Lent - Day 35 ( lies, more lies and fake Christianity )

       They say if you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it. In light of the resurgence of right wing radical bigot politicians, there have been several memes on FaceBook about how it was that Hitler got the German nation to follow and cooperate with such heinous acts such a horrific political agenda. It is not without due concern as hate mongering, lies and bigotry are spewed from the highest office in the land which only seems to inspire further wickedness and the agendas of the previously silent idiots out there. Those groups that apparently were only in want of some tacit official approval to come out of the shadows to rear their ugly heads. What seems especially heinous about the political events these days is the justification given by right wing religious extremists that surround and support the President. Here is the crux of my dilemma.

       The Scripture passage today has two opposing forces, both religious - Jesus vs. the religious elite. Cut down to the bare minimum, I'd say we can tell Jesus is the real deal because of the good that he does. No matter that he did it on the Sabbath. Our lives of faith can be judged by the actions and 'fruit' that we produce. 

         The same can be said of the political agenda of the current administration. The claim that their actions or agenda are somehow faith based or 'the will of God' is in direct contrast to the actions that they take and support. Rotten fruit! This is clearly not an administration who uses the life of Christ as a model for action.  This administration is the antithesis of a life based on Christian values and how Jesus would have us live. Any suggestion to the contrary is really fake news and indeed, a bastardized fake Christianity.

         The sincerity and vehemence with which I preach this gospel for today is based on fundamental Christian beliefs and correct knowledge and critical, thorough interpretation of Scripture. The moment of launch though is the result of knowing the holy man the church recognizes today, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, pastor and theologian. He too faced the true and real evil of the world in the Nazis. So too must we speak truth to power and raise our voices and votes against the evils of the current administration and the Pandora's box of evil he has unleashed on this country and the world. There is no minimizing this evil.  While I would not support some of the conclusions that Pastor Bonhoeffer came to, I see what evil the Nazi's wrought onto God's world. We must all be steadfast and firm against such evil.  I pray that we will be able, with just hearts and prudent courses of action, stem the tide of hatred, racism and xenophobia. I pray in thanksgiving for such enlightened and holy people like Pastor Bonhoeffer who willingly gave his life for us in the name of God.

       

John 9:18-41

 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sightand asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesusto be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’

 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.

 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains.