Faithful Witness - Friends Media Project: 2009-01-19T14:50:56Z Copyright (c) 2008, Dana Kester-McCabe ExpressionEngine tag:friendsmedia.org,2008:09:20 tag:friendsmedia.org,2008:fmpcms/index.php/site/index/1.10 2008-09-20T17:09:00Z 2008-09-20T17:46:44Z Dana Kester-McCabe info@moonshell.net
First I would like to suggest that praying for a fair and open process is a good start. Often people will scoff at such a simple approach. But if enough people pray sincerely, their hearts will change and so will the hearts of others. Through prayer and/or positively guided meditation we can calm ourselves and open our hearts and minds enough that we might winnow out a good bit of the actual truth of what we are witnessing. We can then make better informed decisions.

Prayer is just the first step. True faithfulness requires not just right thought but right action. It is not enough to be mad that the press coverage is so bad or that the candidates seem out of touch. It is important to engage. No matter what our political persuasion is we need to stand up and be counted. Yes there is a cacophony of people expressing themselves in many forms of expression. Yes – God may actually be calling some of us to simply be quiet amidst all the noise. But this is an important time to test whether we should speak up.

Quakerism (among others) teaches that we all have to take responsibility for the good order of the world around us. For many Quakers the preferred approach to the media is to ignore it. They suggest – if we must watch broadcast news only watch public broadcasting. But I would contend that even if we cannot take a steady diet of the various news and opinion shows, we should at least sample them from time to time. It is important to know that media companies from their corporate boards down to the reporters and support staff think of the news as “product” and we their audience as their market. Many of us are very intentional about what we buy.

It is important to know why elections turn out the way they do. It would also be great if we had more Quakers working in broadcast news. The esteemed Edward R. Murrow, renowned for his journalistic ethics, was raised as a Quaker. I often wonder what he would think – not just of journalism today, but the public’s wildly divergent reactions to it.

Some might say: “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” We may not all be cut out for the ruthless arena of politics. But ultimately we all have to decide if we are willing to go along with whatever is going on around us. It is a matter of individual conscience. We each must answer in our own way. The media can be a tempting distraction as well as a source of information. Even if we reject a lot of it – the media is ingrained in our society and we are therefore compelled to be aware of it. William Penn said we should live in the world but not be “of it.” In any era that is a difficult charge. People of sincere faith and conviction can make the media useful without being seduced by it.
How do you answer the call to witness and protect the good order of our country? Are your prayers for positive change as well as the wisdom and courage to help make change happen? ]]> tag:friendsmedia.org,2008:fmpcms/index.php/site/index/1.12 2008-09-09T14:44:00Z 2009-01-19T14:50:56Z Dana Kester-McCabe info@moonshell.net
Now when I hear someone use it as a slight, I wince. I wonder: “How would they feel if a hymn that was special to them was denigrated in this way? What if they heard someone putting down Amazing Grace or That Old Rugged Cross?” It is usually more productive to ignore the remark and get back to the original topic at hand than to defend what will surely be called my naïve idealism.

I may be idealistic but I would contend that I am not unrealistic. Neither is Kumbaya. The song recognizes the good and bad we experience and asks that God be present in all those conditions. Its lyrics include verses: someone’s crying, someone’s laughing, someone’s praying, and someone’s singing. I have even heard dying, dancing, and marching. It can be used to reflect the experience of anyone singing it. It is not a song of self-righteous judgments or pleas for salvation. It gives a balanced and yet simplified view of the human condition and asks God for support.

It is hard to shake a characterization, once it becomes part of the common vocabulary. Kumbaya, the song, has long been associated with Sixties style activism which has been deemed silly and unrealistic by conservatives and anyone else trying to shake free from an association with bygone radicalism. Even if demonstrations in the Sixties’ were marked by drug use, outrageous political theater, and free love, maybe the “Godless” hippies who sang Kumbaya weren’t actually “Godless” after all. And, well, history has shown they were not so unrealistic or foolish to call for civil rights and an end to the Vietnam War. But that is not the point when Kumbaya is now used in a derogatory manner. It is often used to identify someone as being on the wrong side of the continuing “culture war.”

It is also used to sow the seeds of distrust when someone uses hopeful rhetoric. They are accused of seeking a “Kumbaya moment.” In other words they are charged with trying to artificially manufacture a temporary experience of good will and cooperation when there is neither. The implication is that these ideals are a waste of everyone’s time, that their proponents are liars or just stupid. It is a snide assertion, not based on any fact, used like “nyah-nyah” on the play ground.

I am not alone in saying that I am sick and tired of the politics of sarcasm and disrespect. Sarcasm is the preferred language of liars and bullies. So why do we love it so? Why do we consider the cutting remark to be a sign of superior wit and intellect? Sure, sometimes it really is funny. But it is rarely helpful. All too often it is part of a strategy to conceal the truth or discourage opposing views. It can be a form of verbal violence. It is used when someone has run out of constructive things to say – or cannot win an argument on its merits.

I am all for sarcasm as it is used by humorists and comedians. That’s a tool of their trade which is to help us laugh while see the truth about ourselves. What I object to is the barrage of mean spirited sniping we are currently being subjected to by candidates and their surrogates. The last several elections have been won with the most divisive tactics. Sarcasm has been central. Anyone who objects is told to grow up and get over it, which is an interestingly childish response. We are supposed to accept that it is a ruthless business and just get over it. Most of us don’t put up with that attitude in our daily relationships. It is hard to understand why we do from politicians and pundits. The world will always be a changeable dangerous place. We need leaders who can actually be the grownups in the room. We need leaders who understand that listening and learning is more important than getting their digs in. A little Kumbaya might just be in order.

So, I would like to reintroduce Kumbaya as a concept. Kumbaya embodies mutual respect and faith in the best in people. Kumbaya is an invitation to inclusiveness and a common purpose. Even if you are not religious, it is important to believe in the inherent goodness of people. It isn’t something you accept once and then everything is hunky-dory. It requires a continuing commitment to seek out the best in others. Yes, there are times we must face evil behavior and tragic circumstances. But the best way to overcome these is to intentionally build and maintain relationships of trust. That requires just the opposite of naiveté. True Kumbaya requires a willingness to clearly see the world for better and worse, yet to have the faith to work toward something better.

There are people across the political spectrum who want not what is best for their side – but what is best for all. All of us want leaders with integrity and a willingness to find answers that serve the greater good. Wouldn’t it be great if the next President and his administration had enough faith in the American people to speak plainly about the unpredictable world we live in and respected us enough to invite us all to share the responsibility of meeting its challenges? Wouldn’t it be great if once elected, all our representatives sincerely tried to work with each other and accomplished something that helped everyone not just a few? Wouldn’t it be great if we did not leave all the responsibility to the government – but pitched in ourselves? Kumbaya Lord Kumbaya.
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In order to be a faithful witness to Truth we have to be open to it. Is someone in the midst of a crisis capable of experiencing the Greater Truth? I would say – Yes. Sometimes we are suddenly enlightened by our sheer amazement at a situation. Clarity often comes to us in flashes when we need it most. But we also need to see that Greater Truth in our quiet ordinary existence. Stories of humility, steadfastness, and simple kindness are just as important to tell as the heroic rescue or tragic loss.

Sometimes the Light of Truth is bright enough to help us fully understand what is happening. But there are always those times when information is shrouded in shadow. There are places the Light has not yet reached. For example, we do not have a full understanding of what makes our weather. Through scientific study, we do know there are things we humans do which affect our climate. But, we have not conclusively proved which activities causes the most harm; or what may actually be beneficial. So, we are called to find out more. What is the Greater Truth we are witnessing? It is that we are ALL responsible for weather change at the same time that none of us are responsible for the forces of nature. This is a Truth as old as time.

Another longstanding Truth is that if there is a common enemy we can all unite against it is the cruel and capricious power of dangerous climate conditions. All our social, political, or religious differences pale in comparison. When we are truly open to Truth its Light helps us see our common humanity not just good and evil, joy and fear.

Once exposed to a Greater Truth, we cannot help but be changed by it. We cannot help but be convicted by it. It changes the way we make decisions. It reorders our priorities. Once this happens we communicate it in all we do and say. We fully live into it and witness unto it. Our actions and our words faithfully represent that Truth. When there is a disaster, people rush to help. We know where they stand. We know what their values are. They have served as faithful witnesses. But in our everyday lives we need to be open to that conviction as well. Some come to it early and seek Truth all their lives. For others it comes unexpectedly during a moment of despair or even great joy.

Teaching the spiritual skills that enable someone to see the Truth with a capital “T” is very much like teaching someone to ride a bicycle. Some people need detailed instructions and someone there holding the bike up while they build their confidence. Others simply get on and go. When I learned to ride a bike, no amount of coaching from my sisters and friends helped me. I needed to go off by myself and keep trying until I got it. Each of us has the same opportunities to develop our spiritual skills. They come from many places: from our upbringing, our schooling, religious or ethical training. Some people seem to just “get it.” Others need coaching. Once found it is so amazing we cannot keep it to ourselves, just as my sisters and friends wanted to share with me the experience of riding a bike.

We live what have learned then we teach others by telling our stories. That is one journey of the faithful witness: to seek the Truth and to share it with others. What is it mean to you to be a faithful witness? Read this in PDF. ]]> tag:friendsmedia.org,2008:fmpcms/index.php/site/index/1.4 2008-05-01T19:31:00Z 2008-09-20T16:55:57Z Dana Kester-McCabe info@moonshell.net "Where are the Quaker voices in media? Three centuries ago, the Publishers of Truth took to the public squares and couldn't be silenced. Jail windows had to be boarded up to deter imprisoned Friends from their insistent proclamation. Exasperated opponents compared them to "mushrooms and toadstools springing up in a night ... they put themselves to work as soon as they are whelped."
- Pamela Calvert - Conversation Of The World

I have always found it interesting that one of the ways that early Friends referred to themselves was as “Publishers of Truth.” Not only were they “Children of the Light” and a “Religious Society of Friends Seeking Truth.” But they felt as though they had found some measure of that Light and its Truth. Enough so that they felt it was important to share it – to “publish it.” Early Friends lived their Truth at great peril and sacrifice. They spoke out in the town square and at the end of church sermons. They were willing to try new things like pamphleteering to get the message of their experiences out to others. All these were done under very real threats of violence, imprisonment and impoverishment.

Today we live in comparative ease and yet often we are afraid to see, live, and publish our Truth. We see Truth as some lofty ideal we can not attain nor live up to. So how could we possibly spread it around? In many ways most of us live within an unspoken spiritual confinement that began with the Quietist movement of the 18th and 19th century. Only the most outspoken Friends are willing to suffer the insults of being called crazy or foolish to stand for the Truth as they have experienced it. We even use some of our traditional testimonies as excuses not to be engaged in the conflicts of our day.

For example, simplicity is often raised as a reason why we should shy away from new technologies that might help us to better share our ministry in the world. They are expensive and complicated to learn. There are also valid concerns about using products and technologies that are produced with unjust or ecologically damaging practices. Our modern world is very complex. It is almost impossible to live simply and fully understand how we might bring integrity to all our consumer choices. That is not say we should not try. But while we try to figure these things out, the world races on without us, without any regard for the Truth as we have experienced it. Our concerns cause us to put our Light “under a bushel.”

As Friends, we also do this because we are all on our own personal spiritual journeys. As a faith community it is wonderful that we accept and support each other in our solitary private pursuits. But we have lost a sense of integrated faith that early Friends had. They did not come to worship to simply make themselves feel better and face their week. They took their personal convictions and through corporate worship they joined together to hear a corporate Truth. They heard clearly God’s invitation to publish that Truth. Pamela Calvert reminds us, in her essay Steps Toward a Quaker Media Practice, that George Fox said "Let all nations hear the word by sound or writing, spare no place, spare not tongue nor pen..." This was a higher calling that quickened their spirits and their minds to action. There was no distinction between privately living their faith and witnessing through public ministry.

We do not need to live at the same frantic pace as the world around us. But at the same time, our practices need not slow us or make us inactive. We should seek a way to live fully engaged in this life. Our testimonies are some part of that Light which we have experienced. They should help us live that Truth – not be used one against another to cancel each other out. As we try to hear God’s call and to answer it, clarity will come through corporate worship. God is calling us to publish our corporate Truth today just as God has called people all through eternity. God is calling us to integrate our inner faith with our corporate Truth, to make our personal witness a public ministry. Queries for your consideration:
Are we willing to truly experience Truth in the manner of Friends?
How can we use our testimonies to quicken our spirits and our minds into action?
What Truth is God calling our faith community to publish today? ]]>