Race Matters

There's a book by Cornell West by that same title. It's about racism and how it is still prevalent in our culture. It plays on the statement that people often say (particularly white people) "I don't see what the big deal is about the color of someone's skin-I consider myself color blind". Or something similar.

The book and I along with it though indicate that being color blind is not the solution to the complex problem of racism. Noting differences and learning about them as well as from them is a significant part of coming to terms with one's own racism. It is also a beginning for understanding some of the systems within our culture and our own thinking that promote racism.

For whites many of us believe that racism has ended-Obama's in the White House (you know there's something racist about it being called the white house right?) But just because the Civil Rights movement began in the sixties and got us integrated that it is enough and Obama won the presidency it doesn't mean we are in a "post racist" society. If you believe that then I invite you to reconsider.

Obama's election is definitely a stride towards progress. But just as we've come a long way, we've got a long way yet to go. It is amazing to have elected a mixed race person as President of the United States. However it is not by any means the end of racism.

It's the beginning of further struggle and growth. Whites in general (me included) often don't recognize the privilege we enjoy just by being white. Because we've owned nearly everything (by force and by oppression according to history) for so long-we begin to feel as though blacks or other minorities gaining "special" treatment through quotas, affirmative action, or any other form of program designed to help us along is an unfair practice.

Our worldview is skewed by the lack of awareness and honesty about how privileged we are and have been throughout the history of America. So much so that we may even get upset at the suggestion that more progress has to be made. One might here someone who is white say "Well they've got a black history month, they've got the White House, what else do they want?" Note the "they". What "they" want is what all of humanity wants-to be viewed as part of the "us" as well as valued for the differences we enjoy. Equal access, honest dialogue, and commitment to ongoing repentance of the sin of racism is a good start for all of us.

In fact the definition of racism incorporates the distribution of wealth. If whites own more corporations, more businesses, more companies hence more wealth overall then that puts us as a race in a position of power. Those who own have the power to oppress consciously or unconsciously. This context then offers me privilege not enjoyed by those not in power. That privilege and the structures that promote it are the definition of racism-one race having the ownership and power of wealth over other races.

So by virtue of being white-I am racist because of the power my race holds over other races. If you feel offended by that statement then it is an indication of the type of racism that I'm talking about that needs to change. We are often unable even to acknowledge the privilege we enjoy-even entertain the idea of that being white offers unequal access to goods, services, and power not enjoyed by others. So if we are unable even to THINK about the issue then there may be some place for us to grow and learn. God knows I need to keep learning and facing that within me that would remain silent and inactive in this struggle.

So I pray God gives us Grace to own up to our own racism and that we are able to take the insight we're given and use it to shape the future.

Grace to you and peace in this new year 2009.
Dwight

Down time

Tomorrow my sermon is about Sabbath.

Perhaps one of my more hypocritical sermons because one would hope that when a preacher delivers a message that it at least has a grounding in the faith practices of the one who is doing the preaching. In short I could be doing better at Sabbath observance.

I've learned more about Sabbath from the time I was leaving seminary to the present. I do remember some things about Sabbath when I was a child. I remember my parents complained that the pharmacy WASN'T open on Sundays because of the blue laws (for those under 38 that's when stores were required to close because Sunday was "The Lord's Day"-this of course assumes that all days aren't the Lord's and that Sunday itself was actually the true Sabbath).

Seventh Day Adventists have Saturday as the Sabbath, as does the Jewish Faith Tradition. We Christians observe Sunday as the Sabbath-sort of. I know preachers who wouldn't cut their grass on Sunday-not because they wanted to spend more time honoring God-but because it seemed more righteous to live by the letter of the law rather than the Spirit of the law "Remeber the Sabbath Day and Keep it holy." being one of the top ten commandments NOT written by a team of writers working for Letterman.

They also encouraged people not to shop on Sundays-because in so doing-they were supporting the sin of those having to work on the Sabbath.

Orthodox Judaism observes Sabbath from the sunset of Friday through the Sunset of Saturday evening-and they take it to heart-letter of the law not to do any work or activity that is not completely necessary (see Leviticus for a list of things you can do on the Sabbath like "get your ass out of a ditch"-meaning your wild beast not coloquial for your own hind quarters).

But what I've learned-or think I've learned is that Sabbath isn't a set day-it's actually a way of being. It is a state in which a person chooses consciously to disengage from all that is worry driven and laden with responsibility in order to contemplate sometimes the Holy, but sometimes just the belly button. Jesus said in response to those who criticized his disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath as breakers of the law and thus sinful people ignoring their relationship with God. Jesus tells the critics "The Sabbath was made for humanity, not humanity made for the Sabbath."

So resting, spending quiet time-not necessarily prayer and Bible reading-but that can be part of it-spending time just BE-ing. Not moving necessarily, maybe counting breaths, maybe just holding on tightly to your loved ones in a hug, or smelling the flowers in your back yard, inhaling the air intentionally from a breeze-it is in short an awareness that all is not centered on you-and that you in fact are part of something-a reality much bigger than yourself-and that the world and all the planets will go on spinning even if you decide to stop and do something to care for yourself.

So perhaps the definition of Sabbath I believe is: The act of caring for oneself as a response of gratitude for the grace and love God has shown us in an active or passive way of being-happening during a set period of time-at least twenty four hours in length and having at least some connection to the awareness that there is a God and it is not you. It may require being by oneself, and also can include those who nourish and build you up and require from you only that you be your authentic self.

So I hope for my sake-and the sake of all who read this-that I am able to observe Sabbath faithfully to honor God-and to honor the gift of who I am. It is in our honoring of our authentic selves that we bring glory to God for having created us in the way that God did.

Much grace to you and yours,
Dwight

Beginning to laugh

Proverbs tells the reader that "Laughter heals the bones". I believe that-I believe laughter heals a lot of things. I've got a story I'll have to look up and link to of a man who had cancer who went and rented all the Laurel and Hardy Videos and Three Stooges he could find along with the Marx Brothers etc. He was determined not only to remain joyful during his illness but also to try to get well. The story may be an urban legend-but as it ends he is healed from what was supposed to have killed him.

While I don't anticipate a faith healing ministry via this blog and the inevitably upsetting sarcasm, goofiness and absurdity it will contain-I trust that when you read it you will find fodder for your funny bones.

For me while the source of what makes me laugh is often far from holy or righteous-the result of laughter to me is close to the very heart of God-to have joy expressed in bodily form holds great value for me-and I consider it a ministry as well as an outlet for creativity. I hope too that it will be a source of joy for you to read.

While I am far from a Samuel Clemens-aka Mark Twain I ascribe to a straight shooting irreverent style of rhetoric and ridicule-I bet you're already impressed by my use of alliteration twice in only four paragraphs aren't you? Probably not.

I'm a clergy person who is 37 years old and who's been a pastor for ten years in the parish setting. My humor is sometimes obtuse, sometimes offensive, and always seeking to make you respond whether in a positive or a negative way. My faith is grounded in Christ-but often my topic of ridicule is the Christian faith and the ways in which not only I, but all of us fail to live up to our calling to love one another.

If you don't find anything to laugh about here-I want to encourage you to find something in your life that makes you laugh until your belly hurts, you cry, or your face hurts from so much smiling and guffawing.

Here's to loads of fun with one another.

Grace and peace to you and yours,

Pastor Dwight