Are all the surprises over?

I have recently been reading Journey to Ixtlan by Carlo Castenada. I was supposed to read it 28 years ago when I was taking a college course entitled, "Native Americans" but I don't think I did. Or if I did, I am sure I didn't give much effort to understanding it.

There is actually a great story behind this too. When I started college, I had no idea what I wanted to study. After my freshman year, I decided to major in Environmental Studies (which was a pretty obscure major back then). I liked the subject matter and figured that I might become a park ranger or something but I hated going to the science labs.

The labs were three hours each and always in the afternoon which played havoc on my primary interest...athletics. I had also been taking some history and religion courses as part of the general education requirements. These were more interesting to me than even science and they had no labs so by the second semester of my sophomore year, I had declared a double-major in History and Religion.

I imagined the two fields to be complimentary. And they were to a degree. However, my primary historical interest was American History and the American History professor at the college was the wayward son of a Lutheran pastor. He not only despised Christianity, he fully imagined himself as some kind of Indian sorcerer. I trust that he got the idea from the the real or fictitious character of Don Juan--the desert mystic upon which Castenada's writings are centered.

So anyway, that was my college education. Half the time, I spent learning Christianity's relevance to the world and, half the time, I spent listening to my American History professor insist that it was the bane of human existence--though I think this was more my professor's baggage than a reflection of Don Juan's own sentiments..

There are many quotable statements in Journey to Ixtlan. In fact, I might have simply listed the chapter titles (Erasing Personal History, Losing Self-Importance are two of the first three!). Here is one of the statements from the book that has got me thinking:

On Erasing Personal History:

"You see," he went on, "we only have two alternatives; we either take everything for sure and real, or we don't. If we follow the first, we end up bored to death with ourselves and the world. If we follow the second and erase personal history, we create a fog around us, a very exciting and mysterious state in which nobody knows where the rabbit will pop out, not even ourselves." (p. 17)

I think that a great challenge in our time is freshness. Is it because we have a hard time imaging that something could really be new? Or is it simply that nothing really is? I like Don Juan's comment because I do not know how to feel about it. But I cannot argue with his logic. If we do not take everything as for sure and real, it certainly makes the the world more interesting--though it also makes it a bit less stable as well.

This will be an interesting year. There are simply too many omens and uncertainties to ignore them all. Here's wishing you a very NOT BORING New Year!

Christmas in the Camp

[Spoiler alert: Christmas falls on a Sunday this year. Therefore some of the following is likely to be repeated on Christmas Day 2011. If you prefer your sermons uber fresh, you might want to wait until Monday to read this. It was not my intent to write a sermon but sometimes it just goes with the territory...]

In the film, "Schindler's List," the main character finds himself drug into a world of suffering. He doesn't go looking for the suffering. In fact, he initially finds himself financially blessed by the Nazi war effort and the subsequent slave labor created by the Jewish Ghetto.

As the story turn even darker, and Amon Goeth arrives to oversee the construction of a concentration camp, Oskar probably begins to see the inhumanity and evil that is connected to his own good fortune. Nevertheless, he intends to bifurcate his own story from that of the Jews who are working in his factory. The rationale is simple. Schindler is a German and a businessman. Although what is happening around him is sad, it doesn't concern him personally... Or so he tries to believe.

However, the worse things get, the more Oskar finds that the world is shared--that those who benefit from the Nazi regime are, in fact, connected to those who are suffering under it. Though he might want to believe that his story is distinct and separate from the men and women working in his factory, his experience increasingly demonstrates otherwise. Perhaps despite himself, Oskar Schindler comes to realize that he sincerely cares about these people. Their suffering is his suffering.

This identification with the other is, I believe, at the heart of the Christmas message. It is God's identification with us--and especially with our plight--that makes the Christian message unique. Yet, it is also what makes it universal. The Gospel story emerges from a specific tradition but the message that it declares belongs to all of Creation. And he shall be called Immanuel--God with us...

I realize that Occupy Wall Street is something of a political issue for some, and an enigma to others. I do not know all the ins and outs of the movement but there are some aspects that I certainly respect. I respect people standing up for what they believe--even when they may not be able to exactly articulate what that is. I respect people who work peacefully for change in the world and refuse to be defined by others simply because they have more power and influence. And I respect that the OWS people have given all of us something to think about by using the simple ratio 99-1.

To suggest that there might be a ratio to describe injustice is a provocative claim. To point out the considerable distance between the many and the few in this regard is, I think, a revelation in our time. The way that I have been describing it of late, is to invite us to think of a refugee camp. To imagine that there is a vast enclosed space--probably not unlike a prison, except that this prison is so enormous and so full of stuff that we never actually see the fences.

What the OWS folks have done by lifting up that ratio of 99-1 is to point out the fences. They dare us to consider that we too are probably a part of the poor and the disenfranchised. This is a startling consideration. For we might say that in the world there is something like a refugee camp. And we might acknowledge that a great many of the world's people are living in it. But can we see ourselves living in it right now? A strange, and perhaps unwelcome, suggestion. Yet, if the world really is divided into the 99 and the 1 (or the 999 million and the one), then things are not as they seem--and we are not who we imagine ourselves to be. In fact, if this is true, then we are the very people that we very often look down up-on and disregard...

That's the news. But this news is not all bad. And for a number of reasons.

First, the Good News here is that Jesus is born in Bethlehem. So it appears that God identifies with (or maybe even favors) the refugees. But that's not all, if we come to understand ourselves as refugees, things look different. Suddenly we begin to see that perhaps everyone we know lives in the same camp with us. And, therefore, we have a connection with others that we may have never really seen before.

Like Oskar, we might have initially assumed that we would be better off identifying with the people who are running things . But at some point, we begin to catch glimpses. We see what the system is doing to people--not only to others but to ourselves as well. We come to realize that we too are being run.

It is an important day when we see how much we have in common with the person getting our coffee. It is a really important day when we come to see how much we have in common with the person picking the beans for that coffee. And it is a painfully important day when we come to see how much we have in common with people who have suffered and died to place that same coffee on our table.

Initially, it might be frightful--the revelation. But then it becomes a blessing. Because we can then see that we have many more friends and a much larger family than we once understood. We begin to understand why solidarity matters and why justice is a worthwhile goal. Peace, too, becomes a more tangible and needful desire. The world gets clear and we begin to look for and work for something better--something very much like the Kingdom that Jesus proclaims...

Of poppies and pop culture

Yesterday, our children's choir led our worship at Saint Francis. And I do mean led. The message that they brought was the message that many of us--myself included--needed specifically to hear. They sang a piece entitled, "Don't Miss the Manger." While the song might have drifted to the kind of sentimentality that we tend to associate with children and Christmas, the truth is that it turned out to be a powerful and prophetic lesson, especially to the terminally jaded in our midst.

Religion is dangerous stuff. It can so easily be reduced and manipulated. Marx called it "the opiate of the masses." He is generally criticized for the statement but that is just because what he says is so potentially true.

A friend recently forwarded me an article entitled, Americans: Undecided About God? from the New York Times. He notes how little God is mentioned in our society. He suggests that people should be more willing to talk about God in public but then quickly acknowledges the challenge given the simplistic and obnoxious expressions of spirituality currently representing the public sphere. The article is essentially an appeal for a better standard when it comes to religion. The writer suggests that many of us might want to discuss God more openly but we just cannot bring ourselves to do so when religion in our time appears to be so embarrassing.

I understand his assessment though I disagree with the solutions that he offers. It is tough though. It is hard to argue with anyone who sees the cheesy and sleazy that so often accompanies the world of religion. This is not really new though. Those who would aspire to a spiritual journey have always had to put in the extra time and work around the quicksand.

It's always easy to criticize religion. This is because, like politics, loud expressions of religion always give folk so much to work with. But have you noticed the secular lately? Not really looking much better over there. Turn on television and take a look at that stuff. There is no monopoly when it comes to the dumbing-down of America...

Frankly, I feel for anyone out there floundering in this sea of drivel. Believers and atheists alike have very little to choose from. It takes some work to find the higher ground. And, of course, for those of us who would follow Jesus, higher ground is something of an oxymoron anyway.

So what does it look like? Authentic life? True spirituality? How do we listen for a God who might speak somewhat softer than the experts would have us believe? And who might also be a bit more sophisticated than the intellectuals are counting on?

Jesus admonishes his would-be followers to be "wise as serpents; harmless as doves." So it probably takes some effort to rise above the noise out there. But I believe that it is worth it. It's "the good fight" if you will--to see beyond the cynical as well as the simple.

I was moved by our kids yesterday. They reminded me that I need to curb my condescension. That I am not as smart as I think I am, nor am I as safe. When the silliness drives us half-mad, it is easy to become self-righteous. But cynicism is a trap that is no better than ignorance.

I think that the truth is, we all need help. Let's not miss the manger.

Still Cynical? Here's Natalie Merchant offering a somewhat dated but always spot-on commentary on the human condition Candy Everybody Wants

50 Questions To Free Your Mind

Some healthy food for the thought. Because sometimes asking the right questions is the right answer:

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
22. Why are you, you?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
25. What are you most grateful for?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
32. If not now, then when?
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
48. What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
50. Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?
[I found this at http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/07/13/50-questions-that-will-free-your-mind/ though I am not sure this was the original source.]

Integrity

I want to begin by apologizing for anyone who slogs through my comments this week. Our administrative assistant--who is a wonderful person btw--was out of town for Thanksgiving when I began writing this. I also want to apologize for the length that this is likely to be. Though it may not seem it, I generally do try to stay focused. But this is liable to get long and trying. So use your judgment here. If you begin to feel exhausted or bored--or, if you find that my thoughts here make you want to like me less--then please go do something else. We live in an age that is devoted to superficiality. So while I am passionate and feel that my reading comments here are important, they're probably not important enough to trade for the patience of my friends.

Clarification: The word integrity is most often used as a moral qualifier. It references a measure of trustworthiness. However, I am pretty sure that this is actually a derivative meaning. The word fundamentally refers to the concept of wholeness or singleness, as in a chemical compound or solution. To have integrity means to be more consistent and less polluted. A person of integrity is solid in their constitution and understandable in their speech because they carry themselves and speak from a center that is whole.

I begin here because I believe that one of the best ways of understanding our world today is to note that it is seriously lacking in integrity. What I mean here is not merely that people do not tell the truth or that they have mixed motives and agendas. I mean, rather, that the very framework of our reality is severely polluted. Our society seems to be functioning out of corrupted center. It may have always been thus but if it has, I have not always been aware of it.

To explain what I mean here, I offer three simple questions to consider. To what extent are we being lied to by the powers? To what extent are these people aware that they are doing this? And to what extent do we, the people, care?

To what extent are we being lied to?
There are three ways to answer the first question. We are either not lied to; we are somewhat lied to; or we are considerably lied to. Certainly, some believe that everything that we are told by the powers (political leaders, economic experts, and the media) is true but this, it seems to me, is a small percentage of people--at least of the handful of folks reading this blog.

Most folks probably assume that there is some misrepresentations afoot. We may even believe that this is o.k. Perhaps we assume that our leaders have our best interests at heart so if they have to lie in order to protect or serve the larger good in some way, we can accept that. I am not in agreement with this philosophy but that is not even my primary concern at this point. I am rather wondering at what point somewhat becomes considerable. For sadly, it seems that we are seeing more and more evidence that much of what we see and hear from power these days is either a complete lie or some kind of derivative of a previous lie. (When I refer to the powers here, I am not talking merely about politics. I am referring to the entire structure: geo-political and corporate-economic.)

To what extent are these people aware that they are lying?
While the initial question is uncomfortable enough, the second is even more disconcerting. I do not want to belabor this but I do want those of us who are interested to think about the ramifications. You see, the assumption is that people in leadership positions know what they are doing. By this, I mean that they are the agents of the ideas that they present and the policies that they put into place.

In this regard, we might say that such leaders are people of integrity. Because even if we do not agree with them, they are still speaking sincerely from their own center. Or, to put it another way, we would trust that these people believe their own nonsense even if no one else does.

Of course, another possibility is that these people are intentionally lying. That they are either acting insincerely themselves or they are being coerced in some way to betray their own integrity. The examples here would be, first, a leadership that believes lying is expediently necessary for the greater good or, second, a proxy leadership that has been secured through blackmail or bribery.

There is actually a third possibility as well. It might be possible that these people have somehow already lost their integrity (their center). That it has been replaced by something else and therefore they cannot recognize their own lies.

A common way to think about this third example is to speak of a puppet. We have all probably heard reference to "political puppets." This is certainly an appropriate metaphor but I am thinking here of something a step beyond even that. I am thinking of people who may not even comprehend the ways in which they are being used by some other person or some other force. [If it is possible that leadership can be so completely compromised, then imagine the condition of those who are following...] This brings us to the final question.

To what degree do we care?
Some would say that the details are of little concern to the people--that as long as things are going well (or well enough), it does not matter whether or not our leaders are lying. This, btw, is very relevant to the current situation. For it seems that the greater constituency of our society is quite happy to allow anything to be done in its name as long as they can somehow see themselves participating in the benefits.

For example, when we read about things like war and torture, a denial of civil rights or national autonomy, we are numbed by the illusion that what we are reading about does not pertain to us. Someone tells us that these things are going on somewhere else and that because of this, our lives are somehow better. We then instinctively believe not only that the claim is true but that these otherwise negative images in no way apply to us--that because these other people are being warred upon and tortured and denied of civil rights, these things are somehow further away from us.

This is disconcerting and, I think, misunderstood. It is foolish to imagine that the wickedness that we let loose on the world will not someday arrive upon our own doorstep. And I fear that such a time is closer than many of us realize.

What is happening?
For some time now, the citizens of our society have been systematically scared into a state of compliance. And once scared, we have little energy to question laws that continue to reduce our freedom. So the great irony is that while we are being told that we are waging all these wars "for our freedom," the fact is that we are becoming less and less free. Therefore, through legally justified ends, we are circumventing moral questions and our society is giving way to tyranny. And because much of our society is thoroughly distracted (with anxiety, entertainment and hedonism), a lot of this is going largely unchecked.

Meanwhile, I sense that there are very real practical and humanitarian consequences for all of this. I am writing now mostly for my own clarification. I guess if I am willing to say some of these things out-loud, then I must actually be considering them. It is kinda like I am pinching myself and asking, "am I really seeing this?" It is a bit surreal.

So I offer my thoughts here to anyone who might be able to set me straight on all this. Tell me I am just seeing things. But first let me tell you what I am seeing...

First Case In Point--WAR:
Are we hearing these highly charged comments about Iran (or Syria or Pakistan or China)? Does it strike us as curious (dangerous?) that supposedly left-of-center politicians seem to have nearly identical ideas about Iran that supposedly right-of-center politicians have? Are we really to imagine that these men and women have spent hours and hours pouring over the facts and have come to this conclusion?

Our public leadership is now talking about Iran in the same ways that we have already heard people talk about Iraq and Libya and Afghanistan and other places. In the days in which I have been working on this, NATO has apparently done something in Pakistan as well. Do you or anyone you know really want to go with war with Iran? Oh, and China keeps coming up too... Where does all this love of bloodshed come from? Who is interested in this? And who is going to benefit?

I recently saw a video in which Michele Bachmann stated that Iraq should reimburse the US for the cost of the war there. An interesting suggestion given the apparent facts. Has it not been pretty much settled that Iraq had nothing to do with 911 and that there were no weapons of mass destruction... So let me get this straight, we have someone running for a major office in this country who believes that it is o.k. to wage unjustified war, thoroughly destroy another country's infrastructure, kill hundreds of thousands of people, and then demand some kind of reimbursement for the trouble. Is this the world we now live in?

BTW, this is not partisan. Democrats and Republicans alike all seem wildly enthusiastic about violence these days. Meanwhile, average people are suffering greatly. Run a searches on what returning soldiers are saying about their time in Iraq. Remember when war used to be bad?

Maybe we can comfort ourselves with some nonsense about keeping us safe. But from what exactly...

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/11/congress-to-vote-next-week-on-explicitly-creating-a-police-state.html

http://www.infowars.com/senate-moves-to-allow-military-to-intern-americans-without-trial/

Second Case in Point--Banking Cartels:
There is a push to centralize Europe. It is coming from the global financial interests. There is also a more subtle interest in doing a similar thing with the U.S., Canada and Mexico. [Don't take my word for it. Do a little research on The North American Union and see what you think. BTW, I like Canada and Mexico, I just think stuff like this should be more open.]

In connection to Case in Point #1, the interest in both European and North American politics these days is driven by the financial world. I realize that it is cliche' to talk about the evil power of banks but it is getting harder to ignore that money is part of all this. Take a look at what is/has happened in Greece and Italy. Those are not haphazard replacement parts. Iceland might be the best example. The thing to think about here is how interest works (pun intended). Bankers do not do things out of the goodness of their hearts, Human Nature 101 suggests that people want things and they make deals that help them get what they want. And the more they get, the more they have to "secure." And the more people have to secure, the less tolerant they are with volatility.

Oh, and did you see this?

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/business/2011/11/bank-bailout-was-way-bigger-anyone-thought/45432/

In case you are tired of all the links, the number in the article is nearly $8 trillion. So what do all those people who were in such a hurry to crucify the Madoff family want to do with the people responsible here?

Third Case in Point--Repression:
This one is harder to see because things have been warming slowly--kinda like frogs in a pot. It is getting more obvious though...

http://current.com/community/93556545_time-magazine-changes-revolution-redux-cover-for-us-print-only.htm

http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/senators-demand-military-lock-american-citizens-battlefield-they-define-being

There also appears to be a bill out there to give the authorities more power to control the Internet

http://insearchofsimplicity.com/tag/congressional-bill-to-limit-internet-use/

Not long ago, someone sat me down to tell me about some of the things that I am doing wrong as a pastor. Several of her points were helpful and I appreciated this person's courage to speak with me. However, one of the things she noted was that I had made some reference to politics in one of my sermons and she didn't like this.

I wasn't sure exactly what she meant because although I certainly do address worldly issues, I make it a point to avoid anything that might be construed as partisan. I do this because I don't want to give people an excuse to ignore the help that I am trying to offer them. That... and I am actually doubtful that we even have a two-party system anymore.

Anyway, the truth is that social commentary been an important part of theological and spiritual work for as long as people have believed in God. Just about every person who is referenced in the Bible is there because he/she had something to say about the world around them. And it was generally not favorable.

In this way, saying that politics and religion don't mix is a statement about a natural tension that exists. It is probably a healthy tension given that both of these strong arms of human civilization have, at times, abused their power.

In Jesus' parable of the Great Judgment, the nations of the earth are brought collectively before the throne of God. I do not know whether the judgment will have anything to do with our regional or national affiliations, but just in case, I would prefer to go down as being a part of a peace-loving and just society.

Don't Feed The Trolls

This past Sunday afternoon, I made it downtown to check out the Occupy Charlotte gathering. I wish that I could say that I did this on my own initiative but the truth is that a gentleman in the church had been discussing the situation in a class that he was teaching and had come to me seeking some direction on how he and others might reach out to these people in an appropriate way. I told him that I thought that idea was great and that I wanted to support his class in any way that I could. It turned out that the best way was to physically go with him to meet and talk with some of these people.

Initially, the plan was to provide a simple worship experience on site for those who might appreciate it. However, when we arrived, it became clear that this was not the best way forward. Instead, we sat with a group of people who were actually having something of a strategic planning session. They were using the technique of role-playing to think about some of the challenges facing their goals. It was really quite interesting and inspiring. Because it was clear that they wanted to express their concerns without breaking laws and drawing negative attention to their efforts. The role-playing helped to reveal some of the traps that would likely emerge simply because of the many different people involved.

After about 40 minutes or so, the training session was over and everyone left their "character" parts to discuss more practical matters such as their weekly meeting--they called it a General Assembly. The woman who was leading the training assumed that my friend and I were reporters because we had not really introduced ourselves yet. I explained that I was rather a pastor and explained the story of how we came to be there. While the people were very nice, it was clear that there was an undercurrent of suspicion. It reminded me that Christianity still has a long way to go in terms of restoring its reputation among many people. However, the more we talked the more comfortable everyone became. We stayed a while longer and then turned back toward our car to drive home. As I was leaving, I was struck by the difficulty of their path and the remarkable dedication that it is going to take to accomplish some of the change they and many others are looking for.

There were only about 20 or 30 people at the site when we were there. There were eight or so of us in the middle of the grounds working in the role-playing session--a couple of folks on chairs, the rest of us sitting directly on the ground. There were three or four folks standing near the street holding signs and the rest of the camp was doing other things such as working with the main shelter that held food and other supplies and simply talking amongst themselves.

Every few minutes, someone would drive by and shout something negative from a car--predictable things like "Get a Job you lazy..." To which one or another person from the camp would shout something back at them. At one point, after this had escalated somewhat, one of the women in the training session said, "Don't feed the trolls." Her statement stood out. It was clear that she was trying to encourage the camp to stay focused and not let the movement and the people drift to a lower level of purpose. She didn't say anything more or harangue those of the group that had let their frustration get the best of them but she did make her point. Shouting back negative things at cars was not going to accomplish their goals.

Don't feed the Trolls... I am not even sure I know what that phrase means but it immediately made sense to me. It reminded me of my own temptation to return fire with fire, idiocy with idiocy, hate for hate. And it is hard sometimes because trolls (and they come in many forms!) can truly get annoying. But the fact is that feeding them just encourages them, doesn't it? Seeing the rise out of us fuels their appetite for destruction and negative energy. Seeing us loose our composure and sink a level or two only serves to assure them that there suspicions about us are correct.

This was something that the early Church constantly had to struggle with. It is something that the Church always has to struggle with. The world is watching. And there are those who enjoy nothing more than catching Christians behaving badly. BTW, there are trolls in in the church too.

So what do we do? I don't think the point is to simply take the abuse (though, according to the Sermon on the Mount, it might be). But we do need to be careful about how we respond. Because the message always includes the package that it comes in. Sometimes folks are simply not listening. Other times, they are just hoping to drag you down. It is at these points that we must resist the temptation to feed that negativity. Because the fact is, it's just tough to change the world by shouting at passing cars.

For those who are curious, I respect what folks are trying to do in the various Occupy sites. I sense that they are facing an enormously uphill battle. But I like the fact that people stand up for what they believe and what they believe in. It seems to me that we are living through some challenging times and we really do need some change. I do not know what is going to come of all this but it is my sincere hope that it does not turn us all into trolls.

Some Fine Morning

I had breakfast this morning with a number of men from our church. After we had finished, one of the gentleman waited to speak to me. He asked me if I was O.K. I was a little surprised because we all had a great breakfast, pretty-much laughing all the way through it. I wondered what kind of aura I was giving off.

I replied that I was fine and that I actually felt very good. To which he agreed and said that he sensed the same but just wanted to check. After we talked for a while, I got in the car to drive to work and realized that I really did feel good. I then went on to have a great morning--talking to others, catching up with some friends via email and then having the time to work on my blog.

All that positive reinforcement strangely reminded me of how sometimes it seems that just when our work is over and we might have some time for rest that we are called home. I briefly considered that my present joy might perhaps be a sign of some imminent demise... Of course, that is just the kind of morbid thought that I would expect from myself on an otherwise perfect day!

But it is not altogether crazy. Think of MLK's final sermon or Kennedy's warning to the country shortly before his death. Think of Jesus' important work and how just when it seemed that the disciples might be getting it that he was soon saying goodbye to them.

I remember well the last conversation that I ever had with my dad. I remember leaving the house thinking that I had never seen him so much at peace. The next thing I knew I was getting a call at college from my mom telling me that he had had a heart attack. Strange...

I certainly do not sense that my work on this earth is done--I probably won't even get it done, even if I live another forty or fifty years. Still though, it is something to think about. That we all have some stuff to work on down here. And when it is accomplished, it will be time to go home.

Death is a taboo subject in our modern world. We go out of our way to make sure that we only see things that are full of youth and health, vitality and vigor. It is no longer enough that we watch all those shows about celebrities, we now have shows that update us on what is happening with celebrities when they are not doing shows... Coincidentally, I received an email today from one of the local plastic surgery offices, the subject line read, "You can be Beautiful for the Holidays & Save." Since I am having such a good day, I am going to assume that it was SPAM and not the universe trying to tell me something!

Of course, the truth is that death is part of life. And while I am in no hurry to experience it, I also do not want to let it secretly enslave me. What I mean here is that our fear of death can actually keep us from living life. And fear itself is very likely a form of death. In this way, Christian claims about resurrection and eternal life are probably profound truths that we are just beginning to understand.

For those who are looking for the "practical point" in all of this, here it is: In several places, Jesus makes reference to the surprise of the Gospel. Most familiar here, is his statement, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." (Lk:24) But Jesus puts it slightly different later in Luke's Gospel, stating, "Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it." (Lk. 17:33)

I sense that there is more here than we generally see. Of course, we understand this in terms of final things. But is not what Jesus is saying here also true in daily or common things? When we think of free people, or people who are truly alive, do we think of people who are all bound-up and worried about things, strategically trying to secure everything and insuring the future? Or, do we rather think of the people that we know who venture their lives--people who, by casting aside fear and anxiety, invest themselves in the people and the worthwhile projects around them? People, who in a sense, die to themselves and thereby also die to their fears.

Alison reminds us of the beautiful craziness of all this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdRdqp4N3Jw

More than a whisper

Sometimes God sends us just the right surprise at just the right time. These are gifts that sustain us or, at least, provide us sustenance along the journey. These can come in a number of forms--usually one that makes some kind of sense to us.

I've lately been reading a book entitled, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." The story is simple really. It is essentially a novel told in the form of a diary. Charlie has recently entered high school and he is something of a freak. Or, at least, he is told as much by his older sister--and perhaps half the kids in the school he attends, though he doesn't mention this in the diary. Of course, what makes Charlie freaky is simply the fact that he does not fit with whatever it is that identifies the center-point of the world that he must navigate. As this world continues to unfold before him, Charlie feels its weight. Maybe we all do; but we don't all write about it. Most of us don't even talk about it.

For Charlie, the gifts along his journey often come to him in the form of what he calls good music. There is nothing more valuable in Charlie's life than a thoughtfully considered mix-tape. Even in my forties, I can greatly relate. Sometimes I get the sense that there is no one who could stand to hear about all the stuff going on inside my head--except maybe God. But I figure even he gets sick of hearing from me--at least about some things. So I guess every now and then, he sends me a good mix tape.

Here are some of the treasure maps that have kept me going and reminded me that I am not the only freak out there.
so i stumble home at night
like i've stumbled through my life
with ghosts and visions in my sight
we are always living in twilight
"Twilight," The Weepies

Jesus says Mother I couldn't stay another day longer
Fly's right by me and leaves a kiss on her face
While the angels are singing his praises in a blaze of glory
Mary stays behind and starts cleaning up the place
"Mary," Patti Griffin

Oh people, look among you
It's there your hope must lie
There's a sea bird above you
Gliding in one place like Jesus in the sky
We all must do the best we can
And then hang on to that Gospel plow
When my life is over, I'm going to stand before the Father
But the sisters of the sun are going to rock me on the water now
"Rock Me On The Water," Jackson Browne

I know I got a bad reputation
And it isn't just talk, talk, talk
If I could only give you everything
You know I haven't got
"Bad Reputation," Freddy Johnston

Oh, give me more than a whisper
If your sayin', I love you
'Cause it's the whispers
That I've never understood
"More Than A Whisper," Nanci Griffith

Our Greatest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. (Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles", Harper Collins, 1992. [From Chapter 7, Section 3])

According to Wiki, this quotation and various pieces of it have been used over and over again and attributed to everyone from W.E.B. Du Bois to Nelson Mandela. However, it's original source--or, at least in the complete statement here, comes from Marianne Williamson.

I include the quotation as somewhat of a continuation of a sermon that I preached yesterday entitled, "Who do you favor." In that sermon, I tried to extrapolate on Jesus' underscoring of the scriptural claim that we have been made in the likeness or the image of God. Even though the sermon was long--longer than I wanted it to be anyway, I still felt that I did not have enough time to even begin to explain the possible joys (and potential pitfalls) of such a claim.

Frankly, I trembled a bit preaching that sermon. Even though the statement is entirely scriptural, there is just something nerve-racking about suggesting that we might be something more than wretched sinners saved by grace. And we are most certainly that. But having been claimed by this grace, do we dare lift our heads? Or, are we better off remaining on our knees, praying that God will not change his mind and lap them off?

It is a struggle is it not? How do we remain humble and always grateful; while, at the same, time daring to lift our hearts and step forward in courageous faith?

I think that this is why Williamson's words are so often quoted by motivating coaches and commencement speakers, politicians and poets alike. For it states aloud something that is surely true for many of us. Namely, that is not limitation but potential that is the more crippling. It is fear of our light--a light that has been dimmed so thoroughly within us that we might have forgotten it is there.

Part of this, of course, is well-intended. Often times, we squelch the light because we have seen how it can be misused in one way or another. Rather than a beacon, it can be used as a flood lamp or pulsating neon marquis, pointing not to the wonder and glory of God but rather drawing attention only to itself. We see well who we do not wish to be. And this keeps us from risking any of who we are...

But at the same time, there is something within us that resonates with Williamson's words. We know that she is right. And we would embrace her invitation--if only we knew how to rightly reveal the light that surely must be within us.

Jesus' tells a parable in which three people are given three different sums. They are then sent into the world, apparently with the expectation of doing something with them. One of the three takes what has been entrusted and buries it in the ground so that it will not be lost--a reasonable response, particularly given the bearish nature of our times! But in the story, this is not acceptable. Indeed, those who ventured their gift are praised while the one who hid it is judged very harshly-- "even what you have will be taken away."

We get it. Life is for living. But perhaps the investment in not so hard. Perhaps God is calling us not to create the light or borrow it from someone else. Perhaps, the nature of the light or the investment that Jesus refers to, is simply that which has been given uniquely to us. In other words, maybe our contributions flow from our unique passions and the very things that we long to share. What a great revelation this would be! In this way, the return is not what I produce but how who I am has brought light into the world in one way or another.

Help us, O Lord. Help us to be who we really are...

BTW, I took that picture this weekend at Table Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Militant Religion

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Phil. 2:12-13)

Caution: This is one of those PG-13 entries. But not for the usual reasons...

I recently came across a strange article. The headline read, "Jesus Antichrist: Does Joel’s Army Actually Worship Satan?" Nothing like extremists using extreme language to talk about other extremists.

I seriously heard the term "Dominionism" for the first time less than a year ago. [As I am writing this, I see that the spellchecker on Blogger doesn't even recognize the word yet!] The term was brought to my attention by a friend who's reading of and experience with Christianity has been less than encouraging. After he explained it to me, I actually did not believe that it was real. Or, if it was, it had to be very fringe. I didn't give it another thought.

And then I found this article--which is actually a link to a two-hour documentary. I have thus far only seen the first 45 minutes. It was all I could take. The video shows preachers and ecstatic worship services interwoven with scripture references and occasional commentary. Additionally, the video shows lots of young people in skits, worship experiences and even prophetic utterances. Time and again, the focus of the message is that God is raising up a "new breed" with a "special destiny." The imagery and references are consistently to some kind of Christian army.

It was creepy to watch. It was creepy to see how easily religion can be distorted. It was especially creepy to see that children are apparently an integral part of all this.

It is always a risk for Christians to raise question with what might be going on over there in some other corner of the Church. I readily admit this. And I readily admit that I am not sure what God is (or is not) up to in the various expressions of spirituality that pop up from time to time. However, it does seem appropriate for anyone who is serious about the spiritual life to honestly consider whether or not the message that they are listening to, and potentially acting upon, really matches the faith they are claiming to profess.

In this regard, it is hard for me to look at the Jesus we see in the Gospels and see a militant being. It is hard for me to listen to the Jesus who offers us the Sermon on the Mount or sits with his friends on the eve of his betrayal and imagine that this same figure might one day demand that his followers traipse wildly across the globe like a swarm of runaway locusts.

Like I said, I do not claim to know exactly what God is doing at any given moment. All I know to do is consult the scriptures, consider the historic faith of the church and listen for the voice of the Spirit.

Jesus said, "many are called but few are chosen." I have never been especially happy about this because it suggests that there is an element of the spiritual life that transcends what might otherwise be readily seen. In other words, it is apparently possible to imagine ourselves to be faithful and true, when we are in fact missing the mark.

Paul's words in Philippians 2 are important. Whereas he is often telling people exactly what to think and believe, here he seems to step back and give us all some room. We are here reminded that we are, at least partly, responsible for our discipleship and faithfulness. As we all work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, it is my sincere hope that we be guided by the true and Holy Spirit of God.

Let (us) Be

Interesting days we are living in...

I find myself spending a lot of time talking about things like the economy, the social and political climate and, of course, how we as Christians might think about all of this. While I am happy to do so (and feel free to send questions and comments, BTW), I am also mindful to be cautious. One of the most needful and least appreciated aspect of the Christian (human?) life is peace and peace of mind. While many people seem anxiously focused on what to do, I sense that a great many others long simply to be.

The point is not necessarily idleness. It is rather a healthy gratitude and fascination with life itself. In honor of this, I am going to resist the urge to blog on about this that and the other. Instead, I thought I would offer some resources that might help us re-appreciate simply being. I am shooting for stuff you have probably not seen, heard or discovered yet.

Films:

"Henry Poole is Here" (Drama) Luke Wilson has done some amazing work--most of it disguised by the unassuming approach he often takes. This film is powerful. Bring tissue.

"Moneyball" (Drama) What? This movie is still in theaters! Ah, but have you seen it? I understand the book is very good as well... What they did with the film is an important reminder that courage is sometimes a thankless virtue. It also makes a subtly hopeful statement about family.

"Joe vs. the Volcano" (Comedy) When I first came to Saint Francis, I hung two posters in my office. This was one of them. It was confusing to a lot of people... So is the Gospel.

"A Life Less Ordinary" (Comedy) Probably a strange choice given the amount of violence and overall stress in the film. However, watching the characters traverse the challenges of their situations reminds us how hungry we are just to be. And, in the process, the film also points toward grace. Can it be that in the midst of our seemingly impossible stories, God really is trying to work out some good?

"Desert Blue" (Drama/Comedy) Perhaps my favorite example of "you have probably never heard seen this." The story is set in an extremely tiny desert town and centers around the lives of young people. Remember when friendship was the only thing that really mattered?

"Interstate 60" (Comedy) Another example you have almost certainly never seen. Beware though, this film does not shy away from profanity. The opening scene involves a post-Parkinson's Michael J. Fox cursing his eyes out. It is hard even for me to watch. Keep going though--this film might just restore your hope in your own future. No connection to the BTTF series. I am not kidding though--this film is not intended for your teenager or your mom.

"Million Dollar Baby" (Drama) I know, there should be no Academy Award winning stories on this list but in his old-age, Clint Eastwood has become one of the premier story-tellers of our time. You can also see "Unforgiven," "Gran Torino" and the highly under-rated "Bronco Billy." All love stories really, just not in the traditional sense.

-------------------------------------------------
These last few are only for the die-hards. If you could not find something to get you through the weekend in the above list, then you are not likely to be encouraged here. But if you are learning to enjoy your own company, try these:

"Kicking and Screaming" (Comedy) This is NOT the Will Ferrell movie. It was a film done in 1995 about a bunch of guys who recently graduate from college. (Kicking and Screaming--get it?) It is kind of a man-flick. But it does poke fun at how self-involved we men can be so women might like that. The film is directed by Noah Baumbach who is famous and hated for his obsession with dialogue. Imagine listening to one of my sermons for two hours--only funnier and with quotable quotes!

"The Big Empty" (Think sci-fi comedy here). This is a weird film but I find myself popping it in the DVD about once every three months or so. For those of us still wondering who we are and what we are doing here, this might just be our film.

"True Romance" (Adventure) O.K., you might have seen this but it was a long time ago. It is filthy--blood, guts and morally suspect people. But its also got Elvis obsession, a convertible and Brad Pitt in his shortest role to date. Most importantly, it has a really, really good ending. And let's face it, we're all romantics at heart.

Songs:

With the wonderful world of YouTube, it is now possible to not only hear any song you want at any time, you can usually find someone singing it as well or, at least, enjoy pretty pictures while you are listening...

"Heavenly Day" (Patty Griffin) Go to YouTube and search it right now. It will make all the time you have wasted reading this blog suddenly worthwhile. Then you can spend the rest of your week listening to the other 200 songs that she has written and recorded, most of them just as good!

"The Wing and the Wheel" (Nanci Griffith) These really are two different people. The Wing and the Wheel is melancholy in verse but it will leave you strangely hopeful about everything you have been through.

"Don't Look Back in Anger" (Oasis) I don't think Oasis ever wrote a bad song. It was tough to choose one here but this seems to especially go with the whole be theme. If it doesn't do the trick, try the acoustic version of "Slide Away"... Amazing.

"Rain King" (Counting Crows) Fast, feel good song. Besides you have probably heard the other possibilities. "A Long December" is also great but the list is already a little long on slow and sad.

Of course, the Beatles wrote a song about all this. It's pretty good too.

Peace,

Mark

Profiles and Timelines

I need to begin with a brief word of clarification. My use of the word, "profile," here is in it's less common form. I mean visibility, as in a higher or lower profile, rather than in reference to a pattern or characteristic of some kind.

I recently came across an interesting suggestion concerning the Christ event. The person suggested that what happened was only a partial victory. That Jesus' victory was not complete, or at least not immediately complete. And because of this, what we have is essentially two parallel timelines. This means that humans are essentially living in the nexus of two competing futures. One, in which the Christ event wins and restores humanity and one, in which, it does not. As we approach resolution, we will see more readily what is at stake as well as some of the people/forces involved.

While there are certainly problems with the suggestion, it also might shed some light on some questions. Specifically, it does appear that Jesus victory was at least partially incomplete. This, of course, is the argument of the Jewish tradition. Namely, if Jesus really was/is the Messiah why did he not establish his kingdom on earth and where are the signs of this victory? While Christians might argue that, in fact, Jesus did set up his kingdom (The Church) and that the signs are there for anyone to see, there are certainly other signs that the world remains unredeemed.

Herein lies the question. Does this point to the possibility that Jesus victory was incomplete or unfinished? Or, does it rather point to what God intended all along? Namely, that the nature of the Kingdom would be for believers to live side by side with others in a world where evil, injustice and slavery remained part of the landscape?

In either case, it appears, as yet, unresolved. But it seems logical that this will not go on forever. Or to put it another way, one of these timelines is going to win out. Either the full victory of Christ is going to be established or the full depravity (the complete fall) of humanity shall come to pass.

Of course, as Christians, we believe that Christ's victory will finally be complete. There will come a time when there is no longer a competing timeline. Or, as Saint John puts it in Revelation 21:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

The details of the end as well as the strangeness of the middle might be unclear but the resolution of the end is certain. There will come a time when all is accomplished.

So what should we do in the meantime? Do we keep a high or a low profile as we wait for all this to work itself out? Some say that it is our task as Christians to influence as many people as possible by all means necessary. But others say that this is a seduction--that there is no way to embrace the ways of the world and still remain true to Gospel and the Christ event.

I am by nature, a low-profile person, at least in this regard. I have met and listened to folks who approach this differently. It is hard to argue with them--especially if you believe that your efforts somehow impact the resolution of the timeline.

In either case, it seems correct to say that as we approach resolution, it will be easier to see what is truly at stake. It will also be easier to identify those who have a stake in the resolution.

Magicians

Just moments after I finished my sermon this morning, I had a nagging feeling that I hadn't quite said enough. I had spoken about the Kingdom and how it will not be based on the economic models that are so familiar to us. I stated that there will come a day when we will be delivered from our slavish existence to money. I even pointed to an example of what this might look like--referencing the Biblical story of manna in the wilderness and how quickly everything is now moving from the realm of ideas to the physical world in which we live.

Though what I said is helpful and, I think, faithful to both the Gospel and the world in which we are living, I failed to say one additional thing that is equally important. Just because we see the economic cycle broken or the appearance of manna in the wilderness does not necessarily mean that the Kingdom has come or that the man or woman who appears responsible is the Christ.

While this might be obvious to some, I do not want it to be lost on any of us. History has shown us time and again that saviors who swoop in to save the day in troubled times often turn out to be something else altogether.

Beware of magicians. Great entertainment... disappointing saviors.

Amazing Grace

For a while now, my daughter has been after to me to watch a film with her. The name of the film is "Amazing Grace," and it deals with the abolition of slavery in England. My daughter told me how powerful and inspirational the story is and I believed her but kept putting her off. This is because lately I've tried to restrict my movie-watching to fantasy, science fiction and comedy. I used to watch everything but it's harder now. I figure that I have enough reality in my real life. So movies have become for me mostly about escape.

My daughter, however, can be relentless. I knew that this was important to her, and I knew that she would not quit hounding me about it. So I decided to take a couple of hours to "do the right thing." And, of course, she was right. The film was very powerful. And even though it dealt with some very painful things, it was still very inspirational. I was very glad that I watched it. I was especially glad that I watched it with her.

After the film, it was time for her to go to bed. So I walked her up the stairs, waited for her to brush her teeth and then sat on the side of her bed as she asked the familiar questions that she asks whenever we watch a movie together.

"What was you favorite part?" She asked. "And who was your favorite character?"

I laughed because she literally asks these questions every time. But I also sensed that in this case, her inquiry was especially important. I answered her question with sincerity and to her satisfaction. I then asked her the question that I always ask when I put her to bed, "So who should pray tonight? Do you want to do it or should I." It was late and she would have to get up early for school, so I suspected that I would be praying. But to my surprise, she said, "I'll pray."

My daughter then offered a prayer. She prayed the kinds of things that she had heard me pray for on a number of occasions. But she did so with her own voice and with her own heart-felt petition. It was perhaps the most decent and sincere prayer that I have ever heard. After she finished, I told her that it was a beautiful prayer and that she was a beautiful person. Because she is.

In the film that we watched, a man is passionate about bringing an end to slavery. He loves his country but he believes strongly that it needs to change. Time and again, he brings a bill to Parliament to put an end to what he believes is a scourge upon the country that he loves so dearly. And time and time again, those bills are defeated. It is not that his countrymen are insensitive to his passion, it is rather that they cannot get past the fear of an inevitable economic shock-wave that would surely follow the end of slavery in the UK.

Years go by. The battle takes its toll on the man. Although he is passionate and his cause is just, change comes slow and may require more than this man has in him. You can see his resolve shaking--his physical body giving way before the wall of inertia that must be overcome. At times, the man feels that he is failing at the very work that God has given him to do. And he comes very close to giving up. But his friends will not allow him. They, in fact, are there with him almost constantly. They do everything they can to keep this man going, to keep him striving toward his vision. Though they cannot live his life or fulfill his work, his friends are nevertheless an essential part of it.

Amazing Grace is a somewhat unique story in this regard. In American film, heroes often seem invincible and far removed from the average folk around them. But this is false. Even the strongest among us are only as strong as the support that we receive. God works in us and God surrounds us with wonderful people--beautiful people--who allow us to be that which we would otherwise only hope to become.

As I listened to my daughter's prayer, I saw her great strength. It was, at least in that moment, strength far beyond my own. I marvel at this. And I marvel at the many people that I have known who are decent, and who have faith, and who are compassionate and hopeful and quietly courageous. I am humbled by them. I love them. And I tremble because my own life is so greatly dependent upon them.

[The image for this entry comes from the film "Stand By Me. Remember River Phoenix and his friends? And here is Nanci Griffith offering a word of encouragement to her friends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OgNnPI_D3Q&feature=related ]

Not My Job

The title of the entry here is taken from the name of the jpeg above. I found it on the official website for Dr. Judy Wood. Judy Wood has written a book entitled, Where Did The Towers Go? I have not yet read the book but I spent a good bit of yesterday reading an extensive review of the book and Dr. Wood's methodology. I am using the image above for my blog this week because I think that it's an unique picture. I am writing about 911 because everybody else is.

I, like the four of five other people who might be reading this, remember what I was doing on September 11, 2001. I was at Appalachian State University. My wife, Diane, called me to tell that the television was saying that a plane had crashed into a building in New York. I remember telling her that it must have been a very small plane because it would be impossible for a large plane to hit a building in downtown New York. That was incorrect.

I then spent the rest of the morning doing what many (most?) Americans did that day. I watched the story unfold on television. I remember thinking that this was bad--that it would lead to many bad things in the world. That was correct.

I am going to quote a section from Eric Larsen's review of Wood's book. It is worth noting that Larsen wrote the forward to Where Did The Towers Go? and he openly admits that he looks favorably on Dr. Wood's effort. However, the quote that I want us to consider has nothing to do with 911 itself. It has to do with its aftermath. That is, what has become of our world since September 11, 2001.

9/11 has been “the justification and starting point” for all manner of destruction, loss, crime, and horror. Without 9/11, there would have been no “Patriot Act,” no abuse of FISA and stripping away of privacy rights, no Military Commissions Act of 2006 with its setting aside of Habeas Corpus, no implementation of Northcom and deployment of our own military forces on domestic American soil (for use against who, you might ask?), and no trashing of Bill of Rights and Constitutional guarantees, no programmatic and precedent-setting weakening and eliminating of right and guarantees so that the very concepts of “citizenship” and “freedom” have been emptied out to the point where setting up concentration camps inside the U.S. is now legal and not a one of us would have any recourse whatsoever if it were decided that we should be thrown into a cell in one of them and forgotten forever.[1]

Without 9/11, there would never have been any fake and opportunistic “Global War on Terror,” would never have been Guantanamo as we know it now, never have been official programs of torture or fake demonizing of Islam in order to justify wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia, or to justify overt plans for the murder of U.S. citizens living in places like, say, Yemen.

There’s more, much more. The complete list of atrocities, crimes, and inhumanities triggered by or justified by 9/11 could fill whole chapters, even books. By using 9/11 as propaganda—by using it as trigger, excuse, justification, or catalyst—the U.S. has betrayed itself, its principles, and its people, and has made itself the world’s most dangerous enemy of all mankind and also of Earth herself. [Eric Larsen, http://wheredidthetowersgo.com/review/]

I am not a scientist. I am not a political activist. And, at least, historically, I have had no urgent need to understand 911. My interest here is as a Christian and as a citizen of the world. And from that perspective, I find Eric Larsen's statement here very important. He is either wrong--and the details that he mentions here are simply not real. Or he is correct in saying that our society has taken a disturbing turn away from many of its foundational principles. And if that is the case, the question seems fair to ask, "what--if anything--does this have to do with whatever happened on September 11, 2001?"

People magazine is a weekly publication. It is known for its light and happy tone. And perhaps because of this, it is one of the most popular magazines in the world. In People, readers will find pictures and simple articles updating them on what is happening with movie stars and celebrities. For example, they have an annual issue identifying the 50 or 100 sexiest people in the world. This is generally the kind of material that one can expect to find in People magazine. Did you happen to see the cover of People last week? It had a picture of a young girl and the lead story was about "the children of 911." Even my wife, who actually likes to read the magazine, was bothered by the story. She couldn't quite name what it was that bothered her so when she came to talk to me about it, I helped her. The word that she was looking for was "exploitation."

It is understandable that a worthy nation would make it a point to remember an event like 911. It is understandable that such a nation would want to honor the people whose lives were lost on that day. And it seems equally important that the remembrance and the honoring would be done in such a way that does not sacrifice the values and moral decency that made that nation worthy in the first place. Whatever our time might make or not make of a ten-year-anniversary of a national disaster, I hope that it will be something other than exploitation.

Living Outloud

To those who might have missed my entries over the last several months, I apologize. The fact is that I just didn't have the strength--or at least the needed strength to overcome the inertia. I do now.

I have been reading a lot lately--mostly material that will never be printed in books or material that was printed long ago and kept in just a few volumes. It has helped me see. I think that there is something else helping me as well. I do not yet see well, not by a long-shot. But I believe that I am seeing better. And I want this to continue.

In the midst of this recent journey, I have discovered something about learning and, perhaps, about knowledge itself. I have found that it easy to focus on the wrong side. Discovering the glass, taking note of its contents, and the fact that it is so little filled, we can easily be drawn into lament. And such lament is not without justification. When our eyes begin to open, there is plenty to be angry or sad about.

Call it evil or darkness or negativity... We see this and its capacity to sour and destroy and it's hard to resist overly regarding it. A friend of mine once put it this way, we need to acknowledge the evil in the world without glorifying it.

You see, in our anger and sadness, we can actually come to worship evil, if only accidentally. This happens when we become overly fascinated by the capacity of wickedness to woo the world and impose its will upon it. The result is terror and a great feeling of helplessness. Consequently, our focus turns less toward asking God for help or deliverance. Rather, we spend all our time and energy simply mesmerized by the enormity of the darkness.

One thing that I have come to consider is that the pain and suffering in the world might be coming from a source other than that which seems the most obvious. Christians are generally taught to take great, personal responsibility for sin. And this is probably a good thing. But most of the people that I know do not really want to bring pain and suffering upon the world. Consider the level of war and strife and slavery that we have in the world today. Do you know anyone who is sincerely excited about all this? (BTW, if you do, you may want to look for some new friends!)

What if it really is not us--at least not at the foundation anyway. Of course, we certainly can get co-opted into some pretty horrible things. But most of the people I know--even the very worst people that I know--don't sit up nights thinking about ways to bring terror and hardship upon the earth. (BTW, if they do, then I need some new friends!)

The thing is that it doesn't have to be this way. Evil does not have to hold our attention. But we DO have to find a way to turn away from it--to set our eyes and hearts to something else. When we do that, we find that darkness is not the only game in town. As we turn our hearts toward the good, the light, the positive, we indeed find that things like hope and peace and love are very real and very powerful. Nothing dispels darkness like light. Nothing overcomes evil like good. Nothing shows negativity for what it is better than something truly positive.

A few days ago, I looked up a song that I have always liked and discovered that there is a video that goes along with it. Take four minutes and watch this in its entirety. I think it explains what I am trying to say here in a far clearer and more beautiful way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6pODq8_FxE&ob=av2e

Of Life and Basketball

For those who read my blog, I sincerely apologize for taking a couple months off. I love to write and think and converse (if only with myself--ha) For whatever reason, I had neither the energy nor the passion to write much recently. I hope to return to my regular weekly writings. I begin here with a heart-felt commentary on two things that I am truly passionate about basketball and humanity.

Early this week, ESPN ran a documentary entitled, "The Fab Five." If you have not seen the special, I highly recommend it. It tells the story of the five great basketball players who came to the University of Michigan in the early 1990's. The documentary includes interviews with four of the five players who are now grown men, retired from the NBA and working in various careers. The interviews are strikingly honest, powerful and a great testament to many things such as racism, materialism and how people grow over time.

During the interviews, some harsh things are said. Specifically, there are some harsh things said about how the Michigan players perceived Duke's basketball program and the men who were playing at the time. At one point, Jalen Rose states that he thought that the black players who played for Duke were "Uncle Tom's." I firmly believe that he said this to speak honestly about his perception at the time. I didn't not get the idea that Jalen still believes this today. But, of course, we live in a time when the media is going to do anything possible to sensationalize something like this. In the days following the documentary, there were several references to the story as well as the disparaging comments that were made.

Then, yesterday, Grant Hill, a player from Duke wrote a response to the film, the rivalry between Duke and Michigan at the time and, especially, Jalen's comments. The article is very well written and I commend it to you. I will include a link to Hill's article at the bottom of my blog entry.

I am Duke graduate and a great fan of Duke basketball. So what I feel that what I have to say here is important. I can honestly say that I thought that documentary was very well done. I was especially impressed by the players and how they shared both their memories of being "The Fab Five" and their present feelings about all this. I was moved by Jalen's honesty in sharing his story even though he was saying some unhappy things about his youthful perception of my Alma Mater.

In fact, I heard in his voice a painful expression of how we as human beings we sometimes judge things that we know little or nothing about. Of course, Jalen and his teammates were judged as well. They were stereotyped and received criticism for simply being something other than what people were used to seeing in college basketball at the time. This was partly about race but a lot of it had more to do with changing attitudes in our culture.

The really tough part in all of this is seeing how we as people come to resent and distrust one another simply because we appear to be different. In this case, a young black man from a poor community apparently resented a young black man from an affluent community. Of course, today, Jalen Rose is very wealthy. And I believe that he sees the irony here. In that, the very things that he might have once thought about Grant Hill and his parents could now be said about his own family.

My hope is that these two men speak to one another and soon. I suspect that everything that we have seen and heard over the last few days is just another example of how the media twists things into serving its own interest. Nevertheless, these are the very opportunities where we as people need to be clear. Even though this has probably been a very stressful week for past players from both Duke and Michigan, I suspect that it might be a unique time for a teaching moment.

Young people can learn something from all this. We all can. The fact is that Grant Hill and Jalen Rose are not so different. The same goes for our own rivals. I think often of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. These two men probably despised one another on the court. They played hard against one another and certainly wanted to win. But in the end of the day, they respected one another greatly. They each appreciated where the other had come from and what they had accomplished. Mutual respect is one of the great contributions of athletic competition. It is also a fundamental building block in a decent society.

Here is the link to Grant Hill's response to Rose's comments:
http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/grant-hills-response-to-jalen-rose/

When in Rome

And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” Luke 12:19-20

All in all, it was a pretty good Super Bowl this year. The game was good. The team that has recently won a lot of these things played well but ultimately the victory went to the more likable Packers. This is not, btw, a slight on Pittsburgh. I was a big Terry B fan back in the day but the Steelers of late have enjoyed a lot of success and with all the Brett Farve drama, it just seemed fair that Aaron Rodgers and the Pack should win this one.

The Super Bowl is, of course, the great American event now. The game is not so unlike the finals in some ancient Roman gladiator series, except that the number of people who now watch this thing is staggering by comparison. The Coliseum in Rome was a marvel, and very much a symbol. It was a symbol of Rome's glory as well as the ultimate symbol of its downfall. Legend has it that people would gather there to watch the great contests even as the city itself was burning.

Comparing modern America to ancient Rome has become something of cliche'. I won't spend a lot of time here because I honestly don't mind the the once-a-year extravaganza that we get in January (oops I guess it's February now).

On the other hand, while the Super Bowl might be just good ole fashion carnival, the whole "Life as Spectacle" thing seems telling. Could there be anything more Romanesque than our fascination with watching one another? Real-life TV is just plain odd and our dedication to it seems to reveal a vacuous moment in human history. I have no idea what the final days of the empire will ultimately look like but it seems that a hundred million people staring at human dolls for hours on end might make for a reasonable guess.

Of Bulls and Elephants

I want to begin with an apology. I would like to apologize to the handful of folks that regularly read my blog. It has been several weeks since I have written anything. I am sorry about that. Moreover, I might need to apologize in advance for what follows. After the hiatus, I would hope to offer something inspiring or, at least engaging. I suspect that what follows is more likely food for thought.

I am sure that many of us are following the escalating situation in Egypt. While the media is offering what is probably a very limited picture of what is going on over there, it is still enough. I suspect that a lot of people around the world sense the tension and see what looks increasingly like a rising dial on a pressure cooker.

I have noticed that in recent accounts, the Egyptian Army is mentioned again and again. The media seems compelled to assure the world that the Army is close by and that, at least to this point, has been generally supportive of the protesters. Contrasting this is the image of the police. Apparently, the police has historically been firmly in support of the regime and this has served as a menacing influence and a catalyst to the anger of the people. I wonder what it means when an Army is somehow the most prominent sign of hope.

I am no expert on what is going on in Egypt. But what I do see in all of this is a familiar theme. It is a story about people and people can be fickle. Sometimes we want freedom and autonomy and other times we want order and security. It's an incredible challenge for us to find the appropriate balance between these two competing interests. As I watch the clips from Egypt and listen to the comments offered by the protesters, I cannot help but hear the tell-tale sound of danger. We are seeing that these people have felt oppressed. Yet, are we also seeing a fragile capacity for restraint? What is it that calls freedom so often go hand in hand with looting? What does it mean when people violently call for freedom?

While it might appear that I am suspicious of freedom, it is quite the contrary. When it comes to the age-old debate between liberty and order, I am pretty sure that I am a liberty guy. I don't like rules. I don't like rulers and I figure that I can discipline myself pretty well. I am just not so sure about your capacity to do the same...

See what I mean? There is a hidden caveat in all this. I think that it is generally called hypocrisy. We say that power corrupts but we generally mean everybody else. If someone has to be in charge, we figure it best be us. And to be fair, there might be something to this. It may be that freedom is something that people have to learn over time. Maybe Americans are somehow more capable of liberty because we have been at it for a while. Of course, the sad part here is that it would seem that our society is far less free than it was a couple of decades ago.

Anyway, keep an eye open to what is happening in Egypt. We haven't seen anything like this for a while. If people are going to kill and die over all this, it would be good for the rest of us to at least learn something in the process...

Finally, I would like to conclude with a less serious, and potentially, more informative story. My son recently told me that the Mythbusters took on a couple of age-old assumptions.

The first was the proverbial Bull in a China Shop. Apparently, they turned a bull loose, dumped him right in there with all the dishes and glassware. The results? Not a thing. Apparently, the old boy just strolled through the aisles as though he might be an Englishman looking for a new tea set. Go figure.

The Mythbusters then took on the ole' Elephant and the Mouse question. You know, the cartoons--elephants deathly frightened of tiny little mice? Well, it turns out that one is apparently not a myth. Different elephants were tested. And time and time again, they would consistently change course upon encountering a mouse. They would see the repulsive thing and immediately avoid it all cost. What is that? Are they afraid they will turn an ankle or something? Is there some ancient elephant-lore involving that kangaroo that Sylvester kept mistaking for a mouse? Or are they just a little further down the evolution road and see something that we simply cannot yet understand?

Here is Paul's take on the whole Freedom-Liberty issue:
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Galatians 5:13-14