Chris Hedges - A Modern Prophet
This post is based on the Canadian "Ideas" segment about Chris Hedges. Hedges has a deeply disturbing message, which I will get to shortly. First, I invite you to listen to the excellent Ideas segment. Listen to the tone and style of Hedges' speeches ...
The term "prophet" is widely misunderstood and heavily loaded. My own use of the term is not too far from this:
If you listen to Chris Hedges, the cadence and style is unmistakably one of a "fire and brimstone" preacher. In fact, Hedges is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church. Protestant pastors are expected to act as prophets, at least in the small way of teaching the "flock" about the core of the faith. They are expected to be "spirit filled" -- sure that their message is right. Of course, in this framework, such certainty can only come from God. To my way of thinking, God is simply the name for such certainty, not the source of it. Sadly, being certain is no substitute for being right, but it certainly helps to add punch to the message .
The Hedges message is a bleak and powerful condemnation of an irredeemably corrupt society. All of us share responsibility for incalculable suffering of innocents all over the world. Dipping his brush in his own deep well of personal suffering, he paints vivid pictures of the senseless horrors of war. He goes beyond blaming the usual suspects (governments, greed, big business) and makes the case that all this horror is due to a hard wired addiction to violence -- an original sin if you like.
Hedges offers no way out. The situation is hopeless. Yet, amidst all this vision of horror, he maintains a strong Christian faith - but it's not a faith for the meek at heart. His faith that calls us to stand against the mindless machines of oppression and slaughter even though we know it's hopeless -- He sees Christ as the ultimate symbol of this rebellion, one who suffered and died standing up to corrupt authority, knowing that result of his rebellion would be a horrible death and knowing that His sacrifice would seem utterly futile and forgotten.
Buddha taught that attachment leads to suffering. The usual (Buddhist) conclusion is that we should avoid attachment to avoid suffering. But what if you accept the ultimate attachment --- the love of all humanity? What if you do this willingly, knowing that the fight will be lost?
On one side of the coin is the familiar image of the fat, smiling Buddha. On the other is the equally famous image of Christ on the Cross.
"As a correspondent for The New York Times - and other publications - activist and ordained Presbyterian Minister Christopher Hedges has covered wars all over the world. In 2002, he shared a Pulitzer Prize for his work on global terrorism. The author of 14 books, he's no stranger to controversy, having once been escorted off stage while delivering a commencement address. In the fall of 2014, Christopher Hedges gave a lecture at Ryerson University in Toronto, and later joined Paul Kennedy in conversation." -- Ideas
The term "prophet" is widely misunderstood and heavily loaded. My own use of the term is not too far from this:
A prophet is basically a spokesman for G-d, a person chosen by G-d to speak to people on G-d's behalf and convey a message or teaching. Prophets were role models of holiness, scholarship and closeness to G-d. They set the standards for the entire community.
from Judaism 101In the protestant tradition, the idea of prophecy does not require direct communication with God. Rather, the prophet is inspired to proclaim the message of God ("the Good News"). In the Old Testament, the prophets often proclaimed the bad news -- speaking truth to power. They had "big" messages, denouncing the sins of the entire society and the dire consequences of turning away from God (or, if you want to leave God out of it, principles of Justice).
If you listen to Chris Hedges, the cadence and style is unmistakably one of a "fire and brimstone" preacher. In fact, Hedges is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church. Protestant pastors are expected to act as prophets, at least in the small way of teaching the "flock" about the core of the faith. They are expected to be "spirit filled" -- sure that their message is right. Of course, in this framework, such certainty can only come from God. To my way of thinking, God is simply the name for such certainty, not the source of it. Sadly, being certain is no substitute for being right, but it certainly helps to add punch to the message .
The Hedges message is a bleak and powerful condemnation of an irredeemably corrupt society. All of us share responsibility for incalculable suffering of innocents all over the world. Dipping his brush in his own deep well of personal suffering, he paints vivid pictures of the senseless horrors of war. He goes beyond blaming the usual suspects (governments, greed, big business) and makes the case that all this horror is due to a hard wired addiction to violence -- an original sin if you like.
Hedges offers no way out. The situation is hopeless. Yet, amidst all this vision of horror, he maintains a strong Christian faith - but it's not a faith for the meek at heart. His faith that calls us to stand against the mindless machines of oppression and slaughter even though we know it's hopeless -- He sees Christ as the ultimate symbol of this rebellion, one who suffered and died standing up to corrupt authority, knowing that result of his rebellion would be a horrible death and knowing that His sacrifice would seem utterly futile and forgotten.
Buddha taught that attachment leads to suffering. The usual (Buddhist) conclusion is that we should avoid attachment to avoid suffering. But what if you accept the ultimate attachment --- the love of all humanity? What if you do this willingly, knowing that the fight will be lost?
On one side of the coin is the familiar image of the fat, smiling Buddha. On the other is the equally famous image of Christ on the Cross.
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