Quitting Politics

I am finished with politics. I’ve had enough. I hung on through 2020 election, but the anger, intolerance and partisanship did not end with the inauguration of a new president. In fact it has gotten crazier than ever. Many Americans have become detached from reality as they embrace conspiracy theories and find any excuse to attack political opponents and mindlessly submit to confirmation bias. Fake news has evolved into alternative reality. It seems impossible to discuss topics rationally with anyone that does not already agree with you.

Americans have been led to believe that when it comes to governing our country we must choose between competing ideologies: liberal or conservative, blue or red, Democrat or Republican.  Even when we declare ourselves to be “independent” or “undeclared,” people assume we harbor unconfessed political bias that must be ferreted out. It is assumed that everyone and everything is political. Politics rule America.

I am opting out this binary mindset. I quit. I officially declare myself to be apolitical. That does not mean that I will not vote. I will vote my conscience. As always I will vote the person and not the party. I will continue to voice my convictions about ethical and social issues facing American society. I will take a stand on national policies. But from now on I will have nothing to do with political ideology. I will make decisions and cast my votes based on spiritual principles.

I will use two criteria. One is the adage that was popular in Christian circles in the last century: “What would Jesus do?” I will answer that question by examining his words and actions in the gospels. When discussing the sale and use of handguns and assault weapons, I would ask, “What would Jesus carry? What would Jesus sell?” When it comes to treatment of persons whom establishment religion considers “sinners” I would ask, “How did Jesus treat them?”

The second criterion is that I will treat others as if they were Jesus. Jesus taught, “As you have done to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me.” If it were the Holy Family fleeing a murderous dictator at the US southern border, would I turn them away? If it were Jesus on death row, would I execute him? If it were Jesus needing healthcare, would I be the Good Samaritan and foot the bill, or would I turn aside? If I were a baker would I refuse to bake Jesus a cake?

People will surely insist that this is too simplistic. It is not practical. People will argue that Jesus’ teachings cannot not be used as a blueprint for social or national policy. I reply, “Why not? Because the politicians say so? Whom should we listen to? Jesus or politicians? Should not Christians act like Christians? Why should political party affiliation be allowed to trump our spiritual identity?

I reject the idea that obeying Jesus is impractical or idealistic. I will no longer be defined by the opinions of political pundits, liberal or conservative. I will be defined by my commitment to Jesus Christ.  People would ask, “What if everyone did what you are suggesting? What would become of our country?” I respond: How wonderful it would be! The whole nation living in unconditional love! What an impact that would have on our country and the world?

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other.”  I cannot serve both Christ and Caesar. Those who executed Jesus declared, “We have no king but Caesar!” I declare that I have no King but Jesus. 

Jesus said, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's.” I am Christ’s – body, soul, and spirit. No part of me belongs to Caesar. I am not beholden to any political party or ideology. For that reason I will make every decision based solely on the guidance of the Living Lord Jesus Christ. Goodbye, politics!

The Meaning of Easter

This weekend Christians will gather in person or virtually to celebrate Easter. I will be worshipping at an outdoor sunrise service on a Florida beach, singing “Alleluia” as the sun rises above the eastern horizon. Easter will be interpreted differently depending on the pulpit, the preacher, and the congregation. Many will address the nature of Jesus’ resurrection.

Some Christians take the Easter story literally, and others interpret it spiritually. Conservative churches insist on a physical resurrection of Jesus from the grave, quoting the risen Christ of the Gospel of Luke. "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."

Progressive Christians may present a more spiritual interpretation of the event, quoting the description of the resurrection given by the apostle Paul. “It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit…. Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”

Christians argue over which interpretation of the resurrection is the earliest and most authentic. There was room for both interpretations in first century Christianity, and that remains true today. What is important is what Easter means. For me it means two things.

First, it means that death is not the end. What we really are does not die. Christian philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin wrote: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” I would go further. We are not human beings; we are Being expressed as humans.  

Second, awareness of our true nature can be known in this physical lifetime. That is the reason that the resurrection stories include the physical element. Eternal life is not an afterlife experience; it is a present life experience. We do not have to physically die to know eternal life; we know it now. Jesus taught, “The kingdom of God is within you.” Paul wrote; “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”

Easter is the most important holiday on the Christian calendar. It is certainly important to me. Even more important is knowing the reality of Living Christ every day. As the hymn says, “You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart!”

Recognizing Religionism

There is an ongoing conversation about racism in our country, and rightly so. Our country has a long history of racial prejudice … and white denial of it. Racism is a serious problem in our American culture, including church culture. The church has historically been part of the problem, and it has an historic opportunity to be part of the solution. Yet if recent statements and decisions by the Southern Baptist Convention are any indication, many Christians are not making use of this opportunity.

There is another conversation that is not being held at all. It is about religious prejudice. It is religionism. Unlike racism, you may have never heard the term. What is religionism? Religionism is prejudice based on religion. It is often accompanied by racism because religious groups tend to divide along ethnic and racial lines.

Racism believes that one race is superior to others. Religionism believes that one religion is superior to others. Racism and religionism often go hand in hand. White racists believe that whites are superior to nonwhites. Christian religionists believe that Christianity is superior to non-Christian religions.  When these two join together you get the KKK burning crosses and white Evangelicals waving Confederate flags.

There is prejudice in many – although not all - religions. There is the widespread belief that one’s own religion is superior to others. Religions tend to see their teachings as true and others as false. Sometimes adherents of a particular faith claim to be a chosen people, divinely selected for special privileges in this life and the afterlife. Adherents of other religions are labeled false teachers, heretics or evil. Religionists believe that God will punish them in this world or the next.

I am most familiar with Christian religionism, but it is not unique to my faith. In Arab countries it is Islamic religionism. In Israel it is Jewish religionism. In India it is Hindu religionism. In Myanmar it is Buddhist religionism. It has been the cause of countless holy wars and acts of religious violence, from the Crusades to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center to the 1/6 attack on the US Capitol. It is the reason the founders of these United States fought to keep religion separate from government.

The problem facing religion in the 21^st century is not just the resurgence of extremism, fundamentalism and fanaticism. The problem is more foundational than fringe elements. Religious prejudice is at the heart of many religions and taught in many scriptures. The biggest problem concerning religionism is that we do not recognize it as a problem. In this way religionism is similar to racism. 

As a Christian I can see it most clearly in my religion. Christians today prefer Jews over Muslims, since our scriptures assert that the Jews are God’s chosen people. There was a time when Christianity was rife with anti-Semitism, but now Christians seem to be overcompensating for past sins. Christians favor Israelis over Palestinians, even Palestinian Christians, which is ironic. They try to outdo each other in their support for the nation of Israel. Christians say that the Old Testament gives the modern state of Israel the divine right to the land of Palestine, while we ignore the rights of people who have lived on that land for millennia.

In a similar fashion Christians consider ourselves “the people of God” in accordance with the New Testament. The inference is that adherents of other religions are not God’s people. Some American Christians expand this preferential identity to include the United States as a “Christian nation.”  That is the heart of the resurgent Christian Nationalism in our country. 

Many Christians are adamant about their unique place in American society, complete with special status and privileges. Any infringement of Christian privilege in order to make room for the freedom of others is viewed as persecution of the church. We want prayer back in public schools, but we would not tolerate Islamic prayers offered in our schools. We do not see that as hypocrisy.

American Christians feel it is their right to legislate Christian morality – outlawing abortion, the teaching of evolution, and same-sex marriage. The decline of Christian influence in our culture is perceived as a moral and spiritual crisis for America. It is remedied by praying for religious revival and “taking America back for Christ.” It is no accident that Billy Graham called his evangelistic meetings “crusades.”

When are we going to recognize the problem of religionism in our churches, our country and the world?  When are we going to talk about the need for a new reformation that eliminates religious prejudice from Christianity?  When will we admit that the problem of religionism is as serious as racism … and that they are inextricably related? There is only one race, and it is the human race. All peoples are one Humanity. There is only one religion, and it is Truth. All religions partake of one Truth.

I am a Christian. I have been a professional church leader all my adult life. I am deeply devoted to my faith and to Jesus Christ. I also admit that I am blind to the full extent of racism and religionism in my own heart and my church culture. Yet I dream of a Christianity free of religionism and racism. I dream of a gospel of unconditional love being preached from Christian pulpits in our land. I know I will not live to see that become a reality, but I pray that one day my grandchildren will see it come to pass. 

Cycling through Lent

The Christian year revolves around two cycles: the Advent-Christmas cycle and the Lent-Easter cycle. Being a Christian is like riding a bicycle (bi-cycle) which carries us through the year.  One of these cycles has to do with light and the other darkness.

Advent-Christmas is about birth and light. Light comes into the darkness in the birth of Christ. Lent-Easter is about the darkness of the death of Christ, which culminates in the light of Easter dawn and resurrection.

Christmas originally fell on the Winter Solstice, the moment when days began to get longer, when light begins to triumph over darkness. Easter falls at the time of the Spring Equinox, the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when day and night are equal.

Both religious cycles are related to the interplay of day and night, light and darkness in nature. These liturgical cycles are the equivalent to the Yin Yang symbol of ancient China. The yin yang is a visual expression of duality within a wider all-encompassing unity. The cycles of the Christian year communicate the same thing.

Lent is a meditation on duality and nonduality. One interesting aspect of the season is that the forty days of Lent do not include Sundays. Sundays are feast days in the midst of a season of the fast days. They are oases of light in the darkness, like the circles of light and darkness in the Yin Yang symbol.

Like the Yin Yang symbol, the cross is a symbol of light and darkness, good and evil. The Cross is an instrument of death. Yet the empty cross is a symbol of resurrection – because Jesus is not on it. The crucifix, the cross with Jesus still on it, did not become a symbol of Christianity until the Middle Ages and never became the symbol of Protestant Christianity.

Both the Cross and the Yin Yang express duality encompassed by a greater unity. The Cross is more ancient than Christianity or the Yin Yang, and is found across cultures. A cross unites the four cardinal directions. It unites up and down, left and right. It unites heaven and earth, humans to humans, and humans to all things. It represents both divine and human love.

I find the Yin Yang symbol as powerful as the Cross. The movement of Yin-Yang communicates the ever-changing association of good with evil. This is on my mind a lot this Lent. The ongoing political and social strife in our American society disturbs my peace of mind. Sometimes I find myself thinking about it at night as I lay down to sleep.

At such times I have taken to picturing the Yin Yang in my mind’s eye. I picture the light and dark as the interaction between conservative and liberal, Republican and Democrat, justice and injustice, right and wrong. Of course both sides of the political spectrum see themselves as good and their enemies as evil. That is why this symbol is so useful. It helps me see the two as relative. There is not one without the other.

In my mind’s eye the two sides of the Yin-Yang are like the storms on a weather map. From a higher perspective, good and evil are storms in the human psyche and human society. There is no such thing as good and evil outside of the human mind. Humans create these categories, and they become very real to us. So when my mind is disturbed by what is happening in American society and in the world, I let the Yin Yang bring my mind into a state of equilibrium, and I fall asleep.

In a similar way Lent helps me see the forces of good and evil as part of a greater whole. When Christians observe Lent we enter into the passion play of good and evil. In the end history is part of a bigger unity. Duality is viewed in the light of nonduality.

Lent is not just about giving up something – like sweets, meat, or television - for 40 days. It is giving up duality. It is seeing the Risen Lord in the Crucified One. It is seeing both aspects of Christ in the One Reality that we call God.

Lent is seeing ourselves in the story of Jesus. It is seeing the story of Jesus in the human stories playing out in our society and the world. It is not just an ancient Bible story. It is the Bible story reflected in newspaper stories about good and evil. It embraces all things in a deeper unity. It is resting in the peace that Christians call the Will of God. Lent is a pilgrimage into the heart of nonduality.

 

 

The New Unnormal

I guess I was naïve. Part of me hoped that after the inauguration of President Biden things would get back to normal in our country… more or less. I knew we still had the pandemic to deal with and another impeachment trial to get through. But I had hoped that by now we would be able to envision a time in the near future when we could go maskless and talk about politics civilly. I can’t see that day yet.

I mourn the loss of normalcy. Everything feels permanently tainted – politics, religion, journalism, everything. No one can hear a different point of view without getting defensive. The polarization in our society is poisonous. People from both political parties are accusing the other side of being the twenty-first century equivalent of Nazis. Both parties demonize the other. Both sides think the other side is brainwashed and is being fed lies and misinformation.

Longtime friendships and family relationships are strained. It puts a burden on our hearts and minds as well. One of the most difficult aspects for me is the role that religious faith is playing. It saddens me to see Christians deceived and manipulated by political forces. Years ago Billy Graham predicted this. He warned against Christianity getting cozy with right-wing politics. He had learned that lesson in his own life the hard way, and he never wanted it repeated. Unfortunately his warning went unheeded.

Personally I cannot voice my opinion on political, social, religious or ethical issues without risk of harming relationships with fellow Christians. Yet how can one keep silent at such a time? As Martin Luther King, Jr, said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

In these last few years my spirituality has become more controversial as well. It is much more mystical. I abide in awareness of the Divine that transcends religious distinctions and boundaries. My podcasts, videos, and books have connected me with hundreds of people around the world. Hardly a day goes by when I don’t receive an email from somewhere in the world thanking me for my words. On the other hand my words have made me suspect in the eyes of Christians who define spiritual truth in terms of doctrines and religion.

Things are not the way they used to be in my life or in my country. I suspect they may not be normal again for a very long time … perhaps not in my lifetime. The country has changed. The January 6 attack on our government was a turning point more decisive than 9/11. Now the enemy to democracy is within. The domestic threat to human rights and freedoms are great. This is an once-in-a-lifetime threat to the cohesion of these United States.

There is a proverbial blessing … or curse, depending on how you read it: “May you live in interesting times.” I wish our times were not quite so interesting. But we do not get to choose the time we live. We only get to choose how we will respond. My response is guided by Scripture and Spirit. My guide is Jesus Christ. I live in union with the indwelling Christ. If that makes me unnormal, so be it. Unnormal is so much more interesting! 

No Peace

It is “a date that will live in infamy.” Those words spoken by FDR were about the attack on Pearl Harbor by a foreign enemy on December 7, 1942. January 6, 2021 will live in infamy as the date the U.S. Capitol was besieged by a domestic enemy during a joint session of Congress. To make matters worse it was an attack incited, watched and cheered by a sitting president.  

People died. Many more could have died. Weapons, pipe bombs, and Molotov cocktails were found when the mob retreated. The crowd shouted for the Vice President to be hanged for not overturning the presidential election. The same fate awaited the Speaker of the House. A noose was erected on a gallows. A week later on January 13, President Trump was impeached for “incitement of insurrection.” That is another day that will live in infamy.

The consequences of his actions on that day will be with us for a long time. Any hope that Trump might fade from the spotlight after Inauguration Day seems unlikely. It is possible that the ex-president could stand trial in federal court. If this happens, his supporters would undoubtedly respond with more political violence. Violent action has already been planned for the days leading up to the Inauguration according to the FBI. I expect a sharp rise in domestic terrorism in 2021.

What word does a pastor speak into this chaos? My first instinct is to speak a word of peace. God knows we need peace at this time! But such a word seems disingenuous. In a tumultuous time in the history of ancient Judah, the biblical prophet Jeremiah spoke against preachers who prematurely spoke words of peace. He compared it to a person applying a superficial bandage to a deep wound.

He proclaimed: “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” I agree with the prophet. This is not a time to comfort people with words of peace. The wound of the American people is too deep. This is a time for surgery. The cancer must be removed before healing can begin.

There is disease at the heart of America. It is rooted in racism and xenophobia. It is expressed as homophobia, misogyny, and Christian nationalism. It is articulated as anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Its source is fear voiced as hate. 

Sadly this disease resides deep in American culture and religion, including the American church. A religion that should be expressing truth, love and forgiveness is fueling fear, lies, and hate. The only cure is heartfelt confession and repentance. Unfortunately I do not see much of it.

This is not a time to speak words of peace. Not yet. As the chant says, “No Justice, No peace.” During the American Civil War, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned the following words, which were put to music and found in many hymnals today. “And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

I only hope that one day in the not too distant future we will be able to sing the final stanza of the hymn: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men."

The Sad Legacy of Christian Trumpism

The presidency of Donald Trump is coming to an end. It’s not a moment too soon. One of the saddest parts of these sad four years is the role that Christian religious leaders have played in Trump’s disgraceful presidency. They have dishonored the name of Jesus Christ by their support for this ungodly, immoral and seditious president. They have done immeasurable harm to the cause of the gospel.

Conservative Christians have shown the world that they will willingly believe and repeat lies, all for the sake of worldly gain. That any Christian – much less a Christian leader – could believe the outrageous conspiracy theories put forth by the president tells the world that Christians are incapable of distinguishing truth from falsehood.

What does that tell people about the reliability of the gospel? If Christians cannot discern truth from falsehood when it comes to easily disprovable claims of election fraud, how can anyone believe anything they say about theological claims, which are impossible to verify?

It tells the world that Christians are either liars or rubes or both. They can be easily duped by the most outrageous lies, even to the point of betraying their country. If Christians are so obviously deceived when it comes to Donald Trump, how can they be believed when it comes to Jesus Christ? If Christian leaders cannot be trusted in worldly matters, how can they be trusted in spiritual matters?

The sad truth is that these partisan Christians cannot be trusted. There was a time when clergy were the most respected and educated persons in a community. People came to them for knowledge, wisdom and advice. Now clergy are often poorly educated and wallow at the bottom of every national poll on honesty and trust.

The inability of conservative Christians to recognize truth is obvious in their skepticism toward public education and science. Their rejection of the coronavirus as a hoax is nothing compared to their rejection of geology, paleontology, evolutionary biology, climate science, historical science, and just about every other science.

Too many Christians interpret biblical stories literally for no other reason than because a preacher told them to. Against all scientific evidence they believe in a six-day creation, a 6000-year-old earth, a 969-year-old man, Noah’s Flood, as well as talking serpents and asses (the equine as well as the political kind). This confirms that Christians have no common sense and are easily duped by authority figures.

It is no surprise that such people have been so easily taken in by a con man like The Donald. Anyone who believes that Noah’s Ark is waiting to be discovered on Mount Ararat in Turkey has no trouble believing that 11,780 additional votes for President Trump are waiting to be discovered in Georgia. Those who think evolution is a hoax have no trouble believing that Biden’s election victory is a hoax.

A gospel coming from the mouth of such gullible people will not be believed by anyone but the equally gullible. To sensible people the “good news” of the gospel will be dismissed as more “fake news.” The Bible says the gospel is by nature offensive, even when it is presented by credible witnesses. When it comes from Christians unable to discern truth from falsehood, it will not be granted a hearing.

That is what is so sad about the current situation in our country. Not only has our democracy been undermined, but the church’s reputation has been compromised. A whole generation will be immune to gospel preaching because of the unfaithfulness of Christian Trumpists. People come to church seeking spiritual truth, and they are fed nonsense and lies. No wonder people are leaving churches in droves! I mourn for the country. I mourn even more for the Church.