Social Gospel

Prayer for Healthcare Justice

2009-06-27T12:53:00.001-05:00

If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. – Deuteronomy 15:7-8 (NRSV)

Please join me in praying that President Obama’s public option plan is included in the final product of healthcare reform. Of course, we want God’s will to be done. Should I be in error, then it is best if this does not pass. However I cannot imagine that the public option health plan would not be in tune with God’s will.

Please pray with me for this to happen. It amazes me when I hear Christians say, “Well, I can only pray”. ONLY PRAY? While we don’t understand the deep mystery that is prayer, we do acknowledge that it is powerful beyond measure. Let us pray with our words, our mental images, our feelings, and our actions. (Contacting our representatives certainly counts as an act of prayer!)

Dear Lord, I pray that you help this nation to embrace and enact a healthcare system that provides for everybody’s needs regardless of ability to pay. I pray that the emergency room stops being the primary care provider for anybody. I pray that all people receive preventative care, comfort care, and that they are treated with dignity. Not my will, but your will be done. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.

President Roosevelt on Freedom

2009-06-14T14:46:00.001-05:00

Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed four freedoms. Below are his own words as found in his January 6, 1941 State of the Union Address to the Congress.

“ In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way--everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want--which, translated into universal terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants--everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear--which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor--anywhere in the world.

That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called new order of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb.”

Freedom of Speech and Expression: There is no freedom unless one is free to speak their mind without fear of government oppression. This includes freedom to express ideas that are offensive and foolish. We can disagree with one another, but we must never try to silence another.

Freedom to Worship: Worship that is imposed is no worship at all. Worship can only happen when one freely chooses to engage in it. In our post-modern world we must support all people to worship as they see fit. This is true whether we are speaking of Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans, Hindus, or any other faith. Equally important is openness to those who choose to not to worship at all.

Freedom from Want: This comes down to economic justice. God gives more than enough for every person on earth to have plenty. Scarcity is due to sins of distribution. Freedom without basic necessities is merely an abstraction. All of God’s children need the basics of a decent and healthy life. A sustained and meaningful peace depends upon this.

Freedom from Fear: One cannot be truly free if they are a prisoner in their own home. Imagine the fear on the streets of Pakistan and Afghanistan. For that matter, there is fear on the streets of Kansas City. We need to work for a safe world in which people are free to walk down the streets at night. We need a world safe enough so that a child can assume that she/he will live to see adulthood.

FDR did not limit the scope of these freedoms to the United States. He laid out a vision for worldwide freedom. Can you imagine a world in which these four freedoms are realized? As a Christian, I believe it will happen. As a human, I believe I have a responsibility to work for it.

Rest In Peace Dr. George Tiller

2009-06-01T19:35:00.002-05:00

Dr. George Tiller was gunned down in his church on Sunday morning. Dr. Tiller dedicated his life to providing health care for women. He was murdered by a coward. May God bless the soul of Dr. Tiller. May God bless the family of Dr. Tiller.

Auto Industry Blues

2009-05-30T15:45:00.004-05:00

Proverbs 29:7 - The righteous know the rights of the poor; the wicked have no such understanding.

Tax dollars have been given to the U.S. auto makers. For this I am glad. Yet will the women and men who rely on these jobs be taken into account? Will the retooling of General Motors mean more outsourcing and layoffs? What is the point of saving the auto industry if we don't save American jobs? It seems as if the only thing that will be "saved" for GM is the name. Of course I suspect the higher ups will end up smelling like a rose. It will be the average worker who is hurt. Stimulating the economy should mean stimulating everybody's economy, not just the well-to-do.

God cares about the rights of the poor. Let us hope and pray that today's auto workers are not tomorrow's poor. A note to the U.S. auto industry: DO THE RIGHT THING!

Bob Dylan's Masters of War

2009-05-25T16:21:00.000-05:00

Masters of War
------Bob Dylan

Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just don't want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
While the death count gets higher
Then you hide in your mansion
While the young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

Humanity's Power

2009-05-16T09:03:00.002-05:00

Please read Acts 1:1-11.

This is a great text. It paints a creative and beautiful image that inspires and comforts. There are two things that are jumping out at me in this present time. I say "in this present time" because the scriptures are alive and creative. They meet us where we are with the proper challenge and comfort for our situation. Below are the two things that are jumping out at me now. Perhaps you will find them meaningful as well.

VSS 6-7: So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority...."

- The followers asked a question that is in their hearts and minds. It comes from their worldview. Notice that Jesus does not berate them for this, but he does not answer it either. Rather he states that we need not worry about when God will set things right. Further, he does not confirm or deny their belief that God will "restore the kingdom to Israel". I feel certain that nobody can truly grasp God's plans for the future. Religions point to ideas that help us get by, but God is God and will do whatever is best for all involved.

- Since Jesus stated that we are not to concern ourselves with the times of God's future actions, perhaps this gives us both permission and instruction to work for the betterment of creation. It is true, in my opinion, that we are incapable of bringing about perfect peace and justice. BUT that does not mean that we are to twiddle our thumbs and wait for God to fix things. We have work to do. The work is meaningful. The work of bettering creation is meaningful in and of itself. We are blessed in the work as creation is blessed by our work. (By creation I mean all that is God's: environment, justice, peace, animals....)

VS 8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

- This is great news. We have power. No, make that POWER! The Holy Spirit grants us power beyond measure. We can use this power to make the world a better place. While you are at it, don't forget to use the power for yourself. In my opinion it is utter nonsense to claim that we are not to seek happiness for ourselves as well as others. No more martyrs thank you very much.

- We have POWER to live a full and vibrant life. This life will be brimming over with service for others. Perhaps you will use your power to serve face to face with those in need. Perhaps you will use your power to communicate ideas of uplift and justice. Perhaps you will do both...and much more!

- Discernment: Here is the bug-a-boo. It is an observable fact that decent and intelligent Christians disagree on social issues. As I write this post there are people of faith protesting the University of Notre Dame because President Obama is speaking there. These folks are upset because he supports Roe v Wade. I do not share their view, but I respect their passion. Another example of differing views is that I support single-payer (universal) health care for the United States. I arrive that this through my understanding of Jesus. It is obvious that many thoughtful and caring Christians disagree with me. Still, I'm going to use my Holy Spirit POWER to work for this. All I'm trying to communicate at this point is that we can only do the best we can when it comes to discerning God's truth. Nobody will get it completely right. We need to discern and live out our discernment. We also need to love and respect those who differ from us. We can disagree and still meet on the top of God's holy mountain.

I encourage you to fully embrace the POWER that you already possess thanks to the Holy Spirit. I too will work to fully embrace this POWER. Let us live this day to the fullest!

God bless you.

Brian

Mother's Day

2009-05-08T10:47:00.002-05:00

By clicking the title of this thread you can read "Mother's Day Proclamation - 1870" by Julia Ward Howe. It appears that Mother's Day began as a peace movement driven by women. While we honor mother's this Sunday let us remember, out loud or silently, the origins of this day.

Happy Mother's Day!
Brian

Some Are Born As Eunuchs

2009-05-03T11:24:00.005-05:00

I've been reflecting on the story of Phillip baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch. (See Acts 8:26-40.) The main character in this story was someone deemed unacceptable to the religious community. Indeed, according to Deuteronomy 23:1, he should "not be admitted to the assembly of God". Yet, the Holy Spirit drove Phillip to be by this eunuch's side as he tried to understand scripture. Phillip explained the passage of scripture through the lens of Jesus Christ. After doing so the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?". Immediately Phillip baptized the eunuch. There was nothing to prevent him from being baptized. He was perfectly acceptable to God just as he was.

I see a parallel with today's confusion over the inclusion of homosexuals within the fold of Christianity. The eunuch was an outsider simply because of his sexual identity. In Christ he became an insider. His sexual identity didn't change, but his relationship to a spiritual community changed. Jesus did that.

I believe that Jesus still does that. Yesterday I found something fascinating through the Metropolitan Community Church. It was a discussion about Jesus and homosexuality. I'd always thought that Jesus never mentioned it. Perhaps I've been wrong. Listen to these words of Jesus from Matthew 19:11b-12.

"Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can."

Jesus lists three types of eunuchs:
1) Those who choose to be eunuchs for religious reasons. This sounds like celebacy.
2) Those who were made eunuchs by others. This was not uncommon in the ancient world.
3) Those who have been eunuchs from birth. Perhaps this was a first century way of understanding homosexuality. Some writings from the Metropolitan Community Church suggest that this is the case. Frankly, it sounds reasonable to me.

Notice that Jesus does not condemn any of those three types of eunuchs. Neither does he say that one type is better than another. Further, he begins and ends this statement with the recognition that this teaching won't be something that everyone can accept. History has proven that people have a difficult time accepting homosexuality. Apparently Jesus does not have this difficulty.

Jesus says, "Let anyone accept this who can". I believe I will do the best I can to accept this. Maybe you will join me.

Humanity Needs a Good Shepherd

2009-04-26T12:38:00.004-05:00

John 10:11-18
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

Imagine a 17 year old boy. We'll call him Benjamin. Benjamin is a cutter. This means that he cuts himself. He is not suicidal. Rather, he is filled with such inner-pain the he has only found relief through outer-pain. There are many Benjamins in our world. There is probably at least one in your congregation. Benjamin needs help. He needs a Good Shepherd. The only shepherd he's found so far is the shepherd of self-mutilation.

Next meet Katia. She is a real person discussed on PBS. She was drugged and sold into slavery in Turkey. Each day in captivity she was drugged, beaten, and raped. Katia was lucky in that she managed to escape. The United Nations estimiated in 2001 that there are roughly 1 million victims of "human trafficking"...slavery.

Katia and others like her have a unique perspective on the words of Jesus when he says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy". Katia needs a good shepherd.

Recently in the news we've been learning disturbing facts about our dear United States of America. We have allowed a thief into the fold. That thief goes by the name of Torture. The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. This thief has stolen our nation's moral platform. This thief has killed our good name. This thief has destroyed our integrity.

Those in high places of power who ordered these despicable and cowardly deeds have not been held accountable. Indeed, the grunts who did their dirty work have taken the blame. They were called "bad apples" by the very people responsible for the torture. For instance, to this very day there is a prison guard from Abu Ghraib that is still in prison for the sins of his superiors.

Instead of a good shepherd this guard had a "hired hand" who abandoned him as soon as danger was near. Now that hired hand is in his mansion while this guard, this grunt, is in prison. This grunt needs a Good Shepherd . He needs a shepherd who brings good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is holy, but not legalistic and exclusivist. He is the Prince of Peace, but he holds those in authority accountable and to high moral and ethical standards. He brings justice, but he does not return violence for violence. Our Good Shepherd Jesus is one with the Father. He is our older brother who brings us into the fold as children of God.

Liberation from Liberators

2009-04-19T08:38:00.004-05:00

"From silly devotions and sour-faced saints,
Good Lord, deliver us." (Teresa of Avila)

I've come to realize that my beliefs about Christianity and politics are liberal. At the same time conservatives do not make me angry. Liberals do! This is especially true in the Church.

Often people who dedicate themselves to being a "prophetic witness" do more to support the status-quo and oppressors than do the conservatives. Seriously, if I were a wealthy contributor to conservative causes, I would give healthy donations to these "prophets" who hurt the very causes they seek to help.

I believe in liberal policy ideas because I believe they are the best for all involved. This means that they inherently have mainstream appeal. Often people in the prophetic tradition present these good ideas in such a way as to make them seem "radical". Indeed, often liberation folks talk about the "radicalness" of Jesus or the "subversiveness" of the gospel. Fine. One can make that claim. But is it helpful?

My goal is prophetic. My goal is to work for justice as Jesus laid out in the beatitudes. However, I'm not interested in saying, "Hey look at me. I'm a prophetic and ethical witness!". Rather I wish to say, "Hey, look at these ideas. Look at the issues that face the most vulnerable people (and animals and environment). Look at what can be done to make a positive difference".

Don't look at me. Don't call me some prophetic voice. Don't call me anything. Instead, call your representatives and work for change. Present justice as mainstream. This will make a difference. Yammering on about subversiveness or radicality does nothing but makes the speaker feel good, feel "faithful". In other words, it is theological masturbation.

Let us work for peace and justice because it is the right thing to do, not because it is cool. Let us work for liberation of the oppressed. Let us stand in solidarity with the oppressed. Let us support labor unions. Let us make a real difference for real people. Don't be a "look at me" prophet. Be a "look at the solution" prophet.

Dear Lord, liberate us from the liberators. AMEN

Torture

2009-04-17T19:20:00.002-05:00

A good name is to be more desired than great riches... -- Proverbs 22:1

President Obama did a brave thing by making public documents revealing torture committed by the United States. Unfortunately, President Obama did a cowardly thing by saying he will let the past be the past.

I'll admit that I'm personally OK with not punishing the "regular Joes and Janes" who follow orders. I know they are guilty, but they are in a tough situation when they have no power. BUT I believe the people who made these orders possible need to be brought to justice. This includes President George W Bush. No, I'm not a Bush-basher. Some people are so anti-Bush that it is counter-productive. This is different. The president must never be above the law.

I love the United States of America. I want us to be the good guys. There is never an excuse for torture. It is morally bankrupt. It does not retrieve reliable information. It gives fuel to our enemies. It puts our troops at risk when they are captured. These reasons are not even about Christianity. These reasons are simply about being a good citizen of the world.

I pray that justice is done. This is not because I want to see Bush or anybody else suffer. Frankly, I'm a bleeding heart when it comes to punishment. The reason is because we must make this right. We cannot move forward unless and until we restore our name. If torture is not punished it will happen again.

I've written my representatives about this. I encourage you to do the same. However, regardless of what those in official power do, we the people can make our voices known. We can name evil when we see it. We can be heard. We will be heard.

HAPPY EASTER!

2009-04-12T06:42:00.002-05:00

The most powerful nation in the world tortured our Lord to death. In the resurrection, God revealed the holy truth. Death transforms into radically new life. Injustice transforms into perfect justice. Darkness transforms into light. Hate transforms into love. The love God has for creation is deeper and wider than we can fathom. On Easter we catch a glimpse.

He is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!

John Dominic Crossan Interview

2009-04-10T13:27:00.006-05:00

http://www.philosophyandscripture.org/Issue2-1/JD_Crossan/jd_crossan.html

The link provided reveals an excellent interview of John Dominic Crossan. The topic is the book Dr. Crossan co-wrote with Jonathon L. Reed entitled, In Search of Paul. The reason for encouraging the reading of this interview is that Dr. Crossan presents a way of interpreting scripture and theology through seeking to understand the context in which people in the first century would have experienced Jesus. For instance, in our world we debate abstractions such as "Is the resurrection literal or metaphor". In the pre-enlightenment world-view, such a question would never arise. Crossan writes:

"...if Paul went around the Mediterranean saying that Jesus bodily came out of the tomb, the proper first century reaction is not, if you are a polite pagan, we don't believe that stuff. Rather you say: okay, so what? I've heard that type of story before. What does it matter to me? Why should I care? And that's when Paul would answer: yes, Jesus has been raised from the dead and God is concerned with bodies. God is concerned with justice. God is concerned with cleaning-up the mess of the world. Here is what we are doing, do you want to join us? That is a pre-enlightenment response. What we prefer to do in a post-enlightenment world is to spend our time arguing about the distinction between literal and metaphorical..."

Crossan points out that the basic message of Christianty and Judaism is that God is in charge of this world. Therefore justice comes before peace. This is in contrast to the understanding of "empire" that victory comes before peace. I encourage you to read the interview. Perhaps you will find it meaningful as well.

Perhaps the United States Should Try Bush & Cheney for War Crimes

2009-04-09T14:27:00.003-05:00

Perhaps the United States Should Try Bush & Cheney for War Crimes.
I was not of the opinion that our country should try Bush and Cheney for war crimes. I thought it would needlessly keep us stuck in the past. Indeed, I wish to move on and begin a new era. But I'm beginning to re-think my position.

I was watching the Rachel Maddow Show. She was discussing two U.S. women reporters in prison in North Korea. When the U.S. questioned the legality of this, the North Korean officials replied that they were doing nothing as bad as what the U.S. had done with Guantanamo Bay. The U.S. asked about the treatment of these prisoners. Again, North Korea said that compared to the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay they were doing nothing wrong. This is all paraphrased, but you get the gist.

The United States has set a dangerous precedent with our "War on Terror". We have held people without trial. We have tortured people. There is an old saying about not becoming like your enemy. Is this not exactly what the United States has done?

I'm not going to pretend to be an expert in constitutional or international law. Therefore I'm not going to say that Bush and Cheney are guilty of breaking any laws. Yet, I have suspicions that they are. The United States needs to show the world that Bush/Cheney are not representative of our nation. We need to show that we will bring corrupt leaders to justice. My goal is not to punish anybody. My goal is justice.

What do you think?

First Post

2009-04-09T14:11:00.000-05:00

Hi and welcome to the first post on Social Gospel. I have another active blog called Mental Health and God. However, I found myself writing about things that were not directly related to that issue any longer. This is why I started this blog.

Labels are a difficult thing for me. They carry so much emotional baggage that it is hard to know how someone else will "experience" the label. For instance, "liberal". Everyone who read that word had a different set of experiences and emotions. Still, labels can be helpful. In that spirit I will describe what you will likely find in this blog.

I am a Christian progressive. I support single-payer health care (House Resolution 676). I support gay folks getting married. I support pumping extra funds into public education, along with a workable plan to ensure every child in the U.S. gets a quality education in a safe environmnet. This is just a taste to give you a sense of what to expect.

Thanks for stopping by.