Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
Never Had the Brother of Jesus 04132026
Abortion Silence Oct 28, 2024
My public church sermons center on the Bible. Since the Bible is silent on abortion, so was I. My leading inquisitive youth groups included “God’s gift of sexuality” materials. Our safe sharing focused more on committed relationships (plus STD and pregnancy prevention) than abortion; however, any written submission to the “question box” was discussed. In private counseling I walked with christian women through problem pregnancies. My questions helped them make their best choices because I trust women to do what is right. These writings have been called “Reflections and Questions” because in my experience, good questions help people discover the best answers for their lives within them.
When I was an associate pastor, I befriended a female associate rabbi. We had most of the Bible (and issues playing second fiddle) in common. She asked me, “Do you know a reason rabbis don’t protest women’s health clinics?” I said, “I guess rabbis ask questions rather than scream shameful statements.” She said, “Nice try. It’s because we study Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures).” I asked, “What do you read there?” She taught me……
In the second story of creation, God forms the “earthling” out of the “earth” (Hebrew: Adam/man out of Adamah/ground). Genesis 2:7 — then “God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being.” Life begins with the breath of life and ends when God’s breath leaves. In fact the name for God, Yah-weh (I am who I am), sounds like breathing. Yahweh — we breathe God’s name as long as we live. The possibility for life may begin at conception through gestation, but God tells us when life itself begins — the first breath of life.
She then filled my silent reflection with more mundane Torah… Exodus 21:22-24 “When men who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and the woman is not harmed, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. If the woman dies, then you shall give life for life.” Back when patriarchy viewed wives and children as property, causing a miscarriage was a monetary fine for the loss of a future possible child (not murder); the death of a woman was punished as taking a life; other harm to the woman was punished by equivalent recompense. The difference makes all the difference.
If you live in Missouri how will you decide on Amendment 3 to our state constitution that restores the reproductive rights an old law removed? How much do you trust women and physicians to make good decisions? How much do you trust outsiders seeking the power to control you? When have you experienced good intentions result in bad consequences?
With God On Our Side 090424
My deepest theological roots were watered by the poetry of Bob Dylan. As a youth I spent hours each day in the presence of two-sided LPs by BD, JB, K3, AG, S&G, and PPM. Meanwhile, each unrhythmic Sunday sermon was sort of listened to one time only. Baez’s rendition of Dylan’s song “With God On Our Side” inspired a lifetime of resisting religious justification for the conquest of violent victories. “If God were on our side, he’d stop the next war.”
As I matured, I learned that the third commandment was not about childish cussing. Using the Lord’s name in a “wrongful way” (or in vain) was more about misrepresenting God. Thou shalt not use God to justify actions that actually go against God’s desire for us. Thou shalt not say God is on our side and against them — when we proclaim “there is no them”. Thou shalt not use God’s name to justify violence, oppression, racism, sexism, pyramids over tables, to name a few.
Later still I was taught that the worst wars and most violent acts in human history have been done in the name of God — and the times aren’t changing today. The song “With God On Our Side” revealed the importance of learning lessons from history instead of ignoring or distorting history; after all, every LP has 2 sides. How many times can a preacher proclaim the all-powerful prefers “his” politician? The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.
Which song lyrics have influenced your beliefs and impacted your life? What songs inspire you,, lift you up, and bring you joy? Which genre of music spoke to each age and stage of your life?
Stop It 08232024
Vested Power May 29, 2024
23 Memorial Days ago I went home to perform a wedding for a widower and a widow — she was my dad’s sister. At the St. Matthew’s Mall I ducked into a Hallmark store to ask, “Do you have a greeting card that says, ‘To my aunt, whom I marry today?’” My one-liner was topped by the immediate reply, “Honey, not in this state”……. and I was in Kentucky!
44 years ago, when my brother proposed I marry him, I couldn’t in that state. I had to be an ordained minister. I had yet to complete four years of seminary education before approval by my denomination. However, I could assist my seminary professor who had legally married my sister back when he was our associate pastor. (You need a scorecard to keep up).
When I asked my mentor, “How much of the wedding can I do?” He replied, “As much as you want.” “Can I do the vows?” “They say their vows; you can lead them.” “Can I bless the rings?” “God blesses the rings; you can pray.”
“Is there anything I can’t do?” “Yes. You can’t say, ‘By the power vested in me by the laws of this state… because you ain’t got no power. I’ll say that.’”
Now anyone can get a state’s vested power to perform a wedding with a free online ordination certificate. You just pay $50 for the state’s credentials, or maybe a c-note for the deluxe package.
The hundreds of weddings I’ve performed had a mix of religious, social, and legal obligations. During my years of seeking marriage equality, I wondered if, separately, states could perform the legal side, any blessing could done by whatever religion, and the economy could influence the social aspects of a wedding.
Since 2014 I have my religion’s blessing, social encouragement, and the state’s vested power to equally perform same-sex weddings. Blind guides still have the right to refuse, but they don’t have the right to keep me from following God’s path. I pray my religious freedom isn’t taken away by those seeking to abuse their power to unvest mine.
How have the legal, social, and religious aspects of weddings affected your life? Where have you seen more attention placed on a wedding than on the (hopefully longer) marriage? Where do you see the positive millennial evolution of marriage in various societies?