Devoted to One Another in Love - August 17 2008

Now I don’t know about you, but to me other than “let there be light”, THESE words seem to be about as clear-cut as it gets from the bible! I guess these words did have to carry a certain resonance to them, as Paul DID have to write a pretty impressive letter - I mean he WAS sending this to the Romans of all people. Who, back in the day were a culture slightly more impressive and influential than, say, your local “Knights of Columbus” branch.

I find this passage fascinating and, as I said before pretty clear-cut. But I must admit, I’m doing something today that I HATE when extremist conservative Christians do it to argue or claim some biblical doctrine that I think is just made up or downright absurd - that is to say I’m going to take bits and pieces of the bible that I like to support my presentation!

(Hey - at least 2 people have told me that “everybody does it” -  so I’m good, right?)

Ironic I realize, but I’m just up here trying to do what I believe many of us are trying to do everyday - that is I’m hoping to discern what I think God wants us to learn about ourselves and how we can make better use of our faith.

Focus; Symbols of a still-speaking God

In planning for this worship today I struggled to clarify and pinpoint the topic I wanted to focus on. It seems lately I have so much that I feel passionate about that it was hard to narrow it down. But I got 2 symbols recently, and thus, a funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit this year. They gave me an even clearer sense that God is always with us, whispering (or sometimes shouting) in our ear; we just have to remember to LISTEN!

* * * * *

Everyday People (The 1^st Symbol)

I have discovered that when you bring up “church” in professional and social settings of the “everyday world” that people LOOOOOOOOOVVVE to give their opinions on God and religion and morals and the like (assuming they have one)!

“What’s that - you go to a church? Great! Oh - one of THOSE churches?! Well sit down so I can tell you what’s WRONG with you and why mine is SOOOO much better! You know, the bible says blah blah blah blah blah blah….”

Hard-Core “Conservative Christians” love to quote the bible and engage in intense conversation, but often I feel they do so in the spirit of division and judgment, not love and acceptance. I got a big problem with that. See - my God is a spirit of understanding, compassion, forgiveness, and love. Above all else, LOVE. And when I’m in debate about such topics, it’s like it’s not even the same God each side is referencing! It’s many times flat-out like there are two completely different religions going on!

I have found discovered that conversations on God and Faith and Religion can get… shall we say “passionate”… rather quickly! I mean people can be INTENSE in their convictions - and for something that isn’t talked about a whole lot, BOY when the ball gets rolling with that dialogue the room heats up in a hurry! And before, I was oblivious to all of this because I either questioned my own faith or was embarrassed to own up to it. And therefore I avoided such dialogue at all costs. I was even one of those ‘finger-waggers’ that would say “religion and politics have no place here, knock it off”.

And of course NOW it’s all I can think about lately!!!

And this brought to me the first symbol I mentioned earlier; a flashback! Back in my late teens I spent a few years at Columbus State Community College. Our little downtown Ohio campus fully embraced the whole “freedom of speech” idea; and so parishioners from a nearby Baptist church would often hold court in our commons area and do what I call the “soapbox routine” where they would stand on a crate or bench, waving a bible around, yelling at people and telling them they were all going to hell unless they accepted God the Father Almighty and stopped living a life full of sin and shame. And if we didn’t comply, that a wrath for all ages would destroy us and we would burn in the flames of our transgressions for all eternity. I had successfully blocked this out of my mind some time ago, until a recent discussion I had with a friend made me recall this chapter of my life.

As you may have guessed, this discussion kind of got me fired up! You see, I have a group of work friends that embrace some pretty “hard core” conservative religious values. The passion of their conviction in “God’s Word” is admirable - sometimes, but admirable. It is downright jaw-dropping to witness their support and hear them echo the praises of some of our country’s military strategies, have blind faith in leaders that continue to lie and step all over them, or regurgitate extremist conservative religious views. To witness how they use certain verses of the bible to justify their paranoia and hate for homosexuals, their disdain for Jews or people of alternative faith, or their uncanny ability to point out the bad in everything around them!

As recently as a few weeks ago some friends and I were having a discussion of such matters. During which I heard one regurgitate something - quite faithfully I might add - that was originally said by Reverend John Hagee.

Spiritual Leaders

The context of our conversation made this person recall with fondness Hagee’s words from a 2006 radio interview with Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air.

Gross said to Hagee: “You said after Hurricane Katrina that it was an act of God, and you said ‘when you violate God’s will long enough, the judgment of God comes to you. Katrina is an act of God for a society that is becoming Sodom and Gomorrah reborn.’”

Gross then asked, “Do you still think that Katrina is punishment from God for a society that’s becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah?”

To which Hagee responded:  “All hurricanes are acts of God, because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they are — were recipients of the judgment of God for that. The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades. So I believe that the judgment of God is a very real thing… And I believe that the Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans.”

I don’t think I will EVER be able to wrap my brain around this one. Is Hagee saying God made a mistake when creating people differently? Is he saying the women, the children, or the elderly in nursing homes and hospitals in Louisiana—- Is Hagee actually saying God grouped them in to a death trap because a few people wanted to celebrate their lifestyle in a parade?! Or that he picked up “the local paper” that week and said “oh my MEEE, that’s IT they’ve gone too far - something must be done!”

For that matter, what was it God was punishing the people of Galveston, Texas for back in the year 1900 when the deadliest hurricane in our nations’ history came ashore and claimed 8,000 lives?! EIGHT THOUSAND LIVES!

Politicians

Rev. Hagee is a man who’s support and endorsement was originally sought out by this year’s presumptive Republican nominee for President and his support staff of “yes men” and psycho analysts! You know - at the time this Hagee story and his support for Senator John McCain was making its peak through the news cycle, I was just waiting for an openly gay congressman to jump on the express bus too - that way I would know I was COMPLETELY in “Bizarro World!”

Now McCain has since ‘renounced’ Hagee’s support due, in part, to cracker-jack prophesizing like this. But I find it sad, this lack of judgment by people who want to have a hand in ruling the world. Only when the public outcry grows loud enough over things like this - and this goes for leaders on both sides - do the candidates or people in the public eye back-peddle and claim surprise and frustration with the people they once embraced as spiritual guides.

I am frustrated at what I call “a lack of divine sense” displayed by many these days - whether they are common citizens, politicians, or particularly those in the profession of religion. It is hard to listen to many who like to speak so freely and deliberately on God’s behalf! They hold up their bibles and talk about all the love and forgiveness we can find in the word of God, yet they slander and demoralize anyone who should DARE think or live differently than what their establishment deems right! It’s this hypocrisy and divisiveness that really eats my craw!

Perhaps what frustrates me MORE, however, is our common ability to simply LET THEM! Not only LET THEM do it ONCE, no - but OVER AND OVER. And no matter the candidate you support in our next presidential election it is our responsibility, as citizens and voters, to put an end to the absurdity and horrors that come from their mouths. It is our duty to get a message out that LOVE, not HATE, is the answer. But love is getting harder and harder to find anymore. In the tangible world, let alone in conversation. Without talking about LOVE, we aren’t telling the whole story about God and how great it is to know the Spirit!

The 2^nd Symbol

This was never clearer to me than the second symbol I witnessed recently. This took place a week and ½ ago while on vacation with the family. We were swimming in our pool at the house, me and the boys. I had Jack, my 2 year old, in my arms on one end; and all the way on the other end of the pool, standing on a ledge in the water was Julian, my 4 year old, playing with a cousin. Well, that ledge Julian was standing on wasn’?t quite as big as he thought, and before he knew what happened the poor guy slipped into water over his head, and not knowing how to swim; proceeded to struggle. It was lucky I happened to look over at the right time and pull him out and get him to cough out the water quickly. He was fine by the way, no trauma or damage or anything like that. His dad, however - Well I personally haven’t slept that well since that day reliving the event and wondering what could have gone wrong. And in reliving that event and preparing for today’s message at the same time, it all came crashing down on me:

I can swim; I can even support two or three other people in the water. I can take precautionary measures to make sure my boys get introduced to swimming the right way, with a safe perimeter and floatation assistance devices such as kickboards and water wings. But I still have to hold them to start out. I still have to talk with them about the do’s and don’ts of aquatics, and I have to be on watch helping them along the way. And to me that pool is Christianity and a wonderful life knowing God. If we know how to “swim” - that is to say if we know and live a message of LOVE - it’s fine for US, but if we can’t make the pool safe for those at the edge; if we can’t SHARE the message of love - then the “pool” isn’?t getting used the right way is it?!

Acceptance and Tolerance

For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.

Gotta tell ya this is where it really hits home for me! Its right there in black and white isnt it?! We have different talents, we belong to God and each other. I believe in my heart of hearts if we heard more people making news quoting stuff like this from the bible we might find ourselves in a different world, I daresay a more peaceful world. That being said, last year around this time I stood up here and did a whole thing on leading by example so holding true to that, Ill go ahead and say it isnt QUOTES we need, its LIVING it out! And if our faith teaches us to tolerate those that cant or those that choose to judge because its easy to do so, thats fine. But we MUST cease putting so much stock in these people and so much power in their hands. We have to engage in the conversations that are uncomfortable, and when we can talk about love and happiness and how it CAN happen in a church and in a relationship with Christ.

The Quiz

Ah! But HOW?! Honestly, I think well just have to work our way through it the best way we know how. As with our faith, I think this will be a work in progress. But rather than get angry and fight hate with anger, I found recently that engaging in these tough conversations can be fun! As another friend and I were discussing my obsession with hypocrites and prophets lately, we put together a little quiz that might help us in our defense of the bible-thumping condemners I speak of. Here are some highlights:

Question 1)   Which of the following types of evil people did Jesus refuse to interact with?

A Prostitutes

B - Lazy Beggars

C Satan

D Democrats

Question 2)  When Jesus said ”Judge not lest you be judged…” he meant:

A - We all know that Jesus liked to drink. So we take everything he said with a grain of salt

B - He is only referring to other obedient Christians. It is ok to judge sinners.

C Criminey this is from Matthew (as was that hippie production Godspell). We all know its the weakest gospel; thereby canceling out this directive.

Question 3)  When confronted with thousands of hungry people and only a little food, Jesus:

A - Suggested that they sell stuff to each other so they could earn enough money to buy food.

B - Told them that survival of the fittest was the foundation of sound economic principal.

C - Advised them that God helps those who helps themselves. So he gave tax breaks to those with the most food so they could protect their supply and help direct the people who fell for answers A & B

D - Said that if he helped he would only be “enabling” them to continue not working.

Or the essay question:

Question 4 )   According to the bible the penalty for a priest’s daughter who commits adultery is death by incineration. Since public incineration is both impractical and illegal today please indicate a more contemporary way to obey Gods law. _______________

Tolerating it from our leaders or in our community will get us nowhere.

For all the bible thumpers or extremist Christians out there that profess THEY know the true word of God and that some of us go to fake churches, I offer this absurd line of questioning to prove a point.  To call out their extremism, to question their line of thinking in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, a few more of us out here may finally say that this behavior just is no longer acceptable - and more so that it should not be tolerated!  I’m not an ‘eye for an eye’ kind of guy with this stuff, so it’s not about revenge or anything like that…. but that being said I think the attitude of indifference and passiveness with regards to ANY kind of extremism has GOT to end!  Why?! Well, it seems to me that history is telling us why. It shows that letting extremism religion in ANY form accelerate has only caused division, anger, and in far too many cases bloodshed. Stopping that is one thing, but to turn around and do, in essence, the same thing doesnt make matters much better, I am sorry to say.

When any leader of a group, or nation, or party, or whatever. Stands up and says they will attack a country or a group of people because, among other things, they are oppressed in their faith and that religious tyranny of any sort cannot be allowed, THEN that same leader says hes on the attack because of among other things, God told him to. I dont know folks, that to me just doesnt seem logical for this day and age.

Since that first Rainbow appeared in the sky over Noah and his big ‘old boat - at the very LEAST since the New Covenant - I do not believe that God has “wiped the slate clean” of those that sin. And nor do I think world powers should either! I want to believe, that as human beings, we can start acting more compassionately and diplomatically on all levels.

The symbolism - working together making the pool safe; teaching each other how to swim

We - as a country, as a community, as people of faith - must let reason and clear thinking rule out over an attitude of be-all/end-all.  And I think we must speak out against those attitudes and let the extremists, our leaders, and our kids know that LOVE rules all, and a message of a God that hates just isn’t acceptable any more.

Conversation and understanding are the keys to a peaceful future and a clear path to “salvation”, not the “with-us or against-us” approach.  That old school way of teaching faith and guiding culture never created a true “win-win” for anyone, and in many cases I would argue it has only planted the seeds for newer forms of extremism the other way.

 

The closing ceremony of the Olympics every few years seems to more or less touch on this ‘Nirvana’- like theme that promotes peace and understanding. You know - the “one big happy planet” theme they revisit every time. But when the TV cameras are off and the lights are shut down and we re-calibrate our VCR’s and DVR’s… do we ever remember this call to action?  Not enough, no.  It’s time for a challenge, it’s time for a new way to love and accept and empower each other to live and worship in confidence and without subject to fear or guilt…

We are all God’s children, and we are in this together. We must teach each other how to swim, and we must make the pool safe for everyone.

* * * * *

We must work on our Christianity and work on living out our faith at all times, devoted to one another in LOVE. The stronger we are in our level-headedness, the better examples we can be to our kids, our friends, and our peers.

Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Straight, Gay, Black, White, Asian, French, American, Norwegian, Mexican, Greek…  We are all the SAME; we are ALL loved by God! We can learn from our divisiveness and work to be one people, one community that can embrace each other in faith and love in many forms.  Perhaps it starts small in bible studies, or talking to a friend when they need it, or showing patience, or making an effort to understand. It’s not as hard as we may think! We CAN share a message of LOVE and a STILL speaking God; a God that made us each unique and significant in our own way; and in doing so NEVER made a mistake!

A living Spirit that is with us always. Amen.

…Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need…