I was on a flight from Texas to Florida that was taking a short pit stop in New Orleans. I wasn’t even getting off of the plane, but I found myself craning my neck and leaning across the empty middle seat to take a look out the window. Instead of looking for the blue dots of swimming pools or the familiar brown and green of baseball diamonds, I was looking for oil—lots of oil spilling across the gulf. When I couldn’t see oil, I found myself feeling disappointed. I had to do some serious self-examination to understand why I felt disappointed that I wasn’t getting a firsthand aerial view of one of the greatest environmental catastrophes of my lifetime.
It occurred to me that my interest in seeing the oil spill was not unlike our culture's fascination with violence as entertainment. We see violence in our movies, television, and video games and we cannot seem to get enough. Only this isn’t fiction--it's real life. Oil in the gulf is destroying plant and animal life, horribly and permanently disrupting ecological systems, and ruining the economic well-being of those gulf residents who relied upon gulf fishing or gulf tourism for their economic security. It makes a pretty good horror story.
All of this was weighing heavily upon my heart as I headed for camp in Florida--the camp at which my campers would be most directly affected by the oil spill. What I found there was a lot of anger and apathy. I heard some say that they cared about the oil spill only because it might potentially ruin their vacation to the beach. I heard many more express deep resentment toward BP for the spill. Acknowledging that BP's behavior has been poor, to say the least, and resisting the urge to rant about corporate greed and responsibility, I instead tried to push campers to explore how their own small, individual actions combined with the small, individual actions of millions of Americans to create a very big problem. We need to keep in mind that BP is a corporation fulfilling consumer demand. As a nation, we continue to demand oil at increasing rates because we refuse to give up or even reduce the use of our cars. We cannot get past the marketing ploys that convince us that every drink of water needs to come from an individually sealed, plastic water bottle that has been shipped from all ends of the earth instead of from the glasses and faucets that we've already paid for and can reuse. Campers struggled with this and they're not alone--we all find it easier to blame BP than to actually examine and change or own lives.
I hit a lot of barriers that week and discussing the oil spill with Florida campers had not been as nuanced or thoughtful as I had hoped and expected. Being that it was week three and I was exhausted, I was ready to throw in the towel. But on my final day of camp, something changed. The day before, Thursday, my small group went canoeing and had a great time. We floated the river and saw alligators, fish, plants, birds, and monkeys. We linked our canoes together and did Morning Watch (morning devotion) as we floated down stream in a 6-canoe block, thanking our Creator for the sun, the water, the air, the animals, and the community. During small group time on Friday, we debriefed the canoe trip. I hadn't even intended to make this a platform for environmentalism--I had been unsuccessful so far that week, I was tired and frustrated, and I figured the campers would be more interested in talking about the three canoes that flipped than our responsibility to be good stewards of the earth. But one camper handed me a golden key by insightfully mentioning that he was awestruck during the trip when he realized how much life could be seen on the river. BINGO. This launched a wonderful discussion of how a relatively small river could sustain so much--the fish, the birds, the plants, the alligators, the demonic monkeys, and (oh yes!) US! Did you see? Could you believe? Can you just marvel at how intimately, delicately, wonderfully and fearfully our awesome God has created our world? Yes, we all need one another, from humans right down to the tiniest of insects. Creation is a fascinating balance and we have abused the trust that God has granted us to care for, protect, and maintain that balance. The Gulf Oil Spill is a huge breach, but it begins with the little breaches that we all commit on a daily basis. Maybe we could all make only one trip to the store this week. Fill up our Nalgene bottles. Take a walk. Stop and wonder at the beauty that is our world and give thanks! If God says it is good, then surely so should we.
“God saw all that God had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis1:31)
Friday, July 9, 2010
Saturday, April 11, 2009
IA Supreme Court
Dear Governor Culver,
I am writing with concern to Friday's Supreme Court ruling in Varnum v. Brien. My concern is not over the opinion of the Court, which I celebrate as a victory for equal rights, equal protection, and religious freedom. My concern is over some state legislators' attempts to amend our state constitution to circumvent this historic ruling. I urge you and your fellow Democrats to vehemently oppose any such amendment.
As a single, heterosexual individual, I stand with my gay and lesbian friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens who have been traditionally denied access to the legal privileges that the institution of marriage provides to heterosexual couples within our state. As a Christian, I also stand with my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, recognizing my moral duty to protect the oppressed and work for justice. I believe wholeheartedly that committed relationships based on love and respect and between any two people are earthly manifestations of the spiritual love that God provides for all of humanity. There is nothing more pleasing to God then when humans interact with one another in loving ways and there is nothing that reinforces the institution of marriage more than two people, any two people, who are willing to take seriously a lifelong commitment to one another.
While religious persons certainly have deeply held theological and moral beliefs on all sides of this issue, it is not our state's duty to amend our Constitution in such a way that would establish a definition of marriage based upon some religious interpretations. Our state's principle duty is to protect the rights of its citizens and, above all, to prevent state infringement upon those rights. The Supreme Court has recognized the injustices that gay and lesbian couples have endured at the hands of the state and has determined that now is finally the time for marriage equality.
Please consider my voice and the voices of those like me as you address this issue with the legislature and know that religious conservatives do not speak for all people of faith. Any constitutional amendment should be opposed. This is an issue that I will be following closely and that will certainly be on my mind as I vote in 2010.
I am writing with concern to Friday's Supreme Court ruling in Varnum v. Brien. My concern is not over the opinion of the Court, which I celebrate as a victory for equal rights, equal protection, and religious freedom. My concern is over some state legislators' attempts to amend our state constitution to circumvent this historic ruling. I urge you and your fellow Democrats to vehemently oppose any such amendment.
As a single, heterosexual individual, I stand with my gay and lesbian friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens who have been traditionally denied access to the legal privileges that the institution of marriage provides to heterosexual couples within our state. As a Christian, I also stand with my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, recognizing my moral duty to protect the oppressed and work for justice. I believe wholeheartedly that committed relationships based on love and respect and between any two people are earthly manifestations of the spiritual love that God provides for all of humanity. There is nothing more pleasing to God then when humans interact with one another in loving ways and there is nothing that reinforces the institution of marriage more than two people, any two people, who are willing to take seriously a lifelong commitment to one another.
While religious persons certainly have deeply held theological and moral beliefs on all sides of this issue, it is not our state's duty to amend our Constitution in such a way that would establish a definition of marriage based upon some religious interpretations. Our state's principle duty is to protect the rights of its citizens and, above all, to prevent state infringement upon those rights. The Supreme Court has recognized the injustices that gay and lesbian couples have endured at the hands of the state and has determined that now is finally the time for marriage equality.
Please consider my voice and the voices of those like me as you address this issue with the legislature and know that religious conservatives do not speak for all people of faith. Any constitutional amendment should be opposed. This is an issue that I will be following closely and that will certainly be on my mind as I vote in 2010.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Strong Is Your Justice
Justice is something I've been thinking about a lot lately, and not just because I'm a pre-law major. I think it all started several weeks ago with the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir, the current president of Sudan. Although the investigation has been on-going, the arrest warrant came despite cries from the African Union and several other states/groups that such a move by the ICC would inhibit the peace process in Darfur and perhaps even incite more violence. Sure enough, once the warrant was issued for Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes (Genocide charges were dropped), the Sudanese government began to kick-out several aid groups that were operating in Darfur.
But it's not just in law that I find justice. There is the overwhelming, overpowering, all-consuming justice of our wonderful God. I went to Wednesday night Lenten service with my mom last night and, despite having read and sung this service countless times before, was struck for the first time by how many times that word "justice" seemed to pop up. We pray "for those who govern, that justice might guide them." We praise God in The Magnificat, declaring "Great and mighty are You, oh Faithful One, strong is Your justice, strong Your love." And I especially like this last one because it links God's justice with God's love. So often we think of justice as punishment, or at least as bad karma. What goes around, comes around, right? We say a judge's sentence is just. When a criminal is convicted, we say justice has been served. But God's justice is as strong as His love. God's justice isn't about sentencing or wrath or getting what's due, it's about love, compassion, and mercy. When Jesus says "blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9), He's talking about justice. When Jesus says"whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me" (Matthew 25:40), He's talking bout justice.
So what does justice look like in Sudan? On the one hand, the prospect of ICC prosecution is encouraging, and maybe I'm just entering this perspective as a student of international law. But for me, the ICC is a possible means of accountability and, ideally, a deterrent for future crimes against innocent populations. On the other hand, we cannot ignore that this arrest warrant is causing very real suffering on the ground. It begs the question of why only the President of Sudan is being targeted, when certainly ICC cases could be made for countless other state leaders. Why make an example of him, when we know he probably won't be arrested and, if he is arrested, his ICC proceedings will take years. What's the point? It's politics, really. The politics of punishment ignores the duty of assistance. The politics of retaliation ignores the responsibility of protecting one's own citizens. There are politicians on both sides being guided by self-interest and not by justice. Where is justice in all of this? What can we do for the least of these? As we are required to do justice, I think we need to extend our prayer beyond a prayer for those who govern: we all need guidance for strong justice that is linked with strong love.
But it's not just in law that I find justice. There is the overwhelming, overpowering, all-consuming justice of our wonderful God. I went to Wednesday night Lenten service with my mom last night and, despite having read and sung this service countless times before, was struck for the first time by how many times that word "justice" seemed to pop up. We pray "for those who govern, that justice might guide them." We praise God in The Magnificat, declaring "Great and mighty are You, oh Faithful One, strong is Your justice, strong Your love." And I especially like this last one because it links God's justice with God's love. So often we think of justice as punishment, or at least as bad karma. What goes around, comes around, right? We say a judge's sentence is just. When a criminal is convicted, we say justice has been served. But God's justice is as strong as His love. God's justice isn't about sentencing or wrath or getting what's due, it's about love, compassion, and mercy. When Jesus says "blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9), He's talking about justice. When Jesus says"whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me" (Matthew 25:40), He's talking bout justice.
So what does justice look like in Sudan? On the one hand, the prospect of ICC prosecution is encouraging, and maybe I'm just entering this perspective as a student of international law. But for me, the ICC is a possible means of accountability and, ideally, a deterrent for future crimes against innocent populations. On the other hand, we cannot ignore that this arrest warrant is causing very real suffering on the ground. It begs the question of why only the President of Sudan is being targeted, when certainly ICC cases could be made for countless other state leaders. Why make an example of him, when we know he probably won't be arrested and, if he is arrested, his ICC proceedings will take years. What's the point? It's politics, really. The politics of punishment ignores the duty of assistance. The politics of retaliation ignores the responsibility of protecting one's own citizens. There are politicians on both sides being guided by self-interest and not by justice. Where is justice in all of this? What can we do for the least of these? As we are required to do justice, I think we need to extend our prayer beyond a prayer for those who govern: we all need guidance for strong justice that is linked with strong love.
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Faithful Servant
We kicked off Lent this week and to start off my 40 days, I attended Drake's production of "The Vagina Monologues" Saturday night. OK, these two things are actually completely unrelated...but trust me, I'm getting to the connection. This year, proceeds from The Monologues were going to a charity for women and children in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Awesome. As the performers were introducing this organization, one of them rhetorically asked "Why should I care about what happens to a woman I do not know on the other side of the world?" Their response, of course, was that the war in the DRC and the suffering these women endure are over everyday resources that Americans consume feverishly, like rubber. It DOES matter because WE are benefitting from this injustice. At the end of the night (the last night of the show) they announced that the production this year managed to raise over $5,000. It was the most money raised to date and the audience and performers were, understandbly, very excited. I heard one person sarcastically remark, "Who says there's an economic recession?" This comment just sent my mind reeling.
Maybe some of you remember the parable from Luke 12 about the Faithful Servant. Jesus is instructing his followers to always be prepared for His coming, because we will not know the day or the hour of His return. He goes on to say that a servant who knows His will but does not do it will be punished more severely than one who does not know Him at all. And here's the kicker at the end of the parable: "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:48b)
This passage makes me realize that, even in an economic recession, I have still been given so much. There are women in the Congo with nothing. I have two jobs, I am pursuing an opportunity to get a good education at a respected university, I have so many THINGS that I really do not need, and while my bank account is never as full as I'd like, it's never empty. Why am I so blessed? Because I had the fortune of being born middle class, because I was born American. I know the problems that America faces today are very grave. I know there are millions without jobs, food, homes, insurance. It's very serious. A few months ago, rumors at my office were floating that the economy would mean no Christmas bonuses this year, much to everyone's (including my own) disappointment. Never did it occur to me that I was lucky just to be getting an hourly wage this year. (And we still got our bonuses...) My fellow students and I complain about tuition increases and the cost of attending our private, 4-year university. But I bet that most of us will find a way to attend next year. Much has been given.
There are many with nothing. Not just here at home, but around the world. People in the Congo, Gaza, Iraq, Cambodia, Zimbabwe. The list goes on and on. Even as a nation in economic crisis, we have been given so much. And much will be required.
If you can afford to go to the doctor, it doesn't mean everyone can. Much is required. If you have a job to leave at night and a home to go to, you are so blessed. Much is required. If you can leave your house in the morning and be fairly confident that you and all of your family members will make it home alive that day, you are more fortunate than many others. Much is required.
We live in a very broken world. And even amidst suffering, we have been given much. Still, much more is required.
Lent is a time of reflection and sacrifice. This year, perhaps we should all reflect on our blessings and be willing to sacrifice a little more to bless others. It's easy to look to April and the happy ending of the Resurrection, but I think it's beneficial to consider this parable throughout these 40 days. What are we doing to prepare the way of the Lord? Will we be ready for the unknown day and hour? What has been given? What more will be required? There is much to do.
Maybe some of you remember the parable from Luke 12 about the Faithful Servant. Jesus is instructing his followers to always be prepared for His coming, because we will not know the day or the hour of His return. He goes on to say that a servant who knows His will but does not do it will be punished more severely than one who does not know Him at all. And here's the kicker at the end of the parable: "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:48b)
This passage makes me realize that, even in an economic recession, I have still been given so much. There are women in the Congo with nothing. I have two jobs, I am pursuing an opportunity to get a good education at a respected university, I have so many THINGS that I really do not need, and while my bank account is never as full as I'd like, it's never empty. Why am I so blessed? Because I had the fortune of being born middle class, because I was born American. I know the problems that America faces today are very grave. I know there are millions without jobs, food, homes, insurance. It's very serious. A few months ago, rumors at my office were floating that the economy would mean no Christmas bonuses this year, much to everyone's (including my own) disappointment. Never did it occur to me that I was lucky just to be getting an hourly wage this year. (And we still got our bonuses...) My fellow students and I complain about tuition increases and the cost of attending our private, 4-year university. But I bet that most of us will find a way to attend next year. Much has been given.
There are many with nothing. Not just here at home, but around the world. People in the Congo, Gaza, Iraq, Cambodia, Zimbabwe. The list goes on and on. Even as a nation in economic crisis, we have been given so much. And much will be required.
If you can afford to go to the doctor, it doesn't mean everyone can. Much is required. If you have a job to leave at night and a home to go to, you are so blessed. Much is required. If you can leave your house in the morning and be fairly confident that you and all of your family members will make it home alive that day, you are more fortunate than many others. Much is required.
We live in a very broken world. And even amidst suffering, we have been given much. Still, much more is required.
Lent is a time of reflection and sacrifice. This year, perhaps we should all reflect on our blessings and be willing to sacrifice a little more to bless others. It's easy to look to April and the happy ending of the Resurrection, but I think it's beneficial to consider this parable throughout these 40 days. What are we doing to prepare the way of the Lord? Will we be ready for the unknown day and hour? What has been given? What more will be required? There is much to do.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Beginning
So I've decided to try my hand at blogging once again. My first blog was my travel blog from my semester in D.C. This blog is meant to be more about my thoughts, mostly on politics and spirituality or any combination of the two.
I tried to find some good blogs to follow that would combine progressive politics with progressive Christianity. I was largely unsuccessful, so this is going to be my own personal, humble attempt. I really don't know what to expect for this blog--I'm just going to write about what is on my heart and hope that it makes sense to you all. Please, leave feedback!
Finally, the explanation of the name of the blog: This is a reference to the good ol' joke that we can tell God is liberal because God put our hearts on the left. It's kind of lame, but it's where I wear my heart, so it seemed fitting. Hopefully a real blog post will appear soon!
I tried to find some good blogs to follow that would combine progressive politics with progressive Christianity. I was largely unsuccessful, so this is going to be my own personal, humble attempt. I really don't know what to expect for this blog--I'm just going to write about what is on my heart and hope that it makes sense to you all. Please, leave feedback!
Finally, the explanation of the name of the blog: This is a reference to the good ol' joke that we can tell God is liberal because God put our hearts on the left. It's kind of lame, but it's where I wear my heart, so it seemed fitting. Hopefully a real blog post will appear soon!
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