Stop Being Religious!

Religion is alive and well in the United States and world. Christianity, however, is on life support. Religion justifies our prejudices. Religion sanctifies our actions. Religion tells us who is in and who is out. Religion draws lines in the sand. Religion says you're a sinner and I am not. Religion justifies hatred. Religion is ideologically blind. Religion foments violence. In his documentary, "Religulous", a name blending religion and rediculous, comedian Bill Maher sets out the case for how commitment to a religion, stirs the fires of war.

Christianity, on the otherhand, waters the flowers of peace. Christianity lifts the grace of reconciliation. Christianity opens us to forgivness and repentance. Christianity inspires atonement. Christianity causes love. Christianity calls forth justice.

Leadership in Washington is being too religious in the health care debate. There are too many lines in the sand, too much "we're in and you're out', too much corporate prejudice. What they need is a commitment to being Christian. It is time call out the leadership to lend integrity to their Christian beliefs. I say this believing that most of our Washington leadership are active in some Christian church. I may be wrong, but I am trying to be generous and assuming the best! Is this a stretch?

Jesus addresses the issues of religiosity and Christianity in his criticism of the Scribes and Pharisees in Mark 7. The religious are hypocrites. Now, their holy veneer is shredded by the presence of the Christ. Mark quotes Jesus as saying words from Isaiah: "You honor me with your lips, but your heart is far from me". The S and P knew the rules and were good at saying who was in and who was out. But Jesus was about a new point of view and had come to change the game. Religion out, Jesus in. Washington leadership is like the Scribes and Pharisees.

Bonhoeffer addressed the same issue. The German Church was that of the Scribes and Pharisees. The German Church had become "religious" and not Christian. The Confessing Church, however, was the Christian expression of faithfulness. Bonhoeffer wrote: "There is salvation only in the Confessing Church". Bonhoeffer noticed the difference and called out the German faithful to be faithful. He also spoke of a "religionless Christianity", a phrase that meant, "Be Christian"!

What does it mean to be Christian? The Letter of James shows us the way. First of all, "Be quick to listen, slow to anger, slow to speak". What a lesson for those attending the Town Hall meetings! Be respectful of each other. Be civil. Be Christian! Then, show concern for the orphans and widows because they are the most vulnerable. Indeed, Jesus spent most of his life taking on the holy powerful and showing compassion for the most vulnerable. The Kingdom of God was announced through the loving actions of the Christ. Jim Wallis says that "Authentic faith is revealed in action". Jesus was the personification of authentic faith in action. James says, "Be doers of the Word".

Considering health care, into the breech we go! For me, the health care issue needs a competitive public option. Better yet, universal, single payer care! We also need to bargain for lower drug costs. I hope this apparent deal with the pharmaceutical companies is a mirage. It is important to lessen malpractice insurance costs. Community health clinics can be established to work with patients on preventive care. And to get this all done, having the Senate commit to "reconciliation" (what a misnomer! It is time for power politics!) and 51 votes. Go for it. Obama needs to call in the blue dogs and all leadership folks on the Hill and state clearly his intention for the public option because it is the moral thing to do, with all people being served and costs being lowered. It may well be necessary to raise taxes. So be it. We need to remember that in the European countries and Canada, taxes are higher to pay for health care. Health care is not free over there, but it is for all, and ALL is the goal. The government needs to be the Grand Bargainer for lower costs because the private companies are too obsessed with profit taking to adequately serve the common good. Nobody is talking about shutting private companies down, but only to make competition fair and affordable for ALL.

It is time for Obama to lead like a Christian. I sense he is being too "religious" in his leadership. He has drawn too many lines in the sand to be effective. It is time for him to do the Jesus thing of confronting the corporate powerful, calling them hypocrites, and calling them out to be bold for justice! It is time to care for the most vulnerable. The fat cats are so obese with power and wealth they revel in self protection, blindly believing they are serving all people when in truth they only fatten themselves.

Stop being religious, Mr. President! Be Christian!

Peace!
Ron