HE'S JUST A MAN

Mary Magdalene, in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Jesus Christ Superstar, sings a plaintive song as she struggles to understand her relationship with Jesus. So many hopes. So many dreams. So many promises. And now, the trial and forthcoming crucifixion.
That song has been running through my head repeatedly since the election November 4th of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. There seems to be a never-ending barrage of charges and counter-charges, complaints and concerns about just about everything associated with the transition. Even the choice of a dog for his daughters gets to be grist for the “mill” of the 24 hour cable news channels.
Neither the left nor the right “know how to love him, What to do, how to move him.” Can he really run faster than a speeding bullet? Leap tall buildings? Is he really a man who seeks rapprochement with his foes [e.g. Lieberman] or is he a wuss? Is he going to bring “change” to the way our Nation operates or is he selecting too many “who’ve been there” to fill major posts? Will some Nations seek strong ties with us because Obama is President or will some distance themselves because he is an unknown?
We don’t know! This past election process was so significantly different from anything before that, like Mary Magdalene in the song, “I’ve been changed, yes really changed.” Changed because, I think, regardless of whether we voted for McCain or Obama this whole process changed us. Both candidates firmly declared that life could not continue as is. That we needed to discover a new paradigm for doing business as the “last Empire” in the world.
As we struggle through these next 9+ weeks, keep in mind the wisdom of Mary Magdalene – he’s just a man! Democracy – this Republic of 50 States – will not prosper if we return to our non-participatory role and “Let President Obama” do it. We need to do it. We need to continue our involvement. We need to communicate to our elected officials [remember what happened the first time they voted on the bailout bill?]
There is no doubt in my mind that to bring care to those who are sick without insurance; to create jobs that enable a family to prosper; to feed those who are hungry; house the homeless; etc. – those cannot be accomplished without a cost to me! Sure, I’m retired. Yes, the stock market in the past few months has wiped out 30+% of our retirement resources.
But even that being true, I [and all of you reading this] are so much wealthier than most of the world’s population. Do I/we really believe what Jesus taught?
These next months are crunch time.
He is just a man.
He is a man with a vision and an ability to invite people to join him.
What to do?

THE Truth

Whenever anyone proclaims that s/he is telling me "the truth" I need to fight the temptation to hold on to my wallet! I had a similar reaction when a student or client would approach me and say: "Do you want me to be honest?"
"Truth" and "honesty" are always relative.
Relative to our own theologies, cultures, lieben-sitz, biases.
That is not to say they have no value. Rather, it is to reject them as agents for control! To refuse to allow them to be used as means for stopping debate and open discussion.
If we desire to create a time of "peace" it is vitally important for us to learn about the relativity of "truth". Our claims to "the truth" suggest that the 'other' is either lying or, at the least, poorly informed. Few of us take kindly to such accusations!
Yes, Jesus did claim that he "was the truth". He did claim that the "truth" would set us free. But not "truth" as an abstraction. Kierkegaard said that "truth" only exists in action. This suggests to me that the "truth" of Jesus is lived to the degree I am able to allow him to live in my life. When I choose to love the 'other'. When I choose to seek justice for all people. When I participate in creating 'health' for all and oppose creating those factors that create disease and death.
In these final days before the national election it is important for each to realize the relativity of "truth" - ours and the candidates - so we are able to discern the action(s) that are required.

Times of/for Change

A speaker at a recent leadership conference for Lutheran clergy spoke on “Proclamation in the Time of Change”. “Change” is a key word for both political parties in the 2008 Presidential elections. Fortunately the speaker did not tie his remarks to the elections.
Nor did he expound on what was meant by “the” time of change. Listeners were invited to insert how they would define “Time of Change”. From private conversations with attendees, that was not a difficult challenge. Most agreed that these were not only just times of change – they were times of significant changes. Significant, at least in part, because no area or sphere of life appears to be left “as is”!
One could legitimately posit that there has never been a time in human history that has not been a time of change.
- Politically Kingdoms rise and wane. New nations are birthed and others disappear. Systems such as Patriarchy, Monarchy, Socialism, Communism and Democracy are tried or discarded.
- Religiously Prophets and preachers reveal new and different ideas about God – and commandments and creeds and laws change to reflect those revelations.
- Culturally there is a steady movement towards greater egalitarianism and less reliance on “caste” systems. Race, gender, age, sexual identity and religious heritage are diminished insofar as being legitimate markers for and of discrimination.
- Many areas of daily living are also radically different – and increasingly so! Transportation enables us to move about more freely and over longer distances. Medical care has moved beyond the time of snake oil and witches potions to advances including organ transplantation and gene therapy. Entertainment is made available in one’s home to a degree not even imagined by our ancestors.
The speaker indicated the command, for Christians, was to still proclaim the Gospel. The challenge was to do so with the understanding that today’s “hearers” no longer live in a world even remotely similar to 1st century Jerusalem et al! Simply translating the parables and theological “isms” of that time is not enough. Rather, the task is to identify the “truth” of Jesus and Peter and Paul and Lydia and others as it may apply to life in the 21st century.
That task is not easy. It is fraught with hurdles and challenges. It is even scary. Yet, it has always been so! Paul and Peter had to wrestle with Jews and Gentiles. Early leaders had to wrestle when Christianity moved from persecution to being the “state religion”. Theologians and political leaders struggled with a religion that became an empire!
Today we must confront and work with other monotheistic [and even polytheistic] religions that claim legitimacy with God. We must wrestle with claims of modern scientific discoveries about cosmic creation, the human genome, the various factors inherent with/to sexual orientation, the role of family and marriage, etc., etc.
There is no choice as to whether or not this is a time of change. There is a choice, however, when we look on these as times for change.
It has always been scary to be a prophet or preacher or teacher. Such is the nature of our calling.
Our strength is knowing that [a] we do not do it alone and [b] even when we are wrong God sticks with us!

The Henny-Penny Approach to Major Issues

The turmoil of Wall Street and our financial institutions has occupied much of the news these past weeks. We’ve witnessed the sales of Bear Sterns & Merrill Lynch, the government take-over of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the bankruptcy of Lehmann Brothers, the need to under-write AGI, prop up the Money Markets – and now, a move that is identified as the “mother of all” financial moves! An amount of $70 billion [that is $70,000,000,000.00] is proposed to “unclog” the system of “bad” mortgages so the global economy can survive!

This latest proposal is presented to the U.S. Congress with the admonition to pass it ASAP – even sooner if possible. Senators and Representatives are told of all the dire things that can/will happen if they falter or delay its passage. Even while admitting it is beyond the scope of anything ever before proposed – and admitting that it will raise the national debt to $11.3 trillion – the legislation is proposed as a “must-do-now”!

That same urgent rush-to-judgment brought us the Patriot Act [which we later have learned negated some of our basic freedoms] and the Homeland Security Department [which has had troubles responding to almost any crisis]. It supported the notion that we had to invade Iraq.

This same urgency is suggested when dealing with issues of social justice.
Now that some states” courts have affirmed the rights of homosexuals to marry, we are told of an urgency to pass legislation that will “save” the institution of marriage!

Now that modern discoveries and technologies have enabled us to have a truer picture of the writings in Scripture, we are told of the need to affirm that true believers must believe the Bible literally. That God really did create all the universes in just 6 days. That the world is really less than 10,000 years old. That Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Etc. etc.

Most of us learned the story of Henny-penny when we were children. While picking up corn Henny-penny was struck on the head by something; made the decision that the sky was falling; and took off to inform the king. On the way Henny-penny convinced Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles. Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey that her assessment was correct. They, without any attempt to pause and reason, joined her march to the King. Then they met Foxy-woxy! He was able to hi-jack their venture and all but Henny-penny were killed!

It seems increasingly that much of our social responses to problems of crisis is predicated upon the Henny-penny template. Make a snap judgment, based upon a feeling. Avoid taking time to apply reason. Take action that may, or may not, be successful even though its costs, if unsuccessful, will be major.

None of these problems just “arose” over-night. Resolutions must involve reason and not just feelings.

Let’s take a deep breath. Let’s take time to review what we know about the issue. Let’s trust that, together, we can do the necessary task of identifying what really hit us in the head and developing responses that have a better chance of succeeding that the roll of dice at a Las Vegas crap table!

Deadly Sin: Avarice/Greed

All of us, on one level or another, are aware of our reeling economy. Even earlier than the recent headlines about government bailouts or black days on Wall Street, the average Jane/Joe citizen on the street knew we were in trouble!
- climbing fuel prices
- climbing food prices
- work/job layoffs or cut-backs in hours
- increasing interest rates on mortgages and credit cards

Numerous ideas are put forth as causative factors. Among these are the global economy, the addiction to oil and the civil tensions existing in most of the areas where oil exists, the Iraq conflict, the struggle against terrorists... and the list goes on.

Every so often someone mentions "greed" as being the significant cause! "Greed" that is present at every level within our economy.
* From my desire to drive an SUV to a company's desire to increase profits by moving jobs to a country where labor costs are less.
* From our desire to have a 'bigger' tv to a retailer's desire to cut costs thru poverty-level wages or restricted benefits.
* From our desires to keep 'stuff' [just look at the storage unit industry and its growth] to a parish's desire to remain a functioning (?) congregation [with dwindling memberships and rising maintenance costs].

While these are times of anxiety, I find it somewhat comforting to recall that we are not the first to face the consequences of "avarice/greed". The list of sins, considered deadly, can be traced back to the 4th century when monks identified areas that would impede one's spiritual development. It was Pope Gregory I who revised the list to what came to be known as the "Seven Deadly Sins" His order, replicated by Dante, has "avarice/greed" as number 3.

Such a history is comforting, at least in part, because it means there are numerous resources available for assistance in treating or handling or working with this sin!

Resources that help to honestly make the diagnosis that we are a greedy people:
1. When I have a working 32" tv set, do I really need a 42" HDTV?
2. When I have several functioning power saws, must I really buy one more for just one little job?
3. When my retirement income is greater than what some families of 4 make in a year, do I really need to go back to work for pay?

Resources that help to identify what actions to take to begin limiting the control of avarice/greed in my life:
a. Confession! I/we need to say it out loud - "I/we are a greedy people." so that we can begin being "delivered from evil". Only by individually and collectively so confessing will we be able to more successfully fight the many temptations besetting us daily to 'buy more'.
b. Charity! I/we need to move beyong gaining possessions to giving them away. Pick any room in your home or office. Make the commitment to give away 10% of everything in it. Even more - make the commitment to tithe!
c. Involvement! I/we need to become involved in our communities. The isolation helps to maintain our blindness to just how much we have. Helps to keep the focus on "poor me" rather than my neighbor and her & his needs.

Jesus tells us we cannot serve God and mammon! They are incompatible and irresolutely conflictual. That hurts to hear. It demands far more than what I/we are willing to give.

Facing the diagnosis honestly, however, helps me/us develop the awareness that is required from those who claim to wish to follow Jesus. My awareness will not keep me from sin. It will, however, bring me to acts of confession and repentance. Therein lies hope for a better world.

Regardless of how the November election ends, our society will not move beyond its "addiction to stuff" until all of us realize "stuff's" hold on us!

All we want are the facts, Maam

It was impossible for me to "blog" during either of the two political conventions - and to avoid very biased comments! Since all other media outlets had no imposed "silence" periods, you probably had your fill of such comments.
During both conventions my mind kept recalling a phrase from one of my early TV favorites - Sgt. Friday. My first recollection was "Just the facts, Maam." - but a Google search corrected that recall! The phrase used on the show was "All we want are the facts, Maam.". The "Just the facts, Maam" actually came from a spoof on another show.
At both conventions speakers made frequent reference to presenting "facts", always with the assumption that such references were not open to challenge! After all, they were only giving the facts.
A similar assumption was made on the NPR show "Science Friday". A speaker was wondering why some parents were still objecting to having their children vaccinated because of fears about varied concerns. "How," he wondered, "could they be so resistant in the face of the facts!"
Such assumptions are also frequently offered in various religious institutions when discussing contested issues - ie. homosexuality, abortion, literal view of scripture, etc.
All such assumptions are predicated on a belief that "facts" are value-free and can really not be challenged unless "new facts" later arise! Such claims are posited even though there is an admission that "new facts" may be forthcoming.
I am not suggesting that "facts" are unbelievable. I am stating that "facts" do not exist apart from values.
Example: You claim the glass is half full - it has 8 oz of liquid. Your opponent claims the glass is half empty - it, also, has 8 oz of liquid. The "fact" of 8 oz is valid. The judgment of whether or not it is half full or half empty reflects values that seem to claim something more than the 8 oz.
The same assessment can be made re: every assumption made by both political parties as well as religious groups opposed to or supportive of varied positions.
Examples: Governor Palin does have Foreign policy experience because Alaska borders on two other countries - Canada and Russia. The latter is a "fact" - the assumption reflects selective values.
The book of Leviticus does make very clear statements about God's judgment on homosexuality. The same book has many other statements concerning God's judgment re: kosher eating, eating shell fish, disciplining children, etc. Which "fact" we propose obviosuly reflects selective values.
As we enter discussions these next weeks, whether the politics of our nation or the ELCA Statement on Human Sexuality, let's avoid seeking to "win" by citing facts. Rather, seek to understand each other's values that select such facts - and then seek discernment on where there might be agreement.

Disengenuousness or Dishonesty?

"When does the fertilized ovum become human?"
That question is frequently the 'prelude' to ascertaining whether or not the person is for or against abortion. [I refuse to use "pro-life" since almost every woman I counseled as they sought an abortion was "pro-life". Just not this life at this time!]
The person asking the question is, at best, disengenuous - and, more likely, dishonest!
Of course the fertilized ovum is human! What else would it be when one is referring to a pregnant woman? It is certainly not reptilian nor avian nor is it some critter normally found in a zoo. When a human female and a human male procreate, the fertilized ovum is human. Period.
The real question ought to be: "Under what, if any, circumstances might it be legitimate to take that life?"

• The 1973 Supreme Court ruled that during the 1st trimester the mother had absolute authority to determine the future of the pregnancy.
• Many States legalize the taking of life via Capital punishment for certain crimes - usually murder.
• The "Just War" theory allows a nation to enter war when there is sufficient danger to her citizens. In doing so, it recognizes that people will be killed who are non-combatants [so called collateral damage].

On the other "side", former Cardinal Joseph Bernardin said there was a "seamless garment" when one is "pro-life" and that means being against capital punishment, against war, and for a more equitable distribution of "wealth" so that the "least among us" does not starve to death or die from lack of medical attention. Many in the anti-abortion movement firmly and ludly rejected the idea of Cardinal Bernardin.

Framing this complex issue in terms of the "humanity" of the ovum is dishonest.

Recognizing that none of us are sinless, the ELCA recognizes the struggle and turmoil for those facing such an issue. While clearly stating it is to be avoided, if possible, it does not abandon the woman who believes she must choose to abort. It even goes further than just "not abandoning" her! It recognizes that she remains a child of God, deserving love and acceptance from the church community. She is not a pariah.

In the 1970s it was possible for people of faith to discuss the abortion issue; to identify those areas in which there could be agreement [greater education on contraception and sex; and the need for support programs for women who chose to abort]; and to work together towards creating a society in which every child - every person - is honored and treated with love and care.

We need to work towards renewing a society in which such conversations can be had so we can focus our energy on the even greater issues of hunger and poverty and violence.