Surely, it can't be that simple.

It is that simple, and don't call me, "Shirley."

I don't know if there's another passage of Scripture that Christ's followers shy away from as universally as Matthew 5:38-42. Here's the text from the NRSV:

38 ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ⁴⁰and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; ⁴¹and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. ⁴²Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

I've heard so much protest about this passage from the everyday Christian to pastors, professors, and even serious scholars who ought to know better. Now, understand I'm not hardly ever a "literal interpretation" kind of person, but this is a direct quote from the Sermon on the Mount which is generally regarded as some of the best stuff Jesus said. Liberal, conservative, and even atheist can read the Sermon on the Mount and respect the teachings, see the beauty of the life Jesus is calling every one of us in the world to live.

Consider the passages surrounding this one: 'love your enemies' comes right after it; immediately preceding is 'yes be yes, no be no'; before that is-

-lust=adultery
-anger=murder
-divorce --> adultery
-The Beatitudes

No one tries to interpret their way out of those. So, why is everyone so quick to rationalize or wriggle or employ some other interpretive gymnastics to get out of this teaching?

Look, I interpret. I have passages I bend over backwards to get around, too. But this is one of the more reliable sayings of Jesus, it's consistent with his other teachings and moreover it is a hallmark of his Way.

I've heard it all, I think. "Well, you can't be a doormat." "The culture dictated that these reactions were demanding equality, a sort of peaceful non-resistance." "Jesus really didn't mean that."

I have to disagree with all of them. I think Jesus meant exactly what it sounds like. I think it's supposed to be hard, taxing, unfair and startling. That's what it means to be salt of the earth and light of the world (also in Matthew 5, btw). We are called to live in such a disturbing manner that it illuminates darkness and leaves a taste on your tongue. Give to everyone, do not refuse anyone.

It's really that simple. I don't live like it, and I still don't want to. But that doesn't change the fact that it's the way I'm called to live.

Tension on the Ropes

Is anyone else tired of Democrats? I am. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Republican, or even a conservative for that matter. I'm just tired of these two political parties trying to pull everything out to the extremities.

Republicans say if you don't vote against healthcare, you aren't a "real" Repbulican. In other words, "come out here with us to the fringe and get off the bridge or we're going to cut the ropes and then you'll be one of them."

Democrats are doing the same thing, by the way. If you don't vote pro-choice or for the public option, you aren't a "real" Democrat. Nevermind that you vote with us on every other issue, this is one of our values that isn't negotiable. That's getting pretty close to saying "If you can't espouse these 5 statements, you're not one of us."

So what's wrong with that? We all want some place to belong, right?

Here's the problem: that's fundamentalism which is extremism. Liberal or conservative, extremists are bad. They make the world black and white, good and evil, with us or against us. We demonize the other side, make everything their fault ("If we didn't have those bourgeois/Jewish/Muslim/evolutionist/et al... then we'd be better off!") Then it's completely understandable when we hop-skip-jump to violent action to do something about it.

I'm feeling something and its larger than politics or even religion. I'm feeling a tautness in the world. The tension of the pull of two extremes is mounting and I'm wondering if a tear isn't coming. I hope that when they cut the ropes, peace isn't what falls into the abyss.

Violent God

I just read Nahum, a small book in the Hebrew Bible. It's part of what is known as the Book of the Twelve or the "minor" prophets depending on tradition (though the latter certainly has a horrible connotation). At any rate, the book describes the God of Israel, the one true God of all creation, reveling in the destruction of Ninevah, capital city of Assyria who was more or less the powerhouse of the 7th century BCE.

I am bothered by this image of God.

I don't like a God who revels in destruction and death and killing. It seems like a maladjusted child who builds her blocks only so she can knock them all down, marveling at her own power. Worse, a little boy who raises an ant farm only to then kill them, watching them squirm. Why? Shouldn't God be more civilized, more evolved than a bloodlustful warrior who delights in the pain of a temporary enemy?

I struggle to find answers that make me feel better. I wonder if maybe the Hebrews were imposing their own views onto God. They sought revenge and so God was a vengeful warrior. After all, they were a pre-modern, unenlightened people whose surrounding neighbors all abided by a warring worldview. War was what they knew. It's no wonder they had a violent image of God, the poor dopes.

That almost works.

Except, am I any different? Am I denying God could be violent because my bias is to be against violence? So who am I to say my bias is better than the Hebrews? Am I more evolved or are they closer to the simple truth?

Music: and Dance

I know I tend to be in the minority here, but when I'm listening to music, I rarely pay attention to the lyrics. I may learn some of them (or what they sound like to me) so I can sing along. By and large though, they just aren't important to me. Music, however, is.

I love singing along with music when I'm mowing the lawn or driving or working in my office. I'm not very good. I'm not being falsely modest, either. I have my moments and some songs I can actually sing on key, but I'm no musician. But I do it and I enjoy it because singing reminds me of the Great Dance we're all part of all the time. Stay with me and get your mind blown.

The earth rotates one full revolution in a day, right? (Duh) Well, in order to do that we're rotating on an axis at roughly 1,000mph. OK, But the Earth is also orbiting the sun at a rate of somewhere in the neighborhood of 66,000mph! Now our solar system is moving toward the general region of the star Vega at around 43,000mph (relative to our galactic neighbors). Our entire Galaxy is rotating on an axis (just like the earth does) and our sun has to move at about 483,000mph to make stay on course. Keep in mind that the galaxy is moving toward the constellation Virgo (represent!) at a rate estimated at 1.3 million mph!

Now think of our poor moon revolving and orbiting around the earth, the other planets in our solar system and all of their moons, not to mention the innumerable stars with planets who have moons. All of this movement and motion, all balanced by inertia & gravity. I can picture some of it in my head like those cursed tea cups at carnivals and theme parks. Spinning, rotating, revolving. I add more and more levels in my head and look from 100ft. up. It's a dance.

All this light and darkness, birth and death in a beautiful dance that carries us all away at a thousand miles per second. So I listen to the music and I sing and I'm carried away in the Great Dance.

Dreams & Truth

I've been having dreams recently. For a while there, I wasn't dreaming. The lucidity of my dreams (even though I don't remember most of them) are sort of comforting to me, as if I've found my old baby blanket and inhale the long forgotten scent of home and safety. Anyhow, dreaming again refreshes me while I'm in the wakeful world.

As I think about it today, I'm convinced that my dreams are the world of truth. The truth can come and find me without dulling on the illusions and traps my wakeful self sets up specifically to hold back truth.

Flight is a common dream that most have. You and I both know that without an airline ticket or another vehicle of some sort, humans don't fly. That's a fact, but it's not the truth. The truth is that we do fly. Some soar in the clouds, and others fly lower. In my dreams, I never fly but I leap and glide, floating no higher than the treetops.

The truth there is that I never leave the ground long enough to call it true flight. I'm still grounded, maybe too afraid to fly. That truth is so clear, so raw that there is no comparison here in the wakeful world.

Our dreams are truth.

I have the secret to God's plan for you... if the Price is Right!

I don't think I like Christian speakers. I've been to a bunch of conferences, retreats, revivals, and meetings and every time I go, I can't help but wonder how much a certain speaker got paid to do this gig. The answer that normally comes up in my mind is "too much." I know how cynical and mean-spirited this thinking is but I can't shake it. I'll do my best to explain (or justify).

I have no problem with motivational speakers. Some folks have a gift for it and if they can make money doing it, then they have the gift of smartness too. I've seen some pretty awesome speakers, and I've have to say that Bill Clinton was probably one of the best. Point being, if you can communicate effectively and have something to say that may better someone else, charge for it. It's sort of like consulting or education and you should charge for your expertise.

But when its a Christian speaker, I think about how wrong it seems. How Christian is it to hold wisdom hostage? If you truly have a message from God, wouldn't you have to give it, whether paid or not? At any Christian conference there is some missional cause they'll take up an offering for. Digging wells in Malawi or feeding children in Ecuador. You know, good things. And at the end of the conference, they'll talk about how much was raised for this cause. $20,000! And everyone claps, but they shouldn't.

They should say, if we hadn't paid for flights, hotels, per diems, ground transport, not to mention booking fees for the 3-5 nationally recognized Christian speakers, we could have doubled that number easily!

Here's the deal, if you really cared about winning the next generation for Christ or equipping pastors or starting a revolution, you wouldn't charge people. You'd just do it.

By the way, this goes for Christian books for the most part too (notice how the speakers' books are for sale?)

Specialize in Generality

I was talking with my wife and I came to a conclusion about something: we have become too specialized.

I work in church and have for my entire adult life, and without fail one of the major problems in any congregation I've been in is the phenomenon that 20% of the people do %80 of the work. The few lay members who 'get it' dedicate themselves and are pulled in so many different ministries that they quickly become burnt out from overwork.

Set that nugget aside and take a moment to think about our current political climate. Everyone was ecstatic about Obama, right? We were so excited about change and hope and fixing everything and we voted for him. He won handily and then... what?

We're still in trouble. We're still going down the tubes and we're still waiting for everything to be fixed. Maybe we should have elected the other guy?

I don't think so. If you look at Obama's campaign speeches, he always used "we" language, not "I". We have a lot of work to do. Our challenges are great. He still talks that way. He's not afraid to take the lead and be responsible, but the thought that one person (even the President) can change an entire nation in the span of 3 months is absurd.

Here's the real issue. %80 of the people sit on their thumbs and wait. They sit back calling fouls and never play the game. It happens in churches, but its happening everywhere. People recognize the problem and want change, but they want someone else to do it for them.

So, is it laziness that causes this? Perhaps, but I think it may be a little less indicting. I think it has to do with the way our society is structured. We're too specialized. 100 years ago, if you needed clothes altered, you did it yourself. Someone else could do it better, for certain, but you could do it yourself and be done with it. People knew a little bit in a wide manner of areas.

Things have changed. If something goes wrong in my house, I have to call someone. If you want a job, you have to educate yourself in that particular field. Children are even specializing in one sport rather than playing many. If little Jimmy focuses just on football, then he'll be a much better football player and hopefully get scholarships so he can go to law school and specialize in digital white collar criminal law. Whereas if he plays baseball, football, and soccer, he'll never be good enough to get scholarships in all of them.

We're waiting around for the particular person whose job it is to do whatever incredibly specific task we have before us. So maybe the answer is to stop specializing. Don't try to learn everything about one specific field. Learn a little from a wide variety.

Maybe then we would have people who solved their own problems because they understand that I, me, am the master of my world. If something in my world goes wrong, I will take it upon myself to fix it.