Life and death of a prophet: Nelson Mandela

During an adult study at church this past Sunday we discussed prophets.  These are people who are called by God to speak a word of truth and justice.  Some may be reluctant, such as Moses. Most may be wildly unpopular by those in power.  Jesus and John the Baptist met painful deaths because of their messages and unwillingness to soft peddle the truth. Speaking truth to power is dangerous.

Today a modern day prophet is being laid to rest, Nelson Mandela.  His message of justice brought him 27 years in prison, though he later became South Africa's president. As we were reminded by another modern day prophet, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."  So it is fitting that at least 91heads of state government were present for Nelson Mandela's public memorial service.

President Obama's address to the crowd included the following remarks... “It is hard to eulogize any man — to capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential truth of a person — their private joys and sorrows; the quiet moments and unique qualities that illuminate someone’s soul,” Mr. Obama said. “How much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process moved billions around the world.”....
“It took a man like Madiba to free not just the prisoner, but the jailer as well; to show that you must trust others so that they may trust you; to teach that reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past, but a means of confronting it with inclusion, generosity and truth. He changed laws, but also hearts.”

Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela.  

Defending government funding of food support programs

Garden cabbage

“Justice comes before charity… Everyone has a right to eat, and therefore there is a governmental responsibility to ensure everyone’s capacity to eat. Love and care makes a difference, but the issues are so big there isn’t sufficient charitable dollars there.” - Sister Simone Campbell

To read further, or watch a video of Sister Simone Campbell's defense of government support programs to feed those in need, check out "Sister Simone Defends the Safety Net" c/o Moyers and Company.

Government funding of faith-based nonprofits

It was interesting to read about how Hennepin County tax dollars are being spent.  Listed among many  organizations in the county's 2011 financial statement recipients in the Public Aid category were: 

Catholic Charities: $293,526

Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, $150,264

Jewish Family and Children’s Services, $587,608

Lutheran Social Services, $566,912

Many faith-based organizations, such as these, rely heavily on county, state and federal tax dollars to provide services.  So, when it is suggested that the government slash funding for social services, and allow churches, temples, mosques and faith based organizations to pick up the slack, it would dramatically reduce services provided by many faith-based nonprofits serving those in need. 

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has a strong expectation of its members to give 10 percent to the church, some of which is targeted to help out Mormans in need. This level of giving is not nearly as great among most other religious groups.  Even though individual giving to places of worship may be high, they commonly prioritize their own financial needs (church mortage, pastor, music, lights, heat…) before feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, or caring for orphans, the mentally/physically ill, children and the elderly. Knowing that churches and faith-based groups can't do it alone, we developed a social contract in this country that includes paying taxes to care for those most in need.

An article “How Romney/Ryan would undermine churches and faith-based charities" elaborates how unrealistic it would be for the faith community to adequately respond to proposed government cuts.  There is simply no way on God's green earth that faith-based organizations and places of worship could  or would fill the void left by taking away tax supported medicare, medicaid, food stamps, and social security. If we remove the safety net there will be millions of people falling through, with little if anything to support them.

Some of us were born with strong family connections, bright minds, good looks, physical and mental health, the right color and gender, enjoyed nutritional meals, were competitive, lived in safe neighborhoods, attended the right schools, and made good investments. Others were far less fortunate. Some call taxes to support those less fortunate a "redistribution of wealth", for others it is simply a just and compassionate response.

Class warfare coming from a dirty animal stall?

Barn along Lake Superior,
just outside of Bayfield, Wisconsin

Christian theologian and justice advocate, Jim Wallis, turned FOX new's "war on Christmas" upside down in his God's Politics blog.  Following is an abbreviated version of Jim's posting "The Real War on Christmas... by Fox News."
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Fox News’ “war” is designed to criticize the “secularization” of our culture wrought by atheists, agnostics, liberals, leftists, progressives, and separation of church and state zealots— i.e. Democrats. 
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What is Christmas? It is the celebration of the Incarnation, God’s becoming flesh — human — and entering into history in the form of a vulnerable baby born to a poor, teenage mother in a dirty animal stall. Simply amazing. That Mary was homeless at the time, a member of a people oppressed by the imperial power of an occupied country whose local political leader, Herod, was so threatened by the baby’s birth that he killed countless children in a vain attempt to destroy the Christ child, all adds compelling historical and political context to the Advent season.

The theological claim that sets Christianity apart from any other faith tradition is the Incarnation. God has come into the world to save us. God became like us to bring us back to God and show us what it means to be truly human.

That is the meaning of the Incarnation. That is the reason for the season.
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The real Christmas lifts up the Virgin Mary’s song of praise for her baby boy: “He has brought the mighty down from their thrones, and lifted the lowly, he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich empty away.”

The Fox News Christmas would label Mary’s Magnificat as “class warfare.”

So if there is a war on Christmas it's the one being waged by Fox News.