Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, August 31, 2007


It is possible to read the history of this country
as one long struggle to extend the liberties established
in our Constitution to everyone in America.

- Molly Ivins, social commentator, born
this day, 1944, in Texas



As usual (to me, anyway), Molly is bang on. When I read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, I was truly inspired. But ….. it was too obvious to look around and see how some people benefited more than others from the grand ideas and principles of its founding documents. It was true from the beginning. It is powerfully true today. And it is simply appalling, and hypocritical, and prejudiced - always in favour of those in power. I am a member of a minority, and I experience it all around me every day.

It is also possible to read the history of America (and probably all other states) as one long struggle to extend the blessings and liberties of the Christian faith to everyone in America. And, I expect now, of the Jewish faith, the Islamic faith, or any other faith. American Christians mouth the principle that God loves everyone, but as God’s followers, they do not extend that love to those whom they have judged to be beyond the pale. Those have been many over the centuries. Nor do they extend Divine justice, mercy, compassion. It often only suits them to usurp God’s power of judgment, always seen in the negative - even though the Scriptures expressly forbid them to do so.

Again, it is time to change this. Time to reclaim and to extend to all, without exception, all being sinners but beloved sinners, the blessings of the God of Unconditional Love. As 1st Peter aptly and simply says: God has no favourites.

Brian+