As a Christian, I’m passionately opposed to American pretensions that we have special standing with God; to political office-seekers who play on our religious differences; and to the religious arrogance that says, ‘Our truth is the only truth.’ Parker Palmer
Meditation: Jesus embodied and taught the inclusion of all. He questioned all those who believed they had a special standing with God. Jesus revealed and opposed where religion was used for political gains and political power. He disappointed even some of his disciples who hoped he would use his spiritual power for political gains. Jesus never wanted to become an “idol” as a form of abstract and intolerant “truth” that some Christians have made out of him. As those worship their own dogma, they try to control and kill others’ souls with words from the Bible. They randomly rip words out of its historic and cultural context and confuse everybody. All these three described spiritual estrangements (“sins”) are happening at this time, in this country. And so I join my teacher Parker Palmer in his passion for the inclusion of all, for spiritual freedom from manipulative political power and for truly listening to Jesus’s challenging words of the beatitudes instead of following an image of Jesus as an idol of our own making.
Prayer: Jesus, Your name is being abused more than ever before. Your message is being distorted. Christians worship a Jewish Old Testament God image of wrath and revenge to justify their rage and their war and violence hungry ways. Religious practices from more than 3000 years ago are being used to legitimize their “eye for an eye” mentality. Jesus, it is as if You never came. We pray that You will convert this nation from their lost and distorted ways of worshipping violence, exclusion and war back to your message of non-violence, inclusion and peace. Jesus, have mercy on us. Amen
To those who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
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