Repent, The End Is Near!
We are all familiar with the crazy-looking street preacher in some public square haranguing every passer by with a message of doom and gloom while holding up a sign which reads, "Repent, the end is near!"
Well, as the Members of Congress go home to their districts in honor of the Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, it might be appropriate for their constituents to welcome them home with just such a placard.
You see this Jewish holiday begins a ten-day period during which Jews spend time in self-reflection and repentance, particularly in seeking to mend relations with those they may have wronged during the year. The ten days culminate on Yom Kippur, when one repents of sins against God. Judaism believes that while God forgives sins against God, each person must repent and seek forgiveness from other people against whom they have sinned.
And I can't think of a better thing for the Members of Congress -- Jewish or not -- to do while at home than repent, because the end is indeed near. Last week, I suggested that the financial managers who helped precipitate this economic crisis be paraded down Wall Street in sackcloth and ashes. Now it may be time for their Congressional colleagues to join them.
In the midst of a crisis that is both structural and spiritual, it is indeed appropriate for us all to reflect on what repentance means. Biblically, it means a turning around, a change in direction, a reversing of ones' course and beginning to walk an entirely new path. After the House of Representatives rejected the most current "rescue plan" for the economy, and the stock market immediately lost $1.2 trillion in value, including in people's retirement funds and college savings accounts, some repentance does seem to be in order - both that this was such a flawed bill and that Washington and Wall Street allowed the financial situation to so deteriorate that a flawed bill was painfully necessary.
But what might the Members of Congress repent of?
Perhaps the putting of other things, including ideology, re-election, partisan advantage, and public posturing ahead of the national interest and the common good -- not just yesterday, but for years.
Perhaps the looking after their own interests, including their own financial success and career goals, over the interests of their most ordinary constituents.
Perhaps paying more attention to the financial benefits to the country's financial institutions (that, in most cases, also significantly benefit them) than to the benefits coming to the average Americans who vote for them.
Perhaps by focusing more on a Wall Street bailout than to the relief of those suffering disastrous housing foreclosures or the loss of jobs; and preferring a top-down rescue rather than a bottom-up one.
Perhaps by substituting political calculation for political leadership, crying for credibility, partisan blaming for moral authority, and rejecting imperfect solutions for no solutions at all.
And there may be some things on a more personal level that Congresspersons may also need to repent of that might clear their heads and hearts for more effective leadership.
As for the rest of us, perhaps we could also reflect on our need for repentance.
For being seduced into lifestyles beyond our means and contrary to our religious traditions of simplicity and stewardship.
For living on far too much credit, rather than living within our limits.
For sometimes putting economic values ahead of family values.
For letting the relentless assault of advertising and a culture of consumption to seed in us the sin of covetousness.
For valuing our lives too much by the cultural values of worth, instead of by the values of the kingdom of God.
And, for the students at Harvard (where I sometimes teach), the fact that half of you want to go into investment banking as a career is a sign that something has gone wrong with the culture. Repent, and make sure your vocation benefits the common good.
Maybe we should all go to synagogue or church in the next ten days in order to repent. Because if we don't, the end of a lot of things may indeed be near.
Jim Wallis is the author of The Great Awakening
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Wise words-
Its the republicans who should repent first. After all, they're the ones that claim to own God and Jesus Christ. If they did truly repent, they'd have to confess to some pretty despicable sins. Since its been the public that's been on the receiving end of their sinfulness. They should confess their sins publicly.
Yeah the republicans are so evil! After all, we know Jesus would be fine with killing unborn children and the elderly. Hell, he'd probably even think it's ok to kill the baby when only it's head has left the mother's body. And I'm sure he'd love to take money away from people who earned it so that some democrat from on high can redistribute it to whoever he sees fit. Yeah, the democrats really are the party of Christians.
How many unwanted children have you adopted lately? Your world view requires you to believe that we are in the midst of a global Holy war against non- christians. Are you a member of the military? Gimmy a break, you of the red button talking points.
I don't reckon repentence thinks inside a political box.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
And yes, I have read your book
They need to repent for creating institutions to loan money to people with no collateral, and then backing it with taxpayer money. They should all deliver all of their property and money to the treasury and then resign.
Actually, that's your guy Barney Frank who did that.
Actually it is a systematic dismantling of regulatory oversight going back to the Reagan Administration which allowed financial institutions to borrow or "leverage" thirty times or more of assets they could not guarantee against loss. Search the Commodity Futures Modernizations Act of 2000, one of Phil Gramm's darling little de-reg. coups. It also contained what became known as the "Enron Loophole", which was drafted by Enron Lobbyists working with Phil Gramm. Remember the Enron collapse? A whole lot of screwed investers sure do.
By the way, Phil Gramm is at the top of McCain's short list for Treasury Sect.
C'mon, do your homework, you of the Red Button talking points.
People can get use to anything. Eventually, the poor people get fed up with the antics of the rich people when the combination of lack of progress, and the flaunting of what they have acquired without justification gets under the skin of the proletariat. Most of the time, the merc enary goons protect the castles of the pgs without too much thought. But eventually, when they start having to do in their neighbor or a member of their family, the loyalty cracks. If the Aztec do rise up, maybe they'll march up the office dwellers to the tops of their steelworker creations, and toss them over to hungry people grateful for the effects of gravity on the bones of their next barbecue dish. Look to history, people can get use to anything.
Our nation compounded the sin of greed with the sin of vanity. The church thought of itself as better than others, and linked itself to the economic conservatives (rich) and became their voting block. They intended for good to come of this, but they ended up bringing preemptive (unnecessary) war and torture and splitting the world into hatreds so that they could feel better about themselves. Perhaps the people need to repent, and congress certainly does, but much more the church needs to repent and ask the rest of the world for forgiveness for the global horrors they have unleashed, or is it already too late for that?
Also, the synagogue didn't vote for Bush, so perhaps they shouldn't be lumped in with the churches.
Jim, it seems that all these people will never repent ... after all, they are always forgiven by their gods. As for all of us secular people, we see this as purely political. After all, if we give a bunch of boys and girls money by nature they will scramble after the money with the intent of getting the most of it. Thus, there is a balance between pure capitalism and pure socialism. Ultimately, evolution triumphs ... albeit, very very slowly.
Jim, I agree with spending the time in repentance and reflection. But I disagree with rushing this bill through. It took 28 years of voodoo economics to get us here, and a stroke of the pen isn't going to fix it. People are going to lose their jobs, and many their homes, regardless. Congress should - MUST - get everything it can out of this administration while they're on their knees. A few days of reflection on this not-quite-
Keeping the death throes of the party of voodoo economics on television for a while longer has an important benefit: it will convincingly communicate the death of right wing economic theology to voters, a theology that brought no salvation - only illusion - to just plain folks in Kansas, Wyoming, the northeast kingdom (Vermont), and Alabama.
I think we can wait a few days while the Republicans gather up the courage, and can act in the nations BEST interest, to sign the death warrant of Reaganomics.
Can't have repentance if it affects the bottom line.
Shana Tova!!! Everybody.
I think you are being a LITTLE too cynical and drinking a little of the kool-aid yourself.
The end is NOT near - it's just the rethugs trying to SCARE us again.
I DO agree that these people SHOULD think about what they have done. Our rabbi yesterday gave a very beautiful sermon on the idea of TRUTH. He said it's a beautiful thing. Truth can weigh heavily on our hearts like a stone, but when we allow it to come in - it can set us free. He also said change is good.
To this, I say simply:
AMEN.
This is such a poignant post. We can rant against the GOP (as I often do myself), but ultimately, we are ALL to blame in one way or another. We must revive the American Dream and aspire toward things better, rather than things bigger or things more. If America does not rediscover this spiritual core, then she will surely perish.
the generations beginning in the 60's became lost in their own selfish desires and felt little for others--this continued and became more pronounced through the 70's,80's and 90's--when Bush became our leader, greater excesses in government and business have taken place--how much repenting should these leaders of ours do--enough to last another decade,but they can begin now------------
Well....we didn't start the fire...
http://www
But...you can see clearly now, if you're willing
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Change is inevitable
Growth is optional
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