Handbasket Ready

 Professor J,

Warning: This one's a rant.

I sat in church on a recent night and squirmed. My stomach churned and I felt sick. I didn't know if getting up and walking out would be the right thing. The sweet distant family member who had invited us wouldn't have understood and sometimes you have to decide where and when to try to explain why you disagree with something. I felt like the old lady in the insurance commercial whose friends are confused about social media--That's not how this works; that's not how any of this works.

Let me explain.

We'd been asked to join one of the sweetest people we know for the evening service at the church we use to attend. A large church where Mike Huckabee came to speak when he was governor. A church full of people who will vote for him in primaries and cheer him every step of the way as he campaigns for president. 

First there was some rousing music and a long prayer for the city that everyone was encouraged to read off the giant screens together. It included things like and end to racism and for businesses to come here to provide jobs. So far so good. But then a picture of the Supreme Court justices was put on the screen with a list of their names. The pastor of the church then asked people to pray about the case they were hearing on Tuesday about same sex marriage. The atmosphere turned solemn and he asked people to get down on their knees and pray that they would not have enough votes to legitimize same sex marriage as a constitutional right. There was a lot of talk about judgement befalling America and how much we'll deserve it if a couple of guys can get married. The language was more eloquent, somber, and scary than that but I'm snarkily paraphrasing. 

 I'm always surprised how quickly church services can morph into political rallies and vice versa in this country. I sat in my seat and subversively prayed for the hearts and minds of everyone present to mind their own business, although I probably prayed something more like "open minds and give a spirit of compassion and love. Then have them mind their own business."

After a long prayer the entire congregation arose and sang God Bless America. From the tone of it you would have thought some government entity was going to force them all into same sex marriages at gunpoint right after the service. After that things proceeded in a way that seemed more like church. I felt as though I'd been a victim of the old bait and switch. 

Later I wondered what was so upsetting to me. I know the noisy philosophy of this church and what they believe and I oughtn't really have been surprised. As I wondered what about it bothered me the most I soon realized that it was the list of things we'd not been asked to get down on our knees about during the years I'd attended.

War
Poverty
Hunger
Greed
Injustice

Some things that are actually mentioned repeatedly in scripture as things that God seems to get pretty worked up about. That injustice thing is a big one. Funny how we never hear anything about in many churches. I've certainly never been asked to kneel at my seat to pray fervently about the spirit of greed on Wall Street or income inequity. No one ever seems interested in praying about whether we are acting like a certain ancient empire when we invade other countries to democratize or liberate them, without asking, because of course, we know what's best for them.  

For some reason this one issue of same sex marriage is the line in the sand that evangelicals have latched onto. So an issue that has two consenting adults trying to create a permanent relationship, home, and family upsets people more than war.

War.

We are supposed to believe that two men or women living together under the banner of marriage is more terrible than violence and bloodshed. Or worse than the total destruction we saw drone video of this week. We are supposed to buy that judgement will come from on high because a couple of guys want to register at Pottery Barn for wedding gifts but that God turns a blind eye to corporate backed wars where we invade and destroy third world countries while enriching corporations who manufacture items that kill, maim, and destroy. Then we vote for candidates who ensure those corporations get tax breaks but have a meltdown over a single mom getting welfare.

We parade these twisted priorities (it's like no one has even read the gospels) like badges of honor and claim persecution if anyone points out that perhaps, you know, just maybe, it's a bit off somewhere.

I've venting here because this is what happens when I'm left to my own devices too long alone with a soapbox. And because I thought you, and some of our readers, might understand. I am so not up for another election already.