Category Archives: bible

Quotations of scripture and commentary

Knee-deep in relativism

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I am knee-deep in relativism, a term that was roundly denounced from the pulpit in my youth, and a term that is still roundly denounced from conservative-Christian pulpits.  And I still fill a tinge of guilt for having departed so far from the fold.  But only a tinge!

I also feel very strongly that relativism, like any notion, carried to its extreme becomes absurd.   Aristotle is credited with saying, “Moderation in all things.”  I am really an extreme relativist but somehow, by the Grace of God, I realize this perspective is not for all and that it can be problematic for anyone, including myself.  I believe that the beliefs that we hold say less about what is “real” and more about how our mind operates.

Let me give an example of this aforementioned Grace at work in my heart and life.  When I pray I step away from the ether in which I dwell intellectually/spiritually and simply pray along the vein of, “My father, which art in heaven….”  In prayer there is no need to be complex and to engage in sophistry.  I simply pray to God.

Let me apply this to moral codes, say the Ten Commandments.  Though I think moral codes a relative, I don’t believe we should ever espouse to dispense with them.  Without moral codes…and the much-related guilt…we can’t function as a social body.  I do think there needs to come a time in one’s spiritual/emotional life where he/she goes beyond the “letter of the law” and recognizes as did Paul, that “all things are lawful.”  But that does not mean one should let his/her impulses run amok.

Let’s take one fundamental human impulse and fundamental component of any moral code, summarized in the Ten Commandments as, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”  I really think that at some point in adulthood one needs to exercise good judgment, or as we say, “make good decisions” in sexuality and do so not merely be clinging tenaciously to a biblical prohibition.  If, at that time, this biblical prohibition is the only thing keeping our sexuality under control, then there is a personal issue that needs to be addressed.

And I think moral codes have value for the modern world, even in a liberal society such as ours where sexual mores are in flux.  For example, I think the simple prohibition, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” should give anyone, even in our culture, pause from time to time and make him/her wonder, “Now why did they come up with this notion back then?  Why was it important then to put limits on the sexual impulse?  Does this have any relevance to me and the modern world?”  (And I realize there are some valid anthropological/sociological answers to this question.)  And many will answer their query with, “Well, no it has nothing to do with me in this modern world.”  But I still think it was, and is valid, to ask the question.  It reflects self-awareness and I fear our culture often lacks this quality.

There must be limits.  There must be “moderation in all things.”

 

Richard Rohr on ideologogy

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Following up on yesterday’s post, and on a recent post on ideology, I offer you the daily-posting of Richard Rohr:

We are all powerless, not only those physically addicted to a substance. Alcoholics simply have their powerlessness visible for all to see. The rest of us disguise it in different ways and overcompensate for our more hidden and subtle addictions and attachments, especially our addiction to our way of thinking.

We all take our own pattern of thinking as normative, logical, and surely true, even when it does not fully compute. We keep doing the same thing over and over again, even if it is not working for us. That is the self-destructive nature of all addiction, and of the mind in particular. We think we are our thinking, and we even take that thinking as utterly “true,” which removes us at least two steps from reality itself.

Addiction to our mind is subtle but its reach is incredible.  We then find ourselves failing to adhere to the wisdom of Buddha, who said, “The finger pointing to the moon is not the moon.”  The “word” is not the “thing.”  Words are but pointers.  We don’t own “the Truth”.  But, this does not leaving me doubting the presence of Truth in this void, doubting only grasp of it.  Or, as said yesterday and so frequently, “We see though a glass darkly” or “we hold this treasure in earthen vessels.”

Prayer and God and such

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It was about a year ago that the Bolivian miners were rescued from the bowels of the earth.  I was so deeply touched by their ordeal and the heroic efforts to rescue them and when they were successfully brought to the surface of the earth again, I was even further moved.  I remember praying for them daily and when they were rescued I thanked the good Lord for his mercy.

This experience helped me to further understand the mystery of prayer.  Even as I prayed, I knew that there was no God “up there” with really big ears, considering the prayer volume from around the world, and pondering over what he would do.  And I certainly knew that my simple little prayer, coming from someone so completely obscure, was not going to persuade God to intervene.  And when they were rescued, I’m afraid the cynical thought crossed my mind, “Hmm.  Now what’s going to happen when the next mine disaster occurs?  Will God be so merciful?  And if not, why?”  Sure enough, within the next month or so two more mining disasters took place and everyone of the miners died.

So, why pray?  Is it just a foolish gesture like so many of our intellectual hoity-toity contend?  Perhaps so.  I just don’t know.  But, even with all of these doubts and suspicions of my own cowardice, I pray daily.  One could say that I even “pray without ceasing.”  I do this, first of all, because it centers me and calms me.  And that is one important dimension of prayer.  But I also pray because spiritual teachers from eons past…and present…speak of the importance of prayer.  Does it make a difference?  I have no definitive answer but these aforementioned spiritual teachers suggest that it does.  If nothing else, it releases good karma and hope into this void that has us all.

And a central issue in all of this speculation is, “Is there a God?”  I believe there is but He is far beyond our intellectual grasp and can be known only with a faith that is willing to look beyond our rational mind.  He is so transcendent that we cannot own him like the fundamentalist believe.   BUT, he also is immanent as in “the kingdom is within” and he is with us each moment and there is a critical sense in which He is us.  Or, as Paul put it, “nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”

Richard Rohr and Faith

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I have made several references to the books of Richard Rohr.  Richard is a Franciscan monk who emphasizes meditative prayer and a contemplative faith.  Though he is passionate in affirmation of his Catholic faith, he does not dismiss the grievous errors of the Catholic church and its tendency to be dogmatic and power-mongering.  Of course, this can be said of any faith, of any ideology that has ever come along.

Two of his books in particular have really spoken to me.  The Naked Now emphasizes a non-dualistic approach to the Christian tradition and to any other tradition that we might subscribe to.  We are all trapped in the time/space continuum and we have a difficult time ever transcending that dimension, that abyss of a dualistic view of the world.

He also has a book of meditations out, which is just a compendium of wisdom from his various books, speeches, sermons, and audio recordings—Radical Grace:  Daily Meditations by Richard Rohr.

Rohr emphasizes the need of escaping dogmatism.  If our faith is going to be real, and therefore efficacious in our life and in our world, it has to be more than the mere regurgitation of dogma that we have been inculculated with.

Check out the following link to learn more about his daily affirmations that are available by email.

http://www.cacradicalgrace.org/richard-rohr/dailymeditations

And I close with the wisdom of Leonard Cohen:  O bless this continual stutter of the Word being made flesh.

 

The peril of attachment

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There is a well-known story of Jesus encountering a rich man who wanted to enter the kingdom of heaven. And Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give them to the poor. (See Mark ch. 10). Now I don’t think Jesus was telling us that we need to sell all of our “stuff” and give to the poor. He merely recognized the attachment of that man to his riches and knew that it was an impediment to his spiritual welfare. I have known of people who have taken a vow of poverty and given everything away. I’m not inclined myself! I like my stuff. However, I am more conscientious about non-attachment to my “stuff” and have made an effort to be more generous in my day to day life.

I heard someone point out one time that anyone who is miserly with his money (and stuff) is also going to be miserly with his heart.

Desmond Tutu on “the light”

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Richard Rohr’s latest book, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, presents an eloquent argument for the need to use the second half of life to pursue spiritual maturity, to forego the certainties of earlier decades when ego-identity needs were paramount.  Early in the book he reminded readers of the need to remember the admonishment of St. Paul to always remember that we “see through a glass darkly.”  He then quoted Desmond Tutu who quipped re this Pauline wisdom, “Remember, we are only the light bulb and it is our job to merely keep screwed in.”  The light bulb is merely the bearer of the light.  Without its source, there would be darkness.  It is so easy to become intoxicated with our “light” and forget to honor and affirm our Source.  When that happens, regardless of how profound and “wise” we may perceive ourselves to be, we are then purveyors of darkness.

 

The Apostle Paul and Anxiety

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The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians telling them that he had been with them “in weakness, and fear, and much trembling.”  I think Paul was referring to what clinicians would describe as “mood vacillation”.  But, to put it in terms of plain English, Paul was saying that he had mood swings, that he battled anxiety and depression.  And I suggest that this stemmed from genuine faith and genuine faith includes a lot of self doubt, awareness of personal demons, and personal insecurities.

A key element in the development of my faith has been giving up certainty and the compulsive need to be “right.”  And when one does this, he/she often deals with “weakness, fear, and much trembling” in his/her day to day life.  This is merely part of being alive and being open to the full gamut of human experience, the full gamut of spiritual experience.  Toni Morrison described it as being “petal open.”

In closing, I would like to recommend reading Richard Rohr re the Apostle Paul.  (You will have to google these terms.  I’m’ still learning how to provide links!)

 

Emptiness beckons

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We put thirty spokes together and call it a wheel;

But it is on the space where there is nothing that the usefulness of the wheel depends.

We turn clay to make a vessel;

But it is on the space where there is nothing that the usefulness of the vessel depends.

We pierce doors and windows to make a house;

And it is on these spaces where there is nothing that the usefulness of the house depends.

Therefore just as we take advantage of what is, we should recognize the usefulness of what is not.

I’ve always loved this aphorism of Lao Tzu.  It pre-dates the wisdom of Jesus who taught that only when we are empty are we filled.  Specifically, I make reference to the doctrine of kenosis, or “self-emptying” taught in Phillipians 2:7 by the Apostle Paul.  It is so difficult to take pause in our day to day life, practice a “mindful” moment, and catch a glimpse of our ego-fullness.

And once again, I quote Rilke who noted re the “hero”—- “Daily he takes himself off and steps into the changing constellation of his own everlasting risk.”

Prayer and Presence

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Prayer continues to be an essential part of my life.  And for me it is “meditative prayer” which continues to be a challenge because of that “monkey mind” which squeaks endlessly and jumps around….hmmm….well, like a monkey!  The goal is focus in which our hearts and minds are wholly open to God and not given to distractions.  Shakespeare best described this prayerful dilemma when Claudius (in Hamlet), kneeling to pray, lamented, “My words fly up.  My thoughts remain below.  Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”

I also try to choose my words wisely in prayer.  I try to avoid, for example, saying, “Come Lord Jesus.”  For, he has already come and is present in all of our hearts.  To say, “Come Lord Jesus” is to speak of Him as if he is out there, not reflecting an awareness of his inner presence.  He is always here.  In fact, he is intrinsic to our very being.  In fact, without Him we would not even have “be-ing”.  This is relevant to the famous words of Paul, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,  (my emphasis) but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  Paul was recognizing that his “not I” was now prevalent in his life–Christ.

When I pray for healing, I don’t pray, “Lord, please visit “x” with your healing power.”  I pray, “Lord, may “x” become aware today of your healing presence.”  For God’s presence, including his “healing presence”, is always with us.  All we have to do is get out of the way, let the ego’s grip on our life dissipate a bit, and the Spirit of the Lord is waiting.

“Getting saved” in terms of culture

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I was born and raised in a religious world where “getting saved” was a mandate.  And, I might add that I still see it as a valid cultural initiation to spirituality but I fear it is often misused.  Too many times the concept is introduced and promulgated in a culture of manipulation and fear…terror even…and young children are “saved” before they have any idea of what they are doing.  And when they are introduced to religion in that atmosphere and if they continue to live there, they often to do not allow their spirituality to deepen and mature.

We must not fail to recognize the socio-cultural dimension of spirituality/religion.  That is one fundamental dimension that is often overlooked.  When spirituality/religion is not allowed to mature, when it continues to be only a socio-cultural phenomena, the deeper meaning is not allowed to develop.