It is only the prospect of our own death which purifies and properly orders our priorities for living. Knowing that we must make an accounting for the time we have been given reminds us that we have too little time to be wasting it on frivolous or decadent, much less on sinful, concerns. No one knows how long, or short, our allotted span may be, but we should take counsel on how to relate with God.
It used to be common during the middle ages for churches, and some wealthy homes, to have a mural of skeletons with a motto: "As you are now, so once were we, and as we are now, so shall you also be." It was a not so subtle reminder that the hour of death comes, sooner or later, for each of us, and we should live so as to assure our souls a place in Heaven, according to the will of God.
How shall we fare, and keep our lives in proper order, when we may someday have the promise of a thousand years? It is so hard already to build and maintain self-discipline when we think we may have only a thousand, or fewer, months. Even when we have friends, whose lives were cut drastically short, it is terribly hard to make ourselves think that we may not have many tomorrows, or even any. Only when it seems that the time may be imminent can we force ourselves to really focus on setting our lives in proper, spiritual order.
When we are young, we instinctively feel that our lives stretch so far into the future that we cannot touch the ending. We cannot believe that what we are doing today may be so consuming, or fulfilling, that we may still be doing it when we get old. Only if we feel that we have found our calling, to serve the Lord by doing what we love, can we see ourselves in that work for a lifetime.
It is a pity to realize that our paycheck is dependent on a job which has no spiritual significance. If that is our case, we must seek to begin some new endeavor which may fill that void, so that our lives are not merely dissipation. We can choose to spend our efforts chasing after money, or we can find a way to serve the Lord and use our talents to best effect. If we are very lucky, our job is morally acceptable and sufficient to support us in another more philanthropic endeavor, so that we can shift our focus. But our Lord told us that we cannot serve both God and Money. Our income must be used in his service, if it is not to become an issue. Or we must learn to be satisfied with being "poor" by the world's standards. There is no stigma in this. Christ Himself was poor.
But it was not always like this. The idea of an afterlife which would begin with the judgment of our earthly lives, and thereby determine our eternal happiness or misery, developed slowly. Perhaps it came as an inerrant revelation from God, but we did not get it all at once. Rather we have a very different tradition, on which we used to put a great deal more focus. In ancient times, a good education included the study of good advice for living a wholesome life. These practical admonitions were collected in the Wisdom texts popular in many nations' upper class circles.
King Solomon was renowned for his great wisdom, and his best works were collected in the Bible. These may seem like worldly instructions, but they are humble, and ever conscious of living a godly life. They are presented like a father's advice to beloved children, offering his best wisdom to help them to become wise and content in their own lives. These ideas really do work, and they are not just old-fashioned sayings. They were approved for the edification of all future generations, and they have stood the test of time. Indeed, since they have lasted for 3,000 years, we can feel pretty confident about what they teach.
But even Solomon in all his glory, became world weary eventually. He realized that what the world may value is not the real standard by which we must judge what is important. There is a pattern of the world, and not much changes year after year. So many people chase after meaningless novelties, or personal wealth, or spend their lives going around and around never asking "why." Even Solomon had lost his focus, when he allowed his wives to bring in their foreign idols.
Despite what the world may say, there is only one thing of ultimate importance: our relationship with God. Only God knows what we were put here to accomplish, and we begin to see small parts of his plans as we follow his prompting. Our basic nature is far from what He wants us to become, but He knows how to transform us. We can find some happiness serving others and gaining their approval, and many of us stop there, but that would leave the world the same as always. God wants to raise us up to the higher standards of Heaven. But we don't know what those are. We have to listen to Him, and stay close to Him, so we can know what He wants of us. God does not share his whole plan with anyone. We have to be patient, and stay focused on what we do know, and always trust in his care for us.
And that is our job for a lifetime. God alone knows what is best for us, and what will make us happy for eternity. It is our task to stay aware of his perspective on our lives. We may have already made a total mess of it so far, but He knows how to make the best of it from here. If you know that what you are doing is not pleasing to God, then stop doing that. You can apologize, and ask Him to forgive you. He will. And He will help you to find something better to do, which will put you in a right relationship with Him, and give you a part in his plan. And if you have to clean up your act one step at a time, He can help you to do that too. His mercy will give you strength.
It takes a lot of prayer, either way. But that, really, is the most important part: just being willing to pray, and listen for Him to answer. He may answer through the Bible at first, or through his church pastors, or you may hear directly from "the still, small voice within" that you just know speaks from the single best hope within you. But you have to listen, and sometimes you have to talk to someone you can trust, just to make sure that you are hearing right. But God will answer, if you ask. "Seek and you shall find; ask and you shall receive; knock and the door shall be opened to you."
And when you have found your own right relationship to God, you won't have to fear the last days of your life. The words of the skeletons on the wall won't trouble you, because you will know that you have not wasted your life. The whole point of this life is to find that right relationship, and to walk with God by the path that He shows us, one day at at time, or as far ahead as He chooses to reveal it to our limited point of view. God wants you to be happy (He calls it "blessed"), and He wants you to have a meaningful part in his plan. Now really, what more could you want?
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Friday, March 20, 2020
Project Consensus: A Vision for Unity
Today, when I take a long, broad look at the world, from the highest perspective I can manage, I see a world in trouble. We are not living out of our deepest Truth, knowing that we are all related, brothers and sisters of one interconnected family. We seem unwilling to allow each other the Freedom to live our own lives, asking only that we may also be allowed the same. And if we can find it in our hearts to really try to Love one another, we will also see that everyone must be allowed the basic resources needed for health and well being. Then, God willing, we may find the Wisdom to save the ecology of our planet, and to build long term health and sustainability into our economies. But these hopeful ideals won't just emerge by themselves. We first need something that we can all agree on, to bring us together in peace.
Humanity needs a shared vision, and a common purpose, for today, we have too much distrust of one another. We seem to think that each nation cares only for it's own self-aggrandizement, and its own power to impose its dominance and agenda on the whole world, and will stop at nothing to achieve that purpose. Of course, for our own sanity, we must hope and assume that reason will prevail, and prevent us from throwing ourselves into the dark chasm of war and mutual annihilation. For what aim should we be so irretrievably stupid?
But there still lies ahead of us the potential for greatness. We can hope that what is wonderful about Humanity may yet shine through the clouds of cynicism and inspire us to each lift up another, until we can stand together upon the mountaintops and share the beautiful vista revealing at once where we have been, and where we can choose to go next. There can be amazing opportunities spread out before our feet, golden choices to live following our most cherished dreams.
But first, we have to recognize that we all share the same heart, and its beating pulse is a cadence chanting the same prayers over and over. Unfortunately, our prayers seem to be out of step, because we are so intent on hearing our own voices that we try to drown out the songs of others. We need to take a deep breath and just listen.
And what do we hear? We hear a yearning for safety and security, because the world today is a dangerous place. The armies of neighboring nations crowd around our borders, as if waiting for the signal to attack. But why? They claim to have their own paranoid worries about us. Let's just be honest with ourselves. If we can both carefully lower our weapons, and leave a token guard in place, promising that what is yours is yours so long as what is mine will still be mine, we may see that we can all go home. We should have learned by now to "trust, but verify." Agreeing to allow everyone their safety and security is the first step toward peace. It is probably too soon to have a world without weapons, but there is no need for offensive readiness or threats of devastating retaliation.
But that is not the only prayer that we hear. We hear the nearly silent pleas of poor desperate people begging for some relief from suffering. Refugees wander in search of a place to settle down and try to put their lives back together. They need our compassion, and guiding support until they can find their own niches in a new society. But we can't just open our borders to anyone who wants to come. If we are inundated by floods of strangers, we will soon find that we are living in a strange land, where we don't speak the language.
If we are going to remain true to ourselves and our families, past and future, we have to maintain the core identity of our own communities. While it may be true that we are stronger with some diversity, we have to resist giving too much. We must insist that those who come must be willing to assimilate and learn to be like us, and not complain of being offended by our ways and customs. If you can't be happy to blend in with the people who are trying to help you, then move on. You left your old country behind, so don't expect to rebuild it in your new one. If your faith can't rest comfortably amidst the unbelievers, then this place is not for you. You could always change your religion too, you know. Our faith encourages us to welcome the stranger to come and worship beside us.
Indeed, it is the center of our faith that tells us that we all share the same prayers and desires for a good life. Our hopes and dreams depend upon the same ideals, even when the emphasis is different. Every culture has its own focus, and its own concerns to address, but we recognize that the foundations of civilization are the same everywhere. We can not build our human spirituality without acknowledging the need for the four ideals of Truth, Freedom, Love and Wisdom. More than any strength for security, these ideals tell us who we are, what we stand for, and what we must defend.
It is no longer an imperative to "make the world safe for democracy." That was the 20th century. Now we must make it safe for all of us to live by our ideals. The particular form of government must be a response to the wishes of the people it shelters, even if they choose to serve a dictatorship. A truly benevolent dictator would know how to lead by example, and observe what is best for everyone, while he points his people toward the future. But that is what the people of a democracy would trust that God will be doing for them. If any individual feels that the way people must live under the kind of government they have is really not suitable for him, he should have the right to emigrate, and to try to find where he might fit in.
Even if you have enthusiastically agreed with all I have said so far, you must admit that it lacks the detail or focus from which we can draw any unified vision. We need a long term project that would benefit from a spectrum of inspiration and a coordinated collaboration. Something on which we can each add our creativity, a painting to realize a larger, epic mural depicting a shared aim would be best. And it must be something to demand an effort commensurate with the grand intent to reshape our swords into plowshares, and to illuminate the glory of our human spirit. It needs to be something that will make us all proud, and allow the leaders to lead us into a brighter future, while they showcase the quality of their work.
Of course, the project we choose has to be one that a large majority of people can get behind, and one, preferably, that we have already begun. And yes, we do have one that will fill all of these requirements, and it has been chosen to help us defuse our military and political tensions. By now, you surely must have seen what I'm talking about. The Reach for Space! What began as a race, to try to prove which ideology was superior, has become an international project.
The space program is a huge project, far larger than any one nation can comfortably afford to take on alone. But it is enough of a prestige claimer that any nation who wants to be recognized as a superpower wants to prove that they can be a major player. Space can be the place where we can show off our power, our brains and our vision for tomorrow. And if we can work together, sharing our plans and designs, we can go farther and faster than anyone trying to go it alone. But what the various space programs today still lack is the long view, not decades but centuries, and the cooperative spirit to collaborate and delegate pieces of the puzzle to those most likely to be able to do them well. There is no need for the duplication of efforts to replay things we have already achieved.
We only need to make sure that the links and interfaces between hardwares built by different nations will fit together, and that spare parts will be interchangeable when necessary. And our computers need shared programming, and secure operating systems. Standardization and modularity are key aspects for cooperation, while separate short term goals fitting into a larger effort are things for collaboration. All we need now is a consensus that we share the big vision and that we should work together.
If our great and powerful nations can agree that we all want to go into space, and that leadership is more worthy of prestige than competition, then the way is open to a future that we can share in peace. And in space we can find, or even build places for people who have trouble finding a place to fit in. A frontier is a way for people to seek out new lives, try out new ways to live together, to go out in quest of fame and fortune, or just to leave their troubles behind.
We can still compete to be the best at creating works of quality, efficiency and affordability, but true leadership is about who can imagine and project the best future for everyone. Let it be a future that values our shared ideals, where we respect the whole Truth, allow each one his or her Freedom, remember to Love our neighbors as family, and consider the Wisdom of sustainability and harmony.
Humanity needs a shared vision, and a common purpose, for today, we have too much distrust of one another. We seem to think that each nation cares only for it's own self-aggrandizement, and its own power to impose its dominance and agenda on the whole world, and will stop at nothing to achieve that purpose. Of course, for our own sanity, we must hope and assume that reason will prevail, and prevent us from throwing ourselves into the dark chasm of war and mutual annihilation. For what aim should we be so irretrievably stupid?
But there still lies ahead of us the potential for greatness. We can hope that what is wonderful about Humanity may yet shine through the clouds of cynicism and inspire us to each lift up another, until we can stand together upon the mountaintops and share the beautiful vista revealing at once where we have been, and where we can choose to go next. There can be amazing opportunities spread out before our feet, golden choices to live following our most cherished dreams.
But first, we have to recognize that we all share the same heart, and its beating pulse is a cadence chanting the same prayers over and over. Unfortunately, our prayers seem to be out of step, because we are so intent on hearing our own voices that we try to drown out the songs of others. We need to take a deep breath and just listen.
And what do we hear? We hear a yearning for safety and security, because the world today is a dangerous place. The armies of neighboring nations crowd around our borders, as if waiting for the signal to attack. But why? They claim to have their own paranoid worries about us. Let's just be honest with ourselves. If we can both carefully lower our weapons, and leave a token guard in place, promising that what is yours is yours so long as what is mine will still be mine, we may see that we can all go home. We should have learned by now to "trust, but verify." Agreeing to allow everyone their safety and security is the first step toward peace. It is probably too soon to have a world without weapons, but there is no need for offensive readiness or threats of devastating retaliation.
But that is not the only prayer that we hear. We hear the nearly silent pleas of poor desperate people begging for some relief from suffering. Refugees wander in search of a place to settle down and try to put their lives back together. They need our compassion, and guiding support until they can find their own niches in a new society. But we can't just open our borders to anyone who wants to come. If we are inundated by floods of strangers, we will soon find that we are living in a strange land, where we don't speak the language.
If we are going to remain true to ourselves and our families, past and future, we have to maintain the core identity of our own communities. While it may be true that we are stronger with some diversity, we have to resist giving too much. We must insist that those who come must be willing to assimilate and learn to be like us, and not complain of being offended by our ways and customs. If you can't be happy to blend in with the people who are trying to help you, then move on. You left your old country behind, so don't expect to rebuild it in your new one. If your faith can't rest comfortably amidst the unbelievers, then this place is not for you. You could always change your religion too, you know. Our faith encourages us to welcome the stranger to come and worship beside us.
Indeed, it is the center of our faith that tells us that we all share the same prayers and desires for a good life. Our hopes and dreams depend upon the same ideals, even when the emphasis is different. Every culture has its own focus, and its own concerns to address, but we recognize that the foundations of civilization are the same everywhere. We can not build our human spirituality without acknowledging the need for the four ideals of Truth, Freedom, Love and Wisdom. More than any strength for security, these ideals tell us who we are, what we stand for, and what we must defend.
It is no longer an imperative to "make the world safe for democracy." That was the 20th century. Now we must make it safe for all of us to live by our ideals. The particular form of government must be a response to the wishes of the people it shelters, even if they choose to serve a dictatorship. A truly benevolent dictator would know how to lead by example, and observe what is best for everyone, while he points his people toward the future. But that is what the people of a democracy would trust that God will be doing for them. If any individual feels that the way people must live under the kind of government they have is really not suitable for him, he should have the right to emigrate, and to try to find where he might fit in.
Even if you have enthusiastically agreed with all I have said so far, you must admit that it lacks the detail or focus from which we can draw any unified vision. We need a long term project that would benefit from a spectrum of inspiration and a coordinated collaboration. Something on which we can each add our creativity, a painting to realize a larger, epic mural depicting a shared aim would be best. And it must be something to demand an effort commensurate with the grand intent to reshape our swords into plowshares, and to illuminate the glory of our human spirit. It needs to be something that will make us all proud, and allow the leaders to lead us into a brighter future, while they showcase the quality of their work.
Of course, the project we choose has to be one that a large majority of people can get behind, and one, preferably, that we have already begun. And yes, we do have one that will fill all of these requirements, and it has been chosen to help us defuse our military and political tensions. By now, you surely must have seen what I'm talking about. The Reach for Space! What began as a race, to try to prove which ideology was superior, has become an international project.
The space program is a huge project, far larger than any one nation can comfortably afford to take on alone. But it is enough of a prestige claimer that any nation who wants to be recognized as a superpower wants to prove that they can be a major player. Space can be the place where we can show off our power, our brains and our vision for tomorrow. And if we can work together, sharing our plans and designs, we can go farther and faster than anyone trying to go it alone. But what the various space programs today still lack is the long view, not decades but centuries, and the cooperative spirit to collaborate and delegate pieces of the puzzle to those most likely to be able to do them well. There is no need for the duplication of efforts to replay things we have already achieved.
We only need to make sure that the links and interfaces between hardwares built by different nations will fit together, and that spare parts will be interchangeable when necessary. And our computers need shared programming, and secure operating systems. Standardization and modularity are key aspects for cooperation, while separate short term goals fitting into a larger effort are things for collaboration. All we need now is a consensus that we share the big vision and that we should work together.
If our great and powerful nations can agree that we all want to go into space, and that leadership is more worthy of prestige than competition, then the way is open to a future that we can share in peace. And in space we can find, or even build places for people who have trouble finding a place to fit in. A frontier is a way for people to seek out new lives, try out new ways to live together, to go out in quest of fame and fortune, or just to leave their troubles behind.
We can still compete to be the best at creating works of quality, efficiency and affordability, but true leadership is about who can imagine and project the best future for everyone. Let it be a future that values our shared ideals, where we respect the whole Truth, allow each one his or her Freedom, remember to Love our neighbors as family, and consider the Wisdom of sustainability and harmony.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Seven Days' Mysteries to Pray the Rosary
As much as I have grown to love the Rosary dedicated to our Mother Mary, I always felt that there has been too much repetition. And then we added the Luminous mysteries, to expand the celebration of the Gospel of our Lord, and it began to feel better. But there are still only four days given us to remember the mysteries that Jesus taught, and I still wanted more.
So I asked how we might use even more of the Gospels to praise our Mother Mary and her Son Jesus, and I found that there are more episodes of his life that stand out prominently. As I read more, I noted that they gathered around certain themes, which made sense to be remembered on the other days of the week.
I began to pray with them on the "empty" days. This, I felt to be more satisfying, and, I hoped, acceptable to Mother Mary because they would glorify her Son and help to spread the Gospel. I therefore chose to name the new days. I think of them as sharing the mysteries of Emerging Faith.
Joyful Mysteries (Monday)
It's time for the Messiah to come!
1. Annunciation to Mary
"... and you shall name him Jesus."
- Luke 1:26-38
2. Visiting with her cousin Elisabeth
"Blessed art thou among women"
- Luke 1:41-45
3. Birth of Jesus
"... and laid him in a manger."
- Luke 2:4-7
4. Presentation of the First Born
"for my eyes have seen your salvation."
- Luke 2;22-35
5. Discovery at the Temple
"I had to be in my Father's house"
- Luke 2:45-49
Luminous Mysteries (Tuesday)
His mission is authorized by the Father.
1. Baptism in the Jordan
"This is my beloved Son"
- Matthew 3:16-17
2. Wedding at Cana
"Fill the jars with water."
- John 2:5-7
3. Proclaiming the Kingdom
"The Kingdom of God is at hand."
- Mark 1:14-15
4. Transfiguration
"and his face shone like the sun"
- Matthew 17:1-8
5. Beginning the Eucharist
"This is my body which is given for you."
- Luke 22:14-20
Believing Mysteries (Wednesday)
And Jesus did miracles among them:
1. an issue healed by touching His robe
"Who touched me?"
- Luke 8:43-48
2. the samaritan woman at the well
"He told me everything I ever did."
- John 4:4-42
3. telling a cripple to rise up & walk
"Which is easier, to say ..."
- Matthew 9:2-8
4. walking on water & calming the storm
"Why did you doubt?"
- Matthew 14:22-34
5. raising Lazarus from the dead
"...if you believe, you will see the glory..."
- John 11:1-44
Theological Mysteries (Thursday)
How the disciples came to know him:
1. The baptism of rebirth
"... being born of water and Spirit."
- John 3:3-8
2. Jesus quizzes the disciples.
"Who do you say that I am?"
- Matthew 16:13-17
2. Jesus quizzes the disciples.
"Who do you say that I am?"
- Matthew 16:13-17
3. Jesus released the doubters.
- Matthew 6:25-34
"To whom shall we go?"
- John 6:63-69
- John 6:63-69
4. Jesus reveals His identity in public.
"I and the Father are one."
- John 10:22-42 (v.30)
5. Jesus is our connection to God.
"If you abide in me, and my words ..."
- John 15:1-10
Sorrowful Mysteries (Friday)
He suffered for our sins.
1. Agony in the garden
"let this cup pass from me"
- Matthew 26:36-45
2. Scourging at the pillar
"... and had him scourged"
- Mark 15:15
3. Crowned with thorns
"Hail, King of the Jews!"
- John 19:2-3
4. Carrying the cross
"carrying his own cross"
- John 19:17
5. Crucified to death
"Father, forgive them. They know not ..."
- Luke 23:32-34
Holiness Mysteries (Saturday)
Be merciful, just as your Father in Heaven:
1. What are the greatest commandments?
"On these two commandments depend.."
- Matthew 22:36-40
2. What you eat does not defile you.
"but what comes out of the mouth ..."
- Matthew 15:11,15-20
3. Corporal works of mercy.
"you did it to one of these, brothers ..."
- Matthew 25:34-40
4. The Sermon on the Plain.
"Be merciful, even as your Father ..."
- Luke 6:17-49
5. Jesus claims our first concern.
"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God ..." "I and the Father are one."
- John 10:22-42 (v.30)
5. Jesus is our connection to God.
"If you abide in me, and my words ..."
- John 15:1-10
Sorrowful Mysteries (Friday)
He suffered for our sins.
1. Agony in the garden
"let this cup pass from me"
- Matthew 26:36-45
2. Scourging at the pillar
"... and had him scourged"
- Mark 15:15
3. Crowned with thorns
"Hail, King of the Jews!"
- John 19:2-3
4. Carrying the cross
"carrying his own cross"
- John 19:17
5. Crucified to death
"Father, forgive them. They know not ..."
- Luke 23:32-34
Holiness Mysteries (Saturday)
Be merciful, just as your Father in Heaven:
1. What are the greatest commandments?
"On these two commandments depend.."
- Matthew 22:36-40
2. What you eat does not defile you.
"but what comes out of the mouth ..."
- Matthew 15:11,15-20
3. Corporal works of mercy.
"you did it to one of these, brothers ..."
- Matthew 25:34-40
4. The Sermon on the Plain.
"Be merciful, even as your Father ..."
- Luke 6:17-49
5. Jesus claims our first concern.
- Matthew 6:25-34
Glorious Mysteries (Sunday)
His authority is established in Heaven.
1. Jesus arose from the dead
"He is not here. He has risen."
- Mark 16:5-7
2. He ascended to Heaven
"He was lifted up while they were looking"
- Acts 1:9-11
3. The Holy Spirit came down
"tongues as of fire"
- Acts 2:1-4
4. Mary was assumed to Heaven
"Blessed is the womb that carried you..."
- Luke 11:27, 28
5. Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven
"and on her head a crown of 12 stars"
- Revelations 12:1
Let me state clearly that I have no authority to add anything to the Rosary. I did not receive any vision from our Mother. I merely asked how I might personally fill in the "empty" days in a manner pleasing to our Mother, which would also glorify Jesus.
I received no revelations. This comes only from my study of the Gospels, and my own devotions. If you want to share it, please, be my guest. If you feel that you should bring it to your priest, or your bishop, by all means, feel free to do so.
I don't want anyone to think that I am putting myself forward to earn praise. Any appreciation from my Mother, or my Lord, is enough. I am merely bringing more flowers.
His authority is established in Heaven.
1. Jesus arose from the dead
"He is not here. He has risen."
- Mark 16:5-7
2. He ascended to Heaven
"He was lifted up while they were looking"
- Acts 1:9-11
3. The Holy Spirit came down
"tongues as of fire"
- Acts 2:1-4
4. Mary was assumed to Heaven
"Blessed is the womb that carried you..."
- Luke 11:27, 28
5. Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven
"and on her head a crown of 12 stars"
- Revelations 12:1
Let me state clearly that I have no authority to add anything to the Rosary. I did not receive any vision from our Mother. I merely asked how I might personally fill in the "empty" days in a manner pleasing to our Mother, which would also glorify Jesus.
I received no revelations. This comes only from my study of the Gospels, and my own devotions. If you want to share it, please, be my guest. If you feel that you should bring it to your priest, or your bishop, by all means, feel free to do so.
I don't want anyone to think that I am putting myself forward to earn praise. Any appreciation from my Mother, or my Lord, is enough. I am merely bringing more flowers.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Why do we still worry about War?
Why do we still worry about war? We have become so "rational" these days. We can analyze everything, but some things still don't make sense. Is there something really wrong with us? War is essentially a social problem, and one that we have to deal with urgently. This needs a solution at least as much as poverty, or any other social problem.
So what are Society's crucial issues? What must Society secure for us? Let's think for a second. What do we really need, that we can only get collectively?
The list is short:
1. Identity (belonging & value)
2. Hierarchy (leadership & example)
3. Rules (etiquette & taboos)
4. Trade (fairness & value)
5. Justice (penalties & reconciliation)
6. Defense (territory & security)
In theory, all of these can be achieved by (mostly) peaceful means. Even Teddy Roosevelt's adage to "Walk softly, and carry a big stick" is mostly peaceful, so long as you don't strut around swinging the stick. But the promise of peace has eluded us throughout history. We always seem to find some reason to fight, either as the aggressors or in defense. Is this something ingrained into human nature? Certainly, it is not a trend to be continued in Heaven. So, let's try to see what is going on here.
What do men fight for?
1. status (respect & authority)
2. women (reproductive rights)
3. slaves (labor assistance)
4. wealth (abundant resources)
5. land (perpetual self-regulation)
6. battle buddies (solidarity)
7. to save our children (futures)
What would we die for?
1. save family
2. rescue friends
3. preserve honor
4. defend community
5. save souls
There are other ways, besides war, for us to achieve the benefits that we fight for, and today, we usually get them without fighting. But that wasn't always the case. In ancient times, and in prehistory, any insult could start a conflict. Just our natural inclination to take any kind of advantage we can get, regardless of any other's need, would have precipitated a vicious vendetta. That is why we have law codes that date back all the way to our earliest civilizations.
Society's first action was to curb our need for revenge, and replace it with measured justice. Each generation built upon those foundations, imagining better and better ideals, until we could feel safe living among strangers. And as the centuries pass, societies get larger and more inclusive, and the rules ask us to be more restrained in our responses to those who offend us. Great civilizations encompass many peoples, some of whom used to be enemies, and they have to learn tolerance just to keep the peace.
It isn't easy, but the larger our groups get, the lower the rate of violence goes... at least until two groups with irreconcilable differences come into conflict over which is to be superior and dominant, overruling the observances of the other. When push comes to shove, and the lifeways of both seem to be an offense to each other, conflict becomes inevitable. And if both sides feel powerful enough to assert their own prerogatives, there will be a war until one or the other is forced to back down.
If neither is willing to accept subjugation, may Heaven help us. Our only hope is the separation of two territories, a treaty of non-interference, and recognition of spheres of influence. Hopefully, this won't have to be backed up by the full intent to achieve mutual destruction if the peace is ever broken.
It seems hard to believe that people still want to fight wars for their gods. Most people would be aghast if they had a vision of God telling them to sacrifice their children upon some altar for Him. Religion is supposed to be about trusting God to help us build a better society. Our older religions that separated peoples into friends and enemies have faded into the obscurity they deserved. But not all have been abandoned, some people still listen to a long dead prophet who tells them to go to war with those who have different beliefs. Honestly? That's bloody insane!
It's bad enough that our "duly constituted" governments think they have the right to make us join the armed forces and go to war. They at least claim that they do it to defend us against aggression, or to preserve our rights and freedom. But why would anyone in this day and age think they should fight for a bloodthirsty god?
If God is real, (and my vote says He is) then He loves us and wants us to be kind to each other... even to people who don't like us, and oppose the ways we want to live. But not everyone thinks their theology all the way through. They would rather let other people take all of the responsibility and tell them what to do. Personally, I want to examine the motives of anyone who wants to be the boss of everyone, including God. I want to know that He has my best interests at heart. Anyone who claims to speak for God, but wants me to go to war and conquer people who only want peace for everyone, is both deluded and a liar.
Not even if this supposed "God" comes to me personally, if he wants to start a war of conquest, will he get me to believe. The only God I want to hear from is the One who wants, and knows how, to prevent all future wars, and do so without making us all die or become slaves. And please God, not another "War to end all wars." That didn't work last time, and probably never will. If God can really perform that miracle, I will seriously have to consider his claim to be divine. And I accept that I will have a bias toward faith and belief.
"Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) Jesus wanted us to convert our neighbors by using kindness to show what kind of God we venerate. Our willingness to accept martyrdom was meant to prove our faith in Christ's resurrection and our trust that we too would rise again at the end of history. But that is purely religion, and not even a realistic mode of survival, much less for political stability and security.
We can believe that the best policy is to use non-violent resistance when faced with oppression, but even Gandhi allowed that it might not have worked for the Jews against the Nazis. "Not without serious losses," he said. I don't think it would work against an enemy that insists that you are a lesser kind of "not quite human", or "the worst of men." You can't just refuse to fight an enemy whose sole aim is to see you dead. At some point, you have to try to block the gun that is pointed at your head.
The same goes when your faith is the object that is meant to be obliterated. If you can't see any better choice than the one you have already, especially if you really do believe in it, then nothing short of a struggle for survival can be predicted. And if one faith is refusing to even try to understand the other, while trying to violently subjugate its practitioners, then no one should be surprised that violence will be met with violence.
But any true faith should know, God doesn't work that way. God doesn't tell people to attack and kill another people until they are forced to surrender, just because they have a different religion. Those tactics faded from history three thousand years ago. Only a megalomaniac, or a lunatic, would want to revive such barbaric excuses for political conquest. No religion that fails to promote peace, or abrogates its true purpose to improve our character as human beings, can be a real religion. And any prophet who teaches violence is no prophet at all, and certainly not any kind of paragon to be emulated.
So we are left with an unsatisfactory solution: the separation of these two diametrically opposed ideologies, each holding a fundamental faith in God. We must achieve a perennially renewed truce, that keeps us from coming back ever again to fight for cultural dominance. We both attribute our culture's success to our faith in God, but the "One and Only" God that we define appears to be totally at odds with their definition and practical faith. One side preaches kindness and freedom, but the other practices violence and subjugation. Meanwhile, both claim to be a religion of peace. Can they both really be serving the same God?
But we can all see who sends out suicide bombers, telling them that they will be martyrs for the cause. Is it any wonder that we are so adamantly opposed to their ever getting the technology to build atomic bombs? They want to die fighting! Only a sane person is dissuaded from violence by the worry that he might also be killed; a suicidal lunatic is only encouraged.
We won't be truly safe until we achieve a way to leave the crazy people behind, and ascend to the Heavens. There we can live in peace, among our own kind, and maybe build the golden societies we have always dreamed about. I don't want to be meek and inherit the Earth, if all I will get is an early grave plot, and I don't think that you should have to settle for that either. We need to support the drive to get human society into space, on the Moon, on Mars, among the asteroids, or just in orbital space colonies. Any way we can get there to find a refuge from violence and religious subjugation is a way that we need to pursue with all the necessary care and deliberate speed. America was settled by many who only wanted a place where they could worship in peace, free of religious persecution. That may again become one of the main reasons for many of us to migrate, this time into space.
May we all share in God's peace and blessing, and Godspeed.
So what are Society's crucial issues? What must Society secure for us? Let's think for a second. What do we really need, that we can only get collectively?
The list is short:
1. Identity (belonging & value)
2. Hierarchy (leadership & example)
3. Rules (etiquette & taboos)
4. Trade (fairness & value)
5. Justice (penalties & reconciliation)
6. Defense (territory & security)
In theory, all of these can be achieved by (mostly) peaceful means. Even Teddy Roosevelt's adage to "Walk softly, and carry a big stick" is mostly peaceful, so long as you don't strut around swinging the stick. But the promise of peace has eluded us throughout history. We always seem to find some reason to fight, either as the aggressors or in defense. Is this something ingrained into human nature? Certainly, it is not a trend to be continued in Heaven. So, let's try to see what is going on here.
What do men fight for?
1. status (respect & authority)
2. women (reproductive rights)
3. slaves (labor assistance)
4. wealth (abundant resources)
5. land (perpetual self-regulation)
6. battle buddies (solidarity)
7. to save our children (futures)
What would we die for?
1. save family
2. rescue friends
3. preserve honor
4. defend community
5. save souls
There are other ways, besides war, for us to achieve the benefits that we fight for, and today, we usually get them without fighting. But that wasn't always the case. In ancient times, and in prehistory, any insult could start a conflict. Just our natural inclination to take any kind of advantage we can get, regardless of any other's need, would have precipitated a vicious vendetta. That is why we have law codes that date back all the way to our earliest civilizations.
Society's first action was to curb our need for revenge, and replace it with measured justice. Each generation built upon those foundations, imagining better and better ideals, until we could feel safe living among strangers. And as the centuries pass, societies get larger and more inclusive, and the rules ask us to be more restrained in our responses to those who offend us. Great civilizations encompass many peoples, some of whom used to be enemies, and they have to learn tolerance just to keep the peace.
It isn't easy, but the larger our groups get, the lower the rate of violence goes... at least until two groups with irreconcilable differences come into conflict over which is to be superior and dominant, overruling the observances of the other. When push comes to shove, and the lifeways of both seem to be an offense to each other, conflict becomes inevitable. And if both sides feel powerful enough to assert their own prerogatives, there will be a war until one or the other is forced to back down.
If neither is willing to accept subjugation, may Heaven help us. Our only hope is the separation of two territories, a treaty of non-interference, and recognition of spheres of influence. Hopefully, this won't have to be backed up by the full intent to achieve mutual destruction if the peace is ever broken.
It seems hard to believe that people still want to fight wars for their gods. Most people would be aghast if they had a vision of God telling them to sacrifice their children upon some altar for Him. Religion is supposed to be about trusting God to help us build a better society. Our older religions that separated peoples into friends and enemies have faded into the obscurity they deserved. But not all have been abandoned, some people still listen to a long dead prophet who tells them to go to war with those who have different beliefs. Honestly? That's bloody insane!
It's bad enough that our "duly constituted" governments think they have the right to make us join the armed forces and go to war. They at least claim that they do it to defend us against aggression, or to preserve our rights and freedom. But why would anyone in this day and age think they should fight for a bloodthirsty god?
If God is real, (and my vote says He is) then He loves us and wants us to be kind to each other... even to people who don't like us, and oppose the ways we want to live. But not everyone thinks their theology all the way through. They would rather let other people take all of the responsibility and tell them what to do. Personally, I want to examine the motives of anyone who wants to be the boss of everyone, including God. I want to know that He has my best interests at heart. Anyone who claims to speak for God, but wants me to go to war and conquer people who only want peace for everyone, is both deluded and a liar.
Not even if this supposed "God" comes to me personally, if he wants to start a war of conquest, will he get me to believe. The only God I want to hear from is the One who wants, and knows how, to prevent all future wars, and do so without making us all die or become slaves. And please God, not another "War to end all wars." That didn't work last time, and probably never will. If God can really perform that miracle, I will seriously have to consider his claim to be divine. And I accept that I will have a bias toward faith and belief.
"Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) Jesus wanted us to convert our neighbors by using kindness to show what kind of God we venerate. Our willingness to accept martyrdom was meant to prove our faith in Christ's resurrection and our trust that we too would rise again at the end of history. But that is purely religion, and not even a realistic mode of survival, much less for political stability and security.
We can believe that the best policy is to use non-violent resistance when faced with oppression, but even Gandhi allowed that it might not have worked for the Jews against the Nazis. "Not without serious losses," he said. I don't think it would work against an enemy that insists that you are a lesser kind of "not quite human", or "the worst of men." You can't just refuse to fight an enemy whose sole aim is to see you dead. At some point, you have to try to block the gun that is pointed at your head.
The same goes when your faith is the object that is meant to be obliterated. If you can't see any better choice than the one you have already, especially if you really do believe in it, then nothing short of a struggle for survival can be predicted. And if one faith is refusing to even try to understand the other, while trying to violently subjugate its practitioners, then no one should be surprised that violence will be met with violence.
But any true faith should know, God doesn't work that way. God doesn't tell people to attack and kill another people until they are forced to surrender, just because they have a different religion. Those tactics faded from history three thousand years ago. Only a megalomaniac, or a lunatic, would want to revive such barbaric excuses for political conquest. No religion that fails to promote peace, or abrogates its true purpose to improve our character as human beings, can be a real religion. And any prophet who teaches violence is no prophet at all, and certainly not any kind of paragon to be emulated.
So we are left with an unsatisfactory solution: the separation of these two diametrically opposed ideologies, each holding a fundamental faith in God. We must achieve a perennially renewed truce, that keeps us from coming back ever again to fight for cultural dominance. We both attribute our culture's success to our faith in God, but the "One and Only" God that we define appears to be totally at odds with their definition and practical faith. One side preaches kindness and freedom, but the other practices violence and subjugation. Meanwhile, both claim to be a religion of peace. Can they both really be serving the same God?
But we can all see who sends out suicide bombers, telling them that they will be martyrs for the cause. Is it any wonder that we are so adamantly opposed to their ever getting the technology to build atomic bombs? They want to die fighting! Only a sane person is dissuaded from violence by the worry that he might also be killed; a suicidal lunatic is only encouraged.
We won't be truly safe until we achieve a way to leave the crazy people behind, and ascend to the Heavens. There we can live in peace, among our own kind, and maybe build the golden societies we have always dreamed about. I don't want to be meek and inherit the Earth, if all I will get is an early grave plot, and I don't think that you should have to settle for that either. We need to support the drive to get human society into space, on the Moon, on Mars, among the asteroids, or just in orbital space colonies. Any way we can get there to find a refuge from violence and religious subjugation is a way that we need to pursue with all the necessary care and deliberate speed. America was settled by many who only wanted a place where they could worship in peace, free of religious persecution. That may again become one of the main reasons for many of us to migrate, this time into space.
May we all share in God's peace and blessing, and Godspeed.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Twelve Spiritual Works of Mercy
I am happy to know that Jesus gave us a list of things that we should do for each other when we are nearing despair, and in need of a helping hand. These are called the "Corporal Works of Mercy." But I was wondering whether or not there were any other kinds, as I thought there should be some "Spiritual Works of Mercy" to go with them. Since I couldn't find any, I made them up. Of course, they are not meant in any way as a substitute for any of the items in Jesus' list, but I don't know how their additional practice could hurt anyone.
1. Forgive those who have harmed you.
- physically, spiritually, emotionally
2. Forgive those who abused your goods.
- cheated, stolen, destroyed
3. Forgive those who have led you astray.
- lying, betraying, confusing
4. Tell an unbeliever about Jesus' story.
- messiah, message, sacrifice
5. Help someone to accept salvation.
- pointless, following, transformed
6. Share your faith to an agnostic seeker.
- meaning, purpose, peace
7. Warn a friend of the cost of immorality.
- foolish, disrespectful, liability
8. Help someone to do the right thing.
- integrity, honor, edification
9. Redirect someone who is going astray.
- warning, peer group, direction
X. Pray for someone in need of God's help.
- stumbling, ensnared, confused
¤. Give aid to someone God shows you.
- advice, reconnection, encouragement
☆. Encourage someone to seek for God.
- wandering, hopeless, searching
Which of God's mercies would you deny?
He has done all of these things for us.
1. Forgive those who have harmed you.
- physically, spiritually, emotionally
2. Forgive those who abused your goods.
- cheated, stolen, destroyed
3. Forgive those who have led you astray.
- lying, betraying, confusing
4. Tell an unbeliever about Jesus' story.
- messiah, message, sacrifice
5. Help someone to accept salvation.
- pointless, following, transformed
6. Share your faith to an agnostic seeker.
- meaning, purpose, peace
7. Warn a friend of the cost of immorality.
- foolish, disrespectful, liability
8. Help someone to do the right thing.
- integrity, honor, edification
9. Redirect someone who is going astray.
- warning, peer group, direction
X. Pray for someone in need of God's help.
- stumbling, ensnared, confused
¤. Give aid to someone God shows you.
- advice, reconnection, encouragement
☆. Encourage someone to seek for God.
- wandering, hopeless, searching
Which of God's mercies would you deny?
He has done all of these things for us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
