Long Division

We have been long divided.

Politicians found out that they could benefit from pitting one group against another generations ago.  They have used race, class and class within race to divide people very effectively so that they can stay in power and syphon off much of the wealth for themselves.  They have exploited homophobia and have cultivated ethnocentrism, xenophobia, religious intolerance and nationalism to manipulate the masses.  Fear has been an effective tool in creating, not just competition but hatred within the nation.  Now, the laws they  have written have manufactured a world that holds everyone else out of power - a world in which the wealth has been redistributed to them by the systems that they have built. 

The result in our nation has been that a billionaire who is notorious for not paying laborers who have done work for him, who has integrated insidious corrupt practices in his own life, who has made a life of litigation and bankruptcy has been elected because people had more trust for him than the other candidate, believed he would "drain the swamp" or corruption in the Capitol and believed he would side with those struggling economically.  The real reason is that his hateful rhetoric resonated with their own bigotries, for some hard core hatred and for some internalized and systemic belief that they should be recognized as being superior and entitled to more than others.  Fear was used effectively to pit those white folk who have been held down, back and out against the minorities who have been even more dispossessed.  It was used to make them believe they are somehow "superior" to those who are sexually or religiously different, and therefore have the right to disenfranchise them from civil rights.

The result in the world is developing.  Our nation is now attacking our Democratic allies and is cozying up to Dictators and Fascist Oligarchs.  We are vilifying the oppressed and standing with the oppressors.  We are exacting tariffs on our long term trade partners and saving corporations of nations that were not so long ago called economic enemies, even during the last election. 

The result is disastrous.  Emboldened by the hateful, greedy rhetoric, those who have cultivated their greed and/or hatred over generations feel a freedom to be overtly hateful to others.  Our Democracy is in danger of being killed by authoritarianism, fascism and oligarchy.  Our economy and that of the world will be sunk into a long recession soon.  A return to the gilded age seems immanent, which will mean that the VERY FEW have it all and the many have NOTHING.  People who are not the imagined "majority" of the culture will be exploited, deported, oppressed and perhaps even killed.  The planet will NOT SO SLOWLY die because of the unwillingness to value life over profit, and/or because of our extreme willingness to use our nuclear power as the ultimate act of insane dominance. 

We have been long divided.  This is not a new problem.  It is the most recent and most extreme expression of an old problem.  Exclusive Self-interest, fear turned hatred and prideful, persistent ignorance have grown into our current situation.  I would like not to find out how low we can go.

It is long division. 

The answer is...
A stubborn refusal to judge, to fear, to hate and to believe oneself to be superior or entitled.
It is a stubborn refusal to let those who only value wealth and power to get their way.
It is a stubborn refusal to participate in a system that routinely divides people.
It is to embrace those who are different, recognizing that they have the same desires for living life.
It is to actively commit on behalf of the well-being of the other, even the stranger and enemy, and
especially the most vulnerable.
It is to live AGAPE LOVE as defined, taught, commanded and lived by Jesus in the Gospels.
It is to be unified instead of divided - to stand with, speak out against and advocate unity itself.
The answer is to ADD people to our lives who are not like us and to MULTIPLY the love we have.

I have never liked long division.  I have gotten good at it, but I do not like it.

Division leads to destruction.  It subtracts sustainability from our future possibility.
No more of this long division.

Pastor Jamie