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Climate Change, First Amendment, fun violence, Health Care, Immigration, Jesus Christ, Roman Legion
We have not completed our journey through the 70’s but this blog could not wait until that trip was over.
The writer of the book of Luke in the Christian New Testament shares a story of Jesus healing a demoniac in the country of the Gerasenes’. The country of the Gerasenes’ is an odd place for Jesus to appear. The place was probably inhabited by a community of Greeks not Jews and they raised pigs which would be untouchable by any Jew. Once again here is Jesus mingling with foreigners in a place the Jewish community claimed was unclean. No wonder the Jewish religious leaders had issues with Jesus.
The way the story goes the naked demoniac living in a cave shouts at Jesus, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.”
Jesus asks what the man’s name is and the man replies, ‘Legion’ and the writer adds “for many demons had entered him.”
Jesus and the man do a bit of haggling before the evil spirits are sent into a nearby herd of pigs who run over a cliff and drown in the Sea of Galilee leaving the man in his right mind.
Most biblical scholars interpret the name ‘Legion’ as a euphemism to describe a lot of demons living in the man. I recently heard a different take on this passage, and it got me thinking.
In Palestine during Jesus’ life the Roman army was the beginning and end of everything in life for the folks living in that place. The army told people where they could live, when they could be on the streets, how much to pay in taxes. The army meted out punishments for breaking the law and extorted whatever they might want at any given time. The Roman army was divided into Legions each with 4,000 to 6,000 men. The Roman legion was the presence the Hebrews living in Palestine where associated with as the occupying government of Rome. It was an easy step to see the Roman legion as the cause of all the people’s difficulties. The people had no money because the Roman’s extorted it. The daughters of the people were taken by the soldiers to pay off family debts. Farmers animals were confiscated when a man couldn’t pay his taxes. The terrible poverty inflicted on the people by the Romans was killing the people. The Roman legions instilled fear, anger, resentment and pain on the people. You might understand how the people would see all their ailments being inflicted by the Roman legion.
Now, suppose for a moment that the writer of this story was not speaking metaphorically when the man claims his name is ‘Legion’. Suppose the man is speaking literally. Could the man be deranged by the atrocities inflicted on his family and neighbors by the Roman legion? It is possible to understand how political actions can create fear, depression, anger, resentment and pain in a person’s life. This possibility is one I can relate to in my life today.
You may say, “That is ridiculous.” For me what is ridiculous is living in the only country on the planet not invested in the Paris Agreement on climate change. It is ridiculous that government leaders refuse to see the climate crisis for what it is and continue to pour funding into the very practices that are accelerating the climate change. I am vexed that government leaders ignore and attempt to hide scientific research supported by 97% of the scientific world warning of catastrophic climate changes for this planet.
You may say, “You sound angry.” You are right about that. I am angry that my country with its vast financial resources refuses to treat brown migrants at our southern border with dignity. I am angry that my country has stooped to Gestapo tactics of kidnapping children and shipping them off to places unknown. I am angry that my country is making criminals of people who are fleeing horrible conditions caused by poverty, bad government, climate change and gang violence. I am angry that my country has more guns than any other country in the world and of course the most gun deaths of any country. Yet, our government leaders refuse to create gun safety regulations.
You might suggest that I am irate. Yes, I am. I am irate that my country continues to practice racial injustice. Hispanics and Blacks account for 32% of the population in my country but the prison population is 56% Black and Hispanic.
My country contains 5% of the world’s population but our prisons hold 21% of the world’s prisoners. I am irate that our government leaders don’t see this as a humanitarian crisis.
You might think I am indignant. Yes, I am indignant that people who claim Jesus Christ think it is okay to separate children from their parents and put them in cages. I am indignant that people who claim Jesus Christ spew hate at the LGBT community, people of different religions and poor people.
You might wonder if I am appalled by what is going on. Yes, I am. I am appalled that The Senate is doing nothing to limit the power of a president who flaunts the rule of law, ignores judicial mandates, scorns the constitution, stalks women, denigrates the freedom of the press and free speech, lies constantly and breaks treaties and agreements with our allies.
You might ask, “Are you exasperated?” Yes, I am. 1% of the population owns 90% of the wealth in our country and our government gave the 1% even more in tax breaks. The rich are getting richer and the rest of us are deciding between paying our rent or going to the doctor. Speaking of doctors, did you know that my country is the only developed country that can’t figure out how to provide health care for all it’s citizens? Our government isn’t trying to find a process to make health care available for everyone. Instead, many of our government leaders think poor people don’t deserve health care. That is exasperating.
You might be thinking I am a lunatic. “Just call me ‘Legion’.”
See you next time.