My Blurred Vision: Life at the Intersection of Theology, Music, Politics, and More

Sunday's Sermon: Is God a Good Investment? (Matthew 25:14-30)

Early last month I flew to Gunnison, Colorado so that I could attend the installation service for my seminary colleague and friend Brenda Brown.  I am a bit of a nervous flyer, and so I have a ritual when I fly.  First, I purchase a Sports Illustrated, a newspaper, and a Pepsi while waiting for the time for board the plane.  When we finally board I get settled quickly and then begin catching up on the daily news or dive into the Sports Illustrated—all in an effort to mostly ignore the flight attendants and their information about the seat cushion’s value as a flotation device.  On this particular trip however my plane was equipped with an expanded technology package which included television monitors and credit card slots on the back of each seat.  After looking through the free preview of channels I succumbed to the television offer for only 4.99 and was able to endlessly scan from one channel to the next as we flew at 35,000 feet toward Denver.  As I scanned the stations, the constantly rolling stations undoubtedly annoying the others who sat in my row, I found myself settling not on the stations playing movies, talking politics, or even analyzing the baseball playoffs, instead I rotated between the news stations that were locked into the latest in stock market news. I am sure you remember that the early part of October was marked by horrible downturns for all the stock market indices, and as the rivers and towns passed far below I found myself watching and listening as market commentators and speculators rambled with certainty about how the market had reached its bottom point.  Of course, 30 minutes later they were speaking the same words after the market’s next huge downward leap, but still I found myself held captive by the constantly updated horrors.  And so, as we landed in Denver I had spent the better part of 2 and1/2 hours watching the markets tumble, and I have to admit I was almost looking forward to the short plane ride that was necessary for me to conclude my travels to Gunnison…because I knew that my next plane would be an older plane that didn’t have the technology updates required to offer us television—and thus the constant access to the bad financial news that was holding my attention.

I tell you of my traveling adventures because our gospel lesson for today seemingly offers a great primer from Jesus concerning how we should invest our money. In this parable Jesus tells the story of 3 servants who are entrusted with varying sums of money while their master is away while traveling.  What may not be evident from an initial reading of this passage is just how huge the sums were that each was given.  A talent was equal to roughly 15 years wages by a laborer…so each of the servants was given a huge sum of money to steward in the absence of the master.  The parable details how the first servant turned 5 talents into 10 and upon returning the initial investment and his gains to the master thus finds himself lavished with praise and given more responsibilities.  The parable tells also of the second servant who was given 2 talents and returned with 4 talents for the master…and he likewise is given praise and finds himself with new and expanded responsibilities due to the joy of the master.  And finally, we hear about the servant who, when given one talent, chooses simply to bury it in the ground for safe keeping.  When he returns that single talent to the master he is deemed wicked and lazy and tossed from his master’s property. 

This passage is of course well known to many of us.  Perhaps what is less well known is the fact that in the time of Jesus, Rabbinic maxim told that it was a customary and accepted practice to bury money for safe-keeping.  So, and I am sure this will surprise no one, Jesus would have caused quite a stir in telling this parable because the one who followed the traditional and accepted practice was the one who was being chastised.  Imagine how the religious authorities of the day must have felt to have their practices scrutinized in such a way…

But as we hear this passage we are want to ask what exactly is going on here? Is Jesus really saying that the ones who leverage everything they have are more worthy of the kin-dom of God than those who are more risk averse?  Is Jesus really giving us investment advice?  Is Jesus really saying that we should throw caution into the wind?  I believe that the answer to all of these questions is of course ‘no.’  I would argue that this passage isn’t really about financial stewardship at all.  Instead, this is another one of those places where Jesus is relaying a story about common things so as to teach a greater lesson.  But what exactly is Jesus trying to teach?  And we will get there…

But before I get to exactly what I think Jesus IS trying to teach let me tell you a couple of ways that this passage is often read and why I think they miss the mark.  First, this passage is often read with the contemporary meaning of the word ‘talent’ in mind.  This reading allows us to hear this passage as an invitation to use our talents wisely and in ways that build up the master’s kingdom.  The master is of course God in this scenario and the sin of the servant who buried his talent is that he did not use his talent in constructive ways. This reading continues that the servant is then tossed out in a visible reminder that the stewardship of our gifts and talents is important to God and that we risk being alienated from God when we fail to use our talents to the best of our abilities.  Personally, I believe this message and I believe that the stewardship of our gifts is of deeply spiritual import, but that is a sermon for another day.  It is a sermon for another day because the Greek word that has been translated as ‘talent’ is specifically related to a unit of money, so while I think there is a spiritual lesson to be had concerning how we steward our abilities this is not where this passage leads.

A second way that this passage is used is of grater detriment to the gospel as a whole.  I have heard and indeed I read several commentaries this week that used this passage as a way of promising that if we are just faithful enough in our giving to God that our gifts will be returned to us at a level that is two or three times what we have risked.  The idea behind using this passage in such a way is to invite people to be risk-takers for their faith…but what too often comes through via this reading is the notion that if we trust in God enough to risk everything than we will be rewarded.  Suddenly it is not about the risk, but about the reward.  This reading offers something like this: If I risk it, if I pray about it, if I offer it up to God in genuine ways than God will give it back to me and I will have greater success, greater wealth, more friends, a bigger house…well, you get the message.  Let me be clear…this passage is not an invitation to a faith-based investment scheme.  This passage is not a promise that God wants us to be successful and wealthy…Jesus didn’t care about such things and to turn this passage into a promise of a holy wealth-generating and I believe to do so is to corrupt the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, what is the message that Jesus is trying to tell in this passage?  First, I have to tell you that you didn’t get the whole reading.  This chapter in Matthew begins with these words:  “The Kingdom of heaven will be like this,” and from there it tells the parable of the 10 bridesmaids who stewarded their oil in more and less faithful ways, follows with today’s lesson, and includes concludes with the Jesus celebrating those who fed him when he was hungry or clothed him when he was naked or chastising those who failed to care for him when they saw him in need in their community.  Jesus, you see, in the entirety of this chapter speaking in cloak and dagger language about what is expected of those who follow him.  He is speaking about what it will be like when the kingdom of heaven comes…and he is desperately trying to make all who listen understand that much is expected of them.  So…he reaches not into a bag of tricks, but instead into a series of well-known cultural stories and he turns them on their ear.  Although the folks in the time of Jesus didn’t have the Financial News Network blaring at them 24 hours a day they did know something about the power of money and the power of commerce…so Jesus used it to teach them.  But it wasn’t really about the money.  Jesus was using the servants’ stewardship of their master’s resources to instruct all who heard about what God expected of them.  And in condemning the servant who merely buried the talent entrusted to him Jesus is condemning all who would not have faith enough to do something with the generosity of God.  The Australian scholar William Loader proffered the idea that the sin of the 1 talent servant was in not trusting the master (God) enough to do something with what he was entrusted with.  Loader notes that too often “people are afraid of losing or endangering God and so they seek to protect God from adventures, to resist attempts at radical inclusion that might, they fear, compromise God's purity and holiness. Protecting God is a variant of not trusting God.”  I wonder, “Is this what drives people to fear same-sex relationships?  Is this what drives people to fear the homeless and mentally ill?  Is this what drives us to fear truly opening our hearts and our minds to the things that God is calling us to do?” 

Ultimately this passage is about trusting in the one from whom all things come—in the one who has already invested in us.  Because this passage is couched in financial terms I will return to that realm as I close.  Our financial system is, to put it mildly, struggling, and for many this has brought fear and consternation, worry about the days that are soon to come and worry about the days that are far off in the distance.  I recently saw a cartoon that showed a couple meeting with their financial advisor and their financial advisor simply said, “Perhaps the best advice I can give you is to invest in a few more mattresses.” And while the worldwide financial situation might just lead us to stuff our savings in a mattress…our scripture lesson would remind us that we should not even consider stuffing God there also.  Instead, let me answer the question that I asked is asked in the sermon title:  Yes, God is a good investment—because the promise of God is revealed in the promise we can faithful say that we live immersed in the knowledge that God's mercy never ends.  If we can do that what we are really saying is that we believe in more than what we can see, or touch, or taste…that grace has capital, that love is rich, and that we are forever blessed.  Now the challenge that is before us is to live like we know it to be true.  That challenge meets us everyday…and I am thankful that God is there to walk with us as we go.  Amen.

California Supreme Court to Hear Appeal of Same-Sex Marriage Measure

Bring on the outraged cries against so-called activist judges!

Today the California Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal that would potentially strike down California's voter-approved Proposition 8 that outlawed same-sex marriage in California.  Proposition 8 was a hasty response to the court's spring decision that said that marriage rights were among a set of basic human rights "so integral to an individual's liberty and personal autonomy that they may not be eliminated or abrogated by the legislature or by the electorate through the statutory initiative process."  With that decision the California Defense of Marriage Act that was passed in 2000 was struck down, thus paving the way for California to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on May 15 of this year.

The California Defense of Marriage Act that was overturned by the California Supreme Court was enacted by voters with a 61% majority and advocates for "traditional" marriage had little trouble collecting enough signatures to get the issue on the November 4 ballot.  The constitutional amendment passed by Proposition 8 amended the state constitution to add this statement about marriage: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."  Conservative and evangelical faith-based groups played a significant part in the signature gathering effort to qualify the measure for the ballot and also formed the basis of the effort to approve the measure.  Sadly, their efforts resulted in what I believe to be the first time that a state constitution has been amended by popular vote expressly to deny rights.  

I was deeply saddened when the results of California voting showed that 52% of California voters supported Proposition 8, but I am hopeful that the California Supreme Court's decision to hear this appeal is a signal that voter-approved initiative efforts cannot be used as a way of denying rights to a minority group.  It is offensive to me, and I believe constitutionally indefensible, for the popular vote to be used as an avenue for a majority to decide whether a minority should be accorded rights.  I shutter to think how much longer slavery would have existed if it would have been left to a popular vote.  Likewise with women, African-Americans, and 18 year-olds gaining the right to vote.  I believe that so-called activist judges play a vital role in righting injustices and according civil rights that should not be left to the discretion of a citizen's referendum.  I hope that the California Supreme Court is consistent in their reasoning and therefore deems that Proposition 8 violates the California state Constitution because it denies an individual liberty (marriage) to one group of people while it is according to another.  I am thankful for the American Civil Liberties Union (of which I am a proud card-carrying member), the Lambda Legal Defense Fund, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights for filing this challenge.  

As a United Church of Christ pastor I am honored to say that our denomination has been on the leading edge of the fight to recognize same-sex marriage.  I do not believe that homosexuality is a sin and I believe that God's love and grace are truly exemplified in celebrating the relationships of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in the same way we celebrate and bless heterosexual unions.  I believe that same-sex marriage honors the integrity of the body of Christ and Christ's church in blessing people for who they are created by God to be.  I have had the honor of standing with both gay and lesbian couples as they have celebrated their civil unions and marriages here in Oregon and I believe that their unions are as blessed as the union that Shauna and I committed to when we were married over 14 years ago.  

Finally, I have been happy to see that at least 3 bodies within the United Church of Christ have been moved to be involved in the legal challenge to Proposition 8.  Some of the most compelling language I have heard comes from these faith-based responses including this statement: "California's constitutional right of equal protection is sacrosanct and not even the electorate can take it away selectively – at least not without a two-thirds vote of the legislature or a constitutional convention. This writ petition seeks to enforce that basic principle."

For more information about the ways various parts of the United Church of Christ are responding to Proposition 8 please read here.

The Long Journey From Disappointment in Phoenix Four Years Ago to the Cusp of a Dream in 2008

Tonight via C-Span I watched Barack Obama's speech in Manassas, Virginia and as I sit here just a few hours before polling places open across this nation I am optimistic about where the election results will take us.  I have been waiting for this day since 2004 because I have been profoundly disturbed by the Bush administration's policies that have too often seemed more appropriate for a school yard bully than the leadership of this nation.  The last 8 years have included state-sanctioned torture, government sanctioned spying on U.S. citizens, a badly managed and ill-conceived war based on a preemptive strike doctrine that flies in the face of international law, growing disparities between those who have and those who don't, and countless instances where cronyism and big business-focused policies have been enacted contrary to the will or the good of this nation.  Tomorrow, I believe this nation will elect Barack Obama as the next President of the United States and tomorrow I will be celebrating a return to democracy as it is supposed to be run and justice as it is supposed to be known.  I voted for him because I believe in the hopeful promise he offers for this country now and for the future that I believe he will help enact for my daughters, Grace and Marin.  I cast my faith-based vote for Obama because his vision for this nation matches what my faith calls to work for--a world where justice and mercy are central, where all people have enough, where love can conquer all.  We are on the cusp of making this dream a reality!

But before we get there...I want to reflect on how I spent Election Day 2004. 

Four years ago today (the day before the elections) Shauna and I and our friend Brenda Brown, flew to Phoenix, Arizona to serve as Election Protection volunteers.  Shauna's employer, Working Assets, was a major partner of the Election Protection effort and we were in a position to invest some time into making sure that our democracy worked for every citizen, and so we ended up in Phoenix with Brenda.  Although the Election Protection effort has changed some for the 2008 elections, in 2004 it was focused largely on having a visible volunteer presence outside of polling places where there was a concern that people may have a difficult time casting ballots.  And so, after casting our ballots via mail in Oregon we flew to Phoenix where we were prepared to be placed at a polling place to pass out information and be a non-partisan resource in the event that people were denied the right to vote.

On the night before the election we gathered with hundreds of volunteers who had been deployed to Phoenix for training and 'rallying the troops.'  The first speaker, and every one thereafter began their presentation with a not-so-gentle reminder that this was not a partisan effort...and thus they reminded us that we were to have no partisan paraphernalia on during our volunteer efforts.  In fact, our uniforms were simple T-shirts in black or red that simply said "YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE!"  We were to carry with us copies of Voters Rights information that had been collected for our jurisdiction and we were reminded that although we were not polling we too were required by Arizona law to remain 150 feet away from the entrance of the polling place.  We were versed on introducing ourselves to the precinct workers upon our arrival and letting them know that we would be available should there be voting issues (not that they were likely to get us involved, but it was possible).  We were also versed on the Arizona rules on provisional ballots, given a hot-line number to call, and given clipboards where it was requested we keep track of any interactions that we had with helping voters or any problems that came up.  We were also given an address where we were to rendezvous at 5:30 am the next morning when we would receive our assignment to a precinct polling place.  Finally, we were again thanked for our volunteer service and reminded again, NO PARTISAN INFORMATION!  So we returned to our hotel and crashed aware of the long day that awaited.  (If only we had known!)

We left our hotel about 5 am, made it to our rendezvous place by 5:30, and found that we would be staffing a precinct at a school some 40 minutes away.  Off we went...with our T-Shirts, our supervisor's contact information and no real idea about what lay ahead.  We arrived with plenty of time to spare at our polling place and managed to introduce ourselves to the poll workers, finding them mostly nonplussed by our presence.  And so we began...standing about 170 feet from the entrance to the polling place, with Brenda and I wearing our clerical collars along with our "You Have the Right to Vote" T-Shirts, as requested by the organization because clergy are seen as safe people for those in need of help.  Mostly we just passed out the voter rights information, but we did answer a few questions as people went into the school.  Several people did indeed get turned away due to being in the wrong precinct, having recently moved, having different ID, etc. and we were able to intercede several times to allow people to cast ballots or call the hot-line to get information about where they needed to go to vote in the correct precinct.  When we took a break for lunch and were relieved by another volunteer our T-Shirts led us to be asked questions by several people who didn't realize where they could vote.  The most dramatic instance where we helped someone vote actually happened in the closing seconds of the polls being opened as Brenda actually ran to the parking lot to inform a late arriving voter that they had less than a minute to get inside the polling place if they were going to vote.  Brenda literally paced them into the polling place and they made it with just seconds to spare.  That person was only able to vote because we were there...and the thank you we received as they left made our investment and our 13-hour day worth every penny and every hour. 

We purposely did not even listen to the radio that day because we really wanted to be non-partisan in our efforts and we believe that if we were checking the polling rumors that we would not be able to free of our own hopes for a victory by John Kerry.  I had spent many hours phone banking for Kerry-Oregon in Corvallis and as we arrived in Phoenix I was guardedly optimistic that U.S. voters would elect John Kerry as the next President.  As soon as we left the school where we were deployed we found a radio station and began listening for information about results from across the country.  Everything was playing out as we expected and at that point it seemed John Kerry was leading in Ohio, which we knew would be the critical state, and so with that in mind we arrived back at our hotel and headed toward the bar for dinner and drinks.  As we arrived at the hotel it became apparent that what our Priceline reservation hadn't told us was that our hotel was the site of the Phoenix Republican headquarters...and thus as we entered the bar we were in decidedly unfriendly territory as Kerry supporters.  We felt a little out of place in our T-Shirts and looking back on it our clergy collars didn't necessarily go with our bar orders...but the results were no longer trending in our favor so we didn't care.  Next round please! 

Somewhere along the way it began to be apparent that Ohio was looking bleak, although it had not been called by anyone at this point. We went upstairs to change and check results in a less charged atmosphere.  But it wasn't to be found because while we were there it was noted that Oregon's Measure 36, which changed the Oregon constitution to ban gays and lesbians from marrying, was going to pass.  Together Brenda, Shauna, and I wept after Brenda noted that that night voters in 13 out of 13 states who voted on such things had denied her the right to celebrate and legally sanction her relationship.  A Kerry victory was looking improbable at that moment, but the human costs of the so-called "moral values" votes and the lost opportunity to change course in Iraq due to the votes that were cast that night were the real tragedy, and the three of us felt the promise of something better, something more just, and something that we saw as more faithful slipping away.

I'm not sure how, but we managed to get ourselves in shape to walk down to another hotel where the Democrats were headquartered.  We entered while Ohio was still in doubt, but not looking good.  We mostly stayed to ourselves, but we did talk to a few local Arizona Dems who were beginning to soak in the reality of another loss--this time not even by the close margin seen in 2000.  We were at the Democratic gathering when networks began to call Ohio for Bush and when the networks began to call it "a night for the moral values crowd."  We went back to our hotel and headed to bed, but only after the longest 9 story elevator ride with jubilant Republicans...

I still don't like Phoenix.

Interestingly enough serving as an Election Protection volunteer was one of the best things I have ever done.  We couldn't have afforded to do it this year, but I loved being able to spend Election Day making sure people were allowed to vote because it felt like we were able to make a difference.  I hope those who volunteer for similar duty this year have a good experience and are able to have an impact on individuals who wish to participate in our democratic process.  I also hope the results are different tomorrow!

Now, with all of that said...even if you don't agree with my endorsement if you are reading this I hope you have or will be voting.  It matters!

Westside Community Church to host Corvallis's cold-weather shelter beginning November 15

Although we are in the middle of a beautiful stretch of fall weather in Corvallis, nighttime temperatures have fallen, signaling the return of difficult and dangerous times for those who find themselves homeless in this area.  Damp nights, near-freezing temperatures, and a lack of safe and affordable housing options means that those who are homeless risk freezing to death as they bundle up in the usual places (doorways, parks, and abandoned lots etc.).  Many issues can be seen as root causes of homelessness, and in truth, there are many good programs and initiatives underway in the Corvallis area that seek to end or combat homelessness.  From Community Outreach Inc., to Stone Soup to WeCare there is a broad safety net that exists in Corvallis, and yet homelessness remains a chronic (and growing) issue in Corvallis and in virtually every community in Oregon. 

One of the programs that has an immediate impact for those who are homeless in Corvallis is the cold-weather men's shelter that is operated annually by the Coalition to Shelter the Homeless.  The coalition has been and continues to be an ad-hoc coalition of those who are interested in making sure that men who find themselves homeless during the cold winter months will have a safe and warm place to stay when our weather is at its worst.  Faith communities, veteran's groups, and a few members of the business community make up the bulk of the coalition and after identifying a need 3 years ago we are set to have a cold-weather shelter operating in Corvallis for a 3rd winter.  The shelter honors the dignity of the men who live there and provides safe accommodations for those who would otherwise be endangered by Oregon's harsh winter weather. 

This year the shelter will operate out of the Westside Community Church (4000 SW Western Blvd). I am thankful for their gift of space and I celebrate the compassion, energy, and dedication of all those who are making the 3rd year of the shelter a much-needed reality in Corvallis.  November 15 is just over 2 weeks away...

If you are interested in helping out at the shelter or would like more information please contact me and I will help connect you with this important, life-saving community resource and ministry.

October 24, 2008 is Tom Hunter Day: A Day for Singing!

Governors and other elected officials often issue proclamations to celebrate community events and important people within the communities they govern.  In her capacity as Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire has issued one such proclamation to designate tomorrow, October 24, as Tom Hunter Day.  Tomorrow has been set aside as a day to honor the life of The Reverend Tom Hunter who died in June and touched many, myself included, with his personality, ministry, and music.  I did not know Tom well, and in fact, I only had a few conversations with him, but his music continues to touch my life as his tunes are part of the soundtrack of my life. I feel honored that his lyrics and his tunes have shaped my life and my sense of ministry and I know that I am among many who would make similar statements. Thus I will celebrate Tom Hunter Day tomorrow as I go about my work...

Governor Gregoire's Proclamation reads:

"WHEREAS, Tom Hunter nourished the hearts of teachers, parents and children
for decades around Washington State, the United States and overseas; and

WHEREAS, Tom Hunter was a brilliant folk singer, song writer, minister, minstrel,
educator, and champion of teachers and children; and

WHEREAS, Tom Hunter had an encyclopedic knowledge of folk songs and when no
suitable song existed, was most willing to write a great one; and

WHEREAS, Tom Hunter was widely beloved for his ability to celebrate teachers' everyday interactions with children; and

WHEREAS, Tom Hunter encouraged generations of children to sing and value
community; and

WHEREAS, Tom Hunter was a loving husband and father, son, brother and stalwart friend to many; and

WHEREAS, we honor Tom Hunter's teachings, generosity, vision and talents, by keeping his music and stories alive, and continuing his legacy of singing out loud. In short, following Tom's wise advice to KEEP IT GOING;

NOW, THEREFORE, I Christine O. Gregoire, Governor of the State of Washington, do hereby proclaim October 24, 2008, as Tom Hunter Day: A Day for Singing! in Washington State, and I urge all citizens to join me in this special observance.

Signed this 30th day of September, 2008

Governor Christine O. Gregoire"

Among the songs that I will sing tomorrow is this one:

ROCK ME TO SLEEP (Copyright 1977, Tom Hunter)

All I can hear are the crickets
And the whistle from some lonely freight
I've been working so hard to make everything right
But for now it'll just have to wait

CHORUS
`Cause tonight I'd like you to rock me to sleep
I'd like you to sing me a song'
I'm tired of trying to figure things out
And I'm tired of being so strong

I've never been too good at asking
I'm more apt to do it alone
And it's strange how a lot of us think something's wrong
If we can't do it all on our own

It's funny how times when you're hurting
Make what's so familiar seem strange
So when you need help, it's hardest to ask
And it always takes so long to change

My prayers continue to be with the Hunter Family (Gwen, Aeden, and Irene) and the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Bellingham as they continue to grieve and as they celebrate Tom's life and ministry.

Thank you Tom for a life well lived, and for the many songs that continue to echo in so many lives! 

Our ballots have arrived, and I have voted!

After returning from a Confirmation overnight at the church I grabbed the mail out of the box and noticed that our ballots had arrived from the Benton County Elections Division.  I have been looking forward to this day for many months and I just finished filling in the circles on my ballot--including the one next to Barack Obama's name.

Open the envelope, fill it out, send it in, and get ready to CELEBRATE on November 4!

Steven Wax, author of "Kafka Comes to America: Fighting for Justice in the War on Terror," to speak in Corvallis

The Benton-Linn Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is sponsoring an October 15th reading and book signing by Steven T. Wax, an Oregon Federal Public Defender and author of the book "Kafka Comes to America: Fighting for Justice in the War on Terror."  Mr. Wax will speak at 7 pm at the Corvallis Public Library (645 NW Monroe).  "Kafka Comes to America" focuses on Wax's work defending men imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay as a part of the "War on Terror and his work defending Portland attorney Brandon Mayfield. 

I serve as a board member for the Benton-Linn Chapter of the ACLU and will be introducing Mr. Wax at the event.  I am hoping that many people from Corvallis will turn out to hear Mr. Wax's reflections on his experiences defending those who, according to the Bush administration, are not worthy of the protections of our constitution.  In preparation for the event I am currently reading "Kafka Comes to America" and I am finding it to be a great read, even as I find myself profoundly disturbed by the governmental excesses described on virtually every page.  In "Kafka" Wax moves easily between the world of legal briefs and the simple and devastating stories of those he has defended.  "Kafka Comes to America" is an important read at a time when the abuses perpetrated in the name of the "War on Terror" have largely fallen out of the news cycle.  But prisoners remain at Guantanamo Bay, and thus the work of Mr. Wax and others who represent those prisoners will remain vital until they are granted the full protections of the Constitution of the United States.  Anything less stands as an insult to those who wrote this foundational document of our democracy and our understanding of justice.

Plan to join the ACLU in welcoming Steven Wax to Corvallis! 

Are you Interested in joining the ACLU?  Sign up on a secure website here.

The Alliance Defense Fund's Pulpit Initiative Makes a Mockery of God

Tomorrow, 35 pastors, with the backing of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) are planning an organized an assault on the rules that govern 501(c)(3) organizations.  In what the Alliance Defense Fund is calling "The Pulpit Initiative," roughly 35 pastors from across the United States will endorse John McCain and other candidates from the pulpit during Sunday worship services as an act of purposeful disobedience against the rules that require 501(c)(3) organizations to refrain from endorsing political candidates.  Although the Alliance Defense Fund is valiantly trying to package their politicking under the dual banners of "freedom of speech" and "religious freedom," I believe these actions should be seen as nothing more than a political stunt.  However, although this is a political stunt, it is one that, if successful, could turn congregations and religious organizations into nothing more than hymn-singing scripture-reading appendages of political parties and candidates. No matter what the Alliance Defense Fund attempts to say about their belief in the need for "religious freedom," this is a calculated political move that has the potential to damage the standing of every religious community in our nation.

According to the Alliance Defense Fund their "Pulpit Initiative" is the basis of a "strategic litigation plan, which is aimed at drawing lawsuits against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in order to restore the right of each pastor to speak scriptural truth from the pulpit around moral, social, governmental, and other issues without fear of losing his church's tax exempt status." However, the fallacy of the Alliance Defense Fund's "religious freedom" argument is that they are attempting to make it seem like churches are being attacked by the IRS when in fact ALL not-for-profit organizations must refrain from participating in partisan political activities.  There is no loss of religious freedom here because like any other citizen pastors are free to engage in partisan political activity provided they are not acting in an official capacity.  The leaders of the Boy Scouts, the Boys and Girls Club, the local homeless shelter, and thousands of other not-for-profit endeavors are likewise restricted, which shows that the Alliance Defense Fund's "religious freedom" argument simply does not hold water.

What bothers me most about the ADF's Pulpit Initiative is the narrow-minded approach that the Alliance Defense Fund and those who fund it* are taking in suggesting that a church or a pastor as its representative should be free to endorse candidates.  First, I believe that if churches were to be able to endorse candidates it would result in religious institutions becoming nothing but appendages of political parties and candidates.  This would be a tragic result because if church pews become nothing more than a place to hear political opinion then the grace-centered good news of Jesus Christ becomes nothing more than a political tool.  Second, if churches begin to endorse political candidates the idea that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the focus of the church becomes nothing more than a myth and a church instead devolves into a place where allegiance to political ideology trumps allegiance to the bible.  How welcome would someone feel if they hold a different political opinion than the one that the pastor has just uttered from the pulpit? The work of the church must come before the partisan politics of our culture and once the church is allowed to endorse political candidates in the name of "religious freedom" that becomes impossible. In fact, I believe that in asserting that one of the fundamental rights of a church or pastor is to enter into partisan politicking the Alliance Defense Fund is making a mockery of the God they claim to adore and the faith they claim as their own.  God is bigger than partisan politics and the church should be focused on helping to create the peaceable kingdom of God rather than engaging in the partisan political battles of our day.

 

Americans United For the Separation of Church and State has a great resource called Religion, Partisan Politics, and Tax Exemption here.

The United Church of Christ does non-partisan voter information well.  Find more information here: Our Faith, Our Vote.

Update on October 1: Pastor Dan over at Street Prophets has a great wrap-up of the Pulpit Initiative action, including a list of those pastors and churches who participated.  Read his post here.

*Major Funding for the Alliance Defense Fund has come from: Pat Robertson's American Center for Law and Justice, James Dobson of Focus on the Family, the DeVos-Prince family (Amway & Blackwater), the Falwell Family's Liberty Council, and a litany of conservative Christian leaders.

The United Church of Christ takes "Steeples" Nationwide on September 29

The United Church of Christ (UCC) will be rolling out their "Steeples" ad beginning on September 29.  Although this ad is not new (it was created as a part of the Still Speaking Initiative that created much publicity for the denomination in 2004), it has never before been the focus commercial of the United Church of Christ's identity and branding effort.  That however, will change, beginning on September 29 when the ad begins running on 4 cable television networks--CNN, Bravo, BET and TV One.  The thrust of the commercial is to brand the churches of the United Church of Christ as places that that offer an "extravagant welcome" to all who seek to know Christ and join in a community where "all are welcome."

The Still Speaking Initiative and this commercial are meant to speak especially to the un-churched, those who have been alienated from the church, and all who are seeking a spiritual home where they might grow in faith.  This commercial uses the familiar refrain of the people being at the heart of the church to invite "all the people" to come to the church where all are welcome. 

Here is the commercial:

If you are looking for a church home you can look here on the UCC website. 

If you are in Corvallis and would like to worship at First Congregational United Church of Christ, we worship at 10:30 each Sunday.  Join us!

Palin's official story: Employee loyalty trumps the Alaska Constitution

I guess Sarah Palin was lying when she said she welcomed an investigation into her firing of Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. Monegan was allegedly fired because he refused to dismiss Palin's Alaska State Trooper brother-in-law, who was in the midst of being granted a divorce from Palin's sister.  But at one point Palin invited an investigation, famously saying, "Hold me accountable."  However, now it seems that she has changed her tune as her staff will simply ignore subpoenas issued in the case. 

Here is the official explanation as to why Palin's staff will simply ignore subpoenas as excerpted from a CNN.com article:

"As state employees, our clients have taken an oath to uphold the Alaska Constitution, and for that reason, they respect the Legislature's desire to carry out an investigation in support of its lawmaking powers," Attorney General Talis Colberg, a Palin appointee, told the investigation's manager in a letter released Wednesday.

"However, our clients are also loyal employees subject to the supervision of the governor." 

It is interesting of course that it was a bi-partisan panel (dominated by Republicans by a margin of 8-4) that recommended an investigation into the case.  I guess ignoring subpoenas and obstructing an investigation is what Palin means when she labels herself a maverick.  Impressive...in a Rovian sense, don't you think?