Loving Truth and Peace--10

What Would Judas Do?

I've been thinking--the next time I have a moral decision to make, the next time I am wondering if I am loving truth and peace, to ask myself: What Would Judas Do? Perhaps asking ourselves this question is even more effective than asking ourselves the other one made somewhat famous by the WWJD wristbands: What Would Jesus Do?

As for Judas:

He would betray vulnerable people through silence, neutrality, passivity.

He would betray by distorting the truth for his own advantage: slanting important information, its interpretation, and its implementation.

He would betray by preserving peace for his own interests (pseudo-peace) at the expense of the truth--and vulnerable others.

He would betray by telling half-truths.

He'd kiss you privately and kill you openly

He'd kiss you openly and kill you privately.

He would feign truth and peace.

He might even rather die than ask forgiveness for having made a "mistake."

Judas--and the Judas dimension in us--is both a foul-weather fiend and a fair-weather "friend."

So is he really worth his weight...in tarnishing silver?



Member Care and Moral Courage

Recreancy: Cowardly Betrayal

*****

Deus lux est et tenebrae in eo non sunt ullae

I John 1:5

Who among us has the moral courage:

to be a light--for relational reality

to be a bridge--for relational resiliency?

*

Who has the moral courage to truly love:

to confront the recreancy

the lies the fraud the political stealth the cover ups the cheap discrediting the dirty money the scapegoating the pseudo unity the demonic acquiescence?

*

Who in our member care/mission community will take the risk?

Our wounds will not go away.

Dysfunctional Kisses

Dysfunctional things dupe.

Enemies will deceive.

But only friends can betray.

Member care is not just about development or restoration.
There is a key in-between dimension--protection.

Development---------Protection----------Restoration

Good member care helps to protect us from things like dysfunction (inlcuding our own). But nothing can totally protect us, especially from the negative consequences when deception and betrayal seek us out. Doing mission/aid well requires our being vulnerable: including the possiblity of being duped by the deceiving promises of an enemy or the betraying kisses of a friend.
**
We protect ourselves by our commitment to good practice: transparency, accountability, sound judgement, and promoting the well-being of one another. We do good practice even if it inconveniences us. We act with integrity even if there are dire consequences.
**

Reflection and Discussion
Creatively connect the thoughts above and the quotes below:
**Kiss me, you fool.
**Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?