Hilary Barnett

I am excited for this weekend, specifically today. I am going to a rally to support the Iranian people in their protest of the current election results. I realize that the situation in Iran is very complex, and that the reform candidate may not be much better for U.S. foreign policy than the current president. I am simply going out in support of the hundreds of thousands of Iranians who are willing to risk their lives to gain a more representative government.  I’m not sure about you, but I have always had an activist streak. When I was in Junior High, I wanted more than anything to be a true hippie.  I would literally watch the Woodstock footage for hours, and stand in front of the mirror singing Janis Joplin. There was something romantic and exciting to me about that era. To have something to fight for, a cause. During the 80’s and 90’s, as a young person, it didn’t feel like there were any worthy causes out there.

Over the last few years, I have begun to realize more and more the Christian’s responsibility to stand for things that represent the kingdom of God in the earth, and to stand up against things that don’t. I realize that this can open a huge Pandora’s Box of arguments within the Christian Church about what we should actually be protesting.  But I believe that the Church is called to stand against anything that represents darkness. I’ve begun to read Bishop Oscar Romero’s book, The Violence of Love, and he states:

“When we struggle for human rights, for freedom, for dignity, when we feel it is a ministry of the church to concern itself for those who are hungry, for those who are deprived, we are not departing from God’s promise. He comes to free us from sin, and the church knows that sin’s consequences are all such injustices and abuses. The church knows it is saving the world when it undertakes also to speak of such things” (24).

He also states:

“When we preach the Lord’s word, we decry not only the injustices of the social order. We decry every sin that is night, that is darkness: drunkenness, gluttony, lust, adultery, abortion, everything that is the reign of iniquity and sin. Let them all disappear from our society” (11).

So it is not a matter of “either/or” for me. Personal issues of morality and societal injustices are all part of the sinful nature of man. It’ not about politics, or national interest. It’s about the kingdom of God and whether it is being manifest. I guess you could say I’ve found my cause.