On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, by voice vote without a single objection.

Over the course of 30 minutes, seven Congress members spoke on behalf of the bill, calling on President Obama, in response to the atrocities being committed in central east Africa, to form a plan to remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield. Eight additional Members of Congress submitted written statements expressing their support for the bill.

Can you believe it? The leaders of our nation, for 30 MINUTES, stated and restated the atrocities committed by Joseph Kony and the urgent need for a strong response from the United States.

There’s no perfect plan – there I said it. At least some people though are trying to find a plan. I’m sick to death of politics and even more tired of one sentence Facebook comments that start debates where people say things they would never say face to face or don’t understand.

Congress and Facebook have a lot in common.  There is a lot of time spent on things that should not occupy that much of our attention and not enough time spent on issues that need our utmost commitment, awareness, and dedication. We have all but forgotten to work together.

One politician took to his blog this week rallying the Republicans to bring Obama down with his healthcare plan: “Go for the kill,” he said.  Enough already. Why not invest your energy into a bipartisan plan instead of spewing venomous words that further cut into an already deeply divided nation? Why don’t we write letters to our representatives asking them to put down their paper and electronic swords and start working together – aren’t we on the same team? Maybe then our nation could stand firm on something again that is meaningful because right now all of the pundit and bobblehead chatter are cracking the foundation.   

It's no joke. With the onslaught of the second great depression, Republican Congressman Paul Broun from Georgia has decided to push for a bill that will make 2010 the Year of the Bible. Year of the Rat (2008), Year of the Ox (2009), and now the Year of the Bible?

With Congress' approval, Ronald Reagan made 1983 the year of the Bible. And Broun wants to bring back this super hip, retro Christian idea. (Maybe we can bring back ‘80s music, tight jeans and huge hair while we're at it.) When Jewish and Atheist congressmen and congresswomen read Broun’s bill, they freaked out. A few even threw political temper tantrums, which must have been fun to watch.

What's hilarious about the reactions to this bill is that Jews share 39 sacred biblical books with Christians, but Jewish congressmen have been some of the most outspoken people against this bill. Unless someone from the Jewish faith is infuriated because of the church and state issue, I can’t wrap my head around why they would oppose this bill. But, even if separation of church and state causes someone to oppose this bill, there is still a problem with their understanding of the usage of the Bible. People and organizations outside the church use the Bible as well. There are even whole non-profit societies dedicated to studying the Bible that are not religious at all, like the Society of Biblical Literature.

What is fascinating about this whole fiasco is not the bill itself, but the reaction. Atheist leaders all over are saying that they are not even worried because church growth is declining and atheism is on the rise. “Right now, we’re seeing atheism on such a rise,” said David Silverman, vice president and national spokesman of American Atheists. I don’t know about you, but Silverman’s remark sure sounds like it stems from a cultic religion to me. Just replace the word atheism with Mormonism and suddenly things sound a little different, “Right now, we’re seeing Mormonism on such a rise.” When you read it with that word substituted, it’s jarring, isn’t it? Atheists aren’t worried because their religion is growing.

On Fat Tuesday, President Barack Obama challenged us to tighten our belts. He called us to live responsibly right when revelers in New Orleans have traditionally let it all hang out. In the official Republican response to the President’s address, even Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal urged restraint while his state celebrated. Lent came early to Washington, DC and our nation. But will we really adopt an economic Slimfast?

Ash Wednesday kicks of forty days of fasting and penance. Lent is a time of scaling back, of cutting out the excess. The question often becomes, “What are you giving up for lent?” Red meat? Chocolate? Video games? We take a break from our routine, pausing to remember the few things that matter. We prepare to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.

As the Christian community ushers in a season of sacrifice, America is going through a bit of soul searching. All kinds of institutions are adopting LEAN measures to respond to the economic crisis. How have we all overindulged? What distractions and excess do we need to pare away? President Obama made no overt connections between his address to the nation and the forty days of lent. But when have we experienced such remarkable alignment between a religious season and a national mood?