Dear readers,
Long time,
no transmit...so long it took me a while to remember how to post a blog.
I last wrote
on October 14, 2018, an article about my pastor’s resignation due to
committing, “sexual harassment.” I
speculated at that time that he must have harassed a man and probably a priest
for such rapid decisive action. Sorry
for the delayed update, but I did talk to the parish administrator shortly
after writing that article and he confirmed I was correct on both accounts: the
pastor sexually harassed a priest and in the Roman Catholic tradition, that
means he harassed a man. I wish the
church hierarchy was not so predictable when it comes to sexism. But, there it is.
Since my
last blog, I’ve had two kids get married, one parent decline into dementia and die,
a traumatic brain injury and a few other things that occupied my time. And now there is the matter of this pandemic.
There is a
saying that during a crisis, people “revert to type.” During more normal times a person might work
to overcome certain characteristics but when the crisis happens, the mask comes
off. This raw character exposure is
called “reverting to type.”
So what are
we seeing amongst our hierarchy, our fellow believers and ourselves? Are we living our stated value of protecting
the vulnerable?
I think my local
bishop is sincerely trying to do what is best, given that every day brings new
insights about this virus. Before
government officials issued a stay-at-home order, he suspended liturgies. Though religious organizations were granted
an exemption during the stay-at-home order, he continued suspending
Masses. This Monday, weekday Masses will
resume, permitting only 5% building capacity in attendance. This will gradually increase over the coming
months to higher percentage capacity attendance and more liturgies. The diocesan staff has written extensive and
well thought out guidelines aligned with the best medical guidance available,
and update policies based upon new scientific findings. At the same time, the diocese is focused on
providing assistance to those suffering financially. When my bishop reverted to
type during this crisis, he exposed the depth of his care for his flock. Kudos on that.
So, did I
pull my laptop out of storage after about a year and a half hiatus just to
praise my bishop? No. Though I support his pandemic-related actions,
I am finding much fodder elsewhere for reflection as I observe behaviors.
If you say
you are “pro-life” yet don’t observe social distancing, don’t wear a mask to
protect others, and rationalize that “old people die anyway so open up this
economy,” please realize you are a fraud.
When you reverted to type, you demonstrated that you are all about
caring for the vulnerable as long as the people expected to sacrifice to do so
don’t include you. Your first love is
what is in your wallet. When that appeared threatened, you caved and
threw grandma and grandpa under the bus along with any other vulnerable person. You scoff at women who cite financial
distress as reason for seeking an abortion, labeling them as selfish monsters
who are willing to sacrifice a vulnerable life for their financial
security. However, when it is your
financial security that is threatened, you think it makes perfect sense to sacrifice
the vulnerable with a callous, “they were gonna’ die anyway…”. You’re a fraud. Admit it and own it. And expect to be challenged when next you try
to assume moral high ground with your pretentious condemnations of others at
the next elections. You cashed in your
credibility.
Similarly,
if you call yourself pro-life and are supporting businesses and business owners
that flaunt public health directives, you too are a fraud. Though my bishop does not fall into this
category, I do know of other Roman and Orthodox Catholic clergy who do. They especially are frauds. Why is it that you are at peace sacrificing
the vulnerable when their protection interferes with your or your buddy’s
freedom and autonomy to get a haircut or open a barber shop but you are
completely intolerant of a woman saying she should have freedom and autonomy
regarding her body? Your philosophy, is it that you think it is just the natural
order of the world that some vulnerable people must die in order for the sanctified
vanity of haircuts to continue but no vulnerable lives should ever die for
trivial things like women’s health?
Yeah, you’re a fraud too. Admit
it and own it. And pray do not try
assuming any moral high ground come election time. You cashed in your credibility for something
like a haircut.
If you are
suddenly super worried about the poor starving people in third world countries or
even here in the US because you think stay-at-home orders which happen to
inconvenience you are somehow putting these folks in greater vulnerability, please
ask yourself: a) how much did you worry about the poor before these
stay-at-home orders were issued, b) how aware are you of the impact your
lifestyle and voting choices have in creating or sustaining poverty, c) what
have you actually done to help address economic vulnerability amongst the poor pre-pandemic. I know some folks sincerely not only worried
about but acted to alleviate poverty before the pandemic. However, if your concern for the poor
suddenly emerged because you can use them as a poorly equipped phalanx to protect
your financial self-interests, then you too are a fraud, especially if once the
pandemic subsides, you resume your lifestyle and voting choices that disregard
the poor’s needs.
I might add that demographically, the working
poor, often uninsured, are over-represented in occupying higher risk, lower
protection, front-line jobs during this pandemic. In the US, African Americans represent a much
higher percentage of pandemic casualties due to co-morbidity factors often
associated with poverty. I do so hope
that your concern for the poor includes addressing these issues versus feigning
care for the poor whilst actually sacrificing their health for the health of
your retirement account. In that case,
you would be reverting to type of using the poor and vulnerable for your own
gain.
If anywhere
in your possessions or social media bylines you have something that says, “What
would Jesus do,” please be aware that Jesus was all about curing and healing
not rationalizing death so he could gad about more freely and continue accruing
wealth. He said something like, “go sell
everything, give it to the poor, and follow me,” not, “go sacrifice the poor so
you can accumulate more shit and do whatever the hell pleases you.” That latter message is more aligned with something
one might hear on Fox News, which is an entirely different religion apart from
and often conflicting with as well as perverting Christianity.
Amidst all
this, a former religious education student of mine offered some of the wisest
counsel. He said, “We need to be
empathetic.” Yes, he is spot on. We need to have empathy for the financially
vulnerable, even the ones who were vulnerable before the pandemic and will
continue to be after the pandemic. We
need to be empathetic towards the physically vulnerable, especially during the
pandemic but afterwards too.
An
empathetic person dons a mask as a way of protecting another person versus deriding
health experts for recommending their use, or deriding those who do don them. If your medical credentials come from the University
of Google, the University of Facebook or the University of Memes, please just
stop trying to pass yourself off as an expert.
It is also
lacking in empathy to deride people for listening to experts or the experts
themselves by labeling them as fearful or fearmongers. Those folks shouting for things to resume to
pre-pandemic status must acknowledge that they fear too. It is just that their fears fall into
different categories. Some fear
financial impact. Some fear loss of
autonomy. It is still fear. It is ok and healthy to admit you fear the
economic impact. However, it is an
unhealthy bullying practice to accuse others of fear without acknowledging
yours. Such tactics try to humiliate
others into bowing to address your fears by diminishing their concerns all whilst
saving face for your ego through presenting a false bravado.
This
pandemic presents two problems: a global public health crisis and a global
economic crisis. We, as one Body in
Christ must acknowledge the two crises and work together to address both. That will involve sacrificing autonomy and
financially in some instances. Let us
pull together, doing what Jesus would do, by being empathetic and caring for
each other. This pandemic crisis is
exposing you as a Christian. Are you
reverting to type of graciously bowing to other’s needs in imitation of Christ
or are you reverting to type of using Christianity as a front for your
selfishness and hypocritically expecting others to sacrifice but not you.
Be safe and be well. Hopefully I won't wait another 19 months to write again.
