Risen!

Confession

It was about 4PM. As I leaned against the corner of a brick building downtown waiting for the next light rail train, I could see three rough looking young guys walking my direction, passing me on the right. The last one to pass -- a little shorter than me, but very burley -- had a troubling look on his face as if he were up to something. Just after he walked by I heard a “thump”, a squeaky laugh, and some struggle. The burley one had decided to pin an elderly oriental gentleman who was walking in the other direction against the wall, and he was using some force – apparently to impress his friends or something. The old man was obviously in pain.

Absolutely no one paid attention. People (dozens of them) just kept walking by as if nothing were happening. I was stunned. I needed to do something, but I felt frozen. Right before I worked up the nerve to confront him, he walked off, dropping the old man to his knees, “Stupid Chink!”

I helped the old guy up, and he hobbled off back where he had come from. Clearly he had been injured.

I felt ashamed that I had not responded quickly enough.

A few minutes later a younger man, I assume a grandson or relative, came running down toward where all this had happened. He was obviously very upset. I offered that I had seen what happened, and he said that the old guy was pretty badly hurt and an ambulance was on the way. I told him I could identify the burley guy, but as I related more of the story his appreciation turned to disgust, as it became apparent that I had the opportunity to act, but did nothing. This could have just been my impression, but it seemed that way to me at the time.

I realized that this is such a clear picture of so many things I deal with. It’s not so much that I do evil things, but that I fail to do the right thing – out of cowardice or laziness. This is quite a wake up.

I have a good friend that believes the greatest struggle most men deal with is what he calls “the sin of Adam” – failure to take responsibility, failure to act in promotion or defense of those we are responsible for, including our neighbor. It takes many forms. He is right.

Absolutely

All absolutes are false. Except for that one.
All truth is relative. Except for that one.
I am a small-minded dolt. That one just stands on it’s own.

My wife knows I get annoyed when she takes a swig of my beer from the bottle, and leaves it brimming with foam. I don’t know why she does this, but it seems to give her some satisfaction that such a meaningless thing can perturb me. At the same time (no kidding), I interpret this as an oblique form of communication of her love for me. She knows me, and we have this little ritual, our ritual. My annoyance is irrelevant compared to her subtle silent communication: “I know you, and you belong to me as much as I to you.”

Makes me all hot-n-bothered just thinking about it.

Seen Dad?

You just can't make this stuff up. We are a lonely species.

Who Do You Love?

Please fasten your seatbelt, and place your seat in the upright position.

Same-sex marriage appears to be a topic high on a lot of people’s lists. The curious thing is that folks on both sides are incredulous that the other side could have reasoned arguments. Somehow I feel that this issue is central to deeper questions of meaning ... not really sure why.

The obvious irritation for me –- even assuming homosexuality has a sinful character -- is that many religious folk handle this with special zeal. I’ve yapped about that in previous posts. Top executives rob blue-collar workers of their health and retirement, our government finds creative ways to discriminately support genocide, but that’s small potatoes compared to sodomy. I truly think the comparison to racial prejudice is apt.

I have heard people contend that legalization of same-sex marriage implies an endorsement of homosexuality. Of course it does, but that begs the question. At issue is the belief that homosexual unions are wrong. I am personally unable to conclude that certain sexual drives are wrong. They are innate, or at least they can show up without consent. If even the temptation of a man for another man’s wife is not wrong in itself, it hardly seems valid to rearrange this thinking in the context of gender preference. Assuming these drives are at least sometimes innate, why is the natural fulfillment of them considered by some to be wrong?

One interesting idea is “natural function”. Homosexual acts employ the body’s reproductive system in a way that is impossible to fulfill its (arguably) primary function: childbearing. This is simple fact. Homosexuality occurs in the animal kingdom, but the same idea applies there. This doesn’t just refer to the frustration of internal squishy blobs and tubes, but the perpetuation or extinction of species. In spite of this, it seems like a weak argument to say, “If all sexual acts were homosexual, the species would die out.” Duh. If every player were a pitcher, the team would always loose every game. In other areas of life, we don’t justify different expressions using this test. Some heterosexual couples are aware prior to marriage that they are unable to bear children. No one would say their union is invalid.

Another concern sometimes raised is the idea that permitting same-sex marriage will weaken the family and/or society. In countries where same-sex marriage laws have been passed, marriage in general becomes far less frequent, although one could argue this would be the case anyway in post-religious culture. Instead, people decide to live together more often, and these informal unions -- due to their temporary nature -- break down frequently, often leaving children in their wake. Assuming some cause-effect relationship exists, and it’s mighty hard to argue otherwise, even this seems to be more of a symptom than a root problem.

I think perhaps the implied (if not practiced) permanence of marriage does serve the end of raising children more than it presents the often-proposed converse problem: bad marriages harm children, not to mention the partners. Reason supports the idea that children are best supported by parents in an exclusive, permanent relationship. Are same-sex unions unable to meet this criterion? I would guess that denying a same-sex couple that wishes to raise children the ability to publicly formalize their commitment might add to the problem.

Then we come to biblical condemnations. Some are tied to old-covenant purity laws. Some seem to be clear prohibitions for all people at all times, but so does head-covering and similar practices. I admit that these are different issues, but I wish it was more obvious.

I believe that life -- not to mention marriage, or any relationship – is best lived by sacrificing self for the best interest of others. That’s it. That’s what I know. Sure wish I could just do it well.