Last night, my wife and I watched `That Russell Girl' on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Well-acted, tender, teary,strong story line.
The story centers on a young woman who returns home, while trying to get into medical school. Her parents welcome her warmly, but the family across the street is hostile. We eventually learn that she was the babysitter six years before when a tragic accident led to a child's death. That Russell girl keeps asking whether people believe in karma. She seems to be convinced that she has contracted a life threatening disease, because of her actions.
So we circle around to several of the age old, but ever new and challenging questions. Does God or some life force control all that happens? If that is the case and bad things happen to me, then am I being punished for something I did in this life(or a previous life)? But if God punishes bad people and rewards good people, how come God does such an atrocious job of figuring out who is who and what is what? (Blessedly, the Bible addresses this issue straight on, especially in the Book of Job and in the life of Jesus).
It seems that the Russell girl likely believes that her disease is somehow a result of her actions that led to a child's tragic death. But some bad things, some horrible things, just happen. We must reaffirm our faith in accidents. I saw a child's bib once--remember how little kids drool, especially when they are teething. On the bib, in bright red lettering, it said `Spit Happens". Some of the bad things, even like death, that come upon us and upon those we love and upon strangers and enemies come for no reason at all. Spit happens. It is not that God is punishing you or me or us for our actions or the actions of our ancestors.(Now I think that sometimes God does discipline us--like a loving parent disciplines kids, but that is different. Yes, trying to figure out that difference is a major challenge to our soul's.)
In some part of the Scriptures, the idea that God rewards the good and punishes the wicked is affirmed and promoted. But in the book of Job and in the life of Jesus we find a thundering rebuke to that theology. If we think with compassion about our world, we clearly see the absurdity, even evil of that worldview.
No way can the death of children, innocent children, ever, ever be justified. If you sing and believe that revolutionary song about Jesus loving the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white, they are all precious in his sights, then you know that God wills life and love and happiness for them. So the pain and suffering that children endure, is against the will of God. Why is there such evil in the world, you ask? Great question? We will think about that again.
We have some pieces of the answer. God does not control everything. In Creation, chaos is not destroyed, it is just contained according to Genesis. Spit happens. Some evil things just happen.
And while god may sometimes discipline us, all pain is not a sign of God's punishment. There is far, far too much inequity and injustice in the distribution of pain for that to be any consistent sign of God's will or way or love or justice.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Immigration--beyond Lou Dobbs
Some candidate on the campaign trail said that they hoped we could secure the borders and come up with am immigration plan so we didn't have to revisit this issue for 15 years. Nonsense, that is.
The US is such a powerful magnet that people will be drawn here from all over the world for economic opportunity and for political and religious freedom. Three months ago I was worshipping in the English Speaking Protestant Church in Moscow. After a week in St.Petersburg, I had seen maybe 5 people of African descent. But in the church the congregation was gloriously diverse with folks from the US, Canada, Britain and Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya and Ghana. One of the Ghanaians told me that a group of Russian thugs had beaten the ambassador while he was out jogging. A resuregent Russian nationalism unleashes racism.
We in the US of course have a long way to go in truly developing a joyous multi racial and religiously diverse nation. But we have made incredible progress and we are a city set on a hill. We are a land where by and large diversity is embraced--but maybe that is just my urban NJ perspective. But Barack Obama got a lot of white, Midwesterners to vote for him--because of the content of his character and the power of his voice.
I think we should expand opportunities for people fleeing persecution to come to the US. The Statue of Liberty should look over her shoulder and see the whole world and continue her promises but not just to those coming from Europe.
And I think Lou Dobbs is right when he says we should stop or at least slow the flow of people coming into to the US, solely for economic opportunity.(By the way I listen to Dobbs as little as possible.)
Many years ago, at the beginning of what would be a heavy snowstorm, two women came to the church right before dark. They spoke only Spanish. The younger woman was about 20 and pregnant.Neither woman had real winter clothes--they wore cotton dresses and light jackets. What are you doing here? We came from Mexico so that the baby would be born in the US and a US citizen. Do you speak any English? NO Do you have family here or connections? No.
I took them to the refugee center--but thought to myself, this is crazy. Very few countries in the world continue to tie citizenship to the land. Turks in Germany are not German citizens, just because they were born there. Guatemalans in Mexico or Nicas in Costa Rica don't become citizens based on the location of birth. This we must change so we are less of a magnet.
Many immigration issues abound. How will we learn to tax remittances so monies can be used for economic development in the countries where immigrants are sending back funds? How will the US take more responsibility for economic development in those countries from which immigrants come for economic opportunity?
If we ready want to take action on global warming, don't we want fewer people living in high consuming societies like the US? And therefore, shouldn't we work to slow the flow of peopeo into this society?
Somehow, we must wed compassion with common sense. Be a haven for political and religious refuges and less of a magnet for economic refugees.
The US is such a powerful magnet that people will be drawn here from all over the world for economic opportunity and for political and religious freedom. Three months ago I was worshipping in the English Speaking Protestant Church in Moscow. After a week in St.Petersburg, I had seen maybe 5 people of African descent. But in the church the congregation was gloriously diverse with folks from the US, Canada, Britain and Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya and Ghana. One of the Ghanaians told me that a group of Russian thugs had beaten the ambassador while he was out jogging. A resuregent Russian nationalism unleashes racism.
We in the US of course have a long way to go in truly developing a joyous multi racial and religiously diverse nation. But we have made incredible progress and we are a city set on a hill. We are a land where by and large diversity is embraced--but maybe that is just my urban NJ perspective. But Barack Obama got a lot of white, Midwesterners to vote for him--because of the content of his character and the power of his voice.
I think we should expand opportunities for people fleeing persecution to come to the US. The Statue of Liberty should look over her shoulder and see the whole world and continue her promises but not just to those coming from Europe.
And I think Lou Dobbs is right when he says we should stop or at least slow the flow of people coming into to the US, solely for economic opportunity.(By the way I listen to Dobbs as little as possible.)
Many years ago, at the beginning of what would be a heavy snowstorm, two women came to the church right before dark. They spoke only Spanish. The younger woman was about 20 and pregnant.Neither woman had real winter clothes--they wore cotton dresses and light jackets. What are you doing here? We came from Mexico so that the baby would be born in the US and a US citizen. Do you speak any English? NO Do you have family here or connections? No.
I took them to the refugee center--but thought to myself, this is crazy. Very few countries in the world continue to tie citizenship to the land. Turks in Germany are not German citizens, just because they were born there. Guatemalans in Mexico or Nicas in Costa Rica don't become citizens based on the location of birth. This we must change so we are less of a magnet.
Many immigration issues abound. How will we learn to tax remittances so monies can be used for economic development in the countries where immigrants are sending back funds? How will the US take more responsibility for economic development in those countries from which immigrants come for economic opportunity?
If we ready want to take action on global warming, don't we want fewer people living in high consuming societies like the US? And therefore, shouldn't we work to slow the flow of peopeo into this society?
Somehow, we must wed compassion with common sense. Be a haven for political and religious refuges and less of a magnet for economic refugees.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Sometimes, Lou Dobbs is right
This political season and the mood of the nation will be hostile to immigrants, especially undocumented ones. Lou Dobb's drumbeat complaints about our broken borders certainly has assaulted some of the good will toward immigrants that has often been at America's heart.
Congregations that i have served have assisted refugees from Vietnam,Poland,Bosnia, Dominican Republic and Slovakia. I helped create a center 24 years ago to support Central American immigrants who were fleeing violence. Often that violence was bought and paid for by the US government. Thousands of Americans reached out to folks who were victims of death squad and wars.
Surely, most Amercians hold deep compassion for those fleeing violence and persecution in the country of origin.
At Christmastime,some of us remember that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were themselves homeless refugees fleeing Herod's political violence and finding safety in Egypt according to the Gospel of Matthew. Amongst all those Christmas pageants that the churches offers, one seldom sees or hears of the flight into Egypt. We don't dramatize the death of the holy innocents.
Jesus was a homeless refugee. He taught us to be compassionate. We are a nation of immigrants and refugees.
And sometimes Lou Dobbs is right! Border fences are stupid--but immigration policy must change.
Congregations that i have served have assisted refugees from Vietnam,Poland,Bosnia, Dominican Republic and Slovakia. I helped create a center 24 years ago to support Central American immigrants who were fleeing violence. Often that violence was bought and paid for by the US government. Thousands of Americans reached out to folks who were victims of death squad and wars.
Surely, most Amercians hold deep compassion for those fleeing violence and persecution in the country of origin.
At Christmastime,some of us remember that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were themselves homeless refugees fleeing Herod's political violence and finding safety in Egypt according to the Gospel of Matthew. Amongst all those Christmas pageants that the churches offers, one seldom sees or hears of the flight into Egypt. We don't dramatize the death of the holy innocents.
Jesus was a homeless refugee. He taught us to be compassionate. We are a nation of immigrants and refugees.
And sometimes Lou Dobbs is right! Border fences are stupid--but immigration policy must change.
Monday, January 7, 2008
The Toughest Thing
One of the joys of being a pastor is to be able to encourage people in their life's journey and to urge them to develop and share their gifts. Lisa von Bradsky is the mother of two girls.Her husband Mark is an engineer. She designs jewelry and writes from her heart.
One of Lisa's beloved friends, who was also mother, died of ovarian cancer recently. Lisa wrote tht following poem in memory of her, but also as an exploration into the mystery of motherhood and love and life and death. I share it with Lisa's permission.
The Toughest Thing
The toughest thing a mom can know
is when to hold on, and when to let go.
When the baby cries for her afternoon nap,
do you lay her down
or hold her in your lap?
As she learns to walk with helping hands
do you pull them away, once you know you can?
As she leaves the house for her fist play date,
do you close the door,
or do you watch and wait?
First day of school do you walk along
or wave from the door till you see she is gone.
when she is all grown up and ready to wed
you give her a hug and kiss on the head.
so you watch from afar and help where you may,
and hold on, but loosely, as your child finds her way.
And when you're called home, and you fight not to go,
It's because you're afraid, they don't know all you know.
But you'll be there to help them from far above,
Because finally,what a mom really is, is love.
One of Lisa's beloved friends, who was also mother, died of ovarian cancer recently. Lisa wrote tht following poem in memory of her, but also as an exploration into the mystery of motherhood and love and life and death. I share it with Lisa's permission.
The Toughest Thing
The toughest thing a mom can know
is when to hold on, and when to let go.
When the baby cries for her afternoon nap,
do you lay her down
or hold her in your lap?
As she learns to walk with helping hands
do you pull them away, once you know you can?
As she leaves the house for her fist play date,
do you close the door,
or do you watch and wait?
First day of school do you walk along
or wave from the door till you see she is gone.
when she is all grown up and ready to wed
you give her a hug and kiss on the head.
so you watch from afar and help where you may,
and hold on, but loosely, as your child finds her way.
And when you're called home, and you fight not to go,
It's because you're afraid, they don't know all you know.
But you'll be there to help them from far above,
Because finally,what a mom really is, is love.
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