~ John Pavlovitz
I was fortunate this past weekend to attend two events featuring John Pavlovitz, the author/blogger/preacher who has become somewhat of a darling to liberals of all creeds. I'm a fan. I had a chance to speak with him up close and personal at the first event, a private gathering in a friend's home. We talked about blogging, among other things. Pavlovitz, whose blog Stuff That Needs to Be Said is read by millions, credits the boost in his readership to Katy Perry, who shared a link. Be that as it may, I think that there are many spiritually hungry people who would have found their way to the blog, with or without help from Katy Perry. Having said that, hey, Katy . . . can you give my blog a boost?
I have many take-aways from Pavlovitz's talks. First of all, he acknowledged the "sickness" that so many of us have been suffering since November 9, 2016. When he described the condition, there was a collective sigh in the audience that seemed to say, "Phew! It's not just me!" For those of us who feel helpless and hopeless about the America in which we live now, Pavlovitz provided a spark of energy that suggested we can reverse the course of events that threaten our identity as a nation of compassion and justice. Obviously, the most important thing we can do is VOTE on (or before) November 6. What else can we do? We can practice "the subversive work of love." Pavlovitz is particularly angry at the evangelical Christians who signed on to "Make America Great Again." He notes that "goodness" was never part of the Trump platform, a slap in the face to the Jesus that they purport to celebrate. For American Christians, the "subversive work of love" demands that they need to raise their voices now to reclaim a belief in a life of mercy and gentleness, not greatness. And for those of us who do not necessarily embrace Christianity, we need to identify what it is about this Trumpian nightmare that troubles us and then work to change it. If you are mourning the lack of compassion, then find ways to practice compassion. If you feel that we are no longer a generous nation, then find ways to be generous.
"Save what you can." Pavlovitz cited the tragedy that befell a friend of his who lost his home in the California wildfires. The friend said, "We saved what we could." We, as a nation, lost a lot on November 9, 1916. But it is our mission to save what we can. "Be the kind of person the world needs" proclaims one of the T-shirts for sale at a Pavlovitz event. If you were a fair-minded, loving, and honest person before November 9, 2016, you still possess those qualities. Find ways to use them. Save what you can.
Yes, Pavlovitz is blatantly anti-Trump. No apologies. But Trump is the vehicle he uses to drive home a message of compassion and empathy, qualities that are lacking in every policy and position that the current administration has forced upon us. If you want to understand Pavlovitz's disdain for Trump, read his post-election entry, "Here's Why We Grieve Today." And if you like what you read, you might want to look for "If I Have Gay Children" or "To Brock Turner's Father, from Another Father." Keep reading, keep understanding that you are not alone, and keep being inspired to right the wrongs that have been foisted upon this nation by a heartless man who was having "a bad hair day" on the same day that eleven people were killed in a mass shooting because they were worshipping their god. Pavlovitz can help you articulate your thoughts, find ways to heal your heart, and reclaim the hope that has seemed out-of-reach for the past two years.
"Blessed are the damn-givers, for they shall right-side the world."
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| That's me with John Pavlovitz! |
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