June 4th, 2020: The Danger of Demonization
I feel bad for families of police officers across the land. I hope
we don't lose sight of the fact that many men and women who are called
to be in law enforcement. They are proud of their calling and committed
to it. Many of their family members don't have the security to know that
their loved ones will return home after their day at work. How would
you feel that your husband, your wife, your daughter, your son, your
sister, or your brother has to be on their uniform and go outside the
house and work today?
We should not condone any
form of brutality and the police forces in this country need to be more
thorough in their background check and psychological testing of
candidates who are applying to join them. The abuse of power is more
damaging and evil than we can ever imagine. We are all aware of the
horrendous impact on many people when priests and ministers abuse the
trust of their members. The trauma is real and lingering on for many
years to come.
However, it is not healthy to
generalize so that we can demonize every police officers and any
specific religious order or church. I don't think it is just either. For
many years, I worked alongside some police chaplains to provide care
and support for their members. These are real people, men, and women who
have families, have their feelings, and need support to do their job
well. Many law enforcement officers are suffering from serious marital
challenges, depression, and rejection because of the intense stress they
are under. I have also worked alongside some of the most giving and
caring priests and nuns who have a deep sense of being called by God to
life celibacy and service. I have learned a lot from my time with these
men and women.
We live a broken world and
people can do unimaginable things to one another. Humanity has robbed
one another of the needed sense of worth, belonging, safety, peace,
equality, and comfort. Bad police officers, priests, and ministers are
not the only ones. Maybe we should start with a moment of quietness of
our soul and allow God to take us through a process of self-examination.
We soon realize that replacing a form of hatred with another is not how
we go about correcting what is wrong.
Who are
you going to call the next time when you feel that your safety is being
compromised? I still get phone calls from people, who would voice their
harsh vocal opinions about a specific church or religious people, when
one of their family members is in trouble.
James 1: 19-20
Know
this, my beloved brothers (sisters): let every person be quick to hear,
slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the
righteousness of God.
