Today's Readings are the start of preparation for Sunday's readings - the Second Sunday of Advent.
To be honest, like pretty much everyone else, I read the bible looking for validation or at most a small building block past where I am. On the other hand, small change is how we often get to new places.
I know I've read these reading before (both as reading the bible in book order and at least the Sunday lectionary readings), but more and more the eye for an eye violence and unforgiveness of the Old Testament bother me. I think there IS a time and place for violence, but I want to find something better than revenge. I don't want one group to win at the expense of others.
These readings are better than last week's on that scale, but still I want more reminder of the need to love one another. We can still seek revolution, fight for right, argue, riot, etc but vengeance doesn't help.
Hosea 6:6
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
On Having Faith and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (Part 1)
I have labelled this as Part 1 not because I am planning a series at the moment, but because this is a rabbit hole that shouldn't be left alone.
A Google search for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Religion makes it clear that people with TLE have weird or exceptional religious experiences more often than people who don't. Much more often. (Go do the research yourself and come back if you need details.) In many cases, their inner experience and what outside observers see (or video shows) that there is a completely rational and neither religious or magical explanation for what happened and/or that they were having a seizure at the time of the experience.
I have had a few experiences that converted me from Agnostic to seeker/believer. They weren't of the level of Saul on the road to Damascus, but little things like having a wave of peace and safety come over me in a touchy situation where calm was hard to come by but much needed. As someone with TLE, all of those moments are suspect. Yet they inform my beliefs and how I react, share and exemplify them. On a macro level, those experiences have nothing to do with my faith - I became a Christian through reading and studying and finding something worthy of following. I would also say true, but again, my moments and leaps of religious faith are suspect. I am a better human for following Jesus, though I would be a better human if I followed Jesus more closely. But the triggers for the reading and studying that led to my conversion (and the triggers that kept me reading and studying) are most likely brain misfires, hallucinations even, that I took as religious experiences in an attempt to make sense of what was going through my brain.
It would be easy to say "But God gave you those experiences and ..." However, even if MY faith experiences that were actually TLE had beneficial or benign outcomes (reading and studying to find something that makes me a better person), there are plenty of examples of non-benign outcomes from TLE induced faith experiences. All those hateful and divisive things Paul said? Very likely TLE. (I could give more examples, but that would require work.)
A Google search for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Religion makes it clear that people with TLE have weird or exceptional religious experiences more often than people who don't. Much more often. (Go do the research yourself and come back if you need details.) In many cases, their inner experience and what outside observers see (or video shows) that there is a completely rational and neither religious or magical explanation for what happened and/or that they were having a seizure at the time of the experience.
I have had a few experiences that converted me from Agnostic to seeker/believer. They weren't of the level of Saul on the road to Damascus, but little things like having a wave of peace and safety come over me in a touchy situation where calm was hard to come by but much needed. As someone with TLE, all of those moments are suspect. Yet they inform my beliefs and how I react, share and exemplify them. On a macro level, those experiences have nothing to do with my faith - I became a Christian through reading and studying and finding something worthy of following. I would also say true, but again, my moments and leaps of religious faith are suspect. I am a better human for following Jesus, though I would be a better human if I followed Jesus more closely. But the triggers for the reading and studying that led to my conversion (and the triggers that kept me reading and studying) are most likely brain misfires, hallucinations even, that I took as religious experiences in an attempt to make sense of what was going through my brain.
It would be easy to say "But God gave you those experiences and ..." However, even if MY faith experiences that were actually TLE had beneficial or benign outcomes (reading and studying to find something that makes me a better person), there are plenty of examples of non-benign outcomes from TLE induced faith experiences. All those hateful and divisive things Paul said? Very likely TLE. (I could give more examples, but that would require work.)
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
First Wednesday of Advent (2014 Year B)
Today's Readings
I found the first two readings to be way too violent for my taste. On the other hand, when I look at the news and the blatant racism and classism going on in our legal system right now, I think violence IS a reasonable response. I think part of my problem with the Old Testament readings is that the speaker is unwilling to take responsibility for the violence. They want God to be the violent one, not themselves. On the one hand, as a person of faith, there is no excuse for violence in God's name without God actually there leading. On the other, if you are going to be violent for the sake of your freedom or better treatment, own it as the right or best or available choice, don't blame it on God.
The New Testament reading particularly Luke 21 verses 34-36 is something I found much more personally valuable.
20141214 Fixed Typo while updating labels
I found the first two readings to be way too violent for my taste. On the other hand, when I look at the news and the blatant racism and classism going on in our legal system right now, I think violence IS a reasonable response. I think part of my problem with the Old Testament readings is that the speaker is unwilling to take responsibility for the violence. They want God to be the violent one, not themselves. On the one hand, as a person of faith, there is no excuse for violence in God's name without God actually there leading. On the other, if you are going to be violent for the sake of your freedom or better treatment, own it as the right or best or available choice, don't blame it on God.
The New Testament reading particularly Luke 21 verses 34-36 is something I found much more personally valuable.
Whether it is "stand[ing] before the Son of Man" or anything else important we have a tendency to get involved in the necessities of living and lose sight of it. I think this tends to be particularly likely with regards to things like family, faith, love, nature - all things people of faith count as works and blessings from God or the Holy.34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
20141214 Fixed Typo while updating labels
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
First Thursday, Friday, Saturday of Advent (2014 Year B)
I missed the daily preparatory readings for this Sunday, so I am reading them now.
Thursday's Readings
Friday's Readings
Saturday's Readings
So, honestly, as someone raised UU, I can't see most of these readings as anything but anger and looking for revenge. In fact, they make Saturday's readings about false prophets ring particularly loudly. If the end of our faith is hatred or death for those who are not of it or do us wrong, we will have a never ending cycle of violence. This is not in line with the received teachings of Jesus.
I guess in summary, we should be very cautious when someone tells us they are speaking for God. Also, anger is okay, though I don't think we should always act on it. Maybe praying for God to dispense the revenge we want is one way of stepping back so we act in a more useful way.
Thursday's Readings
Friday's Readings
Saturday's Readings
So, honestly, as someone raised UU, I can't see most of these readings as anything but anger and looking for revenge. In fact, they make Saturday's readings about false prophets ring particularly loudly. If the end of our faith is hatred or death for those who are not of it or do us wrong, we will have a never ending cycle of violence. This is not in line with the received teachings of Jesus.
I guess in summary, we should be very cautious when someone tells us they are speaking for God. Also, anger is okay, though I don't think we should always act on it. Maybe praying for God to dispense the revenge we want is one way of stepping back so we act in a more useful way.
First Tuesday of Advent (2014 Year B)
Today's Readings
Somewhere this morning (before I'd had enough caffeine to realize I should mark it) I saw a comment that Advent is a time for Christians to focus on justice and waiting for Divine Justice. I am a great believer in the "God helps those who help themselves" school of thought. I am also not a believer at all in the definition of justice described in today's readings where "justice" means killing, punishing or otherwise damaging those who have hurt you. It is certainly tempting (and my first gut reaction in many cases), but it just tends to lead to escalation.
Somewhere this morning (before I'd had enough caffeine to realize I should mark it) I saw a comment that Advent is a time for Christians to focus on justice and waiting for Divine Justice. I am a great believer in the "God helps those who help themselves" school of thought. I am also not a believer at all in the definition of justice described in today's readings where "justice" means killing, punishing or otherwise damaging those who have hurt you. It is certainly tempting (and my first gut reaction in many cases), but it just tends to lead to escalation.
Monday, December 1, 2014
First Monday of Advent (2014 Year B)
Today's Readings (Ooooh! I finally found an example and place where you can just take the books and verses you want and make a url!)
The heading for the Micah reading I have is listed as "Peace and Security through Obedience" which I find ironic, because I don't really see where the obedience comes in as much as a prediction that God will come in and make optimal decisions for the people of the book. I don't think "obedience" or respectability politics have worked for anyone anywhere long term. (Although short term they can be useful by putting people off guard.) This is the discussion we are having right now on a national level, particularly with regard to all the young black children (mostly) being shot for nothing or almost nothing. And about the behaviour of the #Ferguson protesters. The excuses that I've heard over and over when the scriptures tell us to love our neighbor and turn the other cheek and not to judge.
Also, this section of Micah has the overused "Swords into plowshares" line. Everyone seems to forget Joel 3:10
The heading for the Micah reading I have is listed as "Peace and Security through Obedience" which I find ironic, because I don't really see where the obedience comes in as much as a prediction that God will come in and make optimal decisions for the people of the book. I don't think "obedience" or respectability politics have worked for anyone anywhere long term. (Although short term they can be useful by putting people off guard.) This is the discussion we are having right now on a national level, particularly with regard to all the young black children (mostly) being shot for nothing or almost nothing. And about the behaviour of the #Ferguson protesters. The excuses that I've heard over and over when the scriptures tell us to love our neighbor and turn the other cheek and not to judge.
Also, this section of Micah has the overused "Swords into plowshares" line. Everyone seems to forget Joel 3:10
Beat your plowshares into swords,Sure we'd all love to see an end to war, but we have to remember that there is a time to fight too.
and your pruning hooks into spears;
let the weakling say, “I am a warrior.”
Advent 2014
Obviously, I post on this blog very irregularly and when I do it tends to be during advent. I think this is probably more out of an idea of beginning at the beginning (Advent being the beginning of the church year), rather than Advent itself - although Advent is a good story, nice and safe and happy with the donkey and the barn and the sheep and the angels.
As Christians we talk about Advent as being a season of waiting - waiting for the birth of christ, waiting for the second coming, waiting for the fun of Christmas (Ok, I don't think the later is actually approved theology.) I'm not entirely sure I buy into Advent as a season of waiting - preparing maybe is better in line with my beliefs. And I'm way more interested in Jesus as an adult than celebrating his birth or waiting for him to return (if he will or hasn't already.) That said, I am in a period of waiting right now. I'm waiting to see if the current medication dosage makes me better (actually, I think we figured out it doesn't), waiting to see what my doctor's next plan is, waiting because I'm really not well enough to do much else, waiting for the one or two activities a week I can really engage in and enjoy. Yesterday I wondered, what would it mean to me if I engaged with the daily lectionary every day for Advent. (Engage = force myself to do more than skim over it in a haze, although some days a mental haze is as good as it gets.) Technically, I've already missed a few days, as the lectionary week starts on Thursday, but shrug. So I'm going to try, even if that means no more than posting a verse that seems important or meaningful to me every day.
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