By Judith Gayle | Political Waves
“We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind.”
–Pope Francis to the United States Congress, September 24, 2015
Saturn in Sagittarius certainly hit with an explosion, drawing our attention to all things philosophical and preparing the landscape for fireworks as regards our various religious establishments. Stuff happened, and some so bizarre it’s hard for the Western mind to grasp.
For instance, over 700 souls died, over 800 injured, in a stampede of Islamic hajj pilgrims just outside of Mecca. They were on their way to the traditional ‘stoning of the devil,’ the importance of which might seem reasonable to some of our evangelical brothers and sisters, but leaves most Americans scratching their heads. Indeed, one gent interviewed was too traumatized to continue his pilgrimage and planned to hire someone to do the stoning for him (scratch, scratch, scratch!).
Autumnal Equinox brought pagans across the world together for a celebration. One event in Kentucky (which has had its share of bad press lately) included a Pagan Pride Day which seemed particularly satisfying and well attended. The earth religions continue to exist in small, quiet groups, still cloistered in — as one Wiccan suggested — the ‘broom closet.’
It tickles me that we have an annual Harvest Festival, here in the Pea Patch, piggybacking on the earth-religion traditions while entertaining consumers of Amish jams and produce, local barbecue and handmade goods with serenades of old timey Christian revival hymns. If they only knew!
Born a Baptist, I sang along while working the Democrat’s booth last weekend, handing out buttons urging progressive activism while appreciating the nip in the air, the falling leaves, and the deep fellowship of community gathering. Here in the country we’ve forgotten a lot, but not the fecundity and generosity of Mother Earth. Should we humans begin to deflesh our beliefs and traditions, we would invariably find the good strong bones of the natural world at their base.
Of course, the whole concept of religiosity lit up like a Christmas tree here in America as the Pope hit Washington D.C. like a dose of salts. Conservative politicians flinched, Progressives hoped, and lapsed Catholics reconsidered, as the force that is Francis arrived with his signature warmth and expected candor. Give the man his due, he’s fearless. He insisted on traveling in a little Fiat — no bubbled popemobile for him — lunching with the homeless rather than the Congress, and even working the crowd line, allowing the occasional selfie.
On a political note, you may be surprised to learn that tanning enthusiast and Merlot drinker John Boehner has only been leader of the House of Representatives since 2011. Funny, it feels so much longer to me — and for him as well, it appears. Bringing the Pope to town has long been reported as the top entry on his bucket list, so it’s no surprise to learn that John, a devout Catholic, burst into tears during their initial meeting. What was surprising, however, even shocking, was the announcement that John has had enough of wrangling contentious Baggers. He will leave Congress in October, throwing water on the growing fire in the belly of his more ideological comrades to depose him.
Baggers are hell-bent on shutting down government over the funding of Planned Parenthood, something neither John nor Mitch McConnell in the Senate have stomach for, given the ramifications of the last government shut down. This has resulted in an assault on John’s speakership. According to The Hill, sharks have been circling for several weeks, a number of Reps eager to step into leadership should a coup occur.
So here’s the bad news: you can bet all of them are more aggressively right-wing than John. In fact, Establishment politicians everywhere, take note: the fat’s in the fire now!
The timing is synchronous on this, since the Pope’s visit seems the goad that pushed the Speaker into a decision he’s delayed since Eric Cantor lost his seat as Majority Leader in 2010, primaried by a Bagger who has offered little but fringe politics since. The replacement Majority Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, would be the default to step into John’s place, but that’s not a sure thing. McCarthy has a reputation of being easily bought and sold to the highest bidder — something the Baggers call “succumbing to the Borg” — and it’s their votes that are needed to enthrone him. There are others lining up, of course. Paul Ryan, failed VP candidate and remaining ‘young gun’ from a decade past, comes to mind, and there are others just as philosophically constricted and ambitious waiting in the wings.
As covered so well in Fe’s piece, I suspect John decided to go out in the blinding light that is Francis, hitting a high note of sorts. He’s got a point. The El Papa persona is beloved even by those who have no use for his Church, thanks to this man who has brought his Jesuit sensibilities to the Chair of St. Peter. He is perceived as compassionate, temperate and flexible, although his attractiveness belies his seriousness. Appropriate, I think, to a man whose Sun sits on the mysterious and compelling Galactic Center.
While we can truly appreciate how much gravitas Francis brings to his plea to our better angels — as illustrated by these quotes — and how that has shone light on what our world and nation so badly need, there is surely little change in the repressive doctrinal imperatives of the Catholic Church herself, nor should we expect any. In fact, the remainder of the quote at the top of the page holds up a mirror not just for us, but for Francis and his church as well:
A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms. But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners. The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps. We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within. To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place. That is something which you, as a people, reject.
Kudos all the way home for the Pope’s plea to world leaders to restore equality, opportunity and justice in a waiting world, but how can we attempt to come to equality when women are denied reproductive rights? How do we entertain equality of opportunity when women are forced to carry and care for ill-conceived children with few resources at their disposal? How do we contemplate justice when women have not been ratified into the Constitution, and are still treated as property on subliminal, even conscious, levels?
As a native Californian, I can tell you that the canonization of Padre Junipero Serra — who militarized the mission system to conquer the indigenous population under the guise of religious conversion, killing enough to constitute cultural genocide — has rubbed not just Native Americans the wrong way, but many of us who have carefully studied history. This controversial action may be a matter of Francis not seeing the larger picture of colonization, but that seems unlikely, given his previous commentary on American imperialism. More likely suspect is the infallibility of the Catholic priesthood in its hierarchical and paternalistic tradition that bestows upon ‘the chosen’ godlike qualities, no matter their personal sins.
What do we say to the survivors of sexual victimization who discover that this Pope praised his bishops this week for their handling of sexual scandals, characterizing their behavior as both courageous and generous? Vatican watchers argue that this was commentary on the (eventual) rapprochement of victims in response to the Pope’s launch of a Vatican tribunal to punish clergy who try to cover abuse, and his commission to discover how best to help survivors. Yet the Church continues to fight legal battles to protect priests from the consequences of their actions. Again, it’s important to note that in Church doctrine, priests are more than mere humans, subject only to the judgment of the Almighty, and add that there is a large contingent of clerics in the Vatican hesitant to see that judgment become secular.
Republicans, who have co-opted religion in the last thirty years and rewritten the Gospels to suit themselves, have gotten over their initial spit-take over the Pope’s comments and are making it clear that he should get his nose out of their business. In their view, secular matters and religious matters are evidently as unmixable as sacred oil and holy water. Hypocritical, much, you ask? Best not to forget that money is the god we worship on these shores and power is the exchange required for access.
The very fundamentalism Francis warns against infects us all, it appears. Still, he has VERY successfully succeeded in changing the conversation, taking the focus off so much that seems out of our hands while pointing us back to our responsibility to create with ethics and kindness, reestablishing the Golden Rule as the commonality that must prevail within the human spirit if we are to succeed as a species. Those with ears to hear, as our biblical traditions tell us, will hear, and others will drag their feet. That’s the way of the world, and, as we’ve heard it said so often: Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Yet many hands have come together to build it, now, more than we know. Last week we also celebrated the 34th annual United Nations International Day of Peace, with a focus this year on “different parts of society working together to strive for peace.” Here’s a link to Deepak Chopra illustrating that principal within a very small group, and another report from Forest Whitaker, actor, activist and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, discussing the one-on-one interactions that are required if we are to make the changes our hearts desire. Consider them the petrie dish upon which our evolution rests, growing and spreading as a gentle alternative to all the dispiriting things that howl and strut and beg our constant attention.
The Pope coming to the U.N. at such a time seems another of those synchronous moments, sternly urging cooperation toward international justice and compassion, end of conflict, and environmental stewardship. As is the custom of this Pope, he paints a big picture but he puts a human face on it; this week, the face of the crowd awaiting his touch are the children and the homeless. That is exactly the face we need to see, my dears. And this is where we all — you and I and those we interact with every day — must begin to lean in.
Great stuff Jude, I think we need your perspective even more than usual after this deluge of right-brain interpretation of this week’s national and worldly events. This whole business of balancing the yin and the yang is going to take a lot of practice for many of us. So far, it is “either/or” rather than “both/and” regarding left brain and right brain functioning. But Rome was not built in a day, right? 🙂
Perhaps sink-or-swim sould be the catch phrase for humanity during this period of 3 super moon’s in a row, one of them being an eclipse. Say what you will, size matters, at least in terms of understanding the emotional perspective. The bigger the Moon (appears) the more intense the feeling. Not that having Neptune conjunct the Moon ( no matter how close or afar she is from Earth) at her fullest point doesn’t make a difference, and not that being in Pisces won’t grab you emotionally more than most other signs, but this past (and 1st of 3) super moon on August 29th did indeed live up to its hype.
However, we are in Emotional Training Boot Camp and it isn’t supposed to be easy. Those deep down feelings need to be expressed, not stifled. Ask John Boehner. It’s a lot to cram into such a brief period of time (3 months) which would explain the timing around the eclipse season, known for speeding up growth. The full (super) moon in Pisces was a general cathartic, something we all took part in. This next one on Sunday in Aries will be more individualized, and it’s an eclipse to boot.
It’s also the closest (to Earth) full moon this year. Mars, the ruler of Aries at 1+ Virgo squaring Saturn at 0+ Sagittarius suggests that discipline is the goal of this phase of the process. Saturn’s trine to the South Node at 1+ Aries implies a “letting go” is key to success in this eclipsed moon period, and will not be difficult from a left brain perspective (Saturn and Sadge).
But Mars will be quincunx the South Node and that could be a little more difficult. However, Mars makes a bi-quintile to Ceres at 25+ Capricorn, which is the same degree as where Pres. Obama’s Saturn is, so something with a nurturing feel may be forthcoming from the Oval Office. That might make the letting go a little easier for Mars.
With Mars in Virgo, “adjustment” (required of all quincunxes) could be health or work related. Since bi-quintile aspects (144 degrees between) are a good thing and make use of the spiritual will (utilized on a more transcendent level), and with Ceres being Ceres, and Mars being Mars, and Capricorn and Virgo being earth signs, we could watch for some tangible (earth) change benefiting effort (Mars) in health and service related fields. It could have to do with food service/production or child care benefits since we’re talking Ceres here.
Anyway, if adjustment is required then adjustment it is. We will take advantage of the continuing grand fire (spirituality) trine between Uranus, Venus and Pallas opening doors to feelings we didn’t even know we had. As the boot camp continues into October, the emotional training continues too, and this time Saturn himself will quincunx the full (super) moon, the 3rd and final in this series. Saturn will be in the degree just before where he stationed retrograde, so still in the shadow phase of that retrograde. The Moon will be in the degree where Chiron was discovered, and where Chiron was when Uranus was discovered. A lot of past and even ancient feelings will be dredged up and exposed; the Great Purge. Be prepared and have the Kleenex box close by. Halloween should be quite an experience this year.
be
A consummate resumé of this week’s extraordinary politico-religious events, Jude. Thank you, Saturday is Saturday once more!
As you said, Saturn has certainly made an explosive entrance into Sagittarius – the senex, the old man, has proposed structural guidelines for the actualisation of our beliefs, and joy for the old comes in the process of being able to teach their children well. Say no to extremism, kids.
My only regret was the pontiff’s canonisation of Padre Junipero Serra – an action which disrespects the original American inhabitants and endorses the Spanish conquistadores’ brutal subjugation of much of the continent from Mexico south. It’s too late to make amends, but isn’t this twisting the blade?
By chance, in my inbox this week, I received this message from the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, an ancient English religious order. I feel its wisdom is in tune with the pontiff’s message.
Inspiration for Life
‘In the name of the daybreak
and the eyelids of morning
and the wayfaring moon
and the night when it departs,
I swear I will not dishonor
my soul with hatred,
but offer myself humbly
as a guardian of nature,
as a healer of misery,
as a messenger of wonder,
as an architect of peace.
In the name of the sun and its mirrors
and the day that embraces it
and the cloud veils drawn over it
and the uttermost night
and the male and the female
and the plants bursting with seed
and the crowning seasons
of the firefly and the apple,
I will honor all life wherever and in whatever form
it may dwell on Earth my home,
and in the mansions of the stars.’
‘School Prayer’ by Diane Ackerman
Thank you for the recent name checks, Jude. I’m pleased your computer problems are at least temporarily solved and would like to thank all those who contributed to the appeal.
With love.
Yes, thank you for this wonderful piece, Jude. While I am constantly moved by Pope Francis, by his immense warmth, intelligence and courage – at the same time, I can never forget that he is the Company head.
Happy Eclipse, my dears! We’ve been heavily overcast all day but just now the setting sun shone through and there are patches of blue — we may get to see the Show yet!
I like the emotional boot camp idea, be — it really IS time to let down the gates that keep us from experiencing our authentic feelings and perceptions. We cannot begin to heal until we do!
Thank you, Geoff, for the lovely prose — I really REALLY enjoyed the reference since nature figured strongly into my weekend. There is wisdom all around us, whispering, and we pretend it’s so hard to hear!
Hi ya Lizzy. I’m glad you enjoyed the piece. Like you, I have fewer issues with Francis than with his church, but that must, eventually, fall of its own weight. All things in good time, I suspect.
I attended a ‘spiritual’ retreat on Saturday, and have some comments but not tonight — tomorrow I’ll add to the post. Meanwhile, for those who want to see the best of what “religion” can offer, watch this moving Interfaith presentation from the September 11th Memorial attended by the Pope and rep’s of many other religious disciplines! I smiled a lot.
http://www.c-span.org/video/?328181-1/interfaith-meeting-pope-francis-911-memorial
Be well, starseeds — back later!
Thank you, Jude. I have been silently glancing at your weeklies, but little interest in the political circus we’ve created. As you and some others know, I’ve not had a word to share here for some time due to my daughter’s untimely (and bizarre) death at the Full Moon of June 2nd.
I am still angrily sharing my fist at said Moon as in some tangible ways, she “took” my daughter that night. Last night was ample opportunity to be larger than she is-after all, I stood on the Earth and the carbon dust that makes “me” was a portion of what blocked her light; ha! so there (I shouted!) (She was extremely bright and full here in NoCal.)
But morning light always reveals truths, just as it revealed my daughter, broken in body but not spirit. Could it be that this day she is more alive than we are? I’m working on that one. But to your “star seeds”, Jude — years ago I “saw’ myself coming here as “light”. I do believe then, that somewhere deep inside, we know where and how those how have passed from this manifestation are “living”. Perhaps when I am done shaking my fist at the Moon, she will share some of those secrets. And by then, perhaps our political circus will evolve too. Who knows?
aWord, I am so sorry for your loss. Hard space to inhabit but much insight if we can ride it there. My thoughts flow to you. Strength and courage for you. Look for the beauty – it is still there.
Oh dear aWord – I had no idea about what you have been through. I am so deeply deeply sorry . I would like to share an experience with you, in the hope that it might give you some comfort. Many years ago, some friends of my parents lost their daughter, who was in her mid twenties. Shortly after the daughter died, she appeared in a dream to my mother (who is very psychic), and told her the words “I am complete, all is well”. I don’t want to say too much else, dear aWord, as your grief must be so immense. But my thoughts are with you, sweetheart, and you and your daughter will be in my evening meditations. Much love and hugs, Liz
“I do believe then, that somewhere deep inside, we know where and how those how have passed from this manifestation are “living”.” I believe this too, aWord – and this is very much what a dear friend of mine has experienced since losing her husband almost exactly a year ago. It’s as if there’s this loving guiding presence in her life – that makes itself known in subtle ways, but also amazing coincidences. Though it took some months before she was serene enough to experience this.
The Francis Effect is still humming away, alchemical for some, annoying for others and essentially misunderstood by most. New awareness of our lack of compassion, mercy and social justice — individually and collectively — asks for integritous assimilation, it’s not a hook upon which to hang our old judgments and prejudices. But HEY! Aweareness is that giant First Step, which means that we’ve seen some amazing progress in the last few days.
In the spirit of the moment, I decided to spend Saturday at a retreat for United Methodist Women, some of whom I know and whose church I frequent occasionally to attend meetings (and as one of the few in the area not given to proselytizing, to sing Christmas carols in the season.) I was specifically interested in attending this group in that it was to be held at a local Spritual Retreat Center. nestled amid 14 acres of forest, here on the lake; an interfaith center dedicated to spiritual retreat and renewal run by my friend Father Paul. (I’ve spoken of Paul before, a dedicated progressive and self-admitted agitator for social justice, active in the push to end the death penalty — as well as friend and pastor to those on Missouri’s Death Row.)
Paul was not in attendance, what with the Pope in country, but we were hosted by his assistant, a woman who is a Deaconess in the Methodist church. She and I were ‘sympatico,’ as it were — we recognized one another easily. As for the attendee’s, I didn’t know more than one or two of these women and — as usually happens — I turned out to be the surprise package of the day. The natives don’t expect to find someone like me … or my thought process … out here in the sticks. But the point of attending was that I wanted to know who THEY were, and they got to look at things differently.
I had decided to join these women in that most of them were elders, settled in their ways and their journey, and about as authentic as they knew how to be. As well, here in the land of Evangelicals, these were among the least judgmental and most accepting souls hereabouts, despite their (often) conservative political programming.
Since I’m conversant in Protestantism, I had no problem translating into that jargon, although a number of them seemed awed by the metaphysics I shared (much of which is found in their Bible.) Others, the older ones, nodded in agreement: they’d discovered ‘the rules’ as they traveled the road. It is the experience of faith that instructs.
Few of these women will become my fast friends, we have vastly different interests. But after too long a time fending off the Christocratic tendencies of the locals, here in the Pea Patch, I needed to detox myself … not from religion itself, but from the miss-use of religion. I needed to see myself in them, to find our commonality.
Several times during the day, my mind went to the murders at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church; not that I felt any danger, but that the energy of the gathering — sincere application of elemental Christianity — could not have been any different than that of those gathered at the prayer meeting that ended in disaster. Again, I am amazed anyone could do violence upon that kind of energetic signature; it took a twisted mind.
We are quick toi throw out any notion of Christian rhetoric based on our experience of the culture wars over these last decades, but there is an essential kindness and decency woven into the experience of these women — and, I’m sure, many like them across the nation and world –, much of which comes from their choice of faith expression. That was what I was looking for when I decided to attend, and that is what I found.
Not my usual description of a ‘retreat day,’ but then — most of my life here, close to nature, is a retreat day. Francis — no matter his religious absolutes — comes at life with an open heart and hands. That was the Francis Effect I wanted to emulate … and so I did. We are all One and so much of what we insist life is all about, isn’t. To simply BE love, that is the goal. And aWord, sweet girl — nothing is ever lost, although we may acutely feel loss. May that Lighten each day. I’ll be in touch.
As update, the Pope did seek out sexual victims before he left, promising them justice, of a sort — and later made it clear to his bishops that he’d meant it. We’ll have to wait and see how much he can move an institution so carved in stone.
But I think this occurance, coming as it did in crescendo with a blood moon and eclipse, may change this nation enough so that we look back on events as BF and AF — Before Francis and After.
I like the BF and AF, Jude. I’m re-writing my history book now just to get a head start.
Thank you Cowboyiam and Lizzy. Lizzy, she came to me the night she died, probably the moment she was passing; I can see that image still, although at the time I only wondered (and asked her aloud!) why she had come to visit me with such a brilliance presence. It was a week later before I knew she had passed and at that moment. It’s a New Year for some (belated Shana Tova) and New Life for others. xo
aWord………….Love and light for your way………………….deeply sorry for your loss………..take care…….
Thank you, Barbara.
Wow, I almost missed the day’s new comments; aword, so good to have you back amongst us again! Those stages of grief aren’t equally divided I’m told. Anger probably takes longer to get through. Even though you get through it you may double back and go through it a 2nd time.
Like Lizzy, and everyone else, I have two other friends who are working their way through those stages of grief right now. It is an emotionally delicate period and every one of us moves at our own pace. It changes us. Perhaps it serves as a (long or short) tunnel from one way of being/thinking/feeling to another way. A rite of passage.
We are in a period of detaching from all but the essence of who we are and almost always, like aword, it’s incredibly unacceptable to give up part of yourself. Hard enough to give up those outfits that you haven’t worn in years, or your mom’s old scarfs and gloves, let alone your flesh and blood. It is indeed a sacrifice. Still, we have our dreams where we meet again and again, and then one day, many, many days later, we are able to breathe normally again. And laugh.
The Francis Effect has gripped me as well Jude, though nothing as environmentally uplifting as your walk in the woods. Thank you for sharing that story. Even so, I have been more open (using fewer euphemisms) recently regarding my (changed after 2008) spiritual beliefs when speaking with neighbors I feel comfortable with. The Man did a number on me for sure. I’m braver and more honest about who I am inside thanks to Pope Frank.
Or maybe it was that solar eclipse on my Neptune. Whatever.
be
Aword, very sorry to hear of your loss…allow yourself the space to freely grieve…and love and find solace where you can whenever you can. I had a chaplain who’d say, “for those of you disposed to pray…” I am one of those persons who do pray and will pray for you.
I don’t pray enough (can one ever)? But Pope Francis has also got me thinking as he would end his talks with “Pray for me.” I would think, ” I should pray for him and my self, hmm, when did I last pray?” I was raised Catholic and left the church years ago but have also found much that I like in this Pope, Jude love the BF and AF. To have a man that gingerly and brilliantly comes into our country and for six days walks among our people, visits institutions (Congress, schools, prisons, UN, universities, homeless shelters) and spreads a message of humanity is remarkable. I heard a couple say last night that the effect after he left was like how they felt when the Olympics ended, empty from all that enthusiasm and uplifting spirit. Yes, the Catholic Church need reformed but Pope Francis said something incredible that I never expected out of the mouth of an evangelist, let alone a Pope regarding the christian faith and other faiths, which was “that God should not be scandalized but thinking there were only one way to know him!” I was stunned when I heard that, I thought, “I am the way, the truth and the light, says the Lord,” did that just go out the window? Wow! I heard the Archbishop of NY agree that Pope Francis is considered a radical, when the Pope talks that way, and can scold a nation while simultaneously inspiring, you can rest assure that not only will I be brought again to prayer but I am certain to pray for him too1