Currency of Truth

Seven hundred protesters were arrested during a march blocking traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge for several hours on October 1, 2011.  They were part of the movement called Occupy Wall Street that had been camped out in a plaza in Manhattan's Financial District for nearly two weeks, speaking out against corporate greed.

Their voice represented by slogans such as "Wall Street got bailed out, and we all got sold out!" and "Ninety-nine percent of the people need to be prospering, not just the top one percent," finally got air-time in news programs across the United States.  It started out with just a handful of protesters near Wall Street, initially described as "ragtag" and "disorganized." However, as the protests grew larger and sprouted new protests in cities across the nation, more and more people have taken notice of this truly grass-roots movement without any backing of behind-the-scene big money people with a political agenda.

All the discussions and actions around fixing our economy had centered around money as if it is the only currency that matters – the bailout of banks and automobile companies, to tax or not to tax, to cut or not to cut government programs, how to take money from this and give it to that in order create more jobs, etc. Yet, our economy still has not recovered.  Perhaps, focusing on the currency of money is not the best strategy to get our resources flowing again in our nation and communities.

The Occupy Wall Street movement utilizes another currency in their action – a currency that is more powerful than money – a currency called truth.  By voicing the “truth” as experienced by the powerless, they provide a counter-version of the truth of our economy as projected by the rich and powerful. We do not have the whole truth of any issue until we have heard from the powerless amongst us. By taking action in speaking the truth, investing their time by occupying a strategic place, the Occupy Wall Street movement was forcing a relationship with the media, the political players and hopefully the financial sectors, not only in New York but also across the nation. The currency of truth also fosters connections among all the protest groups as they spring up across the country thanks to the powerful social media providing a ready-made global network that will continue to feed and support the local actions. 

The success of this movement depends on how they continue to use the currency of truth, which has already exchanged into the currency of relationships.  To achieve national financial and social wellness, this movement will need to develop its currencies in gracious leadership – leadership that can utilize the newly forged relationships to gather, nurture and amplify the voices of the powerless, help them define common goals and find time and places for focused strategic actions.  They also need leadership that can pull in the powerful – politicians and corporate players – into the conversation helping them to truly listen. 

The most profound realization that any powerful person or group in any society is: without the cooperation of the powerless, their power disappears.  This is why blocking the Brooklyn Bridge resulting in 700 arrests was so effective in getting the attention of the powerful.  What will happen if all the unemployed people (at least 14 million people) get on the street and block the roads and doorways to banks and financial corporations? The whole financial system would shut down!  This is the ultimate truth. When the rich and powerful realize this truth, they will listen and may loosen up their hold on money and other resources and let them flow again.  The truth is: in order for our community to be sustainable, resources must flow, equitable and freely so that all may prosper, not just for the one percent.

Gather members of your community; be sure to include the unemployed. Invite those who are looking for work to sit in a circle in the middle of the room.  Invite the rest to sit in an outer circle. Invite the inner circle to share their experiences of being unemployed and looking for work.  Invite the outer circle to listen without comments until everyone in the inner circle has had a chance to share. Invite the participants in the outer circle to respond by completing the sentences: I noticed . . . I wonder . . . Invite participants, as a large group, to consider:  As a community with employed and unemployed people, what can we do together to share the truth?

Reflection Questions for Proper 24 (Year A) Exodus 33:12-23    What did you learn from this passage about leadership? Psalm 99  What does it mean to proclaim the greatness of God? Isaiah 45:1-7   How do you relate to God as described in this text? Psalm 96:1-9, (10-13)   What does it mean to acknowledge and worship such a powerful God? 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10   How do you serve a living and true God? Matthew 22:15-22   What did you learn from Jesus about truth?

Eric H. F. Law
Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org

Come to Los Angeles in 2012 to study with The Sustainist, the first  two opportunities: February 27–March 2, 2012 Kaleidoscope Winter Institute Holy Currencies Conversations on Money and Sustainable Ministry March 14–18, 2012 Face to Face Seeing and Hearing Each Other . . . Knowing God Creative liturgy & music for a diverse and changing world An ecumenical gathering of church leaders to create worship experiences that are authentic, relational and missional