When Compromise is Compromised

How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! 
It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. 
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life for evermore. -- Psalm 133


I've been sitting for a few days on an e-mail chain letter sent to me by a beloved relative. The thing is dripping with muddled thinking, wild diatribe, and delusion. But I've sat on it. Maybe this relative reads my blog. I don't know. Not sure what to do, so I'll follow my usual mantra in such confounding, hair-triggering moments: "Don't just DO something, STAND THERE." Pause. Breathe deeply. Think it through.


I am deeply concerned for my country. This liberal-conservative wrestling match is refereed, broadcast and performed much like a WWE match: the two sides pound their chests and scream death and destruction down on the "evil" other side and will stoop ever lower to gouge, thump and kick their way to victory; the "journalists" are little more than hucksters promoting the fight with breathless credulity and fire-breathing graphics; and the referees conveniently have their heads turned as the rules are broken... if they agree to enforce any rules at all. Is there even a rule book anymore?!?


Worse, I've come to believe the bulk of our electorate is addicted to this match-play mindset, with our no-fall, 20-minute time limit attention span. 


Little or nothing constructive can be accomplished in such a circus environment. Thoughtful analysis and careful consideration are drowned out by the carnival barkers whose sole task is to grab attention and keep the money flowing from every passing suckers' pocket into their tills.


If we ever stop the three active wars we are currently waging overseas, we'll find that the real battle is an uncivil war of such magnitude and ferocity that it has swallowed up our political system, most of our media and the daily head-space of almost every voting American. 


I was happy to hear these words from President Obama at yesterday's press conference:



"My experience with John Boehner has been good. I think he's a good man who wants to do right by the country.  I think that it's a -- as Chip alluded to, the politics that swept him into the speakership were good for a midterm election; they're tough for governing.  And part of what the Republican caucus generally needs to recognize is that American democracy works when people listen to each other, we're willing to give each other the benefit of the doubt, we assume the patriotism and good intentions of the other side, and we're willing to make some sensible compromises to solve big problems.  And I think that there are members of that caucus who haven't fully arrived at that realization yet."
GEORGE CONDON:    So your confidence in him wasn't shaken by him walking away from the big deal he said he wanted?
THE PRESIDENT: "These things are a tough process.  And, look, in fairness, a big deal would require a lot of work on the part of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and myself to bring Democrats along.  But the point is, is if everybody gets in the boat at the same time, it doesn't tip over.  I think that was Bob Dole's famous comment after striking a deal with the President and Mr. Gingrich back in the '90s.  And that is always the case when it comes to difficult but important tasks like this."


With everyone addicted to incendiaries and head-slams into turnbuckles, what can compromise possibly bring? We first need to ratchet down the bloodsport, ratchet up the level of discourse, and gain a clear grasp of what exactly is going on. THEN we find our path of action. The first step to reasonable compromise is REASON, which is so lacking at the moment. Without it, our ability to compromise is compromised.

Barack Obama, the UCC and the IRS

So my denomination -- the United Church of Christ -- is being investigated by the IRS after a complaint was filed regarding Barack Obama speaking at last year's general synod. You can see the IRS letter regarding the possible jeopardizing of our tax-exempt status here: http://www.ucc.org/news/pdf/lettrirs.pdf

Sen. Obama has been an active member of a UCC church in Chicago for 22 years. He was invited to speak to the synod before he declared his candidacy for the presidency. He was one of about 60 speakers from diverse backgrounds asked to speak about how his faith and his work intersect and inform each other. It was a great speech. You can watch it here: http://www.ucc.org/synod/video-archive.html

First off, let me say I am so very proud to be a part of a denomination that puts Barack Obama, Bill Moyers, Lynn Redgrave, Peter Gomes and Walter Brueggemann on the same stage! What a marvelous collection of faithful, thinking people. This is what the UCC is all about...stirring the pot prophetically and intellectually.

Second, let me say that this is no time for UCCers to panic or get their knickers in a twist. The folks in charge at synod did much to safeguard against a candidate speech: from banning any sort of Obama campaign materials within the civic center to clearly setting specific parameters for the senator's appearance. I think they did a very good job of due diligence. They made it clear they were not endorsing Senator Obama, but were welcoming him as one of us...a UCCer who carries his faith into the public forum.

Third, let me do my best to dispel the right-wing-conspiracy theories. A complaint was lodged with the IRS (yes, probably by one of our politically conservative brethren... so what?), and a cursory examination of the facts merited deeper investigation. A lone presidential candidate spoke at a church event. The IRS is absolutely right to investigate.

Rev. Barry Lynn, a UCC pastor and executive director of People United for the Separation of Church and State, uses this same tool to ensure politics and religion don't mix inappropriately, typically with Republicans and fundamentalist churches. Tax exempt status is a privilege afforded churches. When a church crosses the line and endorses a political candidate, they deserve to have that status reviewed, and possibly revoked, whether they are right wing, left wing or straight down the middle.

Those of you who know me well know that I am an absolute nut about the separation of church and state. For the faithful, faith informs all we do and is necessarily implicit and explicit in our public life. However, a church choosing and promoting a candidate for office is a very bad idea, much like viewing a nation as God's favorite is a serious perversion of Biblical principle that usually spells trouble and atrocity for others God loves just as much.

My allegiance is to God. My country, family and friends must fit within that Holy reality, plain and simple. God comes first and informs and influences my interaction with all the rest, including how I personally choose to vote. But don't wrap Jesus in an American flag. He's bigger and better than that, and no doubt objects to many things that occur under ours and every other nation's flag. God has blessed America. But God has blessed Iraq, Vietnam and Venezuela, too.


So thank you, IRS. Please do investigate this event and let us know if our denomination crossed the line. It is good you are there as a tool to prevent both the misuse and abuse of our churches by the politically ambitious, and the misuse and abuse of the politically ambitious by our churches.

We all strive to give unto Caeser what is Caeser's, and unto God what is God's. As for me, I'm 100% God's, but I'll cooperate with Caeser when it doesn't conflict.