I have, honestly, been baffled by the Bud Light kerfuffle. I’m not baffled that some people are boycotting it; this is just one more example of their weak minds and egos being unable to contemplate the idea that there are more than two ways to be a person. It is just one more example of their perverse practice of my religion, one that teaches them false beliefs about the nature of God and humanity. I am not confused at all by their actions; whether it is some washed-up musician shooting cans or a very prettied-up musician banning the beer from his tour. The people at Budweiser know exactly what they are doing; they aren’t baffled by this response either. In fact, I expect that they expected it. And planned for it. They know what the future holds; the demise of gender and sexual orientation bigots. Good riddance.
This is just one more example of our ignorance being exploited by a commodity. Like when France chose not to side with us on an international issue some years ago, people all over America renamed their fries as a symbolic gesture. Wow – I guess we showed them! A year later, it was a non-issue and people were happily munching their way to a coronary. When our congregation decided to take the risk of becoming a welcoming church to all (Open & Affirming), we were told that we would close because of it. Yet, here we are, serving God like we have been doing since 1890. I got all kinds of hate mail and disturbing phone calls telling me that we were all going to hell, which I hope is not true. Yet, here we are, still chugging along, doing God’s work in Reading, PA. Our choice was simple; worry about what bigots think, or care about what Jesus would do. There was no question what our choice would be.
I have been telling my congregation for years that the world is moving on, and we need to allow the Spirit to move us with it. It isn’t that we should have no morals or standards at all; in fact, it seems to me that standing up and proclaiming God’s love for all of God’s creation is a standard more congregations might consider. Speaking out against economic injustice and greed and unfettered gun worship and racism are just a few of the standards that some of us might want to be a part of. And while weak-minded people focus their energy on putting the woke to sleep, we continue to remind the world that spiritual maturity is about waking up to new ideas and ministries and understandings. Most spiritually driven movements have defined themselves as being awakened from a dream (or nightmare) and finding new insights into how to serve God and each other. It is those who look backward who are failing to live out God’s needs.
In many ways, the people are devolving. This is bad news. In some very important ways, however, people are maturing. Most people who are younger than I am don’t care how others dress or who they love; they just want to live their best lives. Churches (and businesses) that try to prevent them from learning and thinking and maturing will fade away. Those who welcome them will thrive. It’s my old Wesleyan theology kicking in – you are either moving forward or sliding backward; there’s no standing still. Just keep swimming, as Dory would say; just keep swimming.
Prayer – Help us to weed out the noise and nonsense, God of every gender and sexual orientation, so that we can focus on loving You and each other. Amen.
Today’s art is “Gender Equality” by Marietjie Henning.