This is one of the last bits of Jesus' scripture that just wasn't clicking for me clearly. Then...
Last night on my shift at the White House an "action" unfolded in front of me - "Christian Peace Witness," or something. According to their papers they were there to end the war on Iraq. 200 of them. Candles. Singing.
I think I can best capture the sPIRIT of the whole thing with this - after their solemn walking and singing "cHRISTIAN" songs, out of the entire group of 200, maybe 20, only 20 as per pre-agreement moved to the sidewalk in front of the White House knowing that by being stationary they would be arrested (and held for an hour or so, then released without a record. But hey, it is SOMETHING). ONLY 20, in the, what, 7th year of a war that they "say" horrifies them?!?!!??! But this is not the telling part!!!!! It IS scary to be arrested (even if it is not your first time!) Well, when it comes time for arrest, the 180 are SAFELY placed behind a police tape about 20 yards away - clear view of those 20 starting to suffer. What do the do-nothings do? Well, for a while these onlookers (not really, pretty self-amused and self absorbed) in a real self-absorbed way sing - TO THEMSELVES! Having a real good time!!!!! Zero empathy and solidarity, zero encouragement and service of the 20 actually DOING something, RISKING SOMETHING - SUFFERING!!!!! AND HERE'S THE GOOD PART!!!! With 3 left to be arrested and put in the van - these 180 ABANDON THE 3 LONELY "CHRISTS" RIGHT THERE ON THE CROSS!!!! WHY? THEY CAN'T WAIT TO MOVE TO ANOTHER PART OF THE PARK TO CONTINUE THEIR CIRCLE JERK, I MEAN, TO SING SOME MORE "cHRISTIAN" SONGS TO THEMSELVES.
Well, at least they didn't chant, "CRUCIFY THEM!"
If I'm being other than entirely fair, accurate and Truthful may God strike me dead.
These poor, blind, hideous creatures!!!! "Let your yes be YOUR YES," let your LOVE be YOUR LOVE, NOT some crippled, perverted, tortured RITUAL ENACTMENT OF "LOVE!!!!!!!" STOP THE DOING OF "CHURCH" IN STEAD OF THE DOING OF "LOVE!!!!!!" OH MY GOD.
[Yes, I am upset. I am horrified, disgusted and revolted. This is so typical.]
Last night on my shift at the White House an "action" unfolded in front of me - "Christian Peace Witness," or something. According to their papers they were there to end the war on Iraq. 200 of them. Candles. Singing.
I think I can best capture the sPIRIT of the whole thing with this - after their solemn walking and singing "cHRISTIAN" songs, out of the entire group of 200, maybe 20, only 20 as per pre-agreement moved to the sidewalk in front of the White House knowing that by being stationary they would be arrested (and held for an hour or so, then released without a record. But hey, it is SOMETHING). ONLY 20, in the, what, 7th year of a war that they "say" horrifies them?!?!!??! But this is not the telling part!!!!! It IS scary to be arrested (even if it is not your first time!) Well, when it comes time for arrest, the 180 are SAFELY placed behind a police tape about 20 yards away - clear view of those 20 starting to suffer. What do the do-nothings do? Well, for a while these onlookers (not really, pretty self-amused and self absorbed) in a real self-absorbed way sing - TO THEMSELVES! Having a real good time!!!!! Zero empathy and solidarity, zero encouragement and service of the 20 actually DOING something, RISKING SOMETHING - SUFFERING!!!!! AND HERE'S THE GOOD PART!!!! With 3 left to be arrested and put in the van - these 180 ABANDON THE 3 LONELY "CHRISTS" RIGHT THERE ON THE CROSS!!!! WHY? THEY CAN'T WAIT TO MOVE TO ANOTHER PART OF THE PARK TO CONTINUE THEIR CIRCLE JERK, I MEAN, TO SING SOME MORE "cHRISTIAN" SONGS TO THEMSELVES.
Well, at least they didn't chant, "CRUCIFY THEM!"
If I'm being other than entirely fair, accurate and Truthful may God strike me dead.
These poor, blind, hideous creatures!!!! "Let your yes be YOUR YES," let your LOVE be YOUR LOVE, NOT some crippled, perverted, tortured RITUAL ENACTMENT OF "LOVE!!!!!!!" STOP THE DOING OF "CHURCH" IN STEAD OF THE DOING OF "LOVE!!!!!!" OH MY GOD.
[Yes, I am upset. I am horrified, disgusted and revolted. This is so typical.]
Dear Christian Friend:
ReplyDeleteI was the 19th to be arrested and my son was the 20th and last. I think you have missed a great deal about what went on. We were not "abandoned" by any means. There was a whole cadre of people who then went back to the National City Christian Church, some of whom came and picked us up in Anacostia hours later, others who were preparing food for us, others who were tracking the legal status and options of the nine of us who were not released, while others were editing audio and video of the event. There were peopel doing these things until the wee hours of the morning--I saw them when I got out of jail, so I know.
Did some at the White House leave and go to bed early (we were arrested at exactly 10 pm)? Yes, but they weren't abandoning us. Many of them had appointments on Capital Hill as early as 9 am, because CPWI also does advocacy as part of its witness. Those 9 am meetings were preceded by 8 am strategy sessions to prepare for the day ahead. And still others were preparing for the action at the White House Thursday morning sponsored by our partner Witness Against Torture--in fact many of those at the WH Thursday got arrested the next day at the WAT event.
Criticism is a good thing. We believe in it. We practice it. What I am suggesting, however, is that your comments are misguided: what you saw at the WH was only a small part of a very large effort that had many components involving hundreds of people. My urging would be that, if you feel led to criticize CPWI that you get the full story about what actually occurred, not just Wednesday but also Thursday, rather than assuming that what was in your field of vision was all there was to see. You can still disagree with the premises of what CPWI is trying to accomplish, but by any standard of fairness, your comments have greatly misrepresented what took place this week.
Peace,
Rev. Timothy F. Simpson
Minister. Presbyterian Church USA
Dear Timothy,
ReplyDeleteI am glad to have received your comment at my site Start Loving. It has been approved - visible for all to see. I have little dispute with the truth of your facts. I am sad that you may not see the Truth of what I observed.
By the way dear brother, I am not a Christian. With sadness I am with Gandhi - "I LIKE your Christ. I do NOT like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ [and seem determined to stay that way]."
Your brother forever,
Start