He Has Issues, I Have Issues, You Have Issues

By Mark Bozzuti-Jones

Let it be clear that the world belongs to God. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, America, all the countries of the world, all peoples, you and I all belong to God. God is God, and in the midst of things, and the end of things all shall be well. If all of us can hold onto this reality, then we might feel more equipped to play our part in advancing God's agenda of love, justice, dignity and peace for all.

I imagine it is presumptuous to pretend to know another person's agenda; much more the agenda of a president, who has nothing to lose, so to speak. But in fairness, I was asked to comment in this article on what I feel will be the five main issues of President Bush's second administration, so I must attempt to respond to that request. The president wants to cut taxes, protect the American people, educate all children, revamp Social Security and improve the health care system.

All these are noble ideals, and I cannot help but think of that well-known saying: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

• Cutting taxes in a way that benefits the rich more than the poor will come back to haunt, terrorize and afflict this country in the future.
• Protecting the American people in a way that is not respectful of human rights, both here and abroad, will only deepen a sense of vulnerability and fear throughout the world.
• The plan to “leave no child behind” is meaningless if families do not have the time, the resources or the energy to be present to their children. Too many families have too little resources to care for their families in a holistic way.
• Changing the way people prepare for retirement through Social Security requires that we are all responsible stewards of what we have now. How does the government plan to deal with the deficit? This is a question we must ask.
• And the issue of health care cannot be looked at from the standpoint of only those who work. We have to recognize the forgotten millions who have no access to health care.

It is my hope that the issues that the president takes on will be looked at not just by Republicans, but that all God's people will take an active part in these debates to ensure justice for all.

Let us forget the president for a moment. What are the five issues we have to deal with?

The first issue is self-identity.

There is so much talk of this country being a divided nation and that there are fundamental differences between the “red states” and the “blue states.” America is America, and Americans are Americans; maybe it is because I am not an American that I do not see the difference. . . Our president is more a reflection of all Americans than this nation is willing to admit.

There is so much talk of this country being a divided nation and that there are fundamental differences between the “red states” and the “blue states.” America is America, and Americans are Americans; maybe it is because I am not an American that I do not see the difference. My friends, if this nation examines itself closely it will discover that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All of us are guilty of trying to achieve our individual dreams, to get rich, to get away with paying nothing and to be number one. Our president is more a reflection of all Americans than this nation is willing to admit.

We can all try as we might to disassociate ourselves from those who voted differently, those who think differently and those who act differently – this is a most dangerous thing to do. America has to rediscover what it means to be a nation under God (gee, I wonder what that means?), what it means to be a beacon on the hill, what it means to be a world leader, what it means to listen to all its citizens, what it means to be a powerful nation and what are the implications of all its actions.

The second issue is fear.

Americans are terribly afraid these days, and we all have to admit that fear motivated both political parties and their supporters. Unless we find a way to admit that we all live with rabid fear about our health, our money, our security and our future, then we will just keep acting out in our homes, churches and in the world.

Fighting terrorism, battling evil and demonizing those who are different will not drive out fear. Perfect love, the scriptures tell us, drives out all fear. I doubt this administration (or any for that matter) will make “perfect love” into a policy – but what about you, my brothers and sisters? In light of all this fear, isn't it time that you start some public loving?

The third issue is three-fold: money, sex and religion.

The love of money is the root of all evil. Once again, there is this massive denial in America about our love for money. Huge tax cuts for the rich are allowed because most of us believe that one day we will be rich. Liberal Massachusetts is at the bottom of the giving list in America, just goes to show that liberals are quite selfish.

Sex is everywhere and in everything. We are all covering our eyes and ears. We need to open our hearts, brains and mind and try to find creative ways of talking to all people (not just the young) about how to be sexual and how to deal with our sexual energies.

Religion is killing us. Somebody needs to show America the difference between idolatry and true worship. We are using religion to divide ourselves and wage a war against others.

The fourth issue is education.

Growing up in Jamaica, we used to say that there are two things that God does not like: ugly and stupid. There are a growing number of absolutely stupid people who take pride in their stupidity. The president has a policy “to leave no child behind.” Most of Kerry's supporters have abandoned the public schools and so have many of the Bush supporters.

Good lord. Growing up in Jamaica, we used to say that there are two things that God does not like: ugly and stupid. There are a growing number of absolutely stupid people who take pride in their stupidity. The president has a policy “to leave no child behind.” Most of Kerry's supporters have abandoned the public schools and so have many of the Bush supporters. How do we all take the responsibility to face the reality that our education system is failing our young people?

The fifth issue is faith in the future.

Every political party speaks of building a bridge into the future or paving a highway into the future. Somehow, we have to find a way to recapture the belief that God has already redeemed the world. To believe that God has touched, changed, blessed, and incarnated everything into God is our only salvation.

What this actually requires of us is a profound determination to work ceaselessly for justice. Let the government have any agenda it chooses, ours must be to “walk tenderly, love justly and walk humbly with our God.”

The Rev. Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones is interim priest at Christ Episcopal Church in Cambridge, Mass., and is a regular retreat giver and spiritual director. Born and educated in Kingston, Jamaica, he completed graduate studies at Loyola University, Chicago, the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, the University of San Francisco, and the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and has served as a missionary in Guyana, Belize, Mexico, and Brazil. Mark has published numerous books and essays, including Never Said a Mumbalin Word (Augsburg), The Miter Fits Just Fine: A Biography of Bishop Barbara Harris (Cowley), and Informed by Faith (Cowley). He may be reached by email at mbj@cccambridge.org .