Exceptionalism

Over of late, after reading some of Dr. Brueggemann’s writings, I have been exploring mentally the idea of exceptionalism; a state of being in which you have an attitude that you are exceptional to others and thus have a special pass on rules/accountability that apply to the masses. This idea of exceptionalism is a great divider. It sets up demarcated boundaries between people, nations, political parties, religions, races, sexes - it is a destructive force that promotes policies that reek of injustice, violence and oppression. An exceptionalism mentality strikes a profound blow against the other to whom one thinks you have some exceptionality. For example our political conversations in today’s world around immigration, where the promise of a wall to keep others out of our “beautiful country” smacks of exceptionalism. The idea that as Americans we have the "god given right" to boss or bully other nations around to our way of thinking economically and politically and by so doing disrespect their capacity to be contributing members of a global family is but a product of this country’s exceptionalism. And perhaps even more to the point, (and I know that I am walking a very tight line here) for American politicians to take the moral high ground by saying that other nations who would be “less responsible” with nuclear capabilities smacks of exceptionalism, reinforcing the idea that our moral capacity is higher than yours. Actually, I think the more morally high ground would be that all nations with weapons of mass destruction would convert their arsenals into instruments that promote life. The Bible is full of stories of God’s expanding, evolving embrace of humanity, even as Israel was billed as a nation that was of special interests to Yahweh. But that special interest can slip easily into exceptionalism, which can then easily slip into exclusionary election by God and that idea easily slips into “we are justified in doing whatever we please.” The Bible as a whole pushes against exceptionalism because it understands the harm that can be inflicted on others by those thinking they are the “exceptional ones." The Bible pushes ultimately toward God’s care and embrace of the whole of the world – the concept is know as shalom. Religions, when they think of themselves exceptional because of God’s special endorsement – at the expense of the well being of neighbors, then God is greatly diminished and the neighbor’s human worth is greatly compromised. As we listen to the political rhetoric of today – I invite you to ponder the harm and division promoted by the idea of exceptionalism.

Reflections on Ferguson and beyond

The events around Ferguson should cause us to pause and ponder deeply the cultures within our nation that work to wound others. As those not in the courtroom, we do not know all of the information that the Grand Jury pondered, and thus ‘why’ around their decision remains illusive. But there are things we do know. We live in a violent, racist society that takes a deadly toll on all of us. The decision in Ferguson stirs us on many levels and the decision’s tentacles reach far beyond the decision they reached. For those who deeply and personally feel the grief of Michael Brown’s death and his absence in their life, for them those deep wounds are reopened in a painful way. For those who see Michael Brown’s death as a larger social crisis that lives within every city and town in our nation, a death perpetuated by our ongoing racist culture, their anger is refueled, and justly so. With no indictment I imagine, their hopes for a reprieve go unfulfilled once again, and that the reality is, that within our nation there is a disproportionate number of deaths among young African American men, and thus, justice continues to seem denied. This decision reinforces the pain of the many, who are wounded each day by this reality, and their cries of lamentations rise, fueled by anger at a social system that is undeniably stacked toward the privileged. Another tentacle that adds to the tragic circumstances is the inability of our culture to seriously address our capacity to consume and manufacture weapons. We are an armed society and just as sadly, we are a fearful society. At every turn we are instructed to fear the other. Fear is particularly pronounced among the privileged, for they are fearful of the changing world in which they live, and thus, try to enact policies of protectionism. Fear armed with weapons is a deadly combination. It is my deepest prayer that the events, disappointment, anger, and grief can push us toward a plan of reconciliation, addressing the deep challenges of our national life.

Tuesday's ponderings

I heard a troubling program on NPR this morning about Alaskans and their attitude toward global warming. Since they are on the front edge of the receiving end of global warming they cannot ignore its immediate impact with the permafrost melting and ice getting thinner. But the program’s conclusion was that Alaskans are more focused on how they can cope with the day- to-day reality of global warming rather than addressing the causes. The image that comes to mind for me in that strategy is when someone is bailing water out of a sinking boat, but does not fix the hole in the bottom of the boat. On Tuesday, while I understand these are non-binding referendum, the voters of Illinois demonstrated that they wanted legislators to address some root causes of poverty, and some of the ongoing root causes of our social fraying. Votes overwhelmingly said yes to: raising the minimum wage, women’s health and birth control, funding mental health services, universal background checks, passing laws that protect voters’ rights. Of course the challenge of these votes is their legislative implementation. But, with these votes legislators were urged to move forward on bills to address these issues. These votes are encouraging and help direct the focus away from our just coping, toward addressing root causes of disenfranchisement for so many people in our state.

While away on vacation I have been deeply troubled by the events around Michael Brown’s shooting in Ferguson, MO. I have thought of the Three Crosses’ community often and have been holding you in my heart as we watch what has unfolded on the news. There have been many, often dueling narratives put forth around this tragic event. Underlying all of the news stores is the excessive violence in our culture and the acceptable premise that it is justifiable to use weapons against other human beings, even unarmed young men. The use of guns escalates the cycle of violence. There are models in the world where police offices do not carry guns. This country should take note and look at those models. Another worrisome aspect is the headline which said: “Peace and quiet return to the streets of Ferguson.” Peace within a theological setting has always upheld justice. Peace is never seen as a lack of conflict, but rather a state of being where all people experience the justice of God in all aspects of life. True peace is far from Ferguson. This week’s events underscore the real work that our country must do to confront racism and its deep impact upon our culture. The words written on the signs carried by many of the demonstrators ring true: “No Justice, No Peace.”

Reflection on the War in Israel/Gaza While I would not call myself a world traveler by any standard, I have traveled to a few war torn areas of the world including, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Lebanon, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. While in those areas, I saw evidence of the violence; experienced the terror of death squads; and heard stories of how the violence of war ripped through families and how poverty was deeply linked to the violence of the conflicts. While in Gaza, I visited a family of 14 living in a two-room house, with a dirt floor and little to no furniture. The father talked about his inability often to access his worksite because it was in the West Bank, outside of Gaza’s city limits, and many days he could not cross the border. I heard of the lack of medical care for the children and I physically saw the garbage that littered the streets because public services were almost non-existent in Gaza. It was a humanitarian nightmare that still wakes me at night. Then, as well as now, the magnitude of the nightmare leaves little room for one side of the conflict to blame the other to justify the horror that children are enduring. The conflict that is happening right now in Gaza is again reawakening my memory of my visit some 22 years ago and is re-traumatizing me. While I know the reasons behind the offensive in Gaza has a long, complicated, violent and political history, it is my deepest yearnings that the violence will stop; that no more civilians or military personnel will be lost; that a way to peace might emerge.

Pride 2014

Celebrating Pride It seems impossible, but last night as Barry was putting up his collections of Pride buttons, getting ready for the 2014 Pride March, I counted off 19 buttons since I saw my first Pride Parade here in Chicago in 1996. What a transition the LGBT movement has made over those years. Who would have thought in 1996 as I was coming out and leaving parish ministry as a result, that in 2014 there would be 19 states and the District of Columbia where gay couples could be married. And every day the courts strike down another attempt by a state’s vote to exclude queer folk from marriage equality. And who would have thought that Barry and I would be married, and our marriage be celebrated in the church! But even as the legal marriage sea quickly changes, there is a need for continued strong advocacy work. Just as we know that changing of laws some 50 years ago did not eliminate racism, neither will the courts’ recognizing marriage equality eliminate heterosexism. That is why we still march, to give voice to our commitment to our LGTBQ brothers and sisters. I have noticed over the years a different crowd standing on the sidelines of the parade cheering the churches on as we march and hold our welcome banners. It is those who still need to see a supportive religious presence for examples (LGBTQ youth and Transgender youth), who still face social pressures to conform to culturally normative lives (whatever that means). We still march to stand in solidarity with those who are hoping for a cold cup of water, a supportive nod from a pastor, a smile, or a “high-five” from someone over 50. One never knows how life-giving our presence might be.

Summary of Sabbatical conversations - #1 – Wednesday, September 18. I. As we introduced ourselves the question was asked – What brought you to Three Crosses? Below are the responses: • Relationship with someone who was attending • Web site • Looking for a spiritual community • It was affiliated with a denomination of my past: Methodist and UCC • In search of community – yoga, it was in my neighborhood • Open and Affirming • Mission – outreach to the community • Progressive Theology • Spirituality – potential musical group – small groups The question was raised if we are intentionally promoting these “portals” in our ads and web site? It is a good question concerning, are we intentionally declaring who we are? II. What are some of the core values that you would name at Three Crosses? • Welcoming • Progressive theology – non creedal – no one image our idea of God prevails • Human interactions (relationships) are important • The atmosphere is not “churchie” as defined by old models of church – the environment is relaxed and casual, informal • Social Justice is important • We do social action, both as a congregation and support members who are actively engaged in social justice • The environment is celebratory – living into joy, not shame • God is experienced in the relationships we build • Education – about issues impacting our world, God and how we relate to both • No shame theology. The question was then asked about “how would a visitor see these values being lived in the community?” • There was an immediate conversation stirred about the name of Three Crosses and how for people with no religious lingo or experience could find the name very off-putting, scary and never attend to see the community at work. • Fellowship is an important part of our worship life • We are traditional in some elements of our worship, but non-traditional in others – we use inclusive language. • We relay that we are a place that allows people to be on their spiritual quest rather than conform to a particular spirituality • We are Open and Affirming Questions that surface that could use more conversation: Do we boldly and intentionally claim who we are as a community with a progressive theology – does our web site unashamedly proclaim our progressiveness? How much do we interact with our immediate community and invite them into partnerships with us – life the Old Town Triangle Association, Menomonee Club, Deborah’s Place, Clayton Homes, Buddhist Temple, St. Michaels, etc….. How are we intentionally inviting people to come to Three Crosses including our friends, co-workers, and neighbors?