A time to be silent…and a time to speak

It is incredibly difficult to speak in a transformative way in a dualistic-minded society. On one hand, I am telling everyone silence is complicity, and on the other, you cannot hear God unless you are silent.

Both statements are true, and this is where wisdom must come into play. Wisdom truly is crying out in our streets, as stated in Proverbs 1:20.

Can we lament how blatant and awful and above ground—with no embarrassment whatsoever—racism is right now? I know racism has been at play since the founding of our country, but it is really out in the open right now. I know it is because it is being challenged. Power doesn’t back down. Empires are committed to their systems.

Just recently, the super racist Social Justice Gospel statement was released, and Amanda Mintz wrote about it here last week. Then, the Serena Williams racist cartoon came out after the incredibly misogynistic umpire-imposed penalties on her and seriously tainted the U.S. Open. And finally, yet another police officer shot and ended another black life. When will it be said too many have died? This encompasses everyone: children’s lives, black lives, police lives, women’s lives, religious people in their own place of worship.

I want to talk about Botham Jean. I did not know him, but he comes from my church heritage, the Church of Christ. It is funny how you feel a connection when you hear something like that even without ever meeting. One of my dear friends from my former church sent me a video of Botham Jean leading worship at Harding University. It was so beautiful. I wept without ceasing for a good bit. He led “In Christ Alone,” and the beautiful acapella singing from the group took me back to what I do love so much about my heritage. Church of Christ people love to sing.

This video revealed the complexities of life. A life that should still be here leading worship that my soul remembers so well. I don’t agree 100 percent with the theology of “In Christ Alone” anymore (the whole satisfying the wrath of God thing is not my theology), but the ending gives me chills every time:

No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me.From life's first cry to final breath,Jesus commands my destiny.No power of hell, no scheme of man,Can ever pluck me from his hand.’Til he returns or calls me homeHere in the power of Christ I'll stand.

Speaking up in times like these is really difficult. Sometimes I wonder if what I say is just in vain. It seems to be getting worse and not better, and we cannot make any meaningful change because we have closed ourselves off to each other. This “for or against” society is killing us literally and spiritually.

George’s sermon was so important this past week. We need to find what is closed off in us so we can remain open for the healing power of God. Amen. And I am grateful to be a part of the church that believes justice is essential to the gospel.

Eugene Cho says this, “Social justice is not the totality of the gospel, but the gospel without a commitment to neighbor, mercy, justice and common good (aka social justice) is not a faithful gospel. The gospel not only saves, but also ushers in the kingdom of God.”

I am listening to a book on Paul and found a point where Paul is working really hard with Barnabas on something new, but he is getting weary. Are their efforts in vain? He also believed the Spirit would finish the work that was started and found many not participating, trusting the Spirit would take care of it. Paul then tells them this in 1 Corinthians to make it clear ushering in the kingdom requires our physical bodies, and we must train our bodies for the work:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore, I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

Recently, I haven’t been doing a great job practicing such disciplines, and it shows. What lies ahead is hard, but we are kingdom people believing in the intersection of heaven and earth. We must discipline our bodies by being silent, so when we do need to speak (like now) we are not beating against the air just making noise.

We have a better story. We have a story that creates life, not destroys life. A life where there is enough for all (“There is no longer Jews or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”) This is a message that lives today and is including more diversity today.

https://www.facebook.com/34320222/posts/10104012574730214/

Hard Conversations

shutterstock_572076700 Tonight I was listening to a Rob Bell podcast that was recorded in 2016 after the Pulse Night Club shooting. The title of the podcast is “Orlando”. I recommend everyone go and listen to it. He addresses several hard topics we need to start talking about now. I am going to write this post, and then take a break for a bit. My soul is getting weary again. I need to follow the advice of my Preparing for Worship piece this morning, Contemplation, and take a Sabbath. My soul needs renewal.

I believe in humanity. I believe the spirit within us that is telling us this isn’t right is of God. I am needing time to believe this truly again in my heart. Listening to Rob’s podcast about Pulse was so heartbreaking to relive once again. Fifty people were killed in a night club – a gay night club, a place these beautiful souls could feel safe, because the rest of the world isn’t safe for them. Then evil happens. The worst US mass shooting in history-at that point. There is no other word but evil for the gun violence in America. People will be quick to say ISIS was responsible, but seem to bear no responsibility that assault rifle was bought legally int the US. No other country has this problem. The people standing in the way of gun reform are part of a cult, and they don’t know it. The NRA is well funded, and devilishly got in the system and grabbed the attention of the white church by preying on fears. How many more tragic events have happened in this country since Pulse? My heart can’t even bear to look it up and give you the stat, but lets remember Pulse is no longer the worst massacre – Las Vegas. There are so many school shootings elementary, middle school, high school, college – no one is exempt.

Guns, Police, Black Lives, LGBT, women’s rights, religious freedom for more than just christians, etc are all conversations we need to start having now. When Jake and I sat down with one of our friends who is part of the police department- he told me he loves Trump because he calls them when every officer dies. I told him that is great. He isn’t calling the schools when every child or teacher dies. He is even demonizing kids who have survived a massacre who want gun reform.

The demonizing of Colin Kaepernick is so disturbing on so many levels. He is lamenting the loss of lives of black lives at the hands of police, and our society won’t listen to it. Instead we are waving an oppressive police flag, and saying All lives matter. They do, but we aren’t acting like all lives matter. Black lives have a case. Why aren’t lives lost at the hands of police as sad as losing our police? White supremacy is a tough beast. The US needs an exorcism of White supremacy. I don’t use words like this often. I know I have been listening to pentecostals, but I agree with Rob Bell when he says there are words we try to avoid because they were used in a painful way from our past, but there comes a time when we need those loaded powerful words launched into the air.

It is time to stop being afraid of hard conversations. I realize people are mean when you bring up guns and the police. They need to understand their hellish behavior will no longer intimidate us. Our children, black lives, police, and so many more due to mass shootings are dying at a rate we can no longer sit back in fear and not speak to and fight.

Several things I want the police to understand: 1) I support them when they serve as humble public servants 2) They need to speak to their violence 3) They need to address the police flags people wave. Not trying to stop people, but those flags represent oppression, not support for the police. There is a serious abuse of power, and the police must address it 4) When they kill, and I will say there is never a just killing, but especially those you can’t even pretend to justify – it is MURDER, not manslaughter! You don’t get a special pass being police 5) This is to our police and our politicians – you serve all of us. You don’t just serve your perceived base-we are all your base. 6) You need to say Black lives matter loudly. That will be a step towards healing, and work on your own fears of black lives. Even if you are not actively participating in the behavior, the fact you are part of the police system requires you to speak. I say the same for the church all the time. We have to take responsibility for being a part of a system that is abusing even if we are not- think Joe Paterno at Penn State. In the end he protected Penn State vs the children, and many people were fine he did the bare minimum because he did enough to say he followed the rules. He knew he was wrong. Rules are the minimum – we go beyond the rules, and sometimes break the rules for justice.

I am not comfortable saying any of this. Honestly, I feel like the prophet Jeremiah all the time when he is breaking down emotionally when people are not liking him anymore. But the word of God is a fire in my belly. I have seen Heaven on earth. It is open and beautiful, and available to all. I will not accept this violence and aggression from anyone anymore. Let’s come to the table and talk. Let the one who is hurt speak first, and BELIEVE THEM.

Contemplation

As Christianity rose to a position of power, rational thinking and individuals’ needs took priority over embodied, non dual consciousness and relationships

Richard Rohr

Sabbath is a desperately needed practice in our culture today. We live in a constant production work until you drop society. Telling people their worth does not come from what they produce is a radical thought and needs to be emphasized over and over. People are dying to know they are loved exactly as they are, but our society is so competitive it is hard to believe this when we are never silent and finding our worth in production. There is no escape for many as too many churches are playing this game too. Walter Brueggemann writes in “Sabbath as a Resistance” that Sabbath takes our minds from scarcity to abundance.

Contemplation came to me in a very dark night. I had no idea what to do, and I wasn’t sure I was ever going to feel ok again. I listened to a two minute meditation on a podcast, and I was hooked. I signed up as a patreon to this podcast so I could get the longer versions and practice this method everyday. The change in me was radical after about day 10. All of the sudden, things that would trigger me were no longer triggering me. I was calm now. I no longer just saw the world that was leaving me, but I saw the new world that was coming. I was going to Sams and connecting to the employees on a very deep level. People I saw all the time were now some of the dearest people to me, and I could not wait for Mondays to see them. I was having deeply spiritual conversations with everyone around me, including my pest management serviceman.

There is something about going to the desert space to empty ourselves and experience spiritual renewal to return to our prophetic calling. Action and contemplation go together. One of my very favorite moments on the Jimmy Fallon show happened recently. He had Deepak Chopra on the show and he lead the audience in a two minute meditation. I participated and it was amazing, but two minutes isn’t long enough for me now. I see a world that is to come. Let us practice some kind of Sabbath to hang on to hope during this crazy 24 hour news cycle.