MORGAN'S MOMENT...
Hugo gave
Barack a book…
    hoping he might read it.
The book scored big time…
    number two on Amazon’s book list.
Our Pres has a couple of best sellers
    That he’s willing to trade.
I like it!
Hugo and Barack make fine rhetoric…
    but the written word is weightier.
This is the way to carry on disputes…
    a battle of the books.
Venezuela will have a chance
    to read what Obama thinks…
    and why.
Americans could also benefit
    from words beyond sound bites…
    both Obama’s and Chavez’s.
Maybe it’s time for a new plan…
    a book club for Presidents
    where they discuss their books.
Of course you they would have to read…
    and think instead of talk
I say that it’s a great idea…
    good for the book industry…
    and guaranteed economic stimulus.
— Art Morgan 

BOOK CORNER
I’ve been reading “Call Me Ted,” by Ted Turner. My original ambivalent feelings about Turner with all his wheeling and dealing and escapades gradually changed as the book went on. I think it offers some good thoughts about child-raising, some interesting insights into multiplying wealth in business, and about applied ethics in use and giving of wealth. Read his 11 core values at the end.
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MOMENT MINISTRIES
– April 20, 2009 –
    A MOMENT MINISTRIES production – Art Morgan a-morgan@peak.org

FROM EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE
“Thanks, Art, for the Easter Blue Sheet.  I remember “A Preacher’s Hardest Day”.  This year during Lent I was the guest Teacher (Resource Leader) for the Seekers Class at Tacoma First Christian.  I wanted to do some personal work on themes around the atonement, so I chose the topic, “The Death of Jesus and Metaphors of Atonement.”  I had a great seven week gig with them.  They weren’t always comfortable with what I was encouraging them to think about, but responsive.  They are all over 60 years of age.  In two sessions we looked at Marcus Borg’s treatment of “The Death of Jesus” and “What Happened on Good Friday”.  Nobody got up and walked out!  Several indicated they were glad for an opportunity to put some traditional stuff… out there and to take a good look at it.  Anyway, your comments reminded me of this experience and how important it is to trust our laypeople with the truth and expose them to various perspectives. . ─ Your “retired” colleague, Marvin”

My Reply to Marvin -
“I think you're “freed up,” Marv, not “retired.”
I think what you did at Tacoma (and Don Payne before you) shows what a respected outsider can do what a resident pastor is hesitant to do for fear of driving off a major donor. Many a progressive Disciples pastor has felt restricted (held hostage) by a small, conservative minority. This has driven some of the more open members away and caused many of our churches to have a conservative flavor that does not accurately represent the Disciples position or tradition.
Yes, many lay people have carried "heresies" in their minds for a long time and are glad to hear of someone who thinks their thoughts. You would think the Disciples tradition would encourage that sort of thing and that it should be the rule rather than exception. I think that the Tacoma church must have some remnant of progressive leadership to invite people like you and Don (and possibly others) to lead such forums. Glad you're still in the game…For the Moment…Art”


FINAL THURSDAY MOMENT OF THE SEASON
The last Thursday Moment of this season is MAY 14. Further information by email. We make our annual northward move by Memorial Day.
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TALKING WITH YOUR ENEMIES

President Obama is taking flak for shaking hands and talking with Hugo Chávez (President of Venezeula). Some politicians and others think that it insults Americans to be friendly with a perceived enemy.
Obama argues that it doesn’t hurt America at all, and opens potential for further good. Who knows? It surely can’t be any worse than our policy of not talking.
It has seemed to a lot of people, including me, that diplomacy that is based on a pre-requirement that certain positions must be surrendered in advance of any talking doesn’t make sense. How can you negotiate differences if one side demands changes in advance of any talk?
I am sure there are people who read these words – even some experts in foreign policy – who could tell me what I’m missing.
But let me tell you what stirs my thinking. I’ve been tainted by my upbringing and studies. I have read words that trace to Jesus. Some of the ideas have impacted my way of thinking. I admit it. If Gandhi, who was a Hindu, admitted that Jesus was his north star, so can I. You don’t have to be a Christian or to believe in Jesus to believe truth you find in Jesus.
Having wandered through all of that, let’s look at some words from Jesus. As any who have read my writings through the years know, I believe that some of the words credited to Jesus actually trace to him. Not all, by any means. But some.
Among the ones that even the famed Jesus Seminar scholars agreed belong to Jesus were the ideas and words in Matthew 5:44. They rated these words a Red on a scale that goes down to Pink, Grey and Black.
The scholars agreed that:
“Love your enemies is somewhere close to the heart of the teaching of Jesus to the extent
that we can recover them from the tradition. The Jesus Seminar ranked the admonition to love
the third highest of sayings that almost certainly originated with Jesus.”
Authentic sayings of Jesus often go contrary to common thinking. For instance,
    “As you know we were once told ‘You are to love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’
      But I tell you to love your enemies.”
We’ve not seen many examples of anyone taking this seriously. But there it is.
A bit farther on the text adds:
    “And if you greet only your friends, what have you done that is exceptional. Even the pagans
      do as much, don’t they?”
Jesus asked great questions. He often left people to chew on them themselves. So we should.
Anyway, back to Hugo and Barack (it appears they may be moving toward a first name relationship) these two Presidents shook hands. Several times.
I doubt that either of them – both avowed Christians – were thinking “I’m doing this because Jesus said so.” This seemed an opportune moment for two leaders of sovereign nations to reach out to each other.
Both come from nations that value the macho foreign policy style. Both nations find it convenient to dislike and even hate the other. What the masses secretly hope from their leaders, however, is that somehow for the sake of progress toward peace and justice in the world, they could forget macho and remember humanity and humility.
One of the verses we used to sing in “Down By the Riverside” was
“Going to shake hands around the world, down by the riverside, down by the riverside,
down by the riverside.
Going to shake hands around the world, down by the riverside
and study war no more.”
It inspired me to see those two men shake hands.
─ Art Morgan, April 20, 2009