Tebowing for a Better Way...

This weekend, we will see the last games of the NFL regular season.  Some of the games this weekend will be meaningless, and others will be pregnant with opportunity--a few teams will be able to make the post season playoffs with a win or a loss of another team or a combination of the two,


(Mother Teresa "Tebowing" for an end to poverty)

No doubt the Denver Broncos are one of the latter teams.  While the Broncos and their quarterback Tim Tebow have had some exhilarating 11th hour wins this season, they were humbled by two sizable losses last week and the week before.

Those sports reporters and social critics that were quick to dub Tebow "God's quarterback" who was performing "miracles" in football games, have been silenced by these losses, while people like Bill Maher has used the loses at an attempt to mock Tebow, God and Christians.


(Nelson Mandela "Tebowing" for unity)

Maher and others have been out of line in their recent comments about Tebow, about God and about Christians.  However, we should have anticipated them.  Calling Tebow "God's quarterback" and referring to the games he and his team have won this season as miracles has been most



(President Obama "Tebowing" for guidance)

irresponsibly done to satisify our need to have everything packaged neatly with a cute name.  You know, Jennifer Lopez can't be Jennifer Lopez, she has to be JLo.  There's a ScarJo, a Brangelina, and a KFed.  All packaged neatly with cute names.

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(Dr. Martin Luther King "Tebowing" for peace)

And so when God is packaged in the form of a Denver Broncos fan and communication with that God is cutely referred to as "Tebowing," its easy to mock.  God becomes easy to mock. 

This isn't Tebow's fault.  He didn't create this mess.  I wish him well.  But I wish Tebow's humbling would teach us that there are somethings that don't need slick, cute packages or names and the Creator is on of them.

 I'm not optimistic that we will learn from Tebow, but I am Tebowing right now that we do.

The Pope and Me...

Recently, Pope Benedict XVI articulated his support for sweeping political and social action to end the death penalty internationally.

Pope Benedict, like Pope John Paul II, has been a consistent voice against the death penalty.  He has called on governments within the United States and other countries to commute sentences of criminal offenders facing the death penalty.  Indeed, the Catholic church has been opposed to the death penalty for decades, but ramped up its opposition in the early 1990s.

The death penalty, particularly as used and applied in the United States disproportionately affects people of color, the poor, the marginalized and the disenfranchised of our community.  While there are some within fundamentalist Christian circles that have sought to justify support for the death penalty (while incidentally in the same breath vehemently opposing abortion) using Old Testament passages, any Christian support for the death penalty is contrary to every one of Jesus' teachings.

While the Catholic church is not perfect, it is refreshing to see a Christian communion standing firmly and consistently against the death penalty,

Playing God and Newt at the Same Time...

Recently, GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich signed a pledge, promising in writing that he would defend and strengthen the family and uphold the institution on marriage. 

The pact, called the Marriage Pledge, is a construct of a group called Family Leader, a socially conservative group based in Iowa.  The Family Leader has called on all 2012 GOP presidential candidates to sign the Marriage Pledge, which is, among other things, a veiled litmus test to sure up strong opposition for and of same sex marriage.  Clearly, the pledge is also a call for fidelity in marriage.  Newt has had his issues with past marriages.

But, I don't care about what Newt does with his wife or anyone else.  We have all sinned--from lying about how well someone looks, to the failure to help someone in need, to sending military troops into a war to kill.  (Yes, all of those are sins.)  No sin is more egregious than another.

But, what is troubling about this pledge is this:  all of the GOP presidential candidates are married and call themselves Christians.  By accepting Christ as their savior and reciting wedding vows, they have already made the Pledge to the entity that matters.  You know, the Creator.  Newt, the other GOP presidential candidates, and the rest of us for that matter are only answerable to the Creator for how we construe marriage.

Defining the terms or construct of marriage is wholly the job of the creator, not the Family Leader.  Why don't we just let the Creator do the Creator's job.  She has it covered.

I'm Not on Tebow's Jock Just Yet...

This weekend, Tim Tebow and the Denver Bronco's beat the Chicago Bears 13-10 in overtime.  The Bronco's field goal kicker, Matt Prater, kicked a 51 yard field goal in overtime to secure the game for the Bronco's.

That was it.  The Bronco's won another mediocre game over another faltering team (the Bears' were without their starting quarterback and running back due to injuries).

But, the better story, the angle that's far more attractive, is that Tebow is winning and giving the credit to God.  Actually, that story isn't even sexy enough--you know, a humble football player who gives thanks to the Creator for the ability to play football and such. 

But, saying that God is actually making Tebow win, is a far more attractive story.  It allows sports reporters and marketers to come up with cute names for Tebow like, the "Mile High Messiah," or "God's Quarterback."  (Remember, what happened to the Dallas Cowboys when they were dubbed "God's Team?"  I'm just saying.)

Christians know that God intercedes on our behalf and protects us and comforts us.  Christians also know and believe in the power of prayer--that through prayer all things can become possible.  But Christians also know that the Creator provides blessings and prosperity for the just as well as the unjust.  Matthew 5:45.

Tebow is winning for sure.  He also appears to be sincere with his faith, humble to a fault, and even careful with how he characterizes his win streak.

But, I prefer to believe that the Creator isn't in the business of fixing professional football games against and between marginal teams.  Tebow's win streak is no miracle.

But it sure sounds good.

Mid-Week Meditation: The Continuum of Sin...

With the rise and fall and rise and fall of Herman Cain, and the rise and fall and apparent rise again of Tiger Woods, the fall and fall of Bishop Long and the whatever Jerry Sandusky is doing this week (he can't even lie for the camera and say that he's not attracted to boys), I have been meditating on sin.

Clearly, a continuum of sin exists in our spiritual and even secular cultures--some sins are more egregious than others. I don't have it all figured out, this continuum we have, but as near as I can tell, it works something like this:

At one end of the continuum are what we'll call the "Oprah offenses"--adultery, domestic violence, and the emotional abuse of a partner or spouse. There are no offenses more repugnant in our culture than these sins, called Oprah offenses because, Oprah spent much of her career railing against these sins.

Just under those sins are sins against children and the otherwise helpless. On this place of the continuum, we place child molesters and mothers who kill, neglect or mistreat their kids. Casey Anthony and Jerry Sandusky live here.

Next on the continuum is, the killing, mistreating, or otherwise causing pain to an attractive, productive woman of European descent...if you are not of European descent. Ask O.J. Simpson why he's doing a 10-year bit for trying to take back property that was stolen from him.

Messing with someone's cheddar who matters in this society is next on the continuum. If Bernie Madoff Ponzied prison inmates or the people who love them, he wouldn't need protection in prison because he wouldn't be there. But he did not. Madoff bilked professionals and people who vote and pay taxes and write fundraising checks to senators.  He had to do some time.

Mistreating animals...In some sections of our culture, this is above the Oprah offenses.

Selling drugs, killing for self-defense, drunk driving and engaging in war seem to be a bit lower on the continuum. 

There are certainly other sins, of which I am unsure of their placement on the continuum, but this is what I have gleaned from years of listening and reading.

When the Apostle Paul proclaimed in Romans 6:23 "that the wages of sin is (sic) death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ", is this what he meant? Can a continuum of sin (I may have sinned in this way, but at least I didn't do what he did. He's disgusting) that is consistent with Paul's pronouncement that all sin is punishable by death without Christ checking it in?

Praying for Tiger...

I have been quietly waiting for the opportunity to write this post for over two years. 

This past weekend, Tiger Woods won the Chevron World Challenge golf tournament, ending a drought of almost 30 winless tournaments over two years.  He has made strong showings in several golf tournaments, including the 2011 President's Cup, but wins have eluded Tiger for some time.

We know the trouble Tiger has been in.  We know about the divorce.  We know about the porn stars and the side pieces.  We know about the hush money Tiger gave to all of them and we know the sex rehab center he went to because of all of the trouble he was in.  Let us not rehash it.

It has been most interesting over the past two years to watch people watch Tiger.  His friends and enemies alike have fallen away from him.  Sports writers and golfers who lived in Tiger's chilly shadow for years, made a point to attack him about his personal failings whenever they got a chance to do so publicly. 

Even his closest friend, his long time caddie, a guy Tiger heaped millions of dollars on for almost two decades, took some racially insensitive and tasteless shots at Tiger while Tiger has been down.

They, wallowing in self-righteousness, hurled "I told you so's" and "He's troubled and sick," as if they didn't know that Tiger would make a comeback, rise from the ashes and win tournaments; find a way to make people love him again.

It all reminds me of how friends and family of Christ fell away from Christ and betrayed Him just before He was crucified, not knowing or at least not fully believing that Christ would rise from His grave and make His Ascension.  That had to be a lonely place for Christ in those moments, but He was comforted by prayer and meditation to the Creator.

I am not calling Tiger Christ, but it appears that a healthier Tiger is on his way back.  While many have fallen away, I for one, am praying and meditating for his well being.

Oh, Christmas Tree...Oh, Really?

As we approach the third Sunday of Advent, and as we begin the Christmas season in earnest, the heated "Christmas tree" debate is becoming salient...again.  In just about every corner of the country, citizens, politicians and religious leaders are fighting to name the tree that pops up this time of the year one thing or another.

Some want trees that appear in state capitals, governors' mansions and other public places, to be called "holiday trees."  Naturally, these people want to use politically inclusive language for the tree as many people of many faiths with be celebrating, holidays at this time.

Others (the perpetually offended) want to call the trees "Christmas trees."  These people say they believe that a tree decorated and displayed around this time of year, is unmistakably a Christmas tree, and any attempt to call it anything else, is pandering to the politically correct forces in this country and "taking Christ out of Christmas."

While I can appreciate their concern for wanting to protect Christ, Christ doesn't need any help keeping himself in the celebration of His birthday.

We know from a careful reading of historical context and the scriptures, that Christ was neither born on December 25th or even in the winter for that matter.  It is more likely that Christ was born in the fall between September or October.

What's more, there is nothing "Christ-like" about "Christmas trees."  Not only are the scriptures void of any mention of a tree in or around the birth of Christ, every single story about the origin of the Christmas tree has pagan roots, so to speak.

And, after decades of Black Friday shootings, Santa Clauses, reindeer, Frosty the Snowmen and other gimmicks designed move our attention away from the reason we celebrate Christmas, we still acknowledge Christ this time of year and we know that Christ breathes charity and loving kindness into this holiday season.

So while I'm sure Christ appreciates their efforts to protect Him, I think He has this whole Christmas season covered.

Politicians and religious leaders should use their time living the gospel of Christ--an endless, perpetual fight for the marginalized--rather than try to score political points with this issue.

Why We Must Be Careful With Herman Cain...

I have been praying that I could stay out of the Herman Cain discourse altogether.  I have 99 problems of my own, and Herman Cain ain't one.  But, I think the discourse is heading in the wrong direction, so I should probably say something now before all of his accusers get reality TV shows.

Clearly, in the blogosphere, the tweet and Facebook universe, and even in the traditional print media, it has become trendy and most acceptable to ride out on Herman Cain.  He is an individual in an unfortunate position, and it is easy for us to pile on criticism when a person is down.  At the hands of bloggers, Herman Cain is anything from a dog, to a cheater, to an ordained minister possessed with a lustful spirit...all before we have seen any of his accusers show and prove he did anything wrong.

Now, it would be most foolhardy of me to articulate an opinion on whether or not Herman Cain did any or all of the things of which he is accused.  I have not seen any evidence and I don't know the man well enough to do that.  But, it seems to me that we owe Herman Cain some deference or at least silence for now.  Here's why:

Professionals of color who have made their way in this world are roundly attacked for one reason or another.  I'm not saying there is some vast conspiracy, or coordinated effort to attack them, it is just so.  In fact, I know of know professional of color who has a love affair with the media or the public.  Let me illustrate what I mean.

The attacks are packaged in one of three ways.  First, professionals of color have their color used against them, even if they never actually mention their color themselves.  Here, professionals of color are marginalized and can only speak about "diversity" issues, are implicitly called different and therefore bad because of their color, or they have their color taken out of context. 

For example, Lani Guinier, for years was called a "quota queen" for her efforts to discuss the voting rights of minorities.  Justice Sotamayor was flogged over and over about her "wise Latina" remarks.  And of course, President Obama has been fighting to prove he's not an African Muslim since he has been on the national scene.

The second way attacks of professionals of color are packaged is their professional acumen is called into question--they are called incompetent boobs.  "He is flash and no substance," "he gives great speeches, but he's an empty suit," "or he's a 'community organizer'" are all examples of this.

And finally, professionals of color are attacked with their sexuality.  Men are seen as over-sexed monsters, who are hungry for lustful encounters.  Women are either seen as asexual (think Aunt Jemima) or vamps who seduce any and everything with money (think every actress of color working today...)

Now, as I said, I can't say what Herman Cain has done or not done.  But it does look like he is an otherwise successful man, who is being attacked with this playbook.  Attacking Cain because it is easy and popular (Black Republicans are easy targets for ridicule, I get it) has broader implications. 

What happens when the next Herman Cain (a Herman Cain whom we actually agree with politically) steps up to make her way in this world?  Will she be oversexed, or undersexed?  Will she be all flash and no substance? Will she be the wise Latina?

Rosa, Rosa...

Today, we acknowledge the life and bravery of Rosa Parks.  The story of her curage is legendary.  On December 1st, 1955, a tired Rosa Parks sat down in a seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.  As the bus became crowded, the driver of the bus asked Parks to give up her seat for a white passenger.  Naturally she refused, and Parks' refusal to give up her seat spurred what we now know as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and eventually, the Civil Rights era in the United States.

We know that Parks was not the first person in this country or internationally, to engage in civil disobedience, but her actions were forward-thinking, radical and enveloped in and with the notions of humanness and equality.  She made this country think about the manner in which it treats all of its citizens.

And, by the way, she was a faithful memeber of the African Methodist Episcopial church. 

As we celebrate the spirit of Rosa Parks, let us, particularly those in the A.M.E. church, remember her by keeping the same forward-thinking spirit in dealing with issues of salience today.  


 

Mid-Week Meditation: Organized Religion and Interracial Dating

Recently, a church, voted to ban interracial couples from church.  

I meditated on this story and then I asked a friend of mine if she believed in organized religion.  She told me that she wanted to, but she didn't.  I didn't bother to ask any follow up questions like, "Why not?" or "What happened?"  I didn't ask because I knew, sadly what her issue was.

My friend, like many people my age, grew up attending mass regularly because it was the right thing to do and because her parents wanted her to.  But as she got older, I assume that she felt what many of us have observed--a disconnect between church attendance and a connection to the creator, or anything else that would personally benefit her spiritually or otherwise.

The first century church was established for two reasons--as a place for believers to worship God and as a gathering place for believers to to find security.  Naturally, the first century Roman Empire was not a kind place for Christians.  They were literally persecuted and marginalized.  Gathering at church with other souls who were in the same boat, provided comfort and sanctuary.

Today, while we have some difficulties in our lives, we are in a better place than first century Christians...at least theoretically.  We have access to the government, access to the economic structure and Christianity is, in essence, the official religion of this country.  What's more, we can worship and contemplate on the works of the Creator and the creation in our own comfortable homes.  The scriptures do not mandate that a person must attend church regularly or at all to be in good stead with the Creator.

So convening in church for the same reasons first century believers did are not persuasive for the 40 and under crowd.  So they have stayed away from organized religion.

And churches that vote to ban interracial couples from worshipping does little to help attract that demographic either.