On the Un-separating of Church & State
A stat, a dialogue, some quotes, a reflection, a tale.
IYDKNYK, the TechnoloMAGArchy sits atop of the world’s wealth heap, holding the title of the 0.0001% richest people in the world, at approximately $460B. (Source here.)
And, the TechnoloMAGArchy hath spoken.
Mr. President (before the nation): “We’re bringing religion back to America.”
Christian bishop (at a prayer breakfast, speaking directly to the President, on behalf of the vulnerable): “I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”
Mr. President (on his preferred platform): “The so-called Bishop … was a Radical Left hard line T**** hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job!”
“A sermon on humility and mercy seems a very appropriate pastoral word when delivered to a congregation full of people in positions of power.”
Stacey Hohbein
“It’s sad we live in a country so full of bibles but so empty of love… If Jesus stood with the marginalized and oppressed, then why do so many Christians stand with the powerful?”
Danté Stewart
What religion are you peddling Mr. President? What religion are you supposedly protecting?
And, which is it? Are we separating church and state? Or not? Is the first amendment aimed at keeping the church out of the state, or the state out of the church?
Come to think of it, Jesus of Nazareth had some words about religion, some words for the powerful; though, I don’t believe he cared much for religion. From what I understand, in his life, in his teaching, and in the witness of the early radicals who found solidarity with the outcast, oppressed, and foreigner, and gave allegiance to an alternative kingdom, I see scandalous mercy, service, humility, generosity, neighbor love, resistance to empire.
I hear the echoes of Jesus; his words quicken and harken my own attention, affections, and allegiance:
“Woe to you rich…woe to you white-washed tombs…I desire mercy, not sacrifice…Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy…Whatever you have done for the least of these, you've done it unto me...Let him who is without sin cast the first stone…You cannot serve two masters; you cannot serve God and Mammon…Do not store up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy…Love your neighbor as yourselves.”
And so, I must cheerfully refuse your religion, Mr. President, or any religion that you claim you are bringing back. We must refuse.
And what of an alternative to religion’s power or the power of the TechnoloMAGArchy? Refusal or choosing is ours.
An alternative is offered in the mercy, shalom, justice, and liberation of the way of the radical Refugee King who showed us the full extent of love and healing for all, even his enemies, as he surrendered his breath and blood on the empire’s lynching tree.
Am I without sin? No. Am I without a plank in my eye? No. I also know that it is our responsibility and freedom—as citizens of two realms, the U.S.A. and the communion of God’s realm of Love—to name and resist the false gods, treasures, and ideologies vying for our allegiance. That includes the religion of Mammon, empire, white supremacy, enemy-making.
I cheerfully refuse.
And finally a tale based on real events in history.
Once upon a time there lived three young men, their lives bound together in brotherly love, community, heritage, faith, destiny. The invading empire came and conquered. The men taken captive, enslaved, estranged from their homeland, cut off from their religious framework, placed under the empire’s exploitative dominion. The men were given slave names, the old names buried under the rubble of broken identity, community, tradition. The emperor, their new commander, issued an edict: “Babylon first! Give attention to me first! Come and worship my likeness or be slandered and libeled and burned in the emperor’s fury!” The three men cheerfully refused. With faith in their hearts, resistance in their feet, and hope on their lips, the thanked them with a lashing of mockery and cast them into the emperor’s fire. But wait. Hello? Who’s there? What hidden mystery, unscathed stands among them now? A fourth, in solidarity, love, and strength, one with a face like the gods. Religion they had not, these enslaved and exploited refusers, but some say their faith, hope, love, and courage exceeded all the emperor’s dominion when weighed on the scales that day.
May such mysterious and immeasurable gifts be yours and ours together,
Jonathan
To the Kingdom and the King!
Alright Jonathan! Good words.