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.

An Edelweiss Christmas

I write this while sitting in front of my woodstove during the first major snow storm of the season, which has come just in time to ensure we have a white Christmas. That is the only thing that feels normal about this Christmas.

No parties or concerts or shopping. No gathering with believers to usher in Advent by singing “O Come, O Come, Immanuel.” No Christmas caroling. No candlelight service singing “Silent Night.” No large family gathering on Christmas Day to exchange gifts. It feels like the Grinch has succeeded in stealing Christmas this year.

Pandemic and politics have dominated the season. Instead of peace and joy there is ongoing anxiety about the future of our country. Hundreds of thousands more American may die before COVID is finally defeated. At the same time anti-democratic forces in our country seek to undermine our democracy and destroy our beloved freedoms. The Sound of Music with its backdrop in fascist Austria suddenly seems like a possibility in our own land in future years.

A New Hampshire state representative and school board member from a nearby town posted anti-Semitic Nazi propaganda online this week. There have been calls for her resignation, but she has refused to step down. She has not apologized for the content of the post, but has only made excuses. A lawyer and fellow Republican defended her, saying she did nothing wrong. How did we get here? No wonder my emotions are not in sync with the holiday spirit! Where is the peace and joy and love?

On the other hand, perhaps my emotions are more in sync with the spirit of Christmas than I realize. The first Christmas took place in a very stressful time. It happened during military occupation by an authoritarian regime, who ruled Palestine with the traitorous collaboration of religious leaders. After the first Christmas the local autocrat sent in troops to slaughter children in the streets of Bethlehem to preserve law and order.

Perhaps the circumstances of Christmas this year are not an obstacle to the celebration of Christmas. Perhaps they are an aid to seeing what Christmas is really about. Perhaps the political and societal turmoil of our time gives us insight into what Christmas is really about.

Christmas is not about the cultural and religious embellishments that have smothered the holiday over the years. It is not about Hallmark sentimentality. It is the celebration of the birth of a controversial leader who identified with the poor and outcasts of society, as represented by the shepherds who attended his birth. As a young man he was executed by the government and religious leaders for treason and blasphemy.

Not much has changed. The powers of moral and spiritual darkness always lurk at the fringes of human civilization and seek to rule. Occasionally they dominate a culture and control the government and religious establishment. But as the apostle John’s Christmas poem says, darkness will not ultimately win.  “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.”  That is what we celebrate at Christmas. Anyone up for a chorus of Edelweiss? 

How the Trump Stole Inauguration Day

Every Dem down in Demville liked Inauguration Day a lot.

But the Trump, who lives in the White House, Did NOT!

The Trump hated Inauguration … The whole Inauguration season!

It was because he could no longer be prez, that’s the reason.

 

It was also his head wasn't screwed on just right.

It was perhaps also that his briefs were too tight.

But I think that the most likely reason of all,

May have been that his brain was two sizes too small.

 

Whatever the reason, his briefs or his brain,

He stood there on Inauguration Eve, hating the Dems,

Staring from the White House with a sour, Trumpy frown,

At the large crowd gathering below in the town.

 

For he knew every Dem down in Demville beneath,

Was busy now, hanging Inauguration Day wreaths.

"And they're planning their galas!" he snarled with a sneer,

"Tomorrow is Inauguration Day! It's practically here!"

 

Then he growled, with his tiny fingers nervously drumming,

"I MUST find some way to stop Inauguration from coming!"

For tomorrow, he knew, all the Dem girls and boys,

Would wake bright and early and begin to enjoy!

 

And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise!

Noise! Noise! Noise!

That's one thing he hated! The NOISE!

NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

 

Then the Dems, young and old, would sit down to a feast.

And they'd feast! And they'd feast! And they'd FEAST!

FEAST! FEAST! FEAST!

They would feast on Dem-pudding, and rare Dem-faux beast.

Which was something the Trump couldn't stand in the least!

 

And then they'd do something he liked least of all!

Every Dem down in Demville, the tall and the small,

Would stand six feet apart, with masks and start singing!

They'd sing! And they'd sing! And they'd SING!

SING! SING! SING!

 

And the more the Trump thought of this Dem Inauguration sing,

The more the Trump thought, "I must stop this whole thing!"

"Why, for seventy-nine days I've put up with it now!"

"I MUST stop this Inauguration from coming! But HOW?"

Then he got an idea! An awful idea!

THE TRUMP GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!

 

"I know just what to do!" the Trump laughed in his throat.

And he put on his MAGA cap and his coat.

And he chuckled, and clucked, "What a great Trumpy trick!"

"With this coat and my hat, I’ll be Prez again quick!"

 

"All I need are some cronies..." The Trump looked around.

But, his cronies were gone, there was none to be found.

Did that stop the old Trump? No! The Trump said as he paced,

"If I can't find my cronies, I'll call on my base!"

 

So he called Donny Junior. Then he took some red thread,

And he tied a bull horn on the top of his head.

Then he tweeted the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by

He called Breitbart News and put on his red tie.

 

Then the Trump said, "Let’s go!" The limo started down,

Toward the stage where the Dems sat waiting in town.

All their faces were happy. Quiet snow filled the air.

All the Dems were all dreaming of a future with healthcare.

 

When he came to the first little row on the square.

"This is stop number one," the old Trumpy Don hissed,

he climbed on the roof and banged with his fist.

Then he slid down the hood with a big awkward bump.

But, if T.J. Hooker could do it, then so could the Trump.

 

He got on the horn that was tied to Don Junior

And yelled at the top of his lungs every rumor

He ever had read on the net about fraud

And hoaxes and traitors, but got no applause.

 

Then little Cindy-Lou Dem, who was not more than three,

Looked up at the Trump who was making his plea.

The Trump stared down at this tiny Dem daughter,

Who'd come with her mother to see Ms. Kamala.

She stared at the Trump and said, "Mr. Grumpy man, why?,”

"Why are you ruining Inauguration Day? WHY?"

 

But, you know, that old Trump was so bitter and so slick,

He thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick!

"It’s all a mistake," the fake President screamed,

"The wrong man is on stage, it ought to be me.

I’m the one who won, and I won by a lot!”

 

Cindy Lou paused and looked at her mom,

And then looked at the Trump.

“Everyone knows that is not true” she said to the Grump.

“Only those whom you threaten and bully say so.

It’s alright to lose. My mommy says so.

 

We lost last time too, and did not say ‘Boo Hoo!’”

“What matters is how we act when we lose.

I have learned to accept it and be a big girl.

So put big boy pants on and don’t act like a churl.

Though I am not yet three I have learned to be brave.

When I don’t get what I want, I accept what I have.”

 

Grinch scratched his head and looked at Don Junior,

He thought of something he never thought of before!

"Maybe Inauguration," he thought, "isn’t all about me."

"Maybe Inauguration...perhaps...is about democracy!"

 

And what happened then? Well...in Demville they say,

That the Trump’s small brain grew three sizes that day!

And as soon as his red cap began to feel tight,

He took off his hat in the bright morning light,

 

And threw it away, and with the sun shining!

He got on his cell and tweeted, “God bless Joe Biden!

The election is over. And my time has now ceased!”

And then he himself, the Trump, carved the faux beast!

  

By Marshall Davis (With apologies to Dr. Seuss)