Faithful Philly Forum

Under the lies/guise of protecting the culture of Islam against sexual inappropriateness, 133 women were murdered last year in Iraq. Although accusing them of being prostitutes and adulturers, the murderers are intent upon killing women with PhDs, that is professional women who oppose setting up an Islamic state. Petitions are online to try to persuade people in high places to do something. 

But this morning’s paper reported a 13 year old woman being hurt and harassed by a fellow student in her high school while another article was of a gang of girls who beat up and slashed and seriously injured two other girls whom they didn’t like, also in high school. Now one might ask what kinds of parents these young people have or what kind of perverted minds can justify murder and mutilation in the name of building a “religious” state. But it also seems  clear that when the news headlines indicate that violence (usually by men ) is an appropriate way to control those with whom we disagree or those we dislike, then our young simply take up the (war) cry and do the same. Surely it is the “sins of the fathers descending on the sons.” Yet another group of folks from various churches are meeting to talk about how to respond to this out-of-control violence that sweeps across the world and through our newspaper headlines. May we never be so complacent as to accept this as the way it has to be!

It was reported today that the Sunni residents in Azamiyah are resisting US efforts to build a 12 foot concrete wall around them to keep them safe from Shiite militants. (They are calling it “a big prison.”) Such a “defense” strategy echos the Bush regime’s plan for 400 miles of fence along the US/Mexico border to prevent “contamination” by job-seeking immigrants. And of course, it reflects the current concrete wall built through the heart of Jerusalem by Israel to “protect” the Jews from Palestinian terrorists. 

After the massacre last week in Blacksburg VA or in South Philly over the weekend(11 deaths this week), I suppose it is tempting to think about building walls to provide personal safety. In fact, I remember several years ago there was a suggestion to put a wall around UPenn to keep out the “bad elements” in West Philadelphia. Does anyone remember the Berlin Wall and how elated we were when it fell? Is there ever a success story in building walls? Where are the bridgebuilders when we need them?

One of the bright lights of social science in the past half century is also one of the most criticized. Phil Zimbardo conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment, where mentally and physically healthy college student were randomized to be guards or prisoners. Its common material in the ‘research ethics’ unit for Psych 101 or masters level research methods courses. I think he is a bright light because he has learned from his most notorious work what the rest of us need to learn–that we are inextricably shaped by our surroundings, and that while we are accountable for our individual behavior, that leaders are also to be held accountable for the environment in which individuals make behavior choices. Continue Reading »

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?

Edited and submitted by permission of the author pastor Adan Mairena by Beverly Dale 

Yesterday we met for Bible Study - a grand number of 5. As you know I’m starting a church for the Presbytery, and if you know about starting churches the beginning is the toughest. We read Luke 1 up through Mary’s Magnificat. It was actually a funny time. One woman said “What’s up with this angel just running around telling people they’re going to have babies.” 

Another woman said, “Wow, Zachariah the priest didn’t believe and Mary did.” 

We laughed and shared other good news (one woman’s cancer is not progressing, a neighborhood girl doing well in college). Then we talked about when we spontaneously sing out in praise when something wonderful happens to us. 

One woman said, “I don’t have a job but I have my health, I don’t have money but I have family.” 

On the way home I was notified that one of the neighbors of a Bible Study participant -”Rosali” was shot last night. (The names are changed.) Next thing I know I’m in this family’s living room. It’s about 10pm and the mother is giving us the blow by blow. Her 17 year old daughter, Dolores, stepped off the train in Kensington. Someone walked up and shot her boyfriend in the head. His knees buckled and he collapsed. He’s dead. Dolores was shot. A bullet went through one cheek and came out the other. Miraculously it didn’t go through her tongue although it took out lots of teeth. 

She ran and dialed 911 then called home. He brother said he could barely understand her. A cop put her in the back of the car and drove her to the hospital. She’s in ICU and has surgery today. Her mother is happy she’s alive but now worries that Dolores will never look the same, won’t be able to talk for a while because her mouth will be wired, she’ll be eating out of a straw and hosed (it will go up her nose and down through the back of her nose.) Dolores’ mother is upset that the police comes around and is trying to force Dolores to talk and find out who shot her boyfriend. “She ran. She didn’t stop and look who shot him…wouldn’t you do the same?” She says she tells the cop. He answers, “I’ll be back.” The father is distant. The other daughter, around 14 is on the couch and their younger son is on the floor playing Madden football on the Sony Play Station. 

After saying that I’m here for her and to call me for whatever I ask if we could pray. She looks at me like saying “What? Pray? I don’t think so.” Others walk through the front door. I sense that maybe I overstepped my boundaries by asking if we could pray. I look at her and say, “Right now there’s a lot going on here, I’ll keep you and your family in prayer.” She gives me an appreciative look. As we are departing, she looks at me in a different way like saying, “Yes, let’s pray.” Rosali, says “Can we pray?” We hold hands and pray. Rosali, Dolores’ mother, her brother Jorge, her younger sister and me. We were in the living room and it was decorated and ready for Christmas. On the way out she says, “Christmas ain’t gonna be the same this year.” Maybe that’s what Advent is…waiting for people to stop getting shot like animals. 

I’m driving Rosali home and I ask “Is it always this way?” “Yes, my ex-boyfriend’s sister got shot because she was with the wrong person a couple of years ago…they were after him….luckily her baby lived, she was six months pregnant. She died.” 

My Advent day yesterday was about laughter and light immediately followed by tragedy and darkness. 

En Cristo, Adan Mairena