January 13, 2017
Jonathan Swift, Irish Priest and Author

On this date, January 13, 1695, Jonathan Swift was ordained an Anglican Priest in Ireland. Swift was a satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer, poet and cleric who became Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland. Swift is best known as the author of the book we know as “Gulliver’s Travels”.

“Swift was ostensibly a conservative by nature: he instinctively sought stability in religion as in politics, but stability which insured personal freedoms. Indeed, so far as he was concerned, religion, morality, and politics were inseparable: he consistently attacked theological attempts (even within Anglicanism itself) to define and limit orthodoxy — attempts which, he felt, led ultimately to anarchic dissent. The divisive tendencies of Mankind had, he believed, over the centuries, promoted the general decay of Christianity itself, which had lost its original clarity, simplicity, and coherence. The Truth had been mishandled, corrupted, by men who had behaved like Yahoos. He adhered to the tenets of the Anglican Church because he had been brought up to respect them, because the Church of Ireland was the church of his social class, and because his own ambitions were involved in its success, but also because he saw the Church as a force for rationality and moderation…” (David Cody, Associate Professor of English, Hartwick College, The Victorian Web)

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“In the essay (An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity), Swift answers several real and rhetorical arguments against Christianity. First, he responds to the argument that the abolition of Christianity would expand the liberty of conscience by arguing that if great wits could not denounce the Church, they might instead turn to the denunciation of the government, causing political unrest. Swift then addresses the argument that the Church, then supported by government funds, was a drain on resources that might be better spent elsewhere. Swift responds that if the funds used to support the clergy were used instead to fund freethinking young gentlemen, the money would, in short time, be squandered away on vices, and divided by disagreeable marriages. Next, Swift counters the argument that the abolition of Christianity would open up another day of the week (the Sabbath) to commercial activities for the benefit of the nation by arguing that the Sabbath provides benefits by allowing lawyers time to write their briefs, merchants to tally their books, and others to exercise, go to coffeehouses, and otherwise enjoy themselves, ironically implying that the argument is specious because the Sabbath was not kept as intended in any case.” (Wikipedia, an explanation of the contents of the pamphlet An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity, a satirical essay written by Swift)

Jonathan Swift was a man this pastor can appreciate – especially his use of wit to make a point. This pastor often tries to use humor to make a point or to highlight the absurdity of a situation. Swift’s wit and humor is so very evident in the following statement: “he responds to the argument that the abolition of Christianity would expand the liberty of conscience by arguing that if great wits could not denounce the Church, they might instead turn to the denunciation of the government, causing political unrest.” I appreciate his statement having been a pastor now for the last eleven years. I often wonder how people might get along in their lives if there was nothing to complain about in the church. Imagine if the bulletin had zero mistakes: what model would we have to compare our own lives? How bad might we feel about ourselves with such exposure to perfection? Or, imagine if the pastor never disagreed with us when we brought up our disagreement with theological understanding? How could we live with a G-d we could completely manipulate?

Humor is not always appropriate, but it can be used effectively to help us all find perspective, both in our personal lives, and in our spiritual lives.

Pastor Dave

January 12, 2017
Mahatma Gandhi

On this date, January 12, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi begins his final fast-unto-death in Delhi to stop communal violence during the Partition of India. The details are as follows:

“This one lasted six days and was broken after people promised they would not quarrel and kill.
A few days later, Gandhi was killed. He had led the country to freedom, and he had watched it turn determinedly away from his ideals of Satyagraha. His four fasts unto death were all undertaken not against the government of the time but to persuade his countrymen to adhere to social justice.

Here is a list of his “fasts unto death”

In 1918. For an increase in the wages of mill workers in Ahmedabad. Lasted four days.
In 1932. For joint electorates for the entire Hindu populace rather than separate electorates for untouchables. Lasted six days.
In 1947. For communal harmony. Lasted four days.
In 1948. For communal harmony. Lasted six days.”
(swarajyamag.com/politics/gandhi-and-his-fasts)

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” 1Corinthians 6:13-20

Like Gandhi who followed him many years later, Paul was seeking changes in society around him. What was true for the years Paul walked on this earth, was true for the years Gandhi walked on this earth, and is still true today — when people become self-consumed, they can lose their perspective to the point where persecution and injustice can thrive. Gandhi used his fame and notoriety to his benefit, and the benefit of his community.

Now, we can choose to call a “Fast-unto-death” – but the odds are pretty good that not many will hear about it, or even care. But we do not need to consider such extreme measures to bring about positive change in our community and in our society. Instead of a fast, we can organize a food drive, or offer a free community meal. Instead of taking a vow of poverty, we can take a collection for a local charity or ministry. We do not need to be famous or infamous to be an agent of change – we just need the determination and the presence of the Holy Spirit to care enough to do something.

Pastor Dave