Injustice

Una Canción Nueva: Amos 5

/ Robert D / Leave a comment

7Doom to you who turn justice into poison, and throw righteousness to the ground! 8The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who summons the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth– this one’s name is the LORD–

12I know how many are your crimes, and how numerous are your sins– afflicting the righteous, taking money on the side, turning away the poor who seek help. 13Therefore, the one who is wise will keep silent in that time; it is an evil time.

14Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of heavenly forces, will be with you just as you have said. 15Hate evil, love good, and establish justice at the city gate. Perhaps the LORD God of heavenly forces will be gracious to what is left of Joseph.

Amos 5:7-8, 12-15, Common English Bible

In October we remember Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I am reading and reflecting on both my experiences and the thoughts of others about domestic violence during this month. This action is important to me as a survivor of domestic violence.

The above scripture is from the Revised Common Lectionary for next Sunday. Amos was a prophet of God who spoke to God’s people when they forgot justice. The Lord was coming because he saw the actions of the wicked. The Lord is the Almighty God who did love, loves, and will love the survivors of injustice.

The Lord remembers that people live in this world with people who do injustice, cruelty, and malice. The Lord loves us, but His love never forgets that our actions are both good and bad. If the Lord simply forgot the bad actions, it would be convenient for those who harm others and cruel to the survivors. The Lord is not cruel.

Let justice prevail in the courts and in our hearts; perhaps then the LORD, the Almighty God, will free us from the world created by our actions and attitudes.

7Ustedes convierten el derecho en amargura y echan por tierra la justicia. 8El SEÑOR hizo las Pléyades y el Orión, convierte en aurora las densas tinieblas y oscurece el día hasta convertirlo en noche. Él convoca las aguas del mar y las derrama sobre la tierra. ¡Su nombre es el SEÑOR!

12¡Yo sé cuán numerosos son sus delitos, cuán grandes sus pecados! Ustedes oprimen al justo, exigen soborno y en los tribunales atropellan al necesitado. 13Por eso en circunstancias como éstas guarda silencio el prudente, porque estos tiempos son malos. 14Busquen el bien y no el mal, y vivirán; y así estará con ustedes el SEÑOR Dios Todopoderoso, tal como ustedes lo afirman. 15¡Odien el mal y amen el bien! Hagan que impere la justicia en los tribunales; tal vez así el SEÑOR, el Dios Todopoderoso, tenga compasión del remanente de José.

Amós 5:7-8, 12-15, Nueva Versión Internacional

En Octubre recordamos el mes de concientización sobre la violencia doméstica. Estoy leyendo y reflexionando sobre ambas mis experiencias y los pensamientos de otra sobre violencia doméstica durante este mes. Esta acción es importante para mi como un sobreviviente de violencia doméstica.

La escritura de arriba es del Leccionario Común Revisado para el próximo domingo. Amos fue una profeta de Dios que habló al pueblo de Dios cuando ellos olvidaron justicia. El Señor venía porque vio las acciones del malvado. El Señor es el Dios Todopoderoso que ame, amara, y amare a los sobrevivientes de injusticia.

El Señor recuerda que el pueblo vive en este mundo con personas que hacen injusticia, crueldad, y malivi. El Señor nos ama, pero su ama nunca olvida que nuestras acciones son ambos buenos y malos. Si el Señor simplemente olvidó las acciones malas, sería conveniente para los que dañan a otros y cruel para los supervivientes. El Señor no es crueldad.

Hagan que impere la justicia en los tribunales y en nuestros corazones; tal vez así el Señor, el Dios Todopoderoso, nos salimos del mundo creado por nuestras acciones y actitudes.

Standing Around Injustice

/ Robert D / Leave a comment

“Few people are still alive who stood by at a lynching, but we’ve all been Paul Plummer at some point in our lives. We’ve been afraid to speak up in the face of injustice or to stand up to a bully or to work to resist what was evil. And in a hundred other ways we’ve denied Jesus by our thoughts, words, or deeds.”

Rev. Adam Hamilton, “Simon Peter: Flawed but Faithful Disciple”

Yesterday we read about Jesus clearing the temple in church. Jesus drove out money changers, animals, and vendors from the Temple. We noted that such practices took place in the outermost court of the temple. The outermost space of the temple was the only place open for Gentile God-fearers. Jesus drove out people because he had a certain amount of zealousness about the house of God.

Yesterday as our study met, we also noted how our study of this book noted that the very coins of the Empire claimed that the Emperor was the son of a Roman god. It would have been rather blasphemous to bring a Roman coin into the Jewish temple, but that didn’t apparently justify the behavior of the money changers. Even if they were trying to do good, it is not okay to deprive others of their only space to worship and belong just because it somehow helps support the greater good. One injustice did not justify another injustice.

How many of us have stood by when injustice happens around us? How many of us members of the United Methodist Church have ignored the baptismal promise United Methodists make to resist injustice and oppression? How often have we let ideals of religious behavior overrule our call to justice?

As a young Christian, I was far more ambivalent about the way that Christians around me discussed people who violated accepted cultural and biblical norms. I looked the other way if someone disparaged someone who dressed a certain way, had a relationship with a certain someone, showed interest in someone of the same gender, or even did something like read the wrong kind of book. I wasn’t necessarily judging that person, but I wouldn’t say something even when it made me uncomfortable. I either didn’t think it was my battle or, worse still, decided I wasn’t willing to put my own reputation or theological neck on the line for someone who was acting in such ways. While I certainly understand why I was quieter as a younger Christian, I’m not comfortable today with the way I acted.

As an older Christian, I have long since come to realize that the way I treat other people is directly related to the way I relate to Jesus. I knew that I needed to treat others how I wanted to be treated, but I didn’t understand what it meant. I deny Christ when I hide behind a veil of cowardice when injustice rears an ugly head. I deny Christ when I just stand there without a whisper.

Our church is offering a short-term Bible study for the season of Lent. While many studies for the season traditionally focus on spiritual practices or on the stories of holy week, this year we are reading “Simon Peter: Flawed but Faithful Disciple” by Rev. Adam Hamilton. The idea of the study is that we might consider how we follow Christ in our lives while considering the life of this flawed follower. These blog posts are designed with a principle I have learned from recovery work: “We identify with the stories of others and try not to contrast.” We grow more and live with greater serenity when we look for what we share in common with someone with whom we might otherwise disagree.