Vision, Sight and Leadership

I have learned more about the situation in Egypt since my initial posting on the topic, and realize that I was overly optimistic about the Muslim Brotherhood.  Nonetheless, I see tremendous potential in this moment of "people's rule" in Egypt.  I say this not without a sense of trepidation at the current anarchy-like situation and at the potential outcome being a worse dictatorship than before.

I just finished watching Avatar and am reminded both of the horrors of war and violence, and the power of community, hope, forgiveness and leadership.  "Where there is no vision, the people perish," reads the King James Version of Proverbs 29:18.  Who casts vision in your life?  Would you not say that those "vision-casters" are also, in the deepest and longest-term sense, your leaders?  Do they not shape your perspective, your understanding, and therefore profoundly affect your feelings and decisions?  Its interesting that in Avatar we see two different especially strong leaders standing before groups that are hanging on their every word: Coronel Quaritch, human "head of security," and Jake Sully after he becomes "Toruk Makto," the conqueror who can unite the tribes of Na'vi.  The Coronel's message is simple: kill or be killed.  He inspires his troupes with the belief that everything on the Na'vi's planet is out to get them and wants them dead and the only way to survive is to kill them.  This is countered immediately by the scene of the Na'vi doing everything in their power to restore Grace, a human avatar who received a gun wound from Coronel Quaritch himself.

Although Sully is also inspiring troupes for war, he gives a different sort of speech.  It is a speech that honors life, recognizing the value in every living thing, and declares them worth defending.  Better yet, he asserts that it IS possible to defend successfully what is best and most valuable in the world: life itself.  Where brotherhood, sisterhood, and community are strong, there is always the possibility of making something new and better out of an awful situation.

What do your vision casters tells you?  That there is hope and the possibility of friendship in every situation?  Or that the best you can expect is survival at the expense of others?  Are you listening to the right leaders?  Another famous speech-giver once said:

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body... If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ... As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!”  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."


If you have never experienced that kind of community, I encourage you to seek the leader of the group described in this last quote.  If you are wondering who that is, I submit the following quote: "[Jesus] is the head of the body, the church" (Colossians 1:18, NIV).  The previous paragraph is found in 1 Corinthians 12:12, 15-21, 26.  It is to Him I continually submit the situation in Egypt, understanding that He has not promised to always free us from suffering, but deeply knowing and believing that He loves each and every one of the people involved in that situation.  He is the one who most deeply SEES THEM.  

Sunshine

It was sunny this morning in Pittsburgh for the first time in several days.  Its amazing how sunlight can lift one's spirits straight through the clouds!  Can you imagine what it will be like when we have a new heaven and a new Earth and we don't even NEED a sun, because God will be present and his glory will light everything everywhere so brightly that there will be no night?  I could use a world without winter's cold.  I have no doubt that the light of God will be capable of warming us up as well as illuminating our surroundings.  What a glorious, warm, wondrous day that will be!

The Over-throw of Dictators in the Middle East

Who ever imagined that the people of the Middle East, united through new social media outlets like facebook, google and twitter, would come together in strong-voiced opposition of their dictatorial leaders and cause revolutions from Tunisia to Lebanon?  We do not yet know how many countries this will effect, but the over-throw of "President" Muburak in Egypt took the situation from mildly interesting to Westerners to imminently worrying.  As hundreds of Americans stream out of this traditional tourist location as fast as the US consulate in that country can arrange flights, the world waits with baited breath to see who will rise to the empty throne.  The Muslim Brotherhood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_Brotherhood; http://www.ikhwanweb.com/about.php) is gaining momentum and could be a strong force for putting a caliph ("representative of Muhammad") in power.  On the other hand, do all the the protesters long for an Islamic nation?  Hardly.  More importantly, WOULD AN EGYPT LED BY THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD NECESSARILY BE BAD FOR THE US of A?  That is also up for debate.

Unlike many Muslim political groups, the Brotherhood does not believe in violence and considers it necessary, according to the teaching of Muhammad himself, to limit their own control over the lives of their citizens.  In some ways, they could be considered a liberal or peaceful Islamic group.  More importantly, however, as is presented excellently in the following article: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-01-27/muslim-brotherhood-could-win-in-egypt-protests-and-why-obama-shouldnt-worry/, the US tends to get itself in trouble when it puts American 'puppets' in power.  We claim to believe in freedom of voice and government by the people, for the people.  If the majority of Egyptians desire a Caliphate, would it not be hypocritical for us to stand in the way?  More importantly, if we could overcome our paranoia about Islam, we might see that an Egyptian Caliphate could be a blessing in disguise.

It is difficult to say, but an Egyptian Caliphate just might be an excellent outcome.  Thus speaks a hopeful voice.  Certainly, it would be better than ongoing anarchy spreading outward across the Muslim world.  Many may not realize that the "Muslim world" spreads from the western edge of North Africa, across dozens of countries to the borders if India, sends feelers into that nation and then gives a leap, hop and jump over to Bangladesh and another down to Indonesia (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/World_Muslim_Population_Pew_Forum.png), reaching all the way to the southwestern borders of Asia, near Australia.  In short, if we want peace in our times, peace with Islam is necessary.  This does not mean we AGREE with everything they do or believe, by any means.  Nonetheless, in order to avoid World War III we probably will need to learn how to live non-offensively towards them and take any genuine gestures of friendship or at least neutrality on their part with open arms.

What is most exciting about the current turn of events, in my mind, is that for the first time thousands of Muslims ARE gaining a voice in their own politics, which could lead to Islamic States far more like Turkey than Iran.  For this we pray.

Why Read This Blog?

So why should you read this blog?  The title and description give you some answer.  But who am I to suggest I know anything about the above?  I will say this: I have lived through moments when death seemed not only attractive, but desirable; and moments when someone had to hold me down to keep me from sailing through the clouds.  I have watched that old enemy, death, try to claim a family member more times than I care to count and in some cases, succeed.  The world is an ugly, nasty place, yet in the midst of it daffodils grow.  Although we call them weeds and pull them out, nonetheless, they spring up each year to tell us that beauty is sometimes hidden in plain view.  Always there is hope.  Not even death is a final answer.  And we can learn the resiliency that sees us through these troubled times.  If that message calls to your heart and you hear yourself begging for more - more hope, more life, more light, than you have answered for yourself why you should read this blog.