My wife, Colleen and I decided to head downtown last Sunday to Occupy Victoria for the inter-faith service. In the past days and weeks the movement seems to be occupying less space. The cooler wet weather, the police, the fire department's daily inspection to ensure folks are complying with by-laws have all caused the site to evaporate somewhat. There are some people who would no doubt say this is a good thing...out of site out of mind so to speak. I think in many cases people have painted the " Occupy Movement " with a very broad brush stroke trying invoke an image of people just looking for a cause, any cause, to pitch a tent and make a lot of noise. There have been incidents involving drugs and alcohol. But to say it's a symptom of the " Occupy Movement " is not being very honest. Anyone involved in the inner city know addiction is a constant reality. But if we can some how connect, and attach these things to the " Occupy Movement " we can some how dirty its image, and muffle its voice.
Another critique of the " Occupy Movement " is that is lacks focus, the picture that it has painted for the city, the country and the global village to see is too abstract. Why can't the movement just come up with one focused issue...banking reform, employment, poverty, homelessness, the environment, climate change, military spending, social justice? Just pick one and present it to the political powers of the day in the form of a bill to be debated and swept under the rug.
Do yourself a favor, if you already haven't, read the " Declaration by the People's Assembly of Victoria." What has really intrigued me is why the " Evangelical Christian Church " for the most part has not engaged in the conversation, or has occupied space in the midst of the movement. The projected image of the Occupy Movement may appear abstract, it's many diverse voices may appear more like noise and static...but, what it really reveals to me is a systemic failure of life on all levels. Life is broken, the world is broken.
The movement wants to occupy space for conversation towards action...the church would rather occupy a building and hope for a new world dropped from heaven. I scratch my head in disbelief...how does a person of faith read the Bible and miss the "big " picture. I'll give you the " Cole's Notes " version...it's about creation, stewardship, justice, re-imaging a new world, co-creators building a new world where justice for all is an eternal reality.
It's not hard to read the " Declaration by the Peoples Assembly of Victoria " and see that everything points in that direction...the whole arc of the movement and conversations bends towards justice.
If mankind is on a journey we've climbed to the pinnacle of that mountain...to get to the top we have embraced un-abandoned capitalism, unregulated free market economics, rampant consumerism, that rape of the planet for natural resources, a reliance on the speed of cyberspace to make our decisions...all the while leaving the poorest and most marginalized to fend for themselves. You can not pick up a daily paper and not come to the conclusion we are teetering, just trying maintain balance...hoping the status quo will once again settle down and we carry on life as usual. The perverted answer is, " if we could just create more jobs, we could spend our way out of this."
OK, I'll say it again...LIFE IS BROKEN, THE WORLD IS BROKEN.
We, all humanity need to re-imagine life. We need to come to the conclusion that life is not about trying to climb to the top, that success is not defined as wealth and power. That humanity is about a journey in which we all travel together. It's not a race in which we leave the poor, the sick, the uneducated, the other scattered in ditches along the highway of life. The health of humanity will be defined on how well we take care of the sickest of the sick. The wealth of humanity will be defined on well we share with the poorest of the poor. The life of humanity will be defined on how well we care for this planet, this global village we all live in. Humanity can no longer be sliced and diced into " us " and " them "...we have to come to terms of the reality of " one " and " All of Us."
I think it is really a sad statement that the " Evangelical Christian Church " has absolutely no voice. Where is the prophetic voice that could speak into this moment...not a voice of condemnation, offering the option of hell, or the myth of an eternal retirement home. But a voice that can pull wisdom out of this divine narrative, this written journey of humanity and creator...of a liberated world of peace and justice for all.
Jesus was the reality of humanity and God living in equilibrium. It caused Jesus to see, and speak differently...but also caused him to live differently. Jesus constantly lived in this alternative world he called " The Kingdom ", the world constantly being created " New." It was a world of unity, of justice, of peace...of radical scandalous redemptive Love...for one another, and all creation.
We as people of faith pray...
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Have we said it so much that it has lulled us to sleep...that as soon as it leaves our lips it evaporates before even touching heart, mind and soul. Those words of Jesus should ignite the flames of imagination deep with in each one of us. What would it really mean to see the Kingdom come on earth as in heaven.
I can only imagine a " whole " new world. The tents may come down, the noise, the protest and the conversation of the Occupy Movement may die down...but we must never let the truth of what it revealed to be evicted from our heart, mind and souls. And its time for Christians to engage in this world, not placing all your hope in this new earth that might drop from space. In the deepest sense of reality, Jesus' faith was about living in the now...not the future.
The world continues to teeter precariously. Faith is about hope...but is also about " action " Will we as a humanity do more than just hope, or will we have the courage and the collective will, to live differently and build a new world. Time will tell.
Amen!!
Posted by: Al | November 16, 2011 at 08:29 AM