\nTo <\/p>\n I <\/p>\n And <\/p>\n He <\/p>\n But, <\/p>\n <\/a><\/a> <\/p>\n I <\/p>\n I \nPeople \nChristianity \nThe \nThe \nGod \n<\/p>\n So <\/p>\n And <\/p>\n So, Please Please <\/p>\n And <\/p>\n 1<\/a>Rev. <\/p>\n Rev. Sara E. Baron <\/p>\n January 17, 2021<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nour most bitter opponents we say: \u201cWe
\nshall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to
\nendure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force.
\nDo to us what you
\nwill, and we shall continue to love you. <\/b><\/i>We
\ncannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws, because
\nnoncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is
\ncooperation with good. Throw us in jail, and we shall still love you.
\nSend your hooded perpetrators of violence into our community at the
\nmidnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still
\nlove you. But be ye assured that we will wear you down by our
\ncapacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom, but not only for
\nourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we
\nshall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double
\nvictory.\u201d1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n![\"image\"](\"https:\/\/64.media.tumblr.com\/eeaec3f7d4df6668faaa4b500943f550\/54467001b0bf8469-7a\/s540x810\/747186a01d5fb0fb66c62172e5e25ee9a0063a00.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n
\nfeel quite confident that the most bitter opponents of the work of
\nRev. Dr. King, and the kindom, have been hard at work in our society,
\nand their work has exploded into violence, death, fear-mongering, and
\nthe disruption of our democracy. \u00a0Rev. Dr. King worked against the
\nforces of white supremacy, by working for the full humanity of all
\npeople. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nthat man, that wise prophetic man, that man whose life itself was
\ntaken by the violence of the world, is the one who said, \u201cDo it us
\nwhat you will, and we shall continue to love you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nrefused to face violence with violence, he believed that the Jesus
\nmovement was founded in NONVIOLENCE. \u00a0He refused to meet hate with
\nanything but love. \u00a0Now, of course, LOVE did not mean \u201ccompliance.\u201d
\n Love meant naming evil, love meant good analysis of power dynamics,
\nlove meant strategic planning of protests, love meant taking care of
\nthe people’s spiritual well being so they could keep on working for
\nGod’s greater good. \u00a0Love does not require us to back down. \u00a0Love
\ndoes not require us to become passive. \u00a0Love does not require us to
\nbecome silent.<\/p>\n
\nlove does require us to seek the well-being of ALL OF GOD’S BELOVEDS,
\nand dear ones, this week, that includes people who are part of white
\nsupremacist groups, and people who are part of QAnon cults, and even
\nthe people who use those people to gain and keep power. \u00a0Love
\nrequires us to want what is good for all of them, although \u2013 thank
\ngoodness \u2013 that doesn’t include that they get to keep power or
\ncontinue using violence. \u00a0Perpetuating violence hurts both the one
\nwho is violated and the one who violates. \u00a0No goodness or love comes
\nout of it. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nBut
\nfollowing the way of Jesus, nonviolent, loving resistance, that
\nbuilds the kindom. \u00a0You may remember the admonition in Matthew to
\nturn the other cheek, \u201cBut I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer.
\nBut if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;
\nand if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as
\nwell.\u201c \u00a0(Matthew 3:39-40, NRSV) \u00a0Walter Wink’s teaching informed me
\nthat these teachings are the ultimate in nonviolent loving
\nresistance. \u00a0In those days there were two forms of striking a person
\n\u2013 one used for equals and one used for inferiors. \u00a0A backhand vs. a
\nslap. \u00a0The left hand was NEVER used because… well… toilet paper
\nhadn’t been invented yet. \u00a0To turn the other cheek is to respond to
\nthe diminishing insult of a backhand with an invitation to hit again
\n\u2013 but this time as an equal. \u00a0Similarly, the Hebrew Bible forbids
\nanyone from leaving a person naked in the process of seeking loan
\nrepayment. \u00a0So, if a person seeks restitution of a loan by demanding
\nyour OUTER garment, and you offer your INNER garment as well, you put
\nthem in the situation of having to refuse to take both or stand in
\nviolation of religious law.<\/p>\n
\nsort of wish today’s gospel lesson has the question \u201cCan anything
\ngood come out of Nazareth?\u201d asked to Jesus himself, but I think
\nJohn does well with it anyway. \u00a0The answer of the whole book is \u201cYES\u201d
\nand the person asking the ignorant question is immediately aware of
\nhis error. \u00a0Loving nonviolence here includes seeing the world, and
\nits locations, a new.<\/p>\n\n
\nam a little bit concerned that because I have focused on spiritual
\ngrounding for kindom building, and nonviolent resistance
\nas the form of kindom building, that someone might not have
\nheard me speak imperative truths. \u00a0So, please give me a moment to be
\nabundantly clear:<\/p>\n
\nwho perpetuate violence in the name of Christianity are not following
\nJesus.<\/p>\n
\nitself has been profoundly co-opted by white supremacy in this nation
\n(and many others), and it is our obligation to CONTINUALLY root it
\nout, transform it, and be self-aware of how it is playing out in our
\nlives and communities.<\/p>\n
\nviolence we have seen in terms of mobs attacking governmental
\ninstitutions in this country are the angry expression of
\nmostly-white, mostly-men who believe they have a fundamental right to
\nbe more important than others. \u00a0Like any other abuser, they are most
\nviolent when they fear they are losing control. \u00a0THEY ARE LOSING
\nCONTROL, and they are truly terrifying as such.<\/p>\n
\nprogress we have seen in humanizing people from the fullness of
\nhumanity is NOT GUARANTEED \u2013 these angry abusive mobs have friends
\nin very high places, and a lot of backing. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nis always, always, always on the side of full and abundant life for
\nALL PEOPLE.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nthat’s the side we are on. \u00a0We don’t want power consolidated with
\nmostly white mostly men because no one group is able to adequately
\nseek the good of all groups. \u00a0It is only through shared knowledge,
\nresources, and power that we can seek the common good.<\/p>\n
\nTHAT is why I want us to be grounded in contemplative prayer, good
\nanalysis, and God’s grace. \u00a0Because I believe those are means of
\ncountering the insidious voices of white supremacy and it’s close
\ncousin the patriarchy. \u00a0To move towards the kindom requires seeking
\nclearly what is happening, and letting God’s love transform us, and
\nthe world through us.<\/p>\n
\ndear ones, please find the time to connect with grace.<\/p>\n
\nallow grace and love to fill you up.<\/p>\n
\nlet Rev. Dr. King’s reminder of the way of Christ continue to
\nchallenge you.
Please recommit to
\nJesus’s way of nonviolence.<\/p>\n
\nmay God grant us wisdom for the facing of this hour. \u00a0Amen <\/p>\n
\n\tDr. Martin Luther King Jr. \u201cOn Loving Your Enemies\u201d \u00a0found at
\n\thttps:\/\/www.onfaith.co\/onfaith\/2015\/01\/19\/martin-luther-king-jr-on-loving-your-enemies\/35907<\/a>
\n\ton March 29, 2018.<\/p>\n
First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305
Pronouns: she\/her\/hers
http:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FUMCSchenectady<\/a><\/p>\n