BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE

The Wonder Dog and I were sitting on our porch at the farm yesterday enjoying another amazing Texas sunset when a Monarch butterfly drifted by.  A few minutes later another did the same and I realized that the annual fall Monarch southern migration had reached North Texas.  Over the last few years I’ve also noticed that there are far fewer in the migration than there used to be.  More on that in a moment.

The Monarch butterfly is a remarkable animal.  First of all it is a migratory insect.  While not unheard of this trait is rare in the insect world. But what makes the Monarch truly unique is that its migrations are multi-generational. Each spring the eastern population of Monarchs explodes out of central Mexico where they have overwintered in the millions.  The first adults travel as far as northern Mexico and Texas before mating, laying eggs, and dying. It takes two subsequent generations, each living between 4-6 weeks, to complete the journey to Southern Canada. Think of what this means.  Each generation is born with the knowledge of where they are in the cycle, and the need and ability to continue north, encoded in their DNA. Unlike the first three, the fourth generation lives between 4-6 months and completes the journey from Canada back to Mexico on its own.

The Monarch butterfly is completely dependent on the Milkweed plant to make its journey. They only lay eggs, and the larvae only consume, leaves of the Milkweed.  And herein lies the problem. Entomologists estimate that the population of Monarchs has dropped over 90% since 1995.  It is no coincidence that this decline corresponds to the introduction of glyphosate (Roundup) resistant GMO crops in North America. The widespread cultivation of “Roundup Ready” crops has virtually eliminated the Milkweed plant from the American plains as farmers spray their crops to maximize yield. The Midwest has become a massive food desert barring the Monarch from its journey north. The second generation arrives in the Midwest only to be confronted with millions of acres devoid of suitable habitat. The generation subsequently dies and the northward migration ends. For those that do make it, suitable nectar-producing wildflowers are needed to complete the return journey south.

Our agricultural practices have hit the Monarch where they are most vulnerable; their dependence on a single plant to complete their life cycle. Depending on your perspective this dependence is either evidence of the co-evolution of plant and animal or the hand of God. Either way we, as humans, have brought another species to the brink of extinction for no other reason than increased efficiency. To the theists I would ask, were we not called to be stewards of God’s creation, even the lowly butterfly? To the secularists I would ask, do we have the wisdom to remove yet another strand from the web of life of which we understand virtually nothing?

While we ponder the larger question of the use of GMO crops there are things you can do to help. First, be careful how you use herbicides around your yard.  If you see a Milkweed plant in the spring leave it alone! You might be treated to a Monarch chrysalis. Also, think about planting a butterfly garden full of brightly colored, nectar-producing plants for the Monarchs to feed on during their southward journey. Who knows, you may be treated to regular visits by hummingbirds as they migrate through your area as well.

Finally, consider your responsibility to the rest of the creation that we are part of.

BELIEF IS EASY

As we move further into the 21st century I am confronted more and more by Christians demanding that I believe a certain way. They say “if you believe in the inerrant teaching of the Bible then you are a Christian”. Or if you believe as we do, as stated in our various position papers, you are “one of us”. Even worse, if you do not believe as we do then I am NOT a Christian. My own church has a statement up front and center on our web page entitled “what we believe”. Of course, there is a scriptural basis for the need to believe. As Jesus says in John 11:26,

“Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

The difficulty I have is with the word “believe”. Does our 21st century understanding of belief mean the same thing as it did in the 1st century, or did it mean something different to those listening to Jesus in person. Today people “believe” in a wide variety of things. Some believe that our bodies play host to disembodied aliens called "Thetans". Others believe in the power of crystals to heal the sick. I believe that most people are good people and should be treated as such. The problem with our modern notion of belief is that it is passive. Belief requires no effort on my part. Therefore I can “believe” in Jesus without having to expend any energy in doing so. Mere belief requires no action, no change in my way of life. 

Belief is easy. 

But is this what Jesus meant when he asked us to believe in Him or was he asking for much more?

Some scholars assert that the Greek word we translate as "believe" carries a much stronger connotation, more akin to "commit". What if this is true? What if Jesus is asking us to commit to Him rather than merely believe in Him? Unlike belief, commitment requires action. It requires us to translate our belief into tangible steps. To commit to Jesus means to commit to the way of life he espoused. What if Jesus is asking us to focus all of our being on bringing forth the Kingdom of God here on Earth? To love our enemies. To care for the poor and the sick. To love unconditionally. To treat our neighbors, in the broadest sense of the word, as ourselves. To not pass judgement on the lives of others. To resist the corporeal powers that seek to undermine the Kingdom through war, cruelty, indifference, and greed.

Adopting this definition of belief requires a radical realignment in our way of thinking. It requires us to inspect all aspects of our lives and make changes. No longer can we sit in our pews and feel comfortable in our belief. We must move out into our communities and work for the Kingdom that is here and now. We cannot wait passively for the Kingdom of belief that may await us after death. We must act. I believe this is what Jesus demands of us.

REFLECTIONS ON ELECTIONS

NOTE: I wrote this piece at the end of the presidential nominating process but feel it is just as relevant after the election as it was before.

So the presidential nominating process appears to be all over but the shouting. The Republicans have Donald Trump and the Democrats have Hillary Clinton as their presumptive nominees. The nominating process has been the most vicious I’ve witnessed in my lifetime. I fear that the run up to the presidential election in November will plumb new lows of decency and discourse. 

But something has emerged during the nominating process that is significant, the emergence of two political movements that are challenging the status quo in both major parties. Of course, I’m speaking of the rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders as political forces. The established parties dare not ignore the forces they represent if they want to remain viable. Politics as usual will not suffice. 

Of course it’s easy to make fun of the supporters of both men, and I’ve seen a lot of that during this cycle. It’s easy to dismiss Trump supporters as “racist” and “stupid”. It’s easy to dismiss Sanders supporters as “communist” and “naive”. But I implore everyone to pause and listen to the people behind the candidates. They have valid reasons for embracing them.

Many of the people supporting Trump are genuinely hurting. The loss of highly paid manufacturing jobs has stolen their hope and the hope they have for their children. When I was a kid growing up in Detroit a person without a degree, or even a high school diploma, could build cars for 40 years, raise a family, own a home, a car, a lake house, and put their kids through college. Not anymore. These people are struggling just to pay the bills. They also see rapid change in the societal institutions that helped define their place in the world. And they are frightened. Things they took for granted, like their Christian faith, the role of men and women, and the very definition of what a man or woman is, are no longer the bedrock of society. Is it any wonder they want to go back to where they felt safe? Is it unreasonable for then to embrace anyone who promises to bring back the America of their parents?

Those supporting Sanders are equally hurting. We baby boomers keep telling our kids that if they get an education and work hard they can achieve their dreams. This was true for us, but it’s not necessarily true for them. I see this in the struggles of my children and others in the so-called “millennial” generation every day. We’ve been telling them for years that they can have anything and be anything they want only to have their dreams and expectations dashed when they enter a globalized workforce. Many are returning to the nest because they are unable to live independent lives in the new reality. And, rightly or wrongly, they blame their predicament on us. They see a corporate structure that places profits before people. They see a government that that serves the interest of their corporate benefactors rather than the people they represent. And they rightfully call out the systemic inequalities in our economic and political systems and demand change. Is it any wonder they embrace someone like Bernie Sanders who promises to fight these unseen forces holding them back?

So as we grind towards the end of another presidential election cycle I’m asking everyone step back and think of the other guy. Before you send out that mean spirited tweet, before you post that inflammatory article to Facebook, think about the reasons behind another person’s positions. Treat them with respect and, especially for my Christian family, treat them with the love that Christ demands of us.