Tag Archives: Politics

Divided by Greed

Living in the Spirit

July 5, 2021

Scripture Reading:
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. –2 Samuel 6:1-5.

I have no idea how Israelites danced, but I always envision Native American fancy dancers when I read that the Israelites danced with all their might. The indigenous dancers are mesmerizing to watch. Such artistic dancing grew out of the tribal preparation for, or celebrations of a good hunt or battles won. David and company were celebrating the attainment of enough peace to return the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem from being stored to preserve and protect it. Such events were community building, what people of faith recognize as oneness. Jesus called us to be one*. I fear our hold on oneness is very fragile. We have been invaded by the evil of divide and conquer. While we see actual divisions, I sense we are more caught in inertia, concerned that making any movement might start a chain reaction. I have heard we are close to civil war again being spoken.

I am reading Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals that documents the events surrounding the Civil War of the19th century—a good book. What I notice most about the description of this time and its politics is that greed did not rule politics then as it does today. Slavery is essentially a sin of greed. The abolitionists were in general concerned about the immoral nature of slavery itself.  The pragmatic politicians were trying to hold the nation together. The slave states were trying to maintain their economy, of which slavery was already an accepted, engrained necessity.

Every day I delete a trove of emails and text messages asking me to send $3 or $5 or $25 or whatever I can afford because, if I do not contribute, some horrid bill will pass, or some desperately needed legislation is going to fail. Our democracy is being bought and sold, and we seem helpless to stop it. Of course, I only get the requests that relate to my political persuasions.  I am sure others are receiving the same type of propaganda aimed at the opposite viewpoint. On July 31, 2015, Jimmy Carter said that the U.S. Is an ‘Oligarchy With Unlimited Political Bribery’**. While at the time I thought he might have been overstating the situation, I no longer think he did.

How are people of faith to respond. Inertia is clearly not the answer. Answering God’s call to oneness is the vision for which we strive. The first step is recognizing we need to take it. We need to seek God’s guidance in finding common ground for the Common Good and not stop until it is realized, for it will never be bought.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for trying to go along to get along. Free us from any hold greed has on us. Give us the courage to work toward oneness. Amen.

*See  John 17:20-23
**https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/jimmy-carter-u-s-is-an-oligarchy-with-unlimited-political-bribery-63262/

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Leaving a Legacy of Greed

Living in the Spirit
August 14, 2018

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’…Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’

 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.’ –1 Kings 3:5, 9-14

Desiring an understanding mind and knowing the difference between good and evil are valuable assets for any leader. Seeing the breadth and depth of differing opinion and honing out a reasonable compromise is the greatest challenge of governance. Particularly in a world where powering one’s selfish choices over more prudent practices without regard to negative impacts, they might have on others is the admired approach. Politics is not football. Football is a game that tests the strength and wits of its players. Fun to watch and if anyone on either team gets hurt everyone pauses in concern for the player’s wellbeing.

Politics while often played like a game is real. Ideally, the goal of politics is to provide for the Common Good for everyone which strengthens each citizen’s potential for life success. While politics has always had a seamy side to greater or lesser extents, it should not be a dirty word. We have allowed it to become a game among players who can marshal the most money and throw it about supporting special interests whose primary concern has no relationship to the Common Good. We are thus conditioned to believe information that we know are lies and support causes that ultimately hurt us. The perpetrators could care less.

Solomon’s wisdom and wealth are well documented. The legacy of greed that resulted, however, marked the beginning of the end of the nation of Israel.

Prayer: God who is Love, forgive us as a people when we let our lust for power and our greed become our gods overriding your rule of love.  Help us seek out leaders who will work toward the Common Good of all your people. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Politics and Practices

Living in the Spirit
October 21, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:15-22

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ –Matthew 22:15-17

Political leaders in Washington DC and Oklahoma are under the delusion that cutting taxes will put more money back into the economy. The fact they seem to miss is that we invest the vast majority of tax money quickly back into our economy.  Roads are built and maintained by people who work. In Oklahoma, last year 12 rule hospitals filed for bankruptcy, and three closed primarily from cuts in federal health care spending robbing entire communities of readily accessible health care not to mention jobs lost.

Civil government has played an important role in the development of our world since families grew to tribes and tribes needed to interact to provide for the Common Good. We may all want to gripe about paying taxes, but government serves a necessary purpose. Yes, governments need to operate efficiently and effectively and yes, governments need to handle our tax dollars wisely. The protection of the Common Good is the foundation for our otherwise thriving.

Pitting the church against the government as the Pharisees were trying to do in our scripture today is trying to catch Jesus in the politics of the day. Living under the Roman rule where its subjects were not a part of the decision-making process dictated a choice between following the rules or facing serious consequences. Rome’s religious tolerance ended at the tax collectors’ tables. Protections against such practices are in our Constitution, not to limit religion but to protect all citizens from having someone else’s religion imposed on them.

We, too, get caught up in the politics of the day, and it colors our decision-making practices as citizens in a democratic society where we do have responsibilities for assuring quality governance in the provision of the Common Good. We cannot and should not force our religious beliefs through laws on others. We can, and we must live our faith through our participation as citizens. Walking that tightrope takes courage and trust that Jesus taught us what was important. The thing is the Common Good fits nicely with Jesus’ teachings like feeding the hungry.

Prayer: Lord, give us the vision we need to see past politics and find the way to the Common Good. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Politics of Jesus

Living in the Spirit
August 26, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13-20

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. –Matthew 16:13-17

Why did Jesus ask the disciples how people perceived him? Was he checking to see if he was getting his message across? Was he testing his team’s understanding or fidelity? Preceding this scripture are stories of the religious leaders of the day asking for a sign from Jesus to prove who he is, and a warning from Jesus for the disciples to beware of these same leaders. I think Jesus was trying to address both questions. He cared that people understood his message. He cared that the religious leaders did not misconstrue who he was to further their purposes. Jesus dealt with politics.

We tend to tie politics to civil government, but everything we do involving groups of people includes some form of politics. We even try to influence one group’s politics with another group’s. Politics is a branch of ethics concerned with the state or social organism as a whole rather than the individual person:  a division of moral philosophy dealing with the ethical relations and duties of governments or other social organizations*. Much of the Gospels include reports of Jesus’ handling the politics of his faith community. He was a threat to the power of both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He called for the formation of a kingdom that was vastly different from their concept of God’s Kingdom. Many of them, not all, were certain their understanding of the Kingdom of God was God’s understanding. Sound familiar? Are we following the path of the Pharisees and Sadducees rather than Jesus’ way? How do we know Jesus’ path when we seek it?

Jesus was a minimalist. He had two basic rules love God and love one another. He illustrated both with lots of stories and lots of examples that passed to us through the ages. His message was not a new one. It was one his faith community were called to follow very early in its formation. The lesser gods of lust for power, greed, pride, envy, and sloth continually play their political viewpoint against God’s all the time wooing us away from the basic rules. If love is wanting the very best for everyone, then these lesser gods cannot be a part of God’s Kingdom.

Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God,
   and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
   and do not take your holy spirit from me**. Amen

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/politics
**Psalm 51:10-11

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Oneness

people-arguing1Living in the Spirit
September 7, 2015

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 1:20-33

Wisdom cries out in the street;
   in the squares she raises her voice.
At the busiest corner she cries out;
   at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
‘How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
   and fools hate knowledge? –Proverbs 1:20-22

I’ll admit I am a news junkie, but I am wearing pretty thin on what even the major stations are broadcasting. Apparently, the morning show, I normally watch, is planning to have each presidential candidate come on the show and share their ideas, which is a good thing, right. One candidate did appear recently and his four or five minute segment was spent primarily challenging him to say something about another candidate whose antics are all we hear about in the news. Most of the reporting about other candidates is a travel log where they are speaking, not what they are saying. When we do hear about what they are saying, it is normally quotes about the controversial issue of the day not their plans for our country. I have to assume the news programs are doing this because it helps their ratings and if that is true then that is on us. We need to demand substance.

Sorry about the rant, but when I read our scripture for today, it seemed to be describing our political system. We make big deals out of issues that have little if any impact on most of the country while our economic system is upside down, our infrastructure is falling apart, and who has a clue about what to do regarding Syria and ISIS. We are a house divided and we all know what happens to houses divided.

Jesus Christ called us to be one, to love one another, which I believe requires us to work diligently toward the Common Good, not tear it apart so that I can have what I want at your expense. The Body of Christ needs to set the example of such oneness not be the source of the division.

Prayer: Lord forgive us for making you a pawn in our political games. Give us a new song to sing your oneness throughout this land. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.