11 April 2006

Today we continue with Ron Sider in "Christ and Violence" as he deals with power.

Simply announcing the full biblical word about sin, which has institutional as well as personal forms, is profoundly political. At times nonresistance has degenerated into silent support for an unjust status quo. But when that has happened, nonresistance has been unfaithful to its own best insight. Nonresistance is not apolitical even though it rejects the use of economic and political force as acceptable means for social change.

Last week I quoted a book by Daniel Goldhagen as a way of showing that we cannot be people who are silent in the face of the powers of our day. Goldhagen's book had to do with the masses of people who said nothing during the reign of the Hitler. Yes there were those that planned and implemented the horrors of that regime, but there were those who said nothing and did nothing. Nonresistance is not silent. Nonresistance is not silent support for the status quo. Nonresistance remains a part of the truth-telling that we must all hear and speak. When that takes place, both the individual person and the "groups" in which we live will have to face what we all may not want to hear. Nonresistance will speak and in that speaking those who do no resist the "powers" with power - but rather attempt to speak the truth with love - will have to deal with the rage of those are not able to hear such truth even if it comes with a loving presence. Christians need not fear speaking up. In fact, we do great harm to one another when we attempt to hide behind the sweetness or non-offensiveness of a story line that has little to do with the truth telling that put Jesus up on the cross. Sometimes we have bought in to a religious quietness that becomes so lost within the debate of when or whether we should speak up - that we find ourselves cooperating with the powers of the day...silence has a way of doing that.

Connection: I know that sometimes I am quiet when I do not know what I would offer as another way. What is most important is that I not shut up simply for that reason. Sometimes we must say "no" to the prevailing wind even when we do not have all the ideas about how to go another way. Then again, it is so important to also speak up and say "yes" when we do see or hear another way that brings forth a vision of what will take us to a new age.

Come, Lord God, and ignite in us that Spirit that stirs up our hearts and makes us long for the truthfulness of your blessed Reign even when we can see no evidence of it in the world around us. Amen.