“Do Justice” Easily said, difficultly done!
Micah 6,8 is as good as it gets. However, after the prophet’s call to social justice fades into a mere echo, I am left wondering: How do we create a just society? Micah’s vision of a just society includes more than a simple condemnation of specific practices or even social classes. Micah calls for just relationships on many levels. While in a prophetic vision, these can come together beautifully, my brief time on the Indian Reservation this January helped me see how complex creating a just society truly is because brokenness exists at the various levels that Micah describes. (Connection to Joel?)
Micah condemns dishonest wealth. In chapter 6 he mentions people cheating and lying in the market place, “Can I tolerate wicked scales and a bag of dishonest weights? Your wealthy are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, with tongues of deceit in their mouths (6.11-12)” In chapter 3 Micah specifically attacks people using their religious positions to acquire money, “Its rulers give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for a piece, its prophets give oracles for money? (3.11).” And in verse 2 he flat out attacks the greed of the powerful, “They covet fields, and seize them; house, and take them away; they oppress householder and house, people and their inheritance (2.2).”
That the Lakota people have been victim to all sorts of dishonesty is without question. However, the question is, how do we address this? The people that took the land away from the Indians have been dead for a century. Do we take the land away from the whites who now live there? Furthermore, the oppression can be seen as the lack of funding given to Indians or the oppression can be seen in the creation and perpetuation of a handout society. Both opinions were expressed by people on the reservation.
Micah also talks about justice in terms of relationships between individuals in society. Micah’s concern clearly extends beyond only poor or only social classes. For he writes, “For the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household (7.6).”
On the Indian Reservation, there are enormous family structure problems. Many housing programs divided up old family units and neighborhoods are collections of formerly feuding clans. Divorce and alcohol abuse run rampant. While such problems arise from historical abuse, they have taken on a life beyond their historical genesis. Although only 19,000 people in the reservation, three border stores in Nebraska sell 11,000 cans of beer every day. Having a just society requires that individuals can take responsibility of themselves and care for those in their family.
Furthermore, Micah calls the people to a right relationship with God. For Micah, a society of equal idol worshippers is unacceptable. He writes, “And I will cut off your images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands (5.13).” He also attacks their current religious practices that are not aimed at the LORD, “The seers shall be disgraced and the diviners put to shame (3.7).” (Seers?)
For the Indians, questions of just worship are also complex. For years, sun dances were prohibited. Now they can do them. However, many on the reservation are wary of Christianity as well as nativist religion. Many view the other as enemy. For their society, having a right relationship with their God is not possible unless people are willing take on the Gods of another people, the very thing that Micah rallies against. Yet, as Micah promises us in chapter 4, many peoples, not just the ones who believed in God before, will come to worship God.
Lastly, Micah talks about harmony between the nations. A just society is one that is in harmony with its neighbors. In the ELCA’s 3rd most cited verse: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (M 4.3)” (Eph 2:6 used to be big, but its too exclusive.) Micah’s ultimate vision has peace.
For the Indians, serious questions remain. Do they live in peace with their neighbors who oppressed them. Or do they, as Joel commands, “Prepare war, stir up the warriors (3.10).”
As I walk away from Micah I am reaffirmed in my sense that justice is amazingly complex and includes many levels of society. Yet, reflecting on my time on the reservation leads me to conclude that such analysis leads to the same conclusion: Doing justice is difficult…
Micah condemns dishonest wealth. In chapter 6 he mentions people cheating and lying in the market place, “Can I tolerate wicked scales and a bag of dishonest weights? Your wealthy are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, with tongues of deceit in their mouths (6.11-12)” In chapter 3 Micah specifically attacks people using their religious positions to acquire money, “Its rulers give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for a piece, its prophets give oracles for money? (3.11).” And in verse 2 he flat out attacks the greed of the powerful, “They covet fields, and seize them; house, and take them away; they oppress householder and house, people and their inheritance (2.2).”
That the Lakota people have been victim to all sorts of dishonesty is without question. However, the question is, how do we address this? The people that took the land away from the Indians have been dead for a century. Do we take the land away from the whites who now live there? Furthermore, the oppression can be seen as the lack of funding given to Indians or the oppression can be seen in the creation and perpetuation of a handout society. Both opinions were expressed by people on the reservation.
Micah also talks about justice in terms of relationships between individuals in society. Micah’s concern clearly extends beyond only poor or only social classes. For he writes, “For the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household (7.6).”
On the Indian Reservation, there are enormous family structure problems. Many housing programs divided up old family units and neighborhoods are collections of formerly feuding clans. Divorce and alcohol abuse run rampant. While such problems arise from historical abuse, they have taken on a life beyond their historical genesis. Although only 19,000 people in the reservation, three border stores in Nebraska sell 11,000 cans of beer every day. Having a just society requires that individuals can take responsibility of themselves and care for those in their family.
Furthermore, Micah calls the people to a right relationship with God. For Micah, a society of equal idol worshippers is unacceptable. He writes, “And I will cut off your images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands (5.13).” He also attacks their current religious practices that are not aimed at the LORD, “The seers shall be disgraced and the diviners put to shame (3.7).” (Seers?)
For the Indians, questions of just worship are also complex. For years, sun dances were prohibited. Now they can do them. However, many on the reservation are wary of Christianity as well as nativist religion. Many view the other as enemy. For their society, having a right relationship with their God is not possible unless people are willing take on the Gods of another people, the very thing that Micah rallies against. Yet, as Micah promises us in chapter 4, many peoples, not just the ones who believed in God before, will come to worship God.
Lastly, Micah talks about harmony between the nations. A just society is one that is in harmony with its neighbors. In the ELCA’s 3rd most cited verse: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (M 4.3)” (Eph 2:6 used to be big, but its too exclusive.) Micah’s ultimate vision has peace.
For the Indians, serious questions remain. Do they live in peace with their neighbors who oppressed them. Or do they, as Joel commands, “Prepare war, stir up the warriors (3.10).”
As I walk away from Micah I am reaffirmed in my sense that justice is amazingly complex and includes many levels of society. Yet, reflecting on my time on the reservation leads me to conclude that such analysis leads to the same conclusion: Doing justice is difficult…
posted by RJM at 7:27 AM
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