Happiness is not a matter of intensity
but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.
-- Thomas Merton

Monday, February 21, 2011

The Unequal Democracy


Bryan and I went to Long Beach today for the Progressive Christians Uniting annual gathering. It began with a panel consisting of John Cobb, Mary Ellen Killsby and George Regas responding to the theme: Going Public with Our Faith...Shaping a Faithful Response to Rising Inequality and Unresponsive Government in the 21st Century. I learned quite a bit about the unequal democracy in which we live. Since 1979 the pretax income of the poorest in our society has risen an average of 1.3% per year. The pretax income of the middle class has risen less than 1% per year. The pretax income of the richest has risen 200% a year. We were encouraged, as the church, to reclaim he common good as our job.

I am a brand new board member of PCU so I was asked to welcome people as they arrived for the cocktail reception afterward. As I made my way to the church's social hall I passed the Senior Minister's office. This was the sign on his door:

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