I had lunch with an old friend whom I respect.  He told me that he had come to the conclusion that religion was a very destructive thing.  That was months ago, and I have often pondered that disturbing thought from someone who is intelligent and socially committed.

Last Sunday, the second Sunday in epiphany, I read Isaiah 62:1-12 and Corinthians, 12^th chapter and finally in John, the wedding at Cana.  Startled by God “vindication” of Jerusalem I think that Muslims, Jews, Christians – all could approach this scripture claiming Jerusalem as theirs, looking one day to be “vindicated.”  Then I read in Corinthians that we are all baptized into one body, but of course Paul speaks of our being “baptized” into Christ’s body.

Religion does divide us.  Can we just step sideways a little bit and look at the scriptures as uniting rather than dividing?   Is that possible?  Universal vindication?  The vindication of peace? All of us struggling and seeking and suffering and dying, and hoping and living, and rejoicing – all justified, made right, ontologically okay?  Is it possible that we are one body – all – Jesus Way, Koran Way, Buddhist Way, Taoist Way.  One.

Paul follows chapter 12, of course, with 13, the triumph of love.  Jesus, at the urging of his wise mother, changes the water into wine.  There is enough for everyone.  A grand universal wedding; a body of humanity, a healing of the earth, one great festival.  It is, after all, still the season of epiphany, and God continues to reveal Godself in all manner of ways. But it has to be for everyone.  Then reconstruction will begin, in Philadelphia, in Chester, in Baghdad.  Guns will be beaten into plow shares.  It is possible.

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” –Jimi Hendrix

Groove with that!

Peace and love–Jeff

This week we very quickly mobilized about 50 people on Penn’s campus to say “No” to additional troops in Iraq. We took our photo on the lawn by the mock tombstones and then went to eat our lunch. It is now on the website and we feel we have done our part by joining 1000 other groups who did the same thing. But what about the gun violence in our own streets? I think gathering for a photo is hardly going to address the problem of gangs, reduce the impact of the drug culture on crime, or save the babies who are simply in the way of the bullets of the assault weapons! I think that the former is a way we tell our congress to do what we want. But in the matter of violence, no one can really do that for us. It is our city. These are our streets how shall we take them back? How can we make this city safe for everyone? Where do we start? Or is the issue that we simply do something and it doesn’t matter what? Last sunday in worship we prayed a lot about those whose lives have been touched by violence. But what good is praying if we don’t do something to back it up ourselves? And just what would that be? The churches in the poorer neighborhoods are busy holding the hands of those who are suffering. They are the first line of defense in their caring for the victims’ families. What about the rest of us? We clearly are not doing our part because it shows no sign of stopping? Where would Jesus be? What to do? What to do?

On every mock tombstone is the phrase “in loving memory” followed by the name of a child, his/her age at death and the reason for their death, tank attack or battle. There are 500 in all each one representing 1,000 deaths in the war on Iraq. What is stunning however is that the faculty member from Penn Faculty and Staff Against the War on Iraq, Felicity Paxton, went to great pains to explain to the Daily Pennsylvanian that no Penn funds, tuition or otherwise, went into this project. This is because one student was ready to create a ruckus if any of his tuition dollars supported the Penn Teach-in Against the War. So since when did it become a liability for a University to be political? Isn’t academe supposed to challenge our cherished ideas of the status quo? As educated people aren’t we supposed to learn to think critically on campus and  embrace those who do (whichever side of the political fence they are on.) And since when did war become a partisan issue? Why can’t all of us agree that killing is wrong or at least the option of last resort and not to be justified but to be grieved? (Perhaps defensible for some people but then we should have the debate about it, not quell dissent with our dollars or threats of lawsuits because we disagree!)

I’m turning over in my head Jesus’s saying that he came not to bring peace but a sword (Matthew 10:34). I’m thinking it has something to say to me about learning how to take a stand–perhaps even how to face evil. We left-of-center Christians are often about peace. What does this saying have to teach us (without explaining it away intellectually)? I figured this crew might have some ideas.