Kweerspirit

Monday, May 02, 2011

A Rabbi Responds to Bin Laden's Death

Bin Laden & Beyond
by Arthur Waskow on Monday, May 2, 2011 at 10:26am.How might we appropriately address the death of a mass murderer?

The Torah describes Moses and Miriam leading the ancient People Israel in a celebratory song after the tyrannical Pharaoh and his Army have been overwhelmed by the waters of the Red Sea. Later, the Rabbis gave a new overtone to the story: “The angels,” they said, “ began to dance and sing as well, but God rebuked them: ‘These also are the work of My hands. We must not rejoice at their deaths!’ “

Notice the complexity of the teaching: Human beings go unrebuked when they celebrate the downfall and death of a tyrant; but the Rabbis are addressing our higher selves, trying to move us into a higher place. (The legend is certainly not aimed at “angels.”) Similarly, we are taught that at the Passover Seder, when we recite the plagues that fell upon the Egyptians, we must drip out the wine from our cups as we mention each plague, lest we drink that wine to celebrate these disasters that befell our oppressors.

I myself would have been a lot happier to see Bin Laden arrested to stand trial, but assuming the report that he violently resisted arrest is true, I have no objection to his having been killed.

Yet I was dismayed by the quasi-sports-victory tone of the celebrations that arose around the country -- chanting "U-S-A, U-S-A," for instance.

What I myself felt was more like "Sad necessity" -- and I would have preferred a mournful remembrance of the innocent dead of the Twin Towers and of Iraq and Afghanistan -- a thoughtful reexamination of how easy it is to turn abominable violence against us into a justification for indiscriminate violence by us.

Can we now say, “Enough, enough!” -- refuse to drink the intoxicating triumphalist wine of celebration, and turn our attention and commitment to end these wars that take on a deadly “life” of their own?

With blessings of shalom, salaam, peace --

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director
The Shalom Center http://www.theshalomcenter.org/

What Does It Mean to Be Christian

http://www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/0/SCwEY8yDnBY

Response to the Death of Bin Laden

I received a New York Times news alert saying that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. Within minutes, parishioners were emailing me to confess some pleasure in learning of Bin Laden's death, asking if it was wrong to be glad, and further asking how we should pray in response to this situation.

Here is my response:

The psalmist wrote, "With a complete hatred I do hate them. They have become to me real enemies" (Ps. 139.22). I don't think the Psalmist is speaking as an ethicist, a behavioral scientist, or even necessarily as a religious leader; rather, he is simply acknowledging, without judgment, how he is feeling in a particular moment. Some feelings simply show up for us and the first task in dealing with them is to acknowledge them. I think that is what the Psalmist shows us.

Of course, we aspire to be people of love, forgiveness, goodwill, and compassion, and yet we are complex beings with a wide range of emotions. Bin Laden orchestrated an act of terrorism in our country a decade ago that killed over 3,000 and wounded and terrified countless more. He has been accused of being the architect of many other acts of violence. Regardless of what we believe about violence or vengeance, we are entitled to our initial flood of emotions and we need not be too harsh with ourselves for experiencing some sense of closure at hearing the news of his demise.

Bin Laden may have been the face of organized Terrorism in recent years, and we may feel relieved that his involvement in terrorism is now over, and we may have concerns that more violence could follow. But we should be very clear that Bin Laden did NOT represent Islam. Bin Laden did NOT represent any nation or region. Whatever we feel about Bin Laden, we must be very careful to not transfer those feelings onto any group of people or religion. We must never use our feelings toward Bin Laden the individual to justify feelings of bigotry toward others.

So, how should we pray? Pray with gratitude that no Americans were killed in the operation. Pray with gratitude that special care was taken to not harm civilians. Pray to bless those who operated couragously from the White House to the battle field.

Pray also for healing in the human family. Pray for violence to be reduced in our world. Pray for the divine Presence to be made manifest in our midst: "Thy kin-dom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." And pray as we do every Sunday, "May peace prevail on earth."

Rev. Durrell Watkins, M.A., M.Div., D.Min.
Senior Pastor
Sunshine Cathedral
www.sunshinecathedral.org

Friday, April 22, 2011

Earth Easter

It's interesting that Earth Day falls on Good Friday this year.
With our greed (Judas/30 pieces of silver) and our state of denial that our lifestyles are harming Gaia (Peter denying Christ) we are contributing to the crucifixion of the planet; but the Power of Life is still able to express and Resurrection/Restoration is possible.
Let's endeavor to have an Earth Easter and contribute to quality living for the generations still to come!

Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Good Friday/Earth Day 2011

Friday, March 18, 2011

Queer Spirituality Discussions

Friday, March 11, 2011

Prayers for Japan

One of the largest earthquakes in history has hit the nation of Japan. Resulting tsumanis may threaten New Zealand, the Philippines, Hawaii, even the US West Coast and Latin America. We are moved by compassion as such a terrifying force of nature has been unleashed; and in our compassion, we feel compelled to pray:

Knowing there is a universal Energy that stirs us to positive action, optimism, and goodwill, we speak our word of hope now for the people of Japan and for all who are facing the results of the recent earthquake. May those who are grieving losses be strengthened. May those who have survived find the resources to rebuild their lives. May those who still must face the raging storms do all within their power to stay safe. And may the human family come together in mutual support, kindness, and courage to help bring healing in all the places it is most needed.
God of many names, Mystery beyond our naming, express through us now to bless our fragile but resilient, precious and sacred world. Amen.

Rev. Durrell Watkins, M.A., M.Div., D.Min.
Senior Pastor, Sunshine Cathedral
"
A furious storm came...and Jesus said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still.'" Mark 4.37, 39

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Sharing the Light with the WORLD

Metropolitan Community Churches make up a denomination that has always been evangelical in the best sense of the word; that is, we are an out reaching movement always seeking to offer hope and healing wherever it is needed in the world. Sunshine Cathedral is a proud part of that important movement.

Sunshine Cathedral’s mission is to share the light with the world…we are living into this mission in a number of ways, including:
1. Our support of our friends in Jamaica continues
2. We offer weekly worship services at two assisted living facilities
3. We offer worship and support services at correctional facilities
4. Our streaming video sermons are watched by people all over the world
5. Our You Tube Talk Show is watched by people all over the world
6. Our financial contributions to MCC support ministry all over North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, and Europe.
7. Our Second Life virtual congregation is accessible to people all over the world
8. We frequently have Worshipers from all over the world visiting with us on Sunday mornings (people from Canada, Ireland, Germany, and the UK for two weeks in a row have made a point to approach me to tell me that the worship service was among the most powerful experiences of their lives so far; one couple from Canada was crying as they explained how they had never been in one room with so many same-gender loving people, and that the worship was so joyful and the message so positive made it even that much more amazing for them!)
9. Sunshine Cathedral, with MCC’s Office of Leadership & Formation Development, offers a weekly Lectionary Discussion Webinar that has participants from all over the US (including Hawaii)…this resources local pastors and provides CEUs for MCC clergy
10. There are people who come to Sunshine Cathedral’s campus for a variety of reasons beyond SC Sunday worship…Arts performances, support groups, lectures, classes, etc.
11. This year’s speakers series includes two non-Sunday morning events where activists from African and Asia share their powerful stories
12. Last night Sunshine Cathedral hosted an international conference call with Ugandan activist Val Kalende (150 people were on the call)
13. When our sermons focus specifically on social justice, they are viewed by more people around the world than our other sermons (most of our sermons get 500+ hits the week they are first posted; the sermon about the bullying related teen suicides continued to get another 200+ hits per week for several weeks after it was delivered)
14. We frequently speak at FIU and Nova SE University
15. Our Spirit & Truth magazine goes out to about 400 people locally each month, another 100 people subscribe to S&T by mail, and two churches order a total of 80 each month to share with their congregants
16. Over two thousand people get our weekly emails
17. Churches all over MCC borrow from our liturgy to enhance their own.
18. Sunshine Cathedral staff minister Rev. Dr. Robert Griffin is a member of our global denomination’s governing board (he is also a Trustee of the Episcopal Divinity School which educates students from the US, Canada, Africa, the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand).

These outreach efforts are in addition to the people we touch every week in worship (total worship numbers increased 10% in 2010…7% increase in Sunday morning worship alone, AND January 2011 had 733 more worshipers in the room at 9 am and 10:30 am than in 2010) and are in addition to the many people who are served by Sunshine Social Services.

We are focusing on spiritual renewal in 2011, calling people to regular worship, daily prayer, positive thinking, positive speech, and faithful generosity. These renewal practices are not only good for our church as an organization and good for us individually as we continue to grow and mature spiritually, but they are making “evangelism” more and more effective…that is, lives are being touched with hope, goodwill, good news, empowerment, and healing. Our continued faithfulness and support of ministry really is sharing light with the WORLD…with people literally all over the world.

Everything we ever do should be about evangelism (outreach) and discipleship (continued growth and learning). That’s what it means to be the Church of Jesus Christ and we are continually moving in the direction of this high calling. The faithful support of all members and friends makes this great work possible.

I hope all leaders feel very good about all that we are accomplishing. Please know lives are being blessed, and sometimes literally saved, because we are faithful to our calling and purpose. Sharing the Light with the World is more than a slogan, it is our mission and as we continue to be faithful to it, people all over the world will benefit.

Many blessings are still ahead!

durrell