Flaws

Flaws

We all have them. Like a mis-cut diamond, or an off-key song

There is something about us that is not right.

Things are said wrong

Actions are mis-timed

 

There is a crack in our façade—a weak point in the main

Sometimes it get punctured

Frivolously on money we spend

Vainly we see ourselves

 

We act as if we know, but certainty is the Devil

It destroys all in its wake

Stubbornly we cling to our facts,

If only everyone can just agree

 

What is may not be what we become

There is more out there

If we listen to our flaws

Mistakes can be our teacher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What if the other one wins

. . . .And now, I'll get a little political. ..

What if the other one wins?

 

It has come down to this. Just a few days left, and then after all the vitriol and the entire rancor, someone will become president. Many will not be happy with the choice. It does not matter who will win; a large group will be distressed.

What to do?

Perhaps there are two things that can help. First we need prayer—for the nation, and for ourselves. The world is a dangerous place, and the new president, whoever that be, will find themselves thrust into an unpredictable and chaotic place. Divine Providence is needed. 

Yes people change. Sometimes the reality that they have now become one of the most important people in the world sets in. This is our hope.  Case in point, in 1881 Chester Arthur became president when President Garfield was assassinated. Arthur was not admired. He had become vice president only to placate a certain wing of the Republican Party. He was an opponent of Garfield, and came from the Spoils System, where his main job was as a political hack working at the customs house. Most people felt that because he came from a corrupt system of you-scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch-yours, that he would continue in that way. But, Arthur did not. He rejected the party bosses, and passed civil service reform. He went against type. So, it is possible that whoever wins will be different than the person who was nominated; that they may actually work to improve America.

However even if this does not happen, we should still pray. We have to accept; we have to adjust our thinking. This takes effort, thus we need prayer that will help us see the good in everyone, even those who we viewed as our political opponents. We also need to commune with God, so that we can remember to stay humble kind and happy. By centering on our faith, we can continue on, no matter what happens in Washington.

Second, as the Rolling Stones sang, “you can’t always get what you want”. That is life. “But”, they continue, “If you try real hard, you may get what you need”.  They are not talking about capitulation, but rather about acceptance.  In reality there is little that we can change, so adapt is what we must do.

There is something comforting in that, for regardless of what happens, we can get out of it what we need. We seek the good as we adjust and move on. There are more important things in life than politics, such as family, jobs and faith.

We will survive, whoever wins.

 

 

 

What now?

 

What now?

A few weeks ago a large number of gays at a nightclub were killed. The nation felt sorrow and sadness. Many went to church and prayed.  Last week five police officers were assassinated in Dallas. The nation felt profound sorrow and sadness. Many went to church and prayed.

It seems as a vicious cycle . . . watch, pray, repeat.

Eventually though we stop, for something else has gotten our attention. Life intrudes. This is part of humanity. We are a temporal people, who rarely find permanence. So we race to the nearest shiny object, yet upon seeing another, move on.

Across the nation passion still ignites. People protest and move into opposing camps, with each side claiming that they have the moral imperative, implying that God is on their side.

Everyone seems to want things to change. Some urge us, as a nation to move forward with acts of civil disobedience like shutting down roads, or picketing in front of the police headquarters. Others however simply want a return to peace and stability.

This is not new. This nation has gone through such strife before and will in the future. But the issue remains, should we become activists and work on changing the world, or resign ourselves to the fact that despite what we do—or say—little changes?

I am reminded of the Old Testament passage “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”. In the end, everything we do remains inchoate. Looking at the long view of history, we see strife and resolve, peace and war, openness towards strangers and xenophobic retreat. Perhaps this is why some people become pessimistic and depressed, for they realize that human agency is very fleeting.

 So, what do we do?

We need to remember that our purpose is to live and love. God is the one doing all the work. Yes, we can strive to make the world better—and should. But like a house built on sand, it will soon be washed away, for it is not our doing.

God does not really need us. God can find someone else, or some other way.  That is what the divine does.

Yet this is not a "cop out". We have our job, for it is not what we do, but how we live—full of thankfulness, joy, and humility. Our lives are mostly mundane. We work. We eat. We sleep. But we also, befriend, help and support.

God does not need us—but God does want us. It is like a little kid who hands his father the tools while dad fixes the car. Dad could do it himself, but he wanted his child to assist and to learn.

Peace.

 

 

Unfair

 

 

I wondered why life is unfair

I knew that it was

I knew that it always had been

But, why must it be unfair against me?

Why not in my favor?

 

I asked the mountain

But the mountain would not say

I did not think that it would

 

I looked at the sky

It was dark and empty

There was nothing in the air

 

Nearby a city glows

People run to and fro

And, here I stay, alone.

 

“It’s unfair!” I stammer

I yell. But, no one hears

“Why is it unfair?”

I scream at the dark.

 

The dark tells me to wait

Soon it disappears. Light forms

A cool breeze blows

Is this unfair?

 

The birds sing while the sun shines

I have coffee

I have food

I am alive

Yes, it’s unfair. But it’s okay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God, the Concealer.

God as “The Concealer”

If religion were to advertise itself it may say that it is the conduit that allows humans to see the Divine. Religion in all its myriad forms, whether simple or complex, involves understanding God through revelation. That seems pretty straightforward; humans desire to understand the world around them, and themselves and thus seek God who imparts knowledge to them. Seeking God usually involves certain specific activities such as praying, reading sacred books, listening to sermons and so forth. God, it is said, can be reached via these methods. For many, contact with the divine involves emotion. God may evoke tears or laughter or solemnity—this feeling reminds us that the spirit of God is present.

But what if the person in need of answers finds none? What if, upon reading the Bible or other such book, nothing of importance stands out? What if religious services are attended, prayers are made, and there is no emotional validation? Critics allege that because of times such as these, that God does not exist, or is at best just a figment of our imagination.

Often it seems that instead of revealing God’s self to us, God instead seeks to conceal. Life is hard. Pain and suffering are ever-present. Many ask, “Where is God?” 

God can, and at times, is very present, such as when a person recovers from a serious illness in a miraculous way. But more often God hides. God does not rescue us from harm. God does not jump into human events to positively change the outcome. Even those who devote their lives to following God, at times, question with the idea that, maybe, God is uninterested.

I wonder if a new way of thinking about God needs to be utilized. Instead of providing answers religion, and by extension, God provides questions and uncertainty. Yet we tend to posit religion as a way to discover the truth.

I have often thought that trying to explain God to an atheist would be like trying to explain the need of a boat to someone who has lived all his life in the desert. It seems unnecessary and absurd.

Instead of presenting a faith that has answers, perhaps it would be better to highlight the uncertainty, the paradoxical and the incomprehensible. Religion is not a closed box.

Mystery perhaps should be understood as the thrust of religion—an exploration of the mysterious, not as way towards understanding, but as a way of recognition that we, as humans, are always “in the dark”. This is not a platitudinous faith.

We need to always search. God seems to enjoy playing hide and seek. God is found, only to be “lost” again. Like the waves crashing upon the shore, there is always more to God.

We need comfort and solace, but we also need space and freedom, usually at the same time. Our lives are thus paradoxical, and counter-intuitive. God works within that schema. We can recognize this, if we focus on the mysteriousness of the divine instead of looking for the absoluteness of God.

 

 

 

Closure

About closure

(philosophy)

It is that time again: The end of a school year, the end of a business cycle, or the end of the day. Everything, at some point ends.

But the world has changed. It has become more complex, and with that complexity our concept of time has changed. Rarely does one event end before another begins. Rarely then, is closure experienced.

Some people seem to embrace this openendness, they thrive in the post-modern universe where nothing really ends or begins, but merely changes forms and conditions. This, they state is the new dynamic. Absolute certainty is impossible, and further, not even desired. In this paradigm religion is viewed as an anachronism—a homage to an earlier, simpler time. Science, with its inherent contradictions becomes the new source of knowledge.

Yet things still end. The school year comes to a close. For those who have reached the high end of school, a graduation ceremony announces to all that they have succeeded--that they can close that phase of their life. Likewise, those participating in sports recognize that there is a definite season for them to compete. If they are successful, they will be the last one standing at the end of that season—they would then have found closure, at least until the sport begins again.

However these events are not  really the end. Even if one has earned a doctorate, they can continue on with additional studies. Similarly, even if one wins the Super Bowl or the Stanley Cup, and becomes regarded as the champion, there is always the following sport season looming ahead. The cycle continues. Life time learners and life time athletes resist closure. But for others, those on a more ordinary path, things do tend to have an ending. They find, at least temporarily closure.

Yet there is one final closure that awaits everyone—death. With it there is no “next season”. Like a graduation ceremony, a funeral gives notice that one has succeeded in finding closure. Both observances announce to all that a life stage has ended.

Thus, despite the relativistic conclusion that nothing is final, all things come to an end. Science, with its open-ended approach has met that thing from which nothing goes beyond. Death, like a brick wall sealing off an escape tunnel, tells us that we can go no farther—at least in this mode.

There is a geography concerning closure, as it exists within a specific time and place. Graduation ceremonies occur at a predetermined times. The Super Bowl is played at the beginning of February, and the Stanley Cup makes it appearance in early June.

 It is basically the same with death. It occurs at a specific time and place—although usually the precise moment remains unknowable. That becomes problematic. Because death appears at random, and is so final, it brings out an anxiety that other events simply can’t.

Death brings about closure. There is no escaping it.

Usually a ceremony accompanies closure. The graduate wants to celebrate, reflect and fellowship with family and friends. Inversely, friends and family  of the deceased desire a ceremony  so that they can celebrate, reflect and support each other through fellowship. These ceremonies provide meaning. So,  on the same day that students march across a stage dressed in academic regalia to receive a diploma, pallbearers dressed in formal attire, march a deceased person into a chapel to receive a final blessing.

Closure puts things into context, it brings forth meaning. The response to closure does not appear to be based within science, but rather within religion.  With these ultimate experiences of life, meaning is sought. Here is the place at which religion can interconnect with those who are seeking. For it is through religious belief that the brick wall of death is overcome. Faith in God then becomes the antidote for the anxiety caused by both  open-endedness and closure.

 

 

 

Sotto Voce

In music the Italian term “Sotto Voce”, is used to denote a softening of sound for effect. For example after a loud section is played, the conductor may tell the musicians to lower the volume or slow the rhythm. When this happens people notice, for the contrast is obvious and dramatic.

Though this term is used almost exclusively within music and the arts, I believe that it can be useful in describing the way that Christians should approach the world. Over 100 years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt famously opined, “speak softly and carry a big stick”.  He was arguing for a “sotto voce” international diplomacy.

The world today is very loud and chaotic. Everywhere people yell, belittle and mock. Those with strong opinions are placed on television “news” shows where they argue their positions. Too often a shouting match ensues. Though people are free to disagree, the arguments are cast in such a light that the disagreeing person is deemed untruthful. Echo chambers are the result, as all those who agree on a certain policy or idea or placed on one side of the debate, and those on the other side are shut out of the conversation.

At the same time Christianity seems to be attacked with greater ferocity than it has in a long time. Across the world, Christians are witnessing the rise of a violent type of Islam leading to an increased intolerance and hostility.  Atheists, no longer content to remain in the background, have become more assertive of their rights. Even those who profess a belief in God often have become critical of the perceived injustices committed by Christians, who are now often seen as judgmental and intolerant. 

For the ground has now shifted. The default position in America—and really for most of the world—was that God existed and was interactive. This was understood, by us as referring to the Christian God. Billy Graham exemplified this ethos: Protestant, evangelical, scholarly in its use of reasoned arguments while not overly intellectual, but instead having a mass appeal that promoted personal responsibility and civic engagement.

That is no longer the case. Increasingly today traditional religion is viewed either suspiciously or anachronistically. From its long-established positions on marriage and family to its theocentric understanding of cosmology – which lies with conflict with the prevailing “climate change” debate— established religion in America seems to be imperiled.

With the constant bombardment of social media everyone has a voice. The helpful and uplifting is being heard alongside the hurtful and degrading. In such a reality, the loudest, strangest, and most assertive voices get noticed.

Yet there is another way—sotto voce!

As someone who easily feels overwhelmed, I know the benefit that quiet can bring. It can bring calmness and alleviate anxiety and tensions. It can help in procuring peace.

Sotto voce is more than just a way of talking. It is a way of living counter-intuitively: calm, intentional and full of humility. A sotto voce person seeks harmony, for they relish the simple and beautiful, in much the same way that young children view the world with awe and joyfulness.

A Sotto voce outlook seeks permanence, and so it is more attracted to the sounds of birds and puppies, as these will always remain, than to those of cars and machinery, for in time they will pass away.

Sotto voce is not passive. It does engage the world. Yet it does so, in its own way. Somehow though  its message is heard

Worry

Worry

I’ve heard it said it’s wrong to worry

That it shows a lack of faith

A lack of hope

For it allows anxieties to mount

And fears to grow

 

“Let not your heart be troubled”,

For

“His eye is on the sparrow”

I hear them say

With helpful hearts

 

But with hand-wringing, heart-pumping,

 Quickened-breathing I worry

About this

And, about that

 

I worry that I worry

I worry that I should worry

I worry that maybe I worry too much

Oh, the cursed feeling, why must I fret?

 

“Have Peace!” Faith tells me

I listen, hoping . . .

That next, I will given a key

To solve my worry

 

Yet, no key arrives.

Only a soft Voice

From deep within

Calming yet bold

 

I worry that I may not have heard the Voice right

Was there more?

I worry that I will be told to give up on “worry”

I worry what I will do then!

 

The future needs not to be known

As it will be told in time

I need to relax and believe

That all will be fine

 

But, is ignorance truly bliss? Is it better not to know. . .

And go through life

Without plan, without purpose

Then, will there be nothing for us to worry?

 

Worry it seems, is a part of us

For we worry that others will be safe

When they leave us

Or when illness strikes

 

We worry because we do not know

We worry because we are afraid

We worry because we care

We worry because we are human

 

Doubt is worry’s cousin

They both rule this world

“We look through a glass dimly”

And seek the One beyond our Seeking

 

God made us,

And God . . .

Made worry to be within us

Why? I do not know. . .

 

But, that is not mine to worry about

Or is it?