Pentecost 2012 - Sermon

Acts 2 1-8, 12-21

1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?

12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 "In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

Pentecost Sermon 2012 – The Holy Spirit Comes Down

       The people were gathered to celebrate Pentecost.  Contrary to what many Christians think, Pentecost was originally a Jewish Holiday, Shavuot – The Festival of Weeks – When Moses was given the Law 50 days after the Exodus began.

       The people were gathered to celebrate this Festival, but I doubt they knew what was in store.  First of all, let’s think of what the disciples and many others had already been through.  Their Teacher and Leader, Jesus, was Crucified.  That was brutal and tragic to them.  They were left without the One on whom they depended.  Suddenly, 3 days later, Jesus rose from the dead.  Take a minute to think about that – Dead People Just Don’t Rise.  Of course the body was stolen!  Right???  Wrong!!!!  Jesus then appeared to his disciples and many others.  Again, think about it – Dead people don’t rise, and they certainly don’t walk around, much less talk.  Of course the disciples and other followers were in shock.  But it gets better.  Jesus then rose bodily into Heaven.  Now, think what his followers were thinking – Dead people don’t rise…They don’t walk around and talk…And certainly NO ONE is taken up to Heaven bodily. Right???  In most cases, yes, right…but when it comes to Jesus, this is exactly what happened.  Can you understand why the disciples were confused?

       But, it didn’t stop there.  They gathered for some sense of normality for Pentecost (Shavuot), and suddenly the Holy Spirit descended and appeared like Tongues of Fire.  The people then began to speak in the languages of all the foreigners gathered there so everyone understood in their native tongue.  Now certainly, not only do the dead not rise, they don’t walk around and talk, they don’t ascend to heaven, and absolutely, fire doesn’t come out of the sky and empower people to speak in other languages.  Right???  Wrong!!!  At least on that day!!!

       You can imagine the confusion and why people said that some were drunk!  This stuff just doesn’t happen on a regular basis!  But, Jesus told them this would happen.  He told them the Holy Spirit would come.  He said they would be empowered by the Holy Spirit…but he couldn’t have meant this…Right???  Wrong!!!

       Suddenly Peter – The disciple who denied Jesus – The disciple who tempted Jesus saying he didn’t have to die (I’m guessing he meant they would protect him, or that Jesus was just wrong).  Suddenly Peter became bold.  He stood up and quoted the prophecy from Joel.

       So, we have these Tongues of Fire coming down and a violent rush of wind, but no one is being burned.  How???  Well, just like in this scripture, when God appears there is usually fire and/or wind (and yes, the Holy Spirit is one Person of the Triune God – Go to the end of this sermon for my simplistic explanation of the Trinity if you’re confused…I’m sure there are theological faux pas, but it’s so simple it helps). 

       In the Creation Story, the Spirit of God hovered over the primordial sea (in Hebrew, the “chaos,” the tovu and vohu).  When God created Adam, God breathed the ruach, the “breath” or “wind” of God to bring life to humanity.  Moses encountered God first through the burning bush…but the bush was not consumed.  NOTE:  Please do not try this with bushes outside your house…You are not God…The bush WILL burn, and your house WILL be in danger!  A cloud of smoke and fire led the Israelites in the Exodus.  Job encountered God as a whirlwind.  Yes, there are more examples, but I think you get the point.

       This Holy Spirit – these Tongues of Fire – were not destructive, but they built what we now call the Church.  The Holy Spirit is what guides the Church today. (Yes, I admit, the Church is broken, and many don’t listen to the Spirit, but it IS there if only we’d listen).

       The Holy Spirit gives the Church power and gives individuals power. 

       David Wilkerson was a small town preacher in the early 1960’s in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania.  Phillipsburg is a nice little town, but that’s exactly what it is…a nice little town.  When I travel to visit family, Phillipsburg is the last stop for the necessary potty break and snacks for a long time.  When David was a pastor there, he felt God calling him to go to New York City.  Now, Phillipsburg has grown since then, but in the 1960’s it would have been a MAJOR transition.  David’s family asked him to keep praying, but even after doing so, this was, in his understanding, what God wanted him to do.  So, he went.  After several trips, David found Teen Challenge Ministries (a Drug/Alcohol/Gang rehabilitation program that incorporates Christianity).  To date, I can’t find “official statistics,” but all that I have found show that Teen Challenge is almost doubly more effective than regular rehabilitation programs. 

       Just like David Wilkerson, if we listen, the Holy Spirit calls us too…but are we willing to listen?  Yes, we are human, and sometimes we will discern incorrectly.  But if we stay in tune to God, even our mistakes can be made right.  We also have to accept that the Holy Spirit may lead 2 people in 2 different directions.  That is not bad.  We can be unified but disagree.  Creation is diverse…why shouldn’t people be diverse?  I don’t know how God will work that out, but I know it will be fair!

       The Holy Spirit is the least understood Person of God.  But, the Holy Spirit is the one that is with us right now.  The Spirit leads us to God even before we know it.  Even if we look at tribes who have never heard the Gospel, we see that most believe in a Spirit.  How God will Judge them, again, I don’t know, but I do know that God will be fair.  The Holy Spirit keeps our faith strong, and the Spirit heals our brokenness.  The Holy Spirit helps us reconcile with others and with God – We are “convicted” when we are wrong and “affirmed” when we are right.  (NOTE: Being right is not an excuse to be judgmental or arrogant).

       So what’s the “take away?”  What should we learn?  We need to be open to the Holy Spirit’s leadings!  RARELY will we be taken in the directions we expect! (Joke: How do you make God laugh? – Tell him your plans for tomorrow).  We need to be open to the Spirit as we love others.  Yes, this will take us out of our comfort zones.  But God never told us to be comfortable.  In fact, we are often most effective for God when we struggle or are in uncomfortable situations.  Most importantly, we need to remember the Holy Spirit is our strength! It is the strength for us as individual Christians and the strength for the Church.

Explanation of the Trinity: 

(Note: To my deeply theological followers, I realize this is not the best example, and I’m sure there are flaws to it, but when I was teaching the Trinity to middle school aged children, this example came to mind).

To understand the Triune God – the Trinity, think of Sweet Tea (big thing here in the South).  Don’t get fancy…Just water, tea, and sugar.  Each is a separate ingredient, but when put together it is one drink.  Without one of the ingredients, you don’t have sweet tea.  That is how we see the tea.  If we could be the water, we’d see tea and sugar…if we were sugar, we’d see the water and tea…if we were the tea, we’d see the water and sugar.  But, to the outside observer, it’s just 1 drink, Sweet Tea.

To put it in “God” terms:  We don’t worship 3 Gods (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), they are individual Persons, but they are united into 1 God. 

Reaction to the Fallout of the 2012 UMC General Conference

First of all, let me make it clear that I WAS NOT at General Conference.  I only nominally followed General Conference on the web (and I emphasize "nominally"). While General Conference was happening, I was at my home church ministering to my congregation.  I was finishing up Seminary coursework for the semester.  I was also busy working on a Human Rights project which had fallout of its own.  But all of that is not to brag, nor is it to offer excuses.  Point Blank - I knew what would happen from the rhetoric going into the conference, and I wanted no part of it!

Many have come away fearful about the fate of the United Methodist Church as a whole.  If we put our hopes in money and world-defined success, then yes, our fate is dire!  But, if we put our hope in the reality of God, the salvation of Jesus, and the presence of the Holy Spirit, we have nothing to fear.

Christians seem surprised when we are persecuted (either by worldly forces or by division amongst ourselves).  But, didn't Jesus say this would happen?  Hasn't it happened before?  And, if the past speaks to the future, it will happen again.  It will happen from outside forces as well as forces from within.  But, Christ is clear - We are not to fear! 1 John 4:18:  "There is no fear in love.  But perfect love casts out fear..."

While I was not at General Conference, I would guess that many people who were elected to be delegates came with personal agendas, and those agendas were not always in the best interest of the Body of Christ.  That is not to say there weren't good and faithful people as delegates.  I'm sure there were.

I can barely stand to open another news article about General Conference.  I'm ashamed by the way some people acted.  I'm even more ashamed that some people left more divided than when they arrived (See 1 Corinthians 1:10 about division in the church).

For the next General Conference in 2016, I think it's important to remember a few VERY IMPORTANT truths:
1. The Church does not belong to us...it belongs to Christ.
2. We are mere stewards of the Church, and we should NEVER overestimate our roles.
3. When we can't agree, we need to do so in love.  Even the worst sinner deserves Christian Love.  That is not saying we love the sin, but we love the sinner.  Why can't we love our fellow Christians?
4. The goals and legislative items need to be publicized in a way that is not based on fear, not based on humans taking over the role of God, and should be widely available and understandable to the average reader.
5. If as Methodists, we believe in "Holy Conversation," then we must act like it.  Name calling, blaming, finger pointing, gossiping and so forth is NOT Holy Conversation.  Holy Conversation takes the individual God-Given sanctity of each person and treats every person as a son or daughter of God.

We should expect dissent.  Disagreement is good because it can lead to compromise.  Some things should not be compromised - the basis of our Faith, Christ, the role of the Church in the world, and so forth, but other disagreements (how to structure the Church, how pastors are appointed, etc.) should have disagreement.  But this disagreement should not be mean spirited.  It should be done in Christian love.

Maybe we should take a lesson from our Quaker Brothers and Sisters.  Is voting the best option?  Or, should we rather allow the Holy Spirit to work and bring us to consensus?  Yes, this will take longer, but why are we in a rush?  All good things take time.  The Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches have existed since Apostolic times.  Change ins VERY SLOW in those Churches. But is that a bad thing?  Does God work on our time?  Is God our servant?

I refuse to look at General Conference as a success or failure.  I think we tested the waters, but did so in a spirit of fear and panic that things had to be changed NOW.  Can we approach 2016 in hope rather than fear?  Can we leave our personal agendas behind and work towards the common good?  Can we let the Holy Spirit lead us?

Love is ALWAYS the Answer

Many people will not like what I'm about to say.  Those that want easy answers will not find them here.  Those that want their convictions challenged will not get that either.  Those that want me to take a stand on issues will not find it in this post.  That is the point of what I'm going to address.  For the purposes of this article, my own opinions on the situations are not important.  I will not tell you what to think or how to vote.  This article will deal with our attitudes and motivations when thinking or voting.

I have not seen our Nation and our World so divided as it is now.  Our Churches are divided, and I would venture a guess, though I have no data, that a lot of other faith communities are divided as well.  I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be this way.  In fact, to be this way is to be sinful!  Yes, I'm writing from a Christian perspective...I know no other way to write.  But, even the most secular person or person from another religion, I believe, would be hard pressed to find what I have to say as being wrong.

Let me list just some of our divisions:  Republican vs. Democrat, Pro-LGBT vs. Anti-LGBT (that is a shortcut way of saying we are divided on issues of sexuality - the real arguments are much more nuanced than what I presented), "Conservative" vs. "Liberal," Religion "A" vs. Religion "B," Nation "A" vs. Nation "B," the 99% vs the 1%, Capitalism vs. Socialism, Greed vs. Charity, Me vs. You, Us vs. Them, Tolerance vs. Defined Rules.....Do I need to go on?????  I think you get the point.

The battles over these issues, and any other issue that we face do NOT have to be battles in the sense of "I win, you lose."  Our culture is one of winners and losers.  The world is made up of winners and losers.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  It SHOULDN'T be that way.  And this doesn't mean that we have to give up our convictions or our Religion, or our standards.

I don't like lists...they're often too rigid, but I think I can propose some solutions in a more efficient way if I use a list format (wow, another division...List people vs. Non-list people).

Before I do so, I'm going to use the word "Love" quite a bit.  Let me define it:  From 1 Corinthians 13: "⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

I should also tell you what Love is not:
Love is NOT some fake showing of value that is used to manipulate.  Love is not mere respect.  Love is not something we say but do not feel.  Love is not just that mushy stuff between lovers.  Love (for the purpose of what I'm writing) is not sexual.  Love is not tolerance.

1.  We can fundamentally disagree on any issue, but we must respect (code word for "love") the person or people on the "other side" of the issue.

2.  We must realize that NO ONE is unworthy of love.  Yes, EVERYONE is worthy of Love.  Even the most hateful person you can think of deserves our Love.

3.  We must realize that issues are non-beings.  There is no such thing as an "issue."  "Issues" are people.  If it doesn't affect people, it's not an issue.  Even when thinking of the most abstract mathematical equation (ok, I don't know much about advanced math, but try to follow me), somehow it affects people.  And ALL people are worthy of being Loved.

4.  We must see that politicians/religious leaders/public figures/etc. (who all still deserve Love) use "issues" (which are not reality) to divide.  Standing on one side of an issue (meaning favoring some people over others) is a sneaky way of saying that you have convictions.  Instead, we can hold to our convictions while still Loving the people who disagree with us.  The people I noted all have a vested interest in division.  They win, become popular, get higher ratings, etc.  We do not need to fall into that trap.

5.  Holding onto convictions is a good thing.  But first, we must see the other side, no matter how painful it may be.  And by seeing, I don't mean giving it a glance and saying, "it's just wrong."  I mean we must put ourselves in that position and think about it from that perspective.  We must be willing to be challenged, and only then can we say we truly hold onto our convictions.

6.  Calling someone "ignorant," "narrow minded," "bigoted,""weak," "without standards," and such, while sometimes accurate is not showing Love.  Labels are the first way of making a person into a non-human.

7.  When our convictions are attacked, we owe it to the other side of the argument (meaning the people on the other side), to seriously consider what they have to say.  Yes, even if they are not being Loving. Only after we consider their stance can we choose our convictions.  We will be attacked by hate, but we can respond in Love.

8.  We can, and should, let our religious beliefs determine our convictions.  But, I know of NO religion that promotes hate.  Most religions have been perverted to promote hate at one level or another, but when we get to the root of these religions, the message is usually Love.  (Ok, Satanism may be an exception...there are always exceptions).

9.  When we feel ourselves beginning to lose Love, we need to remove ourselves from the situation and regroup, and only then can we re-enter the debate.

10.  Language has everything to do with these battles.  We cannot argue, but we can debate.  We cannot judge (in the sense of what God does), but we can hold to convictions.  We cannot label others even if they do it to us.  We must treat every ally and opponent on every issue as an individual.  There are no "clones."  We cannot hate, but we must Love.


Only when we accept those 10 propositions can true debate and discussion happen.  Yes, we will disagree.  Yes, this means that it will take longer to find a solution.  But, Yes, this means that people will be valued as they deserve.

We want quick answers.  We want right and wrong.  But our "issues" (which again, are people) are so nuanced that there is not 1 quick answer to MOST situations.  Yes, there are exceptions - Murder is wrong.  Stealing is wrong.  Arson is wrong.  But except in obvious cases, the answers are not so obvious.  This may mean that voting is not the answer.  Voting can mean that 1 person more than half the population gets to decide for the entire population.  In some cases, that is fine.  We can elect leaders that way (I'm sure there are exceptions to this statement).  But most situations should have consensus, not majority.  And when we can't reach a consensus, we need to continue discussion and debate - NOT argument and judgment.  And all this MUST be done in Love.

Division is sinful.  Division puts up false socially constructed fences between people that inhibits real discussion.  We can disagree, but we must never be divided.

Our world is not without hope.  Our nation is not without hope.  Our Churches are not without hope.  The very essence of Love is hope.  The things that seem dead now can rise again.  The "roadblocks" can be moved.  But all of this takes initiative.  And often WE have to be the ones who initiate the change.  WE have to be the ones who change the discourse.  This is a long and dusty road, but it CAN be done if Love is our focus.

Intimidation Techniques???

The following are e mails I received from Steven Noah of William Penn University and a person by the name of Noel Kagabo.  It is amazing that they accused me of bullying...Let the record stand for itself.

The first letter is a response from Noel Kagabo to Stephen Noah and was copied to me.  The second letter is my response.  The third is Stephen Noah's response to my first two letters (which can be found on this blog) and the fourth letter is my response to Stephen Noah.

It should be noted that I have not shared any information that has not been made public by either the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, or a MAJOR media outlet.

Dear Steven;

Don't even waste your time trying to justify what you know is right. Pastor Tom Hallberg, is not ignorant, he knows what he is doing, he is serving the purpose of being faithful to his friend Rev. Innocent Ndagijimana, Associate Pastor at Duke's Chapel United Methodist Church http://dukeschapel.org/staff.php?staffID=4838&; which is a sister church to Hickory Grove United Methodist Church. Innocent Ndagijimana who has changed his name to Justin is one of the spearheads of diaspora-based opposition groups.  Ndagijimana has his own reasons why he can't be on the spot light, he smartly chooses to use his friends and allies like Pastor Tom,  some innocent Americans who have never been to Rwanda and have hard time to understand what has happened and what is happening now. Ndagijimana claims to have been survived the hutu genocide in Congo therefore advances the philosophy of  "double genocide". Pastor Tom and other religion groups have chosen to stand in solidarity with these genocide deniers, don't ask me why. 

Pastor Tom, I feel sorry for you since you are not the only American who have been duped and succumbed to the pressure of these genocide deniers. Maybe you need to educate yourself on what really happened in Rwanda then you will know that there has been one genocide which has been recognized by the United Nations and many other states; that was the 1994 genocide against Tutsi of Rwanda. In the fairness of your role as a pastor you should know who is a genocide survivor to better serve your church members without confusion. For your own knowledge and awareness of what happened in Congo, I will refer you to the memoir of Aldo Ajello who was the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General in Congo.  

As per your question to Steven if Rusesabagina is a liar, to this hour you are probably the only one who doesn't know that he is a liar and an impostor, he did not save any Tutsi nor he had power to do so, he is also one of the genocide deniers like your friends. Once again I will refer you to people who follow closely the situation of the Great Lakes of Africa like Linda Melvern  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/17/hotel-rwanda-hollywood-ending

Dear Pastor Tom, Jesus instructed all of us to seek the truth because truth only will set us free. I will encourage you to seek the truth about my country Rwanda, don't follow your friends blindly, get out of your tunnel vision and touch base with Tutsi genocide survivors, listen to them, counsel them, preach to them, they need you more than those who pretend to be survivors as if it was a rank or a great social status to be proud of. 

Your brother in Christ Noel Kagabo.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Mr. Kagbo,

Let me begin by greeting you in as a fellow Brother of Christ.  Your email to Mr. Noah and to me is somewhat disturbing for several reasons which I will outline.  I ask that you please take the time to respond to each of my questions so that we can better understand each other.

Without trying to argue with you, let me first of all ask you if this e mail is meant to intimidate me since you have chosen to include personal information about me in this letter?  I would also like to know how you know anything about me and how you are aware of my correspondence with Mr. Noah?

You seem to know things about me, I would like to know the person with whom I am corresponding, so would you please share some information about yourself so we can know one another better?

Though you mentioned Pastor Innocent in the e mail, I will only address issues pertaining to myself, and I will not speak for anyone else as it pertains to this conversation between you and me.

After answering those questions, in order for me to understand what you are saying, I need answers to the following questions:

1. First of all, I need a simple answer.  Were not BOTH Tutsis and Hutus killed in the sad events of the Rwandan Genocide and the aftermath?  If that is not the case, please correct me.

  

2. Please tell me how I am denying Genocide.  As I have reread my letters to the William Penn University Community, I cannot find anywhere where it can be mistaken that I denied that a genocide took place.  If you believe that I have denied the genocide, I apologize because that was NEVER my intention!  While the loss of one life is disturbing to me, the murders of so many Rwandan People disgusts me, and I would never purposely mislead anyone on that issue!  

3. All of the information I cited was from published material from International Organizations (The United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International).  The ONLY question I asked that was not cited was a question I had about Paul Russasabinga, and I will read the article you sent me in a moment.  If I have cited incorrect information, please let me know my errors.

4.  If I have misused the term "genocide," I apologize.  Would a more accurate statement be that in that tragic series of events, there was "Genocide and War Crimes?"  When I used the term "genocide," my working definition was "ANY mass killing of ANY group of people based on ethnicity, national origin, religion, or other large group of people."  So, for example, in my definition, the Holocaust of World War II would be "genocide."  The Killing Fields of Pol Pot of Cambodia (who ruled from 1963-1981) and was responsible for the death of Three million of his own citizens would be "genocide."  I could cite more examples, but I hope this helps you understand what I mean by "genocide."  Please correct me if my definition is incorrect.

5.  Please comment on the memoir of Aldo Ajello since I am not familiar with this person or this work.  Is it in book form?  Or where can I find this memoir?

6.  Did or Did Not President Kagame order troops into the Democratic Republic of Congo who killed Hutus (both those who were guilty of the Genocide as well as those who were not)?  

I believe that if you first of all answer those 6 questions, we can begin to have a more informed discussion and if I have presented wrong information, the answers to these 6 questions will help me to research and know the correct information.

Praying for God's Peace,

__________________________  

http://tomhallberg.blogspot.com/2012/05/response-from-william-penn-university.html Response from William Penn University and My Response Your opposition to William Penn University’s decision to celebrate the graduation of our four Rwandan students, and the growing cooperation with Rwandan colleges and universities has been noted.  It is interesting that you choose to voice your protest by harassing the most junior and powerless of our staff, the admissions counselors.  It is also very interesting that you cite information and misinformation that has been used by defense counsel not only to defend those charged with the genocide in Rwanda, but also to justify this terrible human tragedy. We appreciate your first amendment right to protest the decision of William Penn University to celebrate our partnership with Rwanda by honoring their President, but find the bullying tactics that you, and your colleagues are using more than a little incongruous.  Many of us have friends who are genocide survivors, and we are all horrified by the entire bloody history of the Lakes Region of Africa since the beginning of colonization by the West.  Nine members of our senior staff and board have made sixteen trips to Rwanda since 2008 in an effort to help educate the young people of the country.  That is what we celebrate, and what you are so crassly protesting. Steven Noah Steven C. Noah Vice President for Government Relations and Special Projects William Penn University 201 Trueblood Avenue Oskaloosa, IA 52577  641-673-1048 noahs@wmpenn.edu Vice President Noah, Thank you for your response.  If I am sending e mails to the wrong people, I sincerely apologize, and if you would be kind enough to share the correct email addresses, I would be happy to update my list. If what I am doing is "harassment" and "bullying," how would you characterize Paul Kagame who is responsible for the deaths of approximately 6 million innocent people?  Or, is that acceptable since he is an international leader and I am a mere pastor?  If receiving a few e mails is your definition of being bullied, I strongly suggest you speak to the survivors of the Rwandan Genocide and rethink your position. I would also like you to answer exactly what misinformation I have cited that has not been confirmed by such agencies as the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, as well as by international judges in France and Spain.  Are ALL of these groups spreading misinformation?  Though I have not cited him, is Paul Russasabinga, the focus of the movie "Hotel Rwanda" also a liar? As for alleging that I have colleagues in this matter, you are now delving into falsehoods.  Whatever protests you have received from others have nothing to do with me.  I have only shared information of a genocidal dictator speaking at a university graduation with a few people. I know about nothing other than emails and telephone calls being made - Hardly harassment and bullying!   While I applaud your University's relationship with the Rwandan people and the celebration of the graduation of Rwandan students, I find your celebration of Kagame to be a grave insult to the millions of dead and those of us who crave justice and God's mercy.  While I am not a Quaker, I am a Christian Pacifist, and I find it appalling that any university would celebrate the rule of any leader who came to power through such violent and oppressive means.  Am I to assume with using your logic that we classify Hitler as a successful leader since he did, after all, revitalize the German economy, and we sweep under the "rug" the fact that he was also responsible for millions of deaths? Please go back and read my protest and find one case where I have "crassly" protested educating the young people of Rwanda.  Again, you are delving into misinformation and mischaracterization of the position I have made clear. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers."  Please explain to me how Mr. Kagame is a peacemaker.  Please explain to me how celebrating his presidency is NOT an insult and mockery of the dead, traumatized, disfigured, and displaced Rwandans and Congolese people.  Please show me where I am wrong.   If you are willing to set aside false accusations of me and my position, I will gladly continue this conversation with you or with whomever I should speak to on this matter. I will keep you and your university in my prayers, and I pray that you and the William Penn University community have the courage to stand up to injustice in whatever forms it is manifested and the wisdom to see evil for what it is. Praying For Peace,

Second Letter to William Penn University

This is the second letter I sent regarding Paul Kagame speaking at William Penn University.

While I welcome comments to any post on my blog, due to the number of comments I have received on this topic, ALL COMMENTS whether FOR or AGAINST THIS LETTER MUST PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION (web links, book/article citations, etc.) if you choose to speak to any of the points I have made.  IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE DELETED.

Documentation of Each Point that I made can be found in the following web links:

  http://www.hrw.org/search/apachesolr_search/Paul%20Kagame

·      http://www.amnestyusa.org/search/node/Rwanda

·      http://www.cpj.org/search.php?cx=002635367788333464843%3A1kfp8mbluhy&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=Paul+Kagame&sa.x=12&sa.y=10&sa=Search

May 2, 2012

To the Members of the William Penn University Community:

Having heard no response from any of you of the email I sent yesterday concerning President Paul Kagame speaking at your 2012 Commencement, please allow me to make a personal plea.

As a Quaker affiliated university, I find it a great insult to all peace loving people, Quakers, all Christians, the approximately 6 million dead, and survivors of the Rwandan Genocide and Congo Wars that you would have President Kagame speak to the newest graduates.

This genocidal dictator has so much blood on his hands from wars he started, assassinations he ordered, and people he has abducted.  This does not even name those who still suffer major psychological trauma and physical disfigurement because of the actions and orders of this individual.  By allowing him to speak to your graduates, please consider what message you are sending to the world.

Yesterday I sent you a sampling of data from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and major media outlets of the crimes against humanity committed by President Kagame.  As of yet, you have not responded. 

After Cain killed his brother Abel in Genesis 4, God speaks this to Cain (vs. 10):  And the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!”  The blood of innocent Rwandan and Congolese people still cries out from the ground, but yet as of yet, you have refused to hear it.

I am a personal friend with a survivor of the Rwandan Genocide, and I have met several others.  The cruelty shown to them in their stories is brutal and sickening.  Out of compassion, I will spare you the details he has shared with me.  Please remember that we are speaking about people when we speak of Genocide…People who are hand created by God.  By allowing Kagame to speak at your commencement, you are not only mocking those people, but you are mocking God.

Since you have not responded to my last email, I will send you web-links verifying that Kagame is an evil warlord and not a man of peace.  Please see the following links that verify the claims I have made:

·      http://www.hrw.org/search/apachesolr_search/Paul%20Kagame

·      http://www.amnestyusa.org/search/node/Rwanda

·      http://www.cpj.org/search.php?cx=002635367788333464843%3A1kfp8mbluhy&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=Paul+Kagame&sa.x=12&sa.y=10&sa=Search

While it is completely within every person to repent and seek God’s forgiveness, Kagame as of yet has done no such thing. 

In the name of peace, justice, and compassion, please rescind your invitation to Kagame and do not allow him to speak to the 2012 Graduates.

In God’s Love,

Do Not Allow Paul Kagame to Speak!

This letter was sent to William Penn University on the occasion of having Paul Kagame, leader of Rwanda speak at their graduation and giving him an Honorary Doctorate.  Because of this letter, there was a lot of "fallout."  Because of that, while I welcome comments to any post on my blog, due to the number of comments I have received on this topic, ALL COMMENTS whether FOR or AGAINST THIS LETTER MUST PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION (web links, book/article citations, etc.) if you choose to speak to any of the points I have made.  IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE DELETED.

Documentation of Each Point that I made can be found in the following web links:

  http://www.hrw.org/search/apachesolr_search/Paul%20Kagame

·      http://www.amnestyusa.org/search/node/Rwanda

·      http://www.cpj.org/search.php?cx=002635367788333464843%3A1kfp8mbluhy&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=Paul+Kagame&sa.x=12&sa.y=10&sa=Search

To the William Penn University Community:

I am writing to you concerning your university’s decision to have President Paul Kagame of Rwanda to give the commencement address this year.  While it is true that no international leader is without controversy, President Kagame’s record on human rights abuses speaks volumes of this man’s character.  I strongly request that you rescind the invitation to have this man speak at the commencement ceremony.

*In August 2011, before the presidential election, there was a major halt of freedom of expression allowing President Kagame to win with 93% of the vote.

*Bernard Ntaganda, and Victor Ingabire, both leaders of opposition parties were arrested for criticizing government policy.

*Since 2009, journalist rights have been highly restricted forcing many journalists to flee Rwanda for their own safety.

*Between March and May 2011, at least four individuals have disappeared, presumably at the hand of Kagame’s government.

*Members of opposition political parties have been arrested and beaten. President Kagame controls the RPF Political Party, only functioning political party in Rwanda. 

*In 2008, a Spanish judge indicted 40 Rwandan Military Officers for human rights abuses and genocide that took place in the 1990’s when several million Rwandans died or disappeared – this judge found criminal activity on the part of President Kagame, however he is immune from indictment due to being a head of state.

*In October 2011, Former Secretary General of the RPF, Dr. Theogene Rudasingua stated in an “open confession” that President Kagame personally ordered the assassination of Former President Habyarimana that set off the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.  This is backed by a French investigation completed in January 2012.

*In 1996, according to the United Nations Mapping Report, Rwanda (posing as militias) attacked Zaire (Now called the Democratic Republic of Congo) attacking Hutus in genocidal proportions.

*President Kagame’s role in both the First and Second Congo Wars cannot be overlooked where between 3.8-7.8 Million humans were killed.

All of this information can be found from a simple web-search, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, United Nations Documents, and major media reports.

Kagame’s violent rule continues to this day as he suppresses journalism, opposition parties, and orders assassinations of dissenters – even those in other countries.

The stain on the hands of William Penn University would be unfathomable if you allow President Kagame to continue as commencement speaker. 

This travesty would also go against the namesake of your university, William Penn, who was a Quaker who championed the rights of those in politics, religious minorities, and was a man who believed that all humans were equal and sacred in the eyes of God.

I am strongly requesting that you rescind your invitation to President Kagame and do not award him an Honorary Doctorate because of his obvious neglect of human rights and ties to genocide.  This genocidal dictator is not an appropriate role model for any human being, much less for college graduates.

Please forward this communication to anyone who has a role in planning the commencement exercises at your university.

In the Name of God’s Peace:

In Honor or Two Influential Christians and Theologians of Deep Faith

2 Timothy 4:6-7

⁶As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

The 2011-2012 academic year at Duke Divinity School is bittersweet.  After many years of service to academic theology, service to the Church on both the worldwide levels and the local church levels, and service to countless individuals, 2 men of great faith are retiring after lives of service – Dr. Geoffrey Wainwright and Dr. Stanley Hauerwas.

Somehow the planets aligned, God’s providence shined forth, and I and my class of Divinity Students had the opportunity to be in the final classes taught by these two remarkable Christians.

While I cannot characterize their lifetimes of service in a blog post, I will do my best to portray these men as Christians who have made a difference for the faith of many whether they have encountered these theologians directly or through their writings or through their teachings passed through former students.

Dr. Wainwright has spent his entire adult career in service to the Church.  He has been a pastor in England, a missionary in Africa, professor at several universities and seminaries, an important voice in the World Council of Churches on the healing of division among the various denominations, and in his youth, he was a cricket player (but, by his own admission, he had to settle for watching baseball after coming to the USA). 

Dr. Wainwright is a gentle man but yet full of passion for Christianity.  One day, my class hosted an “English Tea and Scone Breakfast” in his honor.  As a “stereotypical” British person, we thought he would burst with excitement as he uttered in a barely audible voice, “Thank you for the affection.” 

Sitting in his class was nothing short of amazing.  It isn’t often that a person can drop in casual conversation, “So, I was talking to the Pope, and I advised him to…”.  Even if you are not Catholic or do not believe in Papal Authority, the very fact that this man has personally known at least the past 2 Popes speaks of the respect the Christian Community holds for him as a reconciler.  And, he spoke with such humility that would make one think that everyone calls the Pope on a regular basis.

Most of all, I will remember Dr. Wainwright’s final lecture in our Theology Class.  In his British way, he “let loose.”  I remember hoping that after watching too many episodes of the Newlywed Game, the term “whoopee” would have a different meaning.  One of his last statements, ripe with British ambiguity was that after the Final Judgment after Christ redeems the world, there will be a lot of “whoopee in Heaven!” (And yes, he said it as if he were a cowboy).  I hope to God he was speaking of celebration...yes, celebration!

PARENTAL ADVISORY IS ADVISED FOR THE FOLLOWING TRIBUTE FOR STRONG LANGUAGE – Yeah, that’s not usually something that you put in tribute to a Theologian, much less a committed Christian, but hopefully it will make sense.

Dr. Stanley Hauerwas was named “America’s Best Theologian” on September 10, 2001…Unfortunately for America and for him, the next day, his accomplishment was overshadowed.  Dr. Hauerwas made a career of being a “Christian Contrarian.”  He never “fit the mold” of what others expected of him.  And to his credit, he never tried.

Dr. Hauerwas is a Christian Theologian/Ethicist who has taught at several universities including Notre Dame and Duke.  While never a “polished speaker,” his writing is impeccable.  He has authored countless books and articles. 

Sitting in Dr. Hauerwas’ class is an interesting experience.  But first, one needs to know his background.  He was raised by working class parents, and was trained as a bricklayer early in life.  It’s well known that in the construction industry, the “King’s English” is not exactly used.  In fact, in our first class, I counted him using the word “shit” or some variation of it 11 times.  And also in that class, we learned that the only "moral absolute' is that you should never shove a garden hose up someone's rectum and turn it on (Who would have known???  I'm eternally grateful for that word of wisdom!!!) But, for some reason, hearing those words from him is not the same as hearing them from others.  He is a real person who is a real committed Christian.

I did not always agree with his positions or his approach, but I always respected how he got there.  His intelligence is beyond question as is his faith.  Each class demanded that we, the Church, reclaim our identity and be an alternative to the world.  We should be so attractive that the world sees in us what it is missing – that being Jesus…because after all, “this shit is true” (in his words).

In person, Dr. Hauerwas is one of the most gentle and kind people one could ever meet.  I’ve talked to him on a personal level a couple of times, and each time, the focus was on me.  He never wanted to focus on himself.  When I complimented him on a book he wrote that made a difference to me, he wanted to talk about baseball...that is until he found I was guilty of the unforgivable sin - being a NY Yankee's fan.

In his last lecture to our class, this non-ordained man cried as he thanked us for allowing him the opportunity to teach us.  He admitted that he had a big personality and hoped that it never overshadowed the main goal of the class – Jesus.  He then summed up the class and what we learned and concluded with a sermon.

While some disagree with his pacifism or his approach to ethics – he uses the liturgy (as an extension of the Bible) and what we do at church to shape how we act in the world rather than if X happens, do Y – none can disagree that he is sincere.  He is flamboyant and sometimes seems overbearing, but when that is brought to his attention, he would be the first to admit his flaws and apologize for failing to respect another person. 

In summary – Both of these men have been a great witness to the power of God in the world today.  Despite their retirements, I find it hard to believe they will ever truly retire.  They may “take it easy,” but their service to God and God’s people will never end, and it will always live on in those who have learned from them!

Why Do We Kill Beautiful Things? -Maundy Thursday Sermon

“Why Do We Kill Beautiful Things?”

Based on John 13:1-17, 31-35

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ²The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper ³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, ⁴got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. ⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” ¹²After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. ¹⁴So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

³¹When he (Judas) had gone out (to betray Jesus), Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³²If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

     Jesus said, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”  There are no “what if’s,” and there is no “us and them.”  Yes, it does emphasize love between Christ’s disciples – how can we love the world if we can’t first love each other? But it also means that if we love each other, we will take that love and share it with the world no matter who is in the world or what part of the world we are in.  And if we truly possess this love, there are some serious implications for us.  There are some serious implications that will make us uncomfortable.  But before we dive into this commandment, I want to see where we stand right now…Not just us in this room, but rather, how well do people love one another just as Christ loved us?

         I’m going to start with a knock-out punch, then whoever is left can try to keep reading.  Last week, (and this is a true store – no jokes here), someone dumped an injured domestic bunny in our yard.  You’ll find that if you’re a preacher in the country, a lot of things get dumped in your yard – puppies, kittens, beer bottles, and even one day I had a cow roaming through the yard – I don’t know if the person who dumped the bunny thought I was a faith healer or just wanted to get rid of it, but nonetheless, it was in my yard, and when my wife saw it a 7am, it was ugly and in a bad condition.  She called to tell me about it, and we both figured that it would just hop off into the woods and go to Bunny Heaven.  Well, when I got home  about 7 hours later only to find the bunny in the same place and in worse shape than she had earlier described to me.  So, I called her, now asking for the phone number to Bunny Hospice.  This poor bunny hadn’t moved, and was not going to, and there was nothing I could do about it.  I’ll spare you the rest of the details, but it even gets quite comedic as phones start ringing, and the members of the church get into action action mode all because someone decided not to show a little love to a bunny and dumped it in the preacher's yard (and to be fair, they also didn't want my kids to come home and have to see the bunny in that state either).

         I’m glad I can't see through the computer to see how many dry eyes I still have and how many counseling sessions I’m going to have to hold when you're done reading.  But, let’s put that into perspective – It was a rabbit…not a human.

         In February, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was walking through a neighborhood armed with a bag of skittles and a bottle of iced tea.  He was talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone when a series of unknown events took place.  Something led to Trayvon being shot dead by the Neighborhood Watch captain.  We know Trayvon was unarmed.  We do know that the Neighborhood Watch captain called 911, followed Trayvon despite being told not to do so, uttered a profanity and a racial slur over the phone, and eventually shot and killed Trayvon.  What we don’t know is what led up to the killing.  Maybe Trayvon started a fight and the Neighborhood Watch captain shot in self-defense.  Maybe he didn’t start a fight, and it was an unjustified shooting.  Either way, a teenager is dead, a man has to live the rest of his life knowing he killed another human, parents have to live their lives without their son. No one wins.  I wasn’t there…I can’t pass judgment…But it doesn’t look like love was shown.

         Right now, in the Supreme Court, and in the Political Arena, and in homes across the country, the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” or “Obamacare” as some call it, is being debated.  Whether you agree with it or not is neither here nor there, because I honestly believe Christians on both sides of the argument have their hearts in the right place and want the right and Godly thing to be done.  But, there are professing Christians, and I call them Christians because they say they believe in Christ, and because no one can see what’s in their minds and hearts except for God alone, who do not show love for others on this issue.  At a Tea-Party Debate last September, Candidate Ron Paul was asked what should happen if an otherwise healthy non-insured person suddenly goes into a tragic coma.  Ron Paul never really got to answer the question.  He was interrupted by a sizable number of audience members who cheered when the commentator asked if they should just let the person die.  Cheering to let someone die?  Is that showing the love of Christ?

         Before I go on, I want to be clear that this is not meant to endorse a political ideology, this is a sermon on loving one another as Christ loved us.  I cannot judge the shooter in the Trayvon Martin case because I don’t have all of the facts, but I can say that when deadly force is used and assumptions are made based on race, you’re not starting out on the right foot.  Whether or not all should have health care may be a political issue, but to say that we should let people die because they don’t have it is a denial of Christian love and charity.

         At the beginning, I said that if we take this command from Christ seriously, there are serious implications, and now I want to look at them.  I want us to look at exactly what it will look like and feel like for us to love one another as Christ loved us.

1.                     The most major difference, in fact the ONLY difference, is that we will stop killing beautiful things. (Now wait, you're thinking…you can’t be serious…I don’t kill…Ok, maybe I hunt…etc.)

T          There are some things to think about in reference to Killing Beautiful Things.

a.    Killing is more than taking a life.  Killing is being silent in the face of injustice.  Those who are victims are beautiful, and we MUST stop being silent in the face of injustice. (When people are cheated by the powers of the world, we MUST be a voice for those who have no voice, we will hold people accountable and not stop until “Justice and righteous roll like and ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24)(yes, that's a paraphrase, not a direct quote).

b.   Killing is withholding compassion and mercy.  Those who are sinners are still beautiful, and we MUST show Compassion and Mercy (We need to understand that underneath every action, and even sinful actions are underlying reasons – we don’t have to excuse those reasons or overlook those reasons, but we should look upon those people with mercy.  We need to treat the sinners as Jesus treated the Tax Collectors, the prostitutes, the demon possessed, the thief on the cross – with mercy and compassion)

c.    Killing is greed in the face of need.  Those who are needy are beautiful, and we MUST be generous with our charity. (If we believe what we say we believe, then we can afford to be generous because just as God provides through us, we need to let go of our sinful pride and know that if we are in need, God will provide for us, and it may be through someone else)

d.   Hate is the ultimate form of killing – both literally and figuratively.  All humans are beautiful because we are created in the likeness and image of God, and we MUST show love to all people. (Yes, this means ALL people.  Even the ones that annoy us.  Even the ones who worship a different God.  Even the ones who practice a different lifestyle.  Even the ones who hate us.  Even the ones who don’t look like us.  Even the ones who don’t share our values.  Even the ones who don’t talk like us.  Even the ones who hate our God.  It is not our job to judge. It is not our job to defend God - God is big enough to do that by himself.  It is not our job to build a church.  It is only our job to sow seeds and nurture them, and we can ONLY do that through love.  Not fake and conditional love, but rather Godly unconditional love.  The same kind of love that Jesus showed when he died for sinners like you and me on the cross on the day that the last beautiful thing had to die.