Original Sin/Original Blessing | Active Bystander Training
I mostly listen to podcasts to avoid being overwhelmed by the news. But some of those podcasts point right back to where we are in the world today!
-Liz
Original Sin/Original Blessing
I believe we are good. Some call that God's original blessing. We are created good by God; we are created in God's image. God is good, and thus, so are we.
I believe in original sin. Not so much that sinfulness is passed on through sex, and certainly not that humans are basically evil. Rather there are things we do that are harmful, even when we do not intend harm. I think family secrets that hide abuse are part of original sin. Passing up opportunities to speak out when violence is happening is original sin. Racism, sexism, classism, and oppression of people who are disabled, old, young, immigrants, queer, etc.; these are all examples of original sin. All the harmful things that are caught more than taught, and thus become our instinctive behaviors--these are all evidence of original sin.
Christians have invented a story that the "fall" at the Garden of Eden was to the very bottom of worthiness, but that is not the only possible explanation. I prefer the idea that humans have ups and downs in our relationship with God. We do some bad, we do some good. Most of us do things that hurt others. Most of us do things that help others. And which ever we have done most recently, God stays close, offering to guide us toward better choices.
Our western society has developed a sociological idea that is grounded in the theory of original sin. We suggest that it is only with rules and punishments that people are kept from interpersonal violence. Our news focuses on looting and stealing after a natural disaster; a march with thousands of peaceful participants is covered because of a few people who destroyed a building.
Thomas Hobbes, Tom Lantos, Bill Moyer and others have argued that civilization is "thin veneer" protecting us from destroying one another. This presumes that we are naturally inclined to selfishness.
So when we see the structures around us falling apart, one get level reaction is to fear that this thin veneer is going away. Seeing the violence against immigrants makes me wonder if the thin veneer is gone. If this is what is in our DNA then there is not much we can about this. If the only answer is to put back our imperfect laws and and imperfect enforcers of laws, then we are deciding that we are essentially doomed for the near future. Maybe for the long future as well.
I believe in original blessing. And I believe that Churches can be part of making that a reality. I write this newsletter, and I talk to churches, because I believe in the strength of community. I believe in the power of the spirit. I believe in that we make a difference.
Now is the time to plan for the near future. I am not suggesting panic. I am not predicting doom. I am hopeful that our resistance work could turn our nation around. At the same time it is clear that now is the time to be building the structures in your congregation, and in your community, to deal with doom.
Think about how to be a resource for food if supplies become limited. What can you store? How can your existing food pantry or meal program be expanded? Who can you connect to that is also understanding supplies. Make connections to farmers and truckers and the purchaser at your grocery store.
Who in your town is identifying the most vulnerable people? It might be a town social worker, a school guidance counselor, nurses at the local hospital. These are people you want to get to know now, provide support for them. Listen to what they are seeing, and figure out how your church can help.
Consider offering Active Bystander Training in your community. There is good evidence that a community that stops small hateful actions will also stand up against larger violence.
How does your community gather? If it is not gathering now, look for ways to get together. Brian McLaren suggests that poetry, art, writing, and song are things that get us through hard times. Start creating opportunities to share such things in your neighborhood. If you don't have the ability to create these, support others in town that do have those skills.
The way we be sure that it is our original blessing that shows up strongest, is by living out that blessing now.
Do you talk about original sin in your congregation? How do you explain evil in the world? Just reply to this email to let me know what's happening.
Quabbin Mediation offers in-person and online training for Active Bystanders. The course is reasonably priced and 2.5 hours long. .
Brian McLaren's Book Life after Doom was written in response to the environmental disaster ahead of us, but it turns out to be very important given the turn of our nation. It's a study in how to be realistically hopeful.
The podcast Throughline has investigated this theory of a civilization being a thin veneer that keeps us from violence. They find the research on this theory to be lacking.
The Stanford Prison Experiment is one of the ways that we "prove" that people will be mean if given the opportunity. But there was much that was faulty about that project.
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