Let us lift up our thoughts and prayers.
We give thanks for justice,
for those who work to make the world a better place.
We give thanks for charity,
for those who act compassionately toward people in need.
We give thanks for inclusion,
for those who welcome all people with open arms.
We give thanks for forgiveness,
for those who are able to replace revenge with love.
We give thanks for lifelong learning,
for those who search for truth and think for themselves.
We give thanks for community,
for those who find strength in sharing laughter – and sometimes tears – with others.
Let it be. So be it. And: Amen.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Property rights vs. equal rights
I used to work with a TV photojournalist. Sometimes, when he was frustrated by one thing or another, he’d walk over to a wall and bang his head against it. The first time I saw it I asked him, “Why do you do that?” He said, “Because it feels so good when I stop.”
Back in May 2010 I did something that some probably thought was like banging my head against the wall. I asked the Holland City Council to ban discrimination of people based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in housing, employment and education. The city already has a couple ordinances prohibiting discrimination of people based on race, age, religion, etc. This would just add four simple words to those ordinances. As you probably know, it was not that simple. Recently the council voted against that request, 5-4.
Several council members said if they added sexual orientation and gender identity to the existing ordinances, it would take away people’s “property rights.” As I understand it, here’s how. Let’s say someone owns an apartment building in Holland and has a rental unit available. And let’s say Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi show up to rent it. And let’s also say the owner doesn’t like the fact that they’re a lesbian couple. If the owner were forced by law to rent to them, that would be taking away the owner’s property rights.
Of course, the owner is already forced by law not to discriminate against Chris Rock because of his race, Betty White because of her age and the Dalai Lama because of his religion. So the owner has already lost property rights. If you want to do business with the public, you can’t discriminate against a segment of the public. Except in Holland. At least for now.
Now, I’m no expert on history, but I believe the argument that property rights trump equal rights has been decided at least twice in our nation’s past. Back in the 1960s, when Congress passed Civil Rights legislation, it said in part that a restaurant owner had to serve black people, even if that owner didn’t like black people, because equal rights trump property rights. Before that, in the 1860s, we fought The Civil War in part to say that the equal rights of black people (you know, the right not to be slaves), trumped a slave owner’s property rights.
I announced after the council’s vote that I’d collect signatures to put this issue before the voters of Holland. That’s how several council members said it should be decided. If a majority votes that down, I’ll go back before council members next year, when their new term begins, and ask them again to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s equal rights ordinances. Why do I want to keep banging my head against the wall in Holland? Because, to paraphrase the TV photojournalist I used to work with, it’ll feel so good when I stop.
Back in May 2010 I did something that some probably thought was like banging my head against the wall. I asked the Holland City Council to ban discrimination of people based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in housing, employment and education. The city already has a couple ordinances prohibiting discrimination of people based on race, age, religion, etc. This would just add four simple words to those ordinances. As you probably know, it was not that simple. Recently the council voted against that request, 5-4.
Several council members said if they added sexual orientation and gender identity to the existing ordinances, it would take away people’s “property rights.” As I understand it, here’s how. Let’s say someone owns an apartment building in Holland and has a rental unit available. And let’s say Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi show up to rent it. And let’s also say the owner doesn’t like the fact that they’re a lesbian couple. If the owner were forced by law to rent to them, that would be taking away the owner’s property rights.
Of course, the owner is already forced by law not to discriminate against Chris Rock because of his race, Betty White because of her age and the Dalai Lama because of his religion. So the owner has already lost property rights. If you want to do business with the public, you can’t discriminate against a segment of the public. Except in Holland. At least for now.
Now, I’m no expert on history, but I believe the argument that property rights trump equal rights has been decided at least twice in our nation’s past. Back in the 1960s, when Congress passed Civil Rights legislation, it said in part that a restaurant owner had to serve black people, even if that owner didn’t like black people, because equal rights trump property rights. Before that, in the 1860s, we fought The Civil War in part to say that the equal rights of black people (you know, the right not to be slaves), trumped a slave owner’s property rights.
I announced after the council’s vote that I’d collect signatures to put this issue before the voters of Holland. That’s how several council members said it should be decided. If a majority votes that down, I’ll go back before council members next year, when their new term begins, and ask them again to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s equal rights ordinances. Why do I want to keep banging my head against the wall in Holland? Because, to paraphrase the TV photojournalist I used to work with, it’ll feel so good when I stop.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
We Give Thanks For Fathers
Let us lift up our thoughts and prayers.
We give thanks for fathers,
at least for the ones who are involved with their children;
we can’t help but give thanks for them.
Some fathers were only there at conception,
perhaps they would have made lousy fathers,
so maybe we should give thanks for absent fathers.
Some fathers simply donated their DNA,
so other people could have children;
we can’t help but give thanks for them as well.
Some fathers come into the picture
to help raise another man’s children,
treating them with love and support;
we can’t help but give thanks for them too.
Some single moms play the dual roles of mother and father,
we can’t help but give thanks for them also.
Let us give thanks on this Father’s Day
for all those who are good fathers.
Let it be. So be it. And: Amen.
We give thanks for fathers,
at least for the ones who are involved with their children;
we can’t help but give thanks for them.
Some fathers were only there at conception,
perhaps they would have made lousy fathers,
so maybe we should give thanks for absent fathers.
Some fathers simply donated their DNA,
so other people could have children;
we can’t help but give thanks for them as well.
Some fathers come into the picture
to help raise another man’s children,
treating them with love and support;
we can’t help but give thanks for them too.
Some single moms play the dual roles of mother and father,
we can’t help but give thanks for them also.
Let us give thanks on this Father’s Day
for all those who are good fathers.
Let it be. So be it. And: Amen.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
We Give Thanks For Equal Rights For All People
Let us lift up our thoughts and prayers.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
even though sometimes it’s only on paper and not always in practice.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their race.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their gender.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their age.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their nationality.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their income level.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their ability or disability.
We pray for the day when all people will truly enjoy equal rights,
regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Let it be. So be it. And: Amen.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
even though sometimes it’s only on paper and not always in practice.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their race.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their gender.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their age.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their nationality.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their income level.
We give thanks for equal rights for all people,
regardless of their ability or disability.
We pray for the day when all people will truly enjoy equal rights,
regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Let it be. So be it. And: Amen.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
We Give Thanks For June In Michigan
Let us lift up our thoughts and prayers.
We give thanks for June in Michigan.
What a magnificent month.
A month of long days, sunshine and the official start of summer.
We give thanks for long walks on the beach,
vegetables growing in the garden
and fruit ripening on the vine.
If there is such a thing as eternal life
and every day somewhere over the rainbow
is like June in Michigan,
that would truly be heaven.
May we recognize heaven on earth whenever we encounter it,
especially in Michigan in June.
Now and forevermore.
Let it be. So be it. And: Amen.
We give thanks for June in Michigan.
What a magnificent month.
A month of long days, sunshine and the official start of summer.
We give thanks for long walks on the beach,
vegetables growing in the garden
and fruit ripening on the vine.
If there is such a thing as eternal life
and every day somewhere over the rainbow
is like June in Michigan,
that would truly be heaven.
May we recognize heaven on earth whenever we encounter it,
especially in Michigan in June.
Now and forevermore.
Let it be. So be it. And: Amen.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Love Wins, Hate Comes In A Close Second
I like the Creation Story in the Hebrew Scriptures. I may not believe it, I may think it’s a parable, I may think it’s a myth; but I like it. “God created the heavens and the earth. God created all the animals. God created humankind. And God saw that it was very good.” Peace prevailed; it was the Garden of Eden; it was heaven on earth. The lion lies down with the lamb and doesn’t devour it. The alligator lies down with the deer and doesn’t devour it. The televangelist lies down with the widow’s retirement money and doesn’t devour it. Love is all around. Love is everywhere. Love wins. But wait. The serpent is slithering towards Adam and Eve, preparing to fool them into doing something wrong. And they do. Love wins, hate comes in a close second.
Oprah did her last TV talk show this past week. I watched it, which I don’t think most men did, or would admit to. I liked her show. I’ve always liked Oprah. Maybe because we were both born the same year. Or maybe because Oprah is worth billions of dollars and I’m, you know, priceless. Actually it’s because I thought Oprah was the greatest preacher in America. She lifted people’s spirits. She inspired people to be better. She got people reading – actual books, not just Facebook. She made people look at the stuff in their lives they’d just as soon ignore. She spoke truth to power. To me, Oprah personifies love in the way Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama personifies love, in the way Hindus believe Gandhi personifies love, in the way Christians believe Jesus personifies love. Oprah always had a classy show. Oprah’s show was filled with love. Other shows were filled with hate, with chair throwing and fists flying and hair pulling. And Oprah always beat those other shows in the ratings. So Oprah proved that: Love wins, hate comes in a close second.
On this Memorial Day Weekend, the world is at peace. Which means there aren’t any wars being fought in America. Of course that doesn’t mean America isn’t at war. It is: in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Libya and who knows where else. This weekend we’re supposed to honor those who’ve fallen in war. And we do. I just wish we’d honor them by not starting any more wars and getting out of the wars we’re in. Wars are started at the drop of a hat, on a whim, sometimes without any reason or with manufactured reasons. So while billions of people are at peace this Memorial Day Weekend, tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of people have died in wars in recent years. So: Love wins, hate comes in a close second.
Rob Bell wrote a book recently, as you know, called, “Love Wins.” Inexplicably, it generated a lot of hate. All Rob Bell said was, essentially, God doesn’t hate anybody, God doesn’t want anybody to spend eternity in Hell, God wants everybody to get to Heaven. And many Christians went nuts. I don’t get it. I don’t understand why Christians say, “Oh no, Rob Bell; you don’t understand, God’s heart is filled with hate for a whole lot of people.” Then why not change the lyrics of a popular Christian song, from “Our God is an awesome God,” to, “Our God is a hateful God”? I don’t understand why Christians didn’t say, “Thank you, Rob Bell; I never have understood how Jesus could be so loving and yet God, his Father, could be so hateful.” Love may win, but many Christians seem to want to make sure hate comes in a close second.
The Rapture didn’t happen this past Saturday. Many people were disappointed. The man who predicted the Rapture happening on May 21st has revised his prediction. Now it will come October 21st. I have to admit; I don’t understand the Rapture. God’s people will be lifted up to heaven? Then Jesus will come in a cloud and start killing his enemies? Come again? Jesus, the guy who said, “Love your enemies,” will come back and kill his enemies? Jesus, the guy who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” will come back and wage war? Jesus, the guy who said, “Forgive and you will be forgiven,” will comeback and be unforgiving? Does that make any sense? What will Jesus look like, Rambo? Will Gandhi come back as Godzilla? Will the Buddha come back as Hitler? And many people seem positively gleeful over Jesus coming back to kill his enemies. Not to mention people spending eternity in hell. Why would that make anybody happy? What if love wins, period?
Moses killed a man before he started his spiritual journey. You may remember, a Jew and an Egyptian were fighting and Moses came along and killed the Egyptian. Then he fled. God called Moses from the burning bush, according to the Hebrew Scriptures. God helped Moses lead his people out of Egypt. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. God showed Moses the Promised Land. All that after he’d killed a man. I think the point of all that is: No matter how we start out on our spiritual journey, love can win over hate.
On my radio show a couple weeks ago, I said I believe that all, or most all churches, will welcome gays into the pew and into the pulpit within five to ten years. Our guest said that I’m the most optimistic person she’s ever met. I am an optimist, but I’m not the only one. If I’m an optimist, so is Dr. King, who said, “The arch of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” If I’m an optimist, so is Mother Teresa, who said, “Peace begins with a smile.” If I’m an optimist, so is Jesus, who said, “I give you a new commandment that you love one another.” Dr. King, Mother Teresa and Jesus all knew that love wins, even if hate comes in a close second. Maybe love will win sooner, rather than later.
A new poll shows, for the first time, that a majority of Americans – 53 percent – support same-sex marriage. So 53 percent of Americans, who’ve presumably heard all the hateful words against gays, all the hateful biblical passages against gays, all the hateful misinformation against gays, choose to ignore it all. They come down on the side of love. They see loving gay couples and loving lesbian couples, who just want to get married like everyone else and they say, “Go ahead.” A few states allow gay marriage. Many do not. When the whole country allows gay marriage, we’ll be able to say: Love wins, even when hate comes in a close second.
I went before the Holland City Council a week or two ago. I reminded them that I’d come before them one year ago this month, asking them to pass a gay rights ordinance. I wondered where things stand. The mayor told me they’d take it up in June. I got to thinking about a 7th grade boy who’s gay, who’s just about to come out of the closet. I got to thinking about a 7th grade girl who’s lesbian, who’s just about to come out of the closet. If the Holland City Council won’t offer equal rights to gays and lesbians, will that gay boy and lesbian girl say to themselves, “I guess Holland doesn’t want someone like me here. I better stay in the closet until I graduate, then I’ll leave Holland for good.” And if the city votes against equal rights, what will it say to the 7th grade boy who’s a bully or the 7th grade girl who’s a bully? Will they say to themselves, “Well, if the city of Holland isn’t going to protect homosexuals, I guess I’m free to bully them”? The Holland City Council has a huge responsibility. I hope they decide to let love win, even if hate comes in a close second.
James Reeb was killed working for equal rights in the world. He was a Unitarian Universalist minister. He marched for Civil Rights in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Segregationists beat him and killed him. His death outraged Americans. A few days later, President Johnson’s Voting Rights Act reached Congress. Many people were killed during the Civil Rights struggle. But the killings didn’t stop Civil Rights laws from passing. Love wins, even when hate comes in a close second.
So where are you on your spiritual journey? Are you a supporter of equal rights, like James Reeb? Are you self-actualized, like Oprah? Do you inspire people? Do you lift them up? Do you help them? (I know many of you do.) Wherever you are, my hope for your spiritual life is that: Love wins and hate comes in a far, far, far distant second.
Oprah did her last TV talk show this past week. I watched it, which I don’t think most men did, or would admit to. I liked her show. I’ve always liked Oprah. Maybe because we were both born the same year. Or maybe because Oprah is worth billions of dollars and I’m, you know, priceless. Actually it’s because I thought Oprah was the greatest preacher in America. She lifted people’s spirits. She inspired people to be better. She got people reading – actual books, not just Facebook. She made people look at the stuff in their lives they’d just as soon ignore. She spoke truth to power. To me, Oprah personifies love in the way Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama personifies love, in the way Hindus believe Gandhi personifies love, in the way Christians believe Jesus personifies love. Oprah always had a classy show. Oprah’s show was filled with love. Other shows were filled with hate, with chair throwing and fists flying and hair pulling. And Oprah always beat those other shows in the ratings. So Oprah proved that: Love wins, hate comes in a close second.
On this Memorial Day Weekend, the world is at peace. Which means there aren’t any wars being fought in America. Of course that doesn’t mean America isn’t at war. It is: in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Libya and who knows where else. This weekend we’re supposed to honor those who’ve fallen in war. And we do. I just wish we’d honor them by not starting any more wars and getting out of the wars we’re in. Wars are started at the drop of a hat, on a whim, sometimes without any reason or with manufactured reasons. So while billions of people are at peace this Memorial Day Weekend, tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of people have died in wars in recent years. So: Love wins, hate comes in a close second.
Rob Bell wrote a book recently, as you know, called, “Love Wins.” Inexplicably, it generated a lot of hate. All Rob Bell said was, essentially, God doesn’t hate anybody, God doesn’t want anybody to spend eternity in Hell, God wants everybody to get to Heaven. And many Christians went nuts. I don’t get it. I don’t understand why Christians say, “Oh no, Rob Bell; you don’t understand, God’s heart is filled with hate for a whole lot of people.” Then why not change the lyrics of a popular Christian song, from “Our God is an awesome God,” to, “Our God is a hateful God”? I don’t understand why Christians didn’t say, “Thank you, Rob Bell; I never have understood how Jesus could be so loving and yet God, his Father, could be so hateful.” Love may win, but many Christians seem to want to make sure hate comes in a close second.
The Rapture didn’t happen this past Saturday. Many people were disappointed. The man who predicted the Rapture happening on May 21st has revised his prediction. Now it will come October 21st. I have to admit; I don’t understand the Rapture. God’s people will be lifted up to heaven? Then Jesus will come in a cloud and start killing his enemies? Come again? Jesus, the guy who said, “Love your enemies,” will come back and kill his enemies? Jesus, the guy who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” will come back and wage war? Jesus, the guy who said, “Forgive and you will be forgiven,” will comeback and be unforgiving? Does that make any sense? What will Jesus look like, Rambo? Will Gandhi come back as Godzilla? Will the Buddha come back as Hitler? And many people seem positively gleeful over Jesus coming back to kill his enemies. Not to mention people spending eternity in hell. Why would that make anybody happy? What if love wins, period?
Moses killed a man before he started his spiritual journey. You may remember, a Jew and an Egyptian were fighting and Moses came along and killed the Egyptian. Then he fled. God called Moses from the burning bush, according to the Hebrew Scriptures. God helped Moses lead his people out of Egypt. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. God showed Moses the Promised Land. All that after he’d killed a man. I think the point of all that is: No matter how we start out on our spiritual journey, love can win over hate.
On my radio show a couple weeks ago, I said I believe that all, or most all churches, will welcome gays into the pew and into the pulpit within five to ten years. Our guest said that I’m the most optimistic person she’s ever met. I am an optimist, but I’m not the only one. If I’m an optimist, so is Dr. King, who said, “The arch of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” If I’m an optimist, so is Mother Teresa, who said, “Peace begins with a smile.” If I’m an optimist, so is Jesus, who said, “I give you a new commandment that you love one another.” Dr. King, Mother Teresa and Jesus all knew that love wins, even if hate comes in a close second. Maybe love will win sooner, rather than later.
A new poll shows, for the first time, that a majority of Americans – 53 percent – support same-sex marriage. So 53 percent of Americans, who’ve presumably heard all the hateful words against gays, all the hateful biblical passages against gays, all the hateful misinformation against gays, choose to ignore it all. They come down on the side of love. They see loving gay couples and loving lesbian couples, who just want to get married like everyone else and they say, “Go ahead.” A few states allow gay marriage. Many do not. When the whole country allows gay marriage, we’ll be able to say: Love wins, even when hate comes in a close second.
I went before the Holland City Council a week or two ago. I reminded them that I’d come before them one year ago this month, asking them to pass a gay rights ordinance. I wondered where things stand. The mayor told me they’d take it up in June. I got to thinking about a 7th grade boy who’s gay, who’s just about to come out of the closet. I got to thinking about a 7th grade girl who’s lesbian, who’s just about to come out of the closet. If the Holland City Council won’t offer equal rights to gays and lesbians, will that gay boy and lesbian girl say to themselves, “I guess Holland doesn’t want someone like me here. I better stay in the closet until I graduate, then I’ll leave Holland for good.” And if the city votes against equal rights, what will it say to the 7th grade boy who’s a bully or the 7th grade girl who’s a bully? Will they say to themselves, “Well, if the city of Holland isn’t going to protect homosexuals, I guess I’m free to bully them”? The Holland City Council has a huge responsibility. I hope they decide to let love win, even if hate comes in a close second.
James Reeb was killed working for equal rights in the world. He was a Unitarian Universalist minister. He marched for Civil Rights in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Segregationists beat him and killed him. His death outraged Americans. A few days later, President Johnson’s Voting Rights Act reached Congress. Many people were killed during the Civil Rights struggle. But the killings didn’t stop Civil Rights laws from passing. Love wins, even when hate comes in a close second.
So where are you on your spiritual journey? Are you a supporter of equal rights, like James Reeb? Are you self-actualized, like Oprah? Do you inspire people? Do you lift them up? Do you help them? (I know many of you do.) Wherever you are, my hope for your spiritual life is that: Love wins and hate comes in a far, far, far distant second.
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