Setting Ourselves Free

I have in the past on this site, railed against Christians and the Religious right. As a non-believer in either god or the bible, I have been, this past week, writing diatribes in my head blaming the church for all the hatred and divisiveness in this country. Blaming narrow mindedness for allowing this country to be consumed in bigotry and moralistic fear the like of which has not been seen since the days of Joe McCarthy and his witch-hunts.

I was angry. Angry at these elections for what they say about America and for the direction my fellow countrymen have chosen to allow this country to go in.

I was all set to take that anger and put it out into the world and then I received this email from a good friend of mine that took it all away, leaving me with a feeling of something else entirely…not exactly hope I guess…something a little more hard to define.

Promise, maybe?

How This Liberal Christian Will Respond to Bush's Re-Election

I've calmed down, and now I can think rationally.

Thanks to all of my Republican friends out there (there are many of you) for tolerating my bitter and often childish ranting. Thanks also for not gloating too much, I would've been even more depressed. I love you guys and I have a deeply-felt sense of respect for your thoughtful opinions. Thankfully, we are partners and not rivals.

I've been thinking about how I will respond to Bush's re-election. I'll probably complain and moan for awhile, but soon, I will be forced to deal with the reality that Bush is my president for the next four years. In response, I will take after my English professor (whom I deeply respect) when he exclaimed, "I'm not too old to protest! We'll do it like we did in the '70's!" I'm not that interested in looting the streets with big signs, but I think there are some ways that I can follow his lead... I will protest with everything I've got.

First, I will affirm the humanity and dignity of gay people I come across. I will apologize to them for thinking myself more holy or special than them. I'll get to know their names, listen to their stories, and tell them about Jesus' love for them. I'll explain to them my ambivalence about gay marriage, and how I don't have the right answers, and that the only tangible thing I have to guide me is my desire to see them pulled back in from the margins.

I will pray and weep bitterly for the women across our country who are impregnated against their own will, who are faced with the unenviable task of choosing to carry a constant reminder of shame, or getting an abortion. Though every abortion is a tragedy, I will bless them no matter what they choose. Because, I have committed murder with my mind, many times already - I'm not fit to cast the first stone.

I will protest Bush's Global Warming policies by planting a tree. Martin Luther said once, that if he knew the world would be over the next day, he would plant a tree. When future generations reflect on Bush's presidency, I think his handling of Global Warming may be most criminal of all his actions.

I will protest his economic policies by buying less. Taking out the deficit with more tax cuts for the wealthy just won't hack it anymore, because consumerism will not fill our country's void. Funding all my retreats this year won't allow me much spending money anyway. I will also pray for the conservative religious folk in the Midwest who have been devastated by the unequal economic policies that the Bush administration promotes.

I will protest against Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% and their virtual blindness to poverty, by caring for the impoverished and the homeless. Because their’s is the Kingdom of heaven.

In response to the majority of the Islamic world standing in solidarity against us, I will partner with the Muslim Student Association tomorrow by fasting with them. I will partner with them in fighting hunger, by going hungry myself for a day. But most of all, I will go to the Muslim students on their turf, on their ground, instead of asking them to come to mine, and I will participate in one of their activities. I will do this, because everyday that the headlines read, "another 5 U.S. soldiers shot," and, "hundreds of Iraqis died" is a day of crisis, and love is the only thing that can absorb the anger and hostility that war shoots out.

I will stand against the War in Iraq and prolonged US Occupation by keeping myself educated about what is happening. I will allow my heart to break for the middle east, like God's heart breaks. I will know what I am fighting against: not the evil terrorists, not the militant Muslims, not against dictators... I am up against violence begetting more violence. I don't fight for the "freedom" that comes with democracy, I fight for the freedom that comes with God's spirit.

When Iraqi citizens say, "We hope the American president will change his policy toward Iraq ... because Iraq is oppressed and can't remain occupied," I will listen and pray that the oppressed may be set free, because that's what God loves to do.

As a Christian, I am an ardent believer in non-violent conflict resolution. I will protest Bush's foreign policy in the middle-east and his handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict by being a minister of reconciliation and pursuing peace instead of hate.

Lastly, I will do my part in helping to bridge the enormous chasm between left and right. We Christians can be united in our desire to love God and love people. Thankfully, being a Christian in this world is as simple as that. Bush and Kerry supporters alike, can support this form of protest.

May God bless the rest of the world, too.

Thanks Ames…hope you don’t mind that I posted it here. Take care of yourself everybody, Sweetie and the boys and I are all heading out to the beach this week. Out to face the November rains and purge that deep down lingering bile from our guts -- casting it out into the waves and wind, setting ourselves free.