Bin Ladan Follow Up

Osama bin Ladan in some ways reminds me of certain parishioners I have had in churches I have served. They are the ones that occupy and great deal of your time over trivial issues keeping you for doing more important things. The things they are generally harping about are personal issues and interests, things I like to call a myopic agenda. But when it comes to important issues about the common good of people and working with other on the purpose and ministry of the church; that can bore them, and they leave that to others, primary the pastor. Osama bin Ladan no more represents Islam than the KKK represents Christianity.

Unfortunately bin Ladan, like those irksome parishioners, tend to keep us from all looking at the big picture. Or in today’s political scene, our politicians seem so adept and finding picayune and dumb details, or even just lies they think they can get by with in talking about their opponents, the major issues get lost. Certainly there are philosophical ideas about how large or how small the government needs or can be in today’s world. But it seems more important to for us to debate about the role of government in today’s world, which in no way corresponds to the days of the founding fathers. People want a great deal from government in terms of their own special interests but are perfectly will to let other hang out to dry in the winds of acrimony.

In the church I always sought to find common ground, and to lift up our sights to seeing what God wanted our congregation to do. Once consensus was reached, then we made plans to attain those dreams. The naysayers still were around like dogs nipping at our heels but for the most part folk got it and got on with it. Sometimes however, one person or one group of people can bring a church to its knees and immobilize it so it cannot live up to its calling. I fear that is what is happening in current politics. The moaners and groaners, the fear players, and the radicals have so stirred up the pot, that we have lost our way as a nation which stands for liberty, democracy, and equal opportunities for all.

It is rather like comparing the national debt to personal debt in this country. The national debt if a figure fairly well known, $14 trillion dollars. And guess what our personal debt in this country totals? $14 trillion dollars. Perhaps our political leadership just too well represents a country that has lost its way.

I believe churches can be restored after great conflict when the leadership brings people back to focusing on what churches are supposed to be about, the visible present of Jesus reflected here on earth, to be God’s ambassadors. I also believe that our country can find its way again, but to do it, we need to focus on what it means to be a patriot rather than a nationalist, a people centered on the good of all versus the tyranny of the few; people who take democracy and its responsibilities seriously.

Hope, pray and work that may become our reality.