What Ever Happened to Middle Earth?

Warning: this is a political post--sort of. What I mean is that in it, I am hoping for, praying for, advocating for a type of sanity that has gone missing from the American political landscape. Here's what I mean...

If you read multiple newspapers, as I do, and try to read a balance of news across the spectrum from "liberal" to "conservative," a fearful thing emerges: the polarization of America into extremes has roots and wings--it is not just a myth of Facebook posts and bar conversations, apparently. Where did we lose "Middle Earth"?

In the political world, we have devolved into Bernie Sanders, Socialist Democrat, on one side, and "The Party of Trump" on the other. Responsible politicians falling anywhere away from these poles--even a really conservative guy like Jeff Flake--becomes persona non grata. Off with his head. Are we  even hearing from any Democrats several rungs down the fire escape toward reason from Senator Sanders? Chuck Schumer is a kind of Democratic Jeff Flake--a really liberal guy whose voice is lost as people seem bent on listening to the siren song of the far extremes. Where is Middle Earth where we all--common citizens and elected officials--used to meet to talk real solutions to the real problems facing us?

In a column in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (10/26/17), Ed Rogers, a conservative contributor to the Washington Post, makes this statement: "Let's remember, the mainstream media wants nothing less than to see the destruction of the Republican Party." This statement is wrong on so many levels. First of all, "mainstream media" is a pejorative term made up by people who don't like to read stories more than 140 characters in length. It can also be fired as a bullet from both "sides" of the debate, although I see the term being slung more from the conservative side. As one trained in journalism and communications, I can say that reporters are taught to "get the facts"--the "five Ws and the H"--Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How? Reporters take meticulous notes, and make sure quotes are accurate. And, they seek multiple, corroborating sources. Columnists, on the other hand, may give opinions. While these should also be backed up with facts, the Op Ed writer is not under the same constraint to maintain balanced sources. Have these lines become blurred, from time to time? Probably, as something called the "New Journalism" crept into prominence back in the 1970s, as I recall. However, in the field of reporting, news stories are on dangerous ground if they contain inaccurate information about people or companies, as litigation may ensue. Not so much with opinion pieces. Secondly, there is no media conspiracy for the "destruction of the Republican Party." That is a ludicrous assertion. As much of the media is owned by staunchly conservative syndicates and wealthy individuals today as by liberal ones. No one is out to get the Republican Party, but when it is fully "in power" as it is now, and doesn't seem to be accomplishing anything but killing its own wounded and wallowing in a mire of unfinished legislation, this is news, and any reporter worth her salt will write about it. To have one political party so much in charge and to see nothing coming of it for almost a year is a true "man bites dog" moment. If (and God, please don't let it be so!) the Republican Party is destroyed, it will be a case of self-cannibalism.

What about the treatment of the Democrats in the press? Frankly, we're not reading much. After Clinton's loss, that party hasn't really fielded a lineup of reasonable voices, that I can see. Schumer says something, Bernie pontificates, Adam Schiff barks about Devin Nunes' flawed definition of what "recuse" means--these are fodder for Op Ed, not much actual reporting. As a Democrat, I'm way beyond disappointed with the miasma emanating from this party right now, but I'm even more angry about the lip service they are paying to finding Middle Earth.

I have to confess that I have not been immune from being dragged into the polarized dog fight on social media. America has elected a highly polarizing "media star" as President, and this has greatly catalyzed our rapid run to the extreme poles. However, he is President, and nothing will get done in Washington without passing over the Resolute Desk, so it will have to be part of Middle Earth, if we are ever to find it again. I'll be honest: beyond praying for our government, including President Trump, I don't know what to do. My occasional opinions posted on Facebook or in this blog are mostly signs of my frustration over how Middle Earth has disappeared like Atlantis, and over people labeling things like "Mainstream Media."

As a United Methodist Pastor, I'm quite concerned for the cares and needs of people, and history tells us that Middle Earth is the only place their concerns will find the proverbial balm. The political extremes have never been kind to the middle class, who are the people filling our pews and living in the neighborhoods I have lived in. And what about the poor and the oppressed? They are either radically under-served by the extremes, or exploited by them. At a few points on the timeline of history, they have united and risen up in revolution, but usually wind up pretty much back where they were, and with some self-self-aggrandizing despot in power.

And then there's religion. Those labeled "Evangelicals" have stolen the news cycle because they seem to have moved into the Trump camp. Seeing the President as a sudden and surprising chance to realize their monotoned agenda--getting a conservative Supreme Court that will roll back Roe v. Wade and marriage equality--they have abandoned nine-tenths of the teachings of Jesus, in my view. But they are in the news, currently among the "man bites dog" stories. As they keep playing this one note on the piano of social issues, though, I suspect even the "Mainstream Media" will give them less column inches. Is there room for us liberal gospel preachers in this debate? As such, I am for connecting people to God, people to people, and helping people who need a hand-up. And in reality, we know that these pursuits will only find legitimate fruition in Middle Earth. Religious liberals want to play chords and songs on the proverbial keyboard of ideas, not one note, but in the current polarized climate, it's like the piano keys are disappearing, an octave at a time.

So, what do we do? How do we reset our socio-political GPS for Middle Earth? I think this begins by being informed. We should stop getting most of our news from Twitter or Facebook (the latter is OK if we use it to follow links to legitimate news sources, not Breitbart or BlueState). Read, people, read. Read a broad base of books--they are actually still publishing books, and serious authors from across the socio-political spectrum are writing them. Read newspapers. Responsible papers like the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal are available online, with a limited number of free stories. Better yet, subscribe. The First Amendment feeds on printed news. Printed information is absent the non-verbal component of communication, which allows the reader to form her or his own opinion about what they read. That's a problem with video and audio-based news--these non-verbal cues (facial expressions, eye contact, body posture, intonation) may speak a very different message from the words the speaker is actually saying, and this often obfuscates the intended message, or in the worst case, allows a hidden message to be presented, counter to the words spoken.

Let our own planet earth provide a parable: The poles are forbidding, cold, cold places where even compasses can no longer provide guidance for proper navigation. Middle Earth is a warm gathering place where trade winds blow and seasons change. More of us live in Middle Earth than in any other place on the planet. May we move our ideas there with us and begin to reason together to fix our common problems, care for those disenfranchised and hurting, and set a course for a hopeful future for us all. As Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

How did Halloween become such a thing?

I read again recently that the amount of decorations sold for Halloween exceed even what we shell out for Christmas. How did Halloween become such a huge thing?

First of all, many of us don't spend as much on Christmas because we have TONS of decorations acquired over the years, and much of it came from our parents or grandparents when they "downsized." St. Paul's and North Hills Community Outreach does a thing every Fall where we collect donations of Christmas decorations and then offer them for free to persons who maybe can't afford to purchase them. You can't believe what all gets donated. Clearly, there is a prodigious glut of Christmas decorations out there, languishing in attics, basements, garages, and probably even stuffed into the little doors and drawers under nightstands and end tables!

But what about Halloween? It's always been a kid-favorite holiday, with the costumes, trick-or-treating for candy, and the resulting overall sugar overload. And, many people like to scare or be scared. Also, there is a long dry spell between the July 4 holiday and Thanksgiving, which is basically a football and eating marathon, anyway, neither of which much appeals to children. So, Halloween filled the gap. As an aging Baby Boomer, I can say that my friends and I looked so forward to getting dressed up and going out on neighborhood candy hauls. Then, when I was about 11, something went wrong: deranged individuals began hiding razor blades in candy or coating it with drugs. I can remember how the whole Halloween trick-or-treating thing took a huge hit. It was a seriously depressing time.

Now, we aging Baby Boomers are grandparents, and our children are parents. Both groups of "adults" want our kids and grand kids to recapture some of the fun of Halloween, so we do what we always do--go WAY overboard. Decorations have become quite sophisticated, costumes have become much more fantastic, and all of the candy is hermetically sealed (in fact, it's almost impossible to get into it). Parents inspect every treat, just to make sure, though.

Adult costume parties for Halloween have multiplied, too. I can't believe the number of email advertisements I get from places selling elaborate--and costly--adult Halloween costumes!

All in all, I don't think there is anything wrong with all of this. People of faith have often had a kind of bittersweet relationship with goblins and demons, with many believing the "real things" are conspiring to use Halloween to recruit little ones into devilish behavior. They thought the same thing would happen if they read any of the Harry Potter books. I really don't see a difference in kids from either activity.

Still, Dara and I never celebrated Halloween with our children. Maybe it was because of some of these spiritual concerns, coupled with fears over getting candy from strangers. Maybe it was due, in part, to the fact that we were students during much of our kids' childhood, and we couldn't afford to reciprocate with the treat distribution. I do know that we taught our children about the significance of All Saints Day, and honoring the saints who went before us. And, I know we took our kids out for a special night on Halloween--dinner at a place of their choice, and then to the Carnegie Science Center, for example. I don't think they missed anything. And it didn't "poison" them to the holiday, as our daughter and son-in-law take our grandchildren trick-or-treating.

Whatever you and your family do for Halloween, be safe. And take some time to explain the origins of "All Hallows' Eve" and "All Saints Day." As we honor the saints of our lives, this may be almost as important as telling our kids about the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus.

Happy Halloween, Yinz.

Weinstein...

As a white, privileged male in a culture that makes me a dominant figure just because of how I look in the mirror, I am so sad for women today.

[Let me qualify this post by first stating that I no longer believe in gender being merely a "binary" thing, so when I use the terms "male" and "female," I am using them broadly, at least while addressing the topic of sexual harassment. For the purpose of this narrative, the terms describe persons who identify as female being exploited  or harassed by persons who identify as male. Such is the case of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and the women who have begun to come forward publicly  about his sexual aggressions.]

What women put up with--and have for millennia, most likely--is unbelievable. Books, research, and mountains of case studies have revealed a glimmer of what it is like being discriminated against, underpaid, and objectified because of one's gender. And now, this Weinstein story breaks, revealing the long and sordid history of this infamous "image-maker" who, all along the way, used women for personal pleasure in exchange for offering them fame. While Weinstein's pathology may go even deeper than "pleasure," given his psychopathic sleaze alleged in the emerging testimonies, the fact remains that women are subjected to this kind of thing every day in about every place. It may not be "sleep with me or I'll ruin your career" kinds of things all of the time, but lewd commends behind their backs from male co-workers, bosses who leer, or dump their frustrations on women subordinates because they can, are frequent occurrences in offices, academia, retail, or the military--even in the church.

The horrific stories about Weinstein's behavior, which in many cases is likely criminal, serve to uncover this phenomenon afresh, hopefully prompting corrective and constructive conversation. I do fear, though, that it could cause some men who may be guilty of lesser infractions to "justify" their own behavior: "Well, at least I'm not as bad as Weinstein!" As people of faith, we must encourage the corrective, and to some degree, therapeutic conversations, and pray for women bold enough to join them and share their own stories. We should also offer our support for these women and explore ways to enjoin efforts aimed at justice and safety in the workplace for them. The last thing we should do is justify the behaviors, which, unfortunately, the church has done far too many times for the Jimmy Swiggarts, Jim Bakers, and numbers of lessor known clergy who have been caught harassing or even sexually assaulting women. Bishops, in many cases, just move clergy accused of inappropriate activity with church members or staff, and everyone is urged to "be good Christians and forgive." But what about the victims? How do they feel when this is the "fix"?

Why does this stuff happen? Unfortunately, the "Because we can" answer out of society's general model of male dominance and privilege is valid. Testosterone is another culprit. Coupled with the tendency to nurture males to be "tough" or "manly," while women are urged to be "soft" and "sensitive" (some TV ads for body lotions actually USE this line), this dangerous mix sets up the potential for predatory behavior, which may range from flirtation to harassment (or even worse, in the case of the Weinsteins and Cosbys of the world). How many cases of young college men harassing women on campus have been dispatched with the phrase, "Boys will be boys"?

If it is true that testosterone is a factor in prompting inappropriate behavior in males, what is the role of religion and its system of morals and ethics in reining this in? As former President Jimmy Carter pointed out in an interview with a "men's magazine" during his election campaign, most men are guilty of some level of "lusting after women," something Carter confessed to, further saying he sought God's forgiveness and empowerment to modify his negative thoughts and behaviors. I believe the teachings of the Bible and the ethics which can be extrapolated from them may help us build a "code of conduct" between men and women:

•  Jesus' teaching, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" should be construed in this situation to mean that I, as a man, would not want to be exploited, manipulated, or otherwise harassed to do something against my will, values, or desires in order to keep my job, receive a promotion, or be treated respectfully in the workplace or any place, for that matter. hence I must refrain from participating in any of these behaviors toward others.
• "Loving our neighbor as we love ourselves" means developing a respect for the personhood of my neighbor in such a way that I value them, even as I value my own self and integrity. Thus, I will treat them out of this respect. One of the core values of the Wesleyan tradition is that: Every human being is endowed with a sense of dignity and moral responsibility. We should act like it.
• Love has many different understandings and levels, ranging from liking something (like chocolate) to loving as God loves, loving romantically, and even loving intimately. Understanding these differences and maintaining appropriate levels of self-control so as to apply and experience the appropriate "level" of love to the persons and circumstances of our lives leads to healthy relationships and behavioral norms that maintain appropriate boundaries with them. 
• Avoiding stimuli that blur or obscure the understanding of these "love values," such as alcohol/ substance abuse, pornography, literature or films that denigrate or exploit women, or associations with men who indulge in these kind of things.  Steering clear of activities like these is helpful in developing and maintaining what the Bible calls self-control.
• Entering into regular and healthy conversation with the women in our social or occupational circles about women's issues may serve to sensitize men to what women experience in these interactions. (When I engage in these conversations, I learn all kinds of things! One of the most valuable lessons has been that what males of my generation were taught to be polite compliments to women are often now considered inappropriate, such as comments about how nice a dress looks. I confess, this is a hard habit to break, and while all women do not feel objectified by this, many do.) 
• With God's help, work to develop a healthy model of personhood, appreciating others for the person they are and affirming them for the contributions they make through their talents, labors, and attitudes, without regard to their gender identity. 
• Get to know people. Build legitimate trust, over time, and resolve to do nothing to erode or destroy this gift of trust. For men, who will continue to wrestle with our own enculturation and testosterone, this may go a long way in creating healthy relationships across gender identity lines at work, in our social circles, and even in our homes!

Well, these are just a few I thought of. You may have more good suggestions, if you think about it. And that is the final suggestion: Think. I have taught the teens in my youth groups that one extra second of thinking before engaging in an action may make a huge difference as to the outcome. This same caution works for men of all ages regarding how we interact with others along the gender spectrum. We have a great model in Jesus, who, according to the biblical record, initiated and maintained respectful and egalitarian relationships with the people he encountered, earning their respect in return. Do thou likewise! Shalom.

What happened in Vegas will probably stay in Vegas...until it happens again...

Another mass shooting. This time the worst in U.S. history! Frankly, I'm tempted to just write blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...for all the good it does to write anything more about these tragedies. Here are a few facts I have read in the wake of this latest bloodshed:

-The number of persons killed by guns in the U.S. since 1970 is greater than the total of all of the deaths of Americans in all of the wars we have fought, beginning with the Revolutionary War!

-When ISIS claims responsibility, all Muslims are condemned as holding to a "violent religion"; when a person of color commits a violent act, many stereotype all persons of color as tending toward such acts; when a white person commits a heinous act like the Las Vegas shootings or the Charleston shootings, he is dubbed a "lone wolf." How very sad.

-A bill before the Congress to make silencers for guns legal has, at least temporarily, been delayed. AND, the NRA has gone dark. My pessimism says that they will very soon begin their ridiculous rhetoric and spin once again, and plead for Congress to pass the silencer bill.

What are we going to do, people? Since the church I serve has committed to working for justice as part of its new Vision statement, I hope to explore with them some options, possibly working with an interfaith group such as N.O.R.T.H. (Neighboring Organizations Responding Together for Hope).

What are you going to do? If you are a gun lover, probably nothing. Some of these, in "fear" of new regulations which seem to never come, have gone out and emptied the shelves of gun shops since the Las Vegas shootings. Just what we need--more fearful people with guns...

It's again time for action. Again. Once again. What are we going to do? Of course, we will pray, and we will talk, and we might even write a letter or two. But these things have yielded no fruit on the gun issue. So? What now?

As a person of faith, I will pray. But maybe it's time to pray for more than comfort, even more than wisdom. Maybe it's time to pray for empowerment for people to make some changes. Let's start by working for a ban on semi-automatic weapons. I'm in.

Take a Knee...

When I played sports, or should I say "played AT" sports, as I wasn't very good at anything except tennis, it was typical for a coach, wanting to get our attention in practice, to call us together and say, "Take a knee." By planting one knee down, a group of young, restless guys were anchored to the turf, and would listen to the coach's instructions. Thanks to NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and the events that swirled around the National Football League last weekend, the phrase now has a totally different meaning. It didn't help to have the flames of the controversy fanned by our Commander in Tweet, either.

Last year, after yet another young African American man was shot to death by police, Kaepernick, whose father was African American, decided to protest racial injustices by kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem before a football game. It became a thing. He also became persona non grata to many people who felt he was "disrespecting" his country. Last weekend, after You-Know-Who tweeted that Kaepernick--and any other players who joined him in such protests--were "SOBs" and should be fired, the controversy rose to national prominence. This taunt from a white person in a position of authority brought forth many more protests, and now, here we are. Twitter wars, Facebook debates, and even opinion-slinging in the national media have ensued.

That injustices in the lop-sided arrests and use of deadly force against African Americans when it was not shown to be appropriate are incidents of fact. These things have happened. We have all seen the "eye witness" videos. I am not saying that all arrests of persons of color are unjust, nor are all uses of deadly force inappropriate. However, there do seem to be a much larger share of inappropriate treatment of African Americans at the hands of law enforcement that we see against white people. In her book The New Jim Crow, author Michelle Alexander cites statistics that show that, while African Americans make up only 13% of the population, they make up over 40% of imprisoned people. She attributes much of this disparity to the "War on Drugs" which was a linchpin of the Richard Nixon presidential campaign and administration. This "war" stiffened drug laws and largely sought to blame the spread of illicit drugs on the American black population, especially young, male, urban gangs. Alexander cites statistics that show how, when white persons and black persons were arrested for the same drug crimes, the black person would almost always be sentenced to jail time, while the whites were released on probation or simply got a pass. Hence, the escalating African American prison population.

Couple this with the highly publicized--and cell phone recorded--violent arrests of African Americans, and finally a young man in a position of some notoriety--Kaepernick--decided to use his "bully pulpit" to stage a protest. He--and those who have joined him in these athletic field protests--are not protesting against the flag, our patriotic anthem, or those who serve in the military. They hope to put attention on a growing racial problem, and one that has been exacerbated by the Charleston incident and the President's "both sides" reaction to it, publicly. They are showing their disappointment and concern that their country seems to be fine with these injustices.

You are free to disagree with their method of protest. "It's a free country," as they say. The statistics author Alexander cites are real facts (not "alternative facts"), and anyone who suggests that these athletes have "no right" to stage such protests would be arguing with the First Amendment. (A tweet posted by one of our military personnel recently went viral. He tweeted: "If you think I joined the Navy and fought for this country so these NFL players could kneel during the Anthem, you'd be right!")

So, what gets us to this point? White supremacists walking the streets of Charleston? African Americans being locked up at an astonishing rate and going to jail for years over crimes white people get a slap on the wrist for? Yes, but there is something at the root of it all.

It's called white privilege, or "white advantage," if the former statement is too "harsh" for you. If you don't believe it exists, just ask a friend or neighbor who is black! And don't just ask the ones who have managed to survive through the myriad racial barriers they faced in finding success. Ask a young black woman or man. Ask a student. Ask a young African American man fresh out of college who went on his first car-buying trip, or went looking for an apartment in a "nice" neighborhood. Ask an African American what goes through his head if he is pulled over by the police. I guarantee it's not the same thing a white person thinks ("Oh rats, another ticket!").

How about considering a few "less threatening" things that point out our white advantage? Peggy McIntosh, associate director of the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, came up with 50 statements that express things she doesn't have to consider or face as a member of the white majority race in America. Let me list just a few of them as food for thought:

• If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
• I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
• I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
• When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
• I can be pretty sure of having my voice heard in a group in which I am the only member of my race.
• I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
• I do not have to educate my children to be aware of systemic racism for their own daily physical protection.
• I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
• I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
• I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
• I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
• I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the "person in charge," I will be facing a person of my race.
• I can be pretty sure that an argument with a colleague of another race is more likely to jeopardize her/his chances for advancement than to jeopardize mine.
• I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing, or body odor will be taken as a reflection on my race.
• I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.
• I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race.
• I can be pretty sure of finding people who would be willing to talk with me and advise me about my next steps, professionally.
• I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness reflect on my race.
• I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
• If I have low credibility as a leader, I can be sure that my race is not the problem.
• I can arrange my activities so that I will never have to experience feelings of rejection owing to my race.
• If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven't been singled out because of my race.

Just a few, mind you. The one that really grabbed me as a parent and a grandparent was: "I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them." I can't imagine the empty and fearful feeling that just sending my kids out into the world could be a threatening thing for them. Wow.

So often when speaking about racism, whether it is in a seminar, from the pulpit, or even person-to-person, a typical response is "I'm not racist! I have friends who are black. I don't see color." Friends, racism is not a personal thing, primarily. If right now, as I write this, every white person were to suddenly be healed of individual racist feelings, there would still be racism! That is until laws and systems (political, legal, social, economic, educational, religious) are changed to not discriminate. AND, just being a minority people will always have social implications--implications that do not stop at the African American community. Just ask an American Muslim.

If we refuse to see the systemic nature of racism, we will continue to believe that "both sides" can be racist. If racism is only personal, then a black man is "racist" if he says something derogatory against a white person. But if we understand the harmful, threatening, even destructive nature of systemic racism, backed up by the power of white majority privilege, then African Americans are not capable of being "racist."

So, Colin Kaepernick is not just being "difficult." He is not disrespecting "the flag," or the National Anthem, or those who proudly serve in uniform. He is trying to start a conversation. He is shining a spotlight--one he is granted him by being an NFL star--on a pox in our midst.

Until my country is able to be a place where all human beings have equal treatment under the law, equal opportunity in all aspects of life, and a place where all citizens are equally respected, then I will continue to be a white racist. With all my heart, I don't want to be. I want to fix this stuff, and RIGHT NOW! But that's not how it works. We have to have those conversations. We have to admit that Charleston was an anti-American event at the hands of white supremacists. We have to stand up to public officials who support the continuation--even the strengthening--of racist systems and laws. And, as people of faith, we must look to our religious "better angels" to drive our politics rather than our politics to inform our religion, in this and many other matters. Maybe that is another way we can "take a knee"--in prayer for our nation and ALL of its people. What Martin Luther King, Jr. said way back on August 28, 1963 is still yet to be fulfilled in our midst:

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.

Amen.

God and Hurricanes...

The age-old questions of "Why do bad things happen to good people?" and "If God is good, why does God let things like hurricanes cause so much damage and kill people?" never get old, because this stuff does happen. Theologians call these the questions of theodicy. Is there a decent answer to either of these questions? Probably not one that is absolutely satisfying, especially to those who are victims, or who are in the path of destruction.

The Planet Earth is an amazing thing. I happen to believe a divine mind was involved in its creation, but am quite happy to let the scientists describe how it "came to be," how its evolutionary processes resulted in life as we know it--including our own--and so forth. Believing in a divine "spark" and/or divine, intelligent input to this creative process doesn't negate the efforts, observations, and findings of science, in my opinion, and believing in these scientific factors do not detract from my religious beliefs. This planet refreshes, replenishes, and "cleans" itself, using magnificent weather systems, air and water currents, thunderstorms, and even naturally occurring wildfires. If we weren't here, it would thrive quite nicely, thank you.

However we are hear. Again, I think this was intentional, and was planned by a benevolent creator. The Bible even says the Earth was made for its living, breathing life, including ours. Psalm 8 indicates that humanity was created "a little lower than God," or "a little higher than the angels," depending on which translation you read. Genesis even says we were to "have dominion" over the Earth, and to "subdue" it.

Boy, have we. If I were to look at the hurricane disasters (and we might include earthquakes, floods, and wildfires in this), I could say, very empirically, that we just "get in the way" of the processes that the planet uses to care for itself. Coastal lands are popular places for us to live because of the ocean tides, breezes, and sunshine. These are the same factors that give rise to hurricanes. We like the rugged, mountainous terrains as well, and so do the wildfires. And when we over-build or build shoddy structures in areas prone to earthquakes, well, you see where I'm going with this.

No, I don't believe God sends hurricanes, floods, fires, or earthquakes to smite us because of some doctrinal quirk or moral infringement. The Holy Spirit convicts us of these things and prompts us to get our act together, person to person. And I don't believe anyone--anyone---deserves to suffer at the hand of these naturally occurring events, but when we locate ourselves in their paths, we might.

I am NOT saying we aren't partly to blame for the severity of these events. Hurricanes are a natural phenomenon, as are rains which may bring flooding. However, the top climatologists among us say that our rapid pace of development of the lands, our years of spouting "greenhouse gases," and burning fossil fuels have warmed the world's oceans at an alarming rate--far faster than have ever been extrapolated from the evidence extracted from core samples of the poles and the fossil records of the land. And when the oceans warm, hurricanes are gluttonously fed "fuel" that turns them into super storms, and torrential rains and monster storm systems develop at a greatly accelerated pace. When a section of our nation sees two "500 year" storms in a single season, something is amiss. It's not God, it's us!

What if Planet Earth's evolutionary systems have detected our "sabotage" of these factors? Possibly, then, these systems are compensating by "punishing" us in such a way that we will be forced to work together to reverse the damage we have caused. If we want to keep our coastal properties and our chalets in the forests of the West, then we will need to be more gentle with the Earth and give it time to cleanse and heal itself while we stop mucking it up from our end. Just a thought...

Here's what I do know about these disasters: they do draw us together to help each other. Weren't we all touched to read about how people showed up with fishing boats to help rescue those stranded by the storms? Wasn't it a good thing that so many ways to help out--and places to send relief funds--were advanced by the media, Hollywood, the pro sports people, etc.? J.J. Watt, a star football player with the Houston Texans started a drive to raise $200,000 to help the folks around Houston, and the last I heard, over $30 million had been raised by his social media site. UMCOR donations at St. Paul's and other churches across our United Methodist connection have been pouring it to help. And, rather than being discouraged by these events, we are hearing faith stories and testimonies coming out of the storm zones.

I think God shows up when these things happen. Often, it is in the form of a great human chain of caring, but I believe God is at the center, prompting, encouraging, and triggering a generous and compassionate response from us. God comforts those who experience loss of loved ones and property, fostering the courage to recover and move on. God even works through government entities, as disaster response agencies like FEMA are learning how to efficiently and effectively intervene to help. I don't know why it often takes some kind of disaster to get us to work together, to reach out to help that neighbor in need, but I'm sure glad we do. Maybe that is OUR human systems and evolution kicking in that causes us to do so? And when we do step, we don't examine the color of the other person's skin, their social status, or their religion.

As has often been pointed out by poets, philosophers, and scientists alike, the Earth is all we've got. We're not moving to a new neighborhood any time soon. For now, between storms, may we recharge our energy and our tender hearts for loved ones, friends, neighbors, and Mother Earth. Shalom, Yinz...

Birthdays and Anniversaries...

Kids look forward to birthdays, don't they? Sure, a birthday means presents, and possibly a party with family and friends, but there is a kind of overall excitement that happens when a child has a birthday. For many teenagers, the "kid" excitement is replaced by a countdown until eligibile for a driving learner's permit--"Only two more years and I can get my permit!" During the college years, birthdays are an excuse to "party," or at the very least, have someone buy us a drink.

Adult birthdays--at least for me--aren't much of a thrill. At my age, they tend to remind me that I'm actually--finally--getting older, something I've denied for years. Sometimes they become an occasion to "take stock" of one's life up to that point. Doesn't sound too thrilling, does it.

As I've shared with some of you, this year something different happened. In my waking moments on August 23, the day I turned 63 years of age, I started to contemplate, which is a very dangerous pursuit for me before my requisite morning caffeine infusion. But on my birthday, I came to the realization that if I were fortunate enough to live as long as my Father, I have 27 years left. Now, I realize that there is certainly no guarantee that I will live that long, and none of us knows about this. However, as a point of "contemplating" reference, the figure took on some significance. I own a Mazda Miata that is 27 years old. I actually have ties that are 27 years old. All of a sudden that 27 years began to look like a pretty short span of time. My fantasy of not growing older and living forever (and I'm not talking about heaven here) was melting under a new-found 27-year "speed" limit.

I didn't get depressed at all by this contemplative realization. Instead, I began to focus on what I wanted--or feel called--to do with my time left here on Terra Firma. This wasn't a "bucket list" moment, but more of a shuddering within my Myers-Briggs "Perceiving" quality, that which causes me to default more to taking things as they come rather than building lists and planning my activities around some master-plan matrix. With less time than I imagined, should I begin to make plans? Is this a time to figure out the things I haven't accomplished in the first 63 years in order to make sure they make the agenda for the years ahead? Thankfully, the "P" won out, and instead of pulling out the pen and Post-A-Notes for a list-making session, I thought about the stuff that is important to me and how I would choose to focus more on those things than on the "expectations" and "shoulds" that we pick up through life like sweater finds lint. I guess you could say it caused me to begin to prioritize things? (Myers-Briggs "P"s don't like to do that, either.) What really matters to me? And how will that guide me through the rest of the years I have? Where am I going with this?

Well, I'm not going to share all of my personal meanderings with you, but I will say that my personal Christian faith commitment got a good going over. As a pastor, I have been too frequently a "professional Christian." I do more theology than actively and intentionally encountering God, and it's time to begin to "fish or cut bait," as they say. I love to study the Bible, but just sitting back and reading it to let it "message" as well as massage my life? There needs to be more of that, going forward. That's the "God stuff." I am married to an amazing individual. I want to learn more about her and from her. She has a wisdom and a connection with God that I envy. I also just want to spend more time with her that is not guided by a clock and a calendar. Maybe we can actually develop some friends? That hasn't happened much in pastoral work. While we have had a blast with our church folk, and have come to value those relationships, we have been pretty "arms-length," so as not to create (or even appear to create) a "clique," or to bow to favoritism among church members. I think  we would like a friend or two. There's more than that, but you get the idea. Might this blog post be a subtle nudge to the reader to make a similar "self evaluation," and even before a significant birthday or anniversary comes along? Could be.

Speaking of anniversaries, these, too can be important points of re-evaluation. Dara and I hit wedding anniversary number 40 in 2017. I wish I could say I had a similar "come to Jesus" contemplation session inspired by this occurrence, but it didn't happen. I did tell Dara that I still can't believe it has been 40 years. It seems like yesterday that we walked down that aisle of our home church in Rocky Grove, PA, and I still get a thrill when that woman walks into a room. Oh, and I still am trying to convince her she didn't make a huge mistake on May 28, 1977.  But, as those "retirement" years are also getting closer, I know it soon time to make some goals for what we want to do together when July 1, 2021 rolls around. Yeah, it's necessary, for she is a "J" on the Myers-Briggs indicators--they are the list-makers and the organizers! (So much so that when I want to get my wife in a romantic mood, I buy her a label maker or a selection of the latest Post-A-Note iterations.)

St. Paul's United Methodist Church is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this month. In 2,000-plus years of Christian Church history, that is but a breath. (Warren First UMC, which I served before being appointed back to St. Paul's in 2014, is celebrating its 200th Anniversary this year!) Is this a good time to re-evaluate who we are as a church and make plans for what comes next? Of course it is! In 2017 we completed a two-year process to write new Mission and Vision statements for our congregation, and we are challenging our folk to share some of their hopes and dreams for the church with our staff and leadership. We are excited about what how the next 50 years are beginning to take shape!

Here's a final thought: don't ever give up on the birthdays and anniversaries. Maybe they don't have the same luster as they did when we were younger, but as we age and move into the later years of life, they become even more significant, not only as measures of how far we have come, but opportunities to intentionally re-prioritize, then launching a fresh vision of what will be. Even an ancient book like the Bible is filled with countless stories of how memorable people constantly did just that, throughout its pages. Personally, I would like to be one of those memorable people. Will you join me, Dear Ones?