Reflecting on Lynn's blog, "Why Will YOU Occupy?" from earlier this week, I pondered how the church could best respond to the Occupy Movement. Confession seems appropriate. I was inspired to write the below.
People of Christian Churches Confess to People of The Occupy Movement
We confess that we have too often cried “God bless America,” too often claimed our country as “Christian,” and too seldom called our country to repentance when its ways have strayed far from the ways of Christ.
We confess that we have sometimes shied away from preaching and doing justice when we feared it would detract from the offering plate.
We confess that while often generously bandaging wounds and feeding the hungry, we have seldom addressed the systemic injustices that created the wounds and the hunger.
We confess that we have focused on personal morality while corporate immorality devastated our economy and our lives.
We confess that we have allowed fear to curb our generosity, judgment to quench our compassion, and despondency to render us powerless.
We confess that we have avoided the public sphere and politics, or have chosen sides based upon particular issues or trends, rather than standing up to decry a system of greed that has lost any sense of serving the people.
We confess these things with humility knowing we had not the courage to speak up until you did. Therefore, we will not claim this confession for any particular denomination or church body lest we take credit where no credit is due. We will simply share this confession as people of Christian faith. We will lend our presence to the Occupy movement merely as fellow citizens, not waving denominational banners or using the movement as PR for Christianity. We will find our lost humility and serve God’s people....all of God's people, without an eye to our own self-interest. We stand with the 99% speaking out against greed for the sake of the worldwide 100%.
I confess these things as part of the larger Christian Church. If you would like to join me in the confession or express your support to those who do, please comment below or "like" this. Please also consider sharing this so that others may confess as well and so that those who have been hurt may hear our confession.
4 comments:
As a pastor in the Christian church, I add my voice of confession.
As a christian in today's world, I also add my voice....
After reading multiple comments from the 99%, it seems there must be a way to actively respond. This is a important first step to acknowledge their frustrations and difficult positions, but I'm at a loss to know what the next steps of action should be......would welcome others' thoughts.......
Yes!
not everyone in the occupy movement is acting with Christ-in-mind, but the movement itself is very Christ-like.
to anonymous... I would love to tell you what to do, but I doubt that approach would be effective. so, instead... embody the spirit of compassion and then you will know.
It is the corporate immorality that really scares me in this country. They put on phony religious aires on Sunday and quite literally pollute the waters on Monday! And they so smuggly wear the christian coat while they do it. They they advertise their wares and services on christian radio, announcing the you should buy from them because they are christian. I know one who has his employees pour his printing chemicals into the sewer behind the church he attends rather than pay to get rid of them like other business men do. And then he tells others how he found Jesus???
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