Week of 7/1-6/2024: Pride, SCOTUS & Concerns about Democracy

July 1, 2024: Pride Month: Science’s Latest Findings on Sexual Diversity among Numerous Species
For years Matthew has cited a statistic that science has found 464 other species besides humans who practice homosexuality. That number has now blossomed to over 1500 observed species. Why is this important? Because for many centuries the argument against the diversity of gender preference has been that it is “unnatural.” This science shows that it is perfectly natural for a minority. And this tells us something about God as well, for as Thomas Aquinas alerted us in the 13^th century, “a mistake about creation results in a mistake about God.” Furthermore, as Seneca woman and Franciscan Sister Jose Hobday told me years ago, most spiritual directors to the great chiefs in America were gay or “two-spirited.” 

July 2, 2024: A Letter to President Biden
Matthew lays out the reasons why he thinks President Biden staying in the race could pave the way for the serial liar and Neo-fascist candidate to win, and for the morally compromised Supreme Court to continue its blasphemous rulings.

July 3, 2024: Letter to President Biden, continued
Matthew continues his letter to Biden suggesting that he pull out of the race and “retire as an elder statesman who can offer… wisdom to the next Democratic president” and make way for a younger candidate. He commends Biden on his presidency, saying: Your accomplishments as president will long be remembered as you leaned in favor of ordinary citizens in the many laws you passed on behalf of them.  You acquired an admirable and memorable record of achievement even under a very lean majority in the Senate.

July 4, 2024: July 4th & SCOTUS Proposes Presidents are Kings Immune from the Law
The profoundly ethically compromised SCOTUS has just ruled that presidents are immune from obeying laws—just like the kings of olde that the American Revolution fought to depose. On July 1, a day to commemorate in the annals of ‘How Democracy Dies,’ SCOTUS—led on by the justices who have been taking over $4 million in bribes from billionaires for years—informed us that the country has been mistaken for 240 years and that presidents cannot be prosecuted for disobeying the constitution and the laws of this nation. Meanwhile, Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, declared that his “second American Revolution…will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”*  Threats of violence abound. 

July 5, 2024: What Can We Do about a Rogue SCOTUS?
The #1 thing we can about this unethical, undemocratic SCOTUS is to vote and to work to get out the vote for the candidate who is not the dictator wannabe. In order to make lasting reforms to the unsupreme court, we must win the presidency, the House and the Senate. We surely have our work cut out for us! Matthew’s favorite definition of hope is this: “Hope is a verb with the sleeves rolled up.” What are some other actions we can take? We can write letters and make calls, raise money for the right candidates, and never forget the importance of prayer.

July 6, 2024: Hope and Pragmatism from Michael Moore
In an essay, Michael Moore offered appreciation of Biden, calling him “the most progressive President of my lifetime,” and offers a list of his accomplishments, including his “almost religious zeal to fight greed” born of a “true compassion” for those “dealt a bad hand in life.” Nevertheless Moore has concerns and believes letting Biden pull out of the race would be a kind thing to do. Moore believes we should let him resign “with dignity” and swear in Kamala Harris in his stead.

*Talia Jane, “Conservative Behind Trump Agenda Issues Cryptic Threat to Liberals,” The New Republic, 7/3/2024.

Banner image: Abort SCOTUS. Protests continue at the Supreme Court the day after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Image by Victoria Pickering on Flickr.

Recommended Reading

Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society

Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them. 
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science.  A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics

Wrestling with the Prophets: Essays on Creation Spirituality and Everyday Life

In one of his foundational works, Fox engages with some of history’s greatest mystics, philosophers, and prophets in profound and hard-hitting essays on such varied topics as Eco-Spirituality, AIDS, homosexuality, spiritual feminism, environmental revolution, Native American spirituality, Christian mysticism, Art and Spirituality, Art as Meditation, Interfaith or Deep Ecumenism and more.

Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Time

While Matthew Fox recognizes that Meister Eckhart has influenced thinkers throughout history, he also wants to introduce Eckhart to today’s activists addressing contemporary crises. Toward that end, Fox creates dialogues between Eckhart and Carl Jung, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Heschel, Black Elk, Karl Marx, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, Dorothee Soelle, David Korten, Anita Roddick, Lily Yeh, M.C. Richards, and many others.
“Matthew Fox is perhaps the greatest writer on Meister Eckhart that has ever existed. (He) has successfully bridged a gap between Eckhart as a shamanistic personality and Eckhart as a post-modern mentor to the Inter-faith movement, to reveal just how cosmic Eckhart really is, and how remarkably relevant to today’s religious crisis! ” — Steven Herrmann, Author of Spiritual Democracy: The Wisdom of Early American Visionaries for the Journey Forward