Sermon No. 1

The Privileged Class

A man told his son that in America, "everyone belongs to the privileged class."

The son responded, "I disagree."

Dad answered, "That, my boy, is the privilege!"

This past week we have celebrated Independence Day. Just what is July 4 all about? Oversimplified, it is a memorial to our rebellion against authority. We rebelled against England's rule by monarchy and replaced it with a rule by democracy, rule by the will of the majority.

What an awesome concept! What an awesome country is the United States of America! God bless America.

Democracy is a sacred trust. Is the majority always right? No, of course not.

We are told that if we fail to learn from our mistakes, we are destined to repeat them. Tomorrow will be no different from today unless we learn some lessons from yesterday.

Some time ago the world celebrated the remarkable events which helped save the world from the disastrous will of tyrants in various parts of the world.

You may have watched the D-Day celebration. We watched a whole day and evening of memorials and film clips from more than half a century ago. I shed more tears that day than I have for a long time. I'm sure you did, too -- especially you who are adults, old enough to have lived in the 40s!

My memories include some good friends who went to war and never returned. They also include my short tenure as a lieutenant in the Medical Cadet Corps, teaching close order drill and map reading and first aid. Some of those men are lying in foreign graves.

My memories also include some men who refused to go to war because they believed war is immoral. Pacifists, like the Quakers, are not cowards. One of my mentors was Henry Warren, who was my boss when I moved to Detroit. He encouraged me in the development of my own pacifism.

Lucille had several friends when she was in nursing school (Minneapolis) who were pacifists, conscientious objectors. As their contribution to a better world, several volunteered to be given serious illnesses, so researchers could test various treatments. We were surprised when we moved to Detroit to meet one of them, Grant Washburn, again! In those days I neither understood them nor agreed with them. Now, these many years later, I both understand and agree with them!

War is a terrible scourge. I praise God we won both the Revolutionary War and World War II. Can't you imagine this world under the rule of Hirohito or Mussolini or Hitler or Stalin?

As we celebrate those victories, we appreciate the heroes, both the soldiers who fought and the conscientious objectors who stood for moral principles, who kept our lives and country free. Some of them are gone; we can not thank them in person. Many are still here, and we can give them our gratitude and honor.

Why does war happen? What caused World War II? Wasn't there some way to settle differences without killing each other?

There are reasons why fascism, naziism, "communism" and imperialism develop. One reason is surely that a person's charismatic personality hides his ego and lust for power. And there are other, more subtle reasons.

Very often they are good causes gone sour. One of the most dramatic examples is the Castro/Cuba situation. Cuba was under the dictatorship of a ruthless autocrat, Batista, supported by our government and by American business interests.

After Castro finished his law degree, he went back to oppose the unjust regime in which the poor were mercilessly exploited. He vowed to give the country back to the people, to institute a democracy.

His hard-won revolution was successful. In the years which followed, Cuba's literacy rate rose dramatically. Living standards for common people improved. Health care and education were made available to the masses.

Then, all that absolute power corrupted Castro's ideals. They say power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Castro epitomizes that adage. His ostensible plan apparently gave in to personal ego, so Cuba has felt the sting of corruption, as many other countries have. Much the same thing happened in Spain, in China, in Russia and in many other parts of the world.

Men who rebelled against unjust regimes, who fought for the rights of common people -- which, by the way, was the mission of Jesus and of the Old Testament prophets -- forgot their noble ideals when they attained power.

I can't imagine how anyone who has any respect for other human beings can support a dictator. But dictators have had support -- in Italy, Germany, Russia, China, Cuba, South and Central America . . . and in American labor unions and capitalist businesses!

Why do people follow dictators? This is a critical moral issue, basic to Christian understanding and philosophy.

A look at history may give us some clues. Hitler lived a clean life, a non-smoker, teetotaler, vegetarian. He encouraged the youth of his land to keep fit, to exercise, not to smoke or drink alcohol. Hitler believed in God, boasted that he was a Christian. He believed in his cause, which included Gentile and German superiority. "Gott mit uns" (God with us) was inscribed on the belt buckles of German soldiers.

So what was the problem? I believe the problem was authoritarianism and triumphalism. Authoritarianism is the exercise of power by one person or group over others. Triumphalism describes those who believe, "We are the true way." Not, "We are one way" nor "We are the best way" but "We are the only true way."

The only way to make Germany what she was "divinely destined" to become was to rid the country of Jews, cripples, homosexuals, mentally retarded and other "undesirables."

When he felt the surge of power and authority, he became the veritable madman we see and read about, a man of insensitivity, a man who murdered millions of people and still felt he was doing God's will!

No dictator can succeed unless he commands the obedience of the majority. We would like to say people obey out of fear, but that is not the whole story.

Look what happened to Marcos in the Philippines when the people refused to follow. Marcos was overthrown by non-violent, peaceful, Christian protesters. He ordered his army to shoot, but one of the generals said, "How can you shoot civilians who walk up and offer you love and sandwiches?"

Dictatorship (in government, in the church or in the home) becomes possible when power is exerted, or when charismatic leaders play on the emotions with smooth rhetoric, and are believed and followed.

Most dictators, at least when they begin their campaigns, truly believe they were doing what is best for the people. "Nazi" is an abbreviation of the German words for National Socialist. Their statement of purpose would be incredibly consonant with Christianity!

At the close of the Sermon on the Mount "the people were astonished at his doctrine because he taught them as one having authority." Just before he left this earth, Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."

Matthew says Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:
"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory."

Could that be a description of Hitler making one of his impassioned speeches? Or Mussolini, or Castro, or Stalin? No way!

What was it about the teaching of Jesus, the "servant," that gave the impression he was a man of authority?

True authority must be based on principle, not on power.

Have you heard about the many conventions of "Promise Keepers"? Many thousands have gathered in cities across the land. They are committed to restoring "male leadership," male authority in the home and church. The movement was initiated by Bill McCartney, who used to be at Divine Child church a few blocks from here!

Dear saints, there is an insidious force at work in this whole matter. And this morning I want to shout:

Anyone who teaches that men are to have authority over women, and who bases that on scripture, must also teach that slaves should go back to their masters, disobedient children and Sabbath breakers and homosexuals should be put to death! You can't just pick and choose only those scriptures which happen to suit your fancy.

If I sound angry -- I am. I am angry at people who misinterpret scripture. Their rhetoric is very little different from the film clips we have seen of dictators. Some believe God wants men to rule women, white people to rule black people! Gentiles to rule Jews, or Jews to rule Gentiles.

What kind of people believe that? The same people who accept dictators, and Christians who denounce liberals because they think liberals will decimate the family and ruin the country.

Remember that the dictionary defines liberalism as "a spirit of openness and generosity." So a "liberal" is one who is open to new understandings of truth, and is generous -- concerned for others.

It was liberals who insisted on child labor laws, which were opposed by Christian fundamentalists. It was liberals who achieved freedom for slaves in America and England and Brazil, while fundamentalist Christians rationalized slavery. Southern Baptists split from the other Baptists precisely to defend the right to own slaves!

And I'm not talking just about ancient history. In 1959, my office was between the comptroller's office and the office manager's office. They were active members of two of Nashville's large, prestigious churches. Both men told me in unequivocal terms that black people are simply less intelligent than white people. They weren't prejudiced, you understand, they simply stated the facts!! Talk about ignorance! That was in 1959!

Liberals also made it possible for women to vote. Susan B. Anthony wanted to vote in 1872, but voting was denied to "idiots, criminals, lunatics and women."

The power of prejudice is a tragic travesty of justice, and American ideals. That is why we must remember our mistakes, so we will not repeat the same kind of mistakes.

In The Day America Told the Truth, a book based on extensive interviews by James Patterson and Peter Kim, their shocking conclusion is that "women are morally superior to men . . . This is true all across the country -- everywhere, in every single region, on every moral issue we tested. Both sexes say so. Women lie less. Women are more responsible. Women can be trusted more."

That from male researchers, not feminists or liberal theologians! And the interviewees included men!

I do not believe the difference is gender-related, but is the result of the cultural influences, the influences which derive from centuries of male dominance, male supremacy.

Sojourner Truth, challenged in 1851 because she spoke up in church, said, "He say women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Whar did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothin' to do wid Him!"

And it is primarily liberals who champion human rights and civil rights today, and who speak up and out against spouse and child abuse.

Well, perhaps I am shouting at the wrong people. Women in our two churches and our two denominations are no longer denigrated like they still are in many fundamentalist churches.

My burden this morning is that we see the danger of triumphalism and self-righteous prejudice. Our country is not always right. Our church -- whatever church it may be -- is not always right.

Triumphalism was the official Roman Catholic point of view for many centuries. It may still be the "official" view; I don't know. But it is not the view of many Catholic priests and nuns and other leaders with whom I have worked for the past few years.

It has also been the view of some Pentecostals -- either speak in tongues or you're a second class Christian!

Steve Brown said "Everybody knows Jesus is a Presbyterian." Well, he is misinformed. Jesus was a Seventh-day Adventist! Everyone knows that, at least now that I've told you!

Triumphalism led the Crusaders to "defend the faith" against Muslims in bloody warfare with the inhabitants of Jesus' homeland -- 40,000 children were among those who perished or were sold into slavery -- in the name of Truth!

Native North and Central Americans were stripped of their heritage and enslaved and degraded -- all in the name of Manifest Destiny.

The awful European Inquisitions, Catholics persecuting Protestants, were matched by Protestants persecuting Catholics in Europe and America.

Holy war after holy war has bloodied the earth as Catholics and Protestants outdid each other persecuting anyone and everyone who did not accept The Truth as they understood it!

Jews have suffered time after time just because just they were Jews. Of course, thousands of Palestinians have been slaughtered by Jews just because they were not Jews!

No religion, no ideology has been innocent of triumphalism and its disastrous consequences.

Most Christians no longer plot to destroy those who disagree with their point of view, at least by war. Our mission must be that of Jesus -- to promote the Good News, while still respecting the traditions of others.

We gloat over the fall of the "evil empire," but don't forget that the "Christian" religion in league with the czars of Russia played a big part in the resentment which motivated the proletariat to revolt. It was the exploitation of the poor that gave Marxism such appeal. When society veers to one extreme, it often reacts to the other extreme, the Law of the Pendulum.

When we were in St. Petersburg, we saw that massive St. Isaac's cathedral which cost the lives of many thousands of peasants just putting gold on the dome! They were overcome by mercury fumes, died, and were then simply replaced by more peasants! We were told that 400,000 peasants died in that endeavor. Just so the religious leaders and the political leaders could boast a magnificent catherdral!

We rightfully rejoice over the defeat of our enemies in World War II. But don't forget the influence of authoritarian rhetoric by which the dictators amassed such influence.

Do you see how critical it is that we not be swayed by power and authority talk? Do you see the danger in triumphalism, in the "we represent the only way" mentality?

Beware of the right-wing rhetoric about "lawlessness, lack of family values and respect for authority." "Conservatives" are not the ones who truly champion those causes.

Those are noble values, but look to see who really addresses those issues, who really walks the talk!

I appeal to you today to think long and hard about the principles which Jesus taught and lived: respect and love, even for those who rejected him.

If we dwell on Jesus we will not likely be drawn into the "we-are-right, you-are-wrong" mentality which can lead to dictatorship . . . in the country, church, workplace or home.

We are called to be Christ-like, to be servants. True Christians eschew hierarchy. There is no place in the body of Christ for leadership by dictum.

Don't be taken in by the claim that "someone must be finally responsible. The buck must stop somewhere." Lucille and I have been married 45 years. Never has either of us "taken authority." Consensus is the key. In the years I owned several businesses, the word "boss" was not permitted.

A Christian is one who puts the rights of others before his own feelings and the feelings of others before his own rights.

We believe Jesus is coming again. Soon! How soon is soon? We have no idea! While we wait, let's be sure we know the Jesus who is coming. Should the Second Coming be delayed until another generation, we must fight for right, defend truth, speak up and out on matters of morality. Tomorrow's history depends on today's morality. This is not a time nor a place for shoulder-shruggers. This is the hour for people of God to "stand for the right, though the heavens fall."

In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy apologizes to Charlie Brown: "Sorry I missed that fly ball, manager. I tho't I had it, but suddenly I remembered all the others I've missed. The past got in my eyes!"

Praise God we are all members of a privileged class. Praise God we don't all have to agree on all the details of Christian life. We don't have to pledge allegiance to a creed. But we need to pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ. Don't let the past get in your eyes. Our future is a coming Christ.

Let us pray . . .



		The Privileged Class
		A man told his son that in America, "everyone belongs to the privileged class." The son responded, "I disagree." Dad answered, "That, my boy, is the privilege!" This past week we have celebrated Independence Day. Just what is July 4 all about? Oversimplified, it is a memorial to our rebellion against authority. We rebelled against England's rule by monarchy and replaced it with a rule by democracy, rule by the will of the majority. What an awesome concept! What an awesome country is the United States of America! God bless America. Democracy is a sacred trust. Is the majority always right? No, of course not. We are told that if we fail to learn from our mistakes, we are destined to repeat them. Tomorrow will be no different from today unless we learn some lessons from yesterday. Some time ago the world celebrated the remarkable events which helped save the world from the disastrous will of tyrants in various parts of the world. You may have watched the D-Day celebration. We watched a whole day and evening of memorials and film clips from more than half a century ago. I shed more tears that day than I have for a long time. I'm sure you did, too -- especially you who are adults, old enough to have lived in the 40s! My memories include some good friends who went to war and never returned. They also include my short tenure as a lieutenant in the Medical Cadet Corps, teaching close order drill and map reading and first aid. Some of those men are lying in foreign graves. My memories also include some men who refused to go to war because they believed war is immoral. Pacifists, like the Quakers, are not cowards. One of my mentors was Henry Warren, who was my boss when I moved to Detroit. He encouraged me in the development of my own pacifism. Lucille had several friends when she was in nursing school (Minneapolis) who were pacifists, conscientious objectors. As their contribution to a better world, several volunteered to be given serious illnesses, so researchers could test various treatments. We were surprised when we moved to Detroit to meet one of them, Grant Washburn, again! In those days I neither understood them nor agreed with them. Now, these many years later, I both understand and agree with them! War is a terrible scourge. I praise God we won both the Revolutionary War and World War II. Can't you imagine this world under the rule of Hirohito or Mussolini or Hitler or Stalin? As we celebrate those victories, we appreciate the heroes, both the soldiers who fought and the conscientious objectors who stood for moral principles, who kept our lives and country free. Some of them are gone; we can not thank them in person. Many are still here, and we can give them our gratitude and honor. Why does war happen? What caused World War II? Wasn't there some way to settle differences without killing each other? There are reasons why fascism, naziism, "communism" and imperialism develop. One reason is surely that a person's charismatic personality hides his ego and lust for power. And there are other, more subtle reasons. Very often they are good causes gone sour. One of the most dramatic examples is the Castro/Cuba situation. Cuba was under the dictatorship of a ruthless autocrat, Batista, supported by our government and by American business interests. After Castro finished his law degree, he went back to oppose the unjust regime in which the poor were mercilessly exploited. He vowed to give the country back to the people, to institute a democracy. His hard-won revolution was successful. In the years which followed, Cuba's literacy rate rose dramatically. Living standards for common people improved. Health care and education were made available to the masses. Then, all that absolute power corrupted Castro's ideals. They say power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Castro epitomizes that adage. His ostensible plan apparently gave in to personal ego, so Cuba has felt the sting of corruption, as many other countries have. Much the same thing happened in Spain, in China, in Russia and in many other parts of the world. Men who rebelled against unjust regimes, who fought for the rights of common people -- which, by the way, was the mission of Jesus and of the Old Testament prophets -- forgot their noble ideals when they attained power. I can't imagine how anyone who has any respect for other human beings can support a dictator. But dictators have had support -- in Italy, Germany, Russia, China, Cuba, South and Central America . . . and in American labor unions and capitalist businesses! Why do people follow dictators? This is a critical moral issue, basic to Christian understanding and philosophy. A look at history may give us some clues. Hitler lived a clean life, a non-smoker, teetotaler, vegetarian. He encouraged the youth of his land to keep fit, to exercise, not to smoke or drink alcohol. Hitler believed in God, boasted that he was a Christian. He believed in his cause, which included Gentile and German superiority. "Gott mit uns" (God with us) was inscribed on the belt buckles of German soldiers. So what was the problem? I believe the problem was authoritarianism and triumphalism. Authoritarianism is the exercise of power by one person or group over others. Triumphalism describes those who believe, "We are the true way." Not, "We are one way" nor "We are the best way" but "We are the only true way." The only way to make Germany what she was "divinely destined" to become was to rid the country of Jews, cripples, homosexuals, mentally retarded and other "undesirables." When he felt the surge of power and authority, he became the veritable madman we see and read about, a man of insensitivity, a man who murdered millions of people and still felt he was doing God's will! No dictator can succeed unless he commands the obedience of the majority. We would like to say people obey out of fear, but that is not the whole story. Look what happened to Marcos in the Philippines when the people refused to follow. Marcos was overthrown by non-violent, peaceful, Christian protesters. He ordered his army to shoot, but one of the generals said, "How can you shoot civilians who walk up and offer you love and sandwiches?" Dictatorship (in government, in the church or in the home) becomes possible when power is exerted, or when charismatic leaders play on the emotions with smooth rhetoric, and are believed and followed. Most dictators, at least when they begin their campaigns, truly believe they were doing what is best for the people. "Nazi" is an abbreviation of the German words for National Socialist. Their statement of purpose would be incredibly consonant with Christianity! At the close of the Sermon on the Mount "the people were astonished at his doctrine because he taught them as one having authority." Just before he left this earth, Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Matthew says Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy: "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory." Could that be a description of Hitler making one of his impassioned speeches? Or Mussolini, or Castro, or Stalin? No way! What was it about the teaching of Jesus, the "servant," that gave the impression he was a man of authority? True authority must be based on principle, not on power. Have you heard about the many conventions of "Promise Keepers"? Many thousands have gathered in cities across the land. They are committed to restoring "male leadership," male authority in the home and church. The movement was initiated by Bill McCartney, who used to be at Divine Child church a few blocks from here! Dear saints, there is an insidious force at work in this whole matter. And this morning I want to shout: Anyone who teaches that men are to have authority over women, and who bases that on scripture, must also teach that slaves should go back to their masters, disobedient children and Sabbath breakers and homosexuals should be put to death! You can't just pick and choose only those scriptures which happen to suit your fancy. If I sound angry -- I am. I am angry at people who misinterpret scripture. Their rhetoric is very little different from the film clips we have seen of dictators. Some believe God wants men to rule women, white people to rule black people! Gentiles to rule Jews, or Jews to rule Gentiles. What kind of people believe that? The same people who accept dictators, and Christians who denounce liberals because they think liberals will decimate the family and ruin the country. Remember that the dictionary defines liberalism as "a spirit of openness and generosity." So a "liberal" is one who is open to new understandings of truth, and is generous -- concerned for others. It was liberals who insisted on child labor laws, which were opposed by Christian fundamentalists. It was liberals who achieved freedom for slaves in America and England and Brazil, while fundamentalist Christians rationalized slavery. Southern Baptists split from the other Baptists precisely to defend the right to own slaves! And I'm not talking just about ancient history. In 1959, my office was between the comptroller's office and the office manager's office. They were active members of two of Nashville's large, prestigious churches. Both men told me in unequivocal terms that black people are simply less intelligent than white people. They weren't prejudiced, you understand, they simply stated the facts!! Talk about ignorance! That was in 1959! Liberals also made it possible for women to vote. Susan B. Anthony wanted to vote in 1872, but voting was denied to "idiots, criminals, lunatics and women." The power of prejudice is a tragic travesty of justice, and American ideals. That is why we must remember our mistakes, so we will not repeat the same kind of mistakes. In The Day America Told the Truth, a book based on extensive interviews by James Patterson and Peter Kim, their shocking conclusion is that "women are morally superior to men . . . This is true all across the country -- everywhere, in every single region, on every moral issue we tested. Both sexes say so. Women lie less. Women are more responsible. Women can be trusted more." That from male researchers, not feminists or liberal theologians! And the interviewees included men! I do not believe the difference is gender-related, but is the result of the cultural influences, the influences which derive from centuries of male dominance, male supremacy. Sojourner Truth, challenged in 1851 because she spoke up in church, said, "He say women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Whar did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothin' to do wid Him!" And it is primarily liberals who champion human rights and civil rights today, and who speak up and out against spouse and child abuse. Well, perhaps I am shouting at the wrong people. Women in our two churches and our two denominations are no longer denigrated like they still are in many fundamentalist churches. My burden this morning is that we see the danger of triumphalism and self-righteous prejudice. Our country is not always right. Our church -- whatever church it may be -- is not always right. Triumphalism was the official Roman Catholic point of view for many centuries. It may still be the "official" view; I don't know. But it is not the view of many Catholic priests and nuns and other leaders with whom I have worked for the past few years. It has also been the view of some Pentecostals -- either speak in tongues or you're a second class Christian! Steve Brown said "Everybody knows Jesus is a Presbyterian." Well, he is misinformed. Jesus was a Seventh-day Adventist! Everyone knows that, at least now that I've told you! Triumphalism led the Crusaders to "defend the faith" against Muslims in bloody warfare with the inhabitants of Jesus' homeland -- 40,000 children were among those who perished or were sold into slavery -- in the name of Truth! Native North and Central Americans were stripped of their heritage and enslaved and degraded -- all in the name of Manifest Destiny. The awful European Inquisitions, Catholics persecuting Protestants, were matched by Protestants persecuting Catholics in Europe and America. Holy war after holy war has bloodied the earth as Catholics and Protestants outdid each other persecuting anyone and everyone who did not accept The Truth as they understood it! Jews have suffered time after time just because just they were Jews. Of course, thousands of Palestinians have been slaughtered by Jews just because they were not Jews! No religion, no ideology has been innocent of triumphalism and its disastrous consequences. Most Christians no longer plot to destroy those who disagree with their point of view, at least by war. Our mission must be that of Jesus -- to promote the Good News, while still respecting the traditions of others. We gloat over the fall of the "evil empire," but don't forget that the "Christian" religion in league with the czars of Russia played a big part in the resentment which motivated the proletariat to revolt. It was the exploitation of the poor that gave Marxism such appeal. When society veers to one extreme, it often reacts to the other extreme, the Law of the Pendulum. When we were in St. Petersburg, we saw that massive St. Isaac's cathedral which cost the lives of many thousands of peasants just putting gold on the dome! They were overcome by mercury fumes, died, and were then simply replaced by more peasants! We were told that 400,000 peasants died in that endeavor. Just so the religious leaders and the political leaders could boast a magnificent catherdral! We rightfully rejoice over the defeat of our enemies in World War II. But don't forget the influence of authoritarian rhetoric by which the dictators amassed such influence. Do you see how critical it is that we not be swayed by power and authority talk? Do you see the danger in triumphalism, in the "we represent the only way" mentality? Beware of the right-wing rhetoric about "lawlessness, lack of family values and respect for authority." "Conservatives" are not the ones who truly champion those causes. Those are noble values, but look to see who really addresses those issues, who really walks the talk! I appeal to you today to think long and hard about the principles which Jesus taught and lived: respect and love, even for those who rejected him. If we dwell on Jesus we will not likely be drawn into the "we-are-right, you-are-wrong" mentality which can lead to dictatorship . . . in the country, church, workplace or home. We are called to be Christ-like, to be servants. True Christians eschew hierarchy. There is no place in the body of Christ for leadership by dictum. Don't be taken in by the claim that "someone must be finally responsible. The buck must stop somewhere." Lucille and I have been married 45 years. Never has either of us "taken authority." Consensus is the key. In the years I owned several businesses, the word "boss" was not permitted. A Christian is one who puts the rights of others before his own feelings and the feelings of others before his own rights. We believe Jesus is coming again. Soon! How soon is soon? We have no idea! While we wait, let's be sure we know the Jesus who is coming. Should the Second Coming be delayed until another generation, we must fight for right, defend truth, speak up and out on matters of morality. Tomorrow's history depends on today's morality. This is not a time nor a place for shoulder-shruggers. This is the hour for people of God to "stand for the right, though the heavens fall." In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy apologizes to Charlie Brown: "Sorry I missed that fly ball, manager. I tho't I had it, but suddenly I remembered all the others I've missed. The past got in my eyes!" Praise God we are all members of a privileged class. Praise God we don't all have to agree on all the details of Christian life. We don't have to pledge allegiance to a creed. But we need to pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ. Don't let the past get in your eyes. Our future is a coming Christ. Let us pray . . .