Thursday, March 29, 2018

Reclaiming the Title of Christian.

The turning point in my internal debate was when I was talking to a Conservative Evangelical Pastor. A good and kind man, who I do have plenty of respect for. He was saying "Christians believe" and "Christians do" in order to justify the exclusionary behavior of some of his parishioners. I snapped at him "I'm a Christian too, I'm a Quaker. We've been around for over 300 years."

Before then, I had no problem self identifying as a Quaker, but the title of Christian was anathema to me. So much harm has been done by self-professed hypocritical Christians in my memory. I didn't want to be included with them. Even by accident.

I feel that at this point I need to make a point that I have never had a problem with people who follow in the footsteps of Yeshua of Galilee. In High School I had tremendous respect and friendship for a guy named Adam. Who would read the Bible in Study Hall. My first girlfriend was the daughter of an Orthodox Priest. In fact my wife is the most devout Christian I have ever met. At the risk of falling into the No True Scotsman fallacy, I have no problem with True Christians.

Since that fateful conversation with the Evangelical Pastor. I have gone out of the way to point out how my Quaker beliefs are Christian. To counteract when those who have beliefs anathema to my own who are taking the Lord's name in vain (using God's name to push their personal agendas). Our forefathers in the Society were intensely devout, and generally had a theological justification for their actions.

This article A Quaker's Response to Christian Fundamentalism uses biblical verse to illustrate the Christian basis for our beliefs. Admittedly, in response to accusations that our Quaker beliefs are non-Christian because they do not fit a certain theology. After reading this, I found a greater leading to emphasize that we are a part of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. To let people know that we are definitely Christians.

Finally, I don't want to allow the loudest and most exclusionary of Americans a monopoly on the name Christian. Bigots such as Pat Robertson, who hates pretty much all Americans, and would deny even my right to be considered a Christian. Political partisans like Jerry Falwell, who destroyed the good name of Evangelicalism by marrying it with Republican politics. Con Artists such as Jim and Tammy Faye Baker or Robert Tilton. Hypocrites such as Ted Haggard, George Alan Rekers, and Paul Crouch (who make it a truism that if you are loudly anti-LBGTQ, you are hiding something). None of these people deserve to define what a Christian is. I get to remind people that the Christian Left is just as much Christian as they are. (Personally, I feel more so, but that is my own bias showing.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Why I Decided to Deactivate Comments on My Blog.

I love to engage in discussion. I may be too strongly passionate about expressing my opinion. However, I also want everyone to have a place at the table. Even if I not only disagree but think that they are completely and totally wrong. So, I am very hesitant to limit opportunity for someone's voice to be heard. On the other hand, I do not owe anyone a debate.

Unfortunately, after my last blog was posted. I found a comment that while it may have been truly well intentioned and not meant to spur argument. Was constructed in such a was as to be unanswerable without starting an argument. It contained multiple questions, and a clause setting me up as a Strawman. Even just a few years ago I would have gone in with phasers set to kill. However that is not who I am trying to be.

At this time I am trying very hard to live by the principles of Quakerism. The reference that I use is Faith and Practice of the New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (with a name like that it's no wonder we go by Quakers or Friends). There are several sections in the Advices and Queries in Faith and Practice that I consulted when I was considering my dilemma of what to do about this problematic comment.

From the Advices.

#3 Friends are advised to be mindful of their conduct and conversation and to observe the testimonies of simplicity and moderation.

Engaging in an online argument would be filling my life with unnecessary anger. Thereby complicating it. So it does not fit with that aspect of Quakerism.

#10 Friends are advised to observe integrity in their living and to inspect frequently the state of their temporal affairs. In their dealings with everyone they should endeavor to maintain a truly Christian character, ever bearing in mind the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

I want to set an example of the best way to be a good person. A True Christian if you will (more on that in a future post). Jesus himself told us to turn away from unnecessary conflict (Matthew 5:38&39).

#15 All are especially cautioned against any harshness of tone or manner when administering counsel or reproof, either privately or in meetings. Friends should speak truth with love, remembering that if they would do God’s work, they must abide in God’s love. Even a seeming harshness may check the beginnings of true repentance, and a lack of sympathy may cause harm where only good was intended.

As I said before, I welcome debate. Unfortunately this comment was impossible to address without engaging in an argument. I want the person who posted it to know that I have nothing but love for them, and I am sorry that I was not able to discuss their concerns peacefully. I felt that I had to delete the comment for the good of all.

From the Queries.

#4 Are love and unity fostered among us? If differences arise, do we endeavor to reconcile them in a spirit of love and truth? Are we careful not to manipulate and exploit one another? Do we avoid talebearing, and are we careful of the reputation of others? 

While one poor comment does not deserve as long of an answer as I have supplied. I felt called to express how my action of deactivating comments was done out of love, strength, and holding to my principles as a Friend. Not cowardice and a lack of conviction. Also, I have called no one out specifically, and I deleted the problematic comment so no one may see it and attack the poster.

#7 Do our vocations provide constructive and beneficial service? Do we observe integrity in our business transactions? Do we avoid involving ourselves beyond our ability to manage? Are we careful to conduct our affairs punctually, justly, and honorably? Do we avoid participation in lotteries, betting, and gambling?

Writing this blog is a Vocation for me. I feel I am called to share the insights of my Faith and life experiences. I do not have the time or ability to engage in extensive moderation. Which is unfair to those who might post with pure intentions, and could be driven out by those whose intentions are questionable. Since Facebook is my primary method of sharing my blog, and Facebook has an active Moderating Team and more powerful tools to address negativity. It is irresponsible of me to try to moderate here.

#14 Do we make ourselves available in a tender and caring way when we sense a need for assistance in time of trouble? Do we trust each other enough to make our needs known to someone in our meeting?

 As I mentioned previously, I primarily share this blog through Facebook. Anyone who wishes to share their thoughts, troubles, or insights may do so through the posts where I share the links to my most recent Blog.

So in conclusion. I decided that I could not personally provide moderation of this Blog while maintaining myself as a Quaker. I bring attention to this blog through the outside source of Facebook. So, I deactivated comments in order to make use of Facebook's already existing moderation instead. Without limiting discussion.

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Your Hand in Front of Your Face.

There are hundreds of articles and blogs about why Americans are increasingly not attending church. In my experience, the vast majority of these articles discuss common things so many American churches do to drive people away. Tending to focus on what the more legalistic, doctrinaire, or reactionary denominations do to alienate people. While this conversation is important. It does not answer the question of why church attendance has fallen universally. Including in the most inclusive denominations. Overall, there is an aging of the church populace. With a greater and greater percentage of the younger age cohorts becoming either "Nones" (unaffiliated with any church, but not anti-church) and "Dones" (unaffiliated and anti-church).

 You can find dozens if not hundreds of articles explaining the "Dones" (including the one I linked above). So we are going to concentrate a little bit more on the "Nones." Those who don't have any innate resentment towards church, and even may have interest in religion. Personally, I believe that there is a fairly simple explanation as to why the percentage of "Nones" is growing.

From the very beginning of Christianity the majority of the churchgoing population has been made up of the lower classes. Jesus himself was a construction worker. His disciples were fishermen, thieves, street preachers, and tax collectors. Yeshua of Nazareth spent most of his time preaching to the truly needy. Those that even to this day are considered the scum of society. For several hundred years after his crucifixion Christianity was a movement of the poor.

Heck, to digress a little, that's even the simple explanation as to why the first book of the new testament wasn't written until 80 years after Yeshu left this earth. The early Christians were mostly illiterate and held the message of Yeshua in an oral history form until then.

Getting back to the modern America. Right now America is experiencing the worst period of income inequality since the Gilded Age. More Americans are unemployed, underemployed, or worse than ever before. A recent UN Investigation found levels of poverty in America not seen outside of the Third World. Why is it, when Christianity in all forms has been refuge to the poor and destitute from the very beginning, is church attendance declining?

The simplest explanation can be found on this map. The largest employer in the United States is the Walmart Corporation. With other retail companies taking a larger percentage of the jobs in America than ever before.  Now, those who have never worked retail will be unfamiliar with this. However, retail companies at the corporate level are extremely hostile towards anything less than full availability, no matter what they intend on scheduling you. You must agree to a "Flexible" schedule where they can work you any time of the day or night. With your hours changing from week to week, sometimes from day to day. Setting aside one day of the week, especially a weekend day (weekend hours are the busiest of the week in retail) will get you one of three things. Either passed over for hiring in the first place, subject to abusive scheduling, or even just the workplace becoming hostile because you are receiving "special treatment." All of which is illegal, but legality is a small matter to most American Companies.

This means that while individuals may actually want the community, support, and other benefits of church attendance. The fight for those things is not worth the extreme difficulty. Singing along with a hymn does not pay rent. Sitting in Silent Worship revitalizes your soul and connection to the Light. However, it does not lessen the burden of needing to eat.

The question we must ask ourselves as people of faith is what can we do in order to bring these poor (literally) people back to church. From my perspective as a Hicksite Friend the answer is simple, to turn to the Quaker tradition of activism. To join things like the Poor People's Campaign and work for the betterment of all Americans. Working towards a nationwide Living Wage indexed towards inflation. Decreasing the power of abusive employers by adopting Universal Healthcare and Guaranteed Basic Income programs. Restoring the power of Unions and other collective bargaining arrangements.

In short. Follow the instructions of Jesus to take care of the least among us.