Love Kindness. Do Justice. Change the World ... Right Now!
As a native Texan, I'm used to crazy religion and crazy politics. So, the announcement of Gov. Rick Perry's plans for "The Response," a prayer event scheduled for Aug. 6 at Houston's Reliant Stadium, was not a surprise.
But as a Presbyterian minister and community organizer, it's part of my job to stand up for my neighbors. The use of the governor's office to promote one religion in a country with such rich religious diversity is obviously unhealthy politics, but – if one takes the Christian and Jewish scriptures seriously – it is also unhealthy religion. Here are five rather important verses of scripture you aren't likely to hear at "The Response:"
Don't make a show of prayer
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray in public places to be seen by others… But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your heavenly parent, who is unseen." (Matthew 6:5-6)
While Jesus never addressed the issues most important to some of this event's co-sponsors, such as homosexuality and abortion, he did speak out against public displays of religion. Whatever Jesus meant by the word "prayer," it seems to have been about the quiet and personal. The disciples had to ask Jesus how to pray, which is a pretty good indication that he wasn't praying a lot publicly. What he did say about prayer carried a warning label: "Don't rub it in other people's faces."
God doesn't withhold rain because we've done something wrong
"God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:45)
Perry recently called Texans to pray for rain, which implies that God steers clouds toward the worthy. According to Right Wing Watch, one of the events co-sponsors has said the earthquake in Japan happened because the emperor had sex with the Sun Goddess. It may be a part of our lower nature to blame disasters on people we don't like or understand, but Jesus taught that God sends rain on the just and unjust. Furthermore, he said our love should be equally nonselective.
I have chosen Christianity as my life's religion, but when nonjudgmental love is taken out of its center, it becomes poisonous and predatory. The word "God" can be a helpful symbol for all the transcendentals of life, but the symbol becomes instantly pathological when used as a scientific explanation or political justification.
God doesn't have favorites
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism." (Acts 10:34)
When the Bible says that God is not a "respecter of persons" it means that God doesn't have a favorite country or religion. The idea that God wants Christians to be in charge of other people violates Jesus' teaching that we are to take the lowest place. We are to change the world by humble persuasion and good example, not by messianic coercion. The assumption that Christianity and America are God's two favorite things will be particularly ironic, as the prayer event falls on the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.
Worship by those who neglect the poor is offensive to God
"I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me… Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:21-24)
The prophet Amos chastised the religion of his day for praying to God while mistreating people. Texas leads the nation in citizens who are uninsured, who work for minimum wage, and who die from unsafe working conditions on construction sites. Our state has the widest gap between rich and poor of any in the union. If the governor wants to call us to repentance it should begin with our real sins against the poor not the imaginary sins dreamed up by his friends.
The heart of Christian ethics is being a good neighbor
When Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) it was to teach humility to a rich young zealot who thought he was approaching moral perfection. The Samaritans were the scapegoats of the day. The rich young ruler would consider Samarians heretics and immoral people. Jesus used a merciful Samaritan as the example of ethical perfection. It is a lesson many Christians have yet to learn.
One sponsor of the event, the American Family Association, is listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group. The group's director of analysis for government and policy is quoted by the SPLC as saying that Hitler was "an active homosexual" who sought out gays "because he could not get straight soldiers to be savage and brutal and vicious enough." He also said Muslims should not be allowed in the military or be allowed to build mosques in the United States.
None of this analysis springs from malice. In fact, I must confess that I have a soft spot for Rick Perry. When the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in Texas was passed, I had the honor of pushing the wheelchair of Byrd's mother into the governor's office for the signing. I privately thanked Perry for his courage in standing up to all the groups who had fought against the bill; I knew he might pay a political price for signing the bill. Tears came to his eyes, and he said, "It's the right thing to do."
I can't know what is in Perry's heart, of course, but I do know the problem isn't one politician but rather a nation that has embraced an unhealthy political arrogance undergirded by even unhealthier religious hubris. The "prayer" that is most needed at this time is for each of us, believer or not, to go into our own heart and find the humility and empathy that is at the core of righteousness, political and spiritual.
Comments
I find it difficult to read an article that blatantly misquotes scripture (insert "public places" instead of the actual "synagogues"). From this very fact I won't even comment further. The basis for rational discussion is an agreed upon vocabulary. Go purchase a New American Standard Bible, or just google the passage, for goodness sake.
Jim Rigby is proof that the term "Progressive Christian" is an oxymoron. He also needs to educate himself about Islam (as if we don't already have enough proof why Muslims shouldn't be allowed in the military or to build mosques, especially at ground zero). Here's another scripture (not taken out of context and misinterpreted like yours) for you Mr. Rigby : Thou shalt not LIE ! That's one that Progressives have a real problem obeying.
Elijah prayed for rain, after he had prayed for it not to rain, to demonstrate God's disapproval of Ahab's behavior. Every religion, including Christianity, if you care to call it a religion, firmly believes that God has favorite peoples and favorite relilgions, namely their own. Islam, for example, if I am not mistaken, refers to "other" religions as infidels.
Self righteous public prayer, or any public self righteousness for that matter, is contrary to the teachings of Jesus, but public profession of your belief in Him is mandatory, and Jesus himself is recorded as saying that NO man comes to the Father but by me.
Peter's observation that God is no respecter of persons, came as a result of God pouring out His Spirit on Gentiles, whom the Jews had been taught were "infidels" and unworthy of God's favor. This was the bridging of the gap between the Jews (God's favorite people / religion, if one is a "Bible Believer")and those outside of the favor of the One True God. That is to say, that Peter was amazed that God let gentiles become "Christians", and thereby become beneficiaries of God's mercy and grace. Obviously, the passage you cite about the rain falling on the evil and the good, indicates to us that God is merciful to everybody, and I am in full agreement with what seems to be the gist of your sentiment, i.e. Jesus came to steer us away from religion and rigid, rule based (human rules) rulers, he did lay down THE LAW that says love your neighbor as yourself, which all of the religions, Christian and Muslim being the main players at this time seemingly, seem to ignore for the more political considerations so prevalent in our world. Rick Perry is obviously making a statement, that Rick Perry dares to go where no other politician will, thus setting himself apart and greatly endearing himself to the large Islamophobic segment of society that is scorned by the media, the left, and "progressive christians" that want everybody to like them. Sincere christians, political christians, phony christians, and all who dare to call themselves christians in this society, tend to feel left out in the cold by public opinion today, and Rick is tapping into that sentiment. Religion, politics, and humanity in general is a sloppy mess, and Rick Perry is definitely not afraid to jump in the middle of it. It will be interesting to see what scripture are used at this gathering. As for it being "unhealthy religion", I think you must agree, that all religion is unhealthy, because it substitutes the "commandments of men for the doctrines of God". This is just another example of Perry having the courage to stand up to his detractors, which you admit to admiring him for on a previous occasion, give him a little elbow room here, it might turn out better than you expect.
I find it so strange that AustinJoe sees this as using scripture to attack. This article simply points out the religious hubris that many Christians are uncomfortable with. Hubris is "excessive pride or self-confidence."
One of the organizers even talked as if God is more present in a place with 1,000s of people. Really? I would think God is just as present in the woods with one wandering soul.
Thank you, Mr. Rigby, for this article. Not enough intelligent Christians take issue with the arrogant, fundamentalist "Christian mullahs" of the far right, who just know that learned people in economics, politics, and religion are all wrong.
AustinJoe & Philliph88: It seems as though reading editorials on a source called "The Progressive Christian" only serve to irritate your conservative sensibilities. I'm not sure why you subject yourselves to this frustration or why you feel the need to subject the rest of us to your inane tirades. Perhaps you should limit yourselves to reading the Bible only. However, that would be a dangerous thing for you, as you might discover that the balance of scripture shows that God reserves the harshest judgement for those who do not take care of the poor and those who make public shows of their piety. Perhaps FoxNews and Glenn Beck website are safer sources for your type of theological inquiry and commentary.
As this post will demonstrate scripture can be used to attack anyone. I don't like to do so - we have a much greater enemy in the world and a much greater prize in the hearts of people to be battling amongst ourselves. But to respond to the 5 scriptures in the original post I offer 5 with a perspective that would support Perry's desire to call for prayer.
1 Peter 2:17 "Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor." Criticism is easy, honor takes humility. He is the governor, and according to Peter, put there by the will of God. To attack him personally rather than debate the issues and decisions is counter to honoring the office.
1 Thess 5:16-19, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." Prayer should not be only by the good and holy, but all of us are called to pray. Even governors.
Acts 3:1 "Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour." Prayer was very public in Jesus' day. Even Jesus prayed before the crowd before He fed them in Mt. 15. Calling the leaders of the country to prayer has been a tradition in the US since the '50s, and even in the founding of the country the call to prayer was heard in the public arena.
Mt. 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." Christians are not called to work and be Christ-followers in secret. It's telling how much criticism Perry is receiving from within the church simply using his office to call people to prayer. Pure motives? Hardly. But are any truly pure? Remember Isa 64:6 and God's view of any of our good works. We need prayer, clearly.
Rev 20:4 "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. ... They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." God will ultimately rule this world, and He has called His people to reign with Him. Perhaps not now are we to seek to rule, but if we are called to govern it must be in faithfulness to God's Word. Better to seek the rule of Christ followers than that of ungodly people.
Also, while I don't believe we are being punished in this summer's drought, God does punish by withholding rain. Read 1 Kings 17 and 18 for God's imposed 3 year drought on the nation of Israel.
Further, care for the poor is not exclusive to "Progressive Christianity." The Baptists run the Austin Baptist Chapel feeding the hungry seven days a week. The politics of the poor are debated, and will continue to be debated, for a long time. Can a nation exist that takes from the working to give to the non-working? To some degree this must happen, but it cannot be the aim. Defending the fatherless and the widow are callings we have a Christians best done working together to create both a safety system and an economy in which all can find work to support themselves.
I think there are scriptures both the conservative and the liberal need to spend more time mediating on. But it seems too much like the enemy of the liberal is the conservative, and likewise, rather than our own reluctance to do the work we are called to. The personal attacks on Perry *because he is acting out his Christianity* are a smoke screen for displeasure with his politics. Would a Christian conservative be worse than an atheist liberal? Depends on whether your goal is God's glory or man's.
I am impressed by several things in this article. First, a "non-clergy" governor who seems to put promoting Christianity as a higher priority then a so-called Presbyterian "clergy." It would be nice to see some of the leaders in our mainline Christian denominations actually PROMOTE Christianity!!! Secondly, I'm impressed to see that a Presbyterian "clergy" and activist (WOW... we need more of those... NOT) is able to quote scripture (Although mis-interpreted, at least it was the right verse and citation (I'm betting on Mr Rigby having a good Conservative Baptist friend who helped him find these.) If this is what we in the Presbyterian church have to look forward to no wonder we are hemorrhaging members at a record pace.