"Among the chief barriers to a comprehensive [international climate change] deal in Copenhagen is Congress’s inability to enact climate and energy legislation that sets binding targets on greenhouse gases in the United States. Without such a commitment, other nations are loath to make their own pledges."
-John Broder, "Hope Fades for Comprehensive Climate Treaty," NYTimes 10-20-09
I understand that we in the US don't want to make sacrifices for the environment if other countries are simply going to take advantage of the situation and pollute more. However, negotiators are working right now to devise a plan that won't let anyone off the hook. It appears that we're in a position where a positive step on our part may elicit a positive step from everyone else.
Our representatives need to know that we support prudent steps toward protecting our planet on an international level. I'm going to write a letter (probably an email, actually) to my representative ASAP. The fate of some vulnerable island nations may hang in the balance! And planetary stewardship is important under any circumstances.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Difficult People
I don't have any personal enemies. Enemies don't seem to be very common among the people I know, either. Much more common are "difficult people" - folks who annoy you, or don't really respect you, or have such a different perspective that it would be painful to spend too much time with them. These are the people we don't (and maybe can't) like. And when they really get on our nerves, I really want to get back at them somehow.
However, I was reminded this morning that we can love people we don't like: "Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you." We can separate loving from liking because love fundamentally is a verb, not a feeling. We can fill the needs of our enemies as well as the difficult people in our lives. This requires both resisting the temptation to get payback and actively doing good:
"In all our thinking and living it is important to keep the negative and positive parts together. Both are good.
It is good never to retaliate, because if we repay evil for evil, we double it, adding a second evil to the first and increasing the tally of evil in the world.
It is even better to be positive, to bless, to do good, to seek peace, and to serve and convert our enemy, because if we thus repay good for evil, we reduce the tally of evil in the world while at the same time increasing the tally of good.
To repay evil for evil is to be overcome by it; to repay good for evil is to overcome evil with good. This is the way of the cross."
There are a few difficult people in my life who I've neglected to help, even though I know what their needs are. I'll definitely need to pray for strength to overcome my tendency to avoid the difficult people around me. Wish me luck.
(from John Stott's Romans: Encountering the Gospel's Power study guide, page 80.)
However, I was reminded this morning that we can love people we don't like: "Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you." We can separate loving from liking because love fundamentally is a verb, not a feeling. We can fill the needs of our enemies as well as the difficult people in our lives. This requires both resisting the temptation to get payback and actively doing good:
"In all our thinking and living it is important to keep the negative and positive parts together. Both are good.
It is good never to retaliate, because if we repay evil for evil, we double it, adding a second evil to the first and increasing the tally of evil in the world.
It is even better to be positive, to bless, to do good, to seek peace, and to serve and convert our enemy, because if we thus repay good for evil, we reduce the tally of evil in the world while at the same time increasing the tally of good.
To repay evil for evil is to be overcome by it; to repay good for evil is to overcome evil with good. This is the way of the cross."
There are a few difficult people in my life who I've neglected to help, even though I know what their needs are. I'll definitely need to pray for strength to overcome my tendency to avoid the difficult people around me. Wish me luck.
(from John Stott's Romans: Encountering the Gospel's Power study guide, page 80.)
Monday, October 19, 2009
Dirty Hands
People frequently refer to politics as a "dirty business." It's a truism to say that virtually all politicians lie, make secret deals, and compromise their values. When I tell churchgoers that I study political science, they often ask "Do you want to become a politician?" with a slightly incredulous look on their faces. The sense that I get is that becoming a politician seems incompatible with a deep religious faith. Even if I somehow managed not to lie, I would have to compromise my fundamental beliefs too much to remain a truly devout believer. If I honestly cared about living a pure Christian life, I would avoid getting entangled in politics.
But this assumes that we can disentangle ourselves from the moral quagmire of politics. Is that actually possible? Can we avoid getting our hands too dirty?
I don't think so. First of all, politics has important moral consequences. It regulates our interactions with the rest of the world, so - for better or worse - our influence over others is mediated by our political system. It affects everything from individual economic transactions to our national laws to international military clashes. If we want to ensure that our influence on others is as positive as possible, then we need to make our political system as good as possible. In order to accomplish this, we need good politicians who will plunge into the nitty gritty of politics.
Secondly, we are responsible for the state of our political affairs. Because "we the people" are sovereign in modern democracies, politicians derive their power and right to govern from us. If our representatives are bad, we can use our political power to get better people into office. Also, if we think that some aspect of our political system makes otherwise good politicians do bad things, then we can work to change the system. Inaction is an unacceptable response to bad politics.
None of us have perfectly clean hands. We all share responsibility for our world's political organization, and we should not avoid this or take it lightly. Instead, we should work together, discuss and debate the important needs and issues of our time, and strive to make politics as good as it can be.
It's time to get our hands dirty.
But this assumes that we can disentangle ourselves from the moral quagmire of politics. Is that actually possible? Can we avoid getting our hands too dirty?
I don't think so. First of all, politics has important moral consequences. It regulates our interactions with the rest of the world, so - for better or worse - our influence over others is mediated by our political system. It affects everything from individual economic transactions to our national laws to international military clashes. If we want to ensure that our influence on others is as positive as possible, then we need to make our political system as good as possible. In order to accomplish this, we need good politicians who will plunge into the nitty gritty of politics.
Secondly, we are responsible for the state of our political affairs. Because "we the people" are sovereign in modern democracies, politicians derive their power and right to govern from us. If our representatives are bad, we can use our political power to get better people into office. Also, if we think that some aspect of our political system makes otherwise good politicians do bad things, then we can work to change the system. Inaction is an unacceptable response to bad politics.
None of us have perfectly clean hands. We all share responsibility for our world's political organization, and we should not avoid this or take it lightly. Instead, we should work together, discuss and debate the important needs and issues of our time, and strive to make politics as good as it can be.
It's time to get our hands dirty.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Be an Outlier
Jesus covers a wide range of topics in this brief message delivered on the side of a mountain. It appears that the beatitudes were 8 bullet points, with little elaborations on each one constituting the next part of Jesus' message.
But before expanding on the beatitudes, Jesus reminds His disciples of their identity and mission:
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Blending in is not an option. Jesus wants and expects His followers to be unlike the rest of the world. He wants his disciples to be outliers, and only this brings out the best the world has to offer.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus paints a portrait of life transformed by obedience to the living God. This image is holistic, with a scope that covers every facet of our lives. This image is surprising, challenging our basic habits and assumptions. And this image is revolutionary in its consequences. Life as an outlier is the road less traveled, and it most certainly makes all the difference.
As future posts will reveal, "the standards of the Beatitudes are neither readily attainable by everyone nor totally unattainable by anyone." Striving after them should define our lives, and God wants us to embark on this adventure today.
(The last quote was paraphrased from John Stott's The Beatitudes: Developing Spiritual Character. It's, hands-down, the best study guide I've ever used.)
But before expanding on the beatitudes, Jesus reminds His disciples of their identity and mission:
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Blending in is not an option. Jesus wants and expects His followers to be unlike the rest of the world. He wants his disciples to be outliers, and only this brings out the best the world has to offer.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus paints a portrait of life transformed by obedience to the living God. This image is holistic, with a scope that covers every facet of our lives. This image is surprising, challenging our basic habits and assumptions. And this image is revolutionary in its consequences. Life as an outlier is the road less traveled, and it most certainly makes all the difference.
As future posts will reveal, "the standards of the Beatitudes are neither readily attainable by everyone nor totally unattainable by anyone." Striving after them should define our lives, and God wants us to embark on this adventure today.
(The last quote was paraphrased from John Stott's The Beatitudes: Developing Spiritual Character. It's, hands-down, the best study guide I've ever used.)
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