Flags flown and hurricanes blown

Here comes the end of the world. Today we find ourselves a few months past a catastrophic tsunami, we find ourselves reeling from hurricane winds and floods taking out a city in Hollywood fashion, we find ourselves debating the moral quandaries of flying a flag at our religious institution. Moral quandaries of flying a flag at our religious institution? End times? Perhaps not, perhaps.

Flying a flag at a religious institution may not have Chicken Little screaming "the sky is falling;" however, for some individuals the reality of a flown flag may or may not dictate their ability to be happy in their environment. I understand such sentiments; it is important to me that a flag is not flown at EMU.

I grew up attending public school. I remember playing Lancaster Mennonite High School in sports. When we went to their home field they didn't fly the flag, they didn't sing the national anthem, they prayed. I thought perhaps that was a bit pretentious, but I did appreciate it. I would rather a religious moment of silence, but they said, "This is who we are and how we honor before we play." To me, it is important that my religious institutions are sure to separate themselves from the jingoistic tendencies of governments that prostitute religion for indoctrination. This is not an American critique, this is an observation of "state" as a structure.

How does this relate to flooding cities? Well, while we don't all wash away in floods, it is important to relate our own emotions of a crumbling world to those whose actually has. My hope is that we translate the desperation felt in religious debates to understanding true desperation and respond accordingly.

Perhaps finding a way to get the community EMU loves to speak about involved in aiding the tsunami? I recall EMU acting right after the tragedy, but if you read the news you will find that there are still many people living on the streets. That reality is compounded with the fact that many organizations who previously promised money and aid to southeast Asia are presently diverting monies to help the suffering in the south of America.

I resonate in the desire to aid mainly impoverished people in the latest tragedy. I understand, but do not agree with, the desire to help those in our country before we help those in other countries. Couldn't we instead dig deeper? How quickly we increase our military budget when we "need" newer, more lethal weapons for our war. How quickly we move to release oil from our national reserves so gas prices decrease. How slowly we move to fund aid to those dying.

It demands that we question ourselves. It demands that we ask where our priorities are. Can Americans legitimately be upset when they find themselves disliked in Europe or Asia or South America or Africa or Australia or probably even by the penguins in Antarctica confused by the increasing loss of icebergs through the industrial world's love of pollution? It is difficult; our government is truly reflective of ourselves as citizens.

Remember, our government initially pledged 15 billion dollars to tsunami relief as both Germany and Japan pledged over $500 billion. Yet almost monthly Bush requests special funding for his Iraq war upwards of $80 billion. Now, see with what alacrity Bush released oil reserves that the average citizen (whose wealth is exponentially higher than the average person in the Superdome) might have low gas prices. In contrast, we see how slowly he has responded with relief for those who lost everything and all means of income. What if he gave 87 billion dollars in emergency funding to bail out New Orleans?

So what, flags and hurricanes? Yes, they relate. I don't want flags flying at my religious institutions because they don't operate in a fashion I see best fits the independence faith requires. I also don't want my religious institutions to act like government; I want them to do something and timely. But what? Maybe (perhaps this is too radical) we extend or restructure Fall Break to a week to send van (bus?) loads to aid in any way with Hurricane Katrina's destruction. Maybe there is a lot we can help with; there must be something we can do. What a message to say people are more important than an extra day in class. What if we go in Jesus' name? I can reflect on that in silence before a game.