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Category: Humanity

Who Is The True Enemy Of Our Humanity? Hmmm…?

Published by mhelbert on March 28, 2024

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, “Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” So many of us are caught up in the chaos and fear that holds the world in thrall. It’s absolutely true that we live in uncertainty. We wonder where our place in society actually is. Weren’t the things that we learned as a child absolute? For those of us who grew up in the White Middle Class these fears seem especially alive. We were taught that if we just worked hard we could have anything that we desired. The world was “our oyster.” We had “the world on a string.” We could “move that rubber tree plant” if we just have “high hopes.” Now, however, we feel as if all of that has been taken away from us. What thieving, conniving, son of a bitch had the kahonas to do that? Why I oughta….! I know that we’ve all felt this. That some injustice has overtaken us. And, it was “THEM” that did it! Damn them! We then rail and rant against those other people who cause us so much anxiety and anger. In the U.S. right now those others range from illegal migrants who threaten to take our jobs. Or, it might be the Main Stream Media that are trying to teach our kids how to be some kind of ‘woke Libtard.’ Of course, the whole of Washington, D.C. is a swamp that desires to suck the life out of us. They want to take our guns and force some kind of “Homosexshul” agenda down our throats. Of course there are many who feel that conservatives are trying to drag us back into the Victorian Era. They want to control our lives by telling us what we can or can’t read or who we are able to love. We mustn’t forget the rich elites on both sides who are bankrolling the destruction of our country. For some it’s all about “God, Guns, and Country.” For others it’s about inclusivity and equality. Our anger is directed at all who seem to be stepping on our rights. OUR Rights! We turn the saying of Jesus around and say, “Anyone who is not for us is against us.” Rather than, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” We’ve divided ourselves into warring factions where there’s no room for common ground. And, it’s exhausting. There is another way. Paul alluded to it in the text from his letter to the Church at Ephesus I quoted above. Our true enemy is not that person who just cut us off on the freeway. It’s certainly not the Trans person who we saw at the grocery. In fact, no one is our true enemy. That position is reserved for what Paul described as “rulers,” Authorities,” and “Cosmic Powers.” In today’s vernacular those are referred to as Systems of Oppression. That includes Systems that instigate racism that are baked into our culture as well as our founding document. They include Systems that objectify people based on gender or gender identity. Capitalism is a System that only exists on the backs of others. And, politics is a System that guarantees that the status quo is maintained for all of the other Systems. Let me give you a real-life example. Donald Trump. For some he is the return of Christ, a savior in flawed clothing. Others see him as the incarnation of the Anti-Christ. It’s not possible for both to be true. But, it possible that neither is true. The Systems that control society and culture allow for the rise of people like Trump. But, he is as much of a victim of those Systems as any other person. Let me state it again, Donald Trump is as much of a victim of those Systems as any other person. Please, don’t throw stuff! Let me explain. If anyone thinks that a person who is down and out, say, an unhoused person is a victim, why couldn’t the person at the top of the food chain also be a victim of some other influence or power? I think that they can. Now, don’t get me wrong. I do not like Trump. Not even a little. I find him wholly out of touch with reality. His narcissism knows no bounds. He lies pathologically. He’s an abuser and a bully. There seems to be nothing in him that’s redeemable. But, redemption is not my call. That’s way above my pay grade. My task is simply to love. My brothers and sisters. My friends. My family. My…enemies? Yes, my enemies. Those who I could just as easily “Other” as they could “Other” me. When I stop to remember who my true enemies are, those powers, principalities, and systems, I find that I am able to lay aside my own presumptions and prejudices. I am free to live without the burdens of judgment and anger. More importantly, I am free to lift these others up to God and ask that God free them from the bonds that hold them as slaves to those Cosmic Forces. So, as I pray each morning I take a moment to remember folks like Donald Trump. I ask God to release him and his family from the chains that bind them. May it be so, Amen.

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Sojourning for a Little While. Let’s Do It Right.

Published by mhelbert on March 4, 2024
On the Way shutterstock 723981925

Last week I wrote a rather harsh post directed toward those who say that they follow Jesus. I am so frustrated with my sisters and brothers who, like Esau who gave away his birthright as the firstborn because he was hungry. The quintessential short-sighted person. The Church has given away its birthright as well. And, for an equally short-sighted reason.
Political power and control.
Such a fickle mistress is politics. I have been around a long time and have seen political fortunes ebb and flow with the tide of public opinion. For the Body of Christ to embrace such nonsense is truly beyond frustrating.
I know that many, (most?), who read this think that I’m over reacting. All of this is simply a passing thing. Once humanity advances a bit more and becomes more empathetic and kind, these stone age ideas will pass just as the Neanderthal. There’s a problem with that thinking. Neanderthal DNA is still present in modern Homo Sapiens. It has persisted far beyond it’s original form. So shall the ideas and cultural baggage that my fellow pilgrims on this Way.
Let me give a couple of examples that I heard this past weekend. I was with some others having coffee. One of them spoke about someone who was a tad more liberal than he. Another person interjected something along the lines of, “What, is she some sort of liberal? Does she recognize the “Trans Movement”? The other said that it wasn’t about the “Trans Movement.”
The exchange was biting and hostile. And, a purely political exchange.
The same person who had replied to that earlier exchange shared a story about being in New York City for the Macy’s parade. After the parade there were apparently protesters outside of Macy’s. They were protesting Macy’s selling of mink coats. This person said that he went up to the protesters and made the statement that they must be Pro-Life. After all, if they protested the slaughter of animals they surely must be against the slaughter of innocent unborn children. He emphasized his argument until some of the protesters became uncomfortable. But, to him, this was a victory for God. I think that if he wanted to actually do something helpful he should have joined the protesters. After all, he is Pro-Life!
These examples seem to be insignificant to most people. Maybe you, dear reader. The ramblings of people who have no idea what the culture is moving toward. Ok. I’ll give you that.
For me, however, these are people who claim to believe in God the Father of Jesus. Their faith is wrapped up in how they interpret and understand the Scripture. The same Scripture that I love. This is painful for me. These folks have walked away from their First Love in order to embrace a particular political position. Then, they say that their position is godly and the Only True Way to Christian. In their judgment any deviation from their narrow, conservative political position amounts to heresy. And, heretics are to be stoned.
When I decry the way the Church has been compromised by the powers and politics of humanity I am sharing the pain that I feel. The pain that Jesus and the Church are being misrepresented by hateful people. The pain that the Church has allowed herself to be dragged down to such a level where she can no longer be the voice of God’s Love and Good Grace to the world. And, the pain that so many of my sisters and brothers are bound up in the chains which have lies for links.
If anything that I write or teach or preach may break some of those links, then I will rejoice.
If God’s Good Grace and Love may find a way into this world to reveal health and healing, that will answer prayers.
If I, and others, (I’m surely not alone in this), can represent Jesus and the Church in a way that honors both God and Humanity, my job will be done well.
So, when I rant about the Church and the ways in which she has been slandered and mislead, grant me some grace. This is my heart and my passion.

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More on the Letter that Kills

Published by mhelbert on July 14, 2023
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Those of us who live in Ohio are becoming aware that this August 8 there will be a special election. The issue to be voted on will change the Ohio Constitution making it more difficult for certain constitutional amendments to pass. Currently, the threshold for approval of an amendment is 50% + 1. For those of us who struggled with math, let’s just call that a Simple Majority. That’s kinda how majority rule in a democracy works. The folks who put this amendment on the special election ballot want to change that to 60% of voters necessary to approve. That’s called a Super Majority. That creates a higher bar for any amendment to the Ohio Constitution to receive approval.

Now, I know the ramifications of this particular vote. I’m not going to get into that. I know how I’m going to vote. You all are intelligent folks who are capable of making a reasoned decision. Just make sure that you get out and vote!

What I want to address today is a sign. A sign that I saw in someone’s front yard. An election sign. Whoever put the sign in the yard apparently wants everyone to vote Yes on the issue this August. A yes vote will change the constitution to require that Super Majority thing I mentioned above. The subtext of the sign reads, “Protect the Constitution.” Ok, I get it, I think. Make things harder for special interests to change the constitution. Of course, special interests are supporting a Yes vote. But that’s a story for another time.

What struck me was the subtext. Why do we need to protect the Constitution and not the people whom that document is meant to serve and protect? Why are people concerned about legalities when ethics are tossed to the wind?

That, too, I think I understand.

So many folks in this country talk about how the U.S. is a nation of law. We tout the idea that no one is above the law. If people just obey the law everything will go swimmingly. The law is considered the bedrock of our democracy. We need to protect it at all costs. Just look at Jan. 6, 2021. We shouldn’t be surprised by this. While this country was not founded as a Christian nation. (Anyone who says otherwise is simply ignorant. You can walk away from them.) It was built upon a Protestant ethic. The reformers, particularly Calvin and Luther, set in motion the importance of the written word and the Law. Luther famously touted “Sola Scriptura”! Scripture alone is all that is required to know about salvation. The written word of God. Calvin carried the ball much further down the line. He established the criteria by which people could live and prosper. He even tried to establish a theocracy in part of Switzerland. The Law of God would rule people justly. Of course, that’s until people actually get involved. That, too, is another story for another time.

In time, this reformed notion of the written word morphed into legalism. The importance of the written law was finally established right here in the U.S. of A. From the very beginning the law and the courts became the final arbiters of what is right and what is wrong. Human ethics and morality became less important than the letter of the law. I hope that you can see where I’m going with this.

We, as a nation, have decided that it’s possible to legislate morality. People are set aside for a legal declaration of what’s good and proper for people’s lives. Rather than encouraging and teaching ethical behaviors that lift communities and empower people to live their best lives, we clamp a lid on that with laws that cannot do anything but hold people down and oppress them.

It is written, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” That comes from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. I wrote a bit about that here. Yet, people are putting signs in their yards so that we will protect the letter. They would have us abandon our humanity and our conscience so that a piece of paper filled with words can continue to hold people down rather than seeking ways to lift people up.

On August 8 there will be an election.

Please vote with your humanity and your conscience.

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Texas and Florida: The New Sodom

Published by mhelbert on September 15, 2022
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What’s that?

Those are two of the Reddest Red States!
Aren’t they filled with all of those conservative christian types?
How can you say that they are the New Sodom?

I’m glad you asked those questions.

First, Yes! Yes, those states boast a large percentage of the population who are christian.
They believe the Bible and claim to read it and live their lives accordingly.
I’m sure that if anyone from one of those “righteous” states reads this they will begin to
gnash their teeth and say, “How dare that liberal commie punk say that about us!”

Ok, whatevs.

I have a pretty strong case, though. In recent days there have been a couple of things happen that may or may not find air time on your favorite news channel. (I’ve found that the media, main stream or other, don’t report on these types of stories very often. I sometimes wonder why. Then, I remember, “Oh, yeah, $$$$.)

Immigration to the U.S. has historically been a problem. From banning Chinese immigrants in the 19th century to not welcoming Catholics and Irish and Italians and whoever the group du jour happens to be.. Americans, a nation of immigrants, has issues with allowing immigrants.

I get the concerns. Will there be adequate housing, jobs, schools, etc. to support any influx of people from other countries. And, while I think many, if not most, of those concerns are over-blown, there is reason for them. After all, when guests come to call the host needs to think about how to care for them.

I get it.

And, I agree that the Federal govt. really needs to pull their collective heads out of their asses and address this issue. It will not simply go away if it is ignored.
That’s why we elect those folks.

However, what two governors have done is not helpful. In fact, it is criminal. (Or, should be.)

In order to score political points Greg Abbott has been loading illegal immigrants into buses and sending them north to New York, Chicago, and D.C. He claims that it is to highlight the border problem in his state.
There is a problem there. I don’t think that anyone would deny that. People streaming across the border without any structure in place to adequately accommodate them is a big problem.
The strain on state and local governments is real. The local economies are not designed to handle the sometimes staggering number of people crossing. Federal, State, and Local law enforcement are overworked and simply not trained to handle all of the issues they are confronted with.

BUT…

Treating human beings, children, women, and men like pawns on a chess board in order to score political points is simply wrong. These are folks trying to escape crushing poverty and civil unrest. They are literally running for their lives. Gov. Abbott should be ashamed of how he is treating these people!

Florida Gov. Ron “Vecna” DeSantis is following Abbott’s lead. He recently sent two planes filled with immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard. (See NYT article here.) He did not give the folks there a heads up. He simple used taxpayer funds to fly people out of his state.
Fortunately, the good people of Martha’s Vineyard ramped up quickly to help. They welcomed the immigrants and began helping them get the support that they needed. They fed them and in one case gave someone a pair of shoes because he had none. It seems that those people understand the words that Emma Lazarus wrote that are etched on the Statue of Liberty:

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

From Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus”

I don’t fault Local and State governments their frustration. Immigration is an issue that needs to be addressed.
But, treating people who are hungry, lost, and afraid like this is truly a sin that must be reckoned.
As the prophet Ezekiel wrote to the leaders of Jerusalem:

“As I live,” says the Lord, “your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. This is the iniquity of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefor I removed them when I saw it.”

Eze. 16:48-50

As near as I can tell from this, both Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis are sodomites.

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Wrath of God?

Published by mhelbert on January 8, 2022

How many of us have had conversations about justice for someone who committed a crime?
I’m sure that there was mention of “he got what he deserved,” or “she didn’t MEAN to shoot him! Why should she be punished”?
We all seem to default to some need to exact a fair retribution for any type of wrongdoing.
When I was a kid in school I was told to get good grades or I could expect to be grounded. When I was was disrespectful to adults, well, “just don’t do it.”
On a larger scale, the criminal justice system in the U.S. is built upon the bedrock of “do the crime; do the time.” All of this seems completely correct. Tit for tat; turn about is fair play; you slap me, I’ll punch you.
That’s the way it should be. Right?
After all, doesn’t the Bible prescribe this? An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.
We could probably spend a lot of time discussing the exegesis of the texts that mention those. But, that’s not the purpose of this post.
Nor, is the purpose to critique the U.S. criminal justice system.

I have the privilege of leading Bible studies at the church I attend. I try not to make them like the typical studies that are held in many churches. I don’t tell people what to think or believe. I certainly don’t tell them how they should live their lives in some “godly” manner. Hell, I don’t even know how to do that myself!
I try to let the text speak for itself. Exegesis means to “read or lead out.” So, what I try to do is let the text “lead” me toward any meaning or interpretation. Of course, total objectivity is impossible. But, it’s important to try to be as objective as possible so as not to imprint my own world view or interpretation on the text.
In our study group this is important because some of the texts deal with negative ideas. Every time we read something about God’s wrath or some kind of holy retribution many in our group are taken aback. They wonder how God, as revealed in Jesus, could ever do anything like that. After all, aren’t the Gospels pretty clear in revealing God’s unlimited love for the world? However, our experiences in life don’t back up that gilded image of Christ the lamb-carrier. Rather, we see everyday how wrong is punished. When we question that, we are invariably told “Well, the Bible tells us to.” So, if God practices retributive justice, so should we.

But, is that an accurate understanding of God?

Notice that I didn’t write “understanding of how God works.” No, the question of justice and love cut to the very heart of Who God Is. God’s very character is seen in how God acts. By the way, that’s how it works with people, too. Like James wrote, “Y’all can tell me about your faith all day long. I’ll show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:18 my paraphrase).
So, we tend to view God by what we see, or read, God doing. And, Lawd A’Mighty! There are a lot of examples of God’s wrath wreaking havoc among humanity. I’m not going to list them here. Just consider all of the folks alive at Noah’s time before and after the flood. Not a great ending for all but, what, eight people and a menagerie of critters.
In our journey through the Book to the Hebrews, we have read about the people who left Egypt with Moses. They came to the very border of God’s promised land. Then, they forgot all of the things that they had witnessed. The plagues in Egypt; the Red Sea parting; the fire and cloud on Mount Sinai; God’s provision of bread and drink in the desert…all forgotten. God told them that because of the lack of trust they would all perish in the desert. Well, all except two. We read about how “vengeance is mine” and “it’s a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.” These texts met with diverted looks and head shaking. Again, how could a loving God do such things?
I admit that much of what we read in the Bible is troublesome. If I know that such violence and anger is wrong, how could God not? If God’s moral compass seems more skewed than mine, why should I follow God at all?
There are a couple things to consider. The first one I’m not going to dwell on now. That’s a topic for another post. But, it goes like this.
The Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Both in their creation and their canonization. However, they are all wholly human documents. Written by specific people for a specific reason, intended for reading by other specific people. That’s not to belittle God’s inspiration. That’s just the way it is. As such, they will contain all of the humanness and worldview of those writing. The End.
The other consideration for these raw stories’ inclusion in Holy Writ is one not usually thought of by many, (most?), believers. That is because of the rhetorical impact of the stories. In the above examples from Hebrews, the writer wanted to make a point. He used the story of the Israelites’ failed entrance into the Promised Land to implore his readers to “Not. Be. Like. Those. People.” I would suggest that the original story may have had that idea behind it. The point is to remain faithful and trust God and you will reach the reward. Don’t be like those who don’t trust. The effect is motivation to stay the course. The same thought is behind the other statements. They are not statements that describe God as angry and wrathful. The statements were made in the context of people acting faithlessly in the face of God’s promises. Don’t be like them!
That begs the question, “well, what about ‘those people’?” Isn’t God still portrayed as the big bully who gets his boxers in a bunch when people don’t do exactly what God says? Not really. Does any hypothetical example require a physically real expression? Of course not! Nor do the writers of the Scriptures need to be reporting about actual behaviors of so-called sinners and apostates in order to draw conclusions from what may be their actions.
This rhetorical tool may be found in many other portions of the Bible. The writers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, tell of dreadful possibilities and outcomes in an attempt to persuade their hearers to take a preferred path in their lives. Do this! Don’t be like those people who didn’t.
I know that there are lots and lots of folks who will take issue with these thought. That’s ok. I don’t need to be right. But, I do need to be consistent in my claim that Jesus Christ is the only true representation of Deity. Through what I read in the Gospels about Jesus, I think that my position is a solid one.

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Light in the Darkness

Published by mhelbert on December 27, 2021
Shutterstock: Item ID: 251257738

Yesterday was Boxing Day in the U.K.
It was also the first day of Kwanzaa.
And, St. Stephen’s Day and the Second Day of Christmas. (I hope that your true love sent you those 2 Turtledoves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!)
Last week was the Winter Solstice. That’s the holiday that so many who lived in Northern Europe, especially, held dear. It was the day when the darkness that was encroaching on the world was stopped. The day when Light began to ascend and conquer that darkness. It was the day when Hope was renewed.

Light has been a symbol used by most people throughout history to denote Hope. A symbol is simply a word, a sign, or an object that represents something else, like an idea or a relationship. For many of our ancient forebears, light was the symbol par excellence of hope and life. The sun gave its light and heat to the world so that people would not starve. They would, again this year, be able to sow and reap. The rains would come and the earth would give its abundance.

It’s no wonder, then, that people also began to use the symbol of light for things that were unseen.

The darkness that fell over humans in subjection to cruel tyrants followed the Light to freedom.

People could be “enlightened” to understand the dark sayings and secrets of the Cosmos.

The darkness of the Shadow of Death could be put to flight by the Light.

During the Dark season we also celebrate another Light.

The writer of the Gospel According to Luke records the words of the father of John the Baptist:

Because of God’s tender mercy, 
  the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, 
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, 
  and to guide us to the path of peace.


In the Gospel According to John we get a look at the fulfillment of those words.
John wrote concerning the Baptist:

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
   He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.
   He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
   There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

John revealed Who the symbol of Light represented. This Light was the Son of God.
He was the Light coming into the world. A world that was full of darkness. And, John wrote,
“The darkness did not overcome it.”

John’s Gospel uses different techniques in order to make his point. In some places he uses irony. In others there is foreshadowing. In this particular verse he uses double entendre.
That is, a word or phrase that has one obvious meaning, yet also has other meanings that can change how a statement may be understood. In this case, the word translated above as “overcome” can also mean to understand or comprehend. So, the same verse may be translated, “The darkness did not comprehend it.”

Both of those statements are true. Both foreshadow events in John’s Gospel.
Both speak to us today.

There is truly darkness that shrouds the world. Don’t believe me? Watch the news.
Injustice; hatred; greed; murder; war; hunger; disease.
These have been with humanity ever since we made that first choice to take what we wanted from others and leave their corpses in the sun to rot.

Granted, throughout our history there have also been those who would sacrifice themselves for the good of others.

Two extremes.
Dark
Light

There is Hope, though.

Driving from Arizona I experienced something truly breathtaking.
I left Flagstaff early. It was well before sunrise. Driving east I watched as the ink-black sky began to lighten. Stars began to blink out and go to sleep for the day. With each mile the black night darkness turned to gray, then to dark shades of blue. Suddenly, I saw streaks of rose and pink creating a marbling against the azure sky! The sky continued to lighten until a small crescent of orange peeked over the horizon. Rays of fire spread across the sky chasing the darkness and overcoming it. What a glorious sight!

But, it was only dawn.
Noon had not yet come.

I had driven from utter dark, through twilight, and into the dawn.

This, too, is a symbol if we pay attention.

On Saturday we celebrated the Incarnation of the Light.
A child born and sleeping in a manger.
Such a wonderful Hope.
Yet, it is not yet noon.
We have only Hope that the full light will come and completely dispel the darkness.
We have only Hope that the full light will also enlighten us with grace and understanding so that the darkness that dwells within us might also be dispelled.

The Light is here, right now.
And, the Light is yet to come.
That is the reality of the world.

May we embrace the Light that Is so that we may walk from the darkness, through the twilight, and, perhaps, find ourselves fully illuminated.

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Equity Act: A Response to Mitt Romney

Published by mhelbert on February 25, 2021

There is currently a bill in Congress, H.R. 5, that is commonly referred to as the “Equality Act.” This bill is designed to add protections for LGBTQ people to the 1964 Civil Rights Bill. It’s description is “To prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes.” I’m not going to dwell on the content of the bill. Y’all can read it yourselves here.
What I am going to write about is the response that many conservative, religious folks are saying about the bill.
Well, actually, I’m not going to discuss so much THEIR responses as much as I am going to respond TO them.
In particular, I am going to single out Sen. Mitt Romney, (R-Utah), for his response.
Like so many others, Romney has seemed to be a voice of sanity among all of the craziness of conservative politics. But, under the veneer of moderation he is still far to the right of moderate.
The Equality Act was introduced into the House last week on the 18th. Later, a spokesperson for Sen. Romney released the following statement:
“Sen. Romney believes that strong religious liberty protections are essential to any legislation on this issue, and since those provisions are absent from this particular bill, he is not able to support it,” said Arielle Mueller, a Romney spokesperson, via email to the Washington Blade in response to an inquiry on the Equality Act.
For several years people have tried to cloak their personal biases and opinions under the mantle of “Sincerely held Religious beliefs.” This is pretty much what Romney said.
People who believe in various religious texts say that those texts prohibit them from agreeing to certain practices or beliefs of others. In this case, they cite a Biblical prohibition of homosexuality and “clear” statement that God created two distinct genders in all species. Ok, I’m not going to address the religious side of this. I could. And, I could present opposing views of the very same texts that they allude to. That’s the nature of Biblical interpretations. That’s what they are; Interpretations.
No, I want to go in a different direction.
I want to talk about what may be referred to as the “accidents of nature.” Or, perhaps, even as Acts of God.
I currently live in a middle-class American suburb. I have a house and a garden. I own a car and have time to write silly blog posts. I wasn’t born into a developing nation where houses are patchworks of whatever materials I can forage. Where such things as running water and sanitation services are non-existent, let alone computer or internet access.
I don’t think that anyone would argue that the above is an accurate account of an Accident of Nature. I had nothing to do with where I was born. Nor, did the individual in that other culture. We both have privileges and lacks in both. For those who like to explain things in terms of Divine Providence, I was Providentially born into the life that I now have.
Now, let me ask you.
Is the fact that some are born left-handed an Accident of Nature?
Of course they are. They had no say in the fact that they have a gift that is divergent with the majority.
How about people who may be born with a cleft palate?
Are these folks somehow responsible for this? Did they choose to be born this way?
Of course not! It’s obvious that somewhere in their development something happened that allowed them to develop this particular trait.
My wife is a nurse. She tells me stories about children who are born with any number of issues. Some have a hole in their heart that needs to be repaired surgically. Others have incomplete bowel development. All of them are what we could call Accidents of Nature.
There is another condition that doesn’t get a lot of press.
It is referred to as Intersexuality. This is a condition where a child is born with two sets of sexual organs. There may also be a difference in chromosome identity with the actual sexual organs present. A child born with female chromosomes who is born with apparent male genitalia would be an example. Some children are even born with both sets of genitalia. Many times at birth, the parents are asked to choose which gender the child should be. What if they make the wrong choice? What if their child with female chromosomes is surgically altered to give them a son?
Even in nature such things may occur.
Recently, I saw a news item about a cardinal that appeared to be half red and half white.
They reported that this was in fact a bird that was two genders!
I don’t share this because it gives credibility to Intersexuality in humans. It doesn’t.
But, it does show quite clearly that Accidents of Nature happen!
Let’s take this discussion a step further.
What if a child’s genetics are clearly male and there biological sex is also physically male. Now, let’s suggest that as this boy grows up his body produces hormones differently from other boys. This is all hypothetical, mind you. And, let’s say that these hormones, that would naturally cause this boy to find the female body attractive, are different. In his case they cause him to find pleasure in the male body. In fact, just as I am attracted to females, his attraction is to males. He desires another male in whom he can confide and grow with; another Person with whom he can bond and love.
That’s not a far-fetched idea.
In fact, for millions, it is the reality of their lives.
I share all of this to make the point that when people talk about LGBTQ issues, they are not talking about religion. There is nothing religious about an Accident of Nature. Unless, of course, you want to call it an Act of God.
No, this entire issue is about Civil Rights. It’s about the unalienable right guaranteed in our founding documents that are granted every citizen.
So, Mr. Romney, in framing the Equality Act in religious terms, you are making a horrible category error that threatens the lives and livelihoods of millions of your fellow citizens.
Many of whom are your co-religionists.
I urge you, and all other Senators to truly engage in these issues and set aside biases and bigotries that hurt rather than heal.

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Gratitude

Published by mhelbert on November 26, 2020

First, Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Things may look bleak right now in many ways.


Covid-19 is taking lives and livelihoods every day. Friends and family are affected by job loss, income loss, and lives lost. It’s hard to be thankful for anything when these hit us so close to home.

Our culture is severely divided along ideological lines. It’s not just right vs. left or Democrats vs. Republicans. It’s son vs. father, daughter vs. mother. There are many households that are fractured during a season where joy and thanks should be the hallmarks.

Issues that surround the differences in skin color have been cut open and are bleeding in our streets. For many people, particularly white Americans, this has come as a surprise. They had thought that this issue had been settled in the 60s. In fact, racism had just been covered up. It still festered like an untreated infection until the poison came to a head and exploded.

Native Americans remember this day with great sorrow. Many take this day for “reflection and mourning for Lives Taken.” Others celebrate the harvest in order to remember what Thanksgiving is truly about.

Yet, here I am encouraging everyone to embrace Thanksgiving.
Not as the cultural holiday that it has morphed into.
But, so that we may express Gratitude.
It’s easy to sit around a table laden with all sorts of seasonal goodies. We can gorge ourselves on turkey and dressing, pie and cream. Then, sit in our living rooms watching football and feeling content.
Gratitude is not the same as feeling content. Feeling content is more akin to feeling satisfied.
Satisfied in how well I and my family fare so that we can afford this meal with all the trimmings. Satisfied that I can watch a game on my 50″, super HD television while seated in my padded recliner in the warmth of my heated home.
I don’t want to judge anyone. I’m going to do the same thing today. With, maybe, a nap thrown in for good measure.
There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with feeling content.

We must, however, remember that the feelings we have are not truly gratitude.

Perhaps we can be grateful for the resiliency of humankind.
We are stretched almost to breaking by the pressures of the pandemic and the culture and politics and the economy and, and, and….
Yet, we do not break. We find ways, not just to cope, but to overcome. Our lineage still hearkens back to our first forbears, including Lucy. These beings adapted and overcame obstacle that could have caused extinction. There are many examples of hominin species that did not survive. Ours, thankfully, did. Their survival and continued existence through many changes and forms seems to have engrained in us that same will to survive and thrive.
So, thank you Lucy!

We can be thankful for our friends and family. Especially, those of us who are difficult to love. People still put up with us. One or two actually seem to like us! Holy Crap!
So, thank you to all. (You know who you are!)

The food and shelter that so many take for granted are truly reasons to be thankful. Through science and sweat we have surpluses of grain, fruit, meat, and fish. We have technology that allows us to build and maintain housing in cities and suburbs. We are able to pipe water into our homes and, pipe our waste out. Gas, electricity, and telecommunications are things that we take for granted. We should not. These are things that we should be particularly thankful for.
So, thank you to the scientists, engineers, and laborers who make these things possible.

I could go on about specific things that we may be grateful for. But, I don’t want to sit here typing all day. There are turkey and potatoes calling my name!

I do want to say thank you to One more Person.
How can I express my gratitude to the One Who has given more than any other could possibly give?
Call this Person God if you like.
Love and acceptance are difficult for us humans. We find ourselves trying to condition our offering of these to others. “They aren’t like us,” we say. So, whoever ‘they’ are don’t receive those from us. “They talk strange,” or “They worship differently.” These difference seem to give us license to treat them as “Other” or “Less than.”
Yet, a Merciful God did not consider us as “Other.” God did not think of us as “Unworthy” or “Less than.”
God chose to Love us instead.
And, not only us!
God chose to Love the earth and the cosmos and the entire universe.


This should serve us as the Ultimate Example of how we should express our gratitude toward God, our families, and our communities.
And, not only these.

Perhaps during this season of thankfulness and joy we can take a minute to consider how we have benefitted by being a part of the Cosmos.

Thank you, God!

And, thank you for reading this.

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Friday Musing_8-14-2020

Published by mhelbert on August 14, 2020
Indigenous rendering of Battle of Greasy Grass

I’ve often heard folks say, “the writing of history belongs to the victor.”
There are few people who would disagree with that. After all, how many white people in the U.S. were aware of “Juneteenth” before 2020? Does anyone know what the Lakota People call the Battle of the Little Big Horn? (ans.: Battle at the Greasy Grass. You can Google it yourself.)
The inherent danger in the victor producing the main accounts of history, is that there is only One Side accounted for.
We get to see all of the honor and courage of those on the winning side. While, at the same time, the cowardice and shame of the defeated is illuminated.
In every event, whether armed conflict, economic systems, religion, or you insert the name, those whose effectiveness in arms or wealth or prestige are the ones who tell the story.
A case in point are the recent post that I shared on the Civil War. In school we were taught that the war was fought over the issue of slavery. That’s one part of the story. That’s the part of the story that raises the honor of the White government and army so that they are considered “liberators.” The blood shed on the battlefield won a great victory for the benevolent people who had all of the power. See? We’re not all vicious slavers. Not All White People Are Like That!
Yet, while it’s absolutely true that many White Americans had purely altruistic motives, the actual Powers-That-Be were those who controlled the economy. These folks’ sole interest was in expanding their own wealth and influence. Hardly praise-worthy.
But, that’s a part of the story we don’t hear. It places the integrity of the Victors in a negative light. They all want to be known as Lovers of Liberty. Not, the lovers of money that they actually were.
So, that leads me to another saying that has been tossed around by folks.
“Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.”
First, just let me go on record of calling Bullshit on that.
What?
Well, it is!
Again, I would like to throw out the possibility that even this saying is the product of the imagination of the victors.
Of course, they desire that people remember what has gone on before! They, themselves, know all about the circumstances that led to their own acquisition of power and honor. They know all too well about how they had to fight to gain, or retain, the economic and political power they now hold. And, they don’t want their own to forget that struggle. For if they do, they realize that someone else might step into the role that they had and fight for their own power and honor. That would, somehow, diminish them.
The main reason that I call Bullshit on that saying, though, is because it simply isn’t true. History doesn’t repeat. History is literally just part of the continuum of time that has led the World to this point. It only seems repetitive because human nature is always the same. So, we continue to see the same concerns and struggles that have been part of humanity ever since our forebears climbed out of the trees of Africa and built community on the ground. It only seems to repeat because the victors are always fighting the same battles over and over again and recording their victories.
Reality, though, tells a far different story. A story that the victors don’t even realize is alive and well. It is a story that is not only ignored, but in many cases violently subdued.
It is the story that we see embroiling cultures and societies around the globe.
I call it an Affective History.
This is the long, term lived history of people.
An example:
Chattel slavery in the U.S. is a historic fact. It happened during a finite period of time from the first African slaves that were sold in Jamestown 1619 until the 13th amendment to the constitution was ratified in 1865.
What we were never taught in school, and which has only recently appeared on people’s radar, is how almost 250 years of bondage Affected the humanity of African slaves. We heard about Reconstruction, Carpet Baggers and others like them. Most of us probably heard in passing that ex-slaves were promised “40 acres and a mule” upon emancipation. What we didn’t hear was how that promise, like so many others the U.S. government made, never happened. No one ever explained how the Southern states began in 1878 to dismantle Reconstruction and resurrected their power over African Americans through Jim Crow. Yeah, we heard about those things. But, we were never privy to how this Affected those who felt the effects of racial hatred.
The Civil Rights Movement in the 50s and 60s certainly resulted in more legal rights for African Americans. White folks grudgingly gave in to many of the demands of the oppressed. That is until they could find ways to get around them. Jerry Falwell, Sr. is just one example of many who began private schools for whites only in order to exclude people of color. This lasted until 1983 when the Supreme Court upheld IRS rules that removed tax exemptions for those donating to private schools that were segregated by race.
Even that little bit of history, while it appears to put White racism in its place, doesn’t tell how this Magnanimous offering to racial minorities actually Affects those minorities.
I’m sure that if we put our heads together we could add countless examples of how events in history currently Affect people.
Women, Indigenous, African, Hispanic, Jewish, Muslims, and on and on and on.
How have people been Affected by the stories that the victors are privileged to tell?
It’s past time to hear history, and life, as told by these.

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