Growing up on a gravel road ™ The last time I try. I read with great interest this morning about a young lady who won the right to collect unemployment benefits from her former employer. She had walked off her job after an early morning meeting with her boss and had filed for the benefits for being religiously harrassed. During their morning gathering, her employer had chastised her for “living in sin” as he put it, for cohabitating with her boyfriend and not being married. He had also asked whether she was collecting food assistance or taking advantage of any other form of public aid. Then he pulled from his desk, a copy of the Quran and told her that she needed to read daily from it and also pointed out several other areas in the book for her to study as daily lessons....guidelines for her to “fly the straight and narrow path” required of any devout follower and also...as one of his employees. Her employer fought the payout saying that they play religiously appropriate music over the store intercom during business hours, they display symbols inherently recognizable as representation of his religion on the front store sign and elsewhere inside the store and these were all things that she was made to be more than aware of at the time of her hiring. He further contends that she had worked for him for nearly 6 months before she quit and that there had been daily discussion amongst himself and her fellow employees, every day, on the various aspects of religious living, so, her morning meeting should have not only been expected, but welcomed since he was merely trying to help her be ready when it was her time to go to heaven. Even the original judge in her case had denied these benefits but, was overruled by an arbitrator and she was granted relief that allowed her to collect the funds. She has since found other employment but went without any income for nearly six months while the case worked its way through the court system. I want every one of you to ruminate on that scenario and answer back to me whether this case is a case of workplace harassment. What would you do if you were in this womans place ? Or...do you believe that since all of the signs were there when she originally applied for employment...was her employer correct in fighting her in collecting benefits ? I would be curious to hear other opinions. I have at least a dozen drafts of this tale. Every time I start, Ill get two thirds through it and then hit a wall. I start to wondering if I should post it, think for a bit and then file it as unfinished. I think again and add a paragraph or two and question whether I have the right to begin the conversation... then I think a little more and figure “Whats the worst that can happen ?” Its me and who I am...Its my blog so what the hell...... My intention then is to finish this and get it out of my head, once and for all. In the fifth grade I started what was to be a journey that lasted for four years. Every Saturday morning during the school year I took part in a ritual very similar to what many of you were subjected to.....Catechism class.... Lutheran style. Much of it, was in many ways, not that different from pictures you may have seen of young Jewish or Muslim youth being schooled in the precepts of the chosen family religion. Much time was spent being taught the basic tenants of the history of ones faith. Memorization was a big part of it and I was blessed with an ability to put things to memory without a ton of effort. This ability allowed for me to be relatively successful later on in life with my involvement in theater and being able to remember my lines for a show. It is also partially responsible for Gravel Road, in that, I seem to be able to recall bits and pieces in my stories that most of you need a jolt in order to recollect. Luthers Small Catechism was really nothing more than a series of questions regarding and supportive of the 95 Theses Luther himself nailed to the door of the cathedral four hundred and ninety some years ago. Along with it were corresponding passages of scripture to substantiate his questions. The last two years of study dealt with the second book, which was more of the same, but a more intense study of the credos necessary in order to be “Lutheran”. To me, all the second half of the training was intended to stigmatize anybody who may have thoughts of asking why the Papists or other brands of Protestantism were wrong. I doubt very highly that any of my fellow students then, or any of you who know me now, were aware of exactly how close I was to leaving home and finishing high school in Mankato with the purpose of eventually ending up in the seminary owned and operated by the synod our little church belonged to. In fact, had we not attended a synod youth gathering one weekend during our junior year....I probably would have done exactly that. We were having a large group discussion on the upcoming Supreme Court decision called Roe v. Wade. One of the pastors conducting this weekend gathering was asking for anyone who would be willing to argue “for” the topic. I offered to take the challenge and by the time we were wrapping up the discussion, I had been badgered and bullied enough by “religious zealots” who were about as far from the teachings of Jesus as you could get....and this was at the very facility that I was talking about being educated at.....? Um...nope...dont think so folks. Thanks for asking though. Now, before you all get wound up....I respect anybody who has come to carry your faith with you daily. I can pray with the best of you and Id be willing to take my chances on quoting scripture to fit any scenario you like, but, there in lies the rub. To me, I see all of the various denominations of protestants (papists included) and the differences become trivial if you truly do espouse what the main character in the New Testament was saying. All the differences between, lets say Lutherans and Presbyterians, is interpretation by some natural born sinner that felt compelled to run off at the mouth. Nothing more and nothing less. Calvin differed in his interpretation of the Gospels than what Luther saw. That alone is why it should remain ever important that we live in a country that allows for those differences to co-exist. Whenever I hear someone start in on the topic of needing to bring their particular brand of religiosity into everyday practice I want to ask what their reaction would be if Congress decided the same thing and named...the Methodists as the standard bearer of all things religious in the nation and all other church property and dogma would be entered into the public tax roles. After all....while a protestant religion had been crowned the winner of the sweepstakes... methinks there would be quite a row. Who am I to argue that Wesley was a perversion compared to Calvin ? Hey, at least you got your Jesus to forefront...what more do you want ? I guess the old saying about “getting what you wish for “ really does ring true. I really only broach this whole story because I am forever astonished some days with all of the postings about God and prayer circles and daily ruminations and affirmation of your particular faith and ten minutes later I see your name associated with a post that belittles poor people for seeking food or help to pay for their heat bill that defines them as slackers and scum. I would offer that there must be something else that motivates your assignations. I know for example, a couple who didnt have an extra dime to their name. They were underwater because of huge medical bills yet never failed to mail in their monthly check to Jim and Tammy Faye for the chance to be included in the glory of watching those two bozos wear Armani suits and see how much jewelry the painted one could wear on camera. They never had a problem in coaching their future daughter in law to go on the public assistance rolls while their son, whom had gotten her pregnant, was busy trying to decide whether he would ever cut the apron strings of his mothers. Hey, you make sure she gets her weekly allowance of formula and diapers....and some of that really good commodity peanut butter and surplus cheese. But, Youll have to do it later today because Im going to be real busy watching Faux News for talking points and later I need to renew my membership to the NRA and the Tea Party group is having a rally to denounce the slovenly looking welfare queens.....and then Ive got Bible study. All while staring at a picture of a blond haired Jesus painting and failing to imagine that he probably resembled one of the hi-jackers from 9/11 more than he does the Norwegian kid who lives down the block....all while mumbling some incoherent jibberish that is supposedly an ancient form of Arameic. The central figurehead of the Christian religion did not step over the lame lying in a doorway. He knelt down to his level and offered a hand to help him up. He did not turn any person away. In fact he asked 5,000 to dinner and fed them all with his own hands. He associated with the dregs of society, the whores and the sick, the lame and the downtrodden and warned of the desire to place yourself above the least among you. He forcibly removed the moneychangers from the Temple and told the wealthy they must rid themselves of the evil that riches can wrought. It is easier to pass oneself through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom..... And yet, the fastest growing religion in this country seems to have something to do with Black Friday now starting just before the kick-off of the second game on Thanksgiving Thursday. Crap tvs and glittery covered Santa hats with reindeer antlers, mass produced in God-less factories and sweatshops are what is revered. Some will fight to sit as close to the front row in church on Christmas all while smirking...knowing you left price tags on your gifts...so they know how much you spent on their present. There is a reason why the fastest growing demographic in this country now claims “none” when it comes to identifying religious affiliation. Count me in. I say that not to boast. I say it because I feel a kinship with a power in this world that shows its beauty as the sun rises over the lake. To watch a mother duck teach her young how to swim and feed. To sit at the top rim of the quarry and watch the sun disappear in the west and turn the red rock to shades of pink and gray. To hear the crunch of cold snow under ones feet on a frigid night and be able to see all the stars in the heavens through the steam coming from your nostrils. Watching the majesty of a beautiful horse in full gallop as its muscles ripple with all the power it can muster. Sometimes I miss the pipe organ playing songs of high praise and worship of the Deity-dujour but the reality snaps me back when hollow words preaching obedience to some dogma follow it. Corporations are the new cathedrals. Corporations always answer first to the shareholder. As long as the corporations can make a decent return on investments...all will be well with the world. Never mind that in order to keep those Dockers at $19.99 means we will go off shore and pollute as much as we have to and ignore the fact that we dump millions of gallons of dye and other residue where we cant see it...irregardless of the rape of water and land and exposure to those that dont look like us....no problem. Phil Knight can use slave labor so he can donate 30 different uniforms to the University of Oregon football team per season and give a hundred million a year to whomever and still see how deep he can pile up the stacks of money....he is considered a leader. A swoosh has replaced the cross. A benevolent patriarch in the heirarchy of the Almighty Dollar. The Grand Knight. One of the new Popes. Corporations are the new College of Cardinals. We have sat idly by as technology worms its way through our lives. I recently watched a young family sit at a restaurant table. During the entire meal they all sat and checked for e-mails, Face Book posts, took calls and never spoke more than ten words amongst themselves and went where ever they were headed with high spirits for having shared some quality “family time” to their friends. God....if youre out there...we could use a little help. Someone recently posted a quote from Jimi Hendrix that said....”The power of love cant exist until we rid ourselves of the Love of Power. So, what do we do ? I cant change anything but what I do. I cant change anything you do. They have said that you cant help an addict until the addict is willing to see the world from the bottom up.. from where they sit. Our society is at the bottom. Not because of any politician of any party. Not because of movies or video games. We reside in the gutter because we no longer see one another as fellow inhabitants of this little blue dot hurtling through the cosmos. I care not to reside in the world of consumerism anymore. Ill cherish the photos of those who build beds for families that have none. Ill respect those who grow wholesome foods with out poisoning the ground. Ill offer assistance to any of you who care to see that someone else doesnt suffer needlessly. Ill search for those that live with a kind heart and their words are spoken with caring...not church doctrine. It is far more sincere to practice your religion with action rather than constant drumming of words from your particular book. Now, Im sure that you must have had a reaction to the beginning of this story and the business owner who basically forced his religion on his employee and I wanted to stir you with the thought of him pushing the Quran on her. I changed the story a bit. It was actually the Bible. Same difference folks. So, as we prepare for the holiday season, I would offer this challenge. Once again my Thanksgiving will consist of being at one of our local places that is used for wedding receptions and all other forms of social gathering at 5 AM. Ill be late because the 20 turkeys will go in the oven at 2. We will peel potatoes and cut pies. All the food is donated. Thats the tough part. All we have to do is prepare it. We will serve several hundred persons who have nothing else. We will send drivers to bring people from the lonlieness of empty homes to dine together and give thanks. We will go home after, so tired we should drop....and wonder...what more can we do next time. My challenge to you is to find a place near you. Take your children and grandchildren along and watch them light up the eyes of an old man or woman who has none of that available to them. Start a conversation with a stranger. Look into an unfamiliar set of eyes and try to see what they see. Youll never forget it. Peace © 2013
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 18:02:40 +0000
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