What Would Jesus Hate? Before your knee jerks, try the thought out for a moment.
I googled "what does Jesus hate"? This seems to be an area that interests a lot of people. I read one woman's post who said, "Jesus is not a hater." I've never been able to figure out what a "hater" is exactly.
The best I've been able to come up with is that it's a form of ad hominem attack. Here's how it works:
"I don't like cabbage."
"Who cares? You hate everything. You're just a hater."
The subtext is, "Since you're just a hater, what you say has no legitimacy" - especially but not exclusively the part about cabbage. I'm not such a fan of this particular new word. I think we have too many dehumanizing words and concepts as it is. We don't need new ones. And I say that even though I do in fact like cabbage.
Another poster took to listing all the things that either God or Jesus said he hated as taken from the bible. Hypocrisy was a recurring theme but there were a good many others as well. So maybe we can conclude that God is a hater. At least he's capable of hate. Here's a cut/paste example:
Rev 2:6,15 "But this you have, that you hate the DEEDS (WORKS) of the Nicolaitans [those who lord it over & rule over the laity, the brethren], which I [Jesus] also HATE. Thus you also have those [among you] who HOLD THE DOCTRINE (teaching) of the Nicolaitans, which thing I [Jesus] HATE. [example Diotrephes vs. Demetrius in 3Jn 10-13]
The amplified text here makes this a little hard to read, but in these selections (there were many many more) it does look like Jesus does in fact hate something or the other. In fact from this latter post I think it's safe to say that Jesus does have the ability to hate as an attribute. Clearly a Nicolaitan is something he hates.
Here's the thing in a nutshell: We project our wishes of what good is onto the reality of Jesus. Jesus was and is both God and a real person. He doesn't have a dark side. We do though and consequently our concept of hate and some other things as well becomes mixed and confused with our brokenness. Given the choice, I'd rather chase after Jesus' version of what good is than to make one up that I project back onto him.
If we're going to live in love with Jesus, as opposed to being in love with a projection of our wish fulfillment, tastes and sensibilities, we have to accept him (and the other two members of the Godhead as well) for who they are, not for who we think they are or worse, who we want them to be. This takes time, quiet and intention...and I think a bit of humility and courage as well. Thankfully, God will supply all of this in abundance if asked...persistently.
I quoted a woman above as saying "Jesus is not a hater." As I think I understand the word, he's not. However, I do think that there are things that Jesus hates. And I think it's a good idea to get comfortable with the concept that God can make us or let us be uncomfortable, sometimes even very uncomfortable either for our own good or for the good of others.
I'll take it one step further. I usually do. Our reactions to words like hate or anger have more to do with our projections of what these words stand for than what words like these really are at core. Consequently, these types of words become the vehicles that carry our brokenness inside them. Naturally we think they're intrinsically bad because, "self-esteem" not with standing (another misunderstood concept) we are all dubious about the goodness of our core natures. Deep down, we know we're broken.
My mission in life has become to accept God for who he is and what he has for me. To know God, I have to let go of me...even if I have to let God pry my fingers loose.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Faith, Arrogance and the End of the World
"Did you maybe scoff a little while wondering — just a teensy bit, in a tiny place in the very back of your head — what you might do if Saturday were indeed your final day on the planet?" - Quoted from the AP article, "Apocalypse Not Now"
There's been a lot of news lately swirling around Harold Camping's prediction that the world as we know it would end on May 21st. There were supposed to be earthquakes, the rapture and presumably the onset of the tribulation. This proved to be incorrect.
Harold quoted the bible (apparently he caught something in a passage in 1 Thessalonians that everyone else had missed), and applied "geometric logic" (his term) to the problem to deduce the day and time in question.
I've seen any number of Facebook entries involving naked jumping (no need to leave behind an empty pile of clothes and might as well get a head start). Another favorite seems to be of the type, "Can I have your car since you don't need it where you're going and it's paid for?" There are many more of these. I am somewhat surprised to learn that there are many who can find as deep a root of sarcasm in themselves as I can find in myself. I had thought this was an area in which I uniquely excelled/struggled (ask me which it is on different days and you're likely to get different answers). I was wrong.
There are probably a number of good reasons why ridicule seems to be a universal response to prophet Harold's prediction, as expressed by both Christ followers and everyone else as well. Two however, stand out to me. First, on the Christ follower side, Harold's complete disregard for the most basic tenet in this area of doctrine, i.e. that the event he predicted will be a complete surprise to everybody. This causes everyone in the Christian camp to cringe a bit at the anticipated and even feared response of: "There go those ridiculous Christians again."
Second, for the non-Christ followers, while they don't identify with Christ and therefore don't seek out a paper bag of appropriate size to wear over their heads in response to prophet Harold's pronouncements, they do seem to experience a rush of ego at their own "How-could-people-be-so-STUPID?" flavor of triumph. In addition in some corners at least, I've detected a slight degree of relief. Either reaction is kind of surprising. Is it really news that someone said something stupid, regardless of religious affiliation? Why would you ever let yourself care the least bit about a ridiculous pronouncement from a quarter you either ignore or claim to enthusiastically disdain?
As a member of the Christ follower camp, I find Harold to be an object of pity and concern. That's because he's just done and said some things of which the God of the bible takes a very very dim view. False prophesies, regardless of intent, are not taken lightly. I never took Harold's prophecies seriously. However, I do take the bible seriously. Then admonitions and consequences aimed at false prophets are extreme. It's also true that God loves a repentant heart and I really hope that forgiveness is what Harold is asking for and receiving right now.
I have an opinion about this. I do think both camps have exhibited an unhealthy degree of arrogance regarding this non-event. To be clear, there's nothing wrong and in fact, everything right with stating facts and correcting error, again regardless of religious affiliation. Pointing and laughing however, seems to me to be at odds with the biblical idea that those who don't know Christ will identify those that do by their love. In fact, from what I've read and heard over the last few weeks, I'd have to say that a great proportion of Christ followers share much more with the non-Christ followers as regards their ability to ridicule, than they do with the church as described in the New Testament.
The world will one day end (you heard it here first...or at least most recently). It's also certain that your participation in it will end. Whether you hold God's participation in those facts tightly, loosely or not at all, I think we're all best served by not by pointing and laughing, but rather by sacrificing, holding and loving.
There's been a lot of news lately swirling around Harold Camping's prediction that the world as we know it would end on May 21st. There were supposed to be earthquakes, the rapture and presumably the onset of the tribulation. This proved to be incorrect.
Harold quoted the bible (apparently he caught something in a passage in 1 Thessalonians that everyone else had missed), and applied "geometric logic" (his term) to the problem to deduce the day and time in question.
I've seen any number of Facebook entries involving naked jumping (no need to leave behind an empty pile of clothes and might as well get a head start). Another favorite seems to be of the type, "Can I have your car since you don't need it where you're going and it's paid for?" There are many more of these. I am somewhat surprised to learn that there are many who can find as deep a root of sarcasm in themselves as I can find in myself. I had thought this was an area in which I uniquely excelled/struggled (ask me which it is on different days and you're likely to get different answers). I was wrong.
There are probably a number of good reasons why ridicule seems to be a universal response to prophet Harold's prediction, as expressed by both Christ followers and everyone else as well. Two however, stand out to me. First, on the Christ follower side, Harold's complete disregard for the most basic tenet in this area of doctrine, i.e. that the event he predicted will be a complete surprise to everybody. This causes everyone in the Christian camp to cringe a bit at the anticipated and even feared response of: "There go those ridiculous Christians again."
Second, for the non-Christ followers, while they don't identify with Christ and therefore don't seek out a paper bag of appropriate size to wear over their heads in response to prophet Harold's pronouncements, they do seem to experience a rush of ego at their own "How-could-people-be-so-STUPID?" flavor of triumph. In addition in some corners at least, I've detected a slight degree of relief. Either reaction is kind of surprising. Is it really news that someone said something stupid, regardless of religious affiliation? Why would you ever let yourself care the least bit about a ridiculous pronouncement from a quarter you either ignore or claim to enthusiastically disdain?
As a member of the Christ follower camp, I find Harold to be an object of pity and concern. That's because he's just done and said some things of which the God of the bible takes a very very dim view. False prophesies, regardless of intent, are not taken lightly. I never took Harold's prophecies seriously. However, I do take the bible seriously. Then admonitions and consequences aimed at false prophets are extreme. It's also true that God loves a repentant heart and I really hope that forgiveness is what Harold is asking for and receiving right now.
I have an opinion about this. I do think both camps have exhibited an unhealthy degree of arrogance regarding this non-event. To be clear, there's nothing wrong and in fact, everything right with stating facts and correcting error, again regardless of religious affiliation. Pointing and laughing however, seems to me to be at odds with the biblical idea that those who don't know Christ will identify those that do by their love. In fact, from what I've read and heard over the last few weeks, I'd have to say that a great proportion of Christ followers share much more with the non-Christ followers as regards their ability to ridicule, than they do with the church as described in the New Testament.
The world will one day end (you heard it here first...or at least most recently). It's also certain that your participation in it will end. Whether you hold God's participation in those facts tightly, loosely or not at all, I think we're all best served by not by pointing and laughing, but rather by sacrificing, holding and loving.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Learning to Swim
I've recounted Eric's story a few times. In this context it bears summarizing again. Eric was raised in a devout Catholic family. He entered the priesthood at an early age. He was a priest for more than a decade. He left the church (but never really God) for about 25 years. He married and adopted his wife's daughter...after his wife's little girl asked him to be her daddy. After retiring from being a software engineer (his non-church vocation), he and Ruth (his wife) moved to Maine to have a retirement adventure for a couple years. It was there late into that time, that he was diagnosed with ALS.
Eric subsequently cried out to God. God in turn sent a number of people to minister to Eric. Due to circumstance, most of them were Episcopal. Eric and Ruth moved back to the west coast a couple of years ago, settling in the Portland area. It had been there plan to eventually settle there in any case. And apparently, there is very fine ALS clinic in that town.
They attended (Ruth still attends) St. Luke's Episcopal church there. In not too long a time, the staff there asked him to join them as an ordained priest. He was ordained in early summer last year.
The disease finally took Eric's body this last February after a three year struggle with a virtually certain outcome. I previously posted here his final short homily, published in the St. Luke's bulletin the day before he passed. Below you'll find the first message that I am aware that he composed during this season. The date on my email is Feb 15 2010, so it was originally composed and delivered around that time.
I don't usually like to lead people too much (unless they happen to be immediate family members and can't escape) but in this case I'd like to point out some things. The subject here is the Transfiguration. I think this was a kind of completing that prepared the way for the next very harsh part of Christ's journey. Eric places the anniversary of his uncle's death in the context of the contribution his uncle made to Eric's life. He delivers this message on the advent of Lent. Lent is the season of sacrifice and selflessness.
There's so much more here that I will leave to you. Suffice it to say, there's a lot. Eric's life is the most profound example of redemption unto completion I've directly witnessed. It was all accomplished by Christ at Eric's invitation in the face of certain, painful death. It will forever be witness to me of the completing, fulfilling, eternal and loving work of the spirit of the living God.
Transfiguration Sermon
Opening Prayer
May you hear the Spirit in your heart as you listen to human words.
Sermon
Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of my Uncle Clyde. He was Fr. Clyde Werts, a Jesuit priest, and professor of engineering at Loyola University in Los Angeles. He was a frequent visitor when I was growing up. He loved to play with us kids. In summers, we would spend two weeks in Newport Beach and swim in Balboa Bay. He visited us there. As a little guy, I played in the bay where I could touch bottom or I wore a life jacket. It was fun to have Uncle Clyde playing in the water with us.
Then one day Uncle Clyde took on a new role. When I was about 6 or 7, he and I were in the bay, and he told me that he was going to teach me how to swim. I had no life jacket on and Uncle Clyde pulled me holding my hands out over my head. He held my hands while he had me kick. After a time of that he let go of my hands and took what was probably a very small step back from me. I thrashed with my arms and legs and screamed bloody murder. He probably did not leave me in that state for more than two or three seconds, and grabbed my hands again. We repeated this comedy many times. Finally, the thrashing became more efficient and the screams once heard round the world subsided. He then started taking two and three and four steps away from me, and I could swim to him. There came the time when he was not physically present, but he was present to me in the gift of swimming. I no longer needed a life jacket or to be able to touch bottom.
The Transfiguration is an event in which Jesus tells his disciples, and through Luke tells us, that it is time to discard our life jackets and venture beyond where we can touch bottom. It is time to learn to swim.
Up to now in Luke’s Gospel and in our Epiphany readings, Jesus has been gradually revealing who he is. He receives a heavenly endorsement as he humbly receives John’s baptism. He teaches, forgives sins, heals, conquers and saves others from evil. He calls disciples to follow him. He confronts false and hypocritical practice of God’s law. He is truly wonderful to be with. He is comfortable and reassuring. And He seems to be meeting his disciples’ expectations of the Messiah. But his disciples, and often we, don’t really get it.
So one day Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain. Through Luke, Jesus takes us also. Jesus starts praying and his face changes and his clothes become dazzling white. These symbols would mean a lot to the disciples and to Luke’s original readers. When Moses confronted God Moses’ face shone. Jesus, the more than wonderful human, is now powerfully revealing his divinity. This is necessary because of what is to follow.
I want to drive home to you the power of this revelation of divinity with 21st century symbols. A blog I read presented two videos. One starts on earth and moves away from the earth. When the sun comes into view the earth is a speck, and then no longer visible. Then the sun is a star among many stars. Then the sun disappears as the Milky Way, our galaxy, is shown. Then the Milky Way appears as just one small galaxy amid many galaxies. Finally, a scene from 100 million light years out shows a web of light that presents many clusters of galaxies. Our universe is stunningly vast, and how much more vast is its Creator.
The second video starts at the view from 100 million light years away and reverses the journey, back through the galaxies, past the stars in our galaxy, past the sun, and back to earth. Once on earth, a swampland appears, and soon we see one plant, and then one leaf. Then our view penetrates the leaf until we can see its subatomic particles. God is the craftsperson of our vast universe and the craftsperson of the subatomic particles that make it up.
This is the divinity that Jesus reveals, the magnificent God far beyond our comprehension, and at the same time the divine being who has chosen to be one of us.
Jesus is with Moses who represents the Old Testament Law and Elijah who represents the prophets. Moses and Elijah represent the world that the disciples know and are comfortable with. Then a cloud covers this scene, and a voice speaks. “This is my son, my chosen. Listen to him.” Listen to him. He is the divine word of God. Listen to him.
Note that Moses and Elijah are now gone from the scene. There is only Jesus. Listen to him.
Why is this point so important now? Before Jesus went up the mountain, he said he was going to suffer, die, and rise. He called on his followers to take up their crosses. When he was with Moses and Elijah, they discussed what he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. After he came down from the mountain, he said he was going to be betrayed into human hands, and he wanted the disciples to let the words sink into their ears. And Luke tells us that they did not understand and that they did not want to ask him. How often do we not listen, not understand, and not want to ask?
After the Transfiguration Jesus starts his journey to Jerusalem where he will suffer, die, and rise. Because it was hard for the disciples, and it is hard for us, to make sense of this, at this point we need to know the glory, the magnificence, the overwhelming mystery of divinity. It strikes me that when Jesus’ disciples responded negatively to predictions of suffering and death, the part they really did not hear was the glory of Resurrection.
This week we start Lent. The human Jesus has taught and shown us much. And in his Transfiguration he has given us a glimpse of his divinity. He asks us to join him in his journey to Jerusalem, in his journey to suffering and death and to glorious Resurrection.
We tend to think of Lent as a time when we give up something. Jesus is asking us to give up our life jackets and the safety of being able to touch bottom. He is asking us to plunge with Him into the waters of faith, hope, trust, and love. He is asking us to understand that God did not create this world the way we want. He is asking us to entrust our lives of sufferings, and deaths, and resurrections to Him.
I pray that as our Lenten prayer progresses, we are more and more able to travel our path with the human Jesus who chose to be one of us, and with the divine Jesus who promises us a share in his magnificence and glory.
As many of you know, I am terminally ill. Jesus is asking me to walk with Him through suffering and death, and join Him in the joy and glory and magnificence of His Resurrection. I want to testify to you that along my path there is also great joy here and now. The Risen Jesus walks with me. In addition, many of Jesus’ beloved walk with me, my beautiful wife, my family, friends, neighbors, and all of you.
This is the story of your Lent. This is the story of your lives, from birth through both joy and suffering to death and Resurrection.
Amen.
Eric subsequently cried out to God. God in turn sent a number of people to minister to Eric. Due to circumstance, most of them were Episcopal. Eric and Ruth moved back to the west coast a couple of years ago, settling in the Portland area. It had been there plan to eventually settle there in any case. And apparently, there is very fine ALS clinic in that town.
They attended (Ruth still attends) St. Luke's Episcopal church there. In not too long a time, the staff there asked him to join them as an ordained priest. He was ordained in early summer last year.
The disease finally took Eric's body this last February after a three year struggle with a virtually certain outcome. I previously posted here his final short homily, published in the St. Luke's bulletin the day before he passed. Below you'll find the first message that I am aware that he composed during this season. The date on my email is Feb 15 2010, so it was originally composed and delivered around that time.
I don't usually like to lead people too much (unless they happen to be immediate family members and can't escape) but in this case I'd like to point out some things. The subject here is the Transfiguration. I think this was a kind of completing that prepared the way for the next very harsh part of Christ's journey. Eric places the anniversary of his uncle's death in the context of the contribution his uncle made to Eric's life. He delivers this message on the advent of Lent. Lent is the season of sacrifice and selflessness.
There's so much more here that I will leave to you. Suffice it to say, there's a lot. Eric's life is the most profound example of redemption unto completion I've directly witnessed. It was all accomplished by Christ at Eric's invitation in the face of certain, painful death. It will forever be witness to me of the completing, fulfilling, eternal and loving work of the spirit of the living God.
Transfiguration Sermon
Opening Prayer
May you hear the Spirit in your heart as you listen to human words.
Sermon
Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of my Uncle Clyde. He was Fr. Clyde Werts, a Jesuit priest, and professor of engineering at Loyola University in Los Angeles. He was a frequent visitor when I was growing up. He loved to play with us kids. In summers, we would spend two weeks in Newport Beach and swim in Balboa Bay. He visited us there. As a little guy, I played in the bay where I could touch bottom or I wore a life jacket. It was fun to have Uncle Clyde playing in the water with us.
Then one day Uncle Clyde took on a new role. When I was about 6 or 7, he and I were in the bay, and he told me that he was going to teach me how to swim. I had no life jacket on and Uncle Clyde pulled me holding my hands out over my head. He held my hands while he had me kick. After a time of that he let go of my hands and took what was probably a very small step back from me. I thrashed with my arms and legs and screamed bloody murder. He probably did not leave me in that state for more than two or three seconds, and grabbed my hands again. We repeated this comedy many times. Finally, the thrashing became more efficient and the screams once heard round the world subsided. He then started taking two and three and four steps away from me, and I could swim to him. There came the time when he was not physically present, but he was present to me in the gift of swimming. I no longer needed a life jacket or to be able to touch bottom.
The Transfiguration is an event in which Jesus tells his disciples, and through Luke tells us, that it is time to discard our life jackets and venture beyond where we can touch bottom. It is time to learn to swim.
Up to now in Luke’s Gospel and in our Epiphany readings, Jesus has been gradually revealing who he is. He receives a heavenly endorsement as he humbly receives John’s baptism. He teaches, forgives sins, heals, conquers and saves others from evil. He calls disciples to follow him. He confronts false and hypocritical practice of God’s law. He is truly wonderful to be with. He is comfortable and reassuring. And He seems to be meeting his disciples’ expectations of the Messiah. But his disciples, and often we, don’t really get it.
So one day Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain. Through Luke, Jesus takes us also. Jesus starts praying and his face changes and his clothes become dazzling white. These symbols would mean a lot to the disciples and to Luke’s original readers. When Moses confronted God Moses’ face shone. Jesus, the more than wonderful human, is now powerfully revealing his divinity. This is necessary because of what is to follow.
I want to drive home to you the power of this revelation of divinity with 21st century symbols. A blog I read presented two videos. One starts on earth and moves away from the earth. When the sun comes into view the earth is a speck, and then no longer visible. Then the sun is a star among many stars. Then the sun disappears as the Milky Way, our galaxy, is shown. Then the Milky Way appears as just one small galaxy amid many galaxies. Finally, a scene from 100 million light years out shows a web of light that presents many clusters of galaxies. Our universe is stunningly vast, and how much more vast is its Creator.
The second video starts at the view from 100 million light years away and reverses the journey, back through the galaxies, past the stars in our galaxy, past the sun, and back to earth. Once on earth, a swampland appears, and soon we see one plant, and then one leaf. Then our view penetrates the leaf until we can see its subatomic particles. God is the craftsperson of our vast universe and the craftsperson of the subatomic particles that make it up.
This is the divinity that Jesus reveals, the magnificent God far beyond our comprehension, and at the same time the divine being who has chosen to be one of us.
Jesus is with Moses who represents the Old Testament Law and Elijah who represents the prophets. Moses and Elijah represent the world that the disciples know and are comfortable with. Then a cloud covers this scene, and a voice speaks. “This is my son, my chosen. Listen to him.” Listen to him. He is the divine word of God. Listen to him.
Note that Moses and Elijah are now gone from the scene. There is only Jesus. Listen to him.
Why is this point so important now? Before Jesus went up the mountain, he said he was going to suffer, die, and rise. He called on his followers to take up their crosses. When he was with Moses and Elijah, they discussed what he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. After he came down from the mountain, he said he was going to be betrayed into human hands, and he wanted the disciples to let the words sink into their ears. And Luke tells us that they did not understand and that they did not want to ask him. How often do we not listen, not understand, and not want to ask?
After the Transfiguration Jesus starts his journey to Jerusalem where he will suffer, die, and rise. Because it was hard for the disciples, and it is hard for us, to make sense of this, at this point we need to know the glory, the magnificence, the overwhelming mystery of divinity. It strikes me that when Jesus’ disciples responded negatively to predictions of suffering and death, the part they really did not hear was the glory of Resurrection.
This week we start Lent. The human Jesus has taught and shown us much. And in his Transfiguration he has given us a glimpse of his divinity. He asks us to join him in his journey to Jerusalem, in his journey to suffering and death and to glorious Resurrection.
We tend to think of Lent as a time when we give up something. Jesus is asking us to give up our life jackets and the safety of being able to touch bottom. He is asking us to plunge with Him into the waters of faith, hope, trust, and love. He is asking us to understand that God did not create this world the way we want. He is asking us to entrust our lives of sufferings, and deaths, and resurrections to Him.
I pray that as our Lenten prayer progresses, we are more and more able to travel our path with the human Jesus who chose to be one of us, and with the divine Jesus who promises us a share in his magnificence and glory.
As many of you know, I am terminally ill. Jesus is asking me to walk with Him through suffering and death, and join Him in the joy and glory and magnificence of His Resurrection. I want to testify to you that along my path there is also great joy here and now. The Risen Jesus walks with me. In addition, many of Jesus’ beloved walk with me, my beautiful wife, my family, friends, neighbors, and all of you.
This is the story of your Lent. This is the story of your lives, from birth through both joy and suffering to death and Resurrection.
Amen.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Perfect Love
The latter John Wayne movies all had a similar thematic structure. John was usually the lone knight on some sort of solitary quest. (i.e. get the bad guy, find the kidnap victim, etc.) An ensemble cast personified people either overcoming personal problems or coming of age, its own special personal problem. And oh yeah, there was always a love interest, because that's the way Hollywood roles. This theme and its fairly generic subplots along with occasional twists, was played out in other movies of the era as well. Somehow, John Wayne movies always managed to be somewhat entertaining, while at the same time being among some of the most predictable. ("The Shootist" is a notable exception to this construct. It is more in the vein of tragedy that Hemingway popularized at the beginning of the 20th century.)
This genre gradually gave way and eventually disappeared all together. These days, there's usually no back drop of a heroic quest of any sort. As a society, not necessarily as individuals, we seem to have abandoned heroic quests. These days, movies tend toward either a tragic or comedic version of Midsummer Night's Dream. Essentially, feelings are initially hidden behind masks either of our construct or assigned to us by family or culture. Gradually as the masks come down, mass confusion erupts and eventually the boy and girl either get each other (the comedic ending), or they don't (the tragic one).
I guess quests do still exist in movies but usually these seem to be more forced upon the individual then they were in the past. To my mind, these stories are not so much about heroism as they are about survival.
And survival is really only ever survival; it is never heroism. This is the case even though extreme maybe even desperate measures may be needed to preserve survival. Survival is self based. Heroism is self-less, either for others or even purely for principle alone. My assertion of the day is that there is no such thing as heroic survival. Survival's current elevated societal status is narcissistic and unwarranted.
I don't think it stretches the point too much to say that all these constructs regardless of form and time period are in the end, attempts to manage and direct our fears, doubts and even angst about our existence. We attempt to do this by assigning values and in turn meaning to activities and people.
The interesting thing is, these entertainments are all really just band aids. They always were, even if they were written by Shakespeare or Hemingway or acted by John Wayne or Will Smith. We used to hold a greater grasp of this as evidenced by a tacit nod by all in society to the personal need and even causal necessity of an appeal to higher authority for values an morals.
In the course of this change, we've lost the prescription and even the drug store. From where we now find ourselves, Google maps, GPS and even self esteem won't help us navigate selflessness.
The prescription is love. Perfect love is love that God has for anything and everything he loves. Human love in its' best form in this life is an ongoing co-conspiracy between God and the individual human to perfect love of the "other" in the individual human. The love object is God and others in that order.
That probably all sounds pretty dry and abstract. If you've never read this or haven't read it in awhile or just want to, read this now: 1 Corinthians 13
When that sort of love starts to be the ascendant part of the soul, the person in question starts to care less and less about the options and solutions that are self centric. There's no longer a place for fear and/or fear management. And to be clear, here's another passage that addresses the issue directly: 1 John 4:18
In his famous WWII speech another 20th century icon, Franklin Roosevelt built a great rhetorical construct that was as dead wrong as it was powerful in the moment. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." No we don't. Not now. Not ever.
This genre gradually gave way and eventually disappeared all together. These days, there's usually no back drop of a heroic quest of any sort. As a society, not necessarily as individuals, we seem to have abandoned heroic quests. These days, movies tend toward either a tragic or comedic version of Midsummer Night's Dream. Essentially, feelings are initially hidden behind masks either of our construct or assigned to us by family or culture. Gradually as the masks come down, mass confusion erupts and eventually the boy and girl either get each other (the comedic ending), or they don't (the tragic one).
I guess quests do still exist in movies but usually these seem to be more forced upon the individual then they were in the past. To my mind, these stories are not so much about heroism as they are about survival.
And survival is really only ever survival; it is never heroism. This is the case even though extreme maybe even desperate measures may be needed to preserve survival. Survival is self based. Heroism is self-less, either for others or even purely for principle alone. My assertion of the day is that there is no such thing as heroic survival. Survival's current elevated societal status is narcissistic and unwarranted.
I don't think it stretches the point too much to say that all these constructs regardless of form and time period are in the end, attempts to manage and direct our fears, doubts and even angst about our existence. We attempt to do this by assigning values and in turn meaning to activities and people.
The interesting thing is, these entertainments are all really just band aids. They always were, even if they were written by Shakespeare or Hemingway or acted by John Wayne or Will Smith. We used to hold a greater grasp of this as evidenced by a tacit nod by all in society to the personal need and even causal necessity of an appeal to higher authority for values an morals.
In the course of this change, we've lost the prescription and even the drug store. From where we now find ourselves, Google maps, GPS and even self esteem won't help us navigate selflessness.
The prescription is love. Perfect love is love that God has for anything and everything he loves. Human love in its' best form in this life is an ongoing co-conspiracy between God and the individual human to perfect love of the "other" in the individual human. The love object is God and others in that order.
That probably all sounds pretty dry and abstract. If you've never read this or haven't read it in awhile or just want to, read this now: 1 Corinthians 13
When that sort of love starts to be the ascendant part of the soul, the person in question starts to care less and less about the options and solutions that are self centric. There's no longer a place for fear and/or fear management. And to be clear, here's another passage that addresses the issue directly: 1 John 4:18
In his famous WWII speech another 20th century icon, Franklin Roosevelt built a great rhetorical construct that was as dead wrong as it was powerful in the moment. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." No we don't. Not now. Not ever.
Friday, May 6, 2011
The Spousal Test
In modern Christendom we make much of a "personal relationship" with God. There are a number of historical reasons for this. Two of my favorites are:
Paul did go on at some length though about a picture of the relationship between God and his body however. He paints this as being Christ as bridegroom and "the body" as being the bride. And actually in the passages where he does this, he's expanding on a number of earlier such comparisons.
If this image is a picture of living truth, what does it mean to us?
It means that the relationship is fluid. It means that there are times of perceived closeness and times of distance. It means that there are times when one or the other of us is feeling ignored or even hurt. It means a lot of other things too. In fact, it means as many things as one can encounter in a lifetime of marriage...and after 30+ years of marriage, I can tell you that looks to be a lot of stuff. It even means the relationship is emotional...on both sides.
I'll add that my experience of God's emotions, including impatience bordering on anger, are a good deal more measured than anything I've encountered in any person. These emotions can be quite long lived, occasionally taking many years to express in a way I understand. However, he does have them. We're wrong to imagine otherwise because scripture states this plainly and repeatedly. Spousal test: Does our spouse have emotions that we live in concert with? Yes. Okey doke - there you go.
We're also wrong to imagine that we can contain God's emotions in any way at all, but particularly through doctrine of our own invention. My "favorite": "God was that way back then because man was that way back then and that's all man could understand so that's what man wrote down." That might work if you took the prophets and the Psalms out of the bible, but those writers clearly understood that the breadth of God was comprehensible although still not fully understandable. Spousal test: When's the last time you successfully fully understood and controlled your spouse's emotions? (If you give an event and a date here, you must also give your name and spouse's email address...just sayin')
Spousal test beyond emotions: Does each spouse always do what the other asks? No. Sometimes? Yes. On the human side and in theory at least, this decision is based on: Love for the other. Love for the kids. Love for brothers and sisters and family. Love. The one difference is that in relationship with God, where there's difference of opinion, we should yield.
We don't necessarily have to though. God does let himself be talked into things that don't represent the best possible outcomes. One book of the bible was written by a guy that talked God into changing God's plan. That episode wound up as a good example of a bad thing. Spousal concept: We, both collectively and individually, are the bride of Christ, not his footstool.
There's much more. However, the bottom line is that this is relationship, personal and corporate relationship. This isn't doctrine, imagination or metaphor. This is life.
- It makes a great, pithy slogan. I'm being light here but this actually has some value. Many people have bad experiences with authority figures or even church. Since our earliest expectations of God are usually based in our relationship with our parents, it helps to understand that we can "get personal" directly with God. We don't need our images and impressions to relate to him
- It's yet another fine example of ALL doctrine originally being framed as response to heresy. This is a real important idea that I'll likely feel compelled to write about at length at some point. However, for now I'll only hearken back to the early creeds (Apostle's, Nicene, etc). Each one of these was formed in response to heresies both real and perceived that were prevalent at the time they were written. In the case of "personal relationship," this gradually achieved common acceptance with the advent of Protestantism. It was one of the responses to the mistaken idea that a human priest was a necessity as an intercessor with Christ and God.
Paul did go on at some length though about a picture of the relationship between God and his body however. He paints this as being Christ as bridegroom and "the body" as being the bride. And actually in the passages where he does this, he's expanding on a number of earlier such comparisons.
If this image is a picture of living truth, what does it mean to us?
It means that the relationship is fluid. It means that there are times of perceived closeness and times of distance. It means that there are times when one or the other of us is feeling ignored or even hurt. It means a lot of other things too. In fact, it means as many things as one can encounter in a lifetime of marriage...and after 30+ years of marriage, I can tell you that looks to be a lot of stuff. It even means the relationship is emotional...on both sides.
I'll add that my experience of God's emotions, including impatience bordering on anger, are a good deal more measured than anything I've encountered in any person. These emotions can be quite long lived, occasionally taking many years to express in a way I understand. However, he does have them. We're wrong to imagine otherwise because scripture states this plainly and repeatedly. Spousal test: Does our spouse have emotions that we live in concert with? Yes. Okey doke - there you go.
We're also wrong to imagine that we can contain God's emotions in any way at all, but particularly through doctrine of our own invention. My "favorite": "God was that way back then because man was that way back then and that's all man could understand so that's what man wrote down." That might work if you took the prophets and the Psalms out of the bible, but those writers clearly understood that the breadth of God was comprehensible although still not fully understandable. Spousal test: When's the last time you successfully fully understood and controlled your spouse's emotions? (If you give an event and a date here, you must also give your name and spouse's email address...just sayin')
Spousal test beyond emotions: Does each spouse always do what the other asks? No. Sometimes? Yes. On the human side and in theory at least, this decision is based on: Love for the other. Love for the kids. Love for brothers and sisters and family. Love. The one difference is that in relationship with God, where there's difference of opinion, we should yield.
We don't necessarily have to though. God does let himself be talked into things that don't represent the best possible outcomes. One book of the bible was written by a guy that talked God into changing God's plan. That episode wound up as a good example of a bad thing. Spousal concept: We, both collectively and individually, are the bride of Christ, not his footstool.
There's much more. However, the bottom line is that this is relationship, personal and corporate relationship. This isn't doctrine, imagination or metaphor. This is life.
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