What Do The Same Sex Marriage Rulings Teach Us about the American UMC?

In the past several days, I've had several talks with folks regarding the twin Supreme Court rulings on same sex marriage, and its implications for the United Methodist Church. The gist has been to lament just how dramatically "out-of-step" the United Methodist Church has become on the issue of same sex marriage, and LGBT issues in general.

The ever-widening chasm between culture and church is something I've seen coming a long time.
I've been warning of it for a long time.



So, now seems a good time to remind you of a blog I wrote just after last Fall's election:

"What The Presidential Election Should Teach the United Methodist Church."

The gist of the blog was to discuss the "social ethos" of the United Methodist Church and contrast it with the clearest data-set for determining the "social ethos" of the nation: Presidential Election popular vote results.

That vote, I would argue, is the single clearest data-set for understanding the ethos of the nation.

The punchline of the blog is something like this:
Since 1992, the data clearly show the United States as a "center-left" nation.
During that same period, the United Methodist Church has moved to the right.

Please note, I am not suggesting that the United States has become a socialistic empire. Far from it! In fact, anybody who suggests this has no idea what socialism really is.
But we are, demonstrably, to the left of center; not to the right of if. And we have been for several decades.(1) 

Many people, inside and outside of the church, still fail to see this truth. Simple demographics suggest this is unlikely to reverse itself in the foreseeable future.

Even if the United Methodist Church had simply stayed in the same place and not become more conservative on LGBT issues (and, please understand, we have not this), the net effect would still be for us to be more out-of-step because of the clear cultural shift in society to the left.

You may wish to say, "Well, OK, but acceptance of same sex marriage won't happen in MY state.
Wrong again. At least, for most of us.

I invite you to remind yourself of this great blog from Nate Silver. Nate wrote this back when these same sex marriage cases were first being argued in front of the Supremes.

Her's the punchline:
By 2016, voters in 32 states will be willing to vote "yes" to accept same sex marriage.
By 2020, voters in 44 states will be willing to vote "yes" to accept same sex marriage. (This includes Texas)

I will say what I often say about Nate Silver: doubt him at your peril. He's rarely wrong about these things.

Why do I make all these point about the "ethos" of the United States and the "ethos" of the UMC? About growing and inevitable support for same sex marriage?

Because, for decades now, the UMC has challenged churches to understand, and respond to, their specific cultural contexts.
Who are the people your church is trying to reach?
Who would miss your church if it was gone?
What makes your church unique?
Who are the people who live in your church's neighborhood?

If these are great questions for each and every local church.
My point is: they are also questions to ask on the macro-level.

And at least part of the answer to them is this:

The mission field of the United States is one that increasingly embraces LGBT persons in their full humanity. The US mission field contains LGBT families, many of whom are eager to be welcomed into, and be supported by, local congregations. Additionally, young persons (gay and straight) expect that their church...like every other aspect of their lives...will fully embrace and welcome LGBT persons.

This is why Adam Hamilton said, with great confidence, that if the UMC did not move on LGBT issues,  we'd lose the next generation of evangelical young people.

Note the nuance of what he said.

He didn't say "mainline/moderate" young people...
He didn't say "ultra-liberal" young people either...
He said we'd lose the EVANGELICAL young people of tomorrow.

Time and time again, I speak with clergy and layfolks who lament the fact that their own children have left the United Methodist Church for other, more LGBT-friendly, denominations. Or, they've just left altogether, and become one of "The Nones."

These adult children were raised in our faith and traditions,  but now in good conscience can no longer associate the denomination of their youth.

We see a similar thing at Northaven, among LGBT people themselves, who now and then come to believe they can no longer connect to a denomination that excludes LGBT persons. Even to a "Reconciling Church" within that denomination.

I have previously estimated these losses to Northaven membership to be roughly 15 percent of the total new members taken in during my pastoral tenure here. And if that's what happens at a "Reconciling Church" --where we make every effort to explain how welcoming we are-- just imagine how high the number is at other churches, where nothing is ever said and people just quietly fade away.

If you believe it's a shame all these young people are leaving the UMC, here's the God's-honest truth about it. Paraphrasing President Reagan: 

"These people have not left The United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church has left them."

The UMC left them by failing to change with the times, or by literally becoming more restrictive on LGBT issues.

Every human culture is always in a state of change. The idea of "stasis" is a fiction. No human culture ever stays the same. Even the institution we call "traditional marriage" has changed during the span of my lifetime.

Our culture's views on LGBT persons will continue to evolve.
And, in fairness, this is not the only crucial "social ethos" issue we must pay attention. Increasingly, we must also reach out to Hispanics, Immigrants, and other social groups worthy of our attention through the ministry of Jesus. The "Nones" who have left us are a part of this too.

That's the new American mission field.

Am I saying that LGBT persons make-up all of the American mission field? No. Of course not. We're more diverse a nation than that. But LGBT persons are a part of the whole mission field, and failing to advocate for full inclusion is now officially hurting the church everywhere. Not just a few Reconciling Churches, here and there.

We can continue to shriek about how embracing LGBT persons is anti-scriptural...even though many of us know it is not.

We can continue to moan about how changing our polity is "cultural accommodation"....failing to admit that in every generation, we do this...whether it's our embrace of women clergy fifty years ago, or "praise music" during the past decade.

We can continue to appeal to the past tradition of the church, and say "We've never done it that way before."

But if we do, we'll lose this beautiful denomination we all claim to love.

And not because we welcome gay and lesbians.
But because we have not.

1) And, contrary to what you might believe about Congress, the data holds there too. In the recent presidential election, about 2 million more voters voted for a Democrat than for a Republican for Congress. Because of gerrymandered districts, the Republicans hold far more seats than the vote suggests they should. So, even for Congress, during the presidential cycle, the data suggests a center-left nation...neither dramatically conservative nor liberal.

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La Silencia

Today is The Judge's birthday.
I won't spill the beans on how old she is. That would be foolish on my part.
Btw, if you've considered getting a gift, I would suggest that campaign contributions make a very nice one.
:)

But as you'd imagine, I'm deeply grateful she was born.

I've been meditating on her and on our marriage a lot lately, ever since our 20th Anniversary last month.

When Dennise was a baby, she apparently didn't cry much. That earned her the first of several family nicknames: "La Silencia."

Interestingly, one of the things that first attracted me to her was her silence. Early in our relationship, we found that we could spend long, quiet, periods together and not really have to speak much.
It wasn't emptiness. Or awkwardness.
Just....silence.

As time went on, our relationship deepened and, unsurprisingly, my sense of the silence changed. As we grew closer, I learned the silence was often more complicated. Sometimes, things were going on.

Sometimes, as you might imagine, we had to learn to break sometimes awkward silence. For sure, we've both learned to share more. To speak up. Even the tough stuff.

But times of that peaceful silence remain.




The first year we dated, John Gorka came out with his great song, "Silence."

It's always reminded me of Dennise. And of us.

 So, below are some of the lyrics I've always resonated with, along with a great video of John doing the song. (accompanied by the amazing Michael Manring).

Happy Birthday, Babe...


From "Silence" by John Gorka
"Love came unexpectedly
Late to the bill
An added attraction
The way it goes
The way it stays

And when she is far away
Still I feel her here
Every since she made the day
And the lonely man disappear
Into that silence
Into that silence "

(Buy the song here)

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Bending a Little Faster Today

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
-- Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

I don't know. Today, it sure feels like that arc is picking up a little steam.

My first thoughts on reading the Supreme Court decisions had to do with our families here at Northaven Church.

When the Supreme Court took up the Prop 8 case, I listened to the oral arguments. I was especially moved by the comments by Justice Anthony Kennedy (who authored today's Prop 8 opinion)

“There are some 40,000 children in California” with same-sex parents and “they want their parents to have full recognition and full status. The voice of those children is important in this case, don’t you think?”

Yes! I do think!

And so, my first thoughts today were along the same lines. I felt deep happiness for the loving couples I have grown to know, love --and feel terribly honored to minister to-- here at Northaven Church.

* Our lesbian and gay parents who are faithful church members and great parents....
* Older couples, like our beloved George and Jack, who I know are smiling today....
* Our "traditional" couple, and single parent families, who are at Northaven because they want to be in a blended church that teaches the values of faithfulness and monogamy between couples...
* Our great kids children and youth (from traditional and LGBT families) who now have more than just the love of their local church and friends. They have a message from their government that their families have value and worth!

I give thanks that the Supreme Court has acknowledged what we have known here at Northaven for many years: Loving, committed, monogamous gay and lesbian couples are no threat to traditional marriage.

Sunday, in worship planned months ago, we will celebrate the second week of our "Freedom is Coming!" series.

Even more to the point, the theme of the week is "Freedom to Love," and the emphasis will be on Reconciling Ministries.

When we planned this a few months back, we could not have imagined that this "theme" would end up on the very Sunday after the Supreme Court ruling! It's hard to fathom just how beautiful that is, and what a celebration of the movement of God's Spirit Sunday will be.

I anticipate that it will be a great day of celebration, and maybe even tears of joy. I know you'll want to be with us!

from Reconciling Ministries Network

 

Obviously, a main point I hope to make Sunday is about LOVE. That "love is love." And that the love God calls us to is for an inclusion of all persons. Our love for LGBT persons --and our work to seek full inclusion for them in both civil law and the church-- comes from God's Great Commandment.

Which makes today seem like a good day to repost the blog I wrote some months back. "A Pastoral Case for Christian Same Sex Marriage" was written during the week the Supremes took up these cases. It seems like a good time to remind ourselves of this struggle.

Northaven's "Welcome Statement"

But! That same love calls us to a love of ALL persons too. As we say in the Reconciling Movement, "All Means All."

Our passion for inclusion extends to immigrants, ethnic minorities, those of different economic circumstances. We say these things in Northaven's "Welcome Statement," painted on the wall, outside the main sanctuary doors:

"Become we believe that God's love in Jesus Christ has broken down the walls that divide us, we seek to embody that love by welcoming people of all ages, races, sexual orientation, or economics circumstances."





Which brings me back to the other big Supreme Court decision this week on the Voting Rights Act. Longtime Northaven members will recall that our beloved saint, Judge Barefoot Sanders, was a key part of getting that legislation passed. During the push to pass that legislation, Barefoot was a key staff person for President Johnson on Capitol Hill.
So, as parts of that law are ruled unconstitutional, I could not help but remember him too. And the generations of Civil Rights leaders who passionately crafted that law. And I meditated on what we may be called to do to insure that our nation does not fall back in terms of civil rights.

Then, last night, I witnessed the power of women and their allies standing up for reproductive rights in the Texas State Capitol, and the powerful reminder that women's struggle for equality also continues.

So, I'm grateful to the Rev. Gil Caldwell, for his well-timed blog of today, which speaks to all of this.

"It has become evident that even with legislation and rulings for inclusion, equality, and equal access... racism, as well as sexism, heterosexism, and classism, remain....
This last week in June 2013, whether we are concerned about affirmative action and/or voting rights, immigration, the rights of women, marriage equality, food stamps for the poor, etc., etc., could be/ought be the beginning of a "Movement" of persons and groups. Conservatives, moderates and liberals, who like Fannie Hamer say; "We are sick and tired of being sick and tired" (Of dreams deferred)."

Read the whole blog here.

LOVE is the thread that connects it all. God's love for all God's children. God's call to us to make it mainfest in the world.

So, come join us Sunday, as we celebrate the movement of God's Holy Spirit that's loose in our society today, and as we dream of how it can spread more fully to all God's children.

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Message to Senator Wendy Davis

Right now, State Senator Wendy Davis of Fort Worth is filibustering on the floor of the Texas Senate. I thought you would appreciate reading a part of a message that I just sent to her:

As a United Methodist clergy in Texas, I am horrified by the bill before the Texas Senate.

Years ago now, as a young minister, I had the surreal experience of working with two young women, both of whom were pregnant. Pastoral confidence prevents me from revealing specifics of either situation. However, these two women came to opposite conclusions.

One ended up having an abortion, the other got married. I was honored to do the wedding. I also supported the woman who chose abortion. Surreally, and totally unbeknownst to the other --these women never knew each other-- both events happened on the same day.

Both, it seems to me, were the right decisions given these women's lives. Both, it seems to me, made a good decision for their lives, and made with the help of their families, friends, friends, and faith communities.

This is the heart of what being pro-choice means.

United Methodists stand on all sides of the abortion issue. But, for the information of the Texas Senate, this is some of what the United Methodist Church officially says:

"We recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion...
"We call all Christians to a searching and prayerful inquiry into the sorts of conditions that may cause them to consider abortion. We entrust God to provide guidance, wisdom, and discernment to those facing an unintended pregnancy."

I am troubled by this proposed law, as it seems to me that it will severely limit women's access to this procedure in many parts of our state, and limit their rights in a way that could bring real harm to them.

Rev. Eric Folkerth
Northaven United Methodist Church,
Dallas Texas

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I Beg The Church

Dear Church of Jesus Christ,

That seems like a pompous salutation for a blog. But I don't know what else fits. I am led to write to anyone who considers themselves a follower of Jesus Christ. I am led by God's Holy Spirit to write to you about the situation with Exodus Ministries International, and its leader Alan Chambers.

Basically, I have several things I want to beg of you.

In case you missed the big news, Chambers has issued a public apology on behalf of Exodus International, and has announced that the ministry will be shutting its doors.

So, I beg of you the following…

I beg you to pay attention to this story.
I beg of you to spend some time in prayer, reflecting on the fact that, once again, another "ex-gay" leader has admitted that "reparative therapies" are harmful and damaging. In case you missed it, here's a part of Chamber's statement:

"Please know that I am deeply sorry. I am sorry for the pain and hurt many of you have experienced. I am sorry that some of you spent years working through the shame and guilt you felt when your attractions didn’t change. I am sorry we promoted sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories about sexual orientation that stigmatized parents. I am sorry that there were times I didn’t stand up to people publicly “on my side” who called you names like sodomite—or worse. I am sorry that I, knowing some of you so well, failed to share publicly that the gay and lesbian people I know were every bit as capable of being amazing parents as the straight people that I know...

More than anything, I am sorry that so many have interpreted this religious rejection by Christians as God’s rejection.  I am profoundly sorry that many have walked away from their faith and that some have chosen to end their lives. For the rest of my life I will proclaim nothing but the whole truth of the Gospel, one of grace, mercy and open invitation to all to enter into an inseverable(sic) relationship with almighty God."

I beg you to consider the vast number of "ex-gay" leaders who have left the "movement."
Alan Chambers' statement may be getting a lot of press right now, but he's hardly alone. In fact, "leaders" have been leaving the "ex-gay" movement for decades now. If you've never read Michael Bussee's story, find it here. I actually find his statement more powerful than anything Chambers said. Bussee was one of the originators of Exodus, but left long ago.

Or, check out this blog that outlines just a few of the many more leaders who have left this movement.

Or, an even longer list here.

Mediate on what it means that so many LEADERS have left this movement.

Or, consider the number of conservative Christian leaders who have also been involved in "scandals" over their sexual orientation in the past few years. Google the following names, and do a little reading for yourself:
Ted Haggard
George Rekers
Jim Swilley
Tom Brock

Not to mention, scores of other politicians and public figures who have been "staunchly anti-gay" but eventually "outed."

I beg you to hear the thousands of participants in "ex-gay" ministries who abandon the quest.
Think about this: If so many leaders have left this movement --men who have spiritual, emotionally, physically committed their lives to denouncing and rejecting their innate sexual orientation-- just imagine what the effect has been on participants.

Sure enough, there is a growing body of evidence that shows, overwhelmingly, how harmful these "therapies" are. Please read this, which cites new studies and information from former "ex-gay" participants.

Near the end of this story is the following paragraph:

"Many respondents gave long descriptions of a difficult road to recovery after abandoning their efforts to become straight. Some found more "accepting" churches or therapists. Others became activists, concentrating on helping people who have gone through similar experiences. Many said that they still don't consider themselves to be recovered."

The reality is that Chamber's apology has grown out of a several-year connection with journalist Lisa Ling, and some incredible reporting she has done on "Our America."

One of the powerful parts of the recent show is this session where ex-gay survivors talk about their harrowing experiences:

If you are a Christian who believes in such therapies, I beg you to repent.
Sooner or later, the evidence becomes overwhelming. These ministries are harmful to human beings. They  are not Christ-like in any way. Being associated with them is not what God would want of us. Sooner or later, almost everyone realizes this.

If you have been on the fence, I beg you to allow this to be the moment you reject these so-called "cures" and "ministries." The old idea, "love the sinner but hate the sin" does not apply here, because sexual orientation is an innate part of a person, not something changeable or "fixable."

I'm not asking you to issue a public, "I Am Sorry" like Chambers. Although, if you're up for it, it might well be healing to people you know personally. What I'm really asking for is for you to withdraw your support from these ministries. Make it clear, going forward, that you do not support them.

For those of us who are United Methodist, consider our foundational "General Rules," and the admonishment to "Do No Harm." If you are a United Methodist supporter of "reparative therapy," please consider your involvement in light of our commitment to God to "Do No Harm."

I beg you to consider that God calls you to love LGBT persons without precondition.
The hopeful news is that millions of Christians today fully embrace LGBT persons in their complete humanity. Just as thousands of LGBT persons have abandoned the quest to "pray the gay away," so too have thousands of gay and straight Christians abandoned harmful anti-gay theology and rhetoric in their churches and lives.

What I am saying is: Join us!!

These Christians see LGBT persons as good children of God, who are neither more nor less sinful than any other human on the planet. All humans have their sins. But LGBT person's sinfulness is not tied to their sexual orientation.

If you have a hard time with this, consider finding other folks who are struggling with these issues, and start a short-term study group. In fact, our church has produced a guide that could be very helpful to you.

It's called "This I Know," and it's a short-term study that uses an award-winning documentary, "For the Bible Tells Me So" to unpack these issues of the Bible and theology. Consider using it with small groups of Christians you know. Or, study it on your own.

But, please, find a way in your heart to affirm God's love for LGBT persons, without precondition. Many Christians have already made this move. Join us.

I beg you to realize the time is short. Not for LGBT persons. For The Church.
The truth is, many LGBT persons are so disgusted by these kinds of therapies --and by the general sexual hypocrisy of Christ's Church-- that they have already left the Church forever.

But! So have a great many heterosexual persons too, especially the young. Survey after survey shows that here in America acceptance of homosexuality is quickly becoming a "litmus issue" among the young.
I realize that last sentence is likely to anger some of you. But I speak the truth, friends.

Time after time, for example, I talk with United Methodist leaders in their 50s and 60s who speak of how their straight children --adults usually in their twenties-- are leaving the UMC forever because the UMC is not fully inclusive.

What I am saying is that repenting on this issue, finding a way to fully embrace LGBT persons, is not only the right thing to do in terms of how we treat individual LGBT persons. It is that. But it's also what God is calling The Church to, and is a part of the future of Christ's Church.

This is also true for the International Church too. This great essay reminds us that while Chamber's mea culpa is helpful in the American context, the closing of Exodus International does nothing to stop the harmful anti-gay rhetoric of many international Christian ministries.

The story says the following:

"Since 1995, Exodus International has been part of a worldwide umbrella organization called the Exodus Global Alliance, which has ministries throughout East Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America. The North American group actually announced it was withdrawing from Exodus Global Alliance last week, in what turned out to be a sign of bigger things to come. In a statement, the Global Alliance said that "This change in relationship ... releases both ministries to serve the Lord, the church and the people impacted by homosexuality according to each ministry's specific calling." The non-American branches will presumably keep operating for the time being."

Echoes of harmful American-led "ex-gay" ministries are likely to resound in the international church for some time to come. So, we must be clear not only for our own sake, but also so that the international church can disavow their harmful anti-gay theology too.

Again, for United Methodists, our General Rule to "Do No Harm" is instructive. If, as is the case, it's becoming crystal clear that these ministries are harmful in America, we must challenge the international church to "do no harm" as well.

So, all of these things, I beg of you.
I beg this out of love for my LGBT brothers and sisters (within and outside The Church).
I beg this out of love for The Church itself.

I ask not for comments. Nor for debate. I ask for your spiritual action.

If you haven't changed on this issue yet, I beg of you too now.

(Leave a comment below. If you like this post, then "share it" or "like" it on Facebook/Twitter by clicking the box below, so others can see too. Comments here are moderated, and are approved at my discretion, when I can get to it..so be patient if they don't appear right away)

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Winter Is Coming. It's Almost Time.

Let me get my full geek on, and offer you a George RR Martin quote for the day:

"Winter Is Coming."

I know. I know. That's crazy talk. The hottest days of Summer haven't even arrived. Whether you love Winter or hate it, it's foolish to talk about it being on the way.

But, scientifically? Seasonally? It's absolutely the truth of today.

Today's the Summer Solstice.
The longest day of the year.
The twin of the Winter Solstice on December 21st.
One quarter of the year from the Fall Equinox (My birthday, btw....)

I'm grateful that over the past few years I've taken the time to pay more attention to these earth-cycles. I wouldn't claim to be an expert on them, like good friends of mine who follow more earth-centered spiritual paths. But the journey itself, over a full-year, is fascinating to watch. I'm grateful that I pay more attention than I used to.

Over the past few decades, the Winter Solstice seems to have gotten a lot of attention in the public eye. Here in Dallas, we were blessed enough to have one of the largest Solstice gatherings in the nation for many years. Even many churches are doing "Longest Night" or "Blue Christmas" services on or around that date.

These kinds of things resonate deeply with me, because I hate the dark and the Winter so much. I really hate it. Facebook friends are surely beyond weary of hearing about this. But it's true. I hate the short days. Literally, the darkness makes me depressed. And the cold....jeez, I hate the cold.

Which is why I almost never complain about Summer. Not even the longest, hottest days of August. Summer, to me --even an oppressive string of 100-degree days-- makes Winter bearable. I've often said, give me a month of 100 degrees rather than a week below freezing. That's just how I roll. (1) Without knowing that Summer is coming, I might go crazy in the midst of some long February night.

I have friends who feel the exact opposite. Given them a "snow day" over any day in August. Give them a warm blanket, several layers of clothes, and a burning fire, and they couldn't be happier.

But here's the irony. Whether you love Summer or love Winter, the fix is always in.
To the point, as of mid-day today Winter is on the way, just as assuredly as Summer is on December 21st.

Yet, it never feels that way, does it? While both Solstices are always the longest and shortest days, they are almost never "coldest" and hottest." 

Even though we are starting our slow, inexorably march toward "cool/cold," the hottest days are still before us. Same thing in winter. Around here at least, the really hard freezes almost always come in February.... freezing rain, sleet, snow.

It's a fascinating cycle to watch, if we slow down and step back far enough. My friend, Spider Johnson, just wrote about this on Facebook this morning:

"While the fullness of summer is yet to be expressed, and countless invertebrates sing the same song into the distance, nature's job is mostly done and all that's left is slow inertia and then patient waiting until the miraculous cycle re-awakens with the Vernal Equinox. I raise a glass to thee, Mother Nature, with inexpressible gratitude..."

What strikes me is that for our ancient ancestors, marking the quarter-time of each year might have been one of the ways they first experienced FAITH and HOPE.

We have all sorts of cultural definitions of faith and hope today. There are all manner of theological spiritual definitions ones.

My own favorite is the short line from St. Paul's:

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Faith is not something we can see. In fact, it's so far away from visible that all we can do is hope for it.

And hope isn't something seen, either. Hope isn't tangible, physical, "provable." If it was, it wouldn't be hope. (It would be "fact") If faith were these things it wouldn't be faith either. (ditto)

Meditate for a moment on the profundity and paradox of the phrase: "The assurance of things hoped for..."

The mere words themselves drip with paradox and irony. I mean, if "hope" is really "a sure thing" then is it really hope?

But, in the spiritual sense, this is exactly what we believe to be true. Hope IS a sure thing. Faith too. These things are real, tangible parts of "the reality of reality." No, they're not physical or provable. We cannot grasp them, hold them, own them. But they are a part of the gracious reality that God invites us to understand and embrace.

So, somewhere along the way, our ancestors learned to mark the seasons. Their first great celebrations seem to have coincided with these quarter-year observances. Winter Solstice, especially, came to be seen a great festival of light for many religious traditions. (Hannukah, Christmas, Dongzhi, Sol Invictus, Yalda, etc, etc...)

My own tradition happens to be Christian. But I can appreciate, and be grateful for the fact, that human beings of all sorts of varied traditions have "marked the time" of these special Solstice days. It speaks to a deep-level, perhaps Jungian, unity behind humanity's journey.

In my tradition, and in many others, faith is not seen. Just hoped for.

When we're in the dry heat of life's pains and sufferings --when we are parched by the death of loved one, shriveled up with loss and mourning-- right at that moment the cool is on the way. No, we can't feel it in the moment, literally. But it's there, spiritually.

When we're frozen, when we can't move or make a decision --when the chill of depression sets in and all seems dark and lost-- right at that moment the warm is on the way. No, we can't feel it then, either, literally. But it's there.

The seeds of every new birth are present in the midst of every death.
The power of every new love lays dormant within the shell of every loss.

The spiritual challenge of life is to find assurance, comfort, peace, and trust in things that are not tangible at all. Things that cannot be proven or seen with the eye. Things that are so far from tangible "fact" that all we can do is "hope" for them.

It means that, if you hate Winter (like me) you rejoice in celebrating the "Longest Night" or Winter Solstice near December 21st. You cling to the faith and hope that, "Summer is Coming."

And, vice versa for this very day. If you're a summer-hater, take comfort: Winter is Definitely Coming.

One of my favorite songwriters, David Wilcox once wrote a song that expresses this same faith and trust. If George RR Martin is known for "Winter Is Coming," David Wilcox is known for "It's Almost Time." Martin's expression is meant for today. Wilcox's song is its twin, for December 21st. Both remind us of the same truth.


So, I'll close with a bit of the lyrics, and a version of the video. It's on his very first album, "The Nightshift Watchman." (There's a link below...you should buy it...)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The final truth of life is that true happiness is to be found by embracing every season.

Those of us who hate Winter are called to consider why, and come to terms with it. Because Winter will always come.

For those of you who hate these coming hot days of Summer, meditate on that too. Why is it that you hate it? I know, it's hot. I get that. But what does that mean for you? What spiritual message is there for you?

Maybe it means you have some dry, parched earth in your life that you are called to embrace.
Maybe you are being called to live-through some seemingly unbearable crucible of heat that has nothing to do with a celsius or fahrenheit.

Meditate on these things during the coming Summer months.

But know this. Even when these days seem most unbearable:
Winter is coming.
It's almost time.

"It's Almost Time" by David Wilcox
(click here for full lyrics or by buy this song)

"Just across the sea on this world so round
the sun's shining hot right now.
And even though the winter still surrounds this town
I can still feel that sun somehow.

When I know that my sun will shine just as sure as this world can spin,
I can hold on fine, cause it almost time, for that sun to come 'round again...

When your love grows cold and your heart grows dark
and the blame seems to fall on you.
Well look how seasons must change and don't think it so strange
that your love goes in circles too.

And just know that your sun will shine just as sure as this world can spin,
and I know you'll find, that it's almost time, for that love to come 'round again.
We can hold on fine, cause it almost time, for that love to come 'round again.""

 1. While this is absolutely true, the deeper truth is that I really dig Fall. I love the changes Fall brings, and I am sure it has something to do with my birthday falling ON the Fall Equinox. It resonates me the deepest of all. The Summer/Winter dynamic is a powerful Ying/Yang. The Fall is a deep, meditative journey.

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The Dream is Now

It's hard to fathom that I haven't written anything on immigration in so long. Not to brag, but I was writing on immigration before immigration was cool. Or, at least, before there was a bill that stood a chance of passing.

So, now, the Dream Act is before us. It's got some chance of passing, although there seem to be a lot of weak-kneed Republicans out there as each day goes by.

Tonight, Northaven will host a screening of the documentary "The Dream Is Now." We'll see the thirty minute documentary, which traces the life of some of the "dreamers," then we'll hear from a few dreamers themselves. I will also make a few brief comments too. Here's the trailer for the film:

Here are the details:

"The Dream Is Now" Documentary Screening
Thursday, June 20th, 7 pm
Northaven UMC
11211 Preston Road
Dallas, TX 75230











The whole even should conclude around 8:30. We hope you'll come.

So, since I haven't written on immigration in so long, let me remind everybody of a few things:
1) First, this bill still creates an incredibly difficult thirteen-year "path" from the "dreamers." It's so far from the "amnesty" I favor (along with Ronald Reagan) that you can't even see amnesty from here.

Therefore, even if this passes, make no mistake: life is still difficult and challenging for immigrants and dreamers. If you think this bill's about to create a "free ride" for the Dreamers, think again. It's better than nothing...but We could, and should do more than than this.

2) There are very good spiritual and justice reasons that Christians should favor better treatment of immigrants. As I allude to, I've written about this much in the past. So, here's some of my writing, in case you're interested:

"Because You were Once An Alien"
Perhaps my most comprehensive blog on immigration issues, written just after Dallas' second "MegaMarch" in 2010. It cites just a few of the MANY scriptures where God calls us to treat immigrants as we would treat ourselves. If you only read one link here, I hope you'll read this one.
It also cites some of the great theological positions of the United Methodist Church.
Finally, I share a few stories of things I have seen over the years, personally.

"The Holy Family: A Meditation:
A Christmas meditation, that reminds us how the Holy Family was a migrant family.

The MegaMarch: Thoughts On a Historic Day, Immigration, and Racism
Combines thoughts about the first MegaMarch, and a sermon I preached the day of that march in 2006.

"Connecting the Dots on Immigration"
A blog I wrote, primarily to debunk the myth that immigrants get a "free ride" in America, or don't pay taxes. Both are bald-face lies. In fact, it's far more likely that immigrants pay into the tax system, but fail to receive any benefits from it.

I also want to direct you to some recent writing by my friend and colleague, Rev. Owen Ross. Owen has a blog out, right now that you should see:

"We Are Better Than This"
Owen makes the powerful case that our current immigration laws are eroding the trust between people and law enforcement. That makes all of us less safe. He shares powerful examples from his ministry at Christ's Foundry UMC in Dallas.

Hope you enjoy reading these things. It's an important time to remember that our Christian faith calls us to stand for immigrants, and that NOW is the time to take action.

Hope to see you tonight.
And hope you will feel called into action, by the depth of your convictions.

The dream is now.

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The Beat Goes On (Update on My Heart)

Went back to the cardiologist yesterday for a check up. First time back since my procedure about six weeks ago.

To refresh your memory, a few months back, I was diagnosed with "extra beats" in my heart rhythm. The technical term is "Premature Ventricular Contraction," or PVC. ("Like the pipe," the doc sez)

If you want to know more, knock yourself out. On the EKG, they look like this:

The problem was that my particular rhythm can indicate blockages to the arteries, not just benign "extra beats." So, we did the whole "heart catheter" thing, to rule that out. As I reported later, the good news was: no blockages. In fact, the doc repeated yesterday that my arteries look "as clear as the day you were born."

Awesome.

But, I still have these PVCs. So, what to do about them?

Nothing, apparently. Just monitor the situation, and check-in yearly.
In 2-4 percent of patients, there is sometimes some weakening to the heart over time because of this. But the check-ins should determine whether or not this happens for me.

I am still meditating on the following, however. That some of the main causes of these more benign PVCs are things like....caffeine....chocolate...and....STRESS.

Hmmn. Stress.

So, this gets back to my blog, "Extra Beats" of a while back. I'm still meditating on what it means that I have "Extra Beats" in life. I'm still musing on the question, "What am I going to do about it?"

The good news? The depression over getting older --the feeling of being "sickly"-- has passed. Man, did I feel old and decrepit for some weeks after this. There is something about being the "identified sick person" that really is a real thing. As a pastor, this is something I've known for a long time. But it's quite a different thing to experience it...to be that "sick" guy.

Luckily that has mostly passed. The longer days help. The awesomely HOT sunlight (YES!!!), and starting back with bike rides again. Apparently, my extra beats vanish when I exercise.
(How's that for motivation?!!)

But I can't run from that connection that PVCs are often brought on by stress.
"Extra Beats" are more common when your life has "extra beats."

It sounds so obvious, doesn't it?

BTW, friends, thanks for all the smiles about this. In person, and online, many of you have said things like,
"Well, we always knew you had your own rhythm..."

:)

But pray for me as I continue to meditate about stress and extra beats.

I'm clearly not done with this...

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It's All About Loving

Today is "Loving Day," the day where the Loving Case is celebrated all across the nation. The Loving Case, as you may recall, was the Supreme Court case that struck down laws across the nation which prevented interracial marriage.

If you're unfamiliar, here's an old report from ABC News:

Obviously, Dennise and I have always been inspired by the Lovings and their story, and meditate often about how insane it now seems to imagine that two people of different races would ever have been forbidden from marriage.

But I am also moved by how much this story mirrors what's happening right now with the struggle for Marriage Equality for gay and lesbian people. In fact, many are hoping that "Windsor Day" may one day stand alongside of "Loving Day."

What Mildred Loving says mirrors what many of us say today, "I say that marrying who you want to is a right that no man should have anything to do with. It's a God-given right, I think."

Amen and Amen.

The movement for Marriage Equality is, indeed, a movement of God's Holy Spirit, not just a movement for "civil rights." Yes, it is also a movement of rights. But, as with Loving, God is moving hearts --causing a real conversion in the hearts of many Christians-- on the issue of gay marriage today.

It's coming soon. It can't come soon enough.

God bless the Lovings.

And God bless all the couples I know today who are struggling for the same recognition of their God-given right.

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God Makes No Mistakes. We Do.

Been texting with my friend, Rev. Sid Hall tonight, and I really can't express it any better than he has done, regarding the news out of the SW Texas Conference today: 

"The church not only does harm to loving and qualified people for ministry in taking such action, but makes a profound theological statement by essentially claiming that God is mistaken for calling someone into ordained ministry who is in every way qualified for ordained ministry as a heterosexual would be but must be disqualified because she is attracted to the "wrong" gender. I'm very embarrassed that this happened in my own conference of the United Methodist Church but it is certainly nothing new and not a surprise.

God bless you, Mary Ann. God didn't make a mistake in calling you to ordained ministry; the Southwest Texas Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the voting clergy of the conference did moral harm to you and us all by reducing your call, my call, and each of our calls to ordained ministry to the one thing that seems to matter most about the practice of ministry--the gender to whom we're attracted. Shame on us for not practicing the core ethic of our faith: the Golden Rule."

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Go Tell Mary (And Rev. Jackson too)

Apparently, the list of people you should not to listen to has grown by one. The new inductee is Rev. E. W. Jackson, a minister from Virginia who also happens to be running for Lieutenant Governor.

The most recently-covered outrageous statement he's made as to do with yoga. It's from a book he wrote some years back:

"When one hears the word meditation, it conjures an image of Maharishi Yoga talking about finding a mantra and striving for nirvana,"

First, off, I have no idea who the Maharishi YOGA was. I'm assuming he's talking about this guy, but can't even get the name right.

Jackson continues:
"The purpose of such meditation is to empty oneself. [Satan] is happy to invade the empty vacuum of your soul and possess it. Beware of systems of spirituality which tell you to empty yourself. You will end up filled with something you probably do not want." (Underlining added by me…)


I don't practice yoga. However, my wife does. She loves it. I love that she loves it. Health-wise, she is far healthier and stronger than before she did regular yoga. I can see the difference, and that makes our whole family healthier.

And (gasp!) I find no evidence whatsoever that Satan has entered her mind/heart because of it. Nor, frankly, have I seen evidence of Satan in the minds/hearts of any of the dozens of other folks I know who practice it regularly.

Here's a great quote from Elspeth Reeve's: "Behind the ice-cold eyes of Lululemon princesses burn the demonic flames of eternal hell…"

Snort.

Yeah. To be clear, nobody's gonna go to hell for practicing yoga.

But, what I find most disturbing in Jackson's quote has nothing to do with yoga at all, but about what he seems to believe about Christians. And he's not alone. Which is why I'm writing this today.
Here's the part of the quote I'd like to, ahem, meditate on:

"Beware of systems of spirituality which tell you to empty yourself. You will end up filled with something you probably do not want."

OK. Let's lay aside for a moment that this is absolutely, positively, 100-percent not what happens in meditation...

Yes, it's true, when we begin to empty our minds in meditation, we do often find that other thoughts flood in. Thoughts we probably should listen to and embrace. Repressed thoughts that often need to be worked through. Yes, that does happen.

But it's not "Satan" doing it. Far from being "satanic,"  it's actually a very healthy spiritual process. In fact, to not be able to do it --to not be able to empty ones mind of the junk and clutter rattling around-- this is one of our most insidious modern problems.

The truth is, far too many of us never empty our minds. We've got to be "going" all the time. We've got to be "doing" all the time.

We wake to a song on our iPad.
We turn on the Radio/TV.
We go to lunch with friends, but keep a constant watch on our smartphones.
We keep the radio on in the car. (Or, stay on the phone)
We watch TV while surfing the net (guilty as charged…)

In short: we do all we can to FILL UP the empty spaces in our lives. And, frankly, that's deeply unhealthy.

The irony is that Jackson's "aiding and abetting" this out-of-whackness. Jackson is offering a "Christian" version of of the "secular" busy-ness so many of us experience. Taken at its extreme, he's saying God never wants us have time when our minds are calm…at ease…at peace. Silence is to be feared. Stillness is to be shunned.

"An empty mind is the Devil's playground," they say.

Truthfully, many Christians believe this. They move through life, desperate to keep the chatter GOING, not desperate to end it. It's "Christian-chatter," mind you. But chatter nonetheless.

However, this merely produces people who are, ironically, still filled with anxiety, stress, worry, fear, and phobias! Just different ones.

And, most ironic of all, rather than standing against the dominate culture of noise and "busy-ness" this way of believing actually supports it. In fact, it baptizes, in the name of Christ Jesus, our frenetic need to keep our minds filled with drivel.

How very sad.

"Mary and Martha," by He Qui

And how truly and completely opposite of what Jesus says faith is. Faith is the opposite of fear, anxiety, busyness, stress. Take Mary and Martha, for example. Mary, Jesus says --the sister who sits still at his feet-- gets the better portion. Not Martha, busy and occupied with many cares. (Story here)

And yet, time and time again, the Christian Church teaches us to be "Marthas." Many of us in the Church feel guilty when we rest, renew, empty our minds, slow down.

Time and time again, the Marthas of the Church buy into the theology of people like Rev. Jackson, and in the process simply replace the randomly scattered thoughts of their brains with "Christian" ones. Still scattered thoughts. Just baptized with the name of Christ, and little else of his real Spirit.

Marcus Borg reminds us that faith is far more than "believing" certain things. Faith is really, most primally, "trust that the reality of reality is gracious."

Faith is actually freedom from anxiety, worry, stress.
Faith is a place where the mind can be empty, calm, trusting, centered.
It's a beautiful experience, really.

My good friends Tom Prasada-Rao and Pat Wictor have a song called "Go Tell Mary." They've both got very fine recorded versions, available for purchase. (And you should. Buy it, that is…)

Pat has recorded it along with our friends Joe Jencks and Greg Greenway, in their great folk-supergroup, "Brother Sun."

Listen here.
Lyrics here.

"Go tell Mary….I don't want to be Martha no more."

Yes. Exactly.

There comes at time in the midst of our busy lives when we realize that enough is enough. Some people, frankly, have mental breakdowns. Others burnout of jobs they love, and just can't "push through" any more. Many of us spend days in the bed, frozen with exhaustion.

Sadly, instead of learning to rest our minds --instead of taking refuge in healthy practices like yoga, exercise, journaling, prayer and meditation-- too many of us think the way out of this trap is to either take the path of a cluttered secular minds (iPods, video games, TV, etc) or the "cluttered Christian mind" promoted by folks like Rev. Jackson.

What I'm saying is: don't choose either.

In fact, do the opposite of what Rev. Jackson suggests. Find ways to empty your mind, and trust that if you are a Christian, your God is big enough to be present with you even in the terrifying space where silence is found. On the other side of your mind's clutter is a true peace of God that will, I promise, surprise you and make it all worthwhile. Here's a great book that helped teach me about this.

And, if all this sounds really scary, if you try repeatedly and can never clear you mind, consider therapy and medication. (1) Because the fact that you can't ever get your mind to quiet is also telling you something important.

So, in short, if you don't believe God can be with you while you practice yoga, meditation, the emptying of your mind, your god is way, way too small.

Go tell Mary (even the one inside yourself) that you don't want to be Martha no more.

And, while you're at it, tell Rev. Jackson too.

(1) No, I am not kidding. It's actually a pretty good test. If you find, with repeated effort, that you can never get your mind clear, calm and relaxed…empty of worry and anxiety…perhaps it's time to seek spiritual direction, secular counseling or medication. In fact, a sub-theory I have about folks like Rev. Jackson is perhaps they need these things, but keep themselves spiritual distracted in order to avoid having to look at the hard truth!

UPDATE:
Readers have pointed out that Rev.  Jackson has now recanted his view that yoga is demonic. I certainly commend him for this. However, as a part of that new statement, he apparently "doubles-down" on his view that meditation that empties the mind is dangerous. So, despite the opening premise about yoga no longer being in question, the rest of this blog still seems salient to his views.

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