Michael Moore and the Kingdom of God

I just read Michael Moore's speech from Madison, WI concerning the union-busting crisis, and it struck a chord with me. Now, before anyone loses their head about it, just know that this is really about that (Rob Bell reference).

First let me get something off my chest about unions. Do you like working a 40-hour, 5-day week? Thank a union. Do you like having safe working conditions? Thank a union. Do you like having confident teachers in the classroom, able to discipline their students? Thank a union. Do you like having a living-wage? Thank a union. Do you like having the first Monday in September off? Thank the unions. Do you like being called a redneck? Thank a coal-workers union.

Ok now that I'm finished with that.

While Michael Moore isn't that eloquent, I think he hits on a major point without realizing it. The more we dehumanize and strip rights away from people accustomed to rights, the more dangerous they become. When someone has nothing to lose, you don't know what they'll do. Kind of like that adage about a cornered, wounded animal.

Now this isn't a plea for our leaders to placate us with second-rate solutions to keep the status quo.

Rather I ask for everyone to consider what would happen if you treated everyone with love. Not fairly, but lovingly. What if Jesus really meant it when He told us to love are enemies, hating is murder, love our neighbor? What would happen to this nation, this world? Many will tell you, that would be nice, but... There always seems to be a but, an excuse for not doing right. ... but, what if everyone did this?

The question being asked there is, "What if no one did this but me?" What if I'm the only one who sacrifices to make things better? Who will take care of me? Who will protect me? The politicians won't do it. My neighbors won't do it.

My... church... won't do it?

That's where I think we've gone wrong in church. We've become to concerned with whether there's a piano up front or what songs we sing or what color the walls are or how do we attract more teens with programs. We're trying to save the saved. We also have become so concerned about saving souls that we have forgotten to save the body as well.

Some of you may want to push back at that last one, but I ask you to consider the Gnostics found in the New Testament epistles. Though you baptize a thousand, what will happen to their bodies and consequentially there souls without care?

They become beaten down, defeated, out of options, and dangerous. Danger isn't a bad thing. We need more risk takers, more Christians to speak out against the status quo. We need people who say, "This isn't right!," and then work to make it right. Yes, this is a "kingdom" mission. It is an effort to pull the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth. Where God will dwell with His people.

Yeah, Michael Moore said this, because this is really about that.

namaste

DIOS le bendiga

The Poor

I know why the poor seem so greedy. You would be too if you saw a windfall coming your way that could keep you afloat, fill your sails for a month, a week, a day, an hour... Ethics has nothing to do with it. The poor understands, "You do not have because you do not ask," and when the Gentile woman begs for the crumbs of children for the dogs. Yes, you can turn your heart cold and blame drugs, alcohol, abuse, insanity, ignorance, neglect... In the past couple of years, some of us have gone to that line, some of us below that line, but I doubt we stay and live under that line. We were not conquered. We did not let ourselves be defeated because we knew what victory tasted like. The poor are defeated, broken, hopeless, oppressed... Some how, we have created systems to keep them in place by destroying schools, denying funds, leaving it to the government and then crying for tax breaks, moving to the suburbs, turning our eyes... We no longer invest in life, we hide from death.

I know why the poor seem so greedy...

They learn from the rich.

vaya con DIOS