Lord? Really?

Admittedly, I don’t know much about what “Rev Wright” said…I don’t have the full context.  And I’m not really going to try to guess it’s implications on the campaign of a certain someone.  But I can’t help wonder if my African American brother, pastoring a black church in Chicago, simply saw through what we Euro-Centric Christians often fail to: the defunctness of the American Dream.  The American dream is not now nor has it ever been inclusive–except in the fact that misery (or in this case luxury) loves company.  It is not redemptive. It is not the hope of the world.  Folks around the world do not hate America because we “dare to dream” of a better tomorrow–they loathe this empire because it dares impose it’s dreams onto the rest of humanity.  The American Dream is NOT GOD’S GOOD DREAM!  Competition–eye for eye–getting ahead at any cost and turning a profit at any price–looking good/image is everything–needing the next and the newest–THESE ARE NOT KINGDOM DREAM’S!!!

And so someone (read: the oppressed and powerless) dared critique that, and low and behold he got handed a national microphone and everyone is listening to back logs of what was exactly said.  The political pundits are advising distance and encouraging disgust in reaction to the message of anti-empire.  I read Dick Morris‘ open letter of advice to Obama, this line stood out:  “He needs, again and again, to reject what Wright says and emphasize his belief in America and the validity and morality of the American Dream.”

…Because…because…because…that–America and the American Dream/the American Way–that is our religion.  Not Christianity.  Not Christ.  Not a little revolutionary rabbi from Nazareth.  The juggarnaut of empire and excess, of oppression and exploitation, of complacency and self satisfaction towards God and fellow man, that is the faith of our fathers.  But check out what God has to say about his good dream and the people that match it:

Isaiah 58: 6-9“This is the kind of holy day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’

 9-12“If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.”

This is hardly the bill of sale most of us pledged our allegiance to as children.  Having pledged away our allegiance, who is our Lord–really?

I pray that we followers in the way of Jesus live into a new reality–which is really just God’s good dream from eternity past for eternity future and being worked out today.