A prayer

Dear God

With all due respect

I hate cold rain on the day our son is having surgery

I hate that he has cancer

I hate seeing him in pain and groggy from painkillers

I hate the Salvador Dali clocks on the wall

I hate knowing what I know and don’t know

I hate trying to make sense of it all

… Just in case there is any doubt

Religion and lies

Are religious people more likely to lie? Even though lies are condemned as sin throughout scripture, a study published in an economics journal has raised eyebrows. 

A subject’s major of study, the marital status of their parents, whether or not they were raised by a single parent, religious importance and whether or not the subjects came to collect their pay were important explanatory variables.

The researchers found that deception for financial gain was more likely if you were a business major, your parents are divorced, or you rated religion as more important in your life. Not surprisingly perhaps, the media tended to focus on the link between religiosity and dishonesty.

Incongruous as it sounds, a new Canadian study discovers that the more importance people place on religion, the more likely they are to lie for financial gain. The lead researcher hypothesizes that this “really strange effect” is the result of the faithful feeling less kinship with the secular, and ultimately less concern about screwing them over for a few bucks.

Many studies have found that business majors and children of divorce are more likely to lie for financial game so these findings raised few eyebrows. Of course, that complacency is disturbing and deserves attention.

Consider the relationship between business majors and lies. Does business management as a profession attract people driven by greed and hence more likely to lie to get ahead? Or, are business majors taught to bend and spin the truth as part of a well-designed marketing strategy? Either way, it suggests that ethical bankruptcy is likely to be pervasive in many corporations. That sounds like a bad thing to me but is hardly buzz-worthy for the media. I am shocked.

Divorce appears to trigger deceitful behavior in children. Now that seems like another noteworthy finding since it suggests that children may learn the wrong lessons from the violations of trust by their parents. So why doesn't this pattern get more attention in the media?

As for the link between religiosity and lying for financial gain, the researchers speculate that it is a function of what might be thought of as tribalism. Since the person being lied to is not part of one's established safe circle of religious friends, it becomes more acceptable. The lead investigator put it this way:

“My suspicion is that they feel like the receiver isn’t part of their group, and that creates a feeling of otherness. That otherness leads to feelings of detachment that can increase willingness to lie."

As might expected, evangelical atheists were pleased to see the study findings. To their credit, the folks over at the Friendly Atheist were more circumspect. If tribalism is the problem, then perhaps nonreligious people would consider lying more acceptable if the victim is one of those religious types.

But let’s not beat our collective chest just yet. If Childs is right that tribalism facilitates deceiving “others,” researchers may well find that non-believers are the more financially dishonest group in the North American population at large. That’s because, given that the majority of people are religious, nones may assume that the most likely victims of their dishonesty will be people of faith.

What is somewhat surprising in all of this discussion is that everyone seems to be overlooking one incongruous piece of the puzzle. In this study there was no relationship between religious observance and lying. In other words, people that attend church or pray more often were not more likely to lie. That asymmetry is fascinating.

Perhaps if you claim religion to be important in your life but do not bother to worship or pray then maybe you are more prone to lie for financial gain. Maybe even your claim to value religion is deceptive since it is not backed up by meaningful action.

The study focused on college students. Moving away from parental influence lends itself to exploration and weakening of indoctrinated values. A young adult from a religious family might rate religion to be important in their lives because of their upbringing, but not worship or pray when away from their parents. I would not be surprised if these are the study participants driving the association between religiosity and deceit for financial gain.

Discrepancy between professed belief and behavior is interesting. You can find plenty of people who claim to believe in God but do not attend worship services or pray regularly. These are the Christmas and Easter crowd among Christians or the High Holy Days crowd among Jews.  However, you will not find many who behave like they are devout but rate religion as unimportant in their lives.

The researchers seem prone to the "glass half full" seduction. In their minds, the fact that only half the study participants lied is a pleasant surprise.

The good news is that nearly half the study’s participants opted to tell the truth, even though the experimental design ensured their anonymity, and thus no consequences to lying beyond a guilty conscience. 

“That, to me, was pretty remarkable,” Childs said. “People are dishonest far less often than we think.”

It is a sad commentary on our society and human behavior that a 50% honesty rate is considered remarkable. It is remarkable but only as a failure. Lying undermines trust in relationships. And if you can get half the population to lie for a small financial gain, then how many more will be tempted when the stakes are even higher? Perhaps we humans are prone to lie, cheat, and steal. Sin is clearly alive and well.

Interesting times

We are cursed to live in interesting times. This week we saw some incredibly self-centered people threaten the financial security of the nation. One of the chief instigators, a man named Ted Cruz, happens to be the son of a Christian dominionist* preacher (* dominionist is a follower of R. J. Rushoony). His platform consists of getting rid of taxes because the rich do not want to pay them. Perhaps I am missing something but I see no evidence of compassion in him. In fact . . . he looks more like a golem following his precious.

The sequester and shutdown gambits have deliberately harmed the people with the least in our society. These cuts were made without any alternative plan in place. Politicians even used a sentence from the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians to justify letting the poor starve. That fails the test of Christ. Everyone who calls themselves a Christian should know what Jesus thought of not taking good care of those in need. Food banks and other community service organizations are now scrambling to raise funds because of overwhelming demand.

It is virtually impossible to spot anyone in government walking in the footsteps of Christ. Both parties have no real objection to violence. Bomb here. Drone strike there. Kidnapping and torture over there. Prisons without due process offshore. I do not see any moral high ground on either side of the political divide. Does anyone? I have yet to hear much of a sermon on the evils of greed from Republicans or Democrats. Jesus and the Apostle Paul spoke forcefully about those evils. Taxes are at the lowest level in 70 years, corporate profits and stock values are at record highs, and those with little are tumbling into the abyss.

The 21st century is shaping up to be a highway through hell. More and more people are living in communities that have become socially toxic thanks to poverty, gang violence, substance abuse, and emotional despair. We will face enormous challenges in the near future from rapid climate change, the human population hitting 10 billion, and rapid resource depletion. Too many political and corporate leaders are morally bankrupt. Too many high profile religious leaders are preoccupied with wealth and power rather than bearing witness to God’s love. 

People of faith have invested substantial time and effort in advocacy for those in greatest need. Unfortunately, appealing to the consciences of political and corporate leaders has proven to be remarkably ineffective to alleviate social, economic, and environmental injustices in our society. Our fervent public prayers, harshly worded letters, and nonviolent protests are too often ignored or mocked. We are told that the “invisible hand of the free market” will save the day for those at the bottom of the economic ladder if they only work harder for less money. It is odd that the “free market” savior has not shown up in periods of economic prosperity or contraction for those living in poverty. The “free market” is even destroying God’s creation at an ever more rapid pace. When Christians preach the gospel of the free market I wonder if they even understand that it is of Mammon, not God. 

Some Christians in America encouraged Christians in several African nations to stone homosexuals. Amazing what you can do when you believe that you are without sin. They better hope the Lord does not see any sin in them. 

More and more young adults are walking away from organized religion. Perhaps they are not turned on by how much we squabble about the appearance of angels on the head of a pin, who God loves and who God hates, and fiddle while the social fabric of the society unravels. I don't blame them. 

If you are truly a follower of Christ what do you think that the Lord would say about our train wreck of a nation? Do you think He would say, "nice work, disciples," or "what the hell were you thinking?" My money is on the later. I am also guessing that it is probably unwise to piss off the Lord. 

Random thoughts

Here is proof that political ideology has an evil effect on people:

There's such a poignant and awful mix of conservatives and liberals amongst my online people. As a result, there are people who are flaming on the left and people who are ball and chaining themselves to the right. And the result is not always pretty. 

Anytime a shutdown-related news story breaks, I want to duck and run for online cover because I know that morning my news feed will be populated by 141 Republicans and 134 Democrats or 356 theological liberals and 299 theological conservatives who have made it their morning agenda to oust the other side.

-- Sarah Cunningham describing the politically divisive hatefest on Facebook

The money quote:

"They will know you are Christians by the way you use your ideology as an excuse to spew hate on social media," said Jesus NEVER.

Politics is toxic. Always. Claiming that God favors a political ideology, candidate, or party is pure evil. It is blasphemy.

+++

The locusts consuming God's creation are truly ugly human beings.

In golf clubs, gated communities and other housing developments across the United States, tens of thousands of families like the Davidsons have in recent years moved into new homes where their developers or homebuilders, with little or no prior disclosure, kept all the underlying mineral rights for themselves, a Reuters review of county property records in 25 states shows. In dozens of cases, the buyers were in the dark. 

The phenomenon is rooted in recent advances in extracting oil and gas from shale formations deep in the earth, fueling the biggest energy boom in modern U.S. history. Horizontal drilling and the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," have opened vast swaths of the continental United States to exploration. 

As a result, homebuilders and developers have been increasingly - and quietly - hanging on to the mineral rights underneath their projects, pushing aside homeowners' interests to set themselves up for financial gain when energy companies come calling. This is happening in regions far beyond the traditional American oil patch, which has a long history of selling subsurface rights. 

"All the smart developers are doing it," says Lance Astrella, a Denver lawyer who represents mineral-rights owners, including homebuilders, in deals with energy companies.

I never wonder why Jesus said we cannot worship God and materialism. The greedy seem to have no souls to lose.

+++

No kidding:

WASHINGTON – Christians in the United States have too often been only concerned about religious freedom for themselves, rather than fighting for religious freedom for all, Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, argued at a Thursday symposium, "Faith, Culture & Religious Freedom in the 21st Century."

-- Christian Post

Another word for it is religious privilege. By the way religious freedom goes beyond the freedom to worship as you chose. Attempting to impose your sexual morality on others is another common form of religious privilege.

+++

Wise beyond her years:

"I thanked President Obama for the United States' work in supporting education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and for Syrian refugees. I also expressed my concerns that drone attacks are fueling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people. If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact."

Malala Yousafzai

Helping others is a virtue; killing them is not.

Billy Graham's Legacy??

An evangelical blogger suggested the following as a major accomplishment of Rev. Billy Graham:

Graham played an important role in the post-WWII politicization of American evangelicalism. His early sermons strongly reflect the anti-communism of the early Cold War, and his relationship with Richard Nixon accelerated the courtship between Republicans and evangelicals in the late 1960s and early 1970s. While Graham himself pulled back from more overt forms of political activism after Watergate and signaled a shift toward political moderation, many evangelicals followed the trail he had blazed during Nixon’s first term.

First of all, "politicization of American evangelicalism" is hardly an achievement worthy of someone serving Christ. Anyone who has ever been politically active knows that politics is antithetical to the teachings of Jesus. Politics has become little more than verbal aggression against others that do not share your beliefs. It is divisive. It is mean-spirited. It is win by any means necessary. Politics and Christ simply do not mix well. To suggest that God blesses or even endorses a political ideology is blasphemy. God only takes notice of our politics only when it is used as an excuse to hate or mistreat others.

Second, Rev. Graham spoke harshly of the idea that Jesus has a political preference. There were plenty of evangelical leaders that became politically active in the Republican Party but Graham was not one of them. He had a personal friendship with Richard Nixon, not a political axe to grind. It is not accurate to blame Graham for politicizing a major branch of Christianity.

Third, there are so many remarkable accomplishments by Rev. Graham, particularly his leadership in the civil rights movement. Or the millions exposed to Christ through his public ministry. With so much good to draw from, why cheapen his legacy by connecting him to the cynical attempts by some evangelical leaders to politicize Christ?

Send in the clowns

Government programs for the poor, old, sick, and disabled have been targeted or slashed by Congress in the recent months. This comes as many at the bottom of the economic ladder are still trying to recover from the worst recession since the 1930's. Unemployment levels for adults under age 30 are at record levels. By every conceivable measure, the poor have gotten poorer and the rich have gotten richer over the past decade. 

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had decided to weigh in on this ethical morass. They see an exemption for contraception to be so important that it should be attached to every bill to continue funding the government and avoid catastrophic default. Here is an excerpt from their letter to all 535 representatives in the House and Senate.

We have already urged you to enact the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (H.R. 940/S. 1204). As Congress considers a Continuing Resolution and debt ceiling bill in the days to come, we reaffirm the vital importance of incorporating the policy of this bill into such “must-pass” legislation.

The most pressing issue of conscience of our day is contraception according to this band of Christian leaders. A verse from Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns" seems particularly apt.

Don't you love farce?
My fault I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want.
Sorry, my dear.
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don't bother, they're here. 

The body of Christ is not being served by these clowns. 

Hobby Lobby and "Christian" values

Hobby Lobby is supposedly a poster child for Christian values. President and owner Steve Green has long played the faith card in marketing the company and taking legal action against laws he does not believe in. Maybe his values need more attention.

The Hobby Lobby chain seems to have a values problem with Judaism. Inquiries into why the store does not stock items related to Jewish religious holidays were greeted with responses like this:

“Because Mr. Green is the owner of the company, he’s a Christian, and those are his values.”

I find this interesting for several reasons. Green's stores happily stock junk related to Christmas. In other words, Hobby Lobby is a strong proponent of the crass commercialization of the birth of Christ. Reindeer, Santa Claus, and other gaudy decorations are welcome on the shelves. You can find those items already on display in Hobby Lobby store in early October. And yet carrying cards and decorations related to Jewish holidays (which Jesus celebrated) is a violation of Green's Christian values.

The billions in profits generated by Hobby Lobby have made Steve Green a wealthy man. One of his favorite hobbies is to collect biblical artifacts, most of which happen to be Jewish.

He’s also known for holding one of the country’s largest collections of ancient biblical artifacts, including what’s believed to be the oldest known copy of a Hebrew prayer book. In unveiling the book on Thursday, Green dated the item to 840 C.E., declining to use the more Christian-sounding 840 A.D. so as not to offend Jews.

Perhaps Green's ethics are formed in part by his wealth. He spends millions of dollars for religious artifacts for his personal collection. Many of these items should be on display in a Jewish museum rather than displayed in the home of rich man that does not practice or even respect Judaism. It is something of a sacrilege.

I had to laugh at the pathetic attempt at political correctness as Green referred to the item dating as 840 CE instead of AD. The meaning is the same. The prayer book would have been used in services celebrating 4600/4601 in the Hebrew calender.

A rabbi pointed out that Green has a right not to sell items related to Jewish holidays in his stores. That is true. It is also true that synagogue congregational shops and other Jewish sources are the best places to get items to celebrate Jewish holidays. In fact, the quality and beauty of items carried in many congregational shops is often far superior to those sold in retail shops.

Rabbi Donald A. Weber of Marlboro’s Temple Rodeph Torah says Hobby Lobby has the right not to stock Hanukkah items, and everybody else has the right not to shop there. His advice for people looking to buy Hanukkah goods: Start with the congregation’s sisterhood group, which sells Judaica.

And yes, it is also true that people have a right not to shop in Hobby Lobby. There are too many sources of craft products in this day and age to bother with Hobby Lobby.

Let's all not forget the irony in all of this. Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of his arrest to celebrate Passover. Steve Green refuses to sell items that commemorate the religious holidays that Jesus celebrated because it violates his Christian "values." Go figure.

The Green family are successful entrepreneurs. They market craft supplies, home decorations, books, office supplies, and entertainment to evangelical Christians. It is a business model that has made them quite rich. Good for them. However, you do tread a fine line when you invoke Christ to market products to Christians. It is something of a slippery slope. If you are not careful you start to look like all the folks selling products and changing money in the square around the Temple in Jerusalem way back around the start of the Common Era. Jesus took issue with their exploitation of the name of God for personal profit. I am sure the Green family is far too smart to ever cross any such lines.

A timely reminder

As our elected officials act worse than spoiled brats and shut down the federal government, here is something uplifting. In Oklahoma, there is a 10 year old boy that wants to bring some joy to his older brother suffering from Cerebral Palsy.

His big brother, by a year, has been stricken with Cerebral Palsy. Titus can't walk, hear or eat food, but Tobias is determined his brother will get outside, have fun and feel the wind against his cheeks like the other kids do. And that's where the letter to us comes in.

Read his letter to a local television station asking for help in getting a jogging stroller so he can push his brother around outside, even run a few races. His mother works as a teacher, but cannot afford one of those fancy jogging strollers large enough to accommodate his brother.

"My pastor said we have to be God's hands and feet but I'm going to be his legs too."

By the way, Tobias wants to be a pastor when grows up.

Little Tobias, 10, wants to be a pastor himself when he grows up. He says he wants to be an Army pastor, so he can minister to men dying on the front lines. 

What was it Jesus said about children and the kingdom of God?

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them,“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

 -- Mark 10:13-16

Tobias makes that passage come to life. His faith touches all who come in contact with him.