Craig Detweiler

A HIGH PRICE FOR OUR BARGAIN SHOPPING

Craig Detweiler — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:23:51 -0800

As another Christmas shopping season cranks up, can we slow down long enough to mourn for Jdimytai Damour? He was trampled to death in the stampede of shoppers that kicked off black Friday at a Wal-Mart in Nassau Country, New York. Damour’s large size placed him in the front of the store, assigned to stem the inevitable tide of bargain hunters. He wasn’t a Wal-Mart employee, but a subcontractor for a security company hired to control the flow. Evidently, Damour had no training in crowd control, but was placed in the line of fire due to his girth. How many shoppers simply ran over him, literally stomping the life (and breathe) out of him? Jdimytai Damour paid a high price for our bargain shopping.

A wide variety of blame has started to be cast. Was it Wal-Mart’s fault for underestimating the fervor of their day after Thanksgiving shoppers? Should the security company have trained Damour and others temp employees before placing them in dangerous situations? Can security cameras isolate (and then make it possible to charge) shoppers who stepped on him? Undoubtedly a pack of lawyers will seize upon this opportunity to sue. Will they be fighting for justice or hungry for a quick buck themselves?

In The New York Times, Ian Ayres linked Damour’s death to Bob Dylan’s classic song about a fallen boxer, “Who Killed Davey Moore?” In Dylan’s lament, the referee says, “Not I—don’t point your finger at me.” The crowd, his manager, those gambling on the fight, the reporters at ringside, and even the opponent who knocked him out all evade responsibility. “Don’t say ‘murder,’ don’t say, ‘kill.’ It was destiny, it was God’s will.”

Aren’t we all somewhat complicit in the death of Jdimytai Damour? Doesn’t our bargain hunting make us all responsible? When we embrace low prices regardless of the laborers who are might be exploited enroute, we all share in the blame. The same newspapers and television stations that benefited from black Friday’s advertising binge now report on Damour’s death with grave sincerity (but no regret). Yet, to what degree have we all turned consumption into a competitive sport? The reports are still rolling in but it appears the Microsoft’s X-Box 360 trounced Sony Playstation 3 on black Friday. (Why not use the word “trampled” or “killed” instead of “trounced”?) A few years ago it was a crush to find “Tickle Me Elmos.” The next generation camped out for iPhones. Some want affordability, others crave cachet. We all want both.

Some creative Christians have proposed an Advent Conspiracy to subvert our habit. Surely, we can better honor the arrival of baby Jesus by making presents and giving the money we would have spent to worthy causes. Last Christmas, the Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Choir asked us “What Would Jesus Buy?” They provided an early, prophetic warning of where our obsession with low prices might lead. We laughed at their notion of a coming, “Shopacalypse.” Now, unfortunately, the Church of Stop Shopping has a martyr to bolster their protest. Reverend Billy recently weighed in on the death of Jdimytai Damour. He simply asked us to “slow down” this season. Surely, Advent is meant to be a season of anticipation, waiting for a savior to be born. Unfortunately, we began this Christmas with a tragic death, a black Friday in word and deed. Jdimytai’s blood has spilled all over my shopping list.

ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

Craig Detweiler — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:41:16 -0800

I’m in Washington, DC this week. I had the privilege of taking my kids to see George and Martha Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. Their home features a commanding view overlooking the Potomac. Yet, that dramatic setting pales in comparison to the dramatic events in American History swirling throughout their lifetime. Our tour took on added resonance during this tumultuous election year.

George Washington learned many valuable military lessons while serving under the British during the French and Indian War. He suffered a stinging defeat at Ft. Necessity outside Pittsburgh. When British General Braddock refused to heed Washington’s advice, the General and his troops were dealt a crushing blow. These “failures” during the French and Indian War sharpened Washington’s strategy and resolve during the Revolutionary War against the British. A short film at Mt. Vernon’s museum recreated Washington’s daring Christmas crossing of the Delaware River in 1776. Under cover of darkness, the revolutionary army was able to surprise the British redcoats the next morning in New Jersey.

I also plan to take my children to Yorktown, to see where the British forces surrendered in 1781. How strange to think that as commander of the victorious American army, Washington could have installed himself as general/king/ruler of the colonies. When King George III of England heard that Washington planned to retire instead, he allegedly remarked, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.” Back on the farm in Virginia, Washington capitalized on Martha’s considerable wealth (due to her first husband’s death) to develop the impressive estate we revere as Mount Vernon.

Washington’s retirement didn’t last long. He was summoned to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government resulted. The Constitution was ratified in 1788. Three years later, the Bill of Rights offered citizens the right to a trial by their peers and the right to bear arms. The American experiment was forged. But who would lead this nascent nation?

Washington was elected as the first president by a unanimous vote amongst the Electoral College (which has never happened to another candidate since!). The museum at Mt. Vernon features a scene from the first presidential inauguration which took place in New York City, April 1789. How startling to realize Washington’s job description as the first president of the United States was quite amorphous. Vice President-elect John Adams thought the title should be, “His Most Benign Highness!” Washington was content to be addressed as, “Mr. President.”

Consider all the first appointments that followed from Secretary of State (Thomas Jefferson) and a Secretary of Treasury (Alexander Hamilton) to the first Supreme Court. As an already wealthy man, Washington declined to take a salary, only relenting when he realized it might send the wrong signal that only the rich could afford to serve as president. Washington could easily have abused his power, yet chose to step down after two crucial terms as president.

We concluded our tour at the gravesite of George and Martha Washington. Just down the path, a memorial has been set up for the slaves who served at Mt. Vernon. While their names are not recorded, their presence and contributions have a least a small memorial. The tour of our first president’s home made me weigh the historic election of our 44th President. Is two-hundred plus years a long road to equality? Or in the scale of history, will the American experiment be viewed as a rapid success?

Surely the first fifteen years between the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights constitute the foundational moments in United States history. Where will the election and inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama rank in American milestones? What do you think?

DAVID BAZAN ROCKS (Gently)

Craig Detweiler — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:50:48 -0800

Fuller Seminary’s Travis Auditorium was sold out on Saturday for a solo show by acclaimed musician, David Bazan. Sitting center stage with his guitar, Bazan entranced his devoted fans with an hour of songs and stories. He is a poet of uncertainty, excavating his Christian roots in search of the authentic. His acoustic show packed plenty of punch with his signature dry wit. Performing on the heels of America’s historic presidential election, Bazan basked in the outcome. Amidst his downboat, introspective songs, David Bazan sounded genuinely happy.

He introduced a host of new tunes from his long-awaited debut on Seattle’s Barsuk Records. Acknowledging the countless recording devices in the room, Bazan bargained with his fans, “Don’t be a hero” and post things online before the album’s Spring release. Bazan performed the parabolic, “Weeds in the Wheat,” the haunting “Curse Your Branches,” and his jaunty new track, “Please Baby Please.”

He also treated the Fuller audience to vintage tunes from his days as Pedro the Lion like “Slow and Steady Wins the Race.” His song “Foregone Conclusions” sounded more Calvinist in the seminary setting. Yet, the lyrics rip into Christians who treat others as a project. In a room filled with pastors in training, the Pedro song, “Priests and Paramedics” anticipated countless hospital visits and funerals ahead. When paramedics cannot save another accident victim, the burden of explanation falls upon a priest. Bazan leans into the daunting problem of death.

As the priest got up to speak
The assembly craved relief
But he himself had given up
So instead he offered them this bitter cup
“You’re gonna die, we’re all gonna die
Could be twenty years, could be tonight
Lately I have been wondering why
We go to so much trouble to postpone the unavoidable

And prolong the pain of being alive.

The fragile peace brokered within heated conversations in Bazan’s songs echoes the dialogue in our Purple State of Mind project. John Marks gets frustrated when my own doubts about the faith leave him uncertain how to position himself as the unbeliever. Bazan’s newer songs are full of self-satire and confession. He talks about reasons for ending Pedro the Lion in “Fewer Broken Pieces.” Bazan also performed a song from his synthesizer driven side project, “Headphones.” He makes peace with generational angst:

I guess that’s what you get 
For being born in the seventies 
But i won’t hold it against you 
If you don’t hold it against me

Bazan/Pedro/Headphones is not for everyone. The poignant, conflicted songs appeal to those inclined toward introspection. They draw you inward, toward self-examination. For Christians still waking up to the half-truths foisted upon them, Bazan’s bracing honesty is quite liberating (and threatening!). He closed the evening with a “post Christian” prayer from Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah.” It was an apt benediction to an evening of thorny honesty.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Craig Detweiler — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:34:51 -0800

It is suddenly serious season at the movies. The powerful, Oscar worthy film, THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS, arrives in theaters at an opportune time. Based upon an acclaimed novel by Irishman John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas explores the horrors of Auschwitz with childlike wonder. It is driven by remarkable performances from two young actors, Asa Butterfield as Bruno and Jack Scanlon as Shmuel. As the son of a Nazi commandant, Bruno literally crosses the barbed wire that separates him from the imprisoned Shmuel. As Jesus crossed borders, so Bruno discovers that while barriers may divide us, bold sacrifices will unite us.

As we conclude a divisive American presidential election, the question remains, “How do we work together?” Can we embrace those we disagree with, “the Other,” as more than an enemy? French philosopher and Talmud scholar Emmanuel Levinas suggested:

I am responsible for the Other without waiting for reciprocity, were I to die for it. Reciprocity is their affair. It is precisely insofar as the relation between the Other and me is not reciprocal that I am in subjection to the Other; and I am “subject” essentially in this sense. It is I who support all…The I always has one responsibility more than all the others.

This Miramax production is all about empathy. Are we willing to literally step into the suffering of others? Do we stand behind the walls and fences we’ve built to insulate ourselves? Or are we willing to cross over regardless of the cost?

As co-director of Fuller Seminary’s Reel Spirituality Institute, I’ve written a study guide for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. This free, downloadable resource gives filmgoers helpful ways to integrate this bridge-building film into their ministry. The study guide connects to clips from key scenes in this haunting film. You can preview the film and download the study guide here.

Change Has Come: Obacalypse Now?

Craig Detweiler — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:24:54 -0800

Did you weep?   As Barack Obama was announced as President-elect, I cried for a while.   Whether you shed tears of joy or disappointment, we all witnessed a historic victory.   I never dreamed that our country would elect a black president in my lifetime.   Our nation seemed too haunted by our past. In 1964, as the Civil Rights movement began, Sam Cooke sang, “A Change is Gonna Come.” Yet, after a remarkable voter turnout, an unprecedented, multicultural moment has arrived.   The election of Barack Obama as president proves that “Change has come.”   So how shall we respond?

Despite a Democratic majority in Congress, will President-elect Obama be met with cooperation or resistance?    Many white evangelicals may be tempted to view Barack Obama’s presidential victory as “Obacalypse Now.”   Seventy-five percent of white, born-again voters backed Senator John McCain.   Do these Christians want to go down in history as having led the opposition to one of the most important and beloved presidents in American history?   Or can Caucasian Christians come to see this election as more opportunity than tragedy?    It is not too late to come alongside this remarkable moment.   Before anyone starts throwing stones, I encourage the conservative Christian community to pause, reflect, and maybe even repent.

Countless emails were forwarded to me during the waning days of the campaign. They took on an increasingly desperate air.   I was told our nation was “in harm’s way.” I was encouraged to pray for “a person of righteousness to rule.”   One compared Obama’s infomercial to the techniques of Adolph Hitler’s Nazi propaganda.   It was alleged that Barack was actually an African-Arab.    Clearly, some people of faith are very scared.

Focus on the Family’s incendiary “Letter from 2012” spun the most alarmist scenarios.    Under President Obama, they predicted a left leaning Supreme Court would embrace homosexuality with such aplomb that the Boy Scouts are banished, Catholic adoption agencies are outlawed, and Christian broadcasting will be prohibited as hate speech. (Perhaps they understood the spirit behind their letter better than they realized.) Time will tell whether Focus will be seen as a prophetic or pathetic.    Obama’s victory may be a financial boon to ministries baptized in the politics of fear. They may redouble their efforts to divide those that God longs to join together.   But as people of faith shouldn’t we repudiate such blatant appeals to our worst instincts?

Are we ready to resume our role as agents of reconciliation?   Can we recover our biblical calling to pursue righteousness and justice?   Those noble words are linked 55 times in the Hebrew Bible.   Memorable verses like Isaiah 1:16, Proverbs 21:3, and Amos 5:24 unite justice and righteousness as complimentary aspects of a glorious vision.   This is where things are made right, where God’s people begin to resemble a peaceable kingdom, where shalom reigns over our relationships.

Some churches emphasize personal piety, stressing our need for purity and righteousness.   Other congregations focus upon our public responsibility, the need to reform social structures and provide for the poor. The ancient Jewish community could not imagine one without the other.   Their faith was holistic, not subdivided into public and private realms.

We must not mistake America for ancient Israel or anoint ourselves a “Christian nation.” (See Pastor Greg Boyd's excellent Myth of a Christian Nation for more detail). The Christian left must not mirror the misplaced hopes of the Religious Right. We do not place our faith in a political party, but in a single person, Jesus of Nazareth.   Our allegiance is not to Republicans or Democrats, red or blue states, but to a king robed in purple splendor. But we must live out our private faith in public ways, practicing personal purity while advocating liberty and justice for all. Now is not the time to go Amish (although I respect their fervent commitments).

This election offers contemporary Christians an opportunity to embrace a more complete faith.   White evangelicals have much to learn from the embodied faith of black Christians who have prayed and marched for their rights to vote and worship.   They worked with whoever would rally to their cause to alter American history.   What happens when justice and righteousness unite in even a brief holy kiss?   Those rare moments produce remarkably far-reaching results.

In his 2007 Address to the American Academy of Religion on “The Folly of Secularism,” Dr. Jeffrey Stout of Princeton University suggested a way forward.   He chided secularists who would seek to remove religion from the public square. Stout suggested that the most hateful preachers will continue on their mission with or without government protection or permission.   But the idea of banishing such speech from the political process is ill-founded folly.   A secular America might come to resemble Islamic nations where religious moderates find solace only in alignment with religious conservatives they might otherwise disdain.   Stout challenges us to resist calls to an exclusively secular or a Christian America.

Writing a year before the economic meltdown, Stout suggests, “If a new coalition is going to succeed in breaking the hold of billionaires and bosses on our political institutions, it will have to include millions of theistic moderates, as well as a lot of people more like me, who consider themselves atheists, agnostics, and “spiritual but not religious.’”   I caught a glimpse of the coalition Stout described at the American Academy of Religion’s convention in Chicago this week.   I saw Obama stickers on black Christians, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and atheists.   Even a few evangelicals dared to “Barack the vote.”    Their buttons included references to verses like Micah 6:8 and Matthew 25.   Will God’s people act justly and love mercy?   Will we put into practice Jesus’ challenge to feed the hungry and the thirsty, to look after strangers, to care for the sick and visit prisoners? We all witnessed how greed possessed those in power.   The profound voter turnout demonstrates how desperately we long to take back our government.

Stout noted how, “People who sincerely wanted conservatism to be compassionate and American foreign policy to be just and humble are wondering what their true friends might be in the age of Katrina and Guantanamo Bay.   They were shocked that their leaders were dividers, that the prosperity which was supposed to be trickling down to the poor was actually getting sucked upward by the richest of the rich.”   We all feel conflicted by the justifications and lies that sold us on war in Iraq.   All this disappointment has resulted in the political realignment that surrounds us. What will we do with this distinct moment in time?

Stout concluded his address with inspiring examples of historic reforms.   Committed Christians combined with liberal intellectuals to usher in the abolition of slavery, women’s right to vote, and the civil rights movement in America.   We’ve seen how Polish citizens overwhelmed the Soviet Union with religious and political force.   Apartheid ended in South Africa when reformed minded Christians like Desmond Tutu and Allan Boesak teamed with the political acumen of Nelson Mandela.   Can you see the implications?   Enduring social reform arises when left and right, Christian and secular forces unite for the common good.

An Obama presidency offers Christians a remarkable opportunity to fuel a massive social movement.   Much good can be accomplished on behalf of the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed around the world if we form some unlikely coalitions.   We can work together on creation care, protecting the environment for the sake of our children.    We can advocate educational reform that may reduce the number of lives languishing in prisons. Surely we can make college more affordable for working families.   We can work to reduce third world debt, granting people the economic freedom they desperately deserve.

Or we can focus on the high profile things that divide us.   Twenty years into the cultural wars, are we finally ready to ceasefire?   Our single issue voting hasn’t resulted in substantive change.   Most of my generation consider themselves conscientious objectors in the culture war.   Will conservative Christians consider the (temporary) defeat of gay marriage the cornerstone of a political future?   Or can evangelicals finally admit that the culture war is a failed project.   Two-thirds of voters under 30 backed Obama.   When the Barna Research Group asked 1000 young people what they associated with the word, “Christian,” those outside the faith said, “judgmental,” “hypocritical,” “anti-intellectual,” “anti-homosexual,” and “too political.”   Do we really want to reinvest in a war that has produced such strange fruit?    Are we willing to drive an entire generation away by continuing to define ourselves by what we’re against?   The biggest wedge we’ve developed is between us and Jesus.

I was so grieved by the divisiveness that accompanied the 2004 election that I embarked upon a documentary that sought to heal the breach.   Purple State of Mind was intended to be a survey of America’s voices.   Instead, it became an opportunity to dig even deeper into how faith and doubt divide us.   My college roommate, John Marks, and I demonstrated that we could remain friends despite our differences.   We made the film as an act of hope on behalf of our children who inherit a remarkably diverse nation.   Surely compassionate conservatism can work with a gracious liberalism to forge a future.

To an either/or Christian community, I wrote a both/and appeal, A Purple State of Mind book. It outlines how we can forge a united future even with those we vehemently disagree with.   We must push past old divisions rooted in the fifties versus the sixties.   We must bring together youth and wisdom.   We must follow our creeds with deeds.

If white evangelicals devolve into obstructionist postures, we will guarantee continuing gridlock on much more than social issues. Pressing matters of war and economics deserve to take center stage. If suburban Christians actually embrace Obama’s historic presidency on matters they can agree upon, they may find a surprising ally, someone who shares concerns for justice, equality, and religious freedom. Breakthroughs begun by Christians in civil rights and voting rights in America could be extended around the globe. People of faith concerned about genocide in Darfur could join forces with an Obama White House. Religious freedoms may be extended in the Sudan, in China, in the Middle East if Christians uphold their biblical mandate to pray for their leaders. I hope and trust that is not too big an “if” to wish for amidst a fearful mood of “Obacalypse Now.” To those who opposed him, President-elect Obama has already declared, “I will be your president, too.”

Halloween: "The Real Exorcist" arrives

Craig Detweiler — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:30:03 -0700

Halloween always stirs up interest in scary movies.   As a child, the mere mention of a ghost or goblin would cause me to cover my eyes.   Yet, I’d find myself sneaking a peek, trying to catch a glimpse of some frightening phantasm.   Why are we so fascinated with horror movies?    What attracts us to evil or at least calls us to confront our fears?

I remember watching Night of the Living Dead on TV as a kid. A thunderstorm arose in my hometown just as it arrived onscreen.   The verisimilitude caught my attention with each flash of lightning.   Zombies slowly descending upon a Pittsburgh home creeped me out for weeks.    The Exorcist became a cultural phenomenon by taking the devil seriously. (It also made headlines through some gruesome special effects). Suddenly, an ancient church rite entered into mainstream discussions.   I am still haunted by Max von Sydow as the priest shouting at the demon, “The power of Christ compels you!” The cast and crew played the horror straight, as something that could happen to your daughter or friend.   Plausibility made The Exorcist that much scarier.

While many Christians steer clear of horror, others have leaned into the genre, finding it rife with dramatic and spiritual possibililities.   Wes Craven, the creator of Freddy Krueger and Nightmare on Elm Street, is a graduate of the evangelical Wheaton College.   While he walked away from his religious roots, he still trafficked in the supernatural. He sees horror as a way to confront our fears, to unleash two hours of chaos before it is corralled and bound.   The Exorcism of Emily Rose points to the existence of evil as an argument for God.   Director Scott Derrickson developed the film from actual taped recordings of Anneliese Michel, a Catholic woman in Germany who underwent a grueling exorcism. Such historical cases suggest that the presence of this haunting force should draw us to the Light, to deliverance with even greater urgency.

Tonight, the Sci-Fi Channel wades into this scary season with a new series, The Real Exorcist. It builds upon their tradition of supernatural reality shows like “Ghosthunters” but crosses into the realm of televangelism. The Real Exorcist follows Bob Larson, a Christian talk show host who has become an expert on demons and the occult.   His traveling ministry offers deliverance from demon possession.   Bob is one of the most animated and captivating characters you’ll see on TV.   Like many televangelists, Larson has also been criticized for the extravagant salaries and riches that his ministry has generated. Sci-Fi Channel viewers will undoubtedly approach the series with a mix of skepticism and fascination.   You can see an eerie and powerful preview here.

While many may dismiss the series as mere entertainment, the mission of exorcists continues. This week, the LA Times featured an article on nuns who answer phone calls to the Vatican. In an ever-automated world, the nuns provide a personal, human response to those calling the Roman Catholic Church for help.

Sister Maria Grazia, 71, became an operator 14 years ago after serving as a missionary in Africa. The robust, jolly Italian speaks English, Spanish, French and Korean and gets by in other languages too. Most of her calls come from Asia, Africa and the Americas. And she talks to quite a few people who say they need an exorcist.

"It's hard to tell whether they are psychologically ill, whether they are in the grip of a sect or whether it is something else."

Evil remains a mysterious but palpable part of life. We have plenty of reasons to fear. I am thankful for filmmakers willing to wade into dark spaces. I am contemptuous of those who make evil look so attractive that it bewitches some viewers. I am grateful for those who literally wrestle with evil on a daily basis. Some do it in ecclesiastical settings. Others venture into the equally messy realms of politics, education, or entertainment.

I am eager to celebrate All Saints Day this Sunday, to provide a bracing alternative to Samhain and various pagan versions of harvest time. Our church will recite the names of all our members who have died in the past year, honoring the lives of our dearly departed saints. At least one day a year, the Christian church remembers those who’ve gone before us, who blazed a trail, who walked with courage and conviction through an often frightening world.

Rebranding Faith: Christians are ______.

Craig Detweiler — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:26:45 -0700

I’m currently teaching a class on Theology and Pop Culture at Fuller Seminary. We’re reading my first book, A Matrix of Meanings, which I wrote with Barry Taylor. Before we study movies, music and TV, Barry and I cover the pervasive nature of advertising and the triumph of celebrity culture in the marketplace. So as my class reflected upon the power of advertising, I challenged them to ‘rebrand Christianity.’ Some resisted the idea of packaging faith. They wonder if a book like Branding Faith by Phil Cooke reduced Jesus to a commodity. Surely, nobody wants to see more Jesus Junk sold at Christian bookstores. But that’s not what Cooke’s book or the assignment was all about. The question remains, “What is the story we are living and telling?”

We must recognize that we’ve sent extremely conflicting signals to people about who we are and what we value. We have plenty of signs that brand us as a people—from the cross of Christ to the ubiquitous fish symbol. Jesus offered us bread and wine as a tangible reminder of his sacrificial life. Unfortunately, Christians have come to define themselves by what they’re against rather than how or what they are for. We have adopted an attitude of correcting and perfecting others rather than ourselves. According to the survey results found in the important book, UnChristian, Jesus’ followers are perceived as judgmental, hypocritical, anti-homosexual and too political. So how do we dig out of this hole of our own creation?

The students who expressed the most disdain for the assignment took to the streets in an effort to get past it. They asked people in Pasadena to complete the sentence, “Christians are _____.” (This has interesting echoes of Brett McCracken's recent post about the use of Christian as an adjective and marketing term.) By allowing others to have a say, they gave power to the people. Like the most effective advertising and entertainment, it allowed for participation. They also employed a low-fi graphic approach. This was an "UnCampaign."

While the students still came up with a new “fill in the blank” slogan, their efforts came closest to approximating what many expressed—the need for “authentic faith.” Too often, we’re left to define ourselves as “not that kind of loveless, judgmental, gay-bashing Christian.” So when others shout, “God hates fags,” we respond by saying “I’m sorry.” While absolutely appropriate, I wonder, “Is that sufficient?” How can we present a proactive Christianity that blesses (rather than curses) the world? Dressing our faith up as a more impressive or authentic object will not suffice. So how do we get to the other side, actually putting our loving faith into practice?

One key way is listening. Imagine giving people an opportunity to talk about how they’ve been hurt, damaged, or confused by Christians. We could encourage our colleagues to recount their painful experiences of God’s people. So perhaps the first way out of the mess is to let people vent. Listen to our friends’ complaints, critiques, and very valid fears. And perhaps, we will both discover our proximity to each other–how much we have in common. We’ve all been disappointed and injured by Christians. We all have questions about the Bible. We all long for a place to belong. Some chose to stay involved in the Christian community as a means of finding God. But we understand why the Christian community was often a toxic place for others.

Perhaps those outside the walls of the church are essential to deepening the faith of those choosing to remain within the Christian community. Hopefully, we can become a gift to each other, a source of mutual benefit. Lord knows, we all need a shoulder to cry on in times like this. Whether those tears arise from anger, frustration and resentment or reflection, repentance, and defeat, we desperately need each other in order to move on. Some of us need an apology. Others of us need to apologize. But none of us can truly experience transformation until we’ve faced our deepest fears and regrets.

Perhaps we will discover that the enormous gap we’ve created can shrink in a moment of simple, human solidarity. That’s the kind of website and campaign I’m eager to join. Surely out of our common need arises the possibility of a divine encounter. So fill in the blank: Christians are _____ ?

FLOW: For the Love of Water

Craig Detweiler — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:25:33 -0700

While many of us have felt the pinch at the pump, what if we compared gas prices to water prices? We can learn to live without oil. But who can survive even a few days without water? When it comes to precious commodities, water is far more essential than silver or gold. What is our responsibility to provide living waters throughout the world? And how should we respond to the rise of bottled water, the fastest growing segment of the beverage industry? Is it a charade foisted upon an unsuspecting public? A recent study by the World Wildlife Fund points out that bottled water is often no safer than tap water. The headline grabbing Environmental Working Group just released results that suggest that the bottled water at WalMart and Giant contains just as many contaminants and chlorination as tap water. Should we be alarmed?

A smart, passionate film about the ethics of water recently arrived in theaters. It premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and played alongside Purple State of Mind at a recent film fest in Charlotte. FLOW: For the Love of Water chronicles the water wars brewing in many developed countries. As companies privatize the distribution of water, will the poor be cut off from precious H-2-0? The documentary takes us to South Africa and Bolivia where private corporations control the flow. How much should we pay for a bottle of water? Is that water demonstrably better? Who oversees and checks on its contents?

Flow follows Michigan residents battling Nestle’s efforts to tap into their lakes, bottle the water, and sell it back to them. This galvanizing film steps on many corporations and governments toes. But it raises important questions about whether everyone has a right to safe, clean drinking water. While many will undoubtedly take issue with its reporting, Flow stands out as a social justice documentary of the highest order.

At Sundance, I had an opportunity to meet director Irena Salina and talk to producer Gill Holland, Jr. Clearly, their alarming documentary was a long-term labor of love. They’re offering an advance warning, a flare to wake us up before it is too late. Flow may not storm the box office, but hopefully its ideas will continue to be discussed in the public sphere.

I was so convicted by the movie that I swore off bottled water. My wife and I have gone SIGG instead. Hikers and campers have known about these water containers for years. We bought colorful bottles for both our children. Every morning, we load up on filtered water from our tap and carry our Sigg containers as we go. Will aluminum someday be labeled as dangerous or cancer causing? Perhaps. But in the meantime, we’re attempting to stem the overflow of plastic that accompanies so much of our consumption. We also recommend remarkable ministries like Blood:Water that are leading the way in digging wells and delivering the gift of life.

Whether you catch Flow in the theaters or on DVD, make sure to consider the ethics and economics of bottled water.

Election 2008: Why Dividing Does Not Conquer

Craig Detweiler — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:45:33 -0700

It must be exasperating for Republicans to watch John McCain hammer away at Barack Obama. McCain raises questions about Obama’s associates, his character, and his tax plan, and yet still loses in the court of public opinion. In the third and final debate at Hofstra, McCain made his most definitive statement so far, distancing himself from President Bush. McCain also put Obama on the defensive for most of the evening. But polls taken amongst debate watchers indicate that McCain’s unfavorable ratings increased, while confidence in Obama continued to rise. What’s going on here?

Debates can be won on more than points. Intangibles like tone, tempo and demeanor matter. Some who watch my debate with John Marks in Purple State of Mind think I clearly lost. John hammers away at me with a host of historic complaints against Christianity. I mostly just absorb the punishment, agreeing that much of Christian behavior is disappointing and even troubling. But I would maintain that viewers are also evaluating body language, style, and positioning. My goal with John wasn’t to win a debate but to present a more gracious and loving faith. I wanted to prove to viewers that Christians are not all angry, judgmental and reactionary.

Obama has bordered on boring during the debates. Democrats may wonder, “Dude, where’s my candidate?” Why doesn’t he fight back? Why not question Sarah Palin’s qualifications when presented by moderator Bob Schieffer with a clear opportunity? Many commentators have suggested that Obama is following Muhammad Ali’s “rope-a-dope” strategy. He is laying back, waiting for McCain to wear himself out, before he starts swinging. Yet, with the debate completed, Obama has yet to be aggressive.

Obama continues to win over undecided and independent voters by not taking the bait. Winning for Obama involves reassuring people about his electability by being the anti-thesis of the angry black man. In all three debates, he has come across as steady, even handed, and calm under fire. During a period of profound uncertainty, voters don’t want fireworks. They want bland.

While Obama is undoubtedly a blue state liberal, his demeanor is utterly purple—listening, agreeing, bridge-building. McCain’s efforts to reignite the culture war with his choice of Sarah Palin worked with devoted Republicans. But the election will be decided by swing voters searching for a candidate who can unite a troubled country. Red meat doesn’t work when people already feel bruised and blooded. Enough red ink has already been spilled. So the harder McCain punches, the more independents run to Obama’s corner.

McCain won the Republican primaries by being a less partisan uniter. He’s fading from the election contest because his campaign has made him the divider. It is tough to divide and conquer in an era that demands unparalleled cooperation. The winner of this election will embody a more purple state of mind.

Yom Kippur? Not on Wall Street

Craig Detweiler — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:47:34 -0700

Judaism’s holiest season of repentance coincided with comeuppance for corporate America. Ten days of reflection follow Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Yet Yom Kippur, the annual day of atonement, was observed everywhere but Wall Street.

Ten days of fasting and prayer sound utterly appropriate after an era of unregulated excess. Surely, the fat cat C.E.O.s who have been gorging themselves at stockholders expense could tighten their belts for at least one day. Yet, the reports flowing from Wall Street revealed ongoing gluttony in a week of economic collapse. The day of judgement is uponus. But where is the atonement? Why no public confession of sins? Whither repentance?

When spendthrift corporations like AIG should have been redecorating in sack cloth and ashes, these ingrates celebrated their federal bailout with a blowout at the St. Regis Hotel in Laguna Beach. It took more than a $100million of taxpayer support to stabilize AIG and yet they still dared to run up a $440,000 vacation tab. In a letter to Treasury secretary Henry Paulson, AIG’s CEO Edward Liddy defended the event, "This sort of gathering has been standard practice in our industryfor many years and was planned many months before the Federal Reserve's loan to AIG.” I guess we’re supposed to be grateful that the public outrage led by Congressman Henry Waxman resulted in their cancellation of a similar event for their sales leaders at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay.

Wachovia engaged in an equally egregious ‘business as usual’ cruise. While Citigroup and Wells Fargo were debating what fire sale price to pay for Wachovia’s foolhardy loans, seventy-five employees and spouses from Wachovia’s brokerage house, A.G.Edwards, were cruising around the Greek Isles. Since taxpayers are likely to shoulder the burden for $250 million of bad loans, perhaps we should also have some type of lottery for those cruise tickets. Seventy-five lucky taxpayers could enjoy Greece in style. But isn’t that the kind of “party now, pay later” philosophy that precipitated our problems?

But isn’t that the kind of “party now, pay later” philosophy that precipitated our problems? Somehow, I can’t imagine the banks or insurance companies adopting a similar attitude towards consumer debt. If we overspend, we pay. If they overspend, they get bailed out. This has echoes of Jesus’ extravagant forgiveness of debt in Matthew 18. Yet, the measure that Congress is using with Wall Street seems unlikely to be extended to Main Street. It is time for some form of reckoning. Who will settle their debts responsibly?

The high holy days have concluded. But the days of atonement have only just begun. While the stock market continues to crash, let the pausing, fasting, and confessing commence.