America? Really? Can we prove it?

In the wake of recent terrorist attacks and American attitudes regarding our countries place in the world, concerning those in need, I just have a few questions... well, more than a few, but I'll start with these. The two biggies...

Are you telling me that God can’t handle this? Because that’s all I’m hearing. Do you have the faith to love as Christ calls you to? He said nothing about “practicing” God’s love – he just said do it! And he showed us how to do it in a colossal and ultimate display of sublime and unsurpassed, unconditional love. He says nothing of giving us “a pass” for not doing so.

So many American Christians would have us contort the order of law in our country to align our Republic with Christian principles (which ones no one is completely able to agree upon) and yet we are not a Christian nation – forget the forefathers and their intent – that has become a flimsy excuse for bad behavior today. We as a nation, here today, are not practicing Christ’s love. Not in our homes – look at the bullying taught to children by parents and practiced by their well-schooled progeny; not on our streets in our attitudes toward the poor and the sick; not in the churches who are steeped in politics and competing for the biggest and best buildings/parishioners/ status/coffers – not the most loving and pastorally effective ministry. And certainly not in our bi-partisan, religiously charged politics (not unlike the politics of some of the very people we currently despise).

JESUS said of our enemies:

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” - Matthew 5:44

He didn’t say love your enemies, if... when... maybe... And even back in the Old Testament:

“A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense.” - Proverbs 19:11

So do we have the faith and the courage to do what “The Book” and the son of God, upon whom we claim to build our faith and strengthen our society commanded? Even when it’s uncomfortable - even if it's scary - just as Jesus did. He did not pick and choose. In fact, he placed himself in the midst of his enemies for the sake of all humanity in order to show us the love he commands that we practice. Do we really have the courage of his blood? Does the might of his sacrifice really course through our veins and swell our hearts with the kind of transformative love and peace that “passeth understanding”?

But, such love is not cheap, and yet Jesus commands us:

“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” - Matthew 19:11

Unless, of course, you subscribe to the utterly man-made and perfectly convenient “prosperity theology” – convenient... unlike “the path”.

So if you claim to be an American and a Christian; and you believe that America is a Christian nation; and you do not love as Christ did - without discrimination or hesitation - I question if you are truly either one. If you were, you would know in your heart of hearts that a Christian nation under God’s love can handle whatever comes its way. It can welcome the stranger and the enemy and show God’s transformative love and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God’s love is big enough. Do you not believe that our current anger and hatred is creating more “evil”? And I’m not just talking about our disdain for our enemies, but our fellow Americans when they believe differently and/or disagree with our point of view. It amounts to self-hatred as a nation. Not a respectful, peace-loving and loving people.

If you are walking in his light then open your arms and hearts and welcome those in need, with God’s optimism – that is his gift to those who truly believe. And if you can’t, then who and what are you really? If we, as a nation, can’t – then who and what are we really? Not America! And certainly not a Christian nation. So what are we? Do we have what it takes? Or will we just continue to fight and horde our riches and grab all that we can get, any way we can get it, while we can get it - and despise those who don’t fit with our idyllic lives?

True freedom is to live without the heavy weight of prejudice and hatred - if we allow ourselves to hate, despise and condemn others, we imprison ourselves and doom our own souls. Just like the church – America is her people. It’s tough to be us – great, but tough. Are we tough enough? Faithful enough? American enough?

Cry War!

Interesting to see how many people on FB now seem to be crying WAR in light of current world affairs. Much to ponder...

Isn't it interesting how close history is coming to repeating itself - just about a century apart.....

In the early part of the last century a president who was not easily electable by today's standards (FDR with his Polio - today, it's Obama) came into office with; obscenely h...igh unemployment rates; on the heels of the worst economic disaster our country had faced; financial institutions a mess; dictators in office in other countries and democracies crumbling; Sky-rocketing poverty rates; racial tensions high; memories of one war in the not-so-distant past and another great war looming on the horizon.

Not so very different than where we are today. Only this time - the dictators have prolific nuclear capabilities and seem to be itching to use them and greater alliances have been forged among those who would be enemies.

I can't say that I love Obama's performance, but I will say that I appreciate the idea/ideal of trying to get the Middle Eastern countries to rise up and fight their own battle for a change. In World War II we didn't jump in until the world could see clearly who the real enemies of the planet - not just the US - were, and it worked (doesn't mean we couldn't have done things differently, sooner, etc. - but it worked).

Are we forgetting that Putin (apparently Russian for Hitler - who knew?) is posturing, testing nuclear weapons and threatening to retaliate if we misstep. Do we really know who the Russians are in bed with - China? N. Korea? Any number of Middle Eastern, South American - even African detractors/enemies of the "West"? If Russia gets involved we will likely see the winds of war on our own soil for the first time in a "foreign war" since we ourselves became a country - excepting the Mexican-American War and War of 1812. Are we really ready for that?

And we can blame the current administration and the war on Iraq, but this has been building on itself since Israel became a state and we began arming rebel factions in the Middle East.

This is not a simple "just go shoot and bomb these S.O.B's" situation - at all.

Growing Pains...

And so it continues....
 
I have to wonder if we are perched on the precipice of a "defining moment" greater than any we've seen to date. But I think this time is interesting in that:

By historical timelines, we (as a country) are pretty much teenagers, and frankly we've been behaving as such. We're loud, spoiled, petty, obsessed with how we look and with being the "most popular kid/big man" on campus - the prettiest, wealthiest, funniest, smartest, etc. And why not?

Just like high school, much of our power and all of our collective "self-esteem" has been derived from these things. We've even been the peer that others feel pressured to "be just like" and to "try to fit in with their (American) friend" -hence the "Americanization" of the planet. And like teenagers, now that there are "new kids" on campus, we might not be the "cutest" any more; our place on campus is no longer assured and we feel insecure (even scared). We can no longer trade on our "looks" and "personality" - the world has seen it - and in our case, given our addiction to media - they've seen a lot... warts and all... "Familiarity breeds contempt?" (Old sayings are old for a reason. )

But now, we are about to have to step up and grow up. I truly believe that what we do next will define our "adulthood" as a nation - and we are really going to have to approach it as such. While our past points to great things, it is just that - the past.

What we do now and how we do it will determine the next 100 years. This can no longer be about internal agendas and a desire to feel secure and safe - we are so far past that, but don't really want to admit it to ourselves (teenagers love denial, "It's not our fault." ).

These are big times - we need big people. And the only way for that to happen is for us all to act like and become big people.

I have a feeling the growing pains are about to kick in - BUT, it could also be the beginning of great things - again, so much to ponder, meditate on and pray about.

Thoughts on Lambert...

Regarding his recent VMA's performance Adam Lambert recently remarked -

there was a lot of "adult material on the AMAs this year" — including Lady Gaga smashing whiskey bottles and Janet Jackson grabbing a man's crotch — and it's up to "parents to discern what their child is watching."

Wow, that's a really cool concept there, Adam. Parents...parenting...? Taking full responsibility for their children? Why it seems so absurd. What with nearly 2 generations raised by television sets, vcr's and video games, one could hardly expect such a thing.

Seems to me that it's okay to let the VCR/DVD player raise your child, if your child popped out of that little door in the front of that video contraption or slid out on the black plastic tray like a little "disc of joy".

They shouldn't see that stuff on television when they could be engaged in wholesome activities like killing people and blowing shit up on their PS3's. Or absorb the delightful tutelage of Bart Simpson in the art of addressing adults or better yet feed their brains a little more "South Park".

So shame on you Adam Lambert! Shame...

I will never forget the mandatory teacher's meeting I attended as a faculty member at a high school in Atlanta following the Columbine tragedy. The faculty was berated and criticised ad nauseum in an attempt to "inspire" us all to do a better job - great reverse psychology there. I watched esteemed colleagues cry as their spirits sank in despair having their abilities scrutinized over an incident that occured some 1,400 or so miles away. Mind you, we weren't shaken enough by the actual incident - nope, what we needed was a good stern "talking to" to ward off the evil spirits, lest they come to visit our little hamlet.

After the emotional, irate (short for irrational, mind you) parents were finished, the administrators picked over the carcasses of the wounded and dying spirits of the faculty's crestfallen.

And then, with only minutes left in the nearly 2 hour proceedings, we were asked if any one had anything to say? Not one of my fellow faculty members budged; so rattled and fearful.

But I did. For them. As a contractual teacher in a school with far-too-few teachers, I had nothing to lose. I said, and I proudly and vehemently repeat...

"Yes. I can solve this problem right now. It's simple. Parents, go home and raise your children. With manners and respect. Make them do their school work. Pay attention to them when they're at home, because that is not my job!"

I can say with 110% certainty that I gave a safe haven for kids to learn and grow whenever they were in my care, regardless of their manners, lack of respect, whether their parents were absent, over-bearing or just good helpful team members, etc. But that singular incident was the end of my desire to teach, even the most wonderful children, for irresponsible beaurocrats and ungrateful parents (often children themselves, posing as parents).

So shame on Adam Lambert? How about shame on you if you didn't exercise the right to change channels if you or your child was watching and didn't want to watch or shouldn't have! If you don’t like him don’t buy his music.

I think it a great tragedy that we, as a people, have lost the ability, respect and understanding of good, healthy debate. After all, it’s so much easier to attack. I so look forward to living in a nation of grown-ups some day - hope it happens soon!

Where, how, when and why to start....

I set up this blog years ago and haven't even started. I'm intrigued how some people think that everyone will be interested in everything they have to say and some of us assume no one wants to know what we think. I'm sure there are many shades and varying degrees of everything in between, too.

So, rather than beating myself up for not getting started sooner, I think I'll "just do it".

Today, I watched -

I was recently in D.C. and had a very interesting morning. Interesting for me in that, while I am not a particularly un-feeling individual, I am not an overly-mushy person either. I was in the Metro, figuring out which pass to buy, when I noticed an older white man trying to figure out the machines, maps, passes, etc. He was in his 70's, I'd guess, and very trembly. As we waited for the Metro staffer to get to us, I noticed the man seemed to be on a mission; impatient and impassioned.

The staffer, a middle-aged black woman, turned to offer us her assistance. She was animated and enthusiastic - refreshing! So, why does it matter that he was white and she was black? It matters plenty. I couldn't help but think how not so very long ago this man, in this country, would not have been asking this woman for assistance and now, here they are communicating in an equitable fashion that came at a price.

He wanted to go to the war memorials and Arlington National Cemetery. Now I admit that I am possessed of an active imagination, but this man could so easily have been one of the people who fought along-side those whom he now longed to visit and honor. If so, he had fought for the freedoms we were all standing on this train platform enjoying - black and white. Was there an uncle, father, friend, best man or son in one of those graves and would this be, perhaps, his last visit. Even now, I can't fight the tears it brought to my eyes. I, so very much, wanted to ask him questions - but I didn't. Maybe it was better to just observe.

Then, once I was on the platform, I noticed a family coming out of the elevator; husband and wife, two small children and a teenage son in a wheelchair. The teenager was the first out of the elevator as he made his way to the train, seemingly excited by the journey ahead. His family hurried along behind him, juggling maps, cameras and water bottles.

A brief train ride and one more short elevator trip and we were all standing on the mall in front of the Washington Monument. The very tower that I would ascend the next day with a friend. Would this teenager make the same trip, see the same sights. Would he see more in all the things I would, unintentionally, take for granted?

I was suddenly grateful for elevators and ramps and wheels. I'd never thought of how these simple things could keep a family together. I remember the heated debates, passionate dismay and angry voices that could not see the worth in legislation that was set to create such advantages, and now - I see the worth and wisdom in them. I cried a little - again.

Well, it was quite a morning and I hadn't really even gotten started. Time to tackle the Smithsonian again - I love it. Our Nation's treasure trove.

First stop; the National Gallery/East Building. I noticed an elegant, older lady standing at the information kiosk with a smile I was certain was just for me. I told her I had little time and asked for ideas. She quickly sorted out my "quick tour" for me complete with maps and information. She was clear that I had to see the visiting exhibit by Spanish still life master, Luis Melendez, calling it "superb". She was right. As I stood, marveling at Melendez's eye for detail, deft brush-strokes and inexplicable ability to make painted grapes look completely edible, I couldn't help over-hearing a voice in the lobby of the exhibit. It was oddly familiar; steady and warm; fueled by a quiet and deliberate passion and a thorough and affectionate knowledge of the Melendez exhibit. I completed the tour and rounded the corner to discover "my smiling lady", holding court and sharing with the crowd of museum-goers. It was her voice I heard. The paintings were beautiful. She was a work of art! And yes. I cried, a little - again.

I dashed to the bookstore beneath the museum and grabbed an over-priced journal which said "Creativity takes courage" - Henri Matisse on it's cover. And yes, it seemed to be mocking me for all the times I've lost the courage to create and moreover to share those creations with the world. Nonetheless, I bought it - I needed something, if not some one, to listen to what I'd experienced that morning and while it was "museum gift shop over-priced," the galleries are free - it's the least I could do, right?

I sat by the wall of water in the Cascade Cafe and wrote it all down, re-cried every tear and pondered why it all mattered so much to me. Each time I found myself wishing I had asked many more questions but instead I watched.

I still don't know why these people affected me so and I may never know. All I'm sure of is that I'm glad they did. I'm glad I watched and I'm grateful for what I saw.

My God, what these people have seen; lives lived and hopefully shared by many loving souls.

I found myself wishing I was capable of more extraordinary thoughts, more inspiring words; I'd love to be remembered someday for having said something really important; truly profound. But all I came up with was this -

"It seems that life is always measured in height - "life is short". But, perhaps, it is better measured in width - Stretch out!"