Dark Secrets

When the towers fell in New York,
I sang “God Bless America”
With teary, misty eyes;
I proudly waved the red, white, and blue
While the bombs fell and people died
Under the might
Of the good ol’ US of A.
3,000 died that September day, they said;
A terrible, rotten shame that is.
But, Sammy-boy, we both know you’ve killed your thousands, too…

Babykiller

Children are starving in lands far away--
I don’t have to look at them, to stare into their eyes;
I don’t have to see their labored breaths,
To see their swollen bellies
And watch them die
Slowly,
Miserably,
Painfully.
I don’t have to listen to their mothers cry,
To see the tears fall,
To see their hearts break in two,
And watch them die
Slowly,
Miserably,
Painfully,
And now alone.

But the fat cats turn their profits
And build their mansions on the graves of dead children
And mothers.
And boys will kill boys in lands far away
To fuel the Wall Street greed
Of the land of the free
And the home of the brave.

I just wonder:
How many babies have I killed?

Christians and the Example of William Wilberforce

Right now, I’m sitting in my bed unable to sleep. I just watched the movie “Amazing Grace,” and it really started me to thinking. The movie’s main character is William Wilberforce, a British politician who spends years pushing for the abolition of the slave trade. I was pleased that the movie displayed the importance of Wilberforce’s Christian beliefs and the influence they exerted on his decision to oppose such an abominable and demeaning practice.

As I watched the movie, I couldn’t help but notice that Wilberforce was a politically-involved Christian who worked for a positive change in the world. He was a reformer. That stands in distinct contrast to much of today’s politically-involved Christians. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems to me that most Christians involved in the political/social arena are reactionary, not reformist. That is, today’s politically-involved Christian, by and large, is primarily focused on defending things such as the “traditional” family and the war in Iraq rather than attacking things such as poverty, racism, and unnecessary military spending. In short, Christians now have the reputation of caring more about polemics than about compassion.

I don’t think it’s enough to stop bad things from happening, though; Christians have a mandate to make good things happen, as well. We are, I believe, supposed to work for a positive change in the world, as people like Wilberforce, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others have. I’m not talking about a Social Gospel sort of thing which strives to meet the physical needs of man while failing to meet his real spiritual needs. Rather, I would argue that the call of Christ is a “holistic” call (to adapt something Brian McLaren wrote): His call will transform a man or woman inwardly and outwardly. Our new love for God will manifest itself in love for our fellow human being. We’ll not be content with simply opposing same-sex marriage; we’ll be motivated to attack poverty and the institutions, policies, and agendas which feed it, among other things.

But as I sit here and type all of this, I can’t help but ask myself, “What am I doing?” And that shows me the plank I have in my own eye. Oh sure, I’ve signed a couple of petitions, joined a couple of organizations, and added my name to a few mailing lists, but that, I think, pretty much sums up what I’ve done. I don’t really have a desire to be a political activist; as a matter of fact, I don’t like that idea at all. And when I think about the monumental nature of the task, I want to break down in tears. There’s so much to do, so much that I’m afraid will never be done. I want to be courageous, like Wilberforce, and stand up and denounce the evils of poverty and racism and such, but I feel so small, insignificant, and voiceless. And how can I do anything? I suppose I sound pretty bleak and depressing right now, but I have to be honest.

I’m not to the point of despair just yet, though. I know that there have to be others like myself out there, Christians who know that they should be working for positive change in the world--in both an individual and an institutional sense--and may be bewildered, completely dumbfounded by the task ahead, but hopeful that God’s will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Lord, help us. We need each other, and we need You.

A Capitalists' Prayer

I wrote this the other night:



O Almighty Dollar,
I beg Thee hear my prayer!
I yearn to be Thy servant,
Spread Thy gospel everywhere.
I’ll exploit my fellow man,
My brother and my friend.
I’ll use him and abuse him;
He’s but a means to an end.
I’ll sacrifice his blood to slake Thy thirst,
For that Thou dost require.
Down he’ll sink into the grave,
While I rise ever higher!


O Almighty Dollar,
I pray Thee bless me now
For I submit myself to Thee
And on my knee I bow.
Fill my wallet full of green,
Give me profits through the roof;
Give me ever prosperous stocks
And a full portfolio to boot!
What must I do to earn these things?
How can I make them mine?
I’ll work a man eight days a week
If Thou but hear my cry!


O Almighty Dollar,
“The fittest shall survive.”
Thy Word standeth ever true,
Till the end of time.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done;
Destroy Thy lazy foes.
May Thine eternal throne be built
Upon their glistening bones!
If one must die for the good
Of the Company,
Just line my pockets with some cash,
And I’ll follow Thee.


O Almighty Dollar,
Just one last thing I beg:
I want to be remembered for all time
When I end my days.
Just name some building after me
(One will be enough)
And call me a “philanthropist”
In all the books and stuff.
Meanwhile I’ll make sure to try my best
To jockey for position;
I’ll lie, I’ll cheat, I’ll steal and kill…
And call it “competition.”