Is naivete a virtue?

Edith M. Humphrey, professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, says there’s a difference between childlike naivete/wonder, and trust in the providence of a supreme being that’s going to take care of you.

Read this and tell me what you think. I feel very strongly that naivete should be avoided/embraced. Help a sister out here.

Isaiah, the Prince of Protest

During the last presidential election, the Rev. Howard Bess became the unwilling focus of international press attention. His book, “Pastor, I Am Gay,” was targeted by the Wasilla, Alaska, city council in the 1990s for removal from the local library. Future Gov. and future Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin was a member of that council.

The book was written as a training guide for clergy dealing with gays and lesbians, and I was among the media chum that invaded the now-retired Reverend’s world and he was the soul of graciousness. I’ve stayed on his e-mail list, and he recently sent the following (it’s long but worth it):

ISAIAH, THE PRINCE OF PROTEST

In late June of 2009, the streets of Tehran filled with protesters.  In 1989 protesters filled Tiamamen Square, the largest public square in the world.  Massive protests played a key role in bringing the Viet Nam war to an end.  In the 1950’s and 1960’s the American South constantly vibrated with the massive protest marches and gatherings in the pursuit of equality for Americans of color.  

In the early 20^th century in order to gain decent wages, working conditions, and benefits American workers organized protest gatherings and marches.  In recent years, American gays have relied heavily on public protests and marches in their pursuit of equal rights.

 The stories and teachings of Jesus were disruptive to the power brokers of his day.  The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and his actions at the Temple were acts of protest.

Protest plays an important role in the shaping of history.   All protesters follow in the legacy of Isaiah of Jerusalem, who lived in the 8^th century B.C.E.  I consider Isaiah the fountainhead of righteous protest.  The book of Isaiah in the Old Testament writings is a report of his heritage.

The story of Isaiah begins in the 6^th chapter of the Isaiah writings with an account of his experience with God while worshipping in the Jerusalem Temple.  The Judean kingdom was corrupt and headed for extinction.  The nation’s leaders had abandoned their unfettered devotion to God.  Isaiah was given the task of protesting and demanding change.  It was also his task to depict the abundant life that results from complete devotion to God.  These messages became his life-long calling.

Most Christians have an inaccurate understanding of the role of a prophet.  A prophet is not someone who forecasts the future!  A prophet in the Bible tradition is a speaker of truth, and is typically involved in protesting the behavior of leaders.  Isaiah of Jerusalem is the first and, I believe, the greatest of all the Old Testament prophets.

Isaiah was not an organizer of mass protests and public marches.  Rather he was a poet.  He lived in Jerusalem, the home of kings and priests.  Reading and reciting his  poetry in public was his vehicle of truth telling and protest.  A typical warning is found in chapter 31.

            Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses;

            Who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are strong.

            Look to the Holy One of Israel and consult with Yahweh!

If leaders changed their ways, a new day was the promise of the prophet. A typical promise of a new day given by a gracious God is found in chapter 11.

            The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.

            The calf and the lion and the fatling will be together and a child will lead them.

            The cow and the bear will feed together and their young will lie down together.

            No one will hurt or destroy among my holy people.

These two passages reflect the essence of Isaiah’s message.  While he was hard on the rulers and leaders of Israel, he faithfully held out the hope of harmony, integrity, peace, wholeness, and justice shaped by a relationship with the creator God.

Isaiah left a legacy.  Isaiah had his followers and disciples who perpetuated his ministry of protest and promise.  Major portions of the material that are found in the book of Isaiah were written by at least three other distinct poet/writers.  The second Isaiah wrote in the 6^th century B.C.E.  The third Isaiah wrote a hundred years later, and the fourth Isaiah wrote yet another hundred years later.  While each of the writers added their own touch to the message of Isaiah, the basic Isaiah message did not change.  Be faithful to God and the fulfilled life will follow.

The second Isaiah is especially interesting because of the unique addition that he added to the Isaiah message.  The second Isaiah was a part of the captive band carried into slavery in Babylon.  The second Isaiah speculated about the role of a people of God who had lost power and were mired in slavery.  In four different passages he concludes that greatness is not to be found in power and might but in being a servant of God and man.

To understand the mission and message of Jesus from Nazareth, one must recognize that Jesus completely embraced the Isaiah tradition.  As reported in the Luke gospel, Jesus initiated his public ministry of teaching and social activism by reading a passage from Isaiah.

When Jesus was asked about the greatest of commandments, he answered “You shall love the Lord your God with heart, mind and soul.”  He added that the second great command was “Love your neighbor.”  Later he admonished his listeners “If anyone one of you want to be great, let that person be a servant of all.”  In everything Jesus did, he reminded people that the legacy of Isaiah was alive and well.

When nation, group, or person is so foolish as to seek the good life through wealth and/or power, the heritage of Isaiah protests and points us to a better way.

The Rev. Howard Bess is an American Baptist minister, who lives in retirement in Palmer, Alaska.  His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.

I can’t stop blogging about Mark Sanford

But I will try, I promise.

Before I do, though, here’s our question for the evening:

South Carolina Gov. Sanford confessed to being unfaithful to his wife last week in a rambling, cringe-worthy press conference, and today, he told the Associated Press that he has “crossed lines” with other women.

In 1976, Jimmy Carter told Playboy magazine:

Because I’m just human and I’m tempted and Christ set some almost impossible standards for us. The Bible says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Christ said, I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery. I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.

And every one but fundamentalist Christians and certain breeds of Baptists giggled at him.

But what does it mean, to ”cross lines?” Or to “have lust in your heart.” And this isn’t just for fundamentalists. I’m interested in everyone’s perspective. If you’re in a committed relationship (married or not), what counts as straying?

And keep it clean, heathens!

Another glass ceiling shattered

Worm charming world record smashed by girl, 10

You’re welcome.

Happy National Sovereignty Day

Feel free to host a celebration along with the Iraqis, who are commemorating the withdrawal of American troops from all major Iraqi cities.

(There are still some 120,000 troops in Iraq, just not in the cities.)

And yes. The war’s end is just as confusing as was its beginning.

Right in my own backyard…

…the Supreme Court ruled in Ricci v. DeStefano that the city of New Haven acted improperly by throwing out the results of a fire department test where only white firefighters scored high enough to be considered for promotion.

The case stems from tests regularly administered by the city fire department. The exams were written by an Illinois company whose representatives studied the city and, in the words of the court’s opinion, “oversampled minority firefighters” to make sure the test didn’t give an unfair advantage to non-minority firefighters.

This is a case that will be discussed for years to come, I think, and I’d have to see more information on the creation of the test in order to be comfortable with the court’s decision.

But here’s my question: The photo above is of the “New Haven 20,” the men who’d been denied promotions after the city threw out the 2003 test results. They’ve celebrating. I get that.

But discrimination still exists. Why are they smiling?

Here’s more on the case.

And here’s the text of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Dear sinners

Does it matter that South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has admitted to more naughtiness than he previously admitted to?

Or is it a sin is a sin is a sin?

I promise I’m not keeping track or anything. I just wondered.

When the gods die

Our celebrity gods, that is.

And here’s more from Anthea Butler. I’m pretty sure I like her writing.

A coup isn’t so far off when you’ve been to the country

A few years ago, my son and I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in La Ceiba, Honduras. Lest you think me all holy and stuff, I’d offered him a trip for his college graduation gift, and he picked this one.

We worked on different sites (he was in the city, and I was in the rain forest), and we both made friends. My Spanish is spotty — and that’s not someting I’m proud of — but I tried. If nothing else, I was highly entertaining.

With the recent Honduran coup and its fallout, I am thinking about Deysi Lamburt and a little neighbor kid named Michael, whom I renamed El Jefe because he liked to stomp around the site and act like the boss. We were building houses for Deysi and her sister, and Michael was among the neighbor kids who gathered every day to watch us, to wait for our breaks so we would play soccer with them, to share our lunches and to laugh at our (bad) jokes. 

While working with rebar in the hot sun, I practiced my Spanish with Deysi, while she practiced her English with me. El Jefe was a hoot, a dark-eyed, pipe-cleaner-legged boy with a mouthful of teeth and a fistful of attitude. When we left, he dressed up in church clothes to say goodbye, and I cried because he tried so hard to be sweet that day, all dressed up to say goodbye to his new American friends.

Deysi’s babe-in-arms would be in school now, and El Jefe would be a teenager. I assume they’re far from the news events, but still. They’re my friends and I want them to be O.K. Yeah. Corny, I know. Naive, too. I can’t help myself.

Should community service be compulsory?

Pres. Obama’s schedule is relatively light today, but one thing on his agenda is asking corporations and philanthropists to fund community service programs.

This is not new, community service. Obama talked about it recently, while he and Michelle Obama loaded books and such into backpacks for children of the military. He equated volunteering with serving one’s country — like people in the military.

So here’s a question: Should community service be compulsory? Should (like military service in Israel) graduating high school seniors be required to give 18 months (I’m making this up, the time frame) to something akin to the Peace Corps, be it overseas or domestic?

Some high schools already make community service a requirement for graduation. Should we extend that notion into something nationwide? (And what would we do with the inevitable conscientitious objectors?)