Amerikai Magyar Hírlap, 2002 (14. évfolyam, 4-45. szám)
2002-04-26 / 17. szám
AMERICAN Hungarian Journal MEDITATIONS by Dr. Bela Bonis Pastor (562) 430-0876 First Hungarian Reformed Church, Hawthorne IN LUKE 10:38-42 we meet two sisters, Mary and Martha of Bethany, those friends of Jesus who, together with their brother Lazarus, provided him with hospitality on many occasions. The two sisters display, however, differences of temperament. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that many people approach the two sisters with a built-in predisposition to sympathize with one or the other. But it is apparent that Jesus not only accepted but valued and loved each of the sisters for what she was, and did not rebuke either for not being more like the other. First let’s examine some possible misconceptions. It must not be taken for granted that Martha is overworked and needs Mary’s help. In all likelihood, Mary has already done what she could to help without actually being in the way. Moreover, servants were present, too. So while Martha does what she does best, giving one final check-up on all the arrangements, Mary does what she does best, entertaining the guest of honor and being an appreciative audience for his teaching. Second, in our attempt to appreciate Mary and Martha as representatives of virtues which complement each other, we should not oversimplify the distinction between the two into a set of false opposites, such as material vs. spiritual, or practical vs. intellectual, as if Martha were the worldly and Mary just happened to "go in for religion and that sort of thing." Bearing in mind other stories of them (Luke 12:1-8; 12:2b-4), taken together and read carefully, they suggest both women were intelligent and devout. And yet, because of their differing personalities, these shared characteristics were expressed in different ways. We might say, to make a point by exaggeration, that Martha was the "theologian" while Mary was the "mystic." It’s quite interesting also to study Jesus’ conversation with the two women over the death of Lazarus and their understanding of the resurrection. When Jesus asks Martha whether she believes it, Martha’s answer is straightfoward and direct: "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world." Mary, on the other hand, expresses both her grief over Lazarus and her belief in Jesus’ power to raise the dead. Read again John 11:1-45. Elections 2002: Fidesz Campaign Fair and Honest - Orbán (MTI) - Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary is peaceful and the government managed to make decisions over the past four years that united the Hungarian people. He added, in an interview on commercial television on Tuesday, that it was not unusual in Western Europe that parties mobilize millions of people for campaign rallies at times of elections, but this did not mean that the country was divided and in strife. He said whatever the final result of the general elections, people must continue to live on and work together for a more prosperous Hungary. The center-right alliance has conducted a fair and honest election campaign, doing its best to make people aware of the alternatives they can choose from, said Orbán. He added that despite a few minor incidents, the campaign was peaceful and civilized. Orbán noted that the second round of the elections is not a sequel to the first, but a brand new start. Comparing what his government had accomplished to the achievements of the Socialist-led government that ruled Hungary from 1994 to 1998, Orbán discussed financial matters. He said the austerity package finance minister Lajos Bokros introduced in 1995 served the interests of multinational companies and wealthy capitalists, and the majority of its elements were not necessary in the given economic situation. He said the Socialist-led coalition raised the inflation to over 30 percent by the mid-nineties in a deliberate move to help capitalists earn extra profits, while it was a blow to poor people. Medgyessy: Government Panicking Ahead of Second Round (MTI) - Socialist prime minister candidate Peter Medgyessy said on commercial radio on Tuesday that the real message of the increased roughness of the election campaign and the heavy mudslinging is the government's desperate clinging to power. Speculating about the reasons for the harsh tone used, Medgyessy said the government was frightened and panicking. He reaffirmed that should the Socialist party came to power, there would be no witchhunt. However he added that the new government must show people that no ffaudulence can go unpunished. On account of his recent public speeches, Medgyessy called Prime Minister Viktor Orbán unreliable. He said Orbán impressed him as a nice young gentlemen at their televised public debate prior to the first round of the elections. But he showed a quite different face in his speech last Tuesday, which Medgyessy said evoked unsavoury historical reminiscences. Finally, he repeated the content of his last speech in a milder and more friendly tone before a much larger audience in front of the Parliament building on Saturday. Asked if he was willing to join Orbán in another televised verbal duel before the second election round on Sunday, Medgyessy said Orban's speech last Tuesday did not make it unbecoming for a gentleman to engage in another debate with him. Federal Judge Upholds Oregon Assisted Suicide Law PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - A federal judge upheld Oregon's assisted suicide law - the only such state law in the United States - delivering a stinging rebuke to Attorney General John Ashcroft who tried to overturn it for what the judge said was ideological reasons. The decision was hailed as a "victory for democracy” by Oregon doctors and advocates for the terminally ill. Oregon voters approved the Death with Dignity Act in 1994 and reaffirmed it in 1997, making Oregon the only U.S. state to permit assisted suicide. Since then at least 70 people, most of them terminally ill, have killed themselves with drugs in Oregon. This is in stark contrast with laws in Michigan where assisted suicide activist Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who has helped more than 130 people take their lives, is serving a 10-25 year prison term. Ashcroft, acting on a campaign promise by President Bush, issued a decree last year declaring that assisting suicide was not a "legitimate medical purpose" under the federal Controlled Substances Act and that prescribing federally controlled drugs for that purpose was against the law. In his ruling, Jones declared Ashcroft's directive to be invalid, saying that the core objective of the Controlled Substances Act was to allow prosecution of drug dealers and drug abusers. It "does not prohibit practitioners from prescribing and dispensing controlled substances in compliance with a carefully worded state legislative act," Jones said. Hungarian Socialist Party - Medgyessy and Kovács Budapest (MTI) - “Well, we won.” These were the opening words of Hungarian Socialist Party candidate for Prime Minister, Peter Medgyessy, addressing a crowd gathered at the party's headquarters in Budapest on Sunday night. “The biggest issue of the elections was decided in favor of a change in government” - he added. The Hungarian Socialist Party and the Alliance of Free Democrats, both in opposition throughout the last administration, got more votes than the Fidesz Hungarian Civic Party and the Hungarian Democratic Forum, two parties of the government coalition, the latter running on a joint ticket. Medgyessy said the high voter turnout was very important, because it underlines the legitimacy of the new government even though the race was very tight. László Kovács, Chair of the HSP, said he had two pieces of good news - one that the parties advocating a change in administration had won ten more seats than the parties currently in government. The other was that, if the Hungarian Democratic Forum sets up its own parliamentary group, then the Hungarian Socialist Party will be the largest single party in Parliament. “We'll have the largest parliamentary group,” he said. “That gives President Ferenc Madl two alternatives. Either he asks the forces wanting to change government to form a government and names Peter Medgyessy, the candidate for prime minister from the largest party of those forces to the post of PM, or he asks the largest single party in Parliament to form a government, and names that party's candidate as prime minister - who is still Peter Medgyessy.” This means that the Hungarian Socialist Party and the Alliance of Free Democrats will be forming a coalition, said Kovács. Orbán Congratulates Medgyessy (MTI) - Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, candidate for Prime Minister of the Fidesz Hungarian Civic Party-Hungarian Democratic Forum joint ticket, phoned Peter Medgyessy, candidate for Prime Minister of the opposition Hungarian Socialist Party on Sunday night to congratulate him on his election victory and wish him much success in his work. In light of the election results, it does not feel good to lose, Ibolya David told reporters in Budapest's Millenary Park on Sunday evening. The leader of the Hungarian Democratic Forum, an election ally of Fidesz, congratulated the majority which is set to form a government according to the present state of affairs. “Now our job is to alleviate the pain of defeat in cooperation with all political forces,” said David. She added it would be decided at the founding session of Parliament whether the HDF would set up an independent group in the legislature.- Hungarian Socialist Party (HSP) candidate for prime minister Peter Medgyessy confirmed that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had congratulated him by phone, meaning he admitted the party as winner of the elections. “Viktor Orbán behaved like a gentleman should,” said Medgyessy at a media briefing on Sunday evening. Answering a question, he announced they would open coalition talks with the opposition liberal Alliance of Free Democrats. He added they sought fair relations with the ruling coalition Fidesz because the division of the country created a need for normal cooperation. Boxing: Koko Says Victorious Good-Bye to Fans Gdansk, April 21 (MTI) - At his farewell bout, Hungary's professional boxing champion István "Koko" Kovács beat the American Steve Trumble in a boxing gala on Saturday in Gdansk, Poland. István "Koko" Kovács (32) who won an Olympic gold and two world and European championships as an amateur, as well as a world featherweight title as a professional boxer, announced in March that he was retiring from the ring. In the gala match, Koko sent Trumble to the floor twice in the third round, whereupon the referee disqualified the American. Koko earlier said he chose Gdansk for his farewell match because that was the city where he won his first major fight at the Junior European Championships in 1987. Kovács lost his WBO title on June 16, 2001 in a bout against Julio Pablo Chacon of Argentina, on a TKO in the 6th round. Kovacs's career: 1991 - amateur World/European Champion in 51 kg category 1992 - Olympic bronze 1993 - bronze in European Championship in 54 kg category 1996 - Olympic and European Champion 1997 - World Champion in 57 kg category 1997 - start of professional career 1999 - WBC World Champion 2000 - European Champion 2001 - WBO World Champion (lost in June) FM Cancels Visit to US As Powell's Middle East Trip Lasts (MTI) - Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi will not travel to the U.S. for talks because Secretary of State Colin Powell has prolonged a current visit to the Middle East. Martonyi was due to meet Powell in Washington on April 18. l^gyar ffírlap |jj|
