The Other

I read a quote that suggested that if your God liked everything you liked, and hated the things you hated, and wanted for you all the things you wanted for you, then you could be pretty sure that you have created God in your own image. Makes good sense to me.

Look at the stories in Scripture, both the Old and New Testament, of the many times that the prophet or the disciples are telling people things that they do not want to hear. Amos, Nathan, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jesus in the Temple, the disciples, Paul and the list goes on. Speaking words that the hearer does not want to hear. There has to be the presence of another will pressing against my own for there to be some reality to the mystery of God at work in the world. I am not God. God to be present needs to be other and over against what I want and seek.

But of course, it is just not that simple. If I am pro-choice, then the words of the pro-life people are messages that I do not want to hear. If I am pro-life, the thoughts of the pro-choice people are words that I do not want to listen it. If I am pr0-American, then the words of opposition from the Arab world are not acceptable to me. If I am more of a pro-world person, then the words of a patriotic American are not something I take seriously. So I do not want to accept that just because it is not something I want to hear, that it must be God's will for me.

Also if I want peace and happiness for all mankind, then I do not think it is God's will that turmoil, hostility and unhappiness afflict us all. Which seems to me that it drives us all back into the larger community of believers. It seems to me that the only productive way for us to listen to the will of God is in a large circle of believers who gather in the spirit to study the holy book. For me that is why "looking for a church home that fits our needs" is not helpful. Some where I have to submit my understanding of what is good, just and true about the Holy to the wisdom and spirit of others. Others have the same obligation to listen to the Spirit, the words, and what I think. That is why the church that tells me what I want to hear is not doing me any good. It is an on-going dialogue. The only difference from what we have going on now with different groups giving their different opinions is that it hardly looks like one side believes the other is really listening or caring what is side by the other. Neither side appears to be able to hear the struggle that is involved with the other side.

But I do know that God does not like everything I want and does not dislike everything I dislike. That I know for sure.

The Church and the Newspaper

Way back on page 7A there is a section called "Fact Checker." It takes the statements made by politicians and checks them against the "facts." That is part of the duty of the newspapers in our society. They are the secretaries to our daily activities. We now have the possibility of playing back videos of politicians making remarks that help keep the record straight. When the first George Bush called Reagan's tax plans "voodoo economics" and then changed his tune when he became Vice-President, there was the tape as a record.

In this polarized society, I am convinced that one of the great moral responsibilities of religious communities is to speak the truth. To be a "fact checker" as well. It is not necessary to take political sides so much as to describe the reality that is there. No one can read the Bible without hearing that God tells his people to care for the widows, the orphans, the poor, and the strangers. There is no place for the church to tell politicians how to solve the problem but the word has to be spoken that there is a growing dangerous gap between rich and poor, and it is the obligation of society to care for the poor. Fact check: The gap is growing.

The religious congregations need to hear regularly that there are millions of strangers in our midst and that they need to be recognized, greeted, and treated with dignity. There has to be some solution to the coming and going of strangers. The illegal immigrant situation needs to be spoken about and a solution needs to be found. Fact Check: we cannot send them all home and we cannot wall them all out.

In my understanding of faith it is appropriate to talk about the hubris of nations and to raise the danger flag that the United States of America seems to be greatly disliked in many parts of the world because of our arrogance and imperialism. Pride goes before a fall, so it is written, and that is not just an individual reality. Fact check: our world wide military is not keeping us safe.

When was the last time you heard a sermon that was concerned about our consuming passion with consuming? When was the last time you were told not to store up treasurers on earth? When did a television preacher tell you that you needed to buy fewer things and live smaller? It is our religious responsibility to be stewards of creation, and that goes to more than just using new light bulbs. We have to pressure government to deal with the environment issues. Fact check: those who claim there is no problem are ideologues.

It does not put us into league with any particular party. I do not think the faith community in its worship has to have solutions, but religious communities need to be part of the pressure to move those in power to solve and not ignore the major problems of the day.

A Small Consolation

It has always amused me that the major character in many of the mystery books I have read never ever get trusted. James Lee Burke's Dave is never believed. Rebus in Ian Rankin's works is always mistrusted. Cornwell's Doctor is always being attacked and "on probation." You would think that after so many cases and so many times that they have been proved correct, that they would be accepted and listened to more eagerly.

The same thought crossed my mind when a business man who has run his company for more than 20 years told me that he cannot get his board of directors to make the kind of decisions that he thinks will help his company. The Board gives no reasons for not wanting to make the changes that are suggested. There are personal aspects to the issues, but He has run the company, made them money, and proposes small steps that would help them legally. They still do not want to go along.

I guess there was no surprise in the report that I read that, I think the figures were, about 20% of the prescriptions that were written by doctors never get filled. These were not neglected because of shortage of money. The complaints of the Doctors were that their patients do not follow their advice. The curious question was why do you come to the doctor for treatment and then not do what he/she suggests?

Certainly in all of that there is a small consolation for clergy. Why should we be surprised when people do not respond to what we say? The authors of novels know human nature to be what it is that supervisors will never change their opinion of the "trouble maker." That Boards of Directors may not follow the advice of a proven leader after 20 years or more. That patients will not listen to their doctors. What is it that allows ministers to think that people will hear them any better?

Let Jesus Show

Early in the 60's a professor at Yale Divinity School told a story about all the damn angels. He reported that at a typical Christmas program they had some excitement. He said this was like many congregations, you adapt the story to fit the needs of the congregation. He reported that this year they had two Mary's because they had two little girls who both wanted very much to be Mary. But Marys and Joseph and the baby were in place and then all the shepherds came in, then the Angels appeared, all the children in their white robes, and then the wise men came in and tried to find their place, and one of the wise men said out loud, "All the Damn Angels are covering up the spots." The little wise man could not find the mark where he was supposed to stand. But Dr. Muehl said that is what happens so much in Church the angels, the traditions, and the children get in the way of the story of Jesus.

Well, it was amazing to read in a Frederick Buechner story this year about another Christmas pageant that had almost the same results. This time when the crowd gather in the front of the church, and all of the people gathered around the manger, one of the little angels at the far end of the line of angels could not see the baby, and so she started pushing others out of the way and yell "Let Jesus Show." The Rector of that church pronounced the benediction after that powerful sermon. Let Jesus Show. Too much of what we do gets in the way.

Just this week a friend said that he did not believe that there was very much of Jesus in what is called in this country Christianity. He just could not believe that those who are publicly identified with the Christian faith in this country have even read the New Testament or they could not say most of what they say. There is a great need for all of us to Let Jesus Show. Let Jesus Show