvard Keynoter Said Jews, Christians Should Be ‘Locked Up’ For Their Views” — regarding a recent symposium in which a speaker previously advocated imprisoning Christians and Jews for their beliefs.

In today’s hyper-charged environment, these type of statements are becoming more frequent. It’s understandable how one would react when hearing something like this. For me, a sense of indignation, fear, and anger are the emotions I typically feel.

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What Would You Give To Know This Kind Of Freedom?

We talk often about freedom on Capitol Hill and there is no more defining value for this country than liberty, beginning with our Declaration of Independence that proclaimed it for the nation and for every individual American.

But freedom from political tyranny is only one aspect of the whole meaning of the word and, when fully understood, it reaches into every corner of our lives; body, mind and soul. Jesus said “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) What would it be like to experience that kind of freedom?

“No Longer Slaves” by Bethel Music gives us a great taste of what true freedom means. Listen to the song here, then read the lyrics that are reproduced below after the video. Trust me, it can make you think more deeply than you ever have about what it means to be genuinely free:

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Do All Roads Lead To God And Heaven Or Is Jesus The Only Way?

Among the most common objections to Christianity is that because there are multiple religions around the Earth claiming to point the way to Heaven, the politically correct conclusion is that “all roads lead to God.”

It’s a reassuring, comfortable idea because it means we each can make a choice from among a menu of spiritual options. This idea especially appeals to individualistic Americans who want to control all aspects of their lives and those who believe their intelligence and education gives them unique insights on such issues.

Each of the choices have consequences. If we choose Islam, for example, we must follow the five pillars. For those deciding the Jewish approach is right, there is the Talmud. Continue reading “Do All Roads Lead To God And Heaven Or Is Jesus The Only Way?”

TOLERANCE TODAY: Harvard Keynoter Said Jews, Christians Should Be ‘Locked Up’ For Their Views

Things get ugly when permission to speak depends upon whether the hearer agrees with what is said

A recent keynote speaker at the Harvard University Art & Science Faculty Conference on Diversity told his Twitter followers in 2015 that people who base their spiritual beliefs on the Hebrew scriptures should be “locked up.”

Author and speaker Tim Wise went on in that tweet, saying “people basing their beliefs on the fable of Noah and the Ark, or their interpretation of Sodom and Gomorrah … rather than science or logic … If you are basing your morality on a fairy tale written thousands of years ago, you deserve to be locked up … detained for your utter inability to deal with reality … NO, we are not obligated to indulge your irrationality in the name of your religious freedom …”

Wise undoubtedly thinks everybody else — including those who accept the Hebrew scriptures and all other “fairy tales” — absolutely are obligated to respect his spiritual beliefs or lack thereof.

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HILL SURVIVAL TIP: Your Job Is What You Do, Not Who You Are

Eating, living and sleeping the next promotion, title, victory or conquest at the office eventually becomes the loneliest place

There may be more Type-A men and women working on Capitol Hill than anywhere else in the world, except perhaps in Silicon Valley in California and on Wall Street in Manhattan.

But the identification of self-worth with one’s job is especially common among those working for senators, representatives and congressional committees.

For one thing, virtually all those senators and representatives are ego-driven Type-A’s, otherwise, how did they ever get elected in the first place and then keep getting re-elected?

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