Stevie Wonder sees it

An excellent Stevie Wonder quote and action-- on the hubbub about the National Anthem-- was the catalyst for this post, but I'll talk about that at the end.

-Broadly, I understand the perceptions (based on various combos of knowledge and ignorance) that motivate the protests.

-Generally, I understand the avid responses to those protests-- everything from questioning the knowledge that motivates the protest to upset at a violation of a tenet/rite of American Civil Religion.

-I can't get excited about either approach. On the one hand, kneeling is a nice enough token, but mostly reduces to a cheap virtue display and egotism. On the other hand, kneeling is so likely to be misunderstood (trashing the country, the military, the police, etc.) Anger, in response, mostly reduces to a lack of empathy and a display of idolatry. All of it, like our culture's passion about the entertainment industry, is straining at gnats while missing the camels.

-It was good to study/discuss I Cor 5:9-13 yesterday as a reminder of the Christian's priorities in such things and a recognition of the sorts of things "the World" will do.

-What prompted this post: At an anti-poverty music festival this weekend, Stevie Wonder "took two knees" and prayed "for our planet, our future, our leaders of the world and our globe." Love the second knee and the content of the prayer; love the doing something significant vs. tokens and egotism; love the anti-poverty vs. anti-inequality trope.

Thanks Stevie! It's cool when a blind guy sees better than a bunch of people.