God Bless America
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
Mark 6.1-14
I once had a homework assignment as a child. One of the questions was “Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?” Rather than do my reading, I thought I would ask my great-aunt Gladys for the answer. So I asked her, “Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?” She said, “At the bottom.”
Did you know…
Sunshine Cathedral shares several members with MCC-Toronto.
About 1/4 of our membership is Jamaican.
We have guests almost every week from nations throughout the world, and people all over the world watch our sermons and read our literature and ask us to pray with them.
Because of our international church family, and because the kindom of God is global, I strongly resist nationalism in the house of prayer…Scripture tells us the worship space is to be a house of prayer for ALL nations (Isaiah 56.7).
And yet this is a national holiday weekend in the U.S., and I do want to highlight the U.S.’s potential, its promise, its successes; and at the same time I must remember that much of what is good about the US is good because courageous people (e.g., Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., & Troy Perry) have always spoken out against what was not yet good so the country they loved might be even better.
As a citizen of this country I want my nation to prosper and flourish, but God forbid that I ever think that we are somehow God’s special chosen people…we must claim our sacred value, but never at the expense of anyone else’s.
Now, let’s be clear. I’m glad that separation of church and state means that government cannot privilege one religion over another or speak against anyone’s religion, and religion shouldn’t flaunt symbols of state as if to suggest that they have religious value. But to speak about one’s country, to honestly address its strengths and weaknesses, and to call the congregation to pray for it and other countries as well…that, I believe, is entirely appropriate. And each week at Communion, we do pray for the leaders of this and every country.
After all, to speak about the bible is to speak about nations and governments. Prophets standing up to kings, Jesus being tried and executed as a revolutionary...that’s our biblical story. We have books of the bible titled “Kings” and “Numbers” (as in census), and “Judges” and the first five books of our bible are called the books of the “Law.” If we take politics, government, economics, controversy, sex, and violence out of the bible, we’ll only be left with a handful of verses from Proverbs!
Moreover, I recognize that the Independence of a great nation offers hope and inspiration and I am in the hope and inspiration business. So, after much thought, prayer, and deliberation, I have chosen to honor the country of my birth not with empty praise, but with truth about the greatness it has known, and the goodness to which it must still aspire. And, as a person of faith, I also want to pray for my country, wishing it not only peace and prosperity, but also integrity, health, and the will to be as great as its promise.
Our ancestors rejected the colonialism of the British Empire, but they betrayed the indigenous people of this land. They rejected the aristocracy and class system of Europe and they declared all men are created equal…but they meant only men, and only free men, and only white free men. They preached equality while denying the vote to women and while allowing the enslavement of their fellow human-beings.
This country bravely defended its borders and territories against a threatening Japanese Empire in WW2; but out of fear of their enemy they denied liberty to loyal Japanese Americans as they put them in internment camps because of their heritage.
This country stood up to the evil of Hitler’s anti-Semitic, racist Third Reich, but has often ignored the problems of racism, sexism, and homophobia at home. The US made noble sacrifices in WW2, but has since rushed to other wars that did not have the same moral justification.
And in this country, we pledge allegiance to a republic that is one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all; but as of this moment, GLBT people are not universally included in that “all”.
We each love this country, whether we are citizens or guests. But we love it from our experience of it; and we must never forget that some of us have enjoyed more privilege, more opportunities than others. So we can’t dismiss those who call for change as being malcontents, or unpatriotic. They may be the greatest of patriots, taking great risks to make sure that the American dream is not for a few, or even for just the majority, but truly for all people.
The Reverend William Sloane Coffin, a protestant minister known for his years as a chaplain at Yale University and later as the pastor of Riverside Church in New York, preached a sermon a few years ago where he said there are three kinds of patriots. The first kind is the patriot who is an uncritical lover of the country. They turn symbols of state into idols of veneration and they will not listen to the voices of those who have been left out of the American experiment. These uncritical patriots don’t help their country get better, because they are not willing to see where their country needs improvement.
The second kind of patriot, Coffin said, is the patriot who is a loveless critic. Coffin said that you must hate what is wrong with the country you love so that you can help heal it. But if you hate what’s wrong more than you love what’s right, you become bitter…you become a good hater, but not a good patriot.
The third kind of patriot, Coffin insisted, is the patriot who loves his or her country enough to hold it accountable, to address its flaws because this patriot knows how great the country can be and ought to be. It’s like Mark Twain said, “Patriotism means being loyal to your country all the time and to its government when it deserves it.”
Let’s be clear…patriotism is not nationalism. Nationalism is just another prejudice, like sexism or racism or classism…it says “we” are superior to “them.” Nationalism is the misguided belief that one’s nation is God’s chosen among all nations. But patriotism is a genuine love of country, and love always has room for more. Good patriots may love their country first, but not only. Spanish Cellist Pablos Casals once said, “To love one’s country is a wonderful thing, but why should love stop at the border?”
Our readings today are about healing. In the gospel lesson, Jesus raises his prophetic voice, but in his own community he isn’t heard. He isn’t taken seriously. He is dismissed as being pretentious, or crazy, or unqualified to speak to his neighbors. But those few who would listen experienced healing in their lives; and Jesus kept preaching beyond his community to people who would listen so that the healing could spread. Prophets always call a people to their high potential; they address weaknesses so that they may be replaced with health and strength. They use their courage to help heal the wounds of apathy and injustice. And as they do, individuals and societies are healed along the way.
And so, in the prophetic tradition, I recognize today this country’s great promise and potential; and I call us to work together to help it be all that it can be. But let us remember the US isn’t the only country in the world, it certainly isn’t the only country in the kindom of God; it isn’t even the only country in this church.
May we love this country so much that we won’t settle for it being less than it can be. May our love of country be so genuine, that our love doesn’t stop at the borders. May we love this country enough to challenge it when it is wrong, and to praise it when it is right, and to pray for it at all times.
My prayer today is for the health of America:
God bless America to reflect not its own glory, but the glory of God’s realm where neither race nor religion nor economic status nor gender identity nor sexual orientation nor geographic border is ever used to oppress or exclude any person.
God bless America not to privilege some but to promote liberty and justice for all.
God bless America to be generous with her friends and forgiving of her enemies.
God bless America not to forget the mistakes of her past, but to atone for them so that she can be a leader with genuine moral authority in the community of nations.
God bless America, not because she’s perfect but because she is good and can be better.
God bless America, not because she has lived fully into her promise, but because she still can.
God bless America, not exclusively, but to show all nations and all people that God’s blessing is ever available to them.
God bless America, not because she is weak, but so her strength will be used wisely.
God bless America to be a blessing to the whole world. Amen.
© Durrell Watkins 2009
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Talk Isn't Always Cheap
President Obama is very eloquent. He often says what I want to hear. He comforts me. His erudition can even inspire me. But, of course, I want action. I want results. I want the economy healed, the environment repaired, women's right to choose protected, and same-gender loving people to be afforded all the rights, privileges, opportunities, and protections of other citizens. It's a tall order. It may be too tall for one person to fill, but still I hope.
Here is something that I find encouraging...the President actually talks about the issues I care about. Sometimes he is criticized for being "all talk," but even naming the issues and raising awareness about them and showing concern is a huge improvement over what we've seen from past presidents. In fact, he has already given more "lip service" to gay issues than any of his predecessors. He is at least willing to talk about us (and to us)! And talk may lead to action; silence will not.
Those who try to disguise their homophobia as religious values and their hatreds as wholesome tradition will also try to use the president's gay positive speech against him. Still, he keeps talking. And if he's willing to take that risk, perhaps we can trust him to take others. We can at least hope. And, we can acknowledge that he is at least willing to recognize that we Queer folk exist. That's something. It's not enough, but it's a very good start.
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Ft. Lauderdale
Here is something that I find encouraging...the President actually talks about the issues I care about. Sometimes he is criticized for being "all talk," but even naming the issues and raising awareness about them and showing concern is a huge improvement over what we've seen from past presidents. In fact, he has already given more "lip service" to gay issues than any of his predecessors. He is at least willing to talk about us (and to us)! And talk may lead to action; silence will not.
Those who try to disguise their homophobia as religious values and their hatreds as wholesome tradition will also try to use the president's gay positive speech against him. Still, he keeps talking. And if he's willing to take that risk, perhaps we can trust him to take others. We can at least hope. And, we can acknowledge that he is at least willing to recognize that we Queer folk exist. That's something. It's not enough, but it's a very good start.
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Ft. Lauderdale
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sacred Days in June
Father's Day.
Gay Pride.
Summer Solstice.
June offers these opportunities for reflection and spiritual growth.
In neo-paganism, the summer solstice is when the masculine divine energies ("the god")are at their peak as is symbolized by the sun on the longest day of the year. Father's Day is a day observed in various countries honoring those who have been good fathers or who have been like fathers in our lives. And of course Gay Pride is a celebration of LBGT people and a recognition of LBGT contributions to society.
Each of these observances call us to be our best, to celebrate our potential, to recognize our sacred value, and to commune with divine energy.
May the sacred energy of summer bless us and fill us with hope, joy, and well-being as we continue on our spiritual path.
Blessed be!
Gay Pride.
Summer Solstice.
June offers these opportunities for reflection and spiritual growth.
In neo-paganism, the summer solstice is when the masculine divine energies ("the god")are at their peak as is symbolized by the sun on the longest day of the year. Father's Day is a day observed in various countries honoring those who have been good fathers or who have been like fathers in our lives. And of course Gay Pride is a celebration of LBGT people and a recognition of LBGT contributions to society.
Each of these observances call us to be our best, to celebrate our potential, to recognize our sacred value, and to commune with divine energy.
May the sacred energy of summer bless us and fill us with hope, joy, and well-being as we continue on our spiritual path.
Blessed be!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Theocracy Is Always a Bad Idea
As we stand encouraged by the bravery demonstrated by the Iranian citizens as they protest injustice and dictatorship in their country, we should be reminded that theocracy is always a bad idea.
When those who hold secular power believe that they have a God-given right to hold that power and that when they enforce their beliefs, prejudices, and preferences they are acting for God, then the result is bound to be autocracy, and autocracy can never be just.
When people use government to privilege one religion over all others, to insist that everyone live by their religious convictions, they are in fact using religion to control, exclude, or punish people who are different from them. That isn’t democracy. That isn’t justice. That isn’t spiritual integrity.
We see the problems with theocracy when it is a “different” religion in “another” country. But I hope we remember how dangerous and distasteful theocracy really is when people in THIS country want “our” religion (whether Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or Islam) to call all the shots! When people use religion to argue for discrimination against gays, for mistrust of various other religious movements, for government control of women’s bodies, they are in fact wanting the government to uphold their understanding of God and God’s will. To see how well that works out, we need only look to Iran; and to see how satisfying that is to a people, we need only look to the Iranian public whose vote and voice have been limited by the decree of a religious leader who is the “supreme leader” of the republic. The problem isn’t that the religion in question in Iran is Islam; the problem is that religion is personal and should not married to government. We need never fool ourselves into believing that Christian theocracy would be any less oppressive or any more satisfactory.
Religious people can be motivated by their faith and religious people have the right to express their opinions. But they do not have the right to use religion as the excuse to limit the rights of others.
Theocracy is always a bad idea. Separation of religion and state remains the better way!
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
www.sunshinecathedral.org
When those who hold secular power believe that they have a God-given right to hold that power and that when they enforce their beliefs, prejudices, and preferences they are acting for God, then the result is bound to be autocracy, and autocracy can never be just.
When people use government to privilege one religion over all others, to insist that everyone live by their religious convictions, they are in fact using religion to control, exclude, or punish people who are different from them. That isn’t democracy. That isn’t justice. That isn’t spiritual integrity.
We see the problems with theocracy when it is a “different” religion in “another” country. But I hope we remember how dangerous and distasteful theocracy really is when people in THIS country want “our” religion (whether Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or Islam) to call all the shots! When people use religion to argue for discrimination against gays, for mistrust of various other religious movements, for government control of women’s bodies, they are in fact wanting the government to uphold their understanding of God and God’s will. To see how well that works out, we need only look to Iran; and to see how satisfying that is to a people, we need only look to the Iranian public whose vote and voice have been limited by the decree of a religious leader who is the “supreme leader” of the republic. The problem isn’t that the religion in question in Iran is Islam; the problem is that religion is personal and should not married to government. We need never fool ourselves into believing that Christian theocracy would be any less oppressive or any more satisfactory.
Religious people can be motivated by their faith and religious people have the right to express their opinions. But they do not have the right to use religion as the excuse to limit the rights of others.
Theocracy is always a bad idea. Separation of religion and state remains the better way!
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
www.sunshinecathedral.org
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
I Believe...
I believe in the Process of Life, the “Ground of Being,” the Web of Existence, the Field of Infinite Possibilities. I believe the spirit of Life is universal and that it is expressing in, through, and as all that is. I understand that I am part of the universal Whole and my life is one of the ways that It knows Itself. I believe the life of humanity is divine Life!
My function in the Universe is to allow the Universal Presence to express perfectly through and as me. We are always using universal laws, but we can learn to use them intentionally and consistently. I choose to use the Law for my good (and the good of others). I am learning to learn to direct my word and my thought in positive ways so that I am attracting and manifesting only what is good.
When I remember that I am one with all Life and Life is innately good, my experience of life tends to be good also. When I allow myself to know at the deepest level that the Universal Spirit is truly good and only good, and that the Law of Mind is how the Infinite operates, then I experience the healing of conditions. When I operate in the power of this Truth, my life is filled with more peace, more joy, more vitality, and more abundance. My goal is to trust these gifts more completely and to experience them continuously.
I believe in “the eternal Goodness…and eternal Givingness of Life to all,” and I am working to remove any mental blocks that might prevent me from trusting this divine Goodness or from allowing It to express fully in my life.
--Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
(c) Durrell Watkins 2009
My function in the Universe is to allow the Universal Presence to express perfectly through and as me. We are always using universal laws, but we can learn to use them intentionally and consistently. I choose to use the Law for my good (and the good of others). I am learning to learn to direct my word and my thought in positive ways so that I am attracting and manifesting only what is good.
When I remember that I am one with all Life and Life is innately good, my experience of life tends to be good also. When I allow myself to know at the deepest level that the Universal Spirit is truly good and only good, and that the Law of Mind is how the Infinite operates, then I experience the healing of conditions. When I operate in the power of this Truth, my life is filled with more peace, more joy, more vitality, and more abundance. My goal is to trust these gifts more completely and to experience them continuously.
I believe in “the eternal Goodness…and eternal Givingness of Life to all,” and I am working to remove any mental blocks that might prevent me from trusting this divine Goodness or from allowing It to express fully in my life.
--Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
(c) Durrell Watkins 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
A Pointless Poem
Gecko on my window ledge
You sit in deep contemplation
As if to make a heart-felt pledge
Sincere but without ostentation.
Are you in a prison cell?
Or are you sitting on a throne?
What’s the version you would tell?
Would you laugh or would you moan?
First catatonic; now you’re not!
You turn your head so swiftly
You flee as if the ledge were hot
Or perhaps you just don’t like me.
(c) Durrell Watkins 2009
You sit in deep contemplation
As if to make a heart-felt pledge
Sincere but without ostentation.
Are you in a prison cell?
Or are you sitting on a throne?
What’s the version you would tell?
Would you laugh or would you moan?
First catatonic; now you’re not!
You turn your head so swiftly
You flee as if the ledge were hot
Or perhaps you just don’t like me.
(c) Durrell Watkins 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Feeling Our Way to Positive Thinking
"Our feelings let us know what we're thinking." Marci Shimoff
We think about 60,000 thoughts each day. We couldn't possibly control every thought, and yet we know that positive thinking is more beneficial for us that pessimism. So if thoughts sometimes just happen, but we want the majority of our thoughts to be hopeful and confident, what can we do?
We may not even be aware of some of our thoughts, but we are always aware of how we feel. If we check in with our feelings, we'll be able to tell what our dominant thoughts have been. Are we agitated? Then our thoughts haven't been pleasant! Are we scared? That mean's we've been focusing on scary things. Are we sad? That's the result of thinking about something sad.
Our feelings let us know how our thoughts have been going. If the feeling we register is negative, that means our thought patterns have been negative. And that's when we can begin to say hopeful things to ourselves. We can notice what is good in the moment. We can see the opportunity that is at hand, or we can focus on a positive lesson we've learned. And if that seems too difficult, we can simply choose to smile. Just turn the corners of your mouth up, right now. Don't you already feel a bit lighter than you did only a second ago?
By noticing our feelings, and choosing to focus on what's good when our feelings tell us we've been too focused on what doesn't feel good, we are developing a more positive attitude. Maintaining a positive attitude will help us navigate the difficult times, appreciate the good times, and move in the direction of our Good.
{from Healing Rays: A Progressive, Positive, Practical Weekly Reflection}
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
www.sunshinecathedral.org
We think about 60,000 thoughts each day. We couldn't possibly control every thought, and yet we know that positive thinking is more beneficial for us that pessimism. So if thoughts sometimes just happen, but we want the majority of our thoughts to be hopeful and confident, what can we do?
We may not even be aware of some of our thoughts, but we are always aware of how we feel. If we check in with our feelings, we'll be able to tell what our dominant thoughts have been. Are we agitated? Then our thoughts haven't been pleasant! Are we scared? That mean's we've been focusing on scary things. Are we sad? That's the result of thinking about something sad.
Our feelings let us know how our thoughts have been going. If the feeling we register is negative, that means our thought patterns have been negative. And that's when we can begin to say hopeful things to ourselves. We can notice what is good in the moment. We can see the opportunity that is at hand, or we can focus on a positive lesson we've learned. And if that seems too difficult, we can simply choose to smile. Just turn the corners of your mouth up, right now. Don't you already feel a bit lighter than you did only a second ago?
By noticing our feelings, and choosing to focus on what's good when our feelings tell us we've been too focused on what doesn't feel good, we are developing a more positive attitude. Maintaining a positive attitude will help us navigate the difficult times, appreciate the good times, and move in the direction of our Good.
{from Healing Rays: A Progressive, Positive, Practical Weekly Reflection}
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
www.sunshinecathedral.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
