Respecting Our Manifestations

And from “No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life” by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Monkey Salvation for a Fish

From “The Song of the Bird” by Anthony de Mello (Jesuit priest).

King

"There is nothing wrong with a traffic law which says you have to stop for a red light. But when a fire is raging, the fire truck goes right through the red light……..Or, when a person is bleeding to death, the ambulance goes through those red lights at top speed…… Disinherited people all over the world are bleeding to death from deep social and economic wounds. They need brigades of ambulance drivers who will have to ignore the red lights of the present system until the emergency is solved…Massive civil disobedience is a strategy for social change which is at least as forceful as an ambulance with its siren on full."

— Dr. King (via andrewgibby)

(via thisplacehasknownmagic)

Justice

“Can you imagine if Christians actually believed that God was trying to rescue us from the pit of our own self-addiction? Can you imagine? Can you imagine what Americans would do if they understood over half the world was living in poverty? Do you think they would change the way they live, the products they purchased, and the politicians they elect? If we believed the right things, the true things, there wouldn’t be very many problems on earth.

"But the trouble with deep belief is that it costs something. And there is something inside me, some selfish beast of a subtle thing that doesn’t like the truth at all because it carries responsibility, and if I actually believe these things I have to do something about them. It is so, so cumbersome to believe anything. And it isn’t cool.”
–Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz

Searching for God Knows What

“The truth is there are a million steps, and we don’t even know what the steps are, and worse, at any given moment we may not be willing or even able to take them; and still worse, they are different for you and me and they are always changing. I have come to believe the sooner we find this truth beautiful, the sooner we will fall in love with the God who keeps shaking things up, keeps changing the path, keeps rocking the boat to test our faith in Him, teaching us not to rely on easy answers, bullet points, magic mantras, or genies in lamps, but rather in His guidance, His existence, His mercy, and his love.”
–Don Miller, Searching for God Knows What

Mark 1

My paraphrase:

This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the anointed. It is written in Isaiah: “I will send my messenger to you who will prepare your way, a voice calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for God, making straight paths.’”

John came, baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism signifying a change of heart and a return to the will of God. Many from the Judean countryside and Jerusalem sought his ministry and were baptized in the Jordan River after confession of the ways they strayed from God. John was clothed in camel’s hair and wore a leather girdle (garbed similar to how Elijah is reputed to have dressed. Could this be a sign of the age?). He ate locusts and wild honey. John preached that someone’s ministry would follow and transcend his own. John claimed this person was so great that he wasn’t worthy of removing their shoes. John baptized with water, but told of one who would baptize with Holy Spirit.

Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. When he came out of the water, the Spirit hovered over him and he heard a voice saying, “You are my beloved son, with whom I am pleased.”

Jesus then went into the wilderness for 40 days, during which time he was tempted (to abandon the work he was called to). He lived among the animals.

After John was arrested, Jesus returned to Galilee, preaching his message, that this historic time signaled a change in the way people should practice religion. God’s kingdom was within grasp if people could believe in a world where God was present and live like it was so.

As Jesus passed the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew (brothers) fishing (fishing was a profitable profession). Jesus called them to join his ministry and fish for people. They left their business and followed. Farther along, they came to Simon and John (brothers and sons of Zebedee), mending their fishing nets. Jesus called them as well; they left their father and servants to follow him. They went to Capernaum, where Jesus entered the synagogue (on the Sabbath) and taught. The people were astonished by Jesus’ teaching, for he taught like someone speaking for God, unlike the religious officials of the time. A man in the synagogue cried out, “What have you come to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus’ followers assumed the man was possessed. Jesus told the man to be quiet, exorcising the spirit. The man convulsed as the spirit left him. The people were amazed and wondered what this meant. They were curious about Jesus’ teaching and his authority over what they deemed supernatural. They were awed by his command and soon the surrounding communities were talking about Jesus. After they left the synagogue that day, they (including James and John) went to Simon and Andrew’s home. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick, which they told Jesus about. Jesus took her hand and lifted her. She no longer felt sick and served them.

At sundown that day, Jesus’ followers brought Jesus other sick people. Many gathered outside of the home. He healed many people that night.

Very early the next morning, Jesus found a secluded place to pray. Simon and the disciples followed him. Jesus told them they would go to another town and preach, for it was what he had to do. They traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in synagogues and healing.

Someone ritually unclean sought out Jesus and asked to be made clean. Jesus pitied the man and reached out, touched him, and pronounced him clean. Jesus sent the man away and told him not to tell people, but to show the priest and make the prescribed sacrifice. However, the man spoke openly about Jesus’ deed, so much so that Jesus had to stay out in the countryside to avoid crowds. People came to him seemingly from everywhere.

Book Recommendation

Borg, Marcus J. Jesus: A New Vision: Spirit, Culture, and the Life of Discipleship. New York: HarperCollins, 1987.

 I don’t remember how I came across this book; however, it has shaped much of my thinking about Jesus. Borg uses the knowledge gained from the research of the Jesus Seminar to shape a different vision of Jesus, one that is more in line with scholarly research, yet still manages to be spiritual and inspirational. Borg places Jesus within his historical context and allows us to see him outside of the dogma of Christian theology and inside of first century Palestine.

Bible Study

Both Matthew and Paul indicate that Peter was married.

Contemporvant

What is Religion?

What is religion?

I would say that religion is a system of beliefs and values one has that are related to a history and, most often, a community of others who hold similar beliefs and values derived from that shared history. I would argue that religion is one’s dominant paradigm, whether or not that paradigm can be categorized under the traditional understanding of “religion.” Therefore, political views, atheism, etc. can be considered religions. One’s religion is, more simply, whatever worldview most inspires one’s morality, values, beliefs, and practices. I don’t believe there is anyone who isn’t religiously devoted to something. It’s part of self-identity for most of us.

For me, religion isn’t something that helps me sleep better at night or provides me with some sense of comfort that people who die end up in some kind of Disneyland. My religion is a system which provides a holistic approach to bettering the world and my person. Derived from a history of people seeking to do good in the world (in its better moments), it’s a study of this history, a commitment to justice, and a lens with which to look inward at the kind of relationship I seek to have with myself, others, and the higher order of being. While religion provides me a sense of inner peace and orients my life in a way that enhances meaning, it doesn’t make me giddy.

A Text Without a Context is a Pretext

Reading the Bible is hard work, if you do it right, because a text without a context is a pretext, and scrounging up the context for a 2000-year-old work (much more if we’re using Hebrew Scriptures) requires consulting a lot of different fields of study and the works of many scholars.

I am ranting about all of this because I re-read the first chapter of John, which we all know and love, right? “In the beginning, there was the Word…”

Some time ago, in a class on Koine Greek, we went over this passage in the original language. It comes out a little differently: “In beginning was the logos and the logos was towards God, and God was the logos. This one was in beginning toward the God.”

Logos is a loaded term. It’s generally translated “word,” but that translation is a disservice to its meaning. Logos, as it was understood by those writing these texts, was more than just a word, it was a promise, an accounting, the logical implication of a divine order. Now, isn’t that more fun?

Dangerous

kbox-in-the-box:

jean-luc-gohard:

The most dangerous thing society teaches boys and men, especially white boys and men, is that their emotions are objective logic and reason and that anyone who disagrees is being irrational.

Few things frighten me as much as fellow men who a) honestly believe they are devoid of emotion and b) see themselves as superior because of it.

Bible Study

Oftentimes the word “virgin” is more accurately translated “young woman.”

Durkheim

“Man created God in his own image.” Imagine that you are Durkheim and explain briefly what this statement would mean for you. 

Durkheim saw religion as being the product of men and society. Durkheim believed that a society projected its values onto a God, making those values sacred. Worshipping their god was essentially worshiping the values of their society. It gave their values more meaning and provided justification for enforcing their rules and values.

In this way, man created God (or gods…) in his image. Man projected values onto God(/s) and worshiped the god and thusly their values.

Uniting and Dividing: Development of Christianity Online

Uniting and Dividing: Development of Christianity Online

The development and increasing availability of the internet has affected Americans in surprising ways. Business, writing, photography, communication, and many other aspects of culture and society take place online. Perhaps one of the less expected contributions the internet has made is to religion, and specifically to Christianity. Like many religions, Christianity stresses community, and although it may seem somewhat counterintuitive, the internet offers community to those who cannot find it in “real life.” With the availability of information, the development of online communities, and the resources offered by the internet, Christians are able to assist their practice with the internet, if not use the internet to practice in their own homes.

Christianity’s development online would perhaps not have been possible without the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation brought people out of a mentality that told them spirituality and salvation could only be achieved through the authority of the Catholic Church. Martin Luther posited that salvation was achieved through faith alone and proposed what he called a “ministry of all believers.” When Luther began the movement, he utilized the newly developed printing press. Christians now had access to the Bible away from the Church. The reformation led to a more individualized religious practice as well as a rejection of traditional authority. The development of the internet, in many ways, parallels the development of the printing press. The internet makes information available to people around the world, as well as facilitates new forms of communication. It is providing a new channel for religion as well.

The internet provides religious information for Christians, making research more convenient. There are a variety of resources available for practicing Christians. One can find scripture online, in full form, from every translation of the Bible. Apocryphal texts are also available online. One can find church history through official church websites, as well as through other societies, such as those devoted to archaeology. The internet offers Christians community groups, official church websites, and learning materials. With all of this available on one’s computer, it can have some very powerful results.

Christian online communities can be found for every denomination, as well as for those who would not define themselves as belonging to a denomination or are searching for one. The internet provides a welcoming environment for those who feel that they are outcasts. For instance, a gay man who feels shunned by his Catholic Church may be able to find a community of gay Catholics online. In this way, he can feel like he is still part of the Catholic community.

These communities are also helpful to those who belong to a more mainstream church organization, but don’t have one within a reasonable distance of their home. For many people in rural areas, there are few Churches available because of the small populations of the area. A Calvinist in rural Utah may have a hard time finding a Calvinist church, for instance, but would have a relatively easy time finding a Calvinist community online.

Online communities validate Christians’ individualities. The particulars of a person’s convictions can be supported when they find that their views are shared by others. The communities provide acceptance for those who feel alienated, such as radicals, homosexuals, racial minorities, or simply those who are socially awkward. Online communities are accommodating of everyone’s schedules. People who find that they don’t have time to attend a Sunday morning service or Wednesday evening study group may find time, between commitments, to log onto the internet and engage in what the internet has to offer their religion.

The internet’s contribution to the Christian community is not all positive, however. As people resort to the internet and practice becomes more privatized, the individual can feel more validated in their views, even if these views are of intolerance or hatred. In a sense, this can be moving Christians away from the unity and reconciliation that many have been seeking for hundreds of years. The internet can also lead Christians to feel somewhat alienated. Although community is offered, because there is no face-to-face contact, there is also a sense of isolation that can occur if one strictly practices at home. Because of the convenience of the internet, many people approach this type of practice with a somewhat apathetic outlook. In accommodating one’s religion to fit a desired schedule, or fitting it in between certain activities, it seems to lose a sense of sacredness. Listening to a sermon while going about one’s daily activities might make it seem less meaningful.