The legislature of Uganda is considering the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009. The bill is sponsored by David Bahati, and endorsed by the president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni. It calls for harsh punishment of gays, including imprisonment and death. Ugandans could even be incarcerated for not notifying the authorities about a gay person. Uganda, like much of Africa, has been the target of American Evangelical/Fundamentalist Christians. In particular, a cult-like entity called “Family” or Fellowship of C street, has been influencing Uganda. This group has been investigated by noted journalist Jeff Sharlett, in his expose The Family. American right-wingers like Rick Warren, Governor Mark Sanford, scandal-plagued Nevada Senator John Ensign, and nuts like Dr. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma are part of this group. Warren expressed surprise that anyone cares what happens to gays in Uganda. Rachel Maddow and Teri Gross deserve praise for covering a story few MSM reporters are discussing.
Is it even necessary to say how appalling this legislation is, and how shameful the behavior of Warren et al is? This issue illustrates three things: the legacy of post-colonial missionary zeal, the intersection of sex, death, and taboo, and the inherent violence of the Abrahamic religions. It’s not my intention to savage Christianity or anyone’s beliefs. I only want to make a few observations.
Africa is still experiencing the consequences of colonialism. In the nineteenth century, the continent was carved up among the European nations. Before that, Africa and its inhabitants were targets of the slave trade. The missionaries who evangelized Africa were, necessarily, extremists. Only the most earnest, true believers become missionaries. Is it surprising, then, that Uganda suffers from the most fanatic form of Christianity? Because of European influence, indigenous religion is rarely practiced by Africans in Africa. If you want to learn about Yoruba, for instance, you have to come to the “New” World. The African Yoruba religion, with its reverence for orisha, is expressed in the Caribbean religions of Voodoo and Santeria. Colonialism and missionary work have effectively relieved Africa of its native traditions and beliefs, for better or worse.
Sexuality, death, and taboo are woven into the fabric of the human psyche. Lacan, the French psychoanalyst, was not the first to note the relationship between sex and death. It is through sex that we mortals, subject to death, come in to being. Religion, as it shifted from tribal to national, sought to control sexuality. In the ancient Near East, fertility rituals were a part of religion. The most common item found in ancient burials are so-called Venus figurines, violin-shaped effigies of women with exaggerated sexual organs. These figurines are believed to be part of fertility worship, and the ancients certainly made the connection between sex and death.
It’s hard to understand the Judeo-Christian taboo about homosexuality. It’s tempting to say the ancient Hebrews were anti-sex, but that can’t be shown. The Hebrew Bible was written by various authors over many centuries, and sex taboos change in the text. It’s impossible to read Song of Solomon and say Hebrew writers are anti-sex. The Christian Bible was written by fewer authors over the course of less than a century, and its beliefs are more consistently anti-sex. Christian authors are against sexual expression, revealing the influence of Greek ascetic and Gnostic traditions. This said, Jesus never mentions homosexuality. The only universal taboo about sex seems to be incest, according to sociologists. Like all taboos, it can be violated by the powerful. Egyptian rulers celebrated brother/sister love, and these creepy overtones can be seen in Song of Solomon.
The most disturbing aspect of all three Abrahamic religions is human sacrifice. Yahweh is angry at Cain for not offering a living sacrifice. Yahweh commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Bizarrely, Abraham complies. If your new God wanted a human sacrifice, wouldn’t you shop around for a kinder, gentler deity? As Rich Cohen notes, children rightly understand this story, and aren’t convinced by adults who tell them it is a test of faith, and Yahweh doesn’t really want this child to be slaughtered. I wasn’t convinced when I was a child in Sunday School. Archaeologists and religious scholars maintain that human sacrifice was common in the ancient Near East. Mount Zion was a center of this cult.
I like to go to church during Advent. The Christmas carols are great. But last Sunday I sat through a sermon preached by a seminary student, who covered the traditional orthodox scheme of regeneration, where God is propitiated by the death of his son. I reject this theology. What father would have complicity in the death of his son? And once a month, the church wants us to “eat” Jesus. Maybe I should stay home with the CD player and skip the human sacrifice. I could sing hymns at home, and drive the neighbors crazy. I grew up steeped in Jewish and Christian belief. The older I get, the more I am bothered by the violence inherent in traditional theology.
The link between Abrahamic religion and murder can’t be considered latent: it’s obvious and celebrated in many churches, synagogues and mosques. Enlightened clergy try to spiritualize and change violence into metaphor. It’s a hard sell. When the Rick Warrens and Tom Coburns of the world are responsible for the death of innocents, it’s not a surprise. They are true to the tradition. The only sects that are truly pro-life are the Friends (Quakers), Evangelical Brethren, Mennonites and Amish. They are anti-death penalty pacifists. People who are anti-abortion can’t be considered pro-life. They operate on the Fisherman’s theory: put ‘em back in till they get bigger.
People of good will who want the world to be a better place need to disavow the inherent violence of Abrahamic religion. They need to lobby and work against the Rick Warrens of the world, who may be truer to the spirit of these religions, unfortunately. Humans have a fifteen thousand year history of violence and capital punishment. For the survival of the species, it’s time to find a different way.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Jerusalem and Bethlehem
Just a brief word on the Messianic Jewish rabbi whose daughter was being “courted.” On the ship, I was reading Hannah Rosin’s book, “God’s Harvard.” It’s about religious rightwing kids who are homeschooled. They go to college at a place called Patrick Henry College, in D.C. Fundamentalist homeschooled children don’t date. They court. When the guy whose table I left was talking about courtship, it caught my attention, because I was reading about this very thing. You can’t ask a girl out, in this milieu. If your intentions are towards marriage, you have to ask the girl’s father for permission to “court” her. It seems demeaning from my perspective. A daughter is a piece of property who can’t make her own decisions, she is passed like chattel from father to husband.
After spending the morning in Jerusalem, we went to Bethlehem, in the West Bank. We passed through a border fence. This might have been a bigger deal for people who don’t live in southern California. Just south of San Diego, we have this environmentally disastrous border wall. Everywhere you drive you are stopped at check points by the Border Patrol to make sure you are not traveling with immigrants. In Israel, they have built a border wall. The Palestinians are treated the same way America treats immigrants from Mexico. The rhetoric is the same. In both cases, there is a wall that ruins the environment and causes needless hardship. The borders are defended with guns. I don’t have any answers about the immigration debate in this country. I agree with Thom Hartman that the problem is not illegal immigrants but illegal employers. The situation is not completely analogous in Israel.
In Bethlehem we visited the Church of the Nativity. Of all the churches we visited, I found this the most interesting. It was the oldest. The Eastern Orthodox sanctuary dates from the 5th century C.E. There are old mosaics on the floor. This church, unlike so many others, wasn’t destroyed in the Muslim conquest or the Crusades. Arab invaders understood that the church honored the wise men, who were from the East. The soldiers respected the Christians’ tribute to the Magi, who were from Persia.
The door to the Orthodox sanctuary was so low that you had to bend to get in (even someone as short as me!). This was either to prevent soldiers from riding their horses inside the church during wars, or alternately, to make sure people bowed upon entering a holy place. There were icons on the walls, and the church was lit by numerous hanging lanterns and candles. Our guide was a Palestinian Christian.
The Catholic sanctuary was next to the old Orthodox church, and was built over the grotto of St. Jerome. Jerome translated the Bible into Latin, working in a cave. He felt holier working close to the place where Jesus may have been born. We didn’t see the actually grotto where Jesus was born: the line was too long. The “Jerusalem Syndrome” is when people go crazy in the Holy Land. Well, the woman from Mexico who had a tantrum because the bus wouldn’t stop for her to shop, had a complete breakdown when our guide said there wasn’t time to visit the grotto of Jesus’ birth. She claimed to be devout, but had no qualms about interrupting worshippers in the Orthodox sanctuary with her screaming and crying. I haven’t seen a tantrum like that since my nieces were 5. I was glad that she wasn’t American, but her episode was conducted in English as well as Spanish, so the distinction between American and Mexican was probably lost on the worshippers staring at her.
The two days in Israel passed quickly. I’ve been told that in Israel, things are more sane in Tel Aviv, a large, secular city on the Mediterranean coast. I was put off by the racism of our first guide. I was discouraged by the disparity of living standards between Israelis and Palestinians. I can’t believe that Palestinians are dirty, lazy, and violent, any more than I believe those things to be true about Mexicans. I don’t think anyone is safer when a wall blocks people’s access to their crops. I was uncomfortable with the hyper-religiosity in Israel. But what did I expect? It is a country for religious pilgrims.
The right wing in Israel, which is in control with Netanyahu, uses the same anti-Arab, anti-Muslim rhetoric used by George Bush. Bush’s use of terms like “crusade” didn’t help American-Muslim relations. In both Israel and America, the right combines religion and politics. Israel is full of Catholic churches, and there are a lot of monks and nuns. Veneration, prayer and study are noble goals for any individual, but they are of little help to the larger society. I wonder if things would be different in Israel if the churches turned in to schools or hospitals. Could the Catholic church broker peaceful relations between Israelis and Palestinians?
We humans are genetically wired to be tribal. For 250,000 years,we lived in small hunter-gatherer bands. We believe our society, our family, our religion is the best. This has been necessary for the survival of the species. We have fought for our little groups. But this tribal chauvinism no longer serves human society. We have to find the discipline and self-control to keep from being parochial. We can no longer act like our religion or our nation is better than anyone else’s. For the past 15,000 years, we have responded to conflict with violence. It doesn’t work. Violence begets more violence. In Israel, as in America, it is past time to try a new way of dealing with others. This is the era when good will and tolerance must prevail, or our species will self-destruct, and destroy the planet with us.
After spending the morning in Jerusalem, we went to Bethlehem, in the West Bank. We passed through a border fence. This might have been a bigger deal for people who don’t live in southern California. Just south of San Diego, we have this environmentally disastrous border wall. Everywhere you drive you are stopped at check points by the Border Patrol to make sure you are not traveling with immigrants. In Israel, they have built a border wall. The Palestinians are treated the same way America treats immigrants from Mexico. The rhetoric is the same. In both cases, there is a wall that ruins the environment and causes needless hardship. The borders are defended with guns. I don’t have any answers about the immigration debate in this country. I agree with Thom Hartman that the problem is not illegal immigrants but illegal employers. The situation is not completely analogous in Israel.
In Bethlehem we visited the Church of the Nativity. Of all the churches we visited, I found this the most interesting. It was the oldest. The Eastern Orthodox sanctuary dates from the 5th century C.E. There are old mosaics on the floor. This church, unlike so many others, wasn’t destroyed in the Muslim conquest or the Crusades. Arab invaders understood that the church honored the wise men, who were from the East. The soldiers respected the Christians’ tribute to the Magi, who were from Persia.
The door to the Orthodox sanctuary was so low that you had to bend to get in (even someone as short as me!). This was either to prevent soldiers from riding their horses inside the church during wars, or alternately, to make sure people bowed upon entering a holy place. There were icons on the walls, and the church was lit by numerous hanging lanterns and candles. Our guide was a Palestinian Christian.
The Catholic sanctuary was next to the old Orthodox church, and was built over the grotto of St. Jerome. Jerome translated the Bible into Latin, working in a cave. He felt holier working close to the place where Jesus may have been born. We didn’t see the actually grotto where Jesus was born: the line was too long. The “Jerusalem Syndrome” is when people go crazy in the Holy Land. Well, the woman from Mexico who had a tantrum because the bus wouldn’t stop for her to shop, had a complete breakdown when our guide said there wasn’t time to visit the grotto of Jesus’ birth. She claimed to be devout, but had no qualms about interrupting worshippers in the Orthodox sanctuary with her screaming and crying. I haven’t seen a tantrum like that since my nieces were 5. I was glad that she wasn’t American, but her episode was conducted in English as well as Spanish, so the distinction between American and Mexican was probably lost on the worshippers staring at her.
The two days in Israel passed quickly. I’ve been told that in Israel, things are more sane in Tel Aviv, a large, secular city on the Mediterranean coast. I was put off by the racism of our first guide. I was discouraged by the disparity of living standards between Israelis and Palestinians. I can’t believe that Palestinians are dirty, lazy, and violent, any more than I believe those things to be true about Mexicans. I don’t think anyone is safer when a wall blocks people’s access to their crops. I was uncomfortable with the hyper-religiosity in Israel. But what did I expect? It is a country for religious pilgrims.
The right wing in Israel, which is in control with Netanyahu, uses the same anti-Arab, anti-Muslim rhetoric used by George Bush. Bush’s use of terms like “crusade” didn’t help American-Muslim relations. In both Israel and America, the right combines religion and politics. Israel is full of Catholic churches, and there are a lot of monks and nuns. Veneration, prayer and study are noble goals for any individual, but they are of little help to the larger society. I wonder if things would be different in Israel if the churches turned in to schools or hospitals. Could the Catholic church broker peaceful relations between Israelis and Palestinians?
We humans are genetically wired to be tribal. For 250,000 years,we lived in small hunter-gatherer bands. We believe our society, our family, our religion is the best. This has been necessary for the survival of the species. We have fought for our little groups. But this tribal chauvinism no longer serves human society. We have to find the discipline and self-control to keep from being parochial. We can no longer act like our religion or our nation is better than anyone else’s. For the past 15,000 years, we have responded to conflict with violence. It doesn’t work. Violence begets more violence. In Israel, as in America, it is past time to try a new way of dealing with others. This is the era when good will and tolerance must prevail, or our species will self-destruct, and destroy the planet with us.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
More about Israel-- Jerusalem
The first day in Israel had been disturbing. The right wing talk of the guide was less than helpful. Sadly, what made Israel, at least this day, seem so much like southern California was the feeling that I’d inadvertently turned on American talk radio. The guide’s anti- Palestinian rhetoric was delivered in the international language of hate. It was obvious to any observer that the Palestinians don’t enjoy the same standard of living as the Israelis. Most Israelis have had the opportunity to travel, and have benefited from Western secular education. They are heavily subsidized by American relatives and sympathizers. There is no AIPAC for Palestinians. In some cases, Palestinian communities have no access to electric power or clean water. It was hard to see the Israelis as the underdogs.
I’m sure the guide had reasons for hating Palestinians. They aren’t all saints and victims. The Goldstone report, which I read as objective reality, accuses Palestinians in Gaza of war crimes. After this first day in Israel, I was pessimistic about the country. I am not a Middle East expert. I am not qualified to pass judgment. I can only say what I saw. If a lot of Israelis are as racist as our guide, and if many Palestinians are as well, then there is no hope for peace in Israel.
The next day in Jerusalem was better. For one thing, we had a different guide. It was through the same agency, Patra, that the cruise ship contracted with. Both tours seemed geared toward devout Catholics. I encourage anyone who plans on travelling to Israel to do better research than I did, and find a tour geared towards particular interests. It is possible that most people who visit Israel want a religiously-directed tour.
Jerusalem was lovely. We stopped on the Mount of Olives, and had a panoramic view of the Old City. It was a wash of golden brown. It’s easy to why someone called it “Jerusalem the Golden.” We stopped at the Church of the Agony, also called the Church of the Twelve Nations. Twelve countries financed its construction, built on Gethsemane, the spot where Jesus was betrayed. We saw the old Jewish Cemetery, where rabbis and holy men of the ages are buried. From there we went to the walled city. Our first visit was to the Wailing Wall.
The Western Wall, or the Wailing Wall, is the sole remnant of Herod’s temple. The devout believe it is the closest place on earth to the Divine Presence. Men and women go to different areas to pray; you wrote down prayer requests on a scroll of paper and push it between the bricks. It was very moving. Anything more I say about it will sound trite or maudlin.
We walked through the narrow walls of the city, past numerous cramped market stalls. Catholics have the Stations of the Cross, a tradition not shared by the Eastern Orthodox or Protestants. We passed stations five through twelve, and went to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It was built outside the city walls, over the site where Jesus was crucified by the Romans. The church is broken up into chapels, each of which is owned by a different Christian sect. There is the rock where tradition says Jesus’ body was prepared for burial, and a grotto some believe was Jesus’ tomb.
The reverential aura was broken by a loud mouth woman from Mexico who kept asking, “Is this a church or a mosque?” There were crosses and pictures of Jesus everywhere, and she thought it was a mosque? The various priests and clergy of the various sects apparently get in to fist fights over access to the chapels, our guide told us. They show these tussles on Israeli television: it’s Israel’s version of reality TV. In fact, there is so much acrimony between the Catholics and Orthodox and Protestants and Coptics, the keys to the building are kept by a Muslim family.
This same Mexican woman kept demanding our guide stop so she could shop. The itinerary was full, and we were slated for shopping in Bethlehem. This gal was not amused by being told to wait. We ate lunch at Pavilion, a great big buffet diner. There was more great Israeli food, more yummy brisket and roasted chicken.
People write about the “Jerusalem syndrome.” Each year, a given number of tourists who visit Israel have a breakdown, and believe they are the Messiah or a prophet. As lovely as Jerusalem is, the air is heavy with religiosity. At the first table where I sat in the cafeteria, I was accosted by a Messianic rabbi. He was telling folks that the problem with Israel was the same as the problem with America: the left wing. Lefties, according to this jerk, have deliberately sabotaged both Israel and America by allowing immigrants in. I took my plate and moved on. Before I walked off, he was talking about his daughter’s courtship.
(to be continued)
I’m sure the guide had reasons for hating Palestinians. They aren’t all saints and victims. The Goldstone report, which I read as objective reality, accuses Palestinians in Gaza of war crimes. After this first day in Israel, I was pessimistic about the country. I am not a Middle East expert. I am not qualified to pass judgment. I can only say what I saw. If a lot of Israelis are as racist as our guide, and if many Palestinians are as well, then there is no hope for peace in Israel.
The next day in Jerusalem was better. For one thing, we had a different guide. It was through the same agency, Patra, that the cruise ship contracted with. Both tours seemed geared toward devout Catholics. I encourage anyone who plans on travelling to Israel to do better research than I did, and find a tour geared towards particular interests. It is possible that most people who visit Israel want a religiously-directed tour.
Jerusalem was lovely. We stopped on the Mount of Olives, and had a panoramic view of the Old City. It was a wash of golden brown. It’s easy to why someone called it “Jerusalem the Golden.” We stopped at the Church of the Agony, also called the Church of the Twelve Nations. Twelve countries financed its construction, built on Gethsemane, the spot where Jesus was betrayed. We saw the old Jewish Cemetery, where rabbis and holy men of the ages are buried. From there we went to the walled city. Our first visit was to the Wailing Wall.
The Western Wall, or the Wailing Wall, is the sole remnant of Herod’s temple. The devout believe it is the closest place on earth to the Divine Presence. Men and women go to different areas to pray; you wrote down prayer requests on a scroll of paper and push it between the bricks. It was very moving. Anything more I say about it will sound trite or maudlin.
We walked through the narrow walls of the city, past numerous cramped market stalls. Catholics have the Stations of the Cross, a tradition not shared by the Eastern Orthodox or Protestants. We passed stations five through twelve, and went to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It was built outside the city walls, over the site where Jesus was crucified by the Romans. The church is broken up into chapels, each of which is owned by a different Christian sect. There is the rock where tradition says Jesus’ body was prepared for burial, and a grotto some believe was Jesus’ tomb.
The reverential aura was broken by a loud mouth woman from Mexico who kept asking, “Is this a church or a mosque?” There were crosses and pictures of Jesus everywhere, and she thought it was a mosque? The various priests and clergy of the various sects apparently get in to fist fights over access to the chapels, our guide told us. They show these tussles on Israeli television: it’s Israel’s version of reality TV. In fact, there is so much acrimony between the Catholics and Orthodox and Protestants and Coptics, the keys to the building are kept by a Muslim family.
This same Mexican woman kept demanding our guide stop so she could shop. The itinerary was full, and we were slated for shopping in Bethlehem. This gal was not amused by being told to wait. We ate lunch at Pavilion, a great big buffet diner. There was more great Israeli food, more yummy brisket and roasted chicken.
People write about the “Jerusalem syndrome.” Each year, a given number of tourists who visit Israel have a breakdown, and believe they are the Messiah or a prophet. As lovely as Jerusalem is, the air is heavy with religiosity. At the first table where I sat in the cafeteria, I was accosted by a Messianic rabbi. He was telling folks that the problem with Israel was the same as the problem with America: the left wing. Lefties, according to this jerk, have deliberately sabotaged both Israel and America by allowing immigrants in. I took my plate and moved on. Before I walked off, he was talking about his daughter’s courtship.
(to be continued)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Impressions of Israel Part 2
Mid-day we stopped at the Jordan River. The water was green, from the flora in the water. There was a tourist shop, and people had the opportunity to wade in the Jordan, or, if they had pre-arranged it, to be baptized. Many people were being baptized: they wore white robes, and a pastor or priest dunked them backwards in the river.
We ate lunch that first day in a kibbutz. The kibbutz movement in Israel, this experiment in social communism, is on the wane. Israeli politics are veering more and more to the right. The few remaining kibbutzim are inhabited by older people--- folks my age. The food was delicious: I had the best brisket I’ve ever eaten. I sat across from a lovely young woman from Panama. She was thoroughly enjoying herself. I was trying to stay optimistic, although I was getting weary of seeing churches every five feet, and tired from the guide’s endless happy talk. It was becoming clear our young guide was a right winger. He said that the only politicians in Israel that were really able to accomplish peace were on the right. God help us.
The Panamanian woman smiled and said to me, “You have to be Christian to really appreciate Israel.” A piece of cucumber salad fell from my open mouth, and before I could stop myself, I added, “Or Jewish or Muslim.” It seemed to me that Muslims and Jews had as good a claim on Israel as the Christians. The woman stopped speaking to me.
Although the weather was warm, the air felt like winter. It was about two in the afternoon, and the wind picked up. It was beautiful at the kibbutz, flowers were still blooming. We drove on to Nazareth, to see, surprise, another church. There are two Churches of the Annunciation. The Orthodox disagree with the Catholics about the precise location where Gabriel visited Mary. The churches are about a block apart. Although Nazareth is under Palestinian control, we didn’t pass through any check points. The guide was quick to alert us to a pile of trash on the sidewalk; “See how dirty the Palestinians are?” he said.
The Catholic church of the Annunciation was built in the 1960’s, and there are murals on the outer wall from all the countries that donated money for its construction. The focal point of the church is a cave where Mary is supposed to have lived. I bit my lip, and didn’t ask how they could be sure Mary lived there, especially since the Orthodox thought she lived across the street. A few yards from this church, there was the Church of St. Joseph, built over Joseph’s carpentry shop. Modern scholars believe “carpenter” is a mistranslation, that Joseph was either a stone mason or day laborer. Of course, since they’ve spent all this money building a church, it would be a shame to acknowledge this mistake. At this point, after this visit to the umpteenth crowded, modern church, my mother, the clergyman’s wife whispered to me, “If I see one more church today, I’m going to become an atheist.”
The ride back to the ship was long and disappointing. Our Israeli guide launched into an anti-Palestinian tirade. He assured the group that Arab Muslims were dirty, lazy, and violent. His hate-filled rhetoric was very similar to the rants of anti-immigrant groups in America like the Minutemen. His tirade was so similar to that of any rightwing Republican in America: change “Mexican” for “Arab,” and it’s exactly the same. Even more disturbing was the reaction of my fellow travelers: they loved this kind of talk.
One problem with hate and racism is that once you’ve opened it up, you can’t channel it. Our guide found himself the target of racism. A Japanese woman asked him why Jews were so “standoffish.” She worked with a Jewish man who was very unpleasant. Why were Jews like that, she wondered. That gave the guide pause, but he quickly recovered.
(to be continued)
We ate lunch that first day in a kibbutz. The kibbutz movement in Israel, this experiment in social communism, is on the wane. Israeli politics are veering more and more to the right. The few remaining kibbutzim are inhabited by older people--- folks my age. The food was delicious: I had the best brisket I’ve ever eaten. I sat across from a lovely young woman from Panama. She was thoroughly enjoying herself. I was trying to stay optimistic, although I was getting weary of seeing churches every five feet, and tired from the guide’s endless happy talk. It was becoming clear our young guide was a right winger. He said that the only politicians in Israel that were really able to accomplish peace were on the right. God help us.
The Panamanian woman smiled and said to me, “You have to be Christian to really appreciate Israel.” A piece of cucumber salad fell from my open mouth, and before I could stop myself, I added, “Or Jewish or Muslim.” It seemed to me that Muslims and Jews had as good a claim on Israel as the Christians. The woman stopped speaking to me.
Although the weather was warm, the air felt like winter. It was about two in the afternoon, and the wind picked up. It was beautiful at the kibbutz, flowers were still blooming. We drove on to Nazareth, to see, surprise, another church. There are two Churches of the Annunciation. The Orthodox disagree with the Catholics about the precise location where Gabriel visited Mary. The churches are about a block apart. Although Nazareth is under Palestinian control, we didn’t pass through any check points. The guide was quick to alert us to a pile of trash on the sidewalk; “See how dirty the Palestinians are?” he said.
The Catholic church of the Annunciation was built in the 1960’s, and there are murals on the outer wall from all the countries that donated money for its construction. The focal point of the church is a cave where Mary is supposed to have lived. I bit my lip, and didn’t ask how they could be sure Mary lived there, especially since the Orthodox thought she lived across the street. A few yards from this church, there was the Church of St. Joseph, built over Joseph’s carpentry shop. Modern scholars believe “carpenter” is a mistranslation, that Joseph was either a stone mason or day laborer. Of course, since they’ve spent all this money building a church, it would be a shame to acknowledge this mistake. At this point, after this visit to the umpteenth crowded, modern church, my mother, the clergyman’s wife whispered to me, “If I see one more church today, I’m going to become an atheist.”
The ride back to the ship was long and disappointing. Our Israeli guide launched into an anti-Palestinian tirade. He assured the group that Arab Muslims were dirty, lazy, and violent. His hate-filled rhetoric was very similar to the rants of anti-immigrant groups in America like the Minutemen. His tirade was so similar to that of any rightwing Republican in America: change “Mexican” for “Arab,” and it’s exactly the same. Even more disturbing was the reaction of my fellow travelers: they loved this kind of talk.
One problem with hate and racism is that once you’ve opened it up, you can’t channel it. Our guide found himself the target of racism. A Japanese woman asked him why Jews were so “standoffish.” She worked with a Jewish man who was very unpleasant. Why were Jews like that, she wondered. That gave the guide pause, but he quickly recovered.
(to be continued)
Impressions of Israel Part 1
I’d always wanted to visit Israel. As the son of a clergyman, religion has always been a part of my life. Half of my ancestry is Jewish. I grew up with Bible stories. I had mental pictures of Moses in Sinai, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Jesus on the Mount of Olives. I wasn’t certain what to expect when seeing these places. Would I be disappointed with the reality? Was Israel dangerous? How did politics and religion mesh in Israel? I was anxious to find out, and fortunate to have the opportunity to visit Israel. I wasn’t sure what I could learn in a two-day visit.
We anchored in Haifa, a Mediterranean port in northern Israel. Israel is a small country, about the size of New Jersey. In early November, the weather was sunny and warm, in the mid 70’s F. Haifa looked crowded and a bit polluted, very modern. We had come from Turkey, which is exotic and beautiful. Israel reminded me a lot of southern California, or even Florida. The climate and topography reminded me of home in San Diego. My group boarded a bus bounded for Nazareth and Galilee. Most of my fellow travelers weren’t American: we had Filipinos, Japanese, Mexicans, and Canadians in our group of about thirty.
Our guide was a young Israeli who spoke English well. His voice was loud and projected, but he still used a microphone--- to make sure we didn’t miss a syllable, I guess. It was about an hour ride from Haifa to the Galilee, a large, lovely lake. The guide bombarded us with facts about Israel, and pointed out various things on the landscape. Much of the agricultural land was drained, it had previously been swamp. There weren’t a lot of trees, and Jewish groups around the world plant trees in Israel. There were gently rolling hills, and everything was new. There were signs of construction everywhere, maybe another reason it reminded me of southern California.
Our first stop was the Church of the Beatitudes. It was on a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee, supposedly built on the exact spot where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. I was skeptical: how do they know, all these years later, exactly where Jesus may have preached? I kept my doubts to myself, as my fellow travelers seemed to be a devout lot. The church was built in the 1930’s, commissioned by Mussolini. Now that’s a guy who exemplified the gospel of peace… The church was crowded and small, and there were a lot of traditionally dressed nuns from the nearby convent.
Next we visited the ruins of Capernaum. That was more interesting. There was, of course, a church, but we couldn’t enter the Church of St. Peter because of an ongoing service. This church dated from the mid-twentieth century as well. There were ruins of a synagogue where Jesus may have preached. Our guide was talking a mile a minute, and it was grating. He was from Patra tours, and I figure that must be the Israeli version of the Chamber of Commerce. Everything was wonderful, beautiful, amazing, and gee, aren’t we Israelis swell? A military plane flew by overhead, and the guide told us that like a lot of military machinery, it had been provided by the U.S. government. Great. I was feeling so religious: churches built by Mussolini and U.S. weapons.
The guide and fellow travelers color perceptions of a country. What did I know of Israel, really, before I visited? Yes, I’d read Aaron David Miller and Jeff Goldberg. I follow the news, but I’m confused. Americans are expected to side with Israel in its Palestinian conflict, but that isn’t always easy to do. The Goldstone report came out over the summer, detailing Israeli (and Palestinian) war crimes during the war in Gaza. The U.S. objected to this report at the U.N. Goldstone is, however, unimpeachable. He investigated the Serbo-Croatian war, and the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda. He has an excellent reputation. In addition, he is a Jew and a self-proclaimed Zionist. That hardly makes him biased against Israel.
(Stay tuned for Israel part 2)
We anchored in Haifa, a Mediterranean port in northern Israel. Israel is a small country, about the size of New Jersey. In early November, the weather was sunny and warm, in the mid 70’s F. Haifa looked crowded and a bit polluted, very modern. We had come from Turkey, which is exotic and beautiful. Israel reminded me a lot of southern California, or even Florida. The climate and topography reminded me of home in San Diego. My group boarded a bus bounded for Nazareth and Galilee. Most of my fellow travelers weren’t American: we had Filipinos, Japanese, Mexicans, and Canadians in our group of about thirty.
Our guide was a young Israeli who spoke English well. His voice was loud and projected, but he still used a microphone--- to make sure we didn’t miss a syllable, I guess. It was about an hour ride from Haifa to the Galilee, a large, lovely lake. The guide bombarded us with facts about Israel, and pointed out various things on the landscape. Much of the agricultural land was drained, it had previously been swamp. There weren’t a lot of trees, and Jewish groups around the world plant trees in Israel. There were gently rolling hills, and everything was new. There were signs of construction everywhere, maybe another reason it reminded me of southern California.
Our first stop was the Church of the Beatitudes. It was on a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee, supposedly built on the exact spot where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. I was skeptical: how do they know, all these years later, exactly where Jesus may have preached? I kept my doubts to myself, as my fellow travelers seemed to be a devout lot. The church was built in the 1930’s, commissioned by Mussolini. Now that’s a guy who exemplified the gospel of peace… The church was crowded and small, and there were a lot of traditionally dressed nuns from the nearby convent.
Next we visited the ruins of Capernaum. That was more interesting. There was, of course, a church, but we couldn’t enter the Church of St. Peter because of an ongoing service. This church dated from the mid-twentieth century as well. There were ruins of a synagogue where Jesus may have preached. Our guide was talking a mile a minute, and it was grating. He was from Patra tours, and I figure that must be the Israeli version of the Chamber of Commerce. Everything was wonderful, beautiful, amazing, and gee, aren’t we Israelis swell? A military plane flew by overhead, and the guide told us that like a lot of military machinery, it had been provided by the U.S. government. Great. I was feeling so religious: churches built by Mussolini and U.S. weapons.
The guide and fellow travelers color perceptions of a country. What did I know of Israel, really, before I visited? Yes, I’d read Aaron David Miller and Jeff Goldberg. I follow the news, but I’m confused. Americans are expected to side with Israel in its Palestinian conflict, but that isn’t always easy to do. The Goldstone report came out over the summer, detailing Israeli (and Palestinian) war crimes during the war in Gaza. The U.S. objected to this report at the U.N. Goldstone is, however, unimpeachable. He investigated the Serbo-Croatian war, and the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda. He has an excellent reputation. In addition, he is a Jew and a self-proclaimed Zionist. That hardly makes him biased against Israel.
(Stay tuned for Israel part 2)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
One Party Rule
I recently had dinner with some thoughtful friends. Many expressed disappointment in the Obama administration. Most of us agreed that we hoped for more change. Many of the failed policies of the Bush administration are continuing. We came to the conclusion that the two parties are, sadly, run by corporatists, and the country has become a plutocracy.
Consider the following statements: “The old parties are not only dying but they deserve to die. [Democrats] resemblance to the Republican party is more than superficial. In the ranks of both the Republican and Democratic parties may be found the millionaires, those speculators and middlemen, who, in the years since the war, have made themselves not only rich but hated. To men of this stamp, principle is little, profit much. In other words, their interests are so permeated by the poison of our time that they must unite.”
Or still: “We believe that the money of the country should be kept as much as possible in the hands of the people. The land, including all the natural resources of wealth, is the heritage of the people, and should not be monopolized for speculative purposes. We have witnessed for more than a quarter of a century the struggles of the two great political parties for power and plunder, while grievous wrongs have been inflicted upon a suffering people.”
Were those statements written by my friends yesterday evening, expressing disappointment at the current state of politics? No. Those writings denouncing the current two party system were written in 1892 by my great-grandfather. He established a People’s Party newspaper in southeast Nebraska. In 1892, the country was entering a deep depression. People were disgusted with the Democrats as well as the Republicans. General Weaver, the Populist party candidate, carried five states. He was the only third party candidate in American history to do that. Eventually the Populist party fizzled, and its members joined with either the DFL (the alliance of Democrats, Farmers, and Labor), or in the case of my great-grandfather, the Socialists.
Today, over one hundred years later, are the two parties still the same? Yes and no. The Democrats say the right things, but usually fail to deliver. The Democrats have been largely bought and paid for, just as the Republicans are. President Obama raised more money than any candidate ever: in America, the one who raises the most money wins. Always. America is a plutocracy, a corporate run entity. The first settlement, Jamestown, was founded largely by the East India Tea Company. It’s our history and our legacy.
That said, there are differences between Dems and Republicans. If Gore had been allowed to win, there would have been no Iraq War. There may not have even been a September 11. The world would have made progress on global warming. The Bush administration has been the most corrupt presidency since Grant. From Abramoff to Delay, the Bush Republicans are in jail or headed there.
I could end this with an exhortation for Dems to take back their party. I could encourage us to join the Greens. The more things change, the more they stay the same. What was true in 1892 is still true. It’s discouraging. But you know all this. And chances are, you know what you can do, and are doing it. The struggle goes on for you, for me, for all of us.
Consider the following statements: “The old parties are not only dying but they deserve to die. [Democrats] resemblance to the Republican party is more than superficial. In the ranks of both the Republican and Democratic parties may be found the millionaires, those speculators and middlemen, who, in the years since the war, have made themselves not only rich but hated. To men of this stamp, principle is little, profit much. In other words, their interests are so permeated by the poison of our time that they must unite.”
Or still: “We believe that the money of the country should be kept as much as possible in the hands of the people. The land, including all the natural resources of wealth, is the heritage of the people, and should not be monopolized for speculative purposes. We have witnessed for more than a quarter of a century the struggles of the two great political parties for power and plunder, while grievous wrongs have been inflicted upon a suffering people.”
Were those statements written by my friends yesterday evening, expressing disappointment at the current state of politics? No. Those writings denouncing the current two party system were written in 1892 by my great-grandfather. He established a People’s Party newspaper in southeast Nebraska. In 1892, the country was entering a deep depression. People were disgusted with the Democrats as well as the Republicans. General Weaver, the Populist party candidate, carried five states. He was the only third party candidate in American history to do that. Eventually the Populist party fizzled, and its members joined with either the DFL (the alliance of Democrats, Farmers, and Labor), or in the case of my great-grandfather, the Socialists.
Today, over one hundred years later, are the two parties still the same? Yes and no. The Democrats say the right things, but usually fail to deliver. The Democrats have been largely bought and paid for, just as the Republicans are. President Obama raised more money than any candidate ever: in America, the one who raises the most money wins. Always. America is a plutocracy, a corporate run entity. The first settlement, Jamestown, was founded largely by the East India Tea Company. It’s our history and our legacy.
That said, there are differences between Dems and Republicans. If Gore had been allowed to win, there would have been no Iraq War. There may not have even been a September 11. The world would have made progress on global warming. The Bush administration has been the most corrupt presidency since Grant. From Abramoff to Delay, the Bush Republicans are in jail or headed there.
I could end this with an exhortation for Dems to take back their party. I could encourage us to join the Greens. The more things change, the more they stay the same. What was true in 1892 is still true. It’s discouraging. But you know all this. And chances are, you know what you can do, and are doing it. The struggle goes on for you, for me, for all of us.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
In Praise of Doubt
In a recent article in the Nation magazine, Marielle Lindstrom, former coordinator for USAID, said this of a Christian Fundamentalist/Evangelical organization: “I’d much rather say that God tells me to do this [work]. It would be easier…” Lindstrom went on to express concern that “there’s no self-doubt.” We had eight years of a president who was confident God was giving him personal instruction. It was a disaster. Doubt, self-doubt, it seems to me, is undervalued in certain circles.
Freud, who is himself undervalued today, makes a simple distinction between neurosis and psychosis. According to one reading of his work, the goal of therapy is to help people come to terms with neurosis. Analysis rarely helps the psychotic. A neurotic can recognize inconsistencies in thought: a psychotic can’t see inconsistency. As a proud neurotic, I have many dark moments when I see the problems in my politics and world view. For instance, I am a theoretical vegetarian who wears a leather jacket. That’s inconsistent, and I know it. I believe in tolerance for all beliefs, but I am intolerant of people I consider closed-minded. If there is an afterlife, I am a universalist, but I believe that certain people, Hitler, Stalin, Bush, deserve to go to hell. I am inconsistent. I have trouble making up my mind, and this leads to paralysis of action.
Freud’s first case study was of a doctor he would later label “psychotic.” Dr. Schreiber believed he was gradually turning into a woman, and would give birth to the Messiah. Dr. Schreiber was a respected physician, who worked until very late in his illness. When the doctor looked in a mirror, he didn’t see a middle-aged man, but someone whose features were becoming ever more feminine. He believed he had been impregnated by the sun, and was with child. When I first read this case study, I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. Dr. Schreiber could not be talked out of his convictions. Everything he saw confirmed his belief. He eventually had to be hospitalized.
Doing research on America’s three hundred years of miscegenation laws, I was struck by the psychosis of this country’s racism. The term “mulatto” comes from the word “mule.” It was believed that offspring of an interracial couple could not procreate. This was used to buttress laws forbidding interracial marriage. Now, I can sort of understand “scientists” who believed that the earth was flat, and doctors who denied the germ theory of disease. These beliefs, while wrong, aren’t contradicted by the observation of the naked eye. Children of interracial couples certainly can reproduce; otherwise Jim Crows wouldn’t have become ever more hateful, and there would have been no Plessy vs. Ferguson. (In the 1890’s, the Supreme Court ruled that someone with 1/8 African blood could be legally discriminated against.) If those who signed miscegenation laws, using the reproductive argument, really believed children of interracial couples could not reproduce, no one could have had one great-grandparent who was black. Japanese-Americans with 1/16 Japanese blood wouldn’t have been interned. Hence, racism is psychotic, because reason and observation could not dissuade these genius legal minds.
What would it be like not to doubt? There are some, apparently, who never do. Freud had no problem labeling these religious zealots “psychotic.” If you turn on the a.m. radio, you will hear preachers who yell at you not to question. In other words, don’t be human, don’t use your mind, don’t trust your instincts. Aspire to psychosis. I hope to come to the place in my own life when I can accept the inconsistencies in my religious and political beliefs.
I believe that humans are perhaps graduating towards a better place. In spite of poverty, hunger, and illness, I believe society can work for the common good. I believe in a transcendent goodness I call “God” for lack of a better term. I am hopeful for the future of the planet and the human race. I might well be wrong.
Freud, who is himself undervalued today, makes a simple distinction between neurosis and psychosis. According to one reading of his work, the goal of therapy is to help people come to terms with neurosis. Analysis rarely helps the psychotic. A neurotic can recognize inconsistencies in thought: a psychotic can’t see inconsistency. As a proud neurotic, I have many dark moments when I see the problems in my politics and world view. For instance, I am a theoretical vegetarian who wears a leather jacket. That’s inconsistent, and I know it. I believe in tolerance for all beliefs, but I am intolerant of people I consider closed-minded. If there is an afterlife, I am a universalist, but I believe that certain people, Hitler, Stalin, Bush, deserve to go to hell. I am inconsistent. I have trouble making up my mind, and this leads to paralysis of action.
Freud’s first case study was of a doctor he would later label “psychotic.” Dr. Schreiber believed he was gradually turning into a woman, and would give birth to the Messiah. Dr. Schreiber was a respected physician, who worked until very late in his illness. When the doctor looked in a mirror, he didn’t see a middle-aged man, but someone whose features were becoming ever more feminine. He believed he had been impregnated by the sun, and was with child. When I first read this case study, I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. Dr. Schreiber could not be talked out of his convictions. Everything he saw confirmed his belief. He eventually had to be hospitalized.
Doing research on America’s three hundred years of miscegenation laws, I was struck by the psychosis of this country’s racism. The term “mulatto” comes from the word “mule.” It was believed that offspring of an interracial couple could not procreate. This was used to buttress laws forbidding interracial marriage. Now, I can sort of understand “scientists” who believed that the earth was flat, and doctors who denied the germ theory of disease. These beliefs, while wrong, aren’t contradicted by the observation of the naked eye. Children of interracial couples certainly can reproduce; otherwise Jim Crows wouldn’t have become ever more hateful, and there would have been no Plessy vs. Ferguson. (In the 1890’s, the Supreme Court ruled that someone with 1/8 African blood could be legally discriminated against.) If those who signed miscegenation laws, using the reproductive argument, really believed children of interracial couples could not reproduce, no one could have had one great-grandparent who was black. Japanese-Americans with 1/16 Japanese blood wouldn’t have been interned. Hence, racism is psychotic, because reason and observation could not dissuade these genius legal minds.
What would it be like not to doubt? There are some, apparently, who never do. Freud had no problem labeling these religious zealots “psychotic.” If you turn on the a.m. radio, you will hear preachers who yell at you not to question. In other words, don’t be human, don’t use your mind, don’t trust your instincts. Aspire to psychosis. I hope to come to the place in my own life when I can accept the inconsistencies in my religious and political beliefs.
I believe that humans are perhaps graduating towards a better place. In spite of poverty, hunger, and illness, I believe society can work for the common good. I believe in a transcendent goodness I call “God” for lack of a better term. I am hopeful for the future of the planet and the human race. I might well be wrong.
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