Last Sunday at the United Church of Byron we talked about  developing a Wilderness Economy that might help us weather the present and upcoming economic storm.  We talked about how Wilderness Economies were ready made places for food insecurity and food deserts.  There actually may be healthy food in food deserts but people do not have the knowledge to make that food accessible and available.  For example, God must teach the people how to secure the manna so that it sustains them.  God must teach them how to make the quail available to them.  God must teach how they are able to get acidic water potable and how to access water from a rock.  The Children of Israel are used to getting their food from the pots and pans of Egypt.  

Where I live, the whole west side of Rockford is considered a food desert.  And it's getting larger.  How do we begin to teach people how to build sustainable Wilderness Economies?  Rev. Kenneth Copeland, pastor of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church is regularly teaching his people how to survive and thrive by having "Daniel fasts" two or three times a year.  This is a reference to the Biblical Daniel story where Daniel refused the rich food of the Babylonian Empire to eat the faithful diet of vegetables.  Rev. Copeland has his people only eating fruits and vegetables during this time.  This prepares his people and gets them ready for the coming storm.

This Sunday we will talk about what our food rules are at the United Church of Byron.  Michael Pollan wrote a book on just that subject.  He asked for and collected food rules from people all across the world that are posted at the New York Times.  You can see that great slide show here.

What were the food rules of your grandparents, parents, your family today?  Was it no sweets before dinner?  Did you have to clean your plate?  What food rules would we want to teach and pass on?  What food rules would be faithful for your community?

As We Ratchet Up for War in Iran

Eugene Debs spoke and speaks truth . . .

As portrayed by actor, Mark Ruffalo


Mark Ruffalo reads Eugene Debs's Canton, Ohio, Speech (June 16, 1918) from Voices of a People's History on Vimeo.

Radical Resistance-The Gospel of Mark

The end of the November begins a new liturgical year.  We move from the Gospel of Matthew in Liturgical Year A, where Jesus is a Righteous Teacher and the second Moses, to Liturgical Year B and the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus is an Exorcist, seeking to cast out the systemic and structural evil within us so that we might return to our “right minds.” 

Unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark does not have a birth narrative.  The author of Mark begins with proclamations, statements that let us know this shall be a piece of resistance literature.  For the claims made for Jesus of Nazareth are claims that have already been made for and behalf of the elite and powerful.  Mark knows things do not go well for exorcists in the world.  For they are throwing out the demonic force and hold imperial power has on the occupied people.  Eventually, that demonic force and hold will turn its attention to the exorcist. 

Advent and Christmas in Mark are about how we live in such terrible and terrifying times.  Over and over again, the author of Mark tells readers that the course of discipleship is to suffer, die, and be lifted up.  This is not easy.  But Jesus goes before us.  All through December we meet the Jesus who proclaims and casts out demons.  Christmas is a recognition that an alternative force and alternative power with a different kind of character is building within the occupied territory.  This is good news. 

Letter to the Editor

Sister Polly Esther, Sisters of the Precious Rules Never Taught By the Savior
Peoria, Illinois

My eternal thanks and congratulations go out to those who continue to fight against civil rights legislation for gays and lesbians.  People like gay men in particular, who break laws casually mentioned in the Bible should never be protected by the laws of our blessed country.  More Christians should be so dedicated.  Good work to all of those who continue to preach and teach the hedge around the Gospel.  Which brings me to my main concern.

I am concerned that there are others who break laws mentioned in similar locations in Scripture, and yet, nothing is being done to correct these sinners.  These people do not suffer discrimination for their mere existence.  It is time to set the record straight.  I am writing, of course, about the Levitical prohibition stated in Leviticus 19:19:  "Neither shall a garment of different fabrics mingled together come upon thee."

Yet you can see people out on the streets every day shamelessly wearing flannel shirts with wool sweaters, acrylic blended with cotton, and all manner of other sinful combinations one could imagine in a nightmare.  This sort of disrespect for the Laws of God is leading to the moral decay of our society.

And what's even worse:  they flaunt their perverse mixed fabrics in front of children.  Why this man who supposedly specializes in the teaching of our children, this Dr. James Dobson, was even seen wearing a shirt that I'm positive was a mix of cotton and some other abominable fabric!  What gall!  (I've even heard that some of his followers like to dress children in mixed fabric, but this sin is just too perverse for further elaboration . . . and, of course, ALL people who wear mixed fabric have a secret or overt desire to dress children in the very same fashion.)

If a mixed-fabric wearer wanted to become a foster parent, the laws would currently allow it!  Do we want these people teaching in our schools?  There are no questions on the application referring to the sin.  No one asks if the child will be exposed to mixed fabrics or might even be forced to wear them.  We should spend some tax dollars to study the effects of mixed fabrics on children, though I am sure it has a negative impact.

Furthermore, are people who eat bacon for breakfast which is allowed in Leviticus 11:17 and Deuteronomy 14:8; rare steak for supper, which is outlawed in Leviticus 17:10-14, and cheesburgers for lunch, which is outlawed in Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:21 (This must mean that cheeseburgers are three times as sinful as gay sex since the former is mentioned thrice.)

Now there are so-called Christians who want to liberally interpret the World of God or leave out parts of it. They say that Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:18) and that his message of love is far more important (Matthew 19:19; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27; and I Corinthians 13:13) than mixed fabric and cheeseburgers.  I point out that there is a curse on anyone who leaves out any part of it.  (Revelation 22:18)  And I've seen this man running for office, Mr. Mike Huckabee, an ordained Christian minister, and his female counterpart, Ms. Michele Bachmann, who openly proclaims her Christianity, wear a sweater with different fabric than a shirt, or a blouse that is certainly not of one single fabric! Where is their faith?  Besides, it's all right to call yourself a Christian, just don't try to be TOO MUCH like Jesus.  Look where it got Him!

For the sake of Christianity and the children, I hope there are those who will join me in restoring some morality to government.  Together we can put an end to civil rights for homosexuals, mixed-fabric wearers, and unclean meat eaters.  Next we can raise the Christian flag against barbers and beauticians (haircuts are outlawed in Leviticus 19:27) and veterinarians (outlawed in Leviticus 22:24).

Then we can enforce all the Biblical laws and directives and restore ourselves as a Christian nation!  I can't wait till we apply the death penalty for adultery as Leviticus 20:10 mandates.  Imagine how many so-called Christian congressional representatives we will have on the run then!  As someone who is without sin, I will be more than willing to cast the first stone!*






*Adapted from the original in Bay Windows, a New England periodical.

Breath Prayers

I have become a big believer in breath prayers and they fit my description of prayer as something regular, consistent, and persistent. This one is from Teilhard de Chardin:

Breath in: "Trust in"
Breath out: "The slow work of God."


~from the Spirituality and Practice e-newsletter.

And then . . .

And then, all that has divided us will merge
And then compassion will be wedded to power
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind
And then both men and women will be gentle
And then both women and men will be strong
And then no person will be subject to another's will
And then all will be rich and free and varied
And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many
And then all will share equally in the Earth's abundance
And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old
And then all will nourish the young
And then all will cherish life's creatures
And then all will live in harmony with each other and the Earth
And then everywhere will be called Eden once again.

--Judy Chicago
from Life Prayers: 365 Prayers, Blessings, and Affirmations to Celebrate the Human Journey. Eds. Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon, Harper One, 1996.

9/11 and Columbus Day

When angry, hateful terrorists flew planes into buildings on 9/11,
                     I will never forget.
                     I was at the stop sign on Post Road.

 Then . . .
                    They told me we were going to War in Iraq
                    Where thousands of soldiers from my own country died
                    And over a million Iraqi people were killed.
                    They told me to remember and never forget. 

They renditioned, imprisoned, and tortured . . .
                    With the cooperation of dictators and human rights violators,
                    At Abu Ghraib and Gitmo,
                    At black sites and with private contractors and psychologists,
                    Shredding the Constitution and the Bill of Rights,
                    They told me to remember and never forget.

 They expanded the war . . .
                     Into Afghanistan and Pakistan and throughout the world,
                     Redeploying and redeploying and redeploying,
                    Without rational reason or cause,
                    Casket after casket, suicide after suicide,
                    Imprisoning those who made their folly public,
                    And justifying the assassination of their own citizens.
                    They told me to remember and never forget.

 When Columbus brought his lust for fame and fortune to his New World,
                    He was given a holiday.
                    So we would never forget.

 Then . . .
                    Disease and violence decimated the indigenous population,
                    Massacres and sickness left the land for manifest destiny
                    Human and animal populations were no more.
                    They told me to forget and never remember.

 They imprisoned, enslaved, and drove from the land . . .
                    Breaking treaties and entreaties,
                    Creating Trails of Tears and reservations.
                    Bringing people from Africa to work the land
                    Making a mockery of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights,
                    They told me to forget and never remember.

 They expanded the hatred . . .
                    Killing leaders in Memphis, Little Big Horn, Philadelphia, Mississippi, and Wounded Knee.
                    Lynching, burning, executing, and assassinating,
                    Without rational reason or cause,
                    State terror after state terror,
                    Demonizing those who made their folly public,
                    And justifying the continuing poverty, sickness, and death.
                    They told me to forget and never remember.