A recommendation to Christians in the U.S.

Some of us who are baptized citizens of Christ's upside-down enemy-loving Kingdom also happen to be citizens of that violent superpower known as the United States of America. This citizenship involves us both in the sins of oppression which are the necessary correlate of power and in the internal possibilities of reform characteristic of contemporary 'democracies' (the quotation marks are there because the U.S. is not ruled by 'the people' in any direct way). That is, U.S. citizens can (among other things) vote to elect a president. And there's a presidential election coming up.

If you choose to vote (you certainly don't have to), make an informed decision. Ask yourself what would be best for the Church and for your neighbors both at home and around the world. If you think you have an answer that's clear enough to justify voting for one person rather than another, then great!
Once you've made your informed choice, stop obsessing about it. Why do I say this? Because the media, your friends and even (sadly) your fellow sisters and brothers in the Lord will encourage you to continue thinking about it. Everything about 'election season' in the U.S. says "dwell on me, think on me, meditate on me day and night, for I will shape the course of history." This is, of course, borderline idolatry. There are some aspects of this year's U.S. election which are of historical importance (e.g. the prospect of an African-American president) which shouldn't be minimized. But as much good (or bad) as a U.S. president can accomplish, the heart of humankind requires conversion--something best accomplished from the bottom-up, and by the movement of God's Spirit.

Pray for the elections. Think about the elections. Then stop. Pray about something else. Think about something else. Go be the Church. Don't worry. Don't be anxious.

"And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to your life? But above all pursue God's kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:27,33-34)

"Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things." (Philippians 4:6-8, NET)

Peace.

Wendell Berry on economics and the environment

I ran across a thought-provoking article by Wendell Berry (full text here) on local and global economies, which I hope you'll make time to read. It's all the more relevant given the current economic crisis.

Some excerpts:

The "environmental crisis" has happened because the human household or economy is in conflict at almost every point with the household of nature. We have built our household on the assumption that the natural household is simple and can be simply used. We have assumed increasingly over the last five hundred years that nature is merely a supply of "raw materials," and that we may safely possess those materials merely by taking them. This taking, as our technical means have increased, has involved always less reverence or respect, less gratitude, less local knowledge, and less skill. Our methodologies of land use have strayed from our old sympathetic attempts to imitate natural processes, and have come more and more to resemble the methodology of mining, even as mining itself has become more technologically powerful and more brutal.

[...]

What has happened is that most people in our country, and apparently most people in the "developed" world, have given proxies to the corporations to produce and provide all of their food, clothing, and shelter. Moreover, they are rapidly giving proxies to corporations or governments to provide entertainment, education, child care, care of the sick and the elderly, and many other kinds of "service" that once were carried on informally and inexpensively by individuals or households or communities. Our major economic practice, in short, is to delegate the practice to others.

[...]

The trouble with this is that a proper concern for nature and our use of nature must be practiced not by our proxy-holders, but by ourselves. A change of heart or of values without a practice is only another pointless luxury of a passively consumptive way of life. The "environmental crisis," in fact, can be solved only if people, individually and in their communities, recover responsibility for their thoughtlessly given proxies. If people begin the effort to take back into their own power a significant portion of their economic responsibility, then their inevitable first discovery is that the "environmental crisis" is no such thing; it is not a crisis of our environs or surroundings; it is a crisis of our lives as individuals, as family members, as community members, and as citizens. We have an "environmental crisis" because we have consented to an economy in which by eating, drinking, working, resting, traveling, and enjoying ourselves we are destroying the natural, the God-given world.

Call and response

Hat tip to Rob Karch for drawing my attention to this.

Leroy Barber on simple living

Leroy Barber offers some clear thoughts on surviving economic crises here (at Sojourners' "God's Politics" blog). Some excepts:

"The present financial crisis facing our nation is sure to touch most of our lives in one way or another over the next few days, months, and even years. [...]

There are, however, two groups of people that are better suited to survive the storm, and they are the very wealthy and those who live simply. The very wealthy will take a hit, but on account of being very wealthy they are better prepared than most for storms and massive losses. Those who live simply are in many ways prepared because the simple lifestyle keeps you from over-indulging in this consumer driven economy of ours. Living simply is wealth for the middle class and the poor.

[...]

Simplicity says to use very little credit. Buy the older model car that you can own. Shop at reasonably priced venues. Use public transportation sometimes instead of driving. The smaller house is okay. My friends that live this way can survive the coming storms a bit better. They have, in fact, created stability in their lives that allows them to live, as they are wealthy through this crisis."

Good words to take to heart, particularly for those of us who claim to be Christian.