June 3, 2007

Have You Been Crowned with Honor?

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

Psalm 8

Man eats Corgi meal in protest of fox hunting.

Raises the question of how we understand ourselves in relation to the rest of creation. Can we do whatever we want with the earth since God gave us the run of the place?

Psalm 8 is a hymn that raises this question. Not a psalm about conservation. Really challenges us to think about our place in creation.

Who cares? Our understanding of our role in creation colors almost everything we do: eating, driving, buying, our homes, pets, recreation.

Psalm says God is so much greater than us. Even babbling children who don’t talk give praise.

God created stars and skies and moon.

Creation has a rank – small to great. Humanity at the top – just below angels.

Psalmist wonders why humans, who are so small, are given such a high position.

Humans haven’t created any of this. Why should they get to benefit from it? Anna Nichole’s Baby – born into unimaginable wealth.

Main point of this Psalm is that God values human life. Crowned us with honor.

If so how do we look at other people? How do we crown our neighbor with honor?

“Valuing human life” - stands on abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, birth control.

Oddly, same people support death penalty, oppose condom use, which would have saved millions in Africa, oppose gun control, and support any war our leaders propose.

Policies that claim to value human life end up terminating it. If you want to crown the unborn with honor by reducing abortions you could:

    - Have the government pay for pre-natal care
    - Increase money for daycares so women can work
    - Increase the minimum wage
    - Mandate paid maternity leave
    - Increase funding for domestic violence programs
    - Make adoption tax credits permanent
    - Encourage pro-lifers to all adopt

Most “pro-life” vote for candidates who vote against those kinds of measures. Barney Frank quote.

Our society does not tend to crown all people with honor. Merit based system. Bad people should die. Terrorists, communists, convicts, those without health insurance, poor.

Psalm reminds us to start from a place of humility. Humble people don’t decide who lives and who dies. The value their lives as much as the lives of others. Work for sustainable communities.

People who crown other with honor encourage potential parents to be adequately prepared before getting pregnant.

Love your neighbor as yourself.