October 2006 Archives

I haven't posted for a while. Work has been busy and I've been travelling a lot, so it's hard to stay up with the project of maintaining a blog.

Last week I visited my physician, complaining of a chronic and worsening stomach upset. I came away with a diagnosis of depression and a prescription for Wellbutrin. So the world turns...

It was not entirely a surprise to me, although I would have been the last one to admit the existence of a problem. I always behaved as if depression was an emotional and spiritual issue that others had to deal with. I never saw it (except perhaps in occasional moments of intense gloom) as something I would ever have to deal with.

In retrospect I don't know how I couldn't see it for what it is, especially since I've been exhibiting classical symptoms for some time. I guess we are all blindest to that which is nearest our own eyes.

I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercise; and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire: why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.

- Hamlet 

So a new journey begins for me. Hopefully now that my depression is out in the open I'll be able to deal with the monster instead of keeping it bottled up inside. If you read this blog, please pray for my continued journey of healing.

I am not Episcopal, but I find the Episcopal daily office lectionary a wonderful resource for reading and meditating on scripture. Lowell Grisham's blog provides each day's readings together with his personal commentary. Lowell is an astute observer of religion and public life and I highly recommend his insights.

Yesterday's and today's Hebrew scripture readings are from Micah 1 and 2. The prophet Micah warns here of God's impending judgment upon the cities of Jerusalem and Samaria, the twin political and religious centers of ancient Judah and Israel. Like many modern centers of power both cities had become, in Micah's eyes, corrupted at the core through their political and religious 'prostitution' and their abuse of wealth and power.

He rails against powerful interests who snatch property from the poor and evict families from their homes, against political leaders who raise extortionate taxes on the poor whilst inflicting unnecessary wars upon their people.

As Lowell observes,

Much of the complaint of the prophets was directed at the abuse of power by the wealthy and the politically connected. The prophets accuse the powerful of using their power to expand their own economic interests, often at the expense of the peasants and smaller landowners. There was lying, arrogance and corruption in the high places, particularly the seat of government. God detests such behavior, says Micah and the prophets. Such behavior brings God's judgment.

This stuff reads like today's headlines. When you read the 8th century prophets it is like reading a contemporary newspaper or watching TV news -- just substitute Washington for Samaria and Jerusalem. The 8th century BCE was a time when Israel was wealthy and politically powerful. It was also a time of increasing economic contrasts. The wealthy were concentrating much of the wealth and power into the hands of the elite, a circumstance guaranteed to draw the ire of the prophetic tradition.

Lowell goes on to note that the prescription against such abuse is summed up in Micah's famous prophetic demans, that the Israelites learn again 'to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.'

Such an injunction is appropriate given the times we live in. We may not be facing fire and brimstone from heaven, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest a callousness in public and private life equivalent to that prophesied against by Micah.

Given that an election is looming in the US, the Christian Alliance for Progress is timely in releasing its Christian Voters Values Guide 2006, a welcome counterpoint to the almost deafening posturing on 'values' by the religious right.

On several key points, the Voters Values Guide echos the concerns of Micah:

• Forsaking brute power - seeking peace, not war
• Caring for the earth - responsible environmental stewardship
• Rejectig bigotry, embracing dignity - equality for all
  
• Extending healing to all - health care for all

These concerns are reflected in the Gospels through the teaching and example of Christ. My prayer is that more of those who claim Jesus as savior of the world will actually begin to support and work for the things Jesus cared (and still cares) about.

I once saw a fake pamphlet entitled Heterosexuality: It's Causes and Cures. The point of it, of course, was to parody the way in which most anti-gay literature (if it can even be called literature) sets up and knocks down a straw man (the 'homosexual agenda') using fear, exaggeration and distorted statistics.

Interestingly, a Google search for information on the causes of heterosexuality reveals that heterosexual identity is largely defined in terms of what it is not, i.e. homosexuality. It could even be argued that self-defined heterosexuality is at best a form of subtle homophobia and in some extreme cases a matter of acute homosexual panic...

But I digress. 

In any case it's refreshing to see a new publication by Jim Burroway entitled The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths.

Heterosexuals would have you believe that the heterosexual lifestyle is perfectly normal. They will tell you that their lifestyle choice should be the benchmark for society. But a closer look shows that their lifestyle isn’t as safe or as desirable as heterosexual militants say it is.

Jim parodies the anti-gay literature genre with subtlety and refinement, with extensive footnoting to illustrate the method as well as a step-by-step guide to how it's done.

... my parody is aimed squarely at the select few who hold themselves up as leaders and protectors of faith and values, who claim to command an army of “values voters” and to speak on behalf of all Christendom, while reducing everyone else to mere statistics.

These leaders use statistics the way a drunk uses a lamppost: for support, not illumination. They have shown surprisingly few qualms about distorting the facts beyond all recognition, just like I did when I wrote this parody ...

Most of these organizations exist to promote Judeo-Christian values around the world. But in their zeal to demonize gays and lesbians, they refuse to set forth the truth plainly. Instead, they blatantly ignore one of our most important values: You shall not bear false witness.

If you want to gain an understanding of how hate-speech is supported by propaganda that is in turn legitimized by fake social science, then read this booklet. Highly recommended.

Hat tip to Ex-Gay Watch.