Nathan E. Lewis

This past week I had the privilege of connecting with Kim Alphandary (she is the sister of Evergreen member, Sally Mehler). Check out Kim’s painting at http://www.unknownnews.org/050712a-ka.html. Kim asked me to collect some Christian prayers to accompany her painting in her art show in Los Angeles this coming January. I gladly did so and have enjoyed interacting with her. Kim does not claim to be a Christian and readily admits her ignorance concerning the Christian faith and Scriptures. I am drawn to her sense of justice and her mission to promote peace and safety in the world. She is a journalist writing mostly about South American political issues. She is also a painter and she is presently working on a series for this show in early 2007.
One of the Christian prayers I sent to Kim for her consideration included this line, “Silence those who invoke your name as they torment others.” Kim wrote to me, “I’m currently making a painting with this theme. It really causes me to question doing so, as I believe that to desecrate any religion is wrong. Though, somehow it seems to me to be a very real part of the truth. I hate to say it, but it seems like most Christians in this country are the most avid supporters of the US-crusade against “terrorism” and Muslims, and in fact seem to believe in some prophecies regarding the Israel and the End of the World. ( I put terrorism in quotes, as it seems we avoid identifying state-terrorism, except for when Hitler’s Germany is mentioned)”
My response = “Kim, you must go ahead with your painting that exposes the atrocities of those who malign in the name of Christianity. Millions of Christians agree with Flora and me. “Silence those who invoke your name as they torment others,” is my favorite line of the prayer because it is so convicting, reminding me that I need to embrace the gospel as much as any non-Christian. Sadly many Christians in America have not embraced the gospel and they are the poorer for not doing so. True freedom comes when I realize that I have a great need for God’s mercy. This morning, I worked on my sermon for this coming Sunday. I have included one paragraph of it for you to read so that you can see how I regularly do what you must do in your painting. It will not be desecration. Instead it will be the same mission of the Old Testament prophets sent by God to expose the hypocrisy of his chosen people: ‘You honor me with your lips, but your hearts are far from me.’
Here is my sermonic jab for the week, to be heard by many, including your dear sister, Sally, who takes my words to heart quite humbly: ‘These curses are vitally important and should be included in our worship. We must remember that members of the Christian Church in great number fail to obey God’s law. Are we aware of the injustices that have been committed by those who claim to be Christians? Each one of these curses works to rid the worshipping community of committing injustice against God, humanity and all creation. God shall surely punish injustice. He has required us to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. Why would we be against a liturgy that warns and instructs the people of God against injustice?’ (from my sermon on Deuteronomy 27).