From the Salmon

One year ago today, I wrote the following cryptic post:

So, um, if there’s a particular reason why you might leave me a ripple on Nov. 6, feel free to do so here and not in the Ted Haggard post. That would just be weird.

That is all.

It’s somewhat odd that one year later, I could write exactly the same post for today.

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I haven’t had much time to write lately, because I haven’t had much time on our computer lately. My wife’s laptop was whirring and shutting down in ways that it shouldn’t have been, so it’s been in the shop for the last week and a half. And since she’s writing a dissertation and I’m not, she holds all the trump cards when it comes to using our other computer.

But she’s done for tonight, and I’ve got a backlog of things that I’ve been meaning to write about. Since it’s my day and all, and since this is my site and all, I’m going to take whatever prerogative those two facts give me and ramble for a while, sans the usual amount of crafting and editing. Indulge me if you feel like it. Move along if you don’t. You always have that choice, right?

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At this point, I’m not sure what else to say about the downfall of Pastor Haggard. It’s been very sad and more than a little surreal to watch it unfold. My heart breaks for his wife and children. And I’m ashamed to think of the Christian hate mail (which should be an oxymoron, but sadly isn’t) that is no doubt filling Mike Jones’ mailbox.

I think the thing that was most frustrating about the whole story was the carefully parsed denials that fooled no one. It was Clintonian in the worst sense.

Don’t get me wrong… this was a completely human reaction that I both understand and see in myself. I certainly can’t claim that I would have reacted much differently. And Haggard is certainly not the first follower of Christ to lie when accused. But it was still a missed opportunity to react with honesty and humble repentance instead of damage control.

Beyond that, I think that Jim’s reaction pretty much tracks with mine. Jim also links to a meditation from Gordon MacDonald (who knows a thing or two about what Haggard’s going through) that is without a doubt the best response I’ve read.

Update:

When I posted this, I’d only read a few excerpts from Haggard’s letter that was read at New Life Church on Sunday. Now that I’ve finally read the full statement, it strikes me that there’s a section at the end that’s not only moving but, well, pastoral:

I appreciate your loving and forgiving nature, and I humbly ask you to do a few things.

1.) Please stay faithful to God through service and giving.

2.) Please forgive me. I am so embarrassed and ashamed. I caused this and I have no excuse. I am a sinner. I have fallen. I desperately need to be forgiven and healed.

3.) Please forgive my accuser. He is revealing the deception and sensuality that was in my life. Those sins, and others, need to be dealt with harshly. So, forgive him and, actually, thank God for him. I am trusting that his action will make me, my wife and family, and ultimately all of you, stronger. He didn’t violate you; I did.

4.) Please stay faithful to each other. Perform your functions well. Encourage each other and rejoice in God’s faithfulness. Our church body is a beautiful body, and like every family, our strength is tested and proven in the midst of adversity. Because of the negative publicity I’ve created with my foolishness, we can now demonstrate to the world how our sick and wounded can be healed, and how even disappointed and betrayed church bodies can prosper and rejoice.

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So it’s election day again. Finally.

How is it that I love democracy and hate elections? I’m more passionate about politics than your average bear, but by the time Election Day finally arrives, I’m usually so worn out by the demagoguery and incivility that passes for campaining that it’s hard to care about my civic duty.

In fact, I don’t think I’m going to vote this year.

I guess that means I’m pro salmon and I don’t vote. There goes the movement.

Barbara Lee is going to be my congresswoman, regardless of how I vote, because it’s Berkeley. Dianne Feinstein will be my senator, regardless of how I vote, because she’s running against a man with no statewide name recognition. And that’s saying a lot, considering her opponent is a Republican named Dick Mountjoy.

I don’t feel like voting for anyone in particular for state office, even governor. And I’ve gotten to the point after six years in California that I will vote no on just about any proposition on the ballot simply because I believe it’s a stupid way to run a state with the fifth largest economy in the world.

There’s not even really any wacky Berkeley measures to vote on this time around. Well, except for Measure H, which asks if the City of Berkeley should petition the House of Representatives to start impeachment proceedings against Bush and Cheney. Cathartic as that might be, it’s more than a little pointless. And it’s certainly not enough to get me to the polls.

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Speaking of not voting, it might be a decade or more before I’ll seriously consider voting for a Republican. Which is a shame, because I have no real affection for the Democratic Party and because I have friends and family who are principled conservatives. I don’t always agree with them, but I certainly respect their reasoning.

I just don’t see any principled conservatives in today’s Republican Party.

Honestly, if I were to start listing the ways in which the Republican Party has lost me over the last decade, I would still be typing when the sun came up. But one of the biggest reasons is that the the last six years have been absolute hell on Madisonians. Modern political parties in general — and the Republican Party in particular — are killing the part of American constitutional democracy that I love most: the checks and balances that should be inherently driven by institutional self-interest.

Well, that and their cooption of a sizable and vocal portion of the American evangelical church.

And the torture.

And…

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Damn. I’m cynical today, aren’t I? The sad thing is, I’m barely scratching the surface.

If it weren’t so late, I’d probably try to balance all of that with some hope. But I’m tired, so I’ll just leave you with some music.

Maybe elections would be more fun if they wrote campaign songs like back in the day. This one’s a little heavy handed, but it’s Rickie Lee Jones and a few guys from the Squirrel Nut Zippers, so there’s still a lot to love: