Jenn’s Sunday Sermon

I'm posting this early, as I have plans that will take up most of the day tomorrow.

*

Today's Sunday Sermon was inspired by a post at Street Prophets.

From Pastor Dan:

This week, I'm preaching on the first letter of John, which tells us in part:

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us–and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

Seems like this is calling us to do something, to live our faith, rather than just talk or think about it. So I thought I'd make some real-life suggestions to the congregation. What can they do in their Monday-to-Saturday lives to lay down their lives for one another? To help? To love in word or speech, but in truth or action?

I'm not a 'Christian' but, as I've said before, I try to live by certain principles found in the Bible and elsewhere. The most important of which is to treat all people with love, kindness, and understanding.

So, my first thought after reading this was: What can I do, every day, to act with love towards everyone I meet?

What popped into my head was: Girl, control your road rage! *laugh*

People who know me know I am pretty laid-back in every area, except one…driving. I am your classic Type-A driver, always in a hurry and – yes, I admit it – with a habit of cursing and making 'gestures' at drivers who are too slow, too fast, or…um, stupid.

I earned the nickname "Mario" for my style of slamming gears and going as fast as the cops allow. If I tell you I loved Dale Earnhardt's style of racing, does that tell you anything? Or that Sammy Hagar's "I Can't Drive 55" was my theme song in high school? *big grin*

I'm resolving, here and now – and you're all witnesses – to control my temper and my impatience on the road. I swear, I will treat my car as the wreck it is, and not the NASCAR legend I want it to be.

I'm going to put a smiley face on the steering wheel to remind me of this vow, and update you on my progress.

In addition, I'm going to be looking for other ways to help others in my community.

*

Now, from the funny to the serious part of my 'sermon'. (I promise, it's short.) Pastor Dan's quote above is from 1 John. Read verses 17 and 18 again.

How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

Now, ask yourself, how do the actions of George W. Bush, James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and other vocal members of the religious right compare to the words of the Apostle John?

How could God's love abide in anyone who is responsible for the death and destruction in Iraq?

How could God's love abide in anyone who is responsible for the death and destruction in New Orleans?

How could God's love abide in anyone who spouts Republican rhetoric and Christian doctrine, yet acts in direct opposition to every teaching of the man they call Savior?

It can't.

The only growing business in Iraq

Three years of war and on-going sectarian violence have kept many businesses in Iraq from making money, except for one: funeral services.

From Newsweek:

One sector of the economy has been quietly expanding since the March 2003 invasion—the so-called death industry. Cemeteries are growing from Najaf to Fallujah, while projects to expand morgues are underway in Baghdad.

An entire class of low-wage workers now relies solely on the bloody violence to make their living—from men who shuttle bodies to cemeteries to caterers who provide coffee and tea for funerals.

There's more money in the business than ever before, too, as costs for funerals have multiplied. The prices for coffins, plots, tombstones and other funeral services have skyrocketed.

[snip]

Perhaps the clearest evidence of this morbid business trend is at Baghdad's central morgue. According to the head of the morgue's statistics department, Dr. Qais Hassan, the number of dead passing through the morgue has been on the rise since 2002.

There were about 2,000 bodies in 2002, 8,000 in 2004 and 10,015 in 2005. The majority of those cases, he says, are related to the war—assassinations, victims of shootouts and bombings.

The morgue is so full at times, he says, they have to cool the bodies in shifts. "Taking out the bodies that are frozen, bringing the fresh ones instead, and so on," he explains.

[snip]

Given the gruesome nature of the death industry, the current boom makes men like Jamal Abdul Hassan uneasy. He once had to wash "only a head for preparation," he recalled. "Unfortunately, some people now turned this into a profitable job."

Hassan says he only charges people the fees for the materials involved, and that people then add whatever "tips" they want for the work involved. But no matter what the compensation, it's hardly a job anyone feels good about. [emphasis mine]

SD – making money despite anti-woman abortion bill

When South Dakota's legislature passed – and Governor Mike Rounds signed – the most restrictive abortion law in the country, making abortion illegal in every instance, with no exception for rape or incest victims, I, among others, called for a boycott of South Dakota products and events, (see Calling All Bikers) especially the state's biggest money-maker: the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

In researching, I discovered that a great many motorcycle groups are also calling for a boycott of the Rally, but for a different reason. Bikers took exception – and rightfully so – to the sentence handed down to Bill Janklow after he struck and killed a motorcyclist.

From the Rapid City Journal:

Most recently, some motorcycle groups vowed to boycott the Sturgis motorcycle rally to protest what they believed was a light sentence for Rep. Bill Janklow’s manslaughter conviction. He served 100 days in jail for killing a motorcyclist in an auto accident. [emphasis mine]

Unfortunately, there has been no concerted effort by any of these groups. There are lots of notices to boycott, but no national effort.

This morning, I read the following on MSNBC.com:

From Billboard:

The biggest motorcycle enthusiast gathering in the United States is turning up the volume. Producers are creating a music festival around the massive 66th annual Black Hills Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, S.D., with a lineup that includes Sammy Hagar, Big & Rich, Keith Urban and the Black Crowes.

[snip]

Capacity will be as high as 60,000 at the venue, and the talent lineup for the festival is strong. With a $3 million talent budget, the acts booked include Sammy Hagar, Big & Rich, Keith Urban, Steve Miller, Cheap Trick, Steppenwolf, Fabulous Thunderbirds, REO Speedwagon, 38 Special, Foghat, Georgia Satellites, Greg Rollie, Shooter Jennings, Live, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Nickelback and the Black Crowes.

I suggest contacting each of these acts listed, and asking them if they support a state's right to interfere in the personal medical decisions of its citizens. Do they support a state that tells rape and incest victims they must carry to term the product of those crimes?

Do they believe that 100 days in jail is a suitable punishment for hitting and killing a motorcyclist?

Clicking on each linked name will take you to either their contact page, or that of their labels or their reps. Please take a moment to send an email and ask these acts not to support the state of South Dakota, and to join the boycott of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

(If anyone has, or finds, the contact info for the other acts, please add them in the comments, and I'll update.)

Note: The Big & Rich link goes to their MySpace site. Unfortunately, you have to join MySpace (it's free) to leave a comment.

Also, check out Action Alerts.

From DailyKos in February:

I made a phone call to the Department of Tourism last week and encourage others to call and email!

Department of Tourism and State Development 711 East Wells Avenue Pierre, SD 57501-3369 (605) 773-3256, fax

Economic Development (605) 773-5032, phone www.sdgreatprofits.com

Tourism (605) 773-3301, phone www.TravelSD.com

South Dakota Arts Council 800 Governor's Drive Pierre, SD 57501-2294 (605) 773-3131, phone www.state.sd.us/deca/sdarts/

State Historical Society 900 Governor's Drive Pierre, SD 57501-2217 (605) 773-3458, phone www.sdhistory.org