The Unauthorized Homily

By Bill Dunn

A commentary on the Scripture readings from the Sunday Lectionary

(Scripture readings for Sunday, April 19th: Acts 4:32-35; 1 John 5:1-6; John 20:19-31)

Note: I wrote the following essay a few years ago for the first Sunday after Easter. It almost seems quaint now. Back then I feared a financial crisis would occur in a couple of decades caused by two things: an aging population and underfunded pension programs. Based on what’s happened in the last seven months, the crisis could be a couple of years (couple of months?) away. And to the causes of the crisis we can add: a collapsed credit market, toxic mortgage assets, a worldwide recession (soon to be depression?), and spending plans in Washington and Hartford that seem to have been created by crack addicts.

THE ‘ACTS 4:32 HOUSEHOLD’ MAY BE WAVE OF THE FUTURE

The first verse in the first reading this week may hold the key for financial security in the near future. Acts 4:32 says, “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”

This verse is often cited to justify Socialism or Communism, but let me say right now that a government-run economic system that does not acknowledge the fundamental right to private property is the furthest thing from my mind. Socialism and Communism are categorically evil systems that have NEVER worked in each and every place they have been tried.

What I am referring to is a looming financial crisis in America. There are, in my view, two strong dynamics that will impact American life within the next couple of decades. The first is the demographics of our nation. Our population is aging rapidly, as the massive Baby Boom generation moves through middle age and into the senior citizen years.

The second key dynamic in America is the fact that most pension programs are severely under-funded. Private retirement programs are in danger, such as the pension plans that are strangling the financial health of General Motors and Ford. Quasi-private/public retirement plans are in danger, such as the teachers’ pension program in my home state of Connecticut, where year after year the state has paid in far less than it is legally obligated to do. (Interesting that when private citizens ignore the law they are thrown into prison, but when lawmakers ignore the very laws they wrote, everyone just shrugs.) And public retirement plans, such as police and firemen pensions in many communities, and especially the biggest public retirement plan of all, Social Security, are in danger. Also, personal retirement plans, such as IRAs and other savings accounts are statistically nonexistent, as most people now go way into debt rather than sock away much money in savings.

When the peak of the Baby Boom generation stops working and starts looking for benefits, many of these pension plans, and especially Social Security, will be unable to pay. To give you an idea of the severity of the situation, when the Social Security program was started under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, there were approximately 20 workers paying into the program for every one retiree collecting benefits. When the peak of the Baby Boomers retire, there will be two workers paying into the program for every one looking for benefits. The program will not survive unless it either commandeers massive amounts of money from other federal programs or it taxes the people who are still working at outrageous rates. Neither of these two options bodes well for a healthy economy.

Our society now takes it for granted that people can retire from work in their 60s and live fairly comfortably in their own homes for at least another two decades. This reality, by the way, is unique in human history. In all of recorded history up until the mid-20th century, most senior citizens—if they beat the odds and lived past age 60—resided with their children and grandchildren. It was always the family’s obligation to support its elderly, not the obligation of the government or corporate pension programs.

So, in my humble opinion, we are going to see in the near future a massive change in our society because of these two strong dynamics: an aging population and under-funded retirement programs.

Our society will deal with this difficult situation by either addressing the demographics or by addressing the money. “Addressing the demographics”? What does that mean? Well, the problem will be too many elderly citizens; and the solution will be less elderly citizens. Just look at the Netherlands, where euthanasia is legal. The “right” to die is quickly becoming the “duty” to die, especially when younger people realize just how costly it is to keep older people alive into their 80s and 90s.

You think that won’t happen in America? A couple of generations ago it was unthinkable that we would allow 50 million babies to be murdered for the sake of convenience. If our society is now comfortable with doing that at the beginning of life, what makes you think after the initial shock wears off we won’t quickly adapt to doing it at the end of life? That’s what happens when the “sanctity of life” standard is replaced by the “quality of life” standard. Coming soon to your community: a shiny new, state-of-the-art Kevorkian Klinic. Grandma goes in in a wheel chair and comes out in an urn.

The less barbarous approach is to address the financial aspect of the problem. When the private pension plans falter, and when Social Security reduces or eliminates benefit payments, senior citizens will have to accept the fact that they can no longer live a comfortable retirement in the same house in which they raised their children. If you will please indulge some wild speculation on my part, this is where I believe “Acts 4:32 Households” can help.

When the pension plans default, the only wealth most people will have will be their homes. Instead of having, say, four retired couples in a town living in four separate homes, these four couples will form an Acts 4:32 Household. They will sell three of the homes and move in together in the remaining house. The proceeds from the real estate sales will finance their living expenses.

Now, I know what you’re saying: “Yeah, right. Set up a senior citizen commune? Share all my hard-earned money with a bunch of crotchety old strangers? No way, pal.”

Please keep in mind that this idea is in lieu of the other alternative: having the younger members of society say, “Hey grandpa, you’ve lived a full life, but now you cost too much. Time to step aside.”

The “Acts 4:32 Household” model most certainly will have some huge obstacles to overcome, the most obvious being pride, selfishness, and our American obsession with accounting for every last nickel that we own. Or as Daffy Duck famously declared, “Mine, mine! It’s all mine! Mine, Mine!”

The only way this model will succeed is if each member of the Household focuses on the first phrase of the Scripture verse: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind.” By necessity, the members must love God and love their neighbors as themselves. By necessity, the members must lighten up and have an attitude adjustment. By necessity, the members must imitate Jesus and truly seek to serve rather than to be served. Therefore I think it must be, by necessity, a Christian community.

If these obstacles are overcome, the Household will have the opportunity to bring people together in loving relationships at a time in life when far too many people are desperately lonely. Imagine, having other living people to talk and share with, rather than staring at the TV all day. The Household will provide a built-in support team when health problems inevitable occur. Most of all, it will provide an opportunity for strong Christian fellowship.

I fully understand if you think this idea is crazy. But I’m just trying to think of a solution to our looming financial problem that will be pleasing to the Lord. I’m pretty sure He will not be pleased by the Kevorkian Klinic solution.

©2009