Prophets and Profits
A sermon delivered by Alan Taylor
November 14^th, 1999 at the Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church

First Reading: James Luther Adams, The Prophethood of All Believers

A church that does not concern itself with the struggle in history for human decency and justice, a church that does not show concern for the shape of things to come, a church that does not attempt to interpret the signs of the times, is not a prophetic church. We have long held to the idea of the priesthood of all believers, the idea that all believers have direct access to the ultimate resources of the religious life and that every believer has the responsibility of achieving an explicit faith for free persons. … [w]e need also a firm belief in the prophethood of all believers. The prophetic liberal church is not a church in which the prophetic function is assigned merely to the few. The prophetic liberal church is the church in which persons think and work together to interpret the signs of the times in the light of their faith, to make explicit through discussion the epochal thinking that the times demand. The prophetic liberal church is the church in which all members share the common responsibility to attempt to foresee the consequences of human behavior (both individual and institutional), with the intention of making history in place of merely being pushed around by it. Only through the prophethood of all believers can we together foresee doom and mend our common ways.

Second Reading: David Korten, Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures, Spring, 1997

What is this madness? The economy is booming. The stock market is setting new records. The US is again heralded as the world’s most competitive economy. We are assured that we are richer than ever before and getting richer by the day. Yet we are also told there is no longer enough money to provide an adequate education for our children, health care and safety nets for the poor, protection for the environment, parks, a living wage for working people, public funding for the arts and public radio, or adequate pensions for the elderly. According to the official wisdom, even though richer, we can no longer afford what we once took for granted. How is this possible? What’s gone wrong?

A quick hint. The problem most definitely is not a lack of money. The world is awash in it. The world’s 450 billionaires alone have combined financial assets greater than the combined annual incomes of half of humanity.

The problem is this: a predatory global financial system, driven by the single imperative of making ever more money for those who already have lots of it, is rapidly depleting the real capital—the human, social, natural, and even physical capital—on which our well-being depends.

The truly troubling part is that so many of us have become willing accomplices to what is best described as a war of money against life. It starts in part, from our failure to recognize that money is not wealth. Wealth is something that has real value in meeting our needs and fulfilling our wants. Modern money is only a number on a piece of paper or an electronic trace in a computer that by social convention gives its holder a claim on real wealth. In our confusion we concentrate on the money to the neglect of those things that actually sustain a good life.

Sermon:

I recently heard on NPR a story about a corporate lawyer whose name I wish I could remember. The lawyer has a daughter who has learned a lot in school about the environment and how it is treated by some corporations. In conversations with her father, the child expressed her distress. The father looked into the work of the corporation he worked for and was appalled. He changed the focus of his work and now seeks to hold corporations accountable for their messes that harm the environment.

Sometimes a cry of distress gains the attention of community and world leaders. The young girl who said honestly and sincerely, "That’s not right" about exploitation of the environment manifested what I call ‘prophetic witness.’ Unfortunately, when it comes to matters of justice and fairness, it is difficult to get the attention of those of great influence. Even though the task may seem utterly impossible, there are those of amazing perseverance who nevertheless persistently speak out about the injustices they see.

I will never forget when I attended a presentation by a man named Patch Adams. A large man, with a ridiculous suit, he made a lot of jokes, some of them downright stupid, others pretty funny. He then shifted to speaking about health care. He named the reality that although we are the wealthiest nation in history; millions of Americans have no access to adequate health care. And then it happened. In a deep voice, he bellowed: "The health care system in this country is shameful!" Chills went down my spine, tears welled up in my eyes, and suddenly I realized I was in the midst of a twentieth century prophet. That was five years ago. Even though I haven’t done much in response about our health care system, his words continue to sizzle under my skin.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the prophets are those who spoke truth to power. They called rulers and whole communities to turn their lives toward justice and compassion. A prophet is usually seen as an austere figure who rebukes others with stern, sour, stinging words. But a prophet’s motivation is love for humanity and a moral outrage that he or she cannot hide. Rabbi Abraham Heschel devoted his life to understanding the prophets. In his words, "Others have considered history from the point of view of power, judging its course in terms of victory and defeat, of wealth and success; the prophets look at history from the point of view of justice, judging its course in terms of righteousness and corruption, of compassion and violence." In a sense, the calling of the prophet is to be an advocate for those who are too weak to plead their own cause. The major activity of the prophet is interference, making waves about wrongs inflicted on other people, meddling in affairs, which are seemingly neither their concern nor their responsibility.

One of the greatest Jewish prophets was known as Jesus of Nazareth. Two thousand years ago, he taught, "No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Today, we are still faced with the human struggle between money and life. Those who have a lot of money are capable of increasing their assets. Those who don’t, aren’t. I’m curious, who here has played the game Monopoly. I have a love-hate relationship with the game. I love the game when I win. I hate the game when I lose. It brings out all the competitive feelings in me—until someone has acquired a lot of property; then, the game is no longer fun. If you’ve played it, you know what I mean. In the same vain, it would be ridiculous for someone to join in a game after someone has already built houses or hotels. For whoever first acquires a large amount of property has an overwhelming advantage. This dynamic plays out constantly in today’s world.

Over the last twenty years, I have been aware of the alarming statistics of the widening gap between rich and poor. I have been a political liberal who has blamed the policies of supply side economics and deregulations on corporations—primarily because people I respect have been doing just that. My own understanding has remained murky about how our economic system works, how money is created, how outside financing depletes real capital, and how in practice many corporations have exploited communities, laborers, and the environment. This past week, I have learned a huge amount from reading When Corporations Rule the World and The Post Corporate World, both by David Korten.

Today we are fortunate, in this service on Prophets and Profits, to have among us a prophet on profits, Dr. David Korten. He has developed Yes! A Positive Futures Network that brings together people wanting our country to focus less on money and more on what sustains a good life and healthy communities. My own hope is that Korten’s prophetic vision will be heard and heeded:

The problem is this: a predatory global financial system, driven by the single imperative of making ever more money for those who already have lots of it, is rapidly depleting the real capital—the human, social, natural, and even physical capital—on which our well-being depends. The truly troubling part is that so many of us have become willing accomplices to what is best described as a war of money against life.

In two weeks time, the top officials of the World Trade Organization will meet in Seattle, November 29^th through December 3^rd. It is my hope that the leaders of the WTO will hear the concerns of Dr. Korten and others dedicated to fair trade and sustainable future.

How many of you know what the World Trade Organization is and how they operate? The WTO, located in Geneva Switzerland, was passed by our Congress in 1994 and now comprises of 135 countries. Its stated intention is to create a fair playing field on which member nations can trade, free from "discriminatory" and "unnecessary" obstructions. An example: the European Union has had a seven-year ban on the imports of hormone-treated beef. The people of Europe are suspect of foods that have been subject to hormones, radiation, and genetic alteration. Last year, a WTO appellate panel ruled this ban by the European Union as unfair to free trade. Because the WTO can authorize trade sanctions against countries whose governments don’t change their laws to comply. They did so in this example by authorizing the Clinton administration to impose economic sanctions as of last March. Another example: the United States filed a complaint to the WTO that the preferences of European nations to buy bananas from former European colonies in the Caribbean unfairly discriminate against U.S. owned banana growing companies in Central America. Two years ago, a WTO panel decided that European preferences for Caribbean bananas are unfair. The EU proposed a new policy that the United States claims still violates the rules of the World Trade Organization. The WTO agreed and granted the United States the authority to impose $200 million in trade sanctions against European imports.

If you’re a good self-serving American, you might ask, "So what’s wrong? Other countries are being obliged to change their laws that benefit our corporate interests? At least we’re reaping the benefits!" Well, the United States has also been pressured to change its laws. A WTO ruling resulted in the weakening of our Clean Air Act to allow dirtier oil because foreign oil companies protested. The U.S government gutted its dolphin-safe guidelines after foreign tuna industries pressured the WTO. And the Endangered Species Act forbidding the sale in the U.S. of shrimp caught in ways that kill endangered sea turtles must now be amended. As you can imagine, the people who have dedicated their lives to fighting for laws that protect the environment, workers’ rights, and small business are now questioning the price we are paying for free trade. Clean air? The result has been an international trade structure that benefits multinational corporations while ignoring the needs of communities, workers, and the environment.

What really scares me is its lack of democratic accountability. The WTO has dispute panels of un-elected, non-accountable trade attorneys. Their rulings overturn our federal law, a direct violation of our Constitution. Their proceedings are completely closed to the public and the press. And several laws that activists in this country have fought for are now being overturned to comply with WTO rulings.

What also scares me is that most of mainstream America is unaware of all this. I wonder if the whitewashed media coverage of the WTO is a result of the media being owned by corporations. I was very pleased the Seattle Times published on page 3 this past Friday—with a full page headline—that U.S. Commerce William Daley is frustrated as he completes a 20-city tour to sell benefits of free trade to a skeptical public. Already the protests have begun in Los Angeles. And workers are becoming more aware that global free trade invariably results in many corporations moving their manufacturing plants to wherever they can make the most profits. For this was exactly what happened with the passage of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, many corporations moved their plants to Mexico where labor is much cheaper and far fewer environmental and labor laws to comply with.

Several of us UU ministers from the Seattle and Portland areas gathered three weeks ago. Together we decided to rally our congregations and other UUs to collectively purchase a full-page ad in the Seattle paper. It will take over $12,000 to do this. The text reads:

In the four years of its existence, the WTO has established a set of global trade and commerce rules that benefit multi-national corporations, while ignoring the needs of communities, workers, and the environment. As Unitarian Universalists, our religious principles lead us to request that the WTO adopt ethical practices, including the inclusion of all stakeholders, the institution of a system of democratic accountability, and a clear and consistent commitment to the people and the planet. We also want the WTO to review past negotiations and make them consistent with ethical practices, repairing damage already done under its auspices.

In addition, our Unitarian Universalist principles will be listed, followed by the names and cities from the people that have donated to purchase the ad. We recommend $15 per name, $10 minimum, and encourage those who can to give more. This will be the first time in decades that Unitarian Universalists will make a public statement that will reach dozens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of people.

The six days that the WTO will be in town marks an extraordinary event. Huge demonstrations will be waged in the streets of Seattle. Unitarian Universalists by the hundreds will be coming to protest. UU young adults and youth are holding a social action con, which will give them a group in which to join the demonstrations. Churches of several liberal faiths are banding together during the opening ceremonies of the WTO on Monday, November 29^th to seek the abolishment of third world debt that prevents under developed countries to provide food and health care to its citizens An expected 10,000 people of faith will create a non-violent human chain to break the chains of Global Debt, raising their voices in common witness through prayer with world faith traditions, music with Sweet Honey in the Rock, and messages of global solidarity. After a two-hour interfaith service and an hour procession from First United Methodist Church, the 10,000 people will create a chain around the Safeco Field Exhibition Hall where the opening reception for the WTO is being held.

The following day President Clinton arrives in Seattle, along with a forecasted 50,000 activists protesting the policies of the WTO. The streets of Seattle will be transformed into a festival of resistance as a massive nonviolent direct action will include street theatre, giant puppets, celebration, music, and hopefully a glimpse of a global community as it could be while hundreds of businessmen and politicians hash out laws that put millions of lives at stake. The direct action is based on a belief that a new world is possible and a global movement of resistance is rising to make it happen. Imagine replacing the existing social order with a just, free and ecological order based on mutual aid and voluntary cooperation!

Now, I urge you to learn more about the World Trade Organization for yourself. Don’t take my word for it. Tonight is a great opportunity to hear how the WTO impacts global economic justice. Next Sunday, Eastshore UU Church is holding "Free or Fair Trade Forum with Brian Derdowski that will include workshops to create giant puppets and how to push the envelope in non-violent demonstrations. There are teach-ins happening all over the Puget Sound area.

May the Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church live out the ideal of the prophethood of all believers. May this be a church that enthusiastically enters the struggle in history for human decency and justice, a church that shows concern for the shape of things to come, a church that seeks to interpret the signs of the times. May we here in Woodinville carry the legacy of the prophetic church.

Blessed be, my friends. Amen