Lies and Violence

when the people of truth and peace support lies and violence I know I've lost my way

Sometimes I’ll be talking with a friend about writing and they’ll be very kind and encourage me that I ought to write a book. I might even think about it for a bit and start to consider carving out time to not just write but to write a book. And then I stop by a Barnes & Noble and immerse myself in the endless racks of books for sale. I’ll stop by the table filled with books that have been marked down. Eventually I walk through the racks that are on deep discount, their last stop before having their covers torn off and returned to the publishers for credit. For whatever reason, that standing in that spot always extinguishes all thoughts and feelings associated with the idea of sitting down and writing a book.

In much the same way, every time I sit down to write a post lately, I take stock of everything going on around me and I can’t bring myself to add one more thing to the noise and despair of these days. There is so much to be outraged about. There is so much more nightmare than dream about what America is in these days. 1984 has moved from fiction to reality in my lifetime. Those who have positioned themselves as the great moral signposts selectively choose ignorance, deny reality and seem to believe that “butwhataboutism” represents the highest form of critical thinking. And wrapping it all up in religious talk about God and Jesus – it all leaves me feeling overwhelmed. Every emotional and mental circuit has been “popped,” and I don’t want to flip the breaker back on.

I just want to escape.

This past week, the President of the United States, speaking to an economic gathering, referenced Greenland multiple times in a speech he gave and called it “Iceland” by mistake. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, verbally assaulted someone on social media who pointed out the President had confused Iceland with Greenland. Leavitt wrote, “No he didn’t,’ she wrote to the reporter. ‘His written remarks referred to Greenland as a ‘piece of ice’ because that’s what it is. You’re the only one mixing anything up here.’” What he actually said – multiple times – has been digitally preserved for us so we can see and hear for ourselves the mistake he made. Over and over again. But so committed are they to Trump’s perfection they insist we can’t, we shouldn’t, believe what we can see and hear for ourselves.

I mention this instance as the avatar of all of the instances in which the sitting President has misspoken, or lied, or misled, or misstated again and again and again over the last year. It is a long list of recorded and verifiable lies. It’s what he does. But what I find truly discouraging is that everyone, including church goers, are so committed to the bit they can’t acknowledge reality.

How do we have dialog with each other when we insist we’re not in the Matrix, there is no Matrix?

This week, a second person was murdered by ICE agents. And for reasons I cannot understand, having firsthand video of the event does not seem to matter. Having eye-witness statements does not seem to matter. We, as a nation, seem determined to give a pass to people who we are told by Trump officials are just “doing their job.” I am fatigued and overwhelmed and tired of all the lies and bullying and us versus them rhetoric.

And I have no solutions.

When I’m in disagreement or conflict with someone, I can seek them out and try to work out some kind of reconciliation. But if I sit down to discuss why they murdered my cat and burned down my storage shed in my backyard but they insist my cat had it coming because it looks at them disrespectfully in the morning through my picture window and they didn’t burn down my storage shed despite what my ring camera recorded and that I’ve played back for them to choruses of “fake news!” I’m not sure where we go from here.

Alongside these issues is my faith in Jesus. My belief in the kingdom coming and my reading of the Gospel.

I feel impotent about the way my faith tradition has been co-opted by harmful people for their own agenda. History teaches me this is not the first time, but it is the most egregious time in my own memory when that which I have felt is most sacred has been corrupted by others for such evil purposes. I don’t know how to exercise this possession. Where is a herd of pigs when you really need one?

Ultimately, I am hopeful. I know enough history to know that the record is full of despots and tyrants who have come and gone over the last 2000 years following similar practices and deceiving just as many of the “elect” as are complicit to the madness of this cult of personality today. But it all leaves me feeling deeply the closing line from Joe vs. the Volcano when Patricia wonders where they’ll end up, Joe replies, “Away from the things of man, my love. Away from the things of man.” This is where I want to be.

I’m mindfully holding on to this very old prayer from the Camino de Santiago…

O God, who brought your servant Abraham out of the land of the Chaldeans, protecting him in his wanderings, who guided the Hebrew people across the desert, we ask that you watch over us, your servants, as we walk in the love of your name to Santiago de Compostela.

Be for us our companion on the walk,

Our guide at the crossroads,

Our breath in our weariness,

Our protection in danger,

Our albergue on the Camino,

Our shade in the heat,

Our light in the darkness,

Our consolation in our discouragements,

And our strength in our intentions.

So that with your guidance we may arrive safe and sound at the end of the Road and enriched with grace and virtue we return safely to our homes filled with joy.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Apostle Santiago, pray for us.

Santa Maria, pray for us.

Amen.

Today, I remember Alex Pretti, concerned citizen, neighbor to those in need, and I grieve our loss with his parents.