Category: Uncategorized

 

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

 

Click here to listen to the message or see below to read it.

 

A young man named Bennett Brown gradated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994 with a major in physics and a 5.0 grade point average.  As he pondered what to do after graduation, numerous high paying jobs were open to him – including ones in artificial intelligence, cancer research, and nuclear physics.

Two years after graduating, however, he was working in the South Side of Chicago, as a science teacher, in Du Sable high school.  His pay was a little over $30,000 a year.  He had no car and biked to work.  He lived in a $750 a month apartment.

Du Sable High School has 1400 students and is majority African-American – most of whom live in nearby subsidized housing projects.  On any given day, less than 70% show up for class – and those that do are often late.  Brown was the school’s only certified teacher in physics and chemistry.  Du Sable was lucky to have him.  In the US, only 40% of inner city schools have a certified science teacher.  Brown oversaw a classroom and lab with few supplies or materials.  He worked 60 hour weeks.

He was not just a teacher but involved himself in the community – running an an after school program for gifted fourth graders and mentoring a graduate of DuSable who was struggling to keep up at the University of Illinois.

As Bennett said, his work was a form of activism.  He was not a South Side Chicago community organizer like Barack Obama was, but he was working toward the same goal. 

“We live in a country where the economic class you become as an adult is defined by who your parents are.  Economic mobility is predominantly a lie,” Brown said.  “I was born with quite a bit of privilege.  I feel I have an opportunity to spread that privilege.  Just by teaching, you give back.  But if I were to teach in a wealthy school, who would I give back to?  I’m acting to change the balance of power.”

My message series this month is “Overlooked Discrimination” and we’ve already looked at two – ageism and ableism.  Today, I focus on educationism which I define in two ways.  First, educationism is an elitist attitude that discriminates and stereotypes those who are less educated..  Our culture tends to believe a less than ideal education is one’s own fault – he or she is ignorant or lazy.  We saw this divide in last year’s election when a large majority of persons with high school eductions or less voted for Mr. Trump, while a large majority of those with college educations or more voted for Mrs. Clinton.

The other manifestation of educationism is the discriminatory and unequal access to quality education.  Our nation discriminates against children who live in poor or low property-value communities because of how we fund schools.  Most children who are affected in this way are minorities who live in inner city areas, or rural poor who live in small and mostly impoverished areas.    

One common thread in all forms of discrimination – be it racism, sexism, ageism or ableism, is that they are prompted by a fear of those who are different.  With educationism, that is also true.  We fear those who are less educated because we unconsciously assume they’re mentally deficient and culturally backward.  Many also fear blacks and poor whites as threats to elite privilege.  Denying them access to quality education is a way to insure they remain marginalized.  To salve our unconscious fears of people who are different or a treat to our well-being, we isolate, demean and discriminate.

With Educationism, those who are less educated feel guilt and shame.  Studies show they can lack self-confidence and carry a stigma society puts on them.  That becomes, some economists say, “psychologically constraining” since persons affected by unequal educational opportunity internalize stereotypes about them and then make little attempt to succeed.  They also have poorer health, fewer job opportunities and lower incomes. This situation becomes a vicious cycle from one generation to the next – low education causes poverty which In turn causes children In low income families to repeat the same.

Our culture worships the Horatio Alger myth – that those who study and work hard in life will succeed.  The poor are the lazy ones who do not study or work.  This myth is based on the idea that everybody has an equal opportunity to learn in well funded schools staffed by well trained teachers.  That too is a myth.

A Chicago study of 300 black and white first graders found that when students are given equal educational resources, small class sizes and highly skilled teachers, they all realized comparable levels of achievement.  In other words, a child’s ability to learn and grow into a successful adult is not primarily dependent on how hard one works.  It’s dependent on how much money is spent on that child’s education.

Most states in our nation fund public schools with property taxes.  Logically, children who live in high property value communities can then attend schools with ample resources to fund their educations. 

This system is in direct contrast with European and Asian public schools which are funded equally.  The American education system is one of the most unequal among industrialized nations.  The wealthiest 10% school districts in the US spend ten times the amount per pupil than do the poorest 10%.  We get what we pay for.  Virtually all students from those wealthiest 10% school districts go to college.  A little over one-fifth of students from the poorest 10% districts go to college.

Such unequal allocation of education funds is very evident in Ohio.  Despite four decisions by the Ohio Supreme Court that the way school districts are funded is unconstitutional, Ohio’s school funding method has not changed.  Ohio’s leaders lack the political will to change the system primarily because those who elect them oppose any change.  It’s only fair, many people believe, that their property taxes pay for their child’s education.  The solution, however, is to completely un-tie school funding from property taxes.  Revenue can be raised with income taxes, for instance, and be allocated to schools on a per student basis – thus insuring all children have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Numerous studies show that students learn best when four criteria are met.  1) They attend small schools – 300 students or less.  2) Their class sizes are small – especially at elementary ages.  3) They have access to state of the art, challenging curriculum. 4) They are taught by highly qualified teachers.  All of those factors are determined by funding.

At this point, my message could easily veer off into becoming more a  lecture than a spiritual message.  Gaining head knowledge is important.  But gaining heart and soul knowledge, I believe, is of far greater value.   Our purpose as a spiritual community is not just to know facts, as I’ve outlined many of them, but to feel at a spiritual level the consequences of those facts.  Ultimately, I believe change in a society’s laws and systems to promote equality does not happen until a majority of people change their hearts.

100 years after passage of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote, sexism is still rampant.  Sixty-five years after the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision ruling that unequal educations are unconstitutional, we still have unequal and segregated schools.  Forty years after the Americans with Disability Act was passed, we still struggle with ableism.  Systemic change and passage of laws against discrimination, often brought about by years of organizing and activism, do create better conditions for the marginalized.  But they usually don’t change people’s discriminatory attitudes.

       More important, I believe, is the unseen kind of change in human hearts and souls – the kind of change that prompts one to stop being self focused and focus instead on empathy, compassion and service to others.  Regarding educationism, a majority of people in our nation need the kind of heart change that Bennett Brown had.

Professor Faoud Ajami of Princeton University, a well known TV commentator, says that a politics of love and compassion, instead of the current politics of legislated change, is what is needed in our nation.  He echoes Buddhist philosophy of how real change happens.  It must first begin in us.

Buddhism is often said to be the most equal form of spirituality.  Everybody suffers.   But everybody also has access to full enlightenment and nirvana.  The roadblock to achieving nirvana is our selfishness.  We lament suffering and so we desire things we think will make us happy – material items, judging and putting down others, or discrimination.  When we step out of ourselves and the “poor me” attitude we can often have, we move into a way of thinking that is empathetic.  We begin to stop thinking, “Why do I suffer” to instead think, “Why do others suffer – and how can I help them?”

I am not against the activists and community organizers who push for systemic change in our laws and government.  Barack Obama, perhaps a good example of a community activist change agent, was able to bring about substantial good change in our nation.  But as we see, those changes are being dismantled quickly – all because a large number of people in this nation still harbor prejudice – against immigrants, hispanics, African-Americans, women and LGBTQ persons.  Indeed, we political leaders can initiate change but people from all streams of spirituality – including Atheists  –  can facilitate, I believe, a national reawakening of the soul.  This would not be a religious revival, but a revival of respect and kindness toward all.

That’s why I find the story of Bennett Brown so inspiring.  He’s now working in Iowa City to teach teachers and develop curriculum for inner city schools.  But his early years as a teacher and his continuing work in education are sacrificial.  With his knowledge and skills, he could make millions in another career but he has purposefully chosen to practice activism of compassion and love.

That kind of heart decision, one that denied what he might desire, is one we can all aspire to copy – in our own ways.  How might we support equal education opportunities for all?  How can we choose to deny ourselves in small ways – to volunteer, work or even live in lower property value school districts?  How can we change the hearts of other people or our children to think and act as Bennett Brown?  He has not changed systems or laws, but he’s changed lives.  Which will be more lasting and echo across generations?

A national movement that promotes compassion and love is desperately needed in our nation.  Far too often people today demean and judge others – out of anger, disagreement or fear.  The dark side of humanity discriminates and stereotypes because of fear and selfishness.  As we’ve discussed this month, our culture often isolates and shuns.  We do the same for persons who are differently abled.  And we do the same for the less educated, for blacks, hispanics and the poor of any race.

Practicing selflessness, in some way, is the answer.  To practice compassion, empathy and self-denial does not mean we should give up our jobs and become a teacher, or that we sell our homes and move to another community.  But it does mean we each have the opportunity, in our own ways, to deny ourselves in some big or small way to serve the needs of others.

I love that about this congregation.  To serve and care for others is our collective commitment.  But as we all know, each of our hearts has room for enlargement – to recognize our abundant blessings and then make those available to all others.

Our enlarged hearts, full of kindness and love, will then have empathy for the challenges of others.  No more judgement, no more anger, no more fear, no more discrimination.

       

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

Listen to the message by clicking here or read the message below.

 

Ancient stories from world religions are often dismissed as charming but simplistic.  Addressing the issue of discrimination against persons who are physically or mentally other-abled, three ancient stories from the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian traditions are remarkable for their sensitivity to persons who are other-abled.

One story found in the New Testament is a parable supposedly told by Jesus.  Offended by the sanctimonious hypocrisy of religious elites, Jesus told the story of a wealthy man who wished to spread goodwill and kindness to as many people as possible.  The man instructed his servant to go and invite total strangers to a lavish feast he would hold – free of charge.  The servant asked many, but all said they were too hard heart d, too important or too devout to attend.  Banquets, in the ancient Jewish culture, were often perceived as sinful events with drunkenness and debauchery.

When the servant reported that nobody he invited accepted, the wealthy man was angry.  Go out into the city, he told his servant, and invite the poor, the blind, the lame and the diseased – all who live on the margins of life.  Such people were not welcome in many places because, according to Jewish beliefs of the time, the other-abled and the poor were deserving of their condition.  Either they, or their parents, had sinned and thus caused their condition.

The servant did as he was told and soon hundreds of the poor, blind and lame came to the feast which was a gesture of love and celebration.  The lesson from Jesus’ parable is one he repeated a lot.  It is the weak, marginalized and hurting people who are humble, open minded and generous in the love they give and receive.  They are people familiar with life challenges.  People who are rich, arrogant or pious often shut themselves off from what is truly valuable.

A second story, one told by the Hindu saint Ammachi, offers much the same message.  A young boy learns that his neighbor’s dog will soon give birth.  The boy excitedly asks the neighbor if he can buy one of them.  The neighbor gladly agrees, so the boy then anxiously awaits the birth.

One by one the puppies are born.  As each comes into the world, they let out loud yelps and begin to jostle for the best position with their mother.  They’re large and healthy.  When the mother begins to birth the last of her litter, she struggles.  It takes much longer for the final puppy to be born.  After it emerges, the puppy is small and barely moves.  But the boy immediately tells his neighbor he wants that one.  The neighbor is astonished and tries to persuade the boy to choose one of the first born – the strong ones.  The boy refuses.

Soon, the final puppy does begin to move but it’s clear one of its legs is shorter and misshapen.  It cannot walk like the others.

The boy all the more eagerly declares his desire for that puppy.  The neighbor again tries to persuade him otherwise but finally says he’ll give away the puppy for free.  But the boy is adamant.  He will pay full price.

“Why,” asks the neighbor, “do you want a puppy who cannot run and play as other dogs do?”

The boy sits down, pulls up one of his pants legs and reveals a wooden leg.  “Because,” says the boy, “I too have lost a leg.  I’ll be able to love this puppy and he will love me.  I’ll understand its challenges and he will understand mine.”

The lesson, according to the Hindu saint Ammachi, is that through challenges, we learn empathy, love and joy.

And that truth is one the Buddha understood at an early age.  My third story has him born to a noble family.  He enjoyed a privileged but sheltered life that made him unaware of suffering.  The Buddha’s seclusion, his elders thought, would make him a stronger leader.  But as a young adult, he began taking long walks to meditate.  The elders made sure, however, to clear the streets of people – to shelter him from unpleasant realities.

One day that did not happen.  The Gautma encountered a very old man who could barely walk.  He then came across someone who was visibly diseased.  Finally, he came across a dead body lying by the road.

At first, the Gautma was revolted by these sights.  They were alien to his sheltered life.  But after mediating and meeting with a monk, it’s said the Buddha had his first of several epiphanies.   To be enlightened, he realized, is to understand that suffering in life is real and everyone experiences it.  The way to break the chain of suffering is with kindness and compassion to all.

These three stories, and their similar lessons, remind me of our Unitarian Universalist belief that there is one ultimate truth in the universe – be that God, the power of love, or a scientific unifying theory.  Every religion or form of spirituality (including Atheism) teaches different ways to find that one truth.  No spiritual path to discover that truth is better or worse than another since they all reach the same conclusion.  All offer wisdom and so each must be respected.

My January message series theme is “Often Overlooked Discriminations”, and my topic today is “Ableism.” That is defined as discrimination in favor of those who are considered “able bodied.”  But the three stories I shared point out the fallacy of that definition and our society’s often discriminatory actions toward persons who are other-abled.  And I use that phrase – “persons who are other-abled“- with consideration.  None of us is 100% able bodied.  Each of us are imperfect not only in body, but with our minds too.  I have hearing loss.  I also have an deficiency to think in mathematical ways.  I’m clearly not “able bodied” or “able minded.”  And yet society would likely say I am – or at least appear to be.

It’s a fear of not being supposedly normal, along with self-oriented thinking, that prompts people to stereotype and discriminate.  People sub-consciously fear those who are not like them since they are a potential threat to their well-being.  For our topic today, many people unconsciously fear those who are not what they consider physically or mentally ‘normal.’  People fear being reminded of weakness, illness, and deficiency that they know could happen to them.  67% of Americans confess to being very uncomfortable around the other-abled.  Discrimination results. 

  Persons who are other-abled are often demeaned, shunned and isolated.  They’re referred to by names like (forgive me for saying these words), “retarded”, “crazy”, “crippled”, and “invalid.”  Many are denied opportunities to attend public schools with other children.  They can’t find work with equal pay.   Over 80% of other-abled Americans are unemployed even though most would like to work.  Those who do work are usually employed in so-called training centers which are legally able to pay below minimum wages supposedly because  persons who are other-abled are less productive.  Access to many facilities is difficult for them – as is access to affordable transportation.  They often do not have a say in they’re healthcare decisions or where they live.  Persons who are other-abled are more likely to live in poverty, die at an early age, and face isolation, abandonment and physical abuse.  Many persons who are other-abled lack access to reading and education resources such as books in braille, seeing-eye dogs, or home appliances designed for their use.  Many insensitive, so-called ‘normal’ people, use facilities designated for persons who are other-abled, such as parking spaces, elevators and specially designed restrooms.  Even worse, persons who are other-abled are subjected to benevolent discrimination.  They’re pitied, spoken to as if they’re children, and not treated as if they do not have thoughts or feelings of their own. 

Those who are mentally ill are equally discriminated against.  Guilt and shame are heaped on them as if they are responsible for their illness.  A few years ago, one church member confided to me their life-long battle with clinical depression and the hurt others caused by cruel suggestions.  This person should just snap out of it and be happy, many said.  This person felt deep shame for what has been shown to be a biological  condition caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals – something they cannot help.

I’ve witnessed the same treatment of my mom who has Alzheimer’s.  Strangers and even some family members have avoided her or yelled at her for delusions or failure to remember.  One would never yell at a cancer patient for their illness, but for persons with mental illness – that somehow seems OK.

What is very clear is that persons who are other-abled in our society are often treated cruelly – as if they have no value and are unwanted.  We are an ableist culture.    

One astonishing thing about the uplifting stories from world religions that I told earlier is that they do not represent today’s beliefs by those faiths.  Most religions are ableist and discriminatory in what they believe.  Many Christians believe that everything god has created is good and thus anything that is supposedly not good or not ‘normal’, must have been created by the devil.  Hindu and Buddhist beliefs in karma say that one’s condition in this life is a reflection of what one did in a previous life.  If one is other-abled, he or she must have terribly sinned in a past life.  Orthodox Jewish belief says that a rabbi or religious cannot in any way be blemished, lame or diseased.  His body must be perfect in order to be god’s representative.

These kinds of beliefs heavily influence culture.  Japanese people, for instance, are often very ableist due to their belief in karma.  Those who appear normal and who prosper deserve their condition because of good things they have done.  Those who are poor, sick, or other-abled deserve their condition because of bad things they’ve done.  A version of that thinking is prevalent in the US.  Successful people deserve their success.  Those who struggle deserve their challenges since they are lazy or ignorant.

It is precisely that kind of elitist and self-focused thinking that Jesus and the Buddha condemned.  They both implicitly note the imperfections in us all.  Everybody, they believed, is a person who is other-abled  The journey to enlightenment is therefore a journey into oneself – to see one’s own frailty, one’s own sins, one’s own differences.  Such personal awareness builds humility and empathy.  It fosters connection with others…..instead of separation.  If I TOO am other-abled, why should I fear or discriminate against persons who are other-abled?  If I too will age, or I too have African ancestors, or I too have so-called feminine characteristics, then what reason do I have to stereotype, discriminate and hate?

The heart of god, or the ultimate truth in the universe, does not demand perfection.  Indeed, perfection of the body and mind is a lie our culture wrongly expects.  The heart of god does not promote perfectionism nor a type individualism that fears those who are different.  We were not made to be islands of selfishness.  To think that way is a path to destruction.  We were made to cooperate and be interconnected.  That is a path to universal well-being.

It’s ironic, but from a seemingly weak position of acknowledged imperfection, we are instead powerful.  When we confess our inner truth – our mental and physical challenges, we are strong.  When we treat other people who are other-abled with acceptance and understanding, we are even stronger.  Joined together in kindness and respect for the differences in us all, we will banish fear and prejudice from our hearts…..and then work together to build a better world.

I wish you all much peace and joy.

       

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

Please click here to listen to the message.  See below to read it.

As many of us know, the life of Michael Jackson was defined by his amazing talent, but also by troubling events and depression as he got older.  Jackson once said this in an interview, “I don’t want a long life.  I don’t, I don’t, I don’t.  I think growing old is the most ugliest thing.  When the body breaks down and you start to wrinkle, I think it’s so bad.  I never want to look in the mirror and see that.  I don’t understand it.  And people say that growing old is beautiful.  I disagree.”

As a follow-up question, Jackson was asked if he was afraid to die.  He responded very simply, “Yes.”

Without getting into tabloid reports about his life, it’s nevertheless well-known Jackson was obsessed with youthfulness.  In his thirties he began receiving 13 daily hormone injections to keep him young.  He underwent numerous plastic surgery procedures to change his appearance and keep him looking youthful.  His primary residence for many years was a property he named Neverland after the fictitious place in the Peter Pan story.  He filled it with amusement park rides, pinball machines, candy shops, ice cream parlors and a zoo.  Indeed, it’s said he loved the idea of actually being Peter Pan – someone who never grows up.

The character of Peter Pan, created by author J.M. Barrie, represents the joys of youth.  But he, and the real life Michael Jackson, also represent more troubling issues in our culture about worshipping youth and fearing growing old.  Peter Pan, in Barrie’s stories, forgets all of his adventures so that he never gains wisdom about challenges and setbacks.  His devil may care attitude is selfish and dangerous.  Without knowing about death, Peter Pan simply does not care what he does.  When he faces death after being tied to a rock in the middle of the ocean, he briefly feels scared.  But that thought quickly vanishes.  He acts and thinks like a forever child.

Peter Pan is thus charming and fun.  His character has captured the imagination of children who dream of no responsibilities, no school, and never becoming a boring adult.  Barrie created Peter Pan, however, to admonish children AND adults.  In order to be enjoyed, youthfulness must be understood in the larger context of an entire life. 

My message series theme this month is:   “often overlooked discriminations,” and my topic today is:   “ageism.”  I chose this month’s theme to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s January birthday.  He was a champion for racial equality, but also a champion for ending all forms of prejudice.

My hope is that by looking at three often overlooked forms of discrimination, ageism today, ableism next Sunday, and educationism in two weeks, we will gain insight into the causes of any form of discrimination.  At its core, discrimination is caused by a fear of the other.

Like Peter Pan, most people are born narcissistic and even selfish – with the notion that the world revolves around oneself and one’s needs.  We can learn cooperation and altruism, however, as we mature and grow older.  Juvenile self-centeredness will then fade and youthfulness becomes something still joyful, but complimented by sacrifice, service to others, and a healthy dose of humility. 

That evolution can begin, I believe, when a young person learns about death and one’s mortality.  From that point onward, one either retreats into a Neverland false reality – doing one’s best to hold onto youth and fearing growing old, or …… one accepts his or her mortality and chooses to celebrate every minute of life as a blessing. 

If we don’t evolve, or only partially evolve in our thoughts about living and dying, we will continue to be aware of the universe only as it relates to us personally.  We will be stuck in immature selfishness and see others as a threat to our survival and well-being.  They must be feared and hated.  All forms of discrimination result.

And ageism is one of them.  That term was coined in 1969 and its definition has evolved over the years.  Ageism is now defined as having negative stereotypes or discriminatory thoughts for people based on their advanced chronological age, or a perception of someone as being ‘old’.

Ageism is expressed in numerous ways.  In many organizations, the greater one’s age, the more likely discrimination happens – in hiring, promotions, in downsizing and in pay.  Many employers today want the energy of young people at a low pay rate.  Indeed, the average peak wage earning time for Americans is now between the ages of 45 and 54.  Before age 45, wages increase.  But after age 54, average wages decrease.

Discrimination against those perceived to be old also occurs with healthcare.  Medical professionals often have implicit bias against the elderly by assuming their conditions are incurable and can only be managed.  Someone younger with the same conditions, many studies show, are treated more aggressively.  Older persons are also often ignored or treated disrespectfully in the healthcare industry.

As a general rule, society can be impatient, rude and sometimes violent toward the elderly.  Older drivers are perceived to be less able and slow.  The same can be true when older persons are encountered in the home, at stores or other locations – they move too slow, they’re cognitively diminished, they’re depressing.  Anger and frustration toward them result.

Digital ageism is a recent phenomenon.  Older persons are considered both ignorant and incapable when it comes to digital technology.  The elderly, many people believe, can’t learn how to operate digital devices and they’re inept at understanding or developing anything innovative.  100 years ago, engineers were said to have 35 years before their knowledge and innovative abilities were considered obsolete.  In the 1960’s, it was said to be 10 years.  Now, engineers and their knowledge are often considered outdated after only three years.  Several studies prove just the opposite, however.  People over the age of 50 have no less an ability to learn new technology then those in their twenties.

Benevolent prejudice is another symptom of ageism.  People with good intentions nevertheless implicitly discriminate against those they perceive to be old by speaking to them in very loud voices, addressing them the same as they would a child, or insisting on physically helping them when it’s not needed or wanted.

Ageism also exists even among senior citizens.  Just as some blacks favor other black people with lighter skin tones, some senior citizens discriminate against those older than themselves, or against those with more physical challenges.  In some retirement communities, for instance, persons living independently refuse to dine or associate with those in assisted living situations, or those using wheelchairs and walkers.  Even worse, persons living in skilled nursing facilities are usually completely isolated and ignored by the rest of a retirement community.

Ageism in general is made worse by what is called ‘visual ageism.’  People are discriminated against not because of cognitive or physical abilities, but because of how old they look.  Studies have shown that young people who are made up and dressed to look much older experience significant prejudice – even when they move and think equal to their young chronological age.

Overall, ageism results from a fear of the other – in this case the fear that an older person will upset our sense of well-being by being a reminder of aging and death.  We don’t want to figuratively look in a mirror and see our future selves – those who have wrinkles or grey hair.  That’s why advertising, TV shows and movies have historically emphasized youthfulness.  Many young and old people don’t want to see Maggie Smith or Morgan Freeman in a show.  They want to see Beyonce and Channing Tatum. 

That form of discrimination is even worse for women.  Combining ageism and sexism, older men are often treated with less prejudice than older women.  Older men, in our society, are often considered distinguished, wise and even attractive.  Older women are often not.  Maggie Gyllenhaal, an acclaimed actor who is 37, was recently turned down a movie role because producers believed her too old to play the lover of a 55 year old man.  One famous actress has said that TV and movie roles for women come in three stages – voluptuous babe, then working professional, and finally – the title role in ‘Driving Miss Daisy.’  That prejudice is ageist AND sexist.  Men, both straight and gay, often desire younger romantic partners.  Women have similar desires, but I believe they are more evolved than men – they value the stability, wisdom and touch of selflessness that can come with age.

One of the obvious problems with ageism is that it not only is discriminatory and bad for society, it is also self-fulfilling.  Everybody ages and most will advance to senior citizen status.  But persons who are ageist when they are young, they grow old and are ageist toward themselves.  In other words, if we believe when we’re young that people over a certain age are physically and mentally diminished, that there is no joy in being older, that romance and sex are impossible, and that youth is better, then that is what we’ll believe about ourselves when we’re older. 

Studies show that people who think that older is equal with incapacity and depression, they become that way when they age.  But the opposite is also true.  Those who see age as only a number and who believe one can be active and vital at any age, they end up being vital and happy almost all their lives.

Solutions to ageism are similar to those for racism or any other stereotyping.  For one, we can bring about systemic change by outlawing ageist discrimination.  Australia is a world leader in having anti-ageist laws.  California is not far behind.  Just last year its legislature enacted laws forbidding employers rom asking or keeping on file the age or birthdates of applicants and employees.

Other solutions are more subtle and, I believe, touch on areas of spirituality.  We need to look within ourselves and be willing to examine our fears and biases about the elderly.  Most people are ageist in some way.  I know I am because I lament the physical changes I’ve experienced – grey hair, aches that I never had before, weaker eyesight and hearing.  Very few people truly embrace the natural aging process and celebrate it.

That results from the one great fear we have:   death.  Since we are most likely alone among species in being aware of our eventual demise, we also are alone in suffering the negative consequences of that awareness.  Superstition and religious belief happen, I believe, from a fear of death.  So too do racism, sexism and ageism.   People can’t seem to outgrow and rise above a me-first thinking that places the self at the center of one’s awareness.  I want to survive and thrive.  Anything or anyone that threatens my ability to thrive, I will fear, hate and discriminate against.  That central idea was underlined by Ta Nihisi Coates in his book we read last January, Between the World and Me.  Race is a concept created by whites.  It has no justification in biology.  All humans have virtually the same DNA.  But, whites use race as a way to control and feel superior to blacks – all as a way to economically take advantage of them.

        If we are to eliminate any prejudice, we must eliminate our fear of death.  That means moving away from self-focused thinking that comes with fear.  Regarding ageism, we must eliminate fears that growing old and dying are somehow bad.  That does not mean we should want to die.  It means we must, instead, seek to really live.

As I often say, we can’t know something is good unless we understand its opposite.  Life cannot be fulfilling and joyous unless we know that it is finite.  Can Peter Pan, who never grows old, really be happy?  What knowledge, insights and sense of purpose can he find if the only thing he feels is endless immaturity?  How can he experience the heights of love if he is to never learn the heartache that love can also bring?

If we do our best to understand that death is one moment in our eternity, perhaps it will lose its sting.  I will find eternity, and thus peace and joy, by what I do with my life to make future lives better.   My eternity is also in what comprises me.  The atoms that make up my body and stimulate my brain to think and feel, those will go on forever.   By understanding and feeling the countless satisfactions of life, by being aware that I will exist not just as I am now but in many other forms, I can embrace birth, youth, aging and dying as inevitable – but also beautiful.  To fully enjoy life,……….aging and death must be accepted and even celebrated.

Most importantly, by engaging my mind to think and believe that truth, I will banish my prejudices and implicit biases.  All life, especially ALL people, will truly be dear to me.  They will enhance and enrich my living experience.  I’ll find the same satisfaction in hugging my dying father, or visiting my mom with dementia, as I do when being around young people.  Ultimately, I’ll celebrate life right now and all the good that I can do with it……… and let go of all the rest.

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

Click here to listen to the message or read it below.

One year ago today many of us celebrated the holidays in shock.  Election results from the previous month were a surprise to many and troubling to some.  Even so, the holidays are always a time of expectation and so 2017 was greeted in that spirit.  All is not lost, I felt, and we must invest in our new leader a cautious hope that the good ideals of our nation and people will continue.

One year later, my hopes have been dashed.  Health insurance for impoverished children is about to be eliminated, protected national lands that are home to wildlife and geologic formations of breathtaking uniqueness are now open for pillage, the stock market is at dizzying heights all because the richest 1% will get 82% of upcoming tax cuts, our free press is under attack, a credibly accused pedophile came within twenty thousand votes of being a US Senator – and he was overwhelmingly supported by white evangelical Christians, immigrants drawn to this land because of its ideals and the chance for a better life now cower in fear of a knock on their door in the middle of the night.  We are closer to nuclear war than at any time since the Cuban missile crisis, Neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klansmen have been called “good people” by our leader, and this nation now thumbs its nose at a treaty to fight catastrophic climate change.  The world today, as opposed to last December, is very, very scary.

How is that for a cheery opening to this annual Candlelight Christmas Eve celebration message?

If you’ve been here the last two Sundays, you know my series theme this month is “‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Holiday.”  The title of that film and my message series certainly seem incongruous to today’s dark reality.  Is life so wonderful in an America that is becoming mean-spirited and self-focused?  No, it’s not.  But themes in the film tell us that our lives ARE wonderful when they have meaning and when we practice and stay true to our values.  By doing so, we fulfill our purpose in life to act selflessly and we thereby stand against the forces of greed, hate and selfishness.

Frank Capra, the movie’s director, made the film in 1946 when he saw that post-war America was quickly forgetting its values for the sake wealth.  That’s exactly what is occurring today – no better exemplified than the passage this last week of a tax cut bill that enriches the very wealthy. 

Capra elevated to heroic status no less a man than George Bailey, the primary character in the movie.  George is not a typical hero.  He does a lot of good.  He tries to live out his beliefs despite inwardly wanting a more exciting and materially rewarding life.   But George is not a knight in shining armor activist who calls people to follow him as he marches off to battle the evil forces in his time.  Instead, he’s a flawed, sometimes jealous and frustrated man working, as he says, in a crummy little town, in a shabby little office, in a barely profitable little bank. He implicitly asks himself ‘What BIG thing am I doing to change the darkness of this world?  He believes, throughout much of the movie, that his life is meaningless.  In fact, he nearly commits suicide in despair over that thought.

But the reason why George is a hero is precisely because he’s NOT a well known architect, what he dreamed of becoming, or a famous activist who fights the good fight on a national stage.  He’s an Everyman.  He’s me, and he’s many of you.  Even though George is flawed, and sometimes gets frustrated over a life he wish he had, George lives true to his values – one low interest loan to a struggling family, one gesture of kindness, one act of loyalty, one day of serving others – at a time.  In his small job, small bank and small town, he makes a very big difference.  He lives out and practices the ethics we all know to be good – sacrifice, service, kindness, humility, love and generosity.

For our holiday celebrations this morning and tomorrow, we might also remember those are the same values taught in the Christmas story.  Whatever we believe about that story, whether it is fact or an allegory intended to teach,  it nevertheless tells a similar tale of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.  The birth of a child to poor family in a shabby little town, in a smelly little barn certainly does not seem inspiring.  But the story resonates because of who that baby is said to have become – a man who called people to quietly and humbly practice goodness. 

Jesus was not a warrior, ruler of a nation, or wealthy power broker.  He was poor, uneducated and of average looks.  But he launched a movement that has lasted two-thousand years through the power of his example – daily living a life of serving one leper, one blind man, one beaten down and distraught woman – at a time.  With his deeds he showed others what the heart of god, or force of love in the universe, is like.        

Two world views compete in the Christmas story and in the movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ – as they do today.  One way of life, exemplified by the greedy Mr. Potter in the movie, or the ruthless and greedy King Herod in the Christmas story, exalts selfishness – grab all the money, pleasure, prestige and power that you can. 

The other way of life, exemplified by George Bailey and Jesus, is one that gently practices timeless values.

These competing ways of life have always existed.  People are capable of almost holy acts of goodness….but also of the most disturbing deeds of cruelty and indifference.  The clash between thinking only of “me, me, me”, or instead of considering the feelings and needs of others, fights its battle in every human heart.

In today’s America, many people hate the values of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and the Christmas story – even though they claim to practice them.   Arrogance and bragging about oneself, or what one has done, are somehow good.  Amassing a huge fortune is seen as a sign of greatness.  Attacking and demeaning others who disagree with you are considered a show of strength.  Teaching a child, visiting the sick, cooking a meal for the homeless, living and serving one’s family, standing up for a friend who’s been bullied, being loyal and unassuming – well, those are naive, weak, and essentially insignificant deeds – such people believe.  They don’t compare to the heroic actions of those who are in the limelight – or think they are – because of their arrogance.

But people who say that – are, forgive me – wrong.  The enduring message of the Christmas story, and why the movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ remains a classic, is the lesson that one poor and homely carpenter, one small town banker, one everyday, average congregation doing their part to serve others……..they are ironically very strong.  In weakness lies power.  In humility lies greatness.  In love, service and gentleness toward others lies timeless truth.

Last Sunday during Joys and Sorrows time, Leslie Edwards expressed his appreciation for this congregation and its values of giving and volunteering.  We know, of course, that despite his praise, this mostly white and economically comfortable congregation is not perfect and we have much to learn, grow and improve about ourselves.  Inner vestiges of racial basis, white privilege and other flaws can still infect us.  That is one reason why we’re here – to enlarge our hearts and minds.

And yet, Mr. Edwards’ compliments are also well deserved.  We may be small in numbers, and we’re not famous, but we are large in heart.

A few people have said this congregation acts much like a social club – a white, suburban community that shares progressive beliefs but doesn’t promote them.   They’ve also said that about me.  In my case, they have a right to that opinion and I hope to be honest enough to examine my heart to determine if its true.

But about you, this small congregation, I do not agree with their assessment.  Much like George Bailey, we are not perfect people.  None of us are.  We have miles to go until we might say we are enlightened.  But we know that fact, and we are here most Sundays, and we volunteer, give and serve selflessly all in order to try and live out our beliefs and our values. 

I personally do NOT accept the observation that, for instance, working on our Ways and Means team to raise money for the work we do, or spending time teaching children, or cooking a meal for a homeless shelter, or assembling a weekend food box for hungry children, or repairing this building, or taking time to reflect and learn from on an idea we heard here on a Sunday morning, that these, in their own way, do not also address issues like racism and thereby help change the world for the better.

In doing these things, we – like George Bailey – stand in resistance to the national darkness.

To conclude my message, Alan will soon show an 8 minute clip from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.  To set the scene, George has just visited a world in which he had not been born.  It’s a frightening place – one that our nation could become if we lose the values we hold dear.  George asks god to bring him back to life – to the reality where he had been born.  In the clip you’ll see, George not only realizes his life purpose, he also comes to understand the intangible wealth he’s amassed.  He’s rich not from the money his friends give to cover his bank’s losses, but because of their love for him – and his for them.  As you watch, I hope the clip helps you understand the same lessons – we each have much to learn – but there is greatness in our everyday acts of kindness and service.  In these troubled times, at this holiday time of hope, let us continue to do our part to practice and encourage….throughout our land….the timeless values we cherish.

Let’s now watch the film clip. 

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

Click here to listen to the message or see below to read.

Last Sunday I began my December message series entitled “‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Holiday” with a look at one primary theme of the classic film:  each person has greatness within them.  We don’t exist just to exist.  Instead, we live for a purpose and our task is to discover it and then live it out.  Ultimately, our reason for living is to leave this world better off than before we were born.  No matter how big or small we change things for the better, doing so is our greatness.  I quoted an old Jewish proverb, “He or she who saves even one life, saves the world entire.”  That’s our purpose and it is in fulfilling it that we find our meaning.

It takes George Bailey, the central character in the film, thirty plus years to understand his purpose.  He’d been living it and practicing it, but he never understood, until a crisis comes, that he was already doing great things.

The reason he takes so long to realize his purpose is due to an inner conflict – a fight between his dreams, and the reality of his life.  George does not get what he wants.  In his youth, George dreamed of being an architect who would build great structures – and thereby win fame and fortune.  On a date during high school, he tells his future wife this:

“I’m shakin’ the dust OF this crummy little town off my feet and I’m gonna see the world.  Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Colosseum.  Then, I’m comin’ back here to go to college and see what they know.  And then I’m gonna build things.  I’m gonna build airfields, I’m gonna build skyscrapers a hundred stories high, I’m gonna build bridges a mile long…”

Soon after he confides these dreams to Mary, his father suddenly dies.  George foregoes college and allows his younger brother to go instead.  He takes over the small Building & Loan bank his father had started.

George continues to put aside his dreams to meet what he considered his obligations.  The greedy competing banker in town, Mr. Potter, tries to close the bank George runs by convincing its Board that the town no longer needs a Building and Loan.

But George gives an impassioned speech to his Board describing the values his father believed in and the reason why he started the bank – not to make huge profits but to help average people buy homes and start businesses.  The world still needs such community spirited banks, he argued.  The Board agrees not to dissolve the bank only IF George remains its President.  George agrees.

George had also made a pact with his younger brother.  He could go to college first – but when he finished, he’d return to run the bank while George takes his turn to go to college.  But Harry the brother returns after graduating with a wife and a career.   With the kind of grace that only some show their siblings, George does not complain.  He stays on as President of a small, barely profitable bank.

George then marries Mary and they make plans for a long honeymoon to travel the world – to fulfill at least one of George’s dreams.  But the stock market crash of 1929 happens and there is a run on banks across the US.  People panic and they want their savings.

As a near riot forms in George’s bank, it faces collapse – much like thousands of other small banks during the Great Depression.  George could let his bank fail, take his honeymoon, go to college and become an  architect.  Instead, he uses the $2000 he’d saved for his around the world honeymoon to pay the withdrawals his frightened customers want.  He saves the bank.

Just before he decides to hand out his savings, he looks at a portrait of his father and reads underneath it his dad’s life motto: “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.”

Years later George faces his greatest crisis.  His kind but incompetent uncle, whom George employed in the bank, loses $8000.00 – a huge sum for the time.  The bank does not have enough cash to operate and it faces bankruptcy.  George faces personal ruin and even the prospect of prison.  Mr. Potter is overjoyed.  He can finally be rid of the bank that competes with him by making low interest loans.  He derisively tells George that he’s worth more dead than alive.

Suddenly, the inner battle George had fought all his life is clear.  He’d honored his obligations at the cost of what he wanted.  He’d fought against the ethics of Mr. Potter who symbolizes all that was wrong – and still is wrong – with America.  That’s the idea that our purpose in life is to get all that we can.  Use and abuse others for profit.  Lie and steal to get ahead.  Demean others while bragging about yourself.

In the middle of this crisis, George doubts all that his father stood for, his small town values, and his seemingly naive efforts to help others.  Mr. Potter is right, George concludes.  I should have done what I wanted and ignored serving and giving.  George returns to his dilapidated house a deeply embittered man.  Watch with me that movie scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKco5Tv8ciw

Like many of you, I was inspired by Michael Tacy’s message here two weeks ago.  As I listened to its recording, which is posted on our website, I realized that Michael’s message on “Honesty” revealed someone who can speak to anyone – but particularly to young millennials.  Using humor and a down to earth style, Michael  – you can reach people in ways this old Minister cannot.  You spoke of emotional honesty – the kind we each need to develop.  We must be true to ourselves.

It’s in that light that I confess to you the same kind of struggle George Bailey battles in the film.  I sometimes fight the siren song of what I want – against what I believe is right.  That does not happen often – and usually when it does happen, I find my way back by listening to my better self.

This inner conflict happened to me last month.  Due to a number of circumstances, I felt a lot of stress.  Ministers face stressful situations from time to time – extra work, longer hours, a few people who are critical.  Usually I deal with it, but last month I hit a low point and it happened again just this past Friday.  This is the kind of low that leads George, me, and others to feel as if our work is useless.  We despair that our lives are not what we want.  I confess this as a matter of honesty – and to share my inner struggles.

Several friends and family members, after I shared my feelings last month with them, encouraged me to get what I sometimes think I want –  to end my work stress and take an early retirement.  Life is too short to be stressed and upset they told me.  Use the modest inheritance you received from your dad to support yourself – until Medicare and your retirement savings become available.  Retire now and enjoy life, they said.

As tempting as that idea sounds, and as much as the pleasure seeking side of me wants that, I know it is not what my better self wants.  My better self wants to continue to serve, work and feel fulfilled.  I’m abundantly blessed by what you allow me to do – and that you pay me to do it!  Most of the time I love my work and I remind myself I’m a lucky guy.  It’s a privilege to have this job.

By not getting what I want – what the self-focused part of me wants – I’m paradoxically getting instead what I truly want and need.  I truly want the kinds of things that last.

This battle, what some call the desires of the flesh versus the wisdom of the soul, that’s something many of us face.  We want expensive new things, but our hearts remind us the money can be better spent – or given – elsewhere.  We become unsatisfied with our houses, our spouses, our jobs, or what we’ve saved, and we want new, bigger, sexier or more enjoyable improvements.  But it’s our better selves that tell us there are true and good things to want instead – things that are consistent with what we believe. 

All of this is true of George Bailey.  The lure of the wider world, going to college and becoming famous are very strong.  During much of his early life, he struggles with forsaking his dreams, even though the core of who he is, and what he believes, remind him to live a life of purpose and service.  George deeply believes the quote from his father.  We depart this world only with the things we’ve given away – love, humility, kindness and caring.  Material things, money and pleasure won’t last, nor are they meaningful.  What have we done to help or save other people – and thereby improve the world?  It’s our good answer to that question that is our eternity, and our ticket to lasting greatness.

The Dalai Lama once said, “Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.”  He expressed a foundational idea of Buddhism.  By letting go of physical desires and wants, we ironically get what we really desire.  And what most of us really desire is a sense of contentment that is not affected by pleasure or pain.   We desperately want inner peace.

To find that kind of joy, what the Dalai Lama speaks of in his book with Desmond Tutu, The Book of Joy, we must let go of wanting more:  more things, more money, more power, more prestige.  Wanting more of those things does not mean we’ll get them – and not getting what we want leads to disappointment and anger.  That’s what George feels when his world falls apart. 

Real joy comes in letting go of the “me, me, me” prompts of ego.  It comes, instead, by serving, working, and caring.  It comes in quiet humility, gentleness of spirit and a sense of humor in the midst of challenge.  It comes in pouring out ourselves for the sake of others.

For me, not getting what I want is, as I’ve said, precisely what I DO want.  I know the side of me that can be selfish.  But that’s not who I want to be nor what I believe is good.  I want instead meaning, purpose and a sense of fulfillment.  I want to make a difference – no matter how small.

That idea from the film “It’s Wonderful Life” is a perfect one for the holidays.  It captures their essence.  This is a time to celebrate life, love and sharing.  We struggle to remember every holiday season the need to forego a desire for great parties, lavish meals and expensive gifts – to instead seek genuine peace and joy. 

What I hunger for at this time of year are moments to connect with others, to do something helpful for someone in need, and to measure my year’s achievements not by what I got, but by what I gave.

The world seems a particularly dark place this season.  A type of Mr. Potter seems to rule our culture and world.  Too many people are enthralled by his ways – the lying, cheating, insulting and grasping for power, prestige and wealth – all in order to glorify himself.  That’s not a role model we want our children to follow.  And that’s not how we ourselves want to act.  We each have the capacity to be much better.

I pray that you and I defy what the darker side of humanity tells us we want.  Let us – this Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice and holiday season – not want what we think we want.  Let’s hold true to our values and beliefs and practice goodness, humility and kindness.  In doing so, we will get what we need and what we truly want – a life that means something and a life legacy that lasts into eternity…

I wish us each THAT kind of peace and joy… (introduce Cheryl and Spark) – One way this congregation serves and makes a difference, not just to address poverty and homelessness but also racism.  We advocate and speak to issues we care about with our hands on work.  Cheryl Leksan will now talk about Upspring.

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

Audio to the message is in two parts.  Please click here to listen or see below to read the message.

Most of us have heard about the Pakistani girl Malala Yousafzai.  She became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner ever three years ago.  But many of us do not know her life story.

Malala was born in 1997 to a professor and his wife in the Swat region of Pakistan – a mountainous area that borders Afghanistan.  While the birth of girls is not as widely celebrated in many Pakistani families as is that of boys, Malala’s parents were overjoyed.  Her father determined his daughter would have all the opportunities available to boys.  Malala was enrolled in a local girl’s school and encouraged to learn and achieve.

When she was ten, a Muslim fundamentalist group named the Taliban took control of the Swat area.  They promptly imposed religious laws that outlawed TV’s, music, movies, books and education for women and girls.  Malala’s school was closed. 

Using a fictitious name, Malala began to blog for the BBC about life under the Taliban.  Her description of the days before her school was closed were particularly moving.

Eventually, the Pakistani Army regained control over the Swat region but the Taliban remained a threat.  Even though schools for girls were reopened, the Taliban continued to oppose them with terror and intimidation.

Malala’s fame….and notoriety grew.  The New York Times wrote about her advocacy for equal education of girls and soon her identity became an open secret.  One day in 2012, gunmen boarded her school bus and demanded she be identified.  She raised her hand.  The gunmen shot her in the head, neck and shoulder.  She was critically wounded and nearly died. 

Malala survived long enough to be transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in London where she fully recovered.  She renewed her work with even greater intensity – to insure girls are treated with dignity and that they have full equality with boys.  She founded the Malala Fund that builds schools and advocates for girls and young women around the world.  Schools in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin American were started because of her activism.  Thousands of girls owe their educations to her.  And thousands of future children of those now educated girls will also owe their well-being to her.

It might seem incongruous that I’ve opened my message entitled “It’s a Wonderful Life Holiday: L’Chaim!” with a description of Malala Yousafzai – a young Muslim girl.  My opening is perhaps equally incongruous with today’s service – one to honor the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah that begins this Tuesday. 

In truth, celebrating Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Pagan or Christian ideals in a Unitarian Universalist church is nothing new.  Each stream of spirituality offers truths from which we can learn, but all world religions teach the same Golden Rule ethic.  We are to love and respect others at least equal to how we ourselves wish to be loved and respected.

The Hebrew phrase ‘l’chaim’ in my title, is a celebratory one meaning “to life!”  Jews exclaim these words on many joyous occasions.  It reminds speakers and listeners of blessings both big and small.  Most importantly, “l’chaim” reminds people of the gift of life.  We each have one chance to exist and, no matter the challenges we face, our mere being – the fact that we breathe, think, love and procreate – is a miracle.  That’s something to never take for granted or waste.  And with the miracle of “being”, comes a responsibility to have purpose.  We don’t exist just to exist.

That idea is wonderfully represented in Malala Yousafzai’s life.  One teenage girl, facing obstacles of hate and violence, has by herself impacted millions of lives – directly and indirectly. 

That idea is also inherent in the history of Hanukkah.  The ancient Seleucid empire, which ruled Israel beginning in 444 BCE, was led by a maniacal and arrogant dictator named Antiochus Epiphanes who took power in 175 BCE.  Like fundamentalist Muslims of today, he imposed radical laws on the areas he controlled – including Israel.  His laws were a direct assault on Jewish religious and cultural beliefs.  Jews were forced to worship Antiochus – instead of their own Yahweh.  Worship was sexualized and the Jewish Temple was used for that.  Pigs were incorporated into worship – all to further offend pious Jews.  An alien and provocative culture was imposed.

In 166 BCE, a young man named Judas Maccabaeus decided he’d had enough.  He led a small army in guerrilla type warfare against the dictator.  After many small skirmishes, Maccabaeus’ army wore down Antiochus’ larger army and forced it to flee.  Israel became an independent nation once again.

After restoring their nation, Jewish priests began to clean and restore the Temple in Jerusalem.  After finding the Temple’s large ornamental menorah, that by tradition was always lit, they realized there was only enough sacred oil to keep it lit for a day or less.  It took at least eight days, however, to make more holy oil.  The priests lit the lamp anyway and, to their day by day surprise, found it stayed lit until enough new holy oil was made.  Celebrating this miracle of Hanukkah began.

Judas Maccabaeus’ zeal and courage changed the course of history and impacted, for good, the lives of millions.  Indeed, his actions and courage indirectly influenced Jesus who was also a Jewish militant – one who, a century and a half later, challenged Roman and elitist control over Israel.

My connection of young Malala Yousafzai to Judas Maccabaeus is not stretched.  Their deeds are great and their influence therefore is very large.   But such greatness, and that of other famous figures of history, is not limited to only a few people.  Nobody aspires to fame when they begin their life’s work.  Mostly, people simply begin to act in ways that help others.  And it is in doing so, that a few become famous.

I believe, however, in everyday greatness – the kind that is not found in history books but which every living person can and should achieve.  This is the kind of greatness that also influences the world for the better – but in less noticed ways.  We all have this potential greatness in us, but first we must identify it and then go out and use it.  As I said earlier, we must find our reason for living and then pursue it.

That notion brings me to the holiday film classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  The hero of the film, George Bailey, realizes his reason for living later in life.  He eventually understands his purpose is equal in goodness to that of his younger brother and others who become famous because of good deeds.  That is a primary theme of the film.  Every life has a great purpose.  Whether or not we become famous for exercising it is not important.  When we change the world for the better – even in small ways – we touch the future in exponential ways.

George owns and runs a small bank that his father began – one that safeguards people’s money and invests it in the community – for local businesses and homeowners.  He stayed behind in Bedford Falls, at his father’s request, to run the bank.  He married his high school sweetheart and they raise three children – all while George’s younger brother goes off to war, becomes a celebrated hero, and with his Hollywood good looks, returns to fame and fortune.

In the middle of his relatively ordinary life, however, George faces a crisis.  His genial but incompetent uncle loses over $8,000.00 of bank funds – a large sum in post-depression America.  The bank does not have enough funds to cover customer withdrawals.  George is accused of fraud and theft.  He faces not only financial ruin, but the likelihood of prison.  Its at this low point that George prepares to kill himself by jumping off a bridge – so his wife can collect modest life insurance.  The film scene you’ll see now immediately follows George’s near suicide…

(Click on the link to watch a YouTub clip from the film)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPpfmEiyJ3k

One of George’s statements in the clip you saw is a sad one.  “My family and friends would be better off without me.  I wish I was never born.”  It’s a phrase repeated by many people who have been knocked down by the vagaries of life – prejudice, poverty, bad luck, illness, depression.  Too many people believe their life is not worth living. “What good,” some ask themselves, “do I bring to the world?”

Before my mom suffered from Alzheimer’s, she and I  would regularly talk for hours about many subjects.  We confided to one another our hopes and our fears.  It saddened me when my mom told me on several occasions that her life had little meaning.  “What have I done,” she asked, “to improve the world?  I’m just a housewife and I’ve not saved or helped people like your father – or others who are successful.”

Her lament was not that different from George Bailey’s. I tried to help her see that her life, indeed, had great value.  I won’t recount all she’s done, but my mom was a twenty-five year almost daily volunteer at Hospice of Cincinnati, loyal wife to a successful surgeon, mother to three, grandmother to four, and a close friend to many.  Directly or indirectly she helped change the world.  I would not be who I am – whatever modest positive influence I have – were it not for her.  And my daughters would not be caring nurses – helping hundreds – were it not due the influence my mom had on me – and thus on them.

After the scene you saw, Clarence the angel takes George Bailey on a journey into a world where he never existed – granting his wish to not have been born.  What George finds on this journey is a town named not Bedford Falls, but Pottersville – after a greedy businessman who runs this other-worldly town’s only bank that invests not in local mortgages or small businesses, but in run down tenements, pawnshops and brothels.  Pottersville is a dreary, crime ridden place.  Citizens are joyless, poor and beaten down.  George’s wife is a frightened and lonely spinster.  Even more ominous, news from the war is bad.  Since George had never been born, he had not saved his drowning younger brother in a boating accident of their youth.  With a dead younger brother, there is no hero to save the lives of hundreds of soldiers who would, in turn, save other lives.

An obvious lesson from the film and from the lives of Malala Yousafzai and Judas Maccabaeus is that one life does, indeed, profoundly matter.  My mom’s life matters.  So does yours and so does mine.  Our lives matter when we find and practice the purpose for why we exist.  That purpose is not to become great or rich and powerful.  It’s to add our share of service, love, and comfort to the world – one family member, one child, one hurting soul at a time.  When we create even small change for the better in an often dark and hate filled world, our existence is transformed into greatness.   We fulfill the ancient Jewish proverb – “He or she who saves one life, saves the world entire.”

As Jews everywhere light their Hanukkah menorahs this coming Tuesday, and for the following seven nights, they implicitly celebrate that ideal.  One small, seemingly insignificant light can become a beacon of brilliance.

In the coming holiday weeks, may we nightly light a symbolic Hanukkah candle in our minds and hearts – and make a joyful toast to spouses, partners, families, friends and ourselves…. “L’Chaim!”  To life! 

And as we drift off to sleep each night, may we then dream of our greatness – our past and future work, no matter how seemingly small, to serve and save the lives of others – and thereby save the world entire.

I wish you each a Happy Hanukkah – one that is enriched with much peace and joy.        

(c) Michael Tacy, Music Director to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

Please click here to listen to the message.

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

Click here to listen to the message or see below to read.

As all of us know, Easter Sunday celebrates for Christians the day they believe Jesus rose from the dead.  Its date changes year to year because it closely correlates with the Jewish holiday of Passover.  Passover was and is usually celebrated by Jews on what Christians call Good Friday – the day Jesus was crucified.  The Last Supper was a Passover Seder meal.  Easter and Passover are thus forever closely linked.

Fifteen days after Easter comes the Christian celebration of Pentecost.  That is when the holy spirit is said to have come down from heaven to empower Jesus’ followers.  That event is when Christianity, as a religion, is believed to have begun.

Important for my topic this morning, “God is a Socialist,” this is what the Biblical Book of Acts, chapter 2, says about the very first Christians and how they practiced their faith after Pentecost::

All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.   Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts…

All the believers were one in heart and mind.  No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had…God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them that there were no needy persons among them.  For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

The first Christians took to heart what Jesus had taught.  No longer would they be indifferent to the needs of the poor, homeless and sick.  Money and resources were shared by everyone.  Early Christians created the version of heaven on earth that Jesus had advocated – one that exemplified god as the power of love.  Compassion and gentleness were genuinely practiced, all had homes, clothing, and food.  Arrogance, material wealth, and greed were considered sins.  Christianity began as a socialist religion.

Of added interest is what the book of Acts describes later.  All of the early Christians sold their homes and then contributed the money to the communal account.  But a few did not.  One couple sold their home but they contributed only a portion of the proceeds to the community.  The rest they secreted away for themselves.  The Bible says that both the husband and wife were struck dead soon after.  The lesson of the story is that selfishness is a bad attitude.  It leads one to forget about the poor.  God, Karma or simply one’s conscience will punish the greedy.

That ethic was repeatedly taught by Jesus.  Many of you know his famous saying that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it will be for a rich person to go to heaven.  He used that vivid imagery to teach his lesson.  Too much wealth often causes arrogance, a lack of compassion and a lust for more.  He did not teach that a wealthy person cannot go to heaven, but that if one is rich, he or she ought to deeply reflect on their attitude and how they use their money. 

Ultimately, Jesus taught that one can only serve one boss – in this case either god or money.  If one chooses to serve money, he or she will despise god.  For us, that teaching might be interpreted as the love for money and material things often leads to a disdain for charity and compassion.

Interestingly, Jesus also taught, as quoted in the book of Luke, chapter 14, a practice we follow here.  He said that when one holds a feast or banquet, one should make a point to invite those with less.  Don’t hold a party just for the fortunate few.  Hold it for everyone and thereby practice universal love and equality.

I so appreciate how some of you have followed that ethic and offered to pay for GNH members who have tight holiday budgets and would otherwise forego attending our holiday party.  We are a beloved community that does not esteem the sum of someone’s wealth, but rather the unique goodness in each person.  All are invited to attend every event we hold – no matter what can be paid or not.  That seemingly minor practice is our own version of socialism.

Jewish religious rules, established centuries before Jesus,  encouraged similar attitudes toward wealth and treatment of the poor.  Farmers were forbidden in the Book of Leviticus from reaping crops along the edges of fields.  Produce from those areas must be saved for those in need. 

       Also, every fifty years was declared a year of Jubilee.  It was a celebration year when all debts were forgiven.  Land, houses and property reverted back to the first owners and everyone essentially began anew.  Nobody owned land but rather leased it until Jubilee years – all of this was due to Jewish belief that Yahweh, or god, is the true owner of everything.  People own nothing.  That early Jewish ideal was an early socialist one.  Wealth could not be passed from one generation to the next because of the Jubilee.  People could be economically comfortable, but nobody could be rich – all because of the Jubilee.  It significantly contributed to a more egalitarian society.

Sadly, Jubilee ideals were not long practiced.  The book of Amos, chapters 2 and 4, says Jewish culture eventually turned greedy and uncaring.  It quotes god as saying this:

For three sins of Israel,
even for four, I will not relent.
They who sell the innocent for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals.

They who trample on the heads of the poor
as on the dust of the ground,
and they who deny justice to the oppressed.

You will each go straight out
through breaches in the wall,
and you will be cast out toward Harmon.”

Harmon was the sewage and waste dump for Jerusalem.  It was a foul place that burned almost non-stop.  Jews considered it the gateway to hell.  The Biblical message is clear.  God champions equality, respect and dignity for everyone – especially the poor and marginalized.

As I said two weeks ago, there are over two thousand verses in the Bible that teach compassion and justice for the poor and oppressed.  I could spend the next week repeating them.  Suffice it to say that the Bible, from beginning to end, is full of verses that teach economic justice as a primary concern of god.

As I’ve also said the last two Sundays, I lament the misinterpretation of the Bible by many religiously conservative Christians.  Many of them ignore these 2000 plus verses and instead focus on a few which they believe teach a prosperity gospel.  God will reward those who are faithful with abundant wealth, they believe.  They quote the book of Malachi, chapter 3, which says god will “open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need”…….IF you tithe ten per cent of your income to his churches.

But this interpretation – that god will enrich you if you give generously to his churches – is grossly inconsistent with the true message of the Bible.   Malachi verses say that if you donate to the work of a church, you will be blessed.  The verses do not say you will be blessed with money or things.  You will be blessed instead with a joy that comes from giving – the kind that brings a content feeling after serving and caring for another.  Indeed, Jesus taught that we should save up the kind of good wealth that rust and moth can’t destroy – meaning the “wealth” of charity, kindness and humility.

Prosperity gospel Christians, like the televangelist who refused to open his 17,000 seat church in Houston to victims of hurricane Harvey, also often cite the book of Philippians, chapter 4, which says god will meet all a believer’s wishes.  He will do that, they believe, because god has made a contract with humans.  In this prosperity theology, god will bless us and allow us dominion over the earth in return for our obedience – meaning if we obey his rules, believe in him, and give to his churches, then he will make us as wealthy as we desire.

I believe such teachings are both wrong and, frankly, evil.  Imagine hearing such an interpretation of the Bible, believing with all your heart that it is true and yet years later, you find yourself deeply in debt and not rich.  Have you not believed?  Is your faith deficient?  According to the prosperity gospel, it is.  If you are fortunate to be wealthy, however, that means god favors you!  You truly believe and have been faithful to him.  Such an interpretation of the Bible is used today as a form of social Darwinism.  The rich deserve their wealth because they are the good and capable.  The poor deserve their poverty because they are bad, lazy and stupid.  If you are unlucky enough to be middle class or poor, well your faith must be no good.  Or your donations to the church have not been large enough.  Why not write a big check to the church and then,THEN god will make you rich!

If these interpretations of the Bible are accurate, then why was Jesus so poor?  Why did he not have a house of his own?  Why did he need to rely on the kindness of his followers for support?  Why did he tell a wealthy, arrogant prince that the only way he can get to heaven would be to give all his money to the poor?  Why did he tell the story of Lazarus and a rich man?  Lazarus, who was poor all his life, finds himself resting in the peace of heaven, while a rich man, who was Lazarus’ exploitive employer, pleads from the fiery depths of hell to have pity and give him a drink of water?  According to conservative Christian misinterpretations of the Bible about wealth and poverty, Jesus should have been

weak, sinful and dumb.

Woe to false teachers and hypocrites, Jesus often said.  I imagine he would say the same to wealthy ministers and Christians who believe and teach a prosperity gospel.

As I’ve done at the conclusion of my last two messages, I explain the primary point of my message.  Does the Bible say god is a socialist?  Yes and no.  The Bible does not condemn wealth.  Rather, as I’ve said before, god condemns greed and the love of wealth.  It’s our attitude toward money that counts.  Can a rich person go to heaven?  Of course.  Wealthy individuals like Bill and Melinda Gates or Warren Buffet might meet the criteria for heaven – if one exists.  They earned their wealth by hard work and innovations that should be rewarded.  Most important, they have pledged the vast bulk of their wealth to support the poor, sick and oppressed.

But philanthropy is not socialism.  Indeed, under most forms of socialism, Gates and Buffet would not have been able to make their fortunes.  Furthermore, the inclination of many wealthy people is, as Jesus said, to always want more and to mostly ignore the poor.  Ideas like trickle down economics and unrestrained free market capitalism inspire rampant greed and the ultimate failure of a society.

As an economic idea, socialism suggests that the means of production be communally owned and profits be fairly distributed.  That model, as opposed to capitalism, however, is a difficult one to favor since it can lead to laziness and an unwillingness to work hard or innovate.  Your neighbor, who may not want to work, will get just as much as you.  The Bible teaches that those who wish to eat must also work and that those who DO work hard are worthy of their wages.  Jesus, I believe, would not support unrestricted capitalism – but neither would he advocate pure socialism.

What I do know is that in the modern world, the Nordic economic models of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland offer a possible resolution between capitalism and socialism.  Citizens can own private property and they can modestly prosper themselves through hard work and innovation.  But extreme wealth is not possible.  But neither is extreme  poverty.  Many peoples believe those countries come the closest to practicing genuine Jesus ethics and the type of socialism adopted by early Christians.

What I do find offensive are interpretations of the Bible that say god will reward believers with great wealth.  Such teachers and preachers have hijacked the Bible.  As progressively spiritual people, we must take it back.  The ideal society, as clearly taught in the Bible, is one similar to that created by ancient Jews and early Christians.  In such societies, there was no poverty, no want and no hunger.  Everybody worked and everyone shared with one another in a compassionate, gentle and cooperative realm of peace and joy.   I believe we should aspire to do the same.

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved.

 

The Biblical Book of Genesis, chapter one, says the following:

God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may have dominion over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 

   So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.   Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

When considering the title of my message today, “Surprisingly Liberal Lessons from the Bible: God is a Tree-Hugger” these verses are crucial ones to examine.   They have been been used by conservative Christians and Jews as justification for supporting exploitation of the environment.  They rely on several key phrases in the verses.  The verses also imply that humans are extremely important to god.  We were intended to be the pinnacle of everything she created.

The passage then says humans are to subdue and have dominion over the earth and all creatures who populate it.   We are supposed to conquer and then dominate all of nature.

As I said in my message last week on the topic ‘God is Gay’, most conservative Christians and Jews understand the Bible literally.  It means what it specifically says, they believe.  Their understanding of the Bible is thus not open to nuance, symbolic meaning or new interpretation.  Modern science and its discoveries are equally irrelevant to them.  Differences in how ancient words are translated, or the context in which they were originally written, are also unimportant.  If the Bible says God, as an  all powerful theistic being, looks like us, created the universe in six days, and did so six thousand years ago, then that is exactly what happened.

Much like the six Bible verses that supposedly condemn homosexuality have been misinterpreted by Christians and Jews, so too has the passage from Genesis I  been misinterpreted.  For conservative Christians and Jews, Genesis is literal history.  They refuse to see it as allegory  – a myth likely intended not to be fact, but to teach principles about how and why the universe and its creatures came into existence.  For religious conservatives, the Bible’s creation story teaches that humans are a special and superior creation.  They alone have souls and are given the ability to reason.  Because of these attributes, humans exist not as one part of nature, but as rulers over nature. 

The universe, according to a conservative understanding of Genesis, is anthropocentric.  Humans are the literal and symbolic center of the universe.  We are the reason why everything else exists.  Nature is to serve us.

That understanding of what the Bible says has therefore impacted how humans have historically treated nature.  In 1967, Professor Lynn Townsend White wrote a landmark article for the journal Science.  In it, he claims that Christians have long interpreted the Bible to say that the earth is a resource for human benefit alone.  That view has always been harmful to the environment, he wrote, but it began to cause even greater harm with the Industrial Revolution when the extraction of resources, and pollution of the earth, became exponentially greater.

In White’s view, the problem for the environment is not man-made science and technology, but rather the exploitive attitude people have toward the earth.  That attitude comes directly from a conservative misinterpretation of the Bible.  We must abandon our contemptuous and superior attitude toward the earth, be believes, and instead adopt what the Bible actually teaches: the earth and its creatures are equal to us, we must live in balance with nature since we are a part of it, and most important, we are not to have dominion over nature, but rather as good stewards of it.

Last Sunday, Jack Brennan said during talkback that he mostly did not care what the Bible says – even as he agreed that it teaches some worthwhile ethics.  In many respects, I agree with him.  The Bible is just one source to which we can look for spiritual wisdom.  But it is not the only source and so it would s not as important as many Americans make it.  The Torah, the Koran, the Hindu Upanishads, the wisdom sayings of indigenous peoples, and numerous science books all offer equally valuable insights.

A basic principle of Unitarian Universalism is that we look to many sources for capital ’T’ Truth – or what some call ‘god.’  In that regard, we believe there are many paths to finding Truth or god.  Science, spirituality and humanist / Atheist beliefs all offer a path for determining them.

The problem with fundamentalist Christianity, Judaism and Islam, as I see it, is that they claim their particular path is the ONLY path.  All others are invalid.  Religious conservative have the right to believe this in their homes and places of worship.  They do not have the right to impose their beliefs on others through laws, schools and textbooks.  Nobody has a monopoly on what might be spiritually true since god, or no god, is a matter of belief and not empirical, evidence based based conclusions.  Despite that, religious fundamentalists continue to try and impose their beliefs about scriptures on everyone.

And that is precisely the reason why I ultimately disagree with Jack Brennan.  We should care what the Bible says and how it is interpreted –  since it unfortunately influences our rights, laws and environment.  Even more important, it is essential to counteract conservative misinterpretations with ones that are open minded and, yes, liberal.   My message series this month is one way, I hope, to equip us with arrows of truth to counteract the misinterpretations.

In 1999, conservative U.S. Christians published what is called the Cornwall Declaration on the environment.  Calvin Beisner, founder of this fundamentalist Christian movement, says pro-environmentalists are part of what he calls “the green dragon.”  For many Christians, a dragon is representative of Satan.  Environmentalists are the enemy of Christ and all Christians, he said.  Environmentalism is a cult that considers nature more important than people.  He claims the Bible teaches that humans are “special creatures, in a class of our own, quite separate from, and superior to, trees and animals.”  Environmentalists are neo-pagans and pantheists – spiritual groups he says are Satanic.  Those who profess a concern for the earth, plants and animals commit the greatest of sins – according to the Biblical author Paul – they worship creation instead of the creator.

In 2004, the most influential of conservative Christian denominations, the Southern Baptist Convention, resolved at is annual conference to oppose pro-environment solutions which it claims are not Biblical, are based on false science, and prevent the free access to natural resources that exist for human benefit.

As an interesting observation, the current EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt, is a committed Southern Baptist, a deacon in his Oklahoma Southern Baptist church and member of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Board of Trustees.  He has said he believes God would never allow climate change to happen, and it is therefore not real.

Professor White’s claim that religious interpretations of the Bible have harmed the environment seems to still be happening even as I speak.

So, how has the Bible been misinterpreted?  In the Genesis verses I read earlier, humans are to have dominion over plants and animals.  They  are to subdue the earth.  The Hebrew word for dominion – as used in original manuscripts of Genesis – is “radah”.  It means to rule or control.  In other Bible verses, “radah” has an antagonistic meaning – to defeat and strike down an enemy.  The word ‘subdue’, which also appears in the verses, is translated from the Hebrew word “radash,” which means to subjugate.  These translations are why conservative Christians and Jews have historically interpreted Genesis to mean humans are commanded by god to control, subjugate and exploit nature as they wish.

But as I said last week, religiously conservative interpreters and preachers are disingenuous when they claim the Bible teaches nature is ours to dominate.  Genesis, chapter 2 is believed by most commentators to provide a detailed explanation of Genesis chapter 1 and the notorious verses I read earlier.  For example, Chapter 2  elaborates on chapters one’s statement that god created male and female.  Chapter 2 gives the details on HOW she created humans – by gathering up dust to form Adam and by taking a rib from him to form Eve.

Other details in chapter 2 offer context for the chapter 1 words ‘dominion’ and ‘subdue’.  In Genesis, chapter 2, the Bible says this: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and tend it.”  It does not say humans were created to dominate and subdue Eden or nature.  In Hebrew, the word for tend is “shamar” – which means to guard, watch over and protect.  The Hebrew word for cultivate is “abad” which means to serve.  Translated according to these meanings, Genesis, chapter 2, provides this contextual detail to the verses I read at the outset: “God took humans and put them in nature to abad and shamar it – to serve it, to protect it, and to watch over it.”

In other words, the Bible itself tells people how to interpret it.  Humans are NOT to dominate and subjugate nature.  We are NOT to be conquerers and rulers of it.  We are to be guardians and good stewards of it.  And stewardship is a key idea here.  It contrasts sharply with the idea of dominion.  Our Board stewards this congregation, its finances, resources and staff.  It does not subdue you – and if it tried, I imagine we’d all revolt.  Parents carefully and lovingly steward their children to adulthood.  Since my mom cannot make decisions for herself, I steward her money so she will be provided for.   Stewardship implies a deep and watching love for another – one that involves tenderness, care and guidance.  That is how the Bible teaches how we should treat the environment.   

Many other verses in both the Old and New Testaments agree with that tree-hugger and surprisingly liberal lesson.  Psalm 24, attributed to King David – the most revered of Jewish leaders – says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.” Psalm 95 states that the sea and the land are God’s since he made them.  The New Testament book of Colossians, chapter 1, says the same.  All of nature, its resources and its plants and animals – including humans – belong only to God and she loves them all.  Nature does NOT belong to humans.  The book of Job, chapter 12, says that nature instead reveals god to us.  Attributes such as goodness, beauty, living in balance and, yes, peace – are all evident in nature.  As Unitarians, we believe the same.  The earth and all that live upon it ARE god.

The Biblical book of Revelation, the last in the Bible and one that describes the end-times, says in chapter 11 that on the final judgement day, god will rage against – and punish destroyers of the earth.  In Revelation, chapter 22, it says that after punishing earth’s destroyers, god will restore the earth to how she created it.  In that restored earth, in a new garden of Eden, a bright and clear river will flow.  Countless trees, loaded with abundant fruit, will grow too.  Lions will lie down next to lambs.  Peace and harmony will predominate.  In other words, god’s intention is that the earth be an Eden like perfection – clean, unpolluted, and widely populated with plants and animals all living in balance.

Just as I concluded my message last week, I believe the Bible has been wrongly translated and misinterpreted by religious conservatives.   It’s been hijacked by them.  As religious progressives, our task is to rescue it for the sake of our nation’s laws and policies.

As stewards of the earth, it does not belong to humans.  It is god’s – it is hers – meaning that it belongs to eternity, to all creatures, and to the idea of capital ’T’ Truth.  How we individually steward nature says much about who we are and the legacy we leave to our children, grandchildren and generations beyond.  If god is the power of love and we are to be god-like powers of love too, then we must act with love toward our future progeny by leaving them a thriving and healthy planet.  The Bible tells us we are to serve, protect and love the earth, and all that dwell upon it.

I wish you all peace and joy.