Mr. Spock Is Dead ... And We Greive?

Mr. Spock is dead and we grieve. It’s odd. We grieve the “death” of a fictional character more than the actor that brought him to life.

Leonard Nimoy was 83 years old when he passed away. In addition to being an actor for T.V., stage, and movies, he was a producer, photographer, writer, director, and singer. Most people didn’t know Leonard Nimoy, but almost everyone felt like they “knew” Spock.

We “know” our morning weather reporters, Randy, Chuck, or Kevin; they greet us every morning before we “interact” with Robin Roberts, Matt Lauer, or our “Friends” – Steve, Elizabeth, and Brian. We develop “relationships” with them, but we don’t really know them.

Then there are the people we love to hate; the evil team owner, or coach, or quarterback that “always cheats.” The elected official on the “other side” who lies through his/her teeth and wants to destroy the universe as we know it; the President, the Governor, or the Superintendent.

We get upset when “our” people are attacked, and spew vile hatred for those that have “done them wrong.” But do we really “know” any of them? Why do we invest in these imaginary relationships? And why do we starve or poison our real-life relationships?

When we behave this way, we are at risk spiritually, and culturally.

President George Washington, identified an early threat to the nation as he was leaving office; he called it the “spirit of party”.

“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism … the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it … It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another … it is a spirit not to be encouraged ... A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.”

The spirit of party, or the spirit of division, always bursts into flame and consumes those that practice it.

But for the Christ follower, there is also spiritual danger.

The Apostle John said, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

Similarly, Paul told the church in Galatia, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

Spock is not just dead, he never lived – he was fictional. But every person we place into the categories of “Us vs. Them” is alive. We might not like what they do, but they deserve the respect and love that belongs to another child of God. We might enjoy that they are on “our side”, but that doesn’t mean they are flawless.

Let’s do away with the “spirit of party.” Let’s use our freedom to serve one another in love. Invest in real relationships. Spend less time cultivating a “relationship” with someone who doesn’t know who you are. The choice is yours. Choose well. Live long and prosper!

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