Truth and Meaning: Mother’s Day

After Unitarian Julia Ward Howe wrote The Battle Hymn of the Republic, the American Civil War raged on for four more bloody years. Five years later the Franco-Prussian War broke out in Europe and Howe acted. She began a one-woman global peace crusade, starting with an appeal to womanhood to rise against war. She went to London to promote an international Woman’s Peace Congress. That effort failed, so she returned to Boston and initiated a Mothers’ Peace Day observance on the second Sunday in June. That meeting was observed for a number of years.

There were other movements afoot to create a day honoring mothers. Ann Jarvis was a young Appalachian homemaker who tried to improve sanitation through what she called Mothers’ Work Days before the Civil War. When Jarvis died in 1907, her daughter Anna worked to found a memorial day for women. The first such Mother’s Day was celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia, on May 10, 1908, at St. Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church, where Anna’s mother had taught Sunday School. From there, the custom caught on and eventually spread to 45 states.

In 1913, Congress declared the second Sunday in May to be Mother’s Day. The following year, President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day a national holiday. This is long before radio and television, and advertising was still a new industry. But, the growing American consumer culture had successfully redefined women as buyers for their families. Politicians and businesses eagerly embraced the idea of celebrating the private sacrifices made by individual mothers. As the Florists’ Review, the industry’s trade journal, bluntly put it, “This was a holiday that could be exploited.” The new advertising industry quickly taught Americans the best way to honor their mothers — by buying flowers.

Since then, Mother’s Day has ballooned into a billion-dollar event. For those who appreciate irony, Anna Jarvis became increasingly concerned over the commercialization of Mother’s Day, saying, “I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit.” She opposed the use of greeting cards, calling them “a poor excuse for the letter you are too lazy to write.” In 1923, Jarvis filed suit against New York Gov. Al Smith, over a Mother’s Day celebration. When the suit was dismissed, she began a public protest and was arrested for … disturbing the peace.

This Mother’s Day, let us disturb the peace for our mothers, our daughters and sisters, our wives and partners. Let us disturb the peace for an end to war, an end to attacks on health care, an end to efforts to undercut public education, and especially an end to a culture that endures and supports domestic violence and rape.

Truth and Meaning: Sharing Opinions

Midland Daily News staffer Chris Stevens is distressed that ESPN announcer Chris Broussard received angry replies to his comments regarding Jason Collins’ recent announcement that he is gay (“Who’s showing more courage – Broussard or Collins?” MDN, 5/1/2013). Stevens calls on us to air our opinions freely without the fear of being mocked, ridiculed, belittled or intimidated into silence.

I applaud this call to civility. This will certainly be a welcome change from, say, the last 2,000 years of human history. GLBT folk have been burned at the stake, herded into death camps, beaten and bullied by the millions. Gays, lesbians and their allies will welcome a conversation where they do not need to fear being mocked, ridiculed, belittled or intimidated into silence.

Perhaps appropriately, this call from a sports writer will challenge our fortitude and our conditioning. When people express scientific opinions that run counter to nearly every piece of available scientific information, it is hard not to mock or ridicule such an opinion. Few of us would respect someone who argued, for instance, that the earth was flat or that our planet resides at the center of the universe. And to date, the overwhelming preponderance of scientific research indicates that homosexuality is not a “lifestyle” choice, as Stevens labels it.

Unfortunately, opinions such as Mr Stevens’ and Mr. Broussard’s have dominated the conversation for centuries, resulting in countless deaths and endless misery. Religious “opinions” based on biblical interpretations enslaved millions of Africans, abused and objectified every generation of women, started dozens of wars of conquest and colonization, and facilitated the widespread genocide of the world’s indigenous populations. The Broussard statements simply reflect one more example. Citing a handful of highly debatable Bible verses taken out of context and never intended to describe healthy, loving gay relationships hardly defends the expression of hurtful and oppressive opinions.

Stevens should spare us his righteous indignation when people point out the implications of these statements. When he uses his public forum to decry the “opinions” of the Westboro Baptist Church — who carry their vile and degrading signs everywhere they peddle their message of hate — then perhaps GLBT folk and their allies will respect his opinion more.

It is not intolerant to point out when someone is being intolerant. Refusing to tolerate intolerant judgments, such as those expressed by Chris Broussard, is a right and the duty of all religious people. For the Bible also says in Romans 2, “you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.”

Truth and Meaning: For the Love of God

I recently saw a posting on Facebook that read, “Never forget that God only gives you what He knows you can handle. There is no situation that you are experiencing alone. God walks beside you, always.” My initial reaction was anger — rage that anyone should presume to offer simplistic slogans to people justified in feeling that God has forsaken them. Women abused by violent husbands and told that they are worthless, pushed to the brink of desperation. Teenagers bullied for being gay, or for refusing to conform to social norms, or just for being different who see suicide as their only escape. Children all across the world dying of hunger, drinking dirty and parasite-ridden water because of senseless wars, political corruption, racial discrimination, and greedy manipulation of natural resources.

But then I remembered Viktor Frankl’s incredible book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” in which he described his experiences in Nazi concentration camps. A belief in a god of love has indeed helped millions overcome great trials and strife over the centuries. So, regardless of my personal lack of belief in a creator who oversees and intervenes in our lives, I still appreciate that many people derive tremendous strength from the love of a higher power that offers them meaning and hope.

I can’t help thinking, however, that we can be far more than passive receptors of divine love. Just as it is wrong to lay the blame for all that is wrong with the world on god’s doorstep, it is equally wrong to automatically attribute all goodness and love to him. And the fact is, few of us today are doing all that we can to spread love in the world.

If we truly want to create a culture of understanding, then we need to concentrate less on our different opinions about the existence or nature of god, and more on the everyday welfare of our brothers and sisters, and on the future we are bequeathing our children. In reality, we are all viewing the same spirit of life and love that we know by many names. We just see that spirit through different lenses, through different windows into the mysteries of existence.

Regardless of my pious preachings and my prayerful proclamations at weekly worship services, I fail as a religious person if I do not do everything I can to help that desperate and abused woman, that teenager considering suicide, or that emaciated child. All of the love for god we express means nothing to the hopeless victims of our indifference if we insist on filtering that love through our personal lenses alone.

Truth and Meaning: War and Peace

As a pacifist, I generally resist using war rhetoric and metaphors. So I am hesitant to claim that we are at war. I don’t mean Iraq or Afghanistan, Syria or Yemen, or the countless other American incursions across the globe.

We, each and every one of us in Michigan and in the United States, are at war — a domestic war for the soul of America. The enemy arrayed before us is vast and powerful. The forces we face include:

• Greed — the belief that privatizing schools, prisons, even local government can produce anything other than corruption and abuse.
• Misogyny — the conviction that women are primarily objects for the sexual gratification of men and disposable vessels for the unborn.
• Homophobia — the assertion that gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender folk are damaged and dangerous and must be treated as subhuman.
• Ignorance — the rejection of science and reason when they do not support blind faith, immediate gratification of needs and dogmatic views.
• Indifference — the hopelessness of masses of people who feel powerless to stand up and fight for their self-determination.

The weapons of these enemies are diverse and include:

• Arrogance — a petulant self-righteousness that allows them to stampede any opposing point of view and to stymie any attempt at rational discourse, compromise or legislation.
• Wealth — endless finances devoted to corrupting politicians and influencing organizations to create the appearance of representing the voice of the people.
• Violence — a cold and heartless worship of weapons; suppression of our basic freedoms of speech, religious liberty and assembly; and use of brute military force to answer all problems.
• Hate — an evil attitude manifested from the belief that privilege equates to rightness; that rich, straight, white men control our nation because they are somehow inherently superior.

Sadly, we are at war. And we are losing the war. We are outmatched by our enemies’ resources, their willingness to resort to atrocities and their dedication to single-minded, simplistic courses of action. Is there hope? Do we, outgunned and seemingly outnumbered, stand a chance against such foes?

I have faith that we do. In his autobiography, Gandhi said, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall.” Gandhi freed a nation from colonial rule without raising a gun, a hand, even his voice in anger. Martin Luther King Jr. freed a people with nothing more than words, energy and conviction. From Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall, the ways of truth and love have emerged victorious in our history.

In order to emerge victorious, we must have courage. We must transcend boundaries of belief and unite behind the power of reason and faith in the inherent worth and dignity of all people. And we must always act out of love. I dream of a day when we will all live in loving service to each other, in a place where we are united by our wondrous differences. I dream of a land where no one wants for basic needs; where greed, misogyny, homophobia, ignorance and indifference are banished; and all are free to pursue their heart’s dream free of hate and violence. I dream of total peace.

Truth and Meaning: Bigotry

I grew up watching the television show All in the Family. Viewers learned firsthand about bigotry by listening to outrageous statements from Archie Bunker. Public figures are once again making similar statements. Sadly, these are not shock media pundits, but elected officials. Surprisingly, they are shocked when they are subsequently called bigots.

A bigot is a person who regards members of a group with hatred and intolerance based on unproven prejudices. So, with apologies to Jeff Foxworthy, I offer the following list as a possible guide to our politicians.

• If you believe that a person’s inherent capacity for intelligence, productivity, or violence is connected to their skin color, then you might be a bigot.
• If you suppose that the current gender gap in salaries simply reflects free market economics, then you might be a bigot.
• If you think that legalizing same-sex marriage has a logical connection to beastiality, then you might be a bigot.
• If you believe that any one specific religion has a monopoly on morality, then you might be a bigot.
• If you consider another group’s culture as subhuman and inherently inferior to your own, then you might be a bigot.
• If you believe that rape is acceptable, justified, or deserved in any imaginable situation, then you might be a bigot.
• If you automatically connect homosexuality with pedophilia, then you might be a bigot.
• If you believe that you have the right to make medical decisions for other people based on your personal religious beliefs, then you might be a bigot.
• If you imagine that anyone chooses to be homeless, or addicted, or poor, or a victim of abuse, then you might be a bigot.

Truth and Meaning: Greatness

America is a great nation. America embodies important principles of freedom, democracy and humanity uniquely and often with enormous success. The American people present an entrepreneurial spirit that is less complicated and certainly less refined than previous world empires. We are a determined people unaccustomed to anything but success and dominance.

And yet, like a dream team that fails to win the gold medal, our spirit does not always translate into a winning performance. Our educational system ranks 16th in reading, 31st in math and 22nd in science among leading nations. While our gross national product per capita puts us in the top 10 globally, our income disparity is among the worst. The United States ranks 36th in combating poverty, 40th in infant mortality and 40th in life expectancy.

On the other hand, we are No. 1 in prison incarceration, divorce, gun ownership and rapes. And, of course, we are first — far and away from the rest of the world — in military expenditures. These are not the rankings of a great nation. These are the numbers of a nation that values global conquest rather than caring for its own; punishment over prevention; and immediate gratification over investment in its future.

As a minister, I meet people struggling to find jobs and raise children, coping with disease and addiction, and desperately searching for love and meaning in life. I meet people with no health insurance; people fired from jobs for being gay or lesbian; and people who followed all the rules and are still denied the American dream. They are denied the American dream because of student loans, greedy banks, prejudice and discrimination, and because of systemic inequality that no amount of grit and determination can overcome.

I constantly meet the casualties of our various wars across the globe — our own people starving for resources. I am tired of funding wars that give us record stock prices and leave veterans homeless and suicidal. So let’s declare a new war … on ourselves. I want America to declare war on injustice, assaults on freedom, and corruption within its own borders — to win the hearts and minds of the American people. We need to stop bickering over unimportant differences and join together to build the great nation that America can be. We need to embrace each other — black or white, gay or straight, citizen or immigrant, man or woman.

A great nation should have no homelessness, no hunger, no untreated illnesses and no unemployment. A great nation should not tolerate violations of the inherent worth and dignity especially of its own people. We can be a great nation if we all come together.

Truth and Meaning: A Sacred Season

We are in the midst of an exciting time of the year for many people of faith. My Christian colleagues are celebrating the Holy Week leading up to Easter. My Jewish friends are completing their Passover observances. And my Pagan neighbors recently observed Ostara, the vernal equinox. It is a time rich with symbolism and metaphor. From the resurrection to the exodus to the hare and egg, this spring season ushers in thoughts of new beginnings and rebirth, of light and warmth, of the cycle of our lives.

Whatever your faith tradition, this season is one of reflection — of self-examination and reaffirmation of core values and beliefs. In particular, core values of these religious observations emerge as critical in our lives. Easter gives us the unconditional love Jesus felt for everyone — a love unfettered by judgment or prejudice. Easter gives us the love for humanity and the goal of creating the beloved community among all men and women. Passover gives us the courage of people enduring hardships and suffering to persevere. Passover reminds us that faith and conviction are always rewarded with self-determination and freedom. And Ostara gives us confidence that our love and conviction will live on if we care for our children and for our earth. Ostara reminds us that life is about change and growth and that we are meant to never stop evolving toward more enlightened selves.

Acceptance of each other regardless of our differences, mutual courage and perseverance despite any obstacle, and love for all and commitment to their well being — these are core values to which we can all agree. Whatever you call your god, your higher power, or the eternal mysteries of our universe, we can come together in acceptance, courage and love. Whatever your appearance, your identity or your heritage, we can come together if we try.

But in order to do this, we must also embody other meanings of these holidays. Easter teaches us the need to sacrifice. Passover teaches us the need to have faith. And Ostara teaches us the need to live in balance with our world. Can we do this? Can we join — as people of all beliefs, all walks of life, all attributes — in sacrifice, faith, and balance? I believe that we can.

Start today. Put aside your differences and seek out common ground. Look for solutions that benefit all parties and do not simply gratify your own needs. Try to understand those unlike yourself — walk in their shoes before making assumptions. With acceptance and sacrifice, courage and faith, love and balance, there is nothing we cannot do.

Truth and Meaning: A Special Spring

Truth and Meaning: Religious Liberty

Truth and Meaning: Religious Connection