We Are the Salt of the Earth...

As I was going through the week it occurred to me that for as much progress as our community has made, our dignity and self-worth still needs some work and reminders of who we are as a people of faith.

I came across this particular reading and I was reminded once again of something we in the TLGBQ Christian community ought to hear again and read again.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by people. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put in under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everything in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, that they may see your good deeds and praise your God in heaven.”
Matthew 5: 13-16

I have taken a closer look at these words...more specifically the “who” in this setting. I have started asking the question of “whom” was Jesus talking to a lot these days.

To whom were these words aimed?

The religious rights has waged an open war against our community and with their talking points have succeeded in making us a part of the crowd on the hill that day.

Who was sitting on the hillside or in the meadows listening so intently to the words of one who seemed to understand their hurt, their need, and their hunger?

Understanding, the “who” will change the message and its impact. Understanding the “who” can and does effect how we relate to our God and to ourselves.

Listening closely that day were the lepers. These were the people affected by a disease that was not understood and contagious. They were not allowed sanctuary within the mainline tradition of the temple. Instead, they were put off to some far corner of society to fend and make due for themselves.

There were prostitutes, in an act of survival sold themselves to other people so that they would have food to eat. They served a need of the rich, but they too were thought of as the dregs of society.

There were those women who were childless and therefore considered outside the realm of blessing by a God who demanded procreation as that sign of blessing.

There were the poor, who by their lack of money, land or prestige were outcasts in a society that demanded one have these things in order to be heard and to be genuine contributing members of that time.

There were the blind, the deaf, the emotionally distressed, and the physically handicapped. All of who did not measure up to the standards set by the religious leaders to be worthy of God.

There were the outcasts of the society because they were not married. There were those who were not pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough to be considered worthy of the great institution's care and or concern for their welfare.

Yes, God forbid, there were homosexuals and those who expressed sexuality in ways that no person in their “right” mind would tolerate much less include as a part of the proclaimed good of society.

So has not the loudest and well-financed campaigns against our community made us apart of those who were listening that day.

Is the audience of Jesus’ words really all that different today? I think not!

Are we not a people who are affected by a disease that is in reality little understood, is contagious and thought to be of our own doing a curse by God? Before you object remember there are people in our own community who say AIDS is about our lack of sexual responsibility and promiscuity and therefore we reap what we sow.

Are we not a people who prostitute ourselves to eat and have shelter? Are we not a people who look for the rich, the famous, and the influential to feel good about ourselves? After all we can prostitute ourselves in so many ways aside from sexual encounters.

Are we not accused of not contributing to society through the act procreation? Yet at the same time accused of gathering and influencing children to our "agenda" on one hand and on the other hand denied the ability to give a child a home that is safe and loving?

Are we not a people who are poor? We are not allowed in many cases to get health insurance for our partners. In most states we can’t protect and pass on our property to our loved one without a fight and at the cost of ridiculous sums of money that any state recognized married couple would not have to expend.

Is not our love for each other defined as a perversion and therfore sick?

Even our own community participates in "horizontal violence" from those who hold themselves out as “holy than thou” when we allow certain parts of our community to be thrown under the bus for political expediency.

We are being told we must wait for the elimination of DADT, the passage of ENDA and many other privileges of being an American.

So, yes, the TLGBQ community is sitting on the hillside and listening to the words of Jesus. We are the “who”!

Jesus is speaking to each and every one of us.

Jesus is in fact telling all those people (us), that rather than outcasts and victims we are the salt of the earth; we are the light of the world! We are front and center for all to see and celebrate the diversity of creation and life. We are to experience a new day, a new message. We do not have to justify our place in the world.

Salt is a common commodity today and it is relatively inexpensive.

Yet at the time of Jesus it was very costly. In Rome a main road is named “via salaria” or the way of the salt. That name is said to have dated from ancient times when Roman solider could have been paid with salt.

Salt in those times and having access to it was the difference between life and death. Salt was preservative, it kept food from spoiling. It added flavor and zest to that which otherwise was ordinary. Salt gave its recipient character and integrity. Salt was not potential but rather reality.

When Jesus called those persons on the hillside that day “the salt of the Earth” he paid them a high compliment.

Jesus pays us this same high compliment. We are a people who add a spice and a zest to life. By virtue of what and who we are then are preservative of life, that which gives flavor and zest to that which is otherwise ordinary.

Salt by its very nature gives to rather than extracts from. We as TLGBQ people actually add far more to our society more than we detract.

In accepting ourselves we give and contribute to the beauty of creation rather than take from it. Just as salt adds and enhances everything that it touches, so do we.

We have added the beauty of incredible art, expressions of love, expressions of emotion not found anywhere else in our society. We add zest and flavor to life itself. We have even taught the world to die with dignity and grace.

Salt becomes apart of everything that it touches. Despite what some would have you believe... we are everywhere, and we are apart of everything.

We have touched, influenced, and participated in every part of creation. We are a part of the fabric of culture and society. Written laws, massive beatings, or even killings cannot extract us. We are in the DNA of creation.

No biblical interpretation will cause us to go out of existence and I really think this is what gets under the religious zealots skin; they know we are here to stay.

Since we have penetrated life itself, our world is having new discussions around sexuality and gender identity. We are discovering creation is far more expansive and evolving then we ever imagined.

Our world is discovering new ways of looking at relationships, how the roles of men and women in relating to each other are important. How roles within a relationship can be redefined to include and meet the needs of both partners.

Because we have penetrated the world in which we live, there are new ways of defining modes of dress, architecture, honesty and integrity. Oh, yes, friends, we are giving to the world in which we live, not taking from it.

We are the “light of the world!” Jesus tells us to not hide who and what we are, rather let it shine so that all may see.

When we are allowed to talk about our history rather than cover it up, we discover we have had a part in all facets of what we call life...leaders of countries, states and cities. We are the famous and infamous artists, teachers, lawmakers, scientists, and sports figures: the names and the list of accomplishments is endless.

These words of Jesus point out with certainty we are not to be ashamed of who and what we are, thereby living under a basket fearful of discovery. Rather, we are to stand as a bright light so that our world may see clearly that God is diversity, and the acceptance of the diversity will bring about wholeness rather than brokenness.

Salt penetrates and preserves. Light brings sight and penetrates that which is dark.

Yes, we are those on that hillside.

The religious zealots should take note: “We are the salt of the earth”, we are the light of the world.” Nothing they do will change this.

In fact the more they try to remove us, the harder they try to get rid of us the brighter our light will shine and the more zest and spice we will add to this world. My friends never forget who you are. You are "the salt of the earth, the light of the world!"

Yet, Another Excuse!

I was a little fuzzy as to what I wanted to write about or what thoughts to express in this particular blog. To be honest as a person of faith, who has a strong desire for decency, justice and mercy, I must say the new Arizona law concerning illegals is more then just a little troubling for me.

I have read, extensively opinions on this new law from both the right and left of the political spectrum. The arguments for and against this law range from compelling and thought provoking to ridicules and racist.

Yet when is all said and done, this law disturbs me deeply…not just in the head or the heart but the far reaches of my soul…you know that place where only you and God go.

Even more perplexing to me is, why as an out and proud gay Christian man this law should disturb me so deeply.

Then it hit me, this law was not written to hand out any kind of justice, or extend any kind of mercy. Further this law was not written to prevent crime or to allow the Arizona law enforcement folks to “serve and protect”. No, this law was written out of fear and political opportunism.

Ever since 9-11 our fear of illegal immigrants has reach unprecedented levels of fear. We are now justifying our fear of people and cultures we don’t know or understand by painting with a very wide brush that says if you are not American then you must mean us harm. Of course lost in this is Tim McVey, the “Uni-bomber”, Eric Rudolph, John Wayne Gacy or Charles Speck, all who were white and as American as they come…but I digress.

All this concerns me because this is the same kind of fear used against LGBTQ people and through various laws attempt to control and crush or kill if need be those who don’t live out their lives from the correct biblical perspective and view of the universe.

We have heard all the arguments why “these” people must be contained, captured, and deported without benefit of legal counsel or trial. Why it is justified to destroy families and even kill those coming across the border with very little provocation. These arguments have affected “collateral damage” by making the landscape ripe for “human trafficking and smuggling”. We don’t seem to care about the truck loads of humanity that have died in mass in the desert heat and without water or food.

It is argued first, this is a matter of national security since we don’t know which illegal who simply wants a job and food for his family might be a terrorist sneaking into our country to blow off the very hand which feeds them.

When that argument doesn’t have the desire results the arguments added to the rhetoric is the rise in violent crime, theft, poaching and land destruction (property values). At the same time this is being spewed across the landscape, we hear the cry: “They are taking our jobs”! Further, because of our ridicules drugs laws we have set ourselves up for more collateral damage with an unwinnable “drug war”, which also becomes part of the collar placed on the necks of all illegal’s who well you know are “drug traders”.

Finally when all else fails the argument is made these illegal’s are taxing to the breaking point our health care system. Really? Our “health care system” was pretty screwed up long before out of political expedience it jumped front and center in our “war” on illegals.

Now let me be clear these concerns are things for which we must be aware of and admit at some level as with anything there is good with the bad.

However, all these arguments are being made and exploited without benefit of our faith connection being considered as our starting point for our conversation, questions and concerns.

Rev. Richard Nathan is the pastor of Columbus Vineyard Church and makes two excellent points in two different articles:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, hardly a liberal organization, published an extensive report refuting often-cited myths concerning immigration ("Immigration Myths and the Facts Behind the Fallacies," www.uschamber.com). Despite claims to the contrary, illegal immigrants pay billions of dollars in taxes each year, and do not qualify for or collect public assistance or welfare benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid or Section 8 housing.

Furthermore, enforcement-only policies are no solution. Deporting 12 million illegal immigrants is utterly impracticable. Not only would it cost hundreds of billions of dollars ($206 billion over five years, according to the chamber), it would destroy families and communities across the country.

The way forward is clear. We need to secure our borders, crack down on dishonest employers and require illegal immigrants to register with the government and meet certain requirements, including learning English, working and paying taxes before they earn the chance to become citizens. Such practical reforms would strengthen our economy, serve the interests and honor the ideals of our nation, and provide immigrants with the opportunity to fully join our society.

His second point asks his readers to put on their “biblical spectacles” when confronted with the issue of illegal’s and your “faith response”. I would ask my readers to do the same:

I would hope that Christians would first put on biblical spectacles when approaching the issue of illegal immigration. The biblical Christian would:

1. Begin with the conviction that illegal immigrants are persons made in God’s image and are, therefore, worthy of respect and dignity (Genesis 1:26,28).

2. Appreciate the fact that many of our spiritual ancestors were themselves economic refugees. Thus Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob moved from the Promised Land on several occasions in search of food (Genesis 12:10; 26:1; 41:57; 42:6; 43:1-7). The story of Ruth is the story of an immigrant who continually crossed national borders in search of food. Other spiritual ancestors of ours were pushed out of their homeland because of war or persecution (Joseph, Daniel, Moses, David, and the baby Jesus). So immigration because of economics, war, and asylum-seeking is not far from every Christian’s own heritage.

3. Specifically apply the Second Commandment to illegal immigrants: “The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34).

4. Care for immigrants since they had a central place in the laws and practices of ancient Israel. Israel was commanded to love immigrants because God loves immigrants. “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigners residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:18-19).

5. Be hospitable according to New Testament teaching which literally means to “love the stranger” or the alien (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9). Jesus commanded his followers to welcome people who had no social standing, such as the poor, the sick, and the outsider (Luke 14:12-14).

I am fully aware that these considerations will not solve the challenge of illegal immigration, but it will sure change the discussion from what is now destructive and life ending to something that more closely resembles “doing justice, acting mercifully and walking humbly with God”.

As Christians we are encouraged to “cast out all fear and replace it with unconditional love”…so then we must ask ourselves how does the Arizona law promote the love we are suppose to be living, the love we are suppose to be practicing, the love we are suppose to be sharing?

In looking through my copious notes for sermon writing I came across something I had cut out of an article (I am not sure who gets credit for this) and they more then apply here:

One must consider where they stand…how do they love others? Is this love up to the standards set by Christ?

-if you haven’t killed some one-who have you called a fool? What emotion did you pour out upon them when you became angry with them? Whose reputation have you slaughtered by the harsh things you had to say about them?

-If you haven’t committed adultery-and felt good about this-then consider for a moment what you have wanted to do….

-Or consider who holds a grudge against you because of something you did-something for which you have not apologized?

-Or again-what promises and vows have you broken and then justified yourself in doing so?

-When was the last time you criticized immigrants for stealing all the jobs in this country, or expressed your dislike for the person who took the promotion that belonged to you?

Let’s be honest here the whole thing in a nutshell comes down to a prevailing attitude in this country today:

1) We greet those who greet us.

2) We do good to those who do good to us.

3) We lend to those who will pay us back.

4) We welcome those who welcome us.

As for everyone else, well if asked, most people have a reason for what they do and an excuse for what they do not do.

That is the problem with the Arizona Law; it is an excuse for what we have not done.

God have mercy on us all.