Spring

It is the first day of Spring. It's a beautiful spring day in Minnesota - for Minnesota. But we are under a winter storm watch for tonight with heavy wet snow possible.

Maundy Thursday

From the Gospel of John:

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ²The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper ³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, ⁴got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. ⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” ¹²After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. ¹⁴So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

"Before the festival of the Passover." In the Gospel of John the Last Supper is not a Passover meal.

5 Years in Iraq

With no end in sight. Nearly 4000 American troops lost. More than 150,000 Iraqis lost. Depending on who is counting between 1 and 4 trillion dollars will be added to the national debt before it is all over. Still no political reconciliation in sight.

There have been two major wars in my lifetime: Vietnam and Iraq. Both wars were launched and justified based on deceit by Presidents and cowardice on behalf of a Congress afraid to exercise its Constitutional duties. Both divided the nation and left us weaker at home and in the world.

Can it be too much to ask that we say we will never again allow a President to launch an unprovoked war?

Obama's Speech

I thought it was excellent. (Transcript here) It didn't have the awesome oratory of his campaign speeches, but it shouldn't have either. He addressed the controversy of his former pastor's incendiary statements by putting those comments in the context of the history of racism in American and the way it has bred resentment and despair for both blacks and whites. And most importantly he didn't distance himself from the man who performed his wedding and baptized his children and with whom he has had a 20 year relationship.

I have read criticism already (here) about his likening his pastor to his white grandmother, who occasionally made racist comments. Both of them, Obama said, were family. The criticism I have read and heard is that it's a bad analogy; he could leave his church; the pastor is not blood. This criticism misses the point. First, of all, he could leave his family if he wanted. People do it; it doesn't mean you stop being related but you can certainly stop having contact. In neither case could Obama dream of doing that. Why? The statements are expressions of fear and pain; this doesn't excuse them; they are still wrong. But they are windows into a wounded soul. But they are also a tiny slice of a whole person whose life and legacy is much more and much better than those few statements.

Will his speech put an end to the character assassinations of his pastor, and through guilt by association Obama? Even Obama had to say that he didn't know the answer to that. If the electorate wants to follow the right-wing noise machine down this rat-hole then we will see an endless stream of these quips popping up and this is what the talking-heads on CNN, et al., will keep talking about. And Obama's campaign will be lost. But more importantly, so will the opportunity to turn a page from the politics of personal assassination so we can address real issues.

I will happily vote for Hillary if she is the nominee; she could make a good President. But Obama has an opportunity to be a transformational President.

It Must Be True

Fred Plummer is the president of The Center for Progressive Christianity (TCPC.org). Open Circle is a member church. Fred has his Easter sermon online. He tells the story of a minister colleague who reasoned that the resurrection of Jesus must be true because the church wouldn't have survived 2000 years if it wasn't. Fred says:

But it seems to me that if we use the same test for a truth in religion we have a bit of a problem. For there are at least five or six major religions active in the world today like, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Taoism, and Shintoism, that are older than Christianity. Are they therefore "more true" according to my friend's test of truth I wondered? I realized that the followers of those ancient traditions probably do not think too highly of the traditional Christian idea that Christ is the one and only way.

If you grow up in Christian-dominated culture - as I did in rural Pennsylvania - where you never have contact with any other religions, there is virtually no reason to even give a second thought to the ultimate truth claims of Christianity. They must be true. Its all you know. And it's ancient.

It's difficult to imagine that there are people growing up in other parts of the world who think the same way about their faith tradition, and some of those faith traditions are far older than Christianity. They must be true too. Right?

There is more than one way up the mountain.

Trouble in Tibet

The crackdown continues in Tibet. The New York Times gives some background today on the long-simmering dispute:

But to many Tibetans and their sympathizers, the weeklong uprising against Chinese rule in Lhasa reflects years of simmering resentment over Beijing’s interference in Buddhist religious rites, its tightened political control and the destruction of the environment across the Himalayan territory the Tibetans consider sacred. If there is a surprise, it may be that Beijing has managed to keep things stable for so long.

Since the last big anti-Chinese riots in Tibet two decades ago, Beijing has sought to smother Tibetan separatism by sparking economic development and by inserting itself into the metaphysics of Tibetan Buddhism. But an influx of Han Chinese to Tibet, and a growing sense among Tibetans that China is irreparably altering their way of life, produced a backlash when Communist Party leaders most needed stability there, analysts say...

The Communist Party, atheistic by doctrine, has insisted that it has the sole authority to approve incarnations — the divine process by which a “living Buddha” is chosen in boyhood. Beijing had already selected a boy as its own Panchen Lama, the second ranking figure in Tibetan Buddhism, and reportedly jailed a boy chosen by the Dalai Lama.

Last November, the Dalai Lama countered with his own surprise. He proposed that instead of waiting for senior religious figures to search out his incarnation following his death, he might choose his own reincarnation — a possibility that has enraged Beijing. The Dalai Lama proposed a referendum among Tibetan Buddhists on whether to change the current reincarnation practice, in a way that could allow him influence in picking his own successor.

Meanwhile, Beijing has steadily been taking a tougher line on religious practices and cultural expressions of Tibetan pride. In November 2005, Zhang Qingli was appointed Communist Party secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Mr. Zhang came from the Communist Youth League organization, part of the political stronghold of Mr. Hu. Mr. Zhang has made no attempt to disguise his paternal attitude toward his charges.

“The Communist Party is like the parent to the Tibetan people, and it is always considerate about what the children need,” Mr. Zhang said last year. He later added: “The Central Party Committee is the real Buddha for Tibetans.”

One can imagine how it would be received in this country if an American president said that the American government was the real Jesus for Christians.

Spring Cleaning & Spiritual Health Month

People in the Simplicity Circle at Liberalchurch discussed dealing with these issues and how this process of cleaning is quite difficult for many of us. I'm at the top of the list! (Just ask my spouse.) I think this meditation will be helpful for me. I thought I would share it on the blog in case it might be helpful for others.

Meditation: Get that 'Spring Cleaning' Feeling
By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway


"Spring cleaning" is as much a metaphor for spiritual life as it is an annual chore-ridden project. In this meditation, clearing out, cleaning up, and deeply cleansing are seen through spiritual eyes, as ways to welcome space, light, and energy into your life and home.


Transcript


Breathe in a fresh breath of spring.
Exhale old, stale energy.

Breathe in clarity.
Exhale mental clutter.

Breathe in calm.
Exhale emotional disarray.

Breathe in new possibilities.
Exhale that which stands in the way of true love.
As your lungs fill with fresh air,
and you exhale tensions and stress,
feel yourself coming into a state of relaxation
where your heart, mind and soul are aligned.

From this place, there is no conflict or worry.

And you know that letting go of things you are attached to
is sometimes the best thing you can do
to free your heart for love...
And clear your space for a new relationship.
It is time to recognize that you hold the key to transforming your love life...

It could be the same key that opens your front door.

Now, see yourself at the door to your home.

Step in...it is filled with sunshine and brightness...and a sense of hope.

Feel your heart and spirit is lift as your walk through the door.

There is a special pair of glasses waiting for you, and when you put them on you can see clearly through your spiritual eyes.

Use those glasses to know what items
in your home and life
support your journey toward love...
and which are holding you back in history.

Recognizing these items is the first step
to clearing stale, or negative, relationship energy from your space.

Now breathe in the sunshine and fresh air...as you scan the room...and allow your spiritual eyes to focus on an item that is calling for your attention.
As you identify it, ask yourself:

What does this item mean to me?
How does it make me feel when I look at it?
Is it holding me inappropriately to my past?
If the answer is yes, step up to the item or hold it in you hand and:

Thank it.
Bless it.
Prepare yourself to let it go.

There is a beautiful, big box in the center of the room. It's surrounded by a halo of yellow sunshine.

The inside is lined with healing, welcoming green color.

It has a beautiful pink lid that represents the heart.

It is a special box for items you like and love...but know you must release.

When you are ready, take the item, big or small, and place in the box. It is large enough and expands as needed.

How do you feel once you have let it go?


Liberated and free?
Sad but relieved?
Or Remorseful?
If you feel remorseful, it could be you are not ready to let it go. It is okay to put it back in its place.

But if you are ready, walk over to the box, close the big lid, and as you do...feel a fresh breath of spring rushing all around you. Cleansing you and setting you free.

Feel the warmth of the sun streaming in from the open window.

Congratulate yourself for your willingness to move on. Take a deep breath, and let it out with sigh with relief.




Do this exercise over and over again, with any items in your home that call to you for your attention.

They each have stories to tell about your life...and carry energy that may not be right for the new love life you've chosen.

You can invite in a fresh breath of spring to help you along...any time of year.

Spitzer Woes

Eliot Spitzer being caught with a female prostitute is like Ted Haggard being caught with a gay prostitute. They are not to be faulted for their human frailty, but their rank hypocrisy. Hopefully Spitzer can repair things with his family, but his political life is probably over.

Prayer for Today

Discourse on Lovingkindness


Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.


- The Buddha

Buddhist; appropriate for many faiths
source: Sutta Nipata as posted on the Beliefnet's Prayer for Today.

GM vs. Toyota

General Motors, once the world's largest seller of vehicles by a long-shot, has been losing market share to foreign car makers for years and will likely soon slip into second place behind Toyota. Today's business section in the Star Tribune provides us with a piece of evidence about why this is happening. The Strib talked to representatives of the big five automakers who are in town for the Greater St. Paul & Minneapolis International Auto Show. Here is how the GM and a Toyota representatives answered the question about the future of ethanol":

Given the food vs. fuel debate, are E85 and biodiesel ideas who've time have come and gone? Or do federal mandates pave the way for a long ethanol future, but as a 10 percent blend at the pump, not E85?

GM: We do not think so and maintain our commitment to E85. We believe E85 still has a big large role to play. The new Renewable Fuel Standard (36 million gallons of ethanol produced in the United States annually by 2022) will require use of greater concentrations of ethanol than just E10. The food vs. fuel debate is a bit of a red herring. Some animal feeds have gone up in price in part due to rising prices for corn. But there is ample corn to feed people and make fuel. Growing demand for food in nations like India and China have a big role in the demand for food and short harvests in other nations (i.e. Australia and New Zealand) have as much or more to do with the issue as corn-based ethanol. Also, as previously mentioned, the real potential lies with cellulosic ethanol.

TOYOTA: There is a place for ethanol, but many, many challenges ahead. More important than food vs fuel is the issue of water availability challenges.

GM is betting the farm on a technology that is widely recognized as bad for the environment, not to mention reeking havoc on global food prices. Toyota is not. Who do you think will be better positioned for the future?

Two Men and a Computer

That is what we call the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, the anti-tax group that generates lots of publicity about the evils of taxation in MN, but has only a couple of names attached to its endless stream of press releases and its website.

I mention them because in Neal St. Anthony's column in today's Star Tribune, he comments on the fact that the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, which recently backed the first gas tax increase in 20 years in the state, has taken little flack from its members for its sensible stance that it is time to put an end to the traffic gridlock that is hurting Minnesota businesses. How many resignations did the chamber receive? St. Anthony tells us:

Mike Wigley, the founder of the decade-old Taxpayers League of Minnesota, a vocal anti-tax lobby, this week encouraged like-minded folks to drop their chamber memberships in retaliation for the organization's helping write legislation that includes a 5-cent-per-gallon gas tax hike by the end of this year and 8.5 cents by 2013.

Chamber CEO David Olson said that he's aware of two cancellations from the 2,400-member group.

Two men with their computer.

Thinking Spring

About yesterday I began to think it was time for spring to arrive. Maybe it was being in Los Angeles for a couple of days last week. Or maybe it's just March and since the days are getting longer it seems like it ought to be getting warmer but instead we are getting snow and colder weather this week. I am beginning to think about gardening and grilling but the weather isn't cooperating.

Even though we are still white and frozen here, there are signs of spring. In my backyard the House Finches and Mourning Doves have arrived from their winter habitat and are visiting the feeders. When I get the paper in the mornings male Cardinals and Chicadees are singing their mating songs. I have seen a couple of Robins.

And then there is this opossum. Since the middle of January he, or she, has been a regular visiter at our feeders. Isn't he pretty? Not very, but he is fascinating to watch and it is pretty unusual to see one of these normally nocturnal marcupials on a regular basis during the daylight. He obviously must be hungry.

It won't be long before it is warm and green. But there is wonder and beauty to be seen and heard right now. If we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Please Make a Phone Call Today!!

Today, you can build on the legacy of the late Senator Paul Wellstone (and his family).

Please call your U.S. Representative today and ask them to support the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act.

Why is the Wellstone Act important? Because this bill will end discrimination against people with mental illness and addiction by prohibiting insurers from putting different limits or financial requirements on treatment for mental health and substance abuse than other medical benefits. Simply put, it makes sure that people are treated equally.

The bipartisan Wellstone Act is coming up for a vote today and we need your help. Please call your U.S. Representative and urge them to support the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Act.

(Note: This is a paraphrased e-mail from the Chair of the MN DFL Party sent out today. If you don't have information on how to reach your U.S. Representative, I will look up the toll free switchboard number at the U.S. Capitol, add it as a comment to this post.)

It's Primary Day in Ohio. Who would Alex P. Keaton Vote For?

One family at Liberalchurch refers to their son as an "Alex P. Keaton".

Today's New York Times has a column by the creator of the 80s hit sit-com Family Ties, Gary David Goldberg, in which he responds to the burning question: "Who would Alex P. Keaton vote for in today's Ohio primary election?" (The Keaton family--as you may recall if you watched as much t.v. in the 80s as I did--lived somewhere in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. Ohio's primary for those who are totally politically disenfranchised is today along with Texas and others.)

Would Alex cast his vote for Clinton, Obama, McCain, Huckabee, or Paul? Post your guess in the comments, then read this clever piece by GDG. It is also hilarious to note that the actor who played Alex (Michael J. Fox) and Alex's creator Goldberg differ on what Alex would be doing today. I agree with Fox's interpretation of MPK's life since the 80's. Along with Fox, I believe that MPK listened to the Gordon Gecko speech by Michael Douglass in the movie Wall Street one too many times back in his formative years. He's probably about to exit a minimum security prison term following a guilty plea for an insider trading scheme gone bad. Or maybe it was junk bonds? Or pension plan looting? Write it whatever way you'd like and watch the classic reruns of the Keaton clan when you can!

UCC Legal Defense Fund

Here's an update on preparations the UCC is making for a legal defense fund. Doesn't matter that this challenge to their tax exempt status due to Sen. Obama's speach at a denominaional conference is spurrious, it will still cost money to defend against it!


Dear members and friends,

As of this morning, UCC members and friends have contributed $59,564 to support the UCC Legal Fund. We are so grateful for the generous support that so many have provided since we were notified that the IRS had initiated a church tax inquiry due to a speech given by U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, a UCC member, at our 2007 General Synod.

Because of the overwhelming response from so many, we feel it is necessary, at least momentarily, to suspend additional requests for gifts to this important fund.
Today, we are announcing that WilmerHale, a prestigious Washington, D.C.-based firm, has been retained to represent the church.

Seth P. Waxman, former Solicitor General of the United States (1997 to 2001), will lead WilmerHale's top-notch team of attorneys working on our behalf. Read more.

As a sign of its strong support for the position taken by our church and the First Amendment issues inherent in this case, the WilmerHale firm also has graciously said it will not charge us for its attorneys' time.

While we know there will be other significant expenses associated with our defense, we are profoundly grateful to WilmerHale for offering its time without the customary hourly fees.

Therefore, at this point, thanks to the immediate and generous outpouring from our members and supporters, we feel it's best to suspend additional fundraising and to wait to determine, in the weeks to come, if additional money will be needed. We will keep a careful accounting of our costs, and we will ensure that the intent of our donors is honored. Questions about giving can be directed to our Financial Development Office at giving@ucc.org.

Again, the response over the past week has been incredible. Thank you!


The Rev. John H. Thomas
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ

Religious Leaders Losing Clout with Young in Iraq

This is a hopeful sign:

In two months of interviews with 40 young people in five Iraqi cities, a pattern of disenchantment emerged, in which young Iraqis, both poor and middle class, blamed clerics for the violence and the restrictions that have narrowed their lives.

“I hate Islam and all the clerics because they limit our freedom every day and their instruction became heavy over us,” said Sara, a high school student in Basra. “Most of the girls in my high school hate that Islamic people control the authority because they don’t deserve to be rulers.”

Atheer, a 19-year-old from a poor, heavily Shiite neighborhood in southern Baghdad, said: “The religion men are liars. Young people don’t believe them. Guys my age are not interested in religion anymore.”

The shift in Iraq runs counter to trends of rising religious practice among young people across much of the Middle East, where religion has replaced nationalism as a unifying ideology.

While religious extremists are admired by a number of young people in other parts of the Arab world, Iraq offers a test case of what could happen when extremist theories are applied. Fingers caught in the act of smoking were broken. Long hair was cut and force-fed to its wearer. In that laboratory, disillusionment with Islamic leaders took hold.

There is nothing more dangerous than a religious person who believes that their "truth" is the only truth, unless they also have political power. The Iraqi young are learning this first-hand, and if it leads to a healthy dose of skepticism about the authority of religious leaders and their confidence that they are ruling in the name of God then perhaps something good will come out of this awful war.

More on Spiritual Health Month

In celebration of Spiritual Health Month, here's a little quiz to take from a spiritual health website I found to start your week. Peace!

March is Spiritual Health Month--here's a "unique" church challenge.

While reading an e-mail from our local Girl Scout Council this afternoon I discovered that March is, among other things, Spiritual Health Month. So I thought I'd GoodSearch this topic to find who might be celebrating this and what type of activities/events would be the focus.

Well, that little Girl Scout calendar note led me to a very interesting article about a church in Florida that is pushing the spiritual health envelope--as well as generating a whole bunch of national attention--with a challenge to their members and others who are (pun intended) "up for it".

I must say, it was an ingenious idea on the part of the pastor to gather attention for the congregation! Read about the Revelant Church's challenge in this article from the St. Petersburg Times.

It's a "free day"--are you taking advantage of it?!

Leapin' Lizards! Today, Leap Day, only happens once every 4 years.

When you woke up this morning did you ask yourself something like, "I've got an extra 24 hours--what should I do with it?"

Or was what you said to yourself more like, "Crap, another day I have to get through--as if 365 weren't enough!"

If you are like me, your answer could vary depending upon your life situation and mental state.

My hope/prayer is that you are enjoying your free day and that you have the opportunity to do something fun that you wouldn't normally do to mark this "unusual" day!

Evangelical Politics Looking Different

For a time David Kuo headed President Bush's White House effort on faith-based initiatives. He sees a shift underway in the politics of evangelicals. They are becoming more progressive and less political:

...For all the talk about evangelicals moving to the Democratic Party, early evidence of this is scarce. Poll after poll has shown extreme evangelical distaste for Clinton, and there is scant statistical evidence to suggest that evangelicals are rushing to Obama.

Times may be changing, however, with younger evangelicals leading the way across the aisle. When a recent poll by Relevant, a magazine targeting evangelicals under 25, asked respondents who they believed "Jesus would vote for," a plurality said Obama. They also said they thought that Bill Clinton was a better president than George W. Bush has been and that illegal immigration was the most important issue facing the next president. "Young Christians simply don't seem to feel a connection to the traditional religious right," says Cameron Strang, the magazine's founder and publisher. "Many differ strongly on domestic policy issues - namely issues that affect the poor - and are dissatisfied with America's foreign policy and the war."

The new movement is likely to be more spiritually cautious and politically shrewd. As Bush's presidency has foundered, evangelicals have started to take spiritual stock of their passionate support for their evangelical pastor in chief. First came the retreat. A review of Federal Elections Commission data from last fall revealed that only 30 percent of those who gave campaign money in 2004 contributed this time around to the campaigns of McCain, Huckabee, Romney, Giuliani or any of the other GOP candidates.

More significantly, preachers galore started telling their congregations to just say no to partisan politics. At the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo., the pastor who succeeded the uber-political Ted Haggard has declared his pulpit "politics free." In Minnesota, evangelical mega-church pastor Greg Boyd preaches that the radical life of a Christian doesn't include politics. Meanwhile, evangelicalism's biggest star, Rick Warren, is decidedly absent from domestic politics, preferring to spend his time working on HIV/AIDS in Africa.