Men In White

Prisons and jails have the same smell.

It is the acrid smell of failure. From a distance, the population all dressed in white may give a rather interesting scene, but get closer and the high walls, the limited freedom, the smell inside the walls and there is nothing here to like. The prisoners don't like it, the guards don't like it, and everyone may wish they were somewhere else.

Who has failed? Well inmates have failed or they would not be in prison. At the very least, they failed to be represented by competent attorneys who could get them off. The larger picture is that person after person found societies rules too confining, societies ills to depressing, life too meaningless, and what other folks had more desirable than what they possessed. So they stole to buy, killed to rob, or just needed to settle a score that was not earlier settled to their satisfaction.

I also think families have failed. Many years ago, when I started pastoral ministry, I required young couples to have premarital conversations with me about their choices in marriage. Some of the prospective grooms were a little haughty about those things being none of my business. I had a standard reply, "If you marry poorly and propagate, which seems to happen to a lot of shaky marriages, then your children will grow up watching their parents scream at each other and them. They will grow up without supervision and without rules. You will either think they can do no wrong, or believe they can do no right. One way you don't discipline and the other way you break their spirit. In some ways it all comes out the same. Your kid goes out and steals my hubcaps. That makes it my business and all our business. You marry poorly, parent poorly, and we all pay. And that is what we have had.

I also believe churches have failed. I have been aware of my church's background was one of teaching the "don'ts" of life. Pretty dreary subject. I believe it really turned off teenagers during a time when they are wondering what they should do. Churches have talked little of meaningful sex, of understanding how sexuality is one of God's great gifts, and when it becomes blessing in our lives.

I believe society has failed. We are more swept away by fluff than substance. So, we get energized over the latest sport that is season, but can't do anything but yawn over UIL competition. What we exalt teaches children and youth values. What we sideline teaches children these things are not important. So we feed the body, entertain the body with bread and circuses, and trudge through an aching emptiness of soul.

Men in white reeking with the acrid smell of failure. It it were only a smell, a bath would cure it. This smell is mind deep, emotion deep, soul deep.