Unknown Buddhist

As the Komen walk for the cure nears, I am once again confounded by a somewhat black and white position religious affiliates craft.  Specifically, I read with interest the Respect Life Apostolate of the Archdiocese of St. Louis has taken:

“The Respect Life Apostolate of the Archdiocese of St. Louis acknowledges the beneficial work of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, in the area of breast cancer detection, prevention, research and treatment. Due to its policy allowing affiliates to offer financial support to abortion providing facilities and its endorsement of embryonic stem cell research, the Respect Life Apostolate neither supports nor encourages participation in activities that benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.”

I contrast the above position against the backdrop of Bishop Robert Lynch, who wrote in 2009:

“… Nancy Brinker, former ambassador to Hungary and then Chief of Protocol for the United States during the last Bush Administration. Ambassador Brinker is also the sister of Susan G. Komen who died at age 36 of breast cancer leaving a husband and two young children. The day before she died, Susan asked Nancy, her sister, to devote her life to seeing that fewer and fewer women die of this disease, through early examinations, medical and scientific research and education programs. Nancy said that after her sister’s death one night in her sleep she had a dream and saw hundreds of people dressed in pink dancing and upon awakening she knew that her contribution would be to start a “race for breast cancer cure.

I was impressed by her vision and captivated by what might be done if others would join in the effort against breast cancer. On occasion someone will mention that the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure gives money to Planned Parenthood and they do. But the money is earmarked solely for mammograms and nothing else and is monitored closely for this. Some people spend a lot of time and energy shadow boxing with friends.”

While I find the salary Nancy Brinker abhorrent, a lot people count on both the Catholic Church and Komen. Yes Planned Parenthood provides abortion services. However, they predominately serve several million people a year; mostly women, but also men and much of their activity is focused on contraception, STI screening, and cancer screening, and providing reproductive health care to people who otherwise wouldn’t have access.

Paraphrasing a speech from President John Kennedy just before his death, I currently believe that no social system or religion is so evil that’s people must be considered lacking in virtue. We can still honor the man, woman or child who has an opposing view, their thoughts and their individual acts of courage.

In this day and age, there is more which connects us than separates us. Yet we focus solely upon that which divides us. Our humanity and love for another should trump our differences. I honor the men and women of the Catholic Church and the Respect Life Apostolate, but I liken this whole debate to moral insanity.

I have seen the enemy: it’s our ignorance within.

In light of the organization’s recent vote to allow gay youths to join, the Rev. Derek Lappe, pastor of a Roman Catholic Church in Bremerton, announced his parish will separate ties with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

“I do not feel that it is possible for us to live out, and to teach, the authentic truth about human sexuality within the confines of the Boy Scout’s new policy and so I would like to give an explanation as to why it will be necessary for our parish to part ways with the New Boy Scouts.”

In a related incident, Pastor Greg Walker also that Boy Scout troops will no longer be welcome to meet onsite at the First Baptist Church of Helena (in Alabama).  Pastor Walker said the Boy Scouts are supporting a “sinful lifestyle” by allowing openly-gay scout members to join. Also, “Focal Point” radio host Bryan Fischer ranted that the BSA stands for “Boy Sodomizers of America,” further suggesting the organization’s decision was supported by the Mormon church because officials of the latter group hope legalization of polygamy.

So I’m pretty darn confused. In the BSA policy, sexual conduct, of any kind has never been condoned. Therefore, I have to question why homosexuality is singled out.

Reverend Lappe, Pastor Walker and Mr. Fischer all seem to have neglected BSA’s own internal problems, specifically allowing sexual predators to pass. In confidential files, BSA secretly hid details of sexual abuse, the files — parts of which have surfaced recently through lawsuits — illustrate how the Boy Scouts frequently failed to protect youths within the organization and beyond. Too often, allegations were treated as Scout secrets and not referred to law enforcement. Yet how many BSA clubs were excommunicated by churches across the country?

Pastor Walker seems to focus on a BSA non-issue. But does Pastor Walker focus on real issues at home, where reports show that Alabama has gone from the 9th poorest state in the U.S. in 2010 to the 5th poorest state in 2011? Alabama has the highest tax rates for families at the poverty line. So now, when rates are likely to increase even further and increase the burden on the state’s most vulnerable residents, Alabama is doing its best to remove residents who pay into the system but almost never receive any services back. What does his church do for those issues?

In Season 2 of the West Wing, Martin Sheen’s character demonstrates the need for intelligent, temporally contextual interpretations of religious thought (paraphrased).

• I want to sell my youngest daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. What’s a good price?
• My chief of staff insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself? Or is it okay to call the police?
• Here’s one that’s really important, because we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point?
• Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side?
• Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?

As a nation we declare “all men equal.” But we must not be blind to those who read “all men are created equal; except negroes; Hispanics; Asians; homosexuals; immigrants; illegal aliens; Buddhists; Catholics (or whatever religion); the ‘lamestream’ media, etc., etc., etc.” where absolutism is subjectively infused with a splatter of hypocrisy.

In truth, we are all equal.

I respect the BSA leadership for inclusion. I am enthralled by their courage. They should be honored.

To all others, I unequivocally state, “Your fifteen minutes are up. Get a life.”