The end of the year makes me cringe. No, it's not because of regret or fear of the upcoming year. Rather, I cannot seem to escape the horrendously produced "Year in Review" programs. There must be one for every genre of news, entertainment, food, etc. I can only imagine how horrendous it might be if the Catholic Church did one, or other Church groups attempted the same. The level of horrible work would surely continue.
Yet, this year I wonder if we are starting a new decade. The year 2000 ended the 20th Century, right? So, the decade did not begin until 2001, right? If it did not begin in 2001 we're a year behind the new decade. I only ask this question because decades seem to be wonderful chapter markers for our societal narrative. Everyone knows what the 1920's were, or the 1960's accomplished (and thus didn't accomplish).
Christmas Day has passed. Now, people return to the stores from whence their gifts were bought, and make certain they get the "right" "thing." Adults and children alike were bummed and excited to find their gifts on Christmas Day. Fact is, we suffer now from a "hangover" that is neither curable nor quick – something we must suffer.
- I just finished a 9 hour drive.
- I listened to the news.
- I'm watching, as I type, news of 2 Chicago Firefighters that have died in a roof collapse.
- The Senate passed the 9/11 First Responders Bill.
- The Senate Ratified the new START Treaty.
- Homeless Families Increase in America by 9% in the past year.
- It's raining, a ton, in SoCal.
- South Korea is flexing its military muscles, chanting inside, "I want to be like Uncle Sam." (Let them dream).
 Mark from The God Article and Zac from Crazy Liberals and Conservatives are back with a discussion of Consumerism and Christmas, the Political Atmosphere in 2010, and a challenge to see God's Divine Gift everyday.
 Oh sure, everyone is all distracted by the ongoing, and at this rate never-ending, War on Farts that is raging in distant parts of the world to make sure that a condition that could rise up anywhere on Earth, at any time and among any people, will never happen again. Nobody stops to ask how that might ever actually be accomplished, but I suppose it’s the nobility of the effort that makes the endless loss of life worthwhile.
But meanwhile, on the home front, another dastardly assault is under way, which somehow has been going on for nearly two centuries, under our very noses, and we only recently came to recognize it! Never mind how we could miss something so obvious, unless we’re making up an entire imaginary conflict! But of course it’s not imaginary! This is--
THE WAR ON CHRISTMAS!
 Westboro Baptist plans to picket and protest Elizabeth Edwards' funeral. Yes. You read that correctly, and you can read about it here. People are outraged, regardless of faith, or belief, or political stance. Hate and ignorance speaks across the boundaries we create to invigorate our deeper sensibilities. Now, I could launch into a diatribe about the nature of hate and love, the universal understanding of what's hateful and what's loving. But, I don't have the energy to do so. I'm a Christian. I'm a Baptist. Westboro purportedly shares these characteristics with me. Yet, I can't find one thread of commonality between them and me. I can't find out where our beliefs overlap. I struggle to verbalize my disdain, my anger, their theft of my identity. Their claim to truth makes humanity shudder and God quake with anger, I guess (at least I hope).I'd like to think that Westboro is the modern-day "Cain", jealous of humanity, ashamed of their lives. I'd like to think that Westboro could find a place of redemption.I'd like to think that angels will one day picket Fred Phelps funeral one day.I'd like to think that God will one day judge them for their injuries caused to humanity's body. I'd like to tell them to go to hell. But, I'm afraid they're already there. I'm afraid they can't find any rest for their soul. I'm afraid they simply want to distort the lives of others, to degrade the mourning of good people. There's no reasoning with Westboro, no making sense of their ignorance. Any attempt only backfires. If we want to speak out against them, we must live into realities that make this remarkable "show of the worst of humanity" impossible. Not because we legislate it. Not because we issue an executive order. But because we have recognized our common humanity, and common humanity declares respect. I could argue against Westboro on theological, philosophical, humanist terms. Yet, I'm not concerned with them. This story isn't about them, it's about Elizabeth Edwards – her life, the good she did, and the hope she inspired. As the old saying goes, "When Westboro shows up to picket your funeral, you must be doing something right." Amen.Amen.Amen.
 Our society has these so called "religious wars" fought by people want to put "God back in America." Yes, these are the same folks that sing "God Bless America (and nowhere else)". I suppose I wouldn't mind, at least not as much, if these same folks weren't running for political office. These same folks have little to no understanding of the history of religious freedom in America. I know this because if they did they wouldn't be fighting to put "God back in America."
Though, as someone theologically educated and ordained, I do wonder where God went. I've asked this question time and time again, but I've never been able to find out. Perhaps God went off into the next Galaxy to chill out, or play hopscotch. Theology aside, religion and politics are simply too cozy these days. But, I digress.
I could expound upon Roger Williams and his fight for religious liberty, or the Pilgrims fight for religious liberty, or that many Baptists throughout history have fought and continue to fight for religious liberty. I could write about how Religious Liberty within the Constitution is a remarkable right, and that many who want to squelch religious liberty are indebted to Religious Liberty.
Time and time again we find ourselves bickering about religion, or using God as an excuse to make offensive and ignorant remarks. Getting rid of religion simply isn't going to happen anytime soon, and I don't think it has to happen. Simply seems to me that people of faith would have more respect for their God than to use it/him/her as a pawn in the political chess game. Maybe I'm wrong. Seems to me that those caring so much about America would respect the Constitution, let alone America's citizens.
Life is complicated. This grand experiment we call democracy is complicated. It takes more than trite statements about God or catchy slogans to make it work. Democracy requires listening, not yelling. Democracy requires us to see that we are many things, not just a static identities.
At the end of the day all of us in this grand experiment posses different views, different thoughts, and different lives. Yet, we share a common humanity. If people want to put God back in America they should stop legislating the Bible, and start living love. Go ahead, try to put the 10 Commandments in the statehouse or courthouse, but people have duped themselves into thinking Divine Law can be contained within 10 Commandments. They have duped themselves into thinking that forcing the issue of the 10 commandments will affect change. People [specifically the far-right] have become obsessed with legislating morality because they have forgotten a call to love.
They should probably try to live the 10 Commandments rather than display them. If they want to quote, "Thou Shall Not Kill," if they must speak for Divine Vengeance, execute the systems of oppression that are fertile ground for supplying death-row cell blocks. If they want to honor their fathers and mothers, they must engage the ancestral bastion of racial segregation we call, “Sunday Morning.” If they want to preach, “Thou shall not covet,” they must preach against the materialism that consumes voraciously and cyclically intoxicates our communities. If they want God back in America, they should probably look into the mirror.
As long as religion is used as a tool to manipulate and divide, as a wedge, as long as religion ignores love, I thank God for a Godless Society.
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