A Man to His Cat

A Man to His Cat

It was the fullest of days
     he said as he took a drink.
Waking up into the stillness of the morning
quickly struck by the gusts of yesterday's winds
blowing me into today's troubled waters.
There I lay, paralyzed, unable and afraid
to throw off the welcome dullness of sleep for
the too real certainties of the day,
too poisoned by the smaug of indolence
to face the monster waiting in the hall.
     He took another drink.
I finally got out of bed, to the protest of my joints
and stood up as my creaky body came into form
and my weary spirit filled the vestiges of my soul.
At that very moment my old enemy started to whisper in my ear
as he breathed venomous words into my mind,
a searing seer with a forked tongue
blurring truth and untruth
and hissing everything I didn't want to hear.
He followed me all the way out of the house and down the road,
hoping I might quit on the day just to stop and listen.
     He drank a long drink.
And when I got to work my rival was there,
and as always he roared a fearsome roar at me
and bared his teeth and flashed his claws
and challenged me to combat. 
Like every day I had no choice but to roll up my sleeves and fight.
We struggled for hours and hours
bruising and battering each other in a relentless struggle,
until finally I bashed his head with a paper weight
and he collapsed.
     He drank.
Then I went and visited her grave. 
The walk up the winding path was a mountain to me,
and the day was windy and the rain started to fall
and my flowers looked awful.
I cried a lot this time.
I hoped that I might just sink into the earth next to her
and fall asleep with her one more time forever.
     He looked about to drink, but didn't.
I got home and sat down, but I heard the dragon in the next room
breathing deeply and snorting fire.
I thought it might stay away this time but it had come back
and it wasn't going to go anywhere.
So I grabbed my biggest kitchen knife and we did battle.
He is so strong, his skin is so tough, and his strikes so fierce.
His blasts of flame burned and threatened to melt my flesh from my bones,
the air I breathed was a hot and choking mass of sulfur.
We crashed throughout the house making a mess of everything
until we were on the rooftop and he lunged at me full force.
I screamed in rage and plunged my knife into his heart.
I staggered back into the house as he quickly died.
     He drank.
Exhausted, I sat down and rested.
But the two-headed snake came back, like always.
It slithered about me, impetuously seeking to provoke me,
hissing and sliding around as it grew bigger and bigger.
I could not ignore it forever,
so I grabbed it below one of the heads and squeezed.
The other head bit me on the wrist, latching on and filling me with poison.
We sat like that for some time
waiting for the other to die.
And that's when you showed up and scared it off, my beloved friend.
That brings us here, to the end of the day, so long as my enemy doesn't 
try to tell me too much before I fall asleep tonight.
     What are you going to do tomorrow?
     He drank and finished his glass.
The same thing.

L.I.T.W. – Politics

The last installment before the closing argument in this series called “Love is the Why.”

View of an elephant wearing an American flag carrying a cross

When Christianity becomes linked with patriotism, ties to politics become inevitable.

Young people are leaving Christianity in part because American Christianity has come to be represented by Conservative views and extreme right-wing propaganda. Being a Christian has come too closely linked with being a Conservative.

It is no coincidence that America is simultaneously becoming more secular and more liberal.

The problem is that while religious love upholds conciliation, politics is fundamentally divisive, particularly in the two-party system present in America.

In religion, when two groups arrive at an impasse, there are three general courses of action they can take. They can choose intolerance which leads to a fight for supremacy, they can disagree to such an extent that they must live in separate spheres and communities, or they can agree to disagree and live together peacefully without letting the issue upset social order. Religion tends to mean having strong convictions, but it should also mean having a strong desire for peace and harmony.

In politics, disagreement almost always leads to a fight. Not necessarily a violent one, but one that is combative in nature. In politics, opposing parties are fighting over the same territory, which means it must be done one way or the other. Issues of great importance demand resolution but resist compromise.

And, because America is a politically interested nation and because there are such large groups of people seeking political or other social influence, well-defined lines in the sand are drawn, most often between Liberals and Conservatives, and all people are tagged with a few quite significant labels.

And, in many communities of American Christians, particularly those who are proud to be ‘Merican, these labels read thusly:

Republican=Good

Democrat=Bad

On the surface, mind you, this makes some sense. After all, the Republican party’s stance on a number of issues matches up with the Christian lifestyle. Republicans and Christians both tend to oppose things like gay marriage, abortion, and drug use, both seem interested in safety and consistency, and the Republican party places greater emphasis on religious freedom than the Democratic party. It is no cakewalk balancing Liberal policies with Christian beliefs.

But there is so much more to both major political parties, and for Christians to write off Democratic policies and to harbor prejudices against Democrats is really problematic.

American Christians need to remember that they are Christians first and Americans second. That will make them better Christians and better Americans.

Doing this should prompt Christians to be loving of people before they are loyal to politics.

Liberals tend to show more support for women’s rights, the poor, minorities, and the environment. I think if you read the Bible you will find pretty strong support for those four things. (Okay I know it’s possible to say the Bible is extremely sexist. Let’s agree to disagree I don’t have time to explain that right now). Of course, a Conservative reading this might argue that their views on these issues are truly the supportive ones. And they may have a totally legitimate line of reasoning for believing that.

However, the problem is that politics demand discounting the majority, if not the entirety, of the opposition’s beliefs. This means that entire issues can be tossed to the wayside in an effort to defeat an opposing political party.

Think about just a few examples:

  • Feminism is perceived to be overwhelmingly liberal and secular. Why? Because we have images of angry women running around blaming men for everything just waiting for the chance to abort a baby. But shouldn’t everyone want women to have equal rights? And shouldn’t Christians want to seek how to love and serve all women?
  • Support for the environment gets written off as a bunch of tree-hugging hippies playing the sympathy card to save animals. But, don’t they have some worthwhile things to say? Don’t we need to be good stewards of God’s earth? Don’t we need to protect endangered species? And, where do you expect to hunt if your insatiable consumerism destroys our environment?
  • The Democratic solutions to poverty are said to be unfair to people who actually work hard as they just help lazy people and drug users. People should just work hard and achieve the American Dream. But, shouldn’t our hearts go out to the poor, whether they be lazy and drug addicted or not? Shouldn’t we be earnestly seeking ways to help all people prosper? Shouldn’t we give generously?
  • When a Republican was in office, America needed to go to Afghanistan and Iraq and kill our enemies and help people suffering under autocratic leaders. Now, with a Democrat in office, we should just mind our own business. But as soon as that enemy became linked to jihad it became our business again….

It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about women’s rights, racism, unemployment, global warming, radical Muslims, or gay marriage, Christians should be seeking ways to show love. And I earnestly believe that the tendency Christians have to be Conservative has hampered their ability to do so. It is remarkably difficult for Christians to be politically active and engaged while still being a loving and compassionate Christian.

I’m not saying which political party Christians should belong to or what their political views should be. What I’m saying is that Christians should consider political issues on a case-by-case basis rather than outright accepting or rejecting a view or school of thought because of party affiliation. It is true that there are some aspects of feminism that are seemingly at odds with Christian teachings, and it is true that feminists tend to be secular and liberal, but that does not mean that Conservatives or Christians should just reject feminism and feminists categorically. Politics should have nothing to do with it.

Of course I have painted with very broad brush strokes. Conservatives are just as caring as Liberals, and there are many many good Christians voting for Democrats. But to deny apparent predispositions and trends would be irresponsible. Sometimes we have to approach things “generally speaking.”

Which makes it ironic I suppose that what I am asking for is a political worldview that rejects party loyalty. You may happen to side one way or the other 90% of the time, but that does not mean that your mind should be made up every time by a donkey or an elephant.

The bottomline is that the political climate is one that is unwelcoming to love and kindness. It is about competition. It is very tough to be seriously involved in this game while still displaying Christian love.

It’s fine to have an opinion, even a strong opinion, on a political issue, but always consider whether or not what you think is loving, kind, and compassionate.

Your inevitable move towards the middle of the political spectrum, from whichever end you find yourself on, will be for the better.

And the secular world will recognize us by our love, not our party.

Soli Deo Gloria

– Peter

 

 

The Tragic Last Stand of LeBron James

“Go, bid the soldiers shoot.”

LeBron vs Wariors

There’s a lot going on in this series.

We’ve marveled at the shooting of Steph Curry and the tenacity of Matthew Dellavedova. We’ve seen a young star ascend in Tristan Thompson and an old star shine in Andre Iguodala. We’ve second-guessed strategies, criticized under-performing players, jumped to conclusions, and made plenty of great memes. We’ve seen one of the worst teams in Finals history hang tough with one of the best teams of the last 15 years. We have three legitimate MVP candidates.

And, oh yeah, we have LeBron James. Doing LeBron James things.

And, entering a Game 6 in Cleveland with the Warriors one game away from a championship, the greatest basketball player in the world – playing against such a strong team with such a ragtag band of teammates, in front of his hometown fans who have hated and adored him – is the only character that really matters.

LeBron stands alone in the Q with his team on the brink. He has already given so much, and he is prepared to answer the call and give his last (so to speak).

But, in a Shakespearean turn of fortune, he may be doomed no matter what he does. As we have seen, LeBron is not getting the type of help he needs to win this series. He has astounded the basketball world with his play and yet his team trails 3-2. He might score 50 points tonight and still lose.

It is all on LeBron’s shoulders. And it is all out of LeBron’s hands.

The Cavaliers cannot win unless LeBron has another Herculean performance. And they might still lose, even if he has his mightiest performance yet. Tragically, all of the mystique surrounding the greats in basketball and “finding a way to win” won’t save LeBron. Fate has been unkind to him. His quest to bring a championship to Cleveland hangs in the air with the errant alley-oops of Matthew Dellavedova and the frozen jumpshots of J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert. And, of course, the much more accurate jumpshots of Stephen Curry. Whether or not Timofey Mozgov or Shawn Marion play makes little difference now.

I do not doubt LeBron James. He came out of the TD Garden alive in 2012 down 3-2. He limped out of Game 6 versus the Spurs the following year with a big help from Ray Allen. He will give everything he has to defend his homecourt and give the Cavaliers a chance in Game 7 back in Oakland. He seems determined to banzai charge the Warriors and live or die with the result.

And, should LeBron find a way to win these next two games, it will be the greatest individual performance we have ever seen on the basketball court. All doubts about him will vanish. Every mistake will be forgotten. The haters will look even more foolish. And he will ascend as basketball’s greatest hero. Ever.

But when the final buzzer sounds tonight, I expect to see LeBron kneeling on the court, totally spent, thinking about how he’s going to receive the Bill Russell trophy amidst the Warriors’ celebration. And, if not tonight, then in Game 7, that much closer to the goal but still just as far from finally reaching it.

Then what?

How will Cleveland receive their tragic hero?

Will they bear him up on his shield, or expect him to fall on his sword?

Will he have failed them again, or will he be celebrated for doing more than could have ever been asked with his deadliest lieutenants gone?

I think I know how “we” will receive him. But what about the people who so desperately want to see him win?

How will they see the man who left and then came back when he takes his team so far yet fails to win again?

There will be next year. Kevin will be healthy and will surely re-up if they want him. Kyrie will be “healthy” again. The salary cap will be up and the Cavs can look to build an even stronger team to glide through the Eastern Conference again. But LeBron will be a year older and will have played that many more grueling minutes. He might grow tired of Kevin Love’s defense or David Blatt’s plays. He might take some nights off, weary from a career full of bearing the weight of the basketball world. And maybe he will get right back to this place this time next year with nothing left to give. Maybe his body will finally break down. Maybe Kevin and Kyrie will be injured again.

So, this week, there isn’t next year. It’s here and now. The Cavs, somehow, once led this series 2-1 after dominating the first three games. They were leading by one midway through the fourth quarter of the last game. They have been that close to doing what looked nearly impossible.

LeBron still has a say in this story.

But this story might not be LeBron’s to write.

But if this is to be his end, then he will make such an end so as to be remembered.

Will that be enough?

ἢ τὰν ἢ ἐπὶ τᾶς

Soli Deo Gloria

– Peter

Lunilluminarius

Lunilluminarius

The bat swoops and wheels and dives in the yard
churning the air with furious wings
voicing slight eeks as it finds its way
snatching bugs from the air
a fearsome raptor in the insect world.

A wraith to you.
Maybe you fear it, or even hate.
Too much talk of rabies and vampires
nocturnal hunters with wings and claws and teeth.
And you may stand and whimper in the yard
as you hear the flap of wings
and the slight piercing of calls
as it darts past you in the blackness.
And as you look frantically for a winged body
it might seem that only when it flits between
the moon and your retina that the bat
ceases to be a phantom for a moment
as it is laid out ever so briefly 
against a night light.
You only trust in that tunnel of vision.

But what you must remember
is that the bat
is always
in the moon.