Several years ago I stopped giving up something for Lent. I value the spiritual discipline of fasting and respect those who practice it, but prefer to take up a spiritual practice during our forty day preparation for the season of Easter. To "take up" something, I focus on an area of my life and faith in which I want to follow God more faithfully.
This year, however, I may need to give up something. I may need to give up rage. My dictionary defines rage as "violent and uncontrolled anger." I have not resorted to violence lately, but I have had thoughts and feelings that, if expressed publically, would contribute nothing to the common good. I need to give up those thoughts and feelings and ask God to help me to channel my energies more productively.
I need to give up my rage at Roman Catholic bishops for what I deem hiding behind a cloak of defending First Amendment rights to impose their archaic opposition to birth control on our society. I willingly participated in a form of birth control for a significant portion of my adult life and do not consider that remotely sinful. The bishops have a right to their opinion, but they have no right to force that opinion on those outside their community. So I'll ask God to help me to listen respectfully and express myself passionately, but with an eye toward the common good.
I need to give up my rage at news media for referring to the Roman Catholic Church as "the church." A number of faithful religious bodies comprise "the church." When I rant as yet another ill-informed or ignorant newsperson incorrectly calls one church "the church," I accomplish nothing. So I'll ask God to help me to write a letter or email explaining the situation, hoping that when enough of us do that the pundits will choose more correct words.
I need to give up my rage at our Supreme Court for changing the rules to allow essentially anonymous contributions to political action committees that spew negative advertisements into our airways. Our political process needs no help oozing with sleaze, but wailing and wearing sack cloth will accomplish nothing. So I'll ask God to help me channel my energy into turning off the offensive ads and to contacting elected officials with my complaint.
I need to give up my rage at people who unabashedly offer as truth words and figures they know to be untrue. I learned that technique in debating, but it does nothing to help the uninformed. Perhaps shouting, "That's a lie" offers little help, so I'll ask God to help me to ask, "On what do you base that claim?" or "Where can I verify those figures?" Uncivil discourse keeps us in a negative spiral. We need models of civility to guide us toward the common good.
Expressed appropriately, anger communicates intense thoughts and feelings. Rage simply gets in the way and begets additional unhelpful responses. So I'll try to give up rage for Lent. God may use that space to help me to become a better listener. Perhaps I'll even hear the good news more clearly just in time for the season of Easter!
Grace and Peace,
LP
I am compelled to comment on your recent Beacon Lite. The thought occurs to me that if you feel rage toward the Roman Catholic bishops, then it's probable that you feel similarly toward members of your own congregation who agree that the proposition of government madating an action contrary to the precepts of an organized religion, raises serious constitutional concerns.
ReplyDeleteI find it baffling, if not actually counterproductive, that a Presbyterian minister would find it incumbent upon his position to assail the beliefs of another Christian denomination.
This is not the first occasion in which a Beacon Lite was comprised in no small part of your ire toward Catholics. In 2009 you expressed your feelings toward the display of crosses at Guardian Angels. I will leave you with the closing paragraph of my response to you at that time: "It is apparent to me that in this age of the easily offended, and the victim classes, that Christians are among the last groups who can be openly maligned. The subset of Catholics, more than any other, has been been the subject of open media ridicule for quite some time. One of my first thoughts upon reading your piece, was the question of whether or not you would be so open in your criticism if the institution across the street were a Mosque, Synagogue, or predominantly African-American Christian denomination."
Dave G.
LP,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you posted this article as I have also felt rage and frustration at the apparent attempt of the Catholic bishops to hold women hostage to presumably buy themselves a position as the de facto state religion. Where are the moderate religious leaders and why are they not speaking up about this outrageous attack on our religious liberty? How can moderate voices sit back and seemingly acquiesce to the ridiculous distortion of the teachings of Jesus? Why are only religious extremists given a microphone? I sense a rather unholy alliance between the Bishops and Republicans with money at its core and I am outraged that it is being taken seriously as a "religious liberty" issue to be used as a political tool which will harm women's health, increase the overall cost of health care, and increase the number of abortions.
Political corruption affects us all. We elect politicians and political parties expecting them to act in the public interest. By electing them we give them access to public resources and the power to take decisions that impact on our lives. Given this privileged position, immense damage can be inflicted by politicians or parties acting out of greed, or in the service of those who bankroll their ascent to power. It is not surprising that people the world over are upset with their political leaders (TI)
ReplyDeleteLP, I don't know that the Beacon Lite is the place for you to express your political views on abortion, the Republican Party, et. al., and mask these views as a way of "taking up" something for Lent. Perhaps you should ask God to help you to focus on the growth of our Church and it's 100th Anniversary and spend your energies in these efforts rather than in efforts to try and change the viewpoints of those of us who feel as strongly as you politically, but in the complete opposite direction.
ReplyDeleteLP, I am in total agreement with the well stated remarks from Dave G and Mark Bell. I believe it to be completely inappropriate for you to express your political views (and not for the first time) in the Beacon Lite. I depend on my church for spiritual guidance, NOT your political opinions.
ReplyDeleteDebbie H
We are Protestants for a reason, because centuries ago courageous religious leaders protested the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Protests are appropriate today, just as they were in years past. We have to stand up for what we believe in, not concede "religion" to those pushing our government to rule based on religious doctrines with which we do not agree. Everyone is entitled to worship as they choose, but not to force their beliefs on the rest of our country.
ReplyDelete