We have a guest speaker, Dr. David Moore, pastor of two churches and author of Making America Great Again - Fairy Tale? Horror Story? Dream Come True? A Challenge to the Christian Community. Dr. Moore is an African American who grew up in a predominantly white church. Even today, his Oxnard congregation is a lot "browner" than his Santa Barbara congregation.
The sermon starts with a sharing of scriptures about the last days with a bit of exegesis. How can people believe what is clearly false? How can they embrace a powerful delusion?
Dr. Moore talked about how changing his diet was a challenge. Likewise, just as junk food can be addictive, believing certain things can be addictive and ultimately fatal.
One of Dr. Moore's closest friends is a rabbi. They disagree on many issues, but their love surmounts their disagreements. The rabbi's congregation has visited Dr. Moore's church for two services.
When a person carries their scars gracefully, it makes them trustworthy.
No one's story should be wiped away. Everyone's story is important.
The early Christians were non-violent resistors. Even in the midst of resistance, non-violence brings healing. The message of non-violent resistance to the empire appealed to non-Jews who were poor, oppressed, and had their back against the wall.
Bayard Rustin, person who organized the 1963 March on Washington and many Freedom Rides was gay. He said, "When an individual is protesting society's refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a human being, his very act of protest confers dignity on him."
When a religion loses its ability to protest, it loses its ability to stand for the dignity of life.
Dr. Moore went to Standing Rock. Santa Barbara stands in solidarity with Standing Rock. He told the city council that you cannot protest a system you profit from.
Protest is dignity. The struggle is real. We told each other that in greeting because society was telling them the struggle was all in their head.
Richard Allen was born a slave in 1760. He became a Methodist and an apostle of freedom. He purchased freedom for him and his brother and became a minister in Philadelphia. He had a mixed congregation and when whites insisted blacks sit in the back, he and his brother walked out with the black congregation. This was the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. The black church has existed in part in opposition to the white church.
His book's title went from Bad Religion to God's not an Asshole to the current title. Three people told him about Nehemiah 8 as a word of prophecy and that encouraged him to write the book.
The book is his olive branch, his way of reaching out. It is his way of saying we do not want to give into exclusion. The role of the Church is to shepherd people and counsel people. The Council of Bishops for the AME Church stands in opposition to the policies of Donald Trump and sent out a statement shortly after Trump's inauguration. When Dr. Moore read this, he wanted to join the AME denomination; but, you can't always just leave. He stayed with his current denomination and vowed to stay there until they kick him out. Like Pope Francis, he wants to stay and be an agent for change.
He doesn't believe it's the end of the world, but he does think it's the end of the world as we know it. This is not a reason to fear, it is an opportunity.
Protest is dignity. Do not reduce it to petulance.
Too often the Church legitimated the system it is supposed to challenge.
We have to be a part of the world of those who are different from us. If we are part of their world, then we will never be against them.
