What I'm Reading This Week...

Living Water... and lack of Water

H2O
agua
l'eau
wasser
acqua
水
ύδωρ
вода
근해



Water is one of the most essential and basic ingredients needed for life. Every life form known to humankind relies on it to live and grow. It is also one of the key elements scientists look for when determining whether a given planet may be conducive to life. As many of us heard in health class- about two-thirds of our body is water that needs to be continually replenished, along with vital nutrients.

Water is universally understood in every culture and language as vital. A human being can potentially go for weeks at a time without food if needed- it is not healthy, and the person will grow weak, but one can survive. People cannot survive for more than a few days, however, without water to drink.

Sadly, though, despite 3/4 of the earth's surface being comprised of water, the amount of potable drinking water is dangerously scarce- particularly in developing nations. As a result, disease is rampant, and lack of clean water for drinking and bathing leads to serious illness or death for millions of people each year.

Even sadder than that, however, is the fact that a small percentage of the annual profits from the multi-billion dollar bottled water industry could provide clean water and sanitation to the entire developing world. I recently saw a sobering article on the global water situation and the bottled water industry in the NY Times called aptly "Bad to the Last Drop."

Among other shocking facts, the writer points out that:

More than 2.6 billion people, or more than 40 percent of the world's population, lack basic sanitation, and more than one billion people lack reliable access to safe drinking water. The World Health Organization estimates that 80 percent of all illness in the world is due to water-borne diseases.
. . .
Clean water could be provided to everyone on earth for an outlay of $1.7 billion a year beyond current spending on water projects, according to the International Water Management Institute. Improving sanitation, which is just as important, would cost a further $9.3 billion per year. This is less than a quarter of global annual spending on bottled water.

I know, I know- everyone drinks bottled water- and hey it's better than say soft drinks or other less than healthy beverages. Up until I read that article, my family and I bought a case of bottled water per week. We recycle the bottles, but we still contribute to supporting this industry that is reaping outrageous profits while 40% of the world is without clean water.

"Living Water" is one of my favorite spiritual metaphors from scripture.

Zechariah refers to it as an image of life in the new Jerusalem.

John mentions living water as a metaphor of spiritual renewal and transformation in the life of the woman at the well.

In Revelation, living water is an image of eternal life under the care of the good shepherd.

As people of faith, or as spiritual seekers, we find great comfort and hope in this image and the promise of new life it brings.

How then can we tacitly support practices and industries that deny clean water, a basic necessity to life, to millions of people in the world today?

Not only has our government abolished vital clean water protections in recent years, but our consumption habits continue to have harmful consequences in the developing world far beyond what most people realize.

Will you join me in trying to help make a difference? Explore new ways to recycle, and support clean water for those who need it most- the least of these...

Here are a few organizations that are working to help bring clean water to more and more people please consider getting involved:

Clean Water Action

Global Water

Water Advocates

Sierra Club- Clean Water Center

Water for People

Global Water Challenge

Water Partners International

The Clean Water Network

Clean Water, Sanitation Goals for World's Poor

Peace and health, and Living Water to all,

John

What is the true meaning of Independence Day?

For many, Independence Day is a time to gather with family and friends to watch fireworks, chow down on hamburgers & hotdogs, and celebrate American independence. I have tremendously deep and heartfelt gratitude for the many, many brave service people who have given themselves and made great personal sacrifices in service to the people of the United States in the name of freedom and democracy.

Here we are, though, Independence Day, 2007- four years and several months after George W. Bush cavalierly declared "Mission Accompished" and the supposed "end to major combat operations in Iraq," atop an aircraft carrier in his flight suit. Yet, the American troops killed since then are topping 3500 dead, 25,000 plus seriously wounded or dismembered, and sure to climb much higher before our brave men and women serving there in the armed forces are all brought home (which, with Gates, Petraeus, and others now pushing for a 'permanent presence' in Iraq is looking highly unlikely to happen anytime soon- if in our lifetime).

Why did we REALLY invade Iraq anyway?? Was it because Sadam really had Weapons of Mass Destruction? Obviously not. Was it to replace dictatorship with democracy? That apparently didn't work either- we have become occupiers and our respect and stature as a nation in the world community has continued to dwindle as Iraq descends further and further into civil war and lawless violence. Was it for humanitarian reasons? That has been debunked as well- thanks to Mr. Bush and his administration single-handedly seeking to demolish both the Geneva Conventions and writ of habeus corpus, as well as basic protections guaranteed in the Bill of Rights (like freedom from unreasonable searches and surveillance of U.S. citizens without a warrant or judicial oversight).

Mr. Bush has taken our nation backwards several huge steps, and we as the American people along with our other elected representatives have allowed him to do it. Our nation desperately needed a president who would be a uniter. Instead we got one who considers himself the sole "decider"- above accountability to any other branches of government, and apparently also beyond any accountability to the American people or even the American justice system- whose decisions he unilaterally invalidates at will.

To add insult to injury, in a desperate attempt to salvage his tarnished presidental legacy, Mr. Bush made a grand proclamation on July 4th trying to compare the war in Iraq to the American Revolutionary War for independence. The founders of our great nation and framers of the U.S. Constitution must be rolling over in their graves. The unilateral, unjustified war in Iraq and subsequent occupation has not and will not bring about 'freedom' it has led to greater anarchy and become a recruiting cry for radical Islamists.

Don't get me wrong- I give A LOT of credit to our brave service men and women who have put their lives on the line in service to our nation- or even more boldly made the ultimate sacrifice. What message do we send to the families of these brave soldiers when our president and his administration continues to feed us all a pack of lies and half-truths about why we invaded Iraq in the first place?? Does that sort of dishonesty and lack of accountability from our commander in chief not dishonor those who have served so bravely?

Yes, I know I know- Independence Day is a day to wave the American flag, put our hands over our hearts and bow for moments of silence in the hallowed national church of American civil religion- perhaps even including joining hands and singing a stirring rendition of "God Bless the USA." But what ever happened to the freedom to express dissent or speak out against perceived injustice- even if it is unpopular?

Does that only apply if one is of a certain background or ideological persuasion?

What happened to the American promise:

""Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

penned so eloquently by Emma Lazarus and inscribed on our own statue of liberty?

Has America become an elitist, exclusionary, hypocritical country- proclaiming freedom, then denying it to those who seek it unless they are privileged and well-connected? This is not the end of this story. The people will speak and be heard.

Beyond partisanship, beyond ideological differences we must all find the courage to stand boldly and speak truth to power- albeit peacefully- on important occasions, otherwise, I believe we lose our social conscience, little by little, until all that remains is apathy and indifference.

May we all find or reclaim that inner voice of justice and peace that speaks truthfully and faithfully even in the midst of pressured patriotism. In many ways, I believe that is one of the greatest sorts of courage.

May God help and guide us ALL- not just those of us within the borders of this nation.

Peace be with you,

John

Re-visiting the Labyrinth

This week, while on vacation at the Delaware shore, I re-visited the beautiful labyrinth at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes, Delaware. Here is an earlier reflection of mine on labyrinths; and here are a few photos from my most recent trip (click directly on the image to see a larger rendition of it):