Thoughts: I preached on Sunday, though I felt numb and a bit detached from the worship experience. In the events of this past week, events that seemed to be in competition with one another to see who could be most disruptive and damaging, I found myself doing a Google search for old Far Side Cartoons. At first, the connection was not made. The words “Far Side Cartoons” were quickly typed, and within moments, I was giggling and turning to the next cartoon and giggling some more. It was only later where the poor attempt at escapism was made apparent. I didn’t want to deal any longer with absurd comments by those who suggested that the mail bombs were some great political conspiracy by billionaires to turn the tide of the election. No, it was hate! It was hate embodied in an individual, but hate that was fanned by a brokenness in our culture. I laughed my way through cartoons as I didn’t want to deal any longer with absurd excuses for why it was that eleven human beings were dead inside a sacred space, and two others were dead in a grocery store. There are no excuses, and the most basic explanation is hate!
Today I’m embarrassed to admit my laughter, a shallow attempt at escaping three acts of violence that were rooted in unadulterated hate. In the end, escapism is never a healthy response, nor is it going to bring about the needed change. Today, I return to the conversation with renewed strength to call out the idiotic and delusional explanations that, for whatever reason, seek to excuse or even encourage the voices of hate. I seek forgiveness for my few minutes away from these tragedies – tragedies from which others could not remove themselves. I also return to the moment with a longing to represent an alternative to the hate, to be a love-filled option for those who are consumed with hate. Lord have mercy!
IMPORTANT NOTE
WEDNESDAY
NO Adult or Children’s Programming
Youth WILL Be Meeting
6:30-7:30PM
