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 February
2005 |
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Contents Prophetic thought Prophetic Thought Civic responsibilities like honesty, self-reliance, participation in the democratic process, and devotion to the common good are essential to the governance and preservation of our country. . . . .[W]e must strengthen our sense of individual responsibility for the welfare of others and the good of society at large. Dallin H. Oaks Source: Devotional address given at Brigham Young University, Nov. 9, 2004. Presidents Day Reflection by John-Charles Duffy, Media Director
I don't mean for this to be a partisan soapbox; that wouldn't be consistent with the MESJ mission statement. But I want to talk briefly, and personally, about the spiritual challenge of living under an administration with which you disagree--which is a challenge that sooner or later everyone faces, whatever their political affiliation. I've gotten to a point where nearly everything I hear about the Bush adminstration automatically makes me angry--sometimes furiously angry. During my morning prayers a couple of weeks ago, my thoughts turned to the Alberto Gonzalez hearings, and I was suddenly filled with so much frustration and fury that I started raging at God about it (in whispers, which I'm sure would have sounded really strange if anyone had heard it). After I'd calmed down, I thought, "This anger can't be healthy." I try to channel my anger constructively by doing things that hopefully will change what I'm angry about. On Inauguration Day, I took part in "Not One Dime Day," refusing to spend any money that day. The idea behind this grassroots protest was to slow down the economy enough that the administration would realize how many people in this country they don't represent. I doubt the protest had any discernible economic impact, but at least I felt I was doing something instead of just fuming. That evening, I attended a peace vigil sponsored by the city of Carrboro, the very liberal town in North Carolina where I now live. The event was relatively small, but it was nice to spend time with other people who shared my concerns. And I was pleased to be there with my "A Mormon 4 Peace" sign. I have a goal for Presidents Day: to figure out how I can pray for the current president and his administration in a way that is sincerely positive and charitable but doesn't make me feel like I'm compromising on my sense of what the U.S. government needs to do if it's going to truly serve the cause of justice and peace.
A Latter-day Saint Responds to the Tsunami by Julie Lefgren (Salt Lake)
Despite the beauty of the “tear drop of India,” the degrading effects of a long civil war and poverty were everywhere. Seeing the raw humanity of poverty, people begging in the streets--some maimed, most starving--was the birth of a First World guilt that haunts me still. And yet, I had never met people who were so proud to be citizens of their country. Despite the social and poverty issues, most of those I encountered were clear on who they were and excited to "show-and-tell" their country, its history, and especially its people’s spirit. “You like our Sri Lanka, Miss Julie?” they asked. Yes, I did. I first heard the news on NPR. I didn’t need visuals to know what it looked like, how sickening and vast the wave had been. While Sri Lankans are proud of their country and resilient in the face of difficulties, it is a fragile place nonetheless. When I finally did see footage of the tsunami in action during the holidays, tears rolled down my face for the innocent victims and my own helplessness. What could be done? The scope of this region's humanitarian needs has always been overwhelming; now it was even more acute. My inclination has been to get on a plane, with work gloves and water, and show up to help where needed. And yet I knew that arriving in a disaster zone with nothing more than desire might just add to the problem. So I’ve searched the Internet and so far have connected with people all over the world, also interested in getting their hands dirty and offering a human touch. At the time I write this, almost a month to the day after the tsunami hit, I have finally made a strong and direct connection with someone who is now in Sri Lanka. The primary need this person has identified is assistance and expertise in reconstructing destroyed buildings. As so many other NGOs have stated: this takes money. Supplies, clothing, and food are still needed as well to provide for those who lost all. As things now stand, I am working on going to Sri Lanka for a time in order to act as a courier and volunteer. If you would like to contact me about this directly, I can be reached via email. If anyone is interested in participating in this effort, the donations I am soliciting are: Delta Frequent Flyer miles For more information, check the following websites: VolunteerSriLanka.org Remember in Your Prayers...
Please continue to pray for those who lost loved ones, homes, or livelihoods. Pray also for those who are administering relief or aiding reconstruction. And pray for generosity on the part of the world's wealthy nations.
The fired miners are now looking for work, but over 20 of them are still without employment. They continue to receive donations of food and money from labor unions and concerned individuals in the Salt Lake area. Please remember the miners and their families in your prayers. Pray that they will find work, and pray for a just resolution to their grievances against the Kingston clan.
Give thanks for Senator Reid's efforts on behalf of the environment, and pray that he will be an instrument for justice in his new capacity as Senate minority leader.
News from Local Chapters
In addition, I'd like to set up a state-wide California e-mail list.
There will be a lot of issues for us to get involved with at the state
level, and it would be useful to keep us all connected. Of course, the --James Tobler
Needless to say, an inspirational day; in many ways the Las Vegas chapter feels closely associated with Dr. King and his dream of civil rights. Many of our members are of African-American and Polynesian descent, with a profound awareness of Dr. King's dreams and achievements. And speaking of inspiration: Las Vegas MESJ plans to participate in the 2006 parade with her very own MESJ float! --Robert Poort
The evening began with the reading of King’s “I have a Dream” speech by Heather Smith (a friend of MESJ). I then shared experiences from my graduate school program, where I was “assigned” to spend time in racially diverse groups and lead a short discussion about diverse environments. Darron Smith (co-editor of Black and Mormon) was our featured speaker of the evening. He shared his experiences of being black in a while community, culture, and church. The group made many comments in response to Darron's presentation and found the evening’s ideas very insightful. And MESJ gained another new member! --Suzette Smith Out of the Best Books by Robert Poort Editor's note: The scriptures encourage us to "seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom" (D&C 88:118). In that spirit, we invite readers to submit reviews of enlightening or inspiring books about the intersection of faith and social activism.
God's Politics, a new Vision for Faith and Politics in America by Jim Wallis (HarperSanFrancisco, 2005) This brand new book, with its subtitle, "Why the Right Gets it Wrong, and the Left Doesn't Get it," is being actively promoted by MESJ's Las Vegas chapter. Many people from all across the social-political spectrum in our wards and branches will find this book appealing because it seeks to find the balance and the common ground that we're so desperately in need of, when it comes to recognizing and appreciating a diversity of social-political views. And whereas MESJ operates from a platform of political neutrality, hoping to include as many as possible, author Jim Wallis seems to agree when he observes: "The best contribution of religion is precisely not to be ideologically predictable nor loyally partisan." The 2004 presidential campaign unfortunately presented us with, in Wallis's words, a "false choice between ideological religion and soulless politics." God's Politics is related to the social justice campaign, "God is not a Republican or a Democrat," and provides us with many practical concepts that have the potential to unite, rather than divide us, in our common ideal of "establishing Zion." Latter-Day Saints will be interested to read about the "call to make both our religious communities and our government more accountable to key values of the prophetic religious tradition." Where Jim Wallis includes prophetic voices like Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, and Desmond Tutu, Latter-Day Saints will have no problem finding some additional modern prophetic voices! Jim Wallis argues that America's separation of church and state does not require banishing moral and religious values from the public square. In fact, the very survival of America's social fabric depends on such values and vision to shape our politics--a dependence the nation's founders recognized.
Sunday School Notebook
"The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught. . . . Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men" (D&C 3:1, 3). If we have faith that God's purposes include using us as instruments to build up justice, equity, and peace on earth, we can face setbacks with the confidence that God's work will prevail. "Whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God" (D&C 6:4). Willingness to serve is a call to serve. This verse calls to mind a statement by Glenn L. Pace, a past counselor in the Presiding Bishopric: "We need not wait for a call or an assignment from a Church leader before we become involved in activities that are best carried out on a community or individual basis” ("A Thousand Times," Ensign, Nov. 1990). "Even as you desire of me, so shall it be unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation" (D&C 6:8). What good do I desire to do in my generation? Do I regularly lay those desires before the Lord in my prayers? --John-Charles Duffy, Carrboro, NC
This verse must have been dedicated to the inhabitants of Las Vegas. In the 1950s residents in the area witnessed bright lights of "harmless" nuclear testing; cancer and birth defects consequently "consumed away" people and livestock for years. In the 1980s utter destruction became a real possibility as an attempt was made to place nuclear missiles at the same location; prophetic intervention from President Spencer W Kimball barely averted the threat. In this year 2005--you guessed it--at the very same spot, we are about to witness the safe "deposit" of 70,000 tons of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. --Robert Poort, Las Vegas, NV
In the week leading up to the Martin Luther King holiday, MESJ members discussed online the possibility of MESJ sending a letter to the First Presidency expressing concern about the persistence among Latter-day Saints of racist folklore from the days before the 1978 revelation on the priesthood. A consensus in favor of sending such a letter in MESJ's name did not emerge, in part because of uncertainty about whether this was an appropriate role for MESJ to take in relation to Church leaders. However, it was clear from the discussion that many people involved in MESJ are concerned about racism within LDS communities. Suzette Smith, the MESJ Public Liaison, is planning to send a letter to the First Presidency expressing her own concerns about this issue as an individual Latter-day Saint (not speaking for MESJ). Contact Suzette if you would be interested in sending an individual letter as well and would like to see what she is planning to say. Elder Alexander B. Morrison has called racism "one of the abiding sins of societies the world over." Latter-day Saints, of course, share in many of their societies' blindnesses. President Gordon B. Hinckley has prayed that Latter-day Saints may "work unitedly" both to "remove from our hearts" and to "drive from our society all elements of hatred, bigotry, [and] racism." All of this leads to the following two-part question:
Send your thoughts in response to this question by February 25 to jcduffy@hotmail.com. Please put "Anxiously Engaged" in the subject line. Include your name and your city. Upcoming Events and Observances
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