Prayer for August 19, 2012

It's been a long, hot, dry summer, punctuated by gun violence and a rising tide of vitriol in political campaigns. There was a pulpit guest at church yesterday, and I wrote this meditation/prayer for the service...

I invite you to get comfortable in your seats, and join your hearts and minds with mine, in a spirit of meditation and prayer...

Spirit of Life and Love,
Always present and as close as our very breath…

This morning there is a new crispness to the morning air,
as summer begins its slow fadeout into autumn.

Garden plants are heavy with vegetables and fruits,
Having been sustained by much needed recent rains.

This uncommonly dry season,
and recent events of unspeakable violence,
remind us that we live in a world of uncertainty –
a world where many are touched
with grief, pain, and private sorrows…
and many celebrate personal
and public triumphs
with unmitigated joy…
and many of us wait for whatever will come…

We are grateful for this gathering in community,
this house of hope and comfort,
where we share our dreams and disappointments,
our happiness and hardships.

For this is a place where we know
we can speak, and be heard;
we can bring our brokenness, and find healing;
we can express our hunger and be nourished…
And in the silence, we can embrace our thoughts
and the longings of our own hearts…


Spirit of Life and Love,
As we enjoy these last weeks of summer,
let us remember to celebrate the beauty of all creation –
from the grand and glorious to the quietly inspiring.
And let us renew ourselves and our commitments,
always moving toward the common good.

Blessed Be, and Amen.

(c) Earthbound Spirit, 2012

Chicken and Civil Rights

UPDATE: The day has come and gone, and the debate goes on... Here's another article which says what I want to say, far more eloquently. And, please do read and meditate upon the quote which appears at the end of this post. ~EBS

Today is “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day,” whatever that might mean to you. To a few acquaintances of mine, this means an opportunity to counter the ‘appreciation’ with some action of their own. Some are participating in a same-gender ‘kiss-in’ at their local franchise. Some are making donations to GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). Many are sharing lots of pictures and stories via facebook and twitter.

Of course, this ‘event’ is a result of a media/social media storm of controversy over donations made by Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy to organizations like Focus on the Family that work to legislate discrimination in state constitutions and prevent the passage of other legislation aimed at reducing bullying in our public schools. The message from these groups is that my gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender siblings do not deserve basic civil rights. Like the right to marry, the right to not be fired from a job because they aren’t heterosexual, the right to be educated in a safe environment, the right to be with the one they love in a hospital.

Contrary to what some would have us believe, the controversy is not over Mr. Cathy’s personal beliefs and statements. Dan Cathy is free to believe what he wishes, and to state his beliefs in whatever forum he can. It’s when he takes profits from his business and funnels them into political organizations that he opens his business up to criticism and boycotts. The best article I’ve read on this yet is by Conor Gaughan in the Huffington Post.

One company has severed its relationship with Chick-Fil-A over the issue. On the other hand, one of my colleagues reports that lines are out the door at the franchise near him, with a service road being temporarily closed to meet the demand for parking. There is no Chick-Fil-A closer than an hour away from me; in fact, that is the only franchise in the state. Besides, I don't eat chicken anymore, so it's easy for me to not do business with this company.

But the organizations like the ones Dan Cathy has donated a lot of money to are demanding that businesses be "neutral" on the subject of gay rights. Some of them have demanded that J.C. Penney break their contract with Ellen DeGeneres, who they hired as their new spokesperson, because she's a lesbian. They've also been outraged at Penney's advertising that included photos of families with same-gendered parents. In one of the more ridiculous statements I saw, one organization's spokesperson even took Kraft Foods to task for the creation of an image of an Oreo cookie with filling in the colors of the rainbow.

I guess it's o.k. when they threaten boycotts, but not when the group they're working against does it?

I can't claim to be perfect about where I spend my money. I'm sure somewhere along the way my purchases have supported businesses that wouldn't agree with my politics, my religion, or the fact that I am an ordained minister and a woman. But I can darned well do my best to avoid doing so whenever I can, and do my best to support the businesses who are trying to do the right thing and represent all their customers in their advertising. So, I've started shopping at J.C. Penney instead of another store recently.

Because I'm not neutral on this issue. Friends, if you must 'eat more (fast food) chicken,' please go to KFC, or some other fast food franchise. Consider changing your shopping habits. Maybe make a donation to GLAAD, or another organization. Because neutrality isn't really "neutral."

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”~Elie Wiesel