Taking Hate to a New Level
I try not to make posts that are polemic in nature...but today I just have to speak out. First, Pat Robertson makes it known that God has smited Ariel Sharon for compromising with Palestinians. And now to make matter worse, the self-proclaimed prophets at Westboro Baptist Church are now claiming that the Sago accident was a message from God. According to the Record Delta, Buckhannon, West Virginia's thrice-weekly newspaper, the picket ministry of the church (I often think this might be the ONLY ministry of the church) will be present at the memorial service for the miners scheduled for next week.
This frightens me on a number of levels. Confessing that this may be somewhat selfish, the memorial service will be held in the Chapel at my alma mater. On the steps of that edifice, I came to know who I was as a child of God. In those pews, I learned to sing, pray, dance, and shout the marvelous things God has done, is doing, and will continue to do in my life. I also learned to cry, to wrestle, and to doubt. And I know I am not alone when I say that I learned what true grace is. Grace, not hate, is what I learned there. I do not want that sacred place marked in such a way.
I often wonder how someone who claims to be part of the great cloud of witnesses can witness about a God of retribution when so many people around them are wracked with pain, anguish, and uncertainty. Such a response does not propel the gathered community into a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Such a response only encourages more hatred of others, especially those who are different than ourselves.
It is in this time of grief and healing, that God's spirit can be made known - a spirit of grace, not hate, a spirit of new life not death, a spirit that seeks reconciliation and justice. I truly hope that my spiritual home can be a place where others may have the space to cry, wrestle, and doubt, as well as sing, pray, dance, and shout.
Holy God, in whom is heaven,
send your Spirit.
Hold your children close.
Bring peace.
Sow love.
Shower those in need with your grace.
Amen.
This frightens me on a number of levels. Confessing that this may be somewhat selfish, the memorial service will be held in the Chapel at my alma mater. On the steps of that edifice, I came to know who I was as a child of God. In those pews, I learned to sing, pray, dance, and shout the marvelous things God has done, is doing, and will continue to do in my life. I also learned to cry, to wrestle, and to doubt. And I know I am not alone when I say that I learned what true grace is. Grace, not hate, is what I learned there. I do not want that sacred place marked in such a way.
I often wonder how someone who claims to be part of the great cloud of witnesses can witness about a God of retribution when so many people around them are wracked with pain, anguish, and uncertainty. Such a response does not propel the gathered community into a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Such a response only encourages more hatred of others, especially those who are different than ourselves.
It is in this time of grief and healing, that God's spirit can be made known - a spirit of grace, not hate, a spirit of new life not death, a spirit that seeks reconciliation and justice. I truly hope that my spiritual home can be a place where others may have the space to cry, wrestle, and doubt, as well as sing, pray, dance, and shout.
Holy God, in whom is heaven,
send your Spirit.
Hold your children close.
Bring peace.
Sow love.
Shower those in need with your grace.
Amen.
posted by Chett Pritchett at
10:17 PM
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