Boycott…

There is a tradition, ancient or recent, I couldn’t say, that says: if you don’t like some-one or some-thing, you simply cut off all support.  If you disagree with something a certain person or group or corporation supports, you publicly and often times non-violently “take your business elsewhere.”

I must say, that as a follower of Jesus Christ, I strongly and passionately believe that non-violent acts of service and sometimes defiance is the only means by which real and lasting change will occur.  That said, those of us in the Christian tradition have often called for a boycott of certain groups and/or companies who either did or supported certain things that do not fit within the Christian law of life.  We have been known to boycott the purchase of certain stamps because they celebrated a Muslim holiday.  And since we’ve bought into the lie that ALL Muslim people are radical extremists who inflict terrorist acts on the US, we boycott without batting an eye… We have even singled out certain people, or groups of people and claimed that because we do not agree about some of the “hinge” issues of Christianity, we will prove our point by gathering our friends against those we disagree in a very public and humiliating way…

Now, please hear me say again, I think non-violence is the only way we will see real change.  With that being said, especially when it comes to a boycott, of sorts; as Christ followers, we’ve got to be extremely, EXTREMELY careful of our actions.  The first reason for our caution, I would argue, is because we are living in a post-Christian world.  The old argument, “the Bible says…” just doesn’t fly anymore.  The second reason we need to be careful is because too often we are not educated about what it is we are protesting and we make the cause of Christ out to even more ridiculous than it has already become.

He’s what I’m saying.  Let’s say a group of people calls for a boycott of a certain corporation because the executive officers of that company function outside of the “Christian thought.”  On the surface, that seems like a just cause since the underdog is standing up against the powers-that-be.  However, what this group of people who called for the protest didn’t do was educate themselves about some of the more inner workings of the company.  Though a difference in specific religious views may seem like a critical point of protest, there is something much larger happening under the surface.  This corporation, though they do not share the same religious ideals, is however participating in some much more important acts against injustice.  This corporation spends much of it’s excess resources fighting against the real suffering of real people in a real and tangible world.  Let’s use fair trade as an example.  The company buys many fair trade products which means that the people producing those products is getting paid a fair wage, enough to support his/her family.  Another definition of fair trade: we refuse to continue the cycle of slavery for my own comfort…

Do you see where I’m going here?  There are just things to boycott: Those companies who employ slave or child labor to produce products.  There are also ridiculous things to protest: People who think differently than we do.  When we choose to be ignorant, people spend their energy working to prove a point and convince people to “think” like they do.  When we take the time to educate ourselves we spend our energies working to alleviate suffering in the world.  Do you see the difference?

Let’s try fighting against injustice rather than fighting against people.  That may seem a bit vague, but continue to let the thoughts simmer and stew for a while because in the end, I feel it will bring a lasting and powerful change.

Think Gandhi…

Passive

In my religious heritage, and honestly, in the culture within which I was raised, being a passive person automatically makes you the neighborhood doormat.  A passive person, as defined by our society, often does not stand up for one’s self, refuses to sling mud, and “turns the other cheek,” among countless other, non-violent stances.  We’ve grown up with terms like “preemptive war” and “self defense,” that ingrain notions of self-preservation, greed, and violence within our moral structures; anything to protect or keep our freedoms. Passivity is not acceptable.  It’s my way or the highway, or something similar…

I would argue that, as a follower of Jesus, we are extended the opportunity to not only live and act in non-violent ways, as he modeled for us, but to also speak in non-violent ways.

An ancient writer named James once penned a letter to to some religious comrades.  It’s easy, being a religiously elite (at least by my own perception) member of society to think I’ve got it all figured out, especially when it comes to the religious stuff.  I would contend that I would fit right in with the folks to whom James writes his letter.  I think I know all the answers (not so much as of late…), I show favoritism, I’m greedy with my money and often times, my tongue becomes a weapon.

Now, as you can probably see from my description above, I’m not perfect… nearly, but not quite… (sarcasm)  This stuff James is writing about the tongue is a pretty important subject for us to grab hold of, especially if we think we are following Jesus down a path of non-violence.  My feelings on war is that we shouldn’t have it, long story, really short.  And the idea of passivism, the idea that all violence is unjustifiable, to which I agree, must be poured down into the nooks and crannies of our lives.  For example, the way we talk.

Here’s what I’m getting at.  To sum up James 3: keep your tongue in check, otherwise, everything else is bogus.  We can be extremely violent with the things we say, and not just the “I hate you’s” and “you’re a ________ “(insert expletive).  Nowhere is this concept more profoundly observed over the internet, and more specifically, in blogs.  We can say whatever we want because we’re in an impersonal arena.  But, if we ever hope to see this world won to the love of Christ, our words must be carefully chosen.  Words not chosen as weapons to injure and degrade, rather to extinguish pain, offer healing and authentically and sincerely usher in the Kingdom of God.

The old nursery school rhyme: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, is probably the most bogus statement I’ve ever heard.  If we really are people of peace, not only will we refuse to throw sticks, stones and grenades, we will also refuse to sling mud and malign our brothers and sisters, of all age, race, sex, and religious orientation, among other things…

Call me a hippy, but I’m thoroughly convinced that love rules.  Christ’s love is one that acts differently AND talks differently, because it’s a force that seeks to fill it’s ranks with EVERYONE.  We don’t take lives, we don’t make excuses, we apologize, we take responsibility, we live in love, Christ’s love.  We do whatever it takes to usher in a new Kingdom, a new empire, a new cabinet.  Love rules.

We’ll chew on this concept with our kids tomorrow night and see what they think…

A Letter

Unfortunately, for the first time in my life, that I can remember, I’ve taken an opportunity to educate myself, though not very thoroughly, about the “other side of the issue.”  For far too long, people claiming to be followers of Christ, myself included, have been, for lack of a better term, slinging mud on anyone who is not “in” with Jesus.  I have little experience with debating, but I’m pretty sure that it is foolish to enter a debate without sufficient information from both sides of the issue.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m talking about in a very narrow sense, the idea is such that, anyone outside the Churches of Christ is hell-bound, and in a broader scope, those without any kind of Christian affiliation suffer the same plight.  And those of us who are the religious elite, somewhere along the line, decided that the way of Christ is one in which we are obliged to sling mud at those who deny God completely, while at the same time firing religious, doctrinally charged bombs at anyone who doesn’t do the right things.

There have been two books that I’ve read in the past few weeks that had a massive impact on the very foundations of “how I’ve always done things.”  The first, A New Kind of Christian has affirmed the questions I’ve had for several years in that those of us who are seriously committed to following Christ must do things differently.  The old, established saying, “It’s the way we’ve always done it” doesn’t fly in my book.  At some point we’ve got to get our heads out of the sand and realize we are the ones standing in the way of people knowing  who the true Christ is.  His love hasn’t been able to break through our dogmas and piety.  Sam Harris’ book, Letter to a Christian Nation was a sobering read in that arena.

The summary:  I’m done slinging mud.  I think it’s a waste of time to drag other people, groups, religions, whatever you’d like to call it, just so I look a little bit better or gain some sort of higher ground.  I am a follower of Jesus Christ.  One of his central teachings is that he came to serve and not be served.  What that means for me; I will not longer bash my religious (any and all religious affiliations) brothers and sisters for the ways in which they’re wrong and I’m right.  I will also no longer bash my non-religious (agnostics, atheists, etc.) brothers and sisters for their denial of a being of whom I have no way of factually proving his existence.

Now, I move to the steps I will take in an effort to be an agent of change here and now.  With every fiber of my being, I desire to stand against injustice.  I will engage in relationship with all who are willing.  My goal is not to proselytize, rather, befriend.  I think a language we all can speak is one of friendship.  We all need good, authentic friends and that translates across all racial, economic, religious and non-religious boundaries.  I vow to be totally different.  I will continue to follow Christ in as best as this mortal body allows and I will not allow my “religious convictions” to be a conductor of human suffering.

This, is a conversation that will continue and I would love to begin to open up those lines as an agent of change, a new way of living, bringing a new and better life for everyone, not in the distant future, but right here, right now.