Expressing our sorrow, our pain, our confusion and frustration, our feelings of helplessness and even hopelessness; before God is the place to begin after an election like this one.
I do not want to be one of the many “silent Germans,” or even Peter after Jesus’ arrest. I pray for wisdom to know when to intervene and the courage to do so.
The new presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church says that we are called to defend the immigrant and those who are attacked - LGBTQ, people of color, etc. When do you intervene? When you see the bullies punching down, which is what they do.
I am in my 70’s. Back in my 20’s, as a member of Christ’s Community in Grand Rapids, MI, I heard you speak at a church in Detroit. I remember telling you on the occasion that your mind was a beautiful thing and a gift from God. Today I want to tell you that your heart is a gift from God. In my fear and sorrow I needed the words from your heart that you shared today. My heart is broken that our country made a decision for our Presidency from a place of misogyny, racism, and homophobia. My heart aches as I fear for the people of our country but also dread the impact of this choice on the people of Gaza, Lebanon and Ukraine, the people coming to our borders seeking refuge and a home. “Rest and Reflect, Lament and Love”, your words are a precious gift and just what I needed to hear today. Thank you.
So on target, Jim! Thank you for this reflection. I was feeling sorry for myself as I lay in bed this morning, reviewing all I had done and given in hope of a different outcome. But then I realized: here I am an old, white, straight man feeling smashed by an election in which the polar extremes represented by the candidates was crystal clear. But my friends who are people of color, or of ethnicity different from Euro-American, or of differing sexual identities have experienced this kind of pain in most every election in which they have ever taken part, and yet they survive and go on to fight another day, every day, for their rights and dignity, because they know that such a loss is not the last word. They know at a deeply personal level the arc of the universe continues to bend toward justice, no matter how agonizingly slowly it bends. That realization inspires me to keep going, to keep resisting, to keep working for a more just world that better aligns with God's desires for it as demonstrated in Jesus. Rest and lament, yes, we all need that, and then we all need to get to work again. Thanks for your leadership in this journey.
I so appreciate the outreach you have been doing this year in the run-up to this election and the counsel you are offering to all of us who lament this outcome, but still remain committed to truth and compassion. As Kamala Harris put it in her speech today, "If we feel like we are entering a dark time, let us fill the sky with the light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service."
But reading this post makes me go - "get a grip". The American people put a amoral guy in office. Big news.
Look, I think Trump is an a**hole. And the Christian nationalism agenda is horrible, but again - nothing new. And Trump is no more a Christian than my dog is. I fear for the security of Europe (where I live), loss of green jobs, reset of the climate agenda. But I do not fear that he will come after women's rights, the LGBTQ community, Blacks, or anyone. Because he does not give a rat's butt about anyone or anything other than Trump.
In fact, the Black and Hispanic communities vote for him in droves because they are sick of being kept in the role you are placing them in - helpless poor victims who must be protected and guided.
So, to me, this whole sackcloth and ashes routine comes across as sanctimonious and demeaning. Your fabled "democracy" showed its true face - suck it up, and do better next time. Perhaps find a candidate worth voting for.
The Orangeshitstain got zero more votes than in 2020. Harris got 17 million less votes than Biden's 2020 total. Why? It's not only because she is a woman of color.
I do not want to be one of the many “silent Germans,” or even Peter after Jesus’ arrest. I pray for wisdom to know when to intervene and the courage to do so.
The new presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church says that we are called to defend the immigrant and those who are attacked - LGBTQ, people of color, etc. When do you intervene? When you see the bullies punching down, which is what they do.
I am in my 70’s. Back in my 20’s, as a member of Christ’s Community in Grand Rapids, MI, I heard you speak at a church in Detroit. I remember telling you on the occasion that your mind was a beautiful thing and a gift from God. Today I want to tell you that your heart is a gift from God. In my fear and sorrow I needed the words from your heart that you shared today. My heart is broken that our country made a decision for our Presidency from a place of misogyny, racism, and homophobia. My heart aches as I fear for the people of our country but also dread the impact of this choice on the people of Gaza, Lebanon and Ukraine, the people coming to our borders seeking refuge and a home. “Rest and Reflect, Lament and Love”, your words are a precious gift and just what I needed to hear today. Thank you.
Jo Storsberg
So on target, Jim! Thank you for this reflection. I was feeling sorry for myself as I lay in bed this morning, reviewing all I had done and given in hope of a different outcome. But then I realized: here I am an old, white, straight man feeling smashed by an election in which the polar extremes represented by the candidates was crystal clear. But my friends who are people of color, or of ethnicity different from Euro-American, or of differing sexual identities have experienced this kind of pain in most every election in which they have ever taken part, and yet they survive and go on to fight another day, every day, for their rights and dignity, because they know that such a loss is not the last word. They know at a deeply personal level the arc of the universe continues to bend toward justice, no matter how agonizingly slowly it bends. That realization inspires me to keep going, to keep resisting, to keep working for a more just world that better aligns with God's desires for it as demonstrated in Jesus. Rest and lament, yes, we all need that, and then we all need to get to work again. Thanks for your leadership in this journey.
I so appreciate the outreach you have been doing this year in the run-up to this election and the counsel you are offering to all of us who lament this outcome, but still remain committed to truth and compassion. As Kamala Harris put it in her speech today, "If we feel like we are entering a dark time, let us fill the sky with the light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service."
"Jesus didn’t always “win” with secular power". I make the point in the article below that "Jesus loses His only election"
https://open.substack.com/pub/jonathanbrownson/p/today?r=gdp9j&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
And I also make it a point to get out and run today for the first time in a long time...
And Trump is not our "High Priest"...
https://open.substack.com/pub/jonathanbrownson/p/who-will-save?r=gdp9j&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Thank you for your wise and comforting words. Lord, have mercy.
So much for enlightened evangelicals voting for democracy…
Great wisdom that points to the larger picture ,that includes all of us - in and beyond the American electorate. Personally, too.
Thank you for your words!
Jim, I enjoy your take on so many issues.
But reading this post makes me go - "get a grip". The American people put a amoral guy in office. Big news.
Look, I think Trump is an a**hole. And the Christian nationalism agenda is horrible, but again - nothing new. And Trump is no more a Christian than my dog is. I fear for the security of Europe (where I live), loss of green jobs, reset of the climate agenda. But I do not fear that he will come after women's rights, the LGBTQ community, Blacks, or anyone. Because he does not give a rat's butt about anyone or anything other than Trump.
In fact, the Black and Hispanic communities vote for him in droves because they are sick of being kept in the role you are placing them in - helpless poor victims who must be protected and guided.
So, to me, this whole sackcloth and ashes routine comes across as sanctimonious and demeaning. Your fabled "democracy" showed its true face - suck it up, and do better next time. Perhaps find a candidate worth voting for.
Thank you for your comforting words
The Orangeshitstain got zero more votes than in 2020. Harris got 17 million less votes than Biden's 2020 total. Why? It's not only because she is a woman of color.
Thank you. Grief is better than despair. Learning to lament
Amen!