a compromise with technological tyranny: my first blog entry

Sisters and Brothers, Parents, Grandparents and Friends,

I write to you from London where I am restless with the anticipation of shared stories, meals, song, dance and work awaiting at the end of the coming day's journey. Tonight, as I sit down to mull over hopes and fears, I am reminded of the words of Middleton and Walsh, from their book Truth is Stranger than It Used to Be. Reflecting on the grip of the powers of death M&W write, “The pain of the oppressed was disregarded or censored because if it was acknowledged it would bring into question the legitimacy of the empire and the creation order that that empire was erected upon.” I hope this will become a holy space, a space where I might reflect on the violence employed by the powers of death and the resurrection of hope in the midst of oppression, paranoia and pain. Still, I am not so numb to the pain of the powers of death to think that we, Americans, have escaped such tyranny and achieved liberty and justice for all. I have not come from a liberated people to assuage all fears and settle all disputes. No, I too come from a broken land where the powers of death coerce the masses with fear, violence and poverty masked with ambitious promises of safety, democracy and prosperity. I travel to the West Bank to learn from a people's struggle for peace and justice, to share in work that has created new hope and to celebrate a common humanity. I hope the reflections, stories and poems to come will serve to question the myths that defend the powers of death as well as offer hope in the resurrection power of the Kingdom of God.

As I lie down to rest would you take a moment to silence both mind and body and share this Merton prayer with me....

Go tell the earth to shake

And the thunder

To wake the sky

And tear the clouds apart

And wonder

Where the old world is gone

For a new world is born

And all my people

Shall be one.

So tell the earth to shake

With marching feet

Of messengers of peace

Proclaim my law of love

To every nation

Every race.

For the old wrongs are over

The old days are gone

A new world is rising

Where my people shall be one.

So tell the earth to shake

With marching feet

Of messengers of peace

Proclaim my law of love

To every nation

Every race.

And say

The old wrongs are over

The old ways are done

There shall be no more hate

And no more war

My people shall be one.

So tell the earth to shake

With marching feet

Of messengers of peace

Proclaim my law of love

To every nation

Every race.

For the old world is ended

The old sky is torn Apart.

A new day is born

They hate no more

They do not go to war

My people shall be one.

So tell the earth to shake

With marching feet

Of messengers of peace

Proclaim my law of love

To every nation

Every race.

There shall be no more hate

And no more oppression

The old wrongs are done

My people shall be one.

may the work of my hands like the words of my mouth become my prayers this summer.

peace and stuff,

paul