an Advent dream.

       I had a rather unusual dream last night. It combined numerous people I know and some coworkers from where I retired a few years back. In this dream there was a disgusting, sexist joke being passed around at work. While I had not heard the joke, as the supervisor I wanted to make sure that it would stop and noted to my own supervisors that I would immediately report and discipline anyone involved with passing this joke around. Sure enough, someone did. I explained about decency and rules , especially in a state institution, and said he would be reprimanded. At this point, several individuals, including the one I was speaking to, picked up rocks and started to pelt me with them.  I will stop the camera there.

        In unpacking this dream I noted to myself people that had been stoned ( not of the 420 variety ) and the provocation. It is quite biblical to be stoned for one transgression or another.  I believe Leviticus calls for stoning for several different sins such as wearing mixed fabric clothing or some such, handling the skin of an unclean animal. ( passing a football perhaps? ).  Jesus saved an adulterous woman ( and an adulterous man I would presume as well ) from being stoned, saying 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone'.  The real biggy to me is the thought of Mary, this being Advent and all.

       Mary said yes to bear the God child, Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Be that as it may, Mary ran a very high risk of being stoned as a technically unwed young girl, simply betrothed to Joseph. A real good stoning would certainly have been in order. It's biblical, right? We do not allow stoning of anyone in our time, state sponsored or otherwise. Why is that?

        My mind really starts to wander now about folks who almost demand that people say "Merry Christmas" or tout bumper stickers that say "Keep Christ in Christmas". ( I want a bumper sticker that says "Keep Christ in Christianity" ) The fact is, we do have a separation between church and state, even if that line gets blurry. We are not a Christian nation as some would suppose, even if that is a majority of the citizens. We are a country founded on freedom of religion. The fact is we do not use Fatwas as laws, we do not use Sharia law as laws, nor do we use Christian Scripture as laws. What we intend to believe is that God is used as a basis for our laws. That intentionally does not mean taking any Scriptures literally. It certainly denounces using one religions precepts over another.

           In theory we are based on Godliness. Faith, love, generosity, concerns for humanity and a whole host of all God's magnificent and loving attributes. In practice, we make laws that reflect our human heritage and our concern and desire for God to be witnessed in our lives and society

         As an Advent reflection, ask yourself if you are ready to arm yourself with a stone to whack Mary for her 'sin'.  It was undoubtedly so at that time considered a grievous sin. If we are preparing for the Christ child and hope and love and why it is we hold the Incarnation so important, we should perhaps ponder the attributes we hold as Godly and worthy of a life well lived. Not materialism but a genuine spirit of love and an embrace of all humanity that God became incarnate for.