-
·
How Failures Win: In Movements and In Life
Failing is good. Every day I remind myself. We call ourselves perfectionists because we’re in pain. We use perfectionism as a kind of diagnosis which makes us feel better about playing it safe or feeling hurt. The kind of imperfection that can become a badge of honor – the strength we pass off as a weakness…
-
·
See the degree of inequality
For many of us, the notion of inequality is intolerable. A system that perpetuates poverty is an affront to our faith and belief about what we are called to do in this world. Of course not everybody has the same conviction. As this video highlights, however, virtually everybody believes the system is inappropriately rigged and…
-
·
More Christian Than Christians
A year ago when the Occupy Wall Street movement developed, it was easy to recognize a correlation between the church’s mission and #OWS’s. It’s participants were attempting to forge a different way of gathering that was egalitarian and grass roots. It’s decision making was communal and encouraged a type of shared leadership most churches can…
-
·
There is More Than Supply and Demand
One of my pet peeves is false dichotamies. You know, when we make complex problems into simple either/or solutions. Like politics. That’s why Robert Reich’s recent column struck me this morning as I read it. He was talking about what the U.S. could learn from the European economic crisis, which is a telling case of…
-
·
(Dis)order and Witness
Since the Occupy protests began, I’ve been struggling with what is so objectionable to so many people about protest. Perhaps I am as pinko as my former rector, Matt+ says I am, but I’ve never found protest in itself to be ugly. Between my own limited experience and the research I’ve done, criticisms of protests of…
-
·
Telling Secrets: “…Another World Is Possible.”
Elizabeth Kaeton preached the quintessential Advent 4 sermon–about Occupy Wall Street. Amazing! This has me moved to see a simple idea. Head on over, read it, and then reflect over that picture of Bishop Packard for a moment. When you are done, come back and ask yourself the following question: What if, in the midst…
-
·
The excuse of fear: “nonlethal” force and the powerful
In the week between when the world discovered Sgt. Shamar Thomas, some dudes went crazy. The viral video of an Iraqi veteran chastising the New York police department for arming up against their own civilians as if it were a war zone was a wake-up call to the sleeping public. These public protesters aren’t impudent…