Red and Blue and Purple Too (Take 2)

Howard Thurman notes, 'It cannot be denied that too often the weight of the Christian movement has been on the side of the strong and the powerful and against the weak and oppressed - this, despite the gospel.'  

We have all had the opportunity to live within and through times that can be set up as politically Red and Blue and Purple too. In our country, we are obsessed with saying that we are a Christian nation. Yet, that claim does not follow the way of Jesus. It is not a statement about how the broken are healed and the enemy loved - even unto death. It is about power. It is about giving validation - even a blessing - to the mechanism of violence that becomes us - defines us - preserves us no matter what the cost will be to others.

Within the days leading up to and entering into the new configuration in the House and Senate, there has been a disturbing mix of memes going around on Facebook. The ones that have been able to pull my strings are the ones in which the person who is posting wants a response to the use of different religious books for swearing in ceremonies. Usually there is an air of disgust that a book other than the Judaeo/Christian Bible would be the book upon which someone would pledge to uphold the constitution and carry out the duties of a government official. I always look at the comments in those posts. It is as though the use of a Quran means that the persons entering their office will eventually become a traitor or try to overthrown the country. Really!?

I find it more devilish that many politicians use the Bible as they book upon which they will make their pledges and promises. I use devilish in the sense of evil - in the sense of being an act of disrespect - in the sense of being an apostasy. I'm not saying that a religious person who faithfully engages in the life that their faith tradition teaches cannot be in politics. Rather, I find it morally reprehensible that one would think that their pledge of allegiance to the country will be better fulfilled if they say some words with their hand on a book. My Facebook encounters seem to forget that a person does not even have to swear on a religious book in court - it is unnecessary. We swear to the air - to the world - to the cosmos - to ourselves and those in the room that our yes will be yes and our no will be no. There will be no need to fudge. A book used in the pledge does not make one holier than others or more truthful or more trustworthy. I mentioned in a comment that if I had to make such a pledge - I would bring out my Calvin and Hobbes Anthology. I think I would do that so that any and all holy rollers would endlessly question my actions and motives and wonder about my sanity.

To be quite honest, I have a number of friends and acquaintances who love Calvin and Hobbes and they would understand the importance of using the Anthology as a way of mocking the state of things and also alerting folks to how the world may become different. And that, is why I do not want Bibles or Holy books to be used for a holy photo op that insults any and all faiths. We are not invited to swear to God to make our country be one that ceaselessly pursues justice. When we say we are a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim or a Hindu or whatever faith folks claim to be, we are to come to life within the teaching of those faiths. Screw the book - be the followers. Unfortunately, we have turned the image of the country into one that cannot function without a specific religious imprimatur to which we say we adhere. And yet, that is and always has been a lie. Our nation - any nation - falls flat when placed alongside the character of faith teachings. We have the good fortune - some might say we are blessed - to have a country that does not rise or fall because we say we identify with the teaching of a certain religion. In fact, to claim to be a Christian nation is to say that we are willing to act contrary to the teachings of Jesus and the prophetic line from which he lived. We need only look around. Thurman said it well in the opening quote.

I love to see people of faith take the risk to live and speak and engage the world out of their traditions. What I see as that takes place is the appearance of lives dedicated to a crazy notion that all people are created equal. That is not a principal owned by one group of people. It is the wonder of humanity making incarnate the creativity of life needed to transform everyone. I don't care what your faith tradition is - I want to be a witness to how you help take us all into a new life in which all people - means all people, and hatred and violence toward others is the manifestation of the lowest form of being human. And therefore, we are needed to offer ourselves to those who are filled with hatred and violence so that all will experience what I usually call the Peaceable Reign of God - or - as MLK, Jr. often called - the Beloved Community.

So, rather than bitch about people who may be different - rather than fear that which we do not know - rather than live and think as though we are hiding behind a wall that will save us, do this: if you are a Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist, Christian - let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. That's how hope works. We begin to see the reality of promises that the present powers of the world never attain. It may be that our critique of those who hold power may not be about whether or not they are like us - but how they embody the best of a humanity led by a spirit of peace and love - for all.
TRRR