Reassurance. We usually get it from people with a similar point of view. People of like-minds. But….
If you want total reassurance that you are correct in your point of view, have a conversation with someone whose is completely opposed to your point of view. I have a friend who has completely opposite viewpoints on, well, just about everything. So how can we be friends you ask? We both enjoy the dialogue. And even though we don’t agree with each other we do respect each others views. Instead of the sycophantic reassurance of like-minded people our reassurance comes from the way we challenge each other which forces us to think about and think through why we believe what we believe. Iron does sharpen iron.
Like the old proverb –
“Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.” ~ Proverbs 27:17
And if you like 70’s era Chicago and Toto then you’ll like this band. Enjoy the song Iron Sharpens Iron by GLAD.
Another forgotten one-hit wonder was by the synth-pop band that went by the name EBN-OZN. They had one hit that proved that learning your vowels never goes out of style. AEIOU Sometimes Y was a hit in 1983. Like many one-hit wonders it was a bizarre song that deserved is danceable hit status. The group was made up of Ned Liben and Robert Rosen. Their only album that was released was titled Feeling Cavalier(I still have it on cassette). Even though the group was only formed in 1981 the duo went their separate ways in 1985. Ned Liben died in 1998 of a Heart Attack. Robert Rosen changed his name to Robert Ozn and is now working as a writer, producer in the film industry. So without further fanfare enjoy AEIOU SOMETIMES Y. 🙂
The 80’s was a magical time for music. In many ways it was the return of one-hit wonders at the end of radio’s glory days. So this may be the start of a new series. The forgotten 80’s. What about some of that fun music and what happened to the synth artists of the “New Wave”?
Today I’m featuring a really fun song called DANCING IN HEAVEN (Orbital Be-Bop) by band Q-Feel. The band only had one album and this song was their one hit from 1982. The song was featured in the film Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. The band was active between 1981-1984. The lead singer Martin Page went on to some solo success and is still active today.
C’mon everyone, “Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow…” Keep dancing in heaven. Enjoy. 🙂
MESSAGES FROM THE FUTURE #82 Do you want to feel more empowered?
Do you want be be happier?
Do you want to experience bliss more frequently?
Here’s what you do…
1. Stop watching news programming!
2. Ignore advertising!
3. Exit politics.
4. Tune in to your immediate environment.
5. Take responsibility for your self.
6. Control your self.
7. Step away from your monitor.
Isn’t it interesting that a computer screen is called a monitor? Do we monitor it or does it, by our constant viewing, monitor us?
Peace of mind. 3 words just loaded with meaning when joined together as an idea. They suggests not only mental but also spiritual and physical states of existence. It is, [sadly] too often, something longed for but seldom experienced. So how does one experience peace of mind? I think it is a gift that we need only receive to experience. Can you receive it? Can I? Do we need help receiving it? One of the beautiful things about peace of mind is that it doesn’t remove us from life’s difficulties but gives us a way to deal with difficulties that is both positive and beneficial not only for ourselves but others. So for those who want to escape life’s difficulties – I’m sorry peace of mind will not provide escape. But it will allow you to perceive life struggles as if they were moving in slow motion giving you time to respond effectively. Peace of mind is natural state of existence that, in this day and age, is constantly under attack from exterior forces – often created by ourselves. We tend to blame others and don’t take responsibility for how we have had a part in creating this noise that disrupts our natural state of being.
So, how do I achieve peace of mind? Here are some easy steps. Once the practice is established it doesn’t take long to receive this gift.
1. Stop – just stop what you are doing.
2. Find a quiet place that you enjoy being in. [I have several places I can go – even at work – if I need just a couple of minutes to reconnect to this gift.]
3. Sit. [close your eyes if needed] Focus on your breathing for a couple of minutes. Then…
4. Take responsibility and admit to yourself that you have also had a share in disrupting peace of mind – either for yourself or others.
5. Think about and see the things around your daily life that disrupt your peace of mind. It might be technology or other people – even family.
6. Letting go: Forgive yourself for how you have disrupted your own peace of mind and the peace of mind of others.Then forgive others for how they have disrupted your peace of mind.
7. Receive your peace of mind [you may have to verbalize it at first saying, “Thank you, I receive this peace of mind”]. Imagine how to carry it with you through out your day at work, with family, strangers and friends.
Some people may need help receiving peace of mind. Look for ways to help them receive and achieve peace of mind. Give them peace of mind. This will also help your own peace of mind. Give the gift of peace of mind. I give it to you. Right now. Can you receive it, and accepting it, be grateful?
Music often plays a role in my experience of peace of mind. The video is for one of my favorite Japanese artists Missa Johnuchi. Enjoy this song. I apologize, in advance, that I don’t have a translation for the Japanese lyrics. But again it’s the music itself that I find to be the very expression of peace of mind – like it’s title. [If any reader does have a translation of lyrics please post in your comment. Thanks.]
PEACE OF MIND by UNESCO Artist for Peace, musician/composer/conductor Missa Johnuchi
I actually went out with my camera again. It’s been quite a while since I went in search of interesting places and spaces. I am amazed at how readily my city tears itself down in ongoing urbacide (urban suicide). There are more real estate signs on vacant lots than I could ever hope to imagine. It seemed sad to remember the places that stood in those empty lots and how all that may remain is someone’s fading photograph. There is a feeling of security in seeing familiar buildings that still stand – a bit like seeing an old friend. And when those buildings are preserved and reused – all the better. But too often they are torn down and just an empty space is left. People don’t want to invest in what was. What was, is too often viewed as an eyesore, an ugliness, or too costly and is removed – often with the excuse of safety concerns or in the name of progress; when this happens it not only changes the skyline of the city but also the skyline of the cities soul. Something is missing. When I got home I wrote this,
HOLES IN MY CITY
There are holes in my city
where buildings used to stand.
Empty spaces are all that remain
where factories made my world.
A dream that never was
cannot be remembered or built upon.
There is no foundation
there is only dust and wind.
Remembrance is only a delusion
sickness of mind and soul
for a community that is trapped
in its struggle to free itself from nothing.
There are holes in my city
where buildings used to stand.
Places where people lived
where the voices of children could be heard.
Now there is silence
even the ghosts don’t linger here.
Some say silence is golden
but the same silence can drive a person mad.
There are holes…
*note – the photo in this post features what used to be St. Bernard’s School. A wonderful stone and brick structure that was originally build in 1887 and was one of the oldest buildings in Akron. Demolition began on 3/28/14. Another hole has been made.
What if the good things you have have nothing to do with you?
What if there are a finite number of possibilities for good things to happen?
What if someone else suffers because of the good things you have?
I find these questions interesting. And they certainly fly-in-the-face of popular social thought that is reward driven. People don’t like to think about limitations. We live in a time when people want to think that there are limitless possibilities for good things to happen. But what if these popular ideas are incorrect?
What started me thinking about this was in my morning Bible reading. I read from (one of my least favorite books):
And when the Lord your God has thrust them from your path, say not your yourselves, “The Lord has enabled us to possess this land because of our virtues”; it is rather because of the wickedness of those nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not because of your virtues and your rectitude that you will be able to possess their country; but it is because of their wickedness that the Lord your God is dispossessing those nations before you…. ~ Deuteronomy 9:4,5 (Jewish Publication Society Translation)
So let’s look at this in a broader context. Let’s look beyond the Judeo-centric idea of a “promised land” here. What if this applies to all of us and the good things we have? Now I hear people talk about how proud they are that they’ve worked so hard at this or that and have acquired this or that because of their efforts, their virtues and their goodness. These people are so “works” oriented that they forget that the good things they experience once belonged to someone else. We should be grateful for the good things we experience, however we define “good” and realize it has nothing to do with us. Many churches have fallen into this self praise approach and the whole “prosperity gospel” approach that has taken hold is about as unbalanced as it can get. Sure many Christians give lip-service to God but in their hearts it’s propaganda to show how much their god favors them for their virtues and goodness.
Now it is, admittedly, a little difficult to wrap ones head around the idea that if someone suffers loss it is because of their error but my gain has nothing to do with me. And that’s just one of many beautiful paradoxes in the Bible. Why does my goodness and virtue have nothing to do with the good things I experience? Well I see it like this – virtue and goodness is the norm it is what is natural (so much for the “born into sin” preachers). After all, when the world was created, when humanity was created, God did not create it already in a state of sin. When you were born, you were not born into “sin” or born to be a sinner. When you were born, God said the same thing “He” said when the world was created, “It is good.” You were born into good therefore goodness is what is natural. It takes effort to do wrong. And that’s why wrong-doing has the negative consequences of loss.
So this is why we should NOT look on our own virtue or goodness as something reward worthy. If we are virtuous or good we in our natural state of existence, as God intended.
The other part of this is to understand the displacement of good things. I’ve often said that we all bring our own suffering on ourselves. We are ultimately responsible for the loss we experience and the suffering we undergo. This is another thing that our culture will not want to hear. Why? Because no one wants to be responsible. People don’t want to feel responsible therefore people don’t take responsibility for their actions. They blame others. Ironically these are the same people that will tell you they are “entitled” to have good things. They are “owed” good things. They’re owed because”they’re good people at heart” or “they’re not bad people”. And the verses, quoted above, are the very antithesis of entitlement.
When bad things happen to us a result of our misguided, and/or wrong actions and thinking, others will benefit and have the good things that we previously enjoyed. Others don’t enjoy the good things because of what THEY did.
Now here’s the real clincher. God has so many good things he wants people to experience that even some people may benefit in spite of their wrong doing/thinking. Like the old saying in Matthew 5:45, God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the just and unjust. Sun and rain are symbols of blessing, enlightenment and spirituality. So if we have and experience good things it has nothing to do with any merit we may think we possess. And if we lose something it is most likely because of what WE did or didn’t do.
So are you stumped as to what to cook for lunch or dinner?
Have you started repeating yourself?
Do you needs some fresh menu inspiration?
Well you’ve come to the right place.
Here are some suggestions.
The video today is for a great girl band called Savages with their song “SHUT UP” from their debut album SILENCE YOURSELF. This group “gets it” Amazing lyrics and the spoken word introduction of the cover poetry is simply amazing!!! There is almost a Taoist feel to this.
Introduction
The world used to be silent
Now it has too many voices
And the noise
Is a constant distraction
They multiply, intensify
They will divert your attention
To What’s convenient
And forget to tell you
About yourself
We live in an age of many stimulations
If you are focused you are harder to reach
If you are distracted
You are available
You are distracted
You are available
You want flattery
Always looking to where it’s at
You want to take part in everything
And everything to be a part of you
Your head is spinning fast
At the end of your spine
Until you have no face at all
And yet
If the world would shut up
Even for a while
Perhaps
We would start hearing
A distant rhythm
Of an angry young tune –
And recompose ourselves
Perhaps
Having deconstructed everything
We should be thinking
Putting everything back together
Silence yourself
SHUT UP
TOO MANY TO CONVINCE
TOO MANY TO HIRE
AND NOTHING YOU EVER OWN
THE WORLD’S A DEAD SORRY HOLE
AND I’M COLD, AND I’M COLD
AND IM COLD, AND I’M STUBBORN
I’M SICK TO KEEP IT OPEN WIDE
AND SPEAKING WORDS TO THE BLIND
SPEAKING WORDS, TO THE BLIND
SPEAKING WORDS, TO THE BLIND
AND THE SOUL OF THE PURE
AND THE EYES OF THE LOVER
AND THE ONE WHO TRULY SAW YOUR SOUL
AND THE ONE WHO TRULY SAW YOUR SOUL
I’M THE ONE, WHO TRULY SAW YOUR SOUL
I’M THE ONE, WHO TRULY SAW YOUR SOUL
AND IF YOU TELL ME TO SHUT UP
AND IF YOU TELL ME TO SHUT IT
DID YOU TELL ME TO SHUT UP
OH IF YOU TELL ME TO SHUT IT
I’LL SHUT IT NOW
YOUNG, JUST BORN
FRAGILE AND TREMBLING SOUL
YOU HOLD IT TO THE LIGHT
THAT POURS DOWN THE MOON AT NIGHT
YOU KEPT ON HOLDING IT
YOU KEPT ON HOLDING IT
IT WAS A DANGEROUS THING TO DO
BUT YOU DID IT WHEN NO ONE KNEW
WHEN THE EYES WERE CLOSED
AND THE PEOPLE ASLEEP
NOT AN ANIMAL
NOT A HUMAN
NOT A SOUL
NOT A SOUL
AND IF YOU TELL ME TO SHUT UP
AND IF YOU TELL ME TO SHUT IT
DID YOU TELL ME TO SHUT UP
OH IF YOU TELL ME TO SHUT IT
I SHUT IT NOW
I AM A BREAKER OF OCEAN
LEADEN LIKE A BULLET TO THE SUN
I AM A BREAKER OF OCEAN
LEADEN LIKE A BULLET TO THE SUN, TO THE SUN, TO THE SUN…
[fyi – this is a repost from my previous blog from 11/2012]
CONFORMIST PARALLAX
Another abstract creation derived 3 manipulated images taken during a walk along the towpath through an industrial area in Akron, Ohio. With Sunday normally being associated with conformist religion. It seems the perfect day to promote nonconformism. 😉 Be yourself.
Of course the key to all ideas is finding balance. It is possible to bend without losing ones identity. Balance and flexibility. Being able to absorb the questions, criticisms and observations of others without offense or fear will make us strong.
“The green reed which bends in the wind
is stronger than the mighty oak
which breaks in a storm.” – Confucius
“The little reed, bending to the force of the wind, soon stood upright again when the storm had passed over.” – Aesop
Feyd-Rautha: [whispers] You see… your death… my blade will finish you.
Paul Atreides: [thinks] I will bend like a reed in the wind.
– From the movie DUNE
“It would be easier to roll up the entire sky into a small cloth than it would be to obtain true happiness without knowing the Self.” – The Upanishads
I went to a psychiatrist once. I was doing something that had become a pattern in my life, and I thought, Well, I should go talk to a psychiatrist. When I got in to the room, I asked him, “Do you think that this process could, in any way, damage my creativity?” And he said, “Well, David, I have to be honest: it could.” And I shook his hand and left. – David Lynch from his book, CATCHING THE BIG FISH
“Sometimes restrictions get the mind going. If you’ve got tons and tons of money, you may relax and figure you can throw money at any problem that comes along…. But when you have limitations, sometimes you come up with very creative, inexpensive ideas.” – David Lynch from his book, CATCHING THE BIG FISH
Cabaret Voltaire – DIFFUSION from the original 1985 recording “GASOLINE IN YOUR EYE and also the collection CONFORM TO DEFORM’82/’90. ARCHIVE;
So lately I’ve been wondering what’s up with the United States Postal Service (USPS). It seems that they are more intent on building job security for a continually failing system instead of actually delivering packages quickly and safely. There are many locations that have seen local postage sorting facilities close. One of the results of this is that packages are constantly being rerouted and there are longer delivery times as a result. If I mail a package in my city it can take 2 days longer for delivery than if I drive 5 minutes to the next town. And the only reason is that my city sends it’s mail to another location within the state for sorting. And these problems with the USPS are not just in my city or state. They are nationwide. 3 times now I’ve ordered merchandise online and following the tracking has been humorous and disconcerting. Here’s just two examples of what has happened recently.
1. I live in Ohio. The most recent fiasco is an order I placed on Amazon.com It was being shipped from New York. Ohio is is just 2 states west of New York. But what did I see when I followed the tracking id? The package was sent first to Missouri which is 3 states west of Ohio. So why did the USPS overshoot Ohio and send to Missouri before sending it back east to Ohio? Good question. It certainly is NOT economical – and they wonder why the USPS is losing money. It is adding additional days to the delivery time which is just poor service. And now it has overshot Ohio again and gone east to Pennsylvania. Oh by the way, I’m still waiting for this one to arrive. Maybe after a week or two the postal service will get tired of playing hopscotch with my mail.
2. On another order I had placed online. It was being shipped from Kansas. Something got all screwed up with the tracking id because it was tracking twice using the same tracking#. I had to laugh at the absurdity because the first time it tracked showed the package was delivered 2 months before I even ordered it. As if that wasn’t absurd enough, when the same tracking ID was re-tracked the route it took added two weeks to the delivery time. It was sent from kansas (4 states west of Ohio) to California (on the west coast), then to Texas and finally to Ohio. As it was, I could have driven to Kansas, picked up the package and driven back and had it sooner.
So what the Hell is going on?
Is the USPS just practicing job security for it’s employees and making the customer suffer?
I say it’s time to let the USPS die a natural death. Have those employees absorbed into alternate carrier systems (UPS, FEDEX, DHL, etc) and let’s get back to on-time, economical and efficient delivery. And the USPS postmaster general needs a new job altogether.
Meanwhile I’ll wait for my next package to be tracked to every state of the union before I actually get it.
At the age of 53, I can tell you that I have had many jobs. And over the years I have read many job search books and spoken with job coaches. Every single job coach I’ve heard and every job search book I’ve read has said to “Do what you love.” They appeal to the narcissism that exists in all of us – something most of us deny about ourselves. I think the biggest harm is that this approach raises unrealistic expectations – i.e. if you do what you love you can expect to love what you do. And I’ve done that – I’ve taken jobs doing work that I loved. So why have I ALWAYS been disappointed? Why do I always end up hating what I loved? Those are serious question and they are not addressed in any single job search book. Job coaches just dismiss the questions saying that I just haven’t found what I love yet. But, what if the point is to just work and it doesn’t matter what you do? What if you can find some sort of peace, satisfaction and consolation in what you do even if it’s not what you love? What if it’s not the job you do but HOW you do your job? The longest job I held was for 15 years. It resulted in a near nervous breakdown and personality shift. That was a job that I started because I loved that type of work. What job coaches and books fail to recognize that the work you do is not important because it’s the people you work with that make the job enjoyable and you can actually come to love those people instead of the work itself. It’s the people that make the job lovable or hateful and miserable. And unless you learn how to deal with the different personalities of the people you work with, accept them in spite of their values and practices you will never be happy no matter what you do.
At the time I left my previous job that I held for 15 years, I started to read the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh. It was in these Buddhist writings that I started to explore the ideas of mindfulness and adding that to my Christian faith. It not only helped me understand myself but from this also evolved the notion that it doesn’t matter what work I do. In spite of the tasks I can find enjoyment, happiness and even love based on how I was mindful of others and sensitive to their needs. Whatever emotion you attach to it – the job becomes meaningful because of relationships not the task itself.
At the time I came to this realization I was unemployed, between jobs. Disillusioned, tired, depressed and unsure of what I did want, I decided to look for work that I COULD do instead of work I wanted to do. It opened up a whole new realm of employment possibilities. The first thing I did is go over previous performance appraisals and made a list of two columns of things that previous employers thought I did well and things they thought I sucked at (although they would label it “needs improvement”). There were contradictions which is understandable because of two things. 1) We are contradictory beings in nature. 2) When you ask 10 people about something you’ll get 10 different opinions. Being fully aware of the contradictions and differences I started looking for work that would be acceptable based on the abilities perceived by others. I’d see a job description and ask can I do this job well based on my abilities and skill set. If I could answer “yes” to that question I would apply – even if I didn’t have the education degrees that the employer said they wanted to see. While an educational degree is helpful it does not ensure success in either obtaining a job or successfully doing the job. Once I had the interview I answered the questions by talking about my experience and skill set based on what the employer was looking for. Now, I’ve always hated interviews. But I found that since I already knew what I could do that it didn’t matter if I got the job or even loved the job. What mattered was I knew I could do the job and it was up to the employer to decide if they were going to take a chance on me or not. I took the same mindfulness approach in the interview which relieved the stress of the interviews.
What happened was something I was not expecting. I took a job doing something that had never appealed to me and would never have previously chosen because I would not have seen it as something I could love. I have found the job rewarding, challenging and just what I needed. I’ve worked this same job now for 5+ years and do not have any regrets about taking this job. Sure there are times when I wonder, “What the hell was I thinking” but that happens in every situation in life. Sure there are things that make me angry about work but I’m able to move beyond that not let it affect my work. It’s the people that matter more than the job itself. When I keep that in mind everything works out.
Now this may seem simplistic and like a bunch of malarky. But its worked for me.
(fyi – the art in this post is #77 from my Messages From The Future series which will be published in book form in 2014.)
[fyi – this article originally posted on my prev blog 3/10/13]
To many titles came to mind when I created the image:
“TWIN SONS OF DIFFERENT MOTHERS”
“BESIDE MYSELF”
“GEMINI CRIES”
….. etc.
What would you title this?
Music today is by post-rock band HAMMOCK. Enjoy their song and this inspired video (best in full screen), BREATHTURN
I’ve always been drawn to the old testament prophets in the Bible they were the creative masters of their time. One such prophet was Ezekiel and the following passage has always inspired me when I’m feeling close to death (physically, creatively, spiritually etc.) It is unusual in that is starts from a place of death/decay/destruction and comes to life. It seems to fit this image and the inspirational music. And this text about moving from death back to life is better than any Frankenstein story. Enjoy.
“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he set me in the middle of a valley; it was full o bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of Man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to live.'” So I spoke to the bones and as I was speaking there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together bone to bone. I looked and the tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them. Then, I said, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these bones, that they may live.” And breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet.
…Son of Man, people say, “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone.” Tell the people this, “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live.” ~ Ezekiel 37:1-14
The bottom line: no matter how dead we may feel. It doesn’t matter how dead we perceive others to be, there is ALWAYS hope. There is a Universal force (whatever name you give it – God, Allah, Yahweh, Buddha nature, Jesus etc) that can and will give us what we need to carry on. You can be the light. I believe in your victory!
“Well, it’s important to have hope that something can be done at some level to protect what’s of value in the world, and I think something can be done, But such hope must be informed by a realistic understanding of human beings as they are.
There’s a type of hope now which I think is very harmful, which is essentially a form of blocking out reality because it’s too difficult to contemplate. Now, I think , that’s a much more hopeless view.” – John Gray
“Hope is only where despair is. Something truly new-beginning happens only when you are in such deep shit that, within the existing coordinates you can find no way out, and then, in order to survive you have to invent something new. The magic is to turn a desperate situation into something new.” – Slavoj Zizek
A great documentary by Alfonzo Cuaron.
The Possibility of Hope – Part 1
Today I’m writing about the institutional church’s emphasis on missions, evangelism and promotion/marketing the salvation of the soul. For too long I have heard that if we only believe in Jesus then we will be saved. But this is untrue a fallacy and deceit. Okay some readers may start quaking and shaking because I’m challenging one of the basic tenants of the what has been preached as “the faith”.
The problem arises when, in our challenged attention span, we fail to understand the scripture/teachings in the larger context and what it means for our lives. For example, Jesus said, (in the ever popular verse)
“For thus God loves the world, so that he gives his only-begotten son that everyone who is believing in him should not perish but have life eonian.” – John 3:16(Concordant Literal New Testament – CLNT)
Out of context this verse clearly suggests that belief alone will save. But wait! What is the larger context where this appears? To understand the context we must read the entire section where this verse appears – John 3:1-21 in addition to the larger context of Jesus overall teachings throughout the gospels. Jesus is having a conversation with one of the Pharisees named Nicodemus who was a chieftain. Briefly, Jesus talks about how the times have changed and are changing. Previous perceptions of heaven are re-evaluated. Throughout his ministry Jesus talks about Heaven being here and now. In this section of scripture he points out that the Pharisees were making distinctions between celestial and terrestrial existence/being. Jesus says in verse 13 that the only one who has gone to heaven (as the pharisees teach) is the one who has come from heaven. In short, Jesus brings heaven back down to earth. The “one” he speaks of is the only-begotten son of mankind. And the belief in what the only-begotten son of mankind has done (bringing heaven down to earth) is what saves mankind. He then goes on to say that our actions here on earth reflect what we believe. So it’s not the belief that saves us. IT IS our actions here and now that reflect what we believe that matters.
So it’s not so esoteric as a “soul” that is so often preached in churches. It has nothing to do with heaven as a separate place to escape from this existence or find as a reward for believing. Belief alone will not save; it is how our actions are determined by our belief. As is written in James 2:19-20
“…the demons are ALSO believing and shuddering. Now are you wanting to know, o empty man, that faith apart from works is dead?” (CLNT)
Many translations turn that question into a statement. But it is in fact a question and the writer goes on to say that actions are not separate from belief. Actions illustrate and are inseparably linked to belief. No wonder so many so-called Christians, church workers and religious people are accused of hypocrisy and bigotry; saying one thing while doing another. It’s our actions here and now in this existence that show what we truly believe. Our actions at work with our co-workers, customers, suppliers, investors shows what we truly believe. Our actions at home with family and neighbors shows what we truly believe. Our actions in our “play” or social activities show what we truly believe. Going to church or saying we are Christian doesn’t mean squat! Anyone can, and does, do that. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21 that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter heaven. He continues by saying that the people who experience heaven are those who do Gods will. In other words, not most who go to church or say their Christian will never experience heaven as Jesus taught. Only those whose actions are in line with what Christ taught will experience heaven on earth as he taught.
(fyi- this is a re-post from my previous blog in August, 2012.)
Scene from THE CROW “Victims, aren’t we all….”
I’ve been thinking about the things that put me “around the bend” regarding the institutions of the church. First of all I don’t believe the Church was ever meant to be an institution. It was just a label given to groups of people who got together from time to time.
The scene above from the excellent film, THE CROW, is a modern parable. A parable on the consequences of viewing ourselves, our churches, our religion, our culture as victims. When we view ourselves as victims we will only know violence, hatred and revenge. I’ve often told people, I am not and never will be a victim. That does not mean that others won’t try to make me a victim or victimize me in some way. But I choose to never see myself as a victim. That’s doesn’t mean my life is any easier. In fact, because of my choices, my life is at times more difficult than what it may need to be (I’ve been told more than once to just “play the game”).
This does not seem to be the case for the Church/institutional Christianity. It seems that the “church” everywhere is embracing victimization. For further proof one only needs to look at the elaborate security systems churches have in an effort to protect their investment. And that may be part of the problem. The investment for the church has become something other than the people who make up the church. Fund raising is used to prop up the institution. The Church has entered the realm of monument building. And it will do everything it can to defend and prop up it’s monuments. In short Churches have become “Like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.” (Matthew 23:27) Everywhere we turn the so-called Church is on the attack. Defending it’s turf, complaining about its circumstances, and seeking anti-christian (legal/political) means of resolving it’s conflicts has become habitual behavior. In this age when the media is filled with stories of hate-crimes against different religions it is easy fall into the trap of victimization.
Why is victimization a trap? As soon as someone sees themselves as a victim they have already decided to react by complaining about their situation, lashing out, placing blame, even attacking the perceived cause/source of victimization. It’s done in the name of defending themselves. This is a very unhealthy and unproductive mindset. Sadly this is especially true in America since 9/11. Gun sales have risen sharply since that time. Sadly many of these buyers claim to be Christian. I know of people who try their best to use different bible passages to justify taking up arms (always out of context for self-justification). I know of one Christian who recently bought a gun in the name of defending his family. He sees himself as a minister of the gospel. But I ask what precedent does this set for your children? What example does that give to others? How does this even coincide with Jesus’ teaching – which you claim to follow? In fear, we already see ourselves as victims. When we are afraid we make unhealthy choices not only for ourselves but also for those around us who we may claim to be protecting. We become slaves to that fear of victimization. The result is we victimize ourselves. Sadly this has permeated the so-called church. We have applied this mindset to our beliefs – in spite of the actual teachings of the Source of the faith.
When we claim that we, our church and/or our religion are victims we are in bondage. We are trapped by our thinking. We have stopped promoting a gospel of love and freedom. We create and defend a gospel of bondage. We have created our own chains. Is it any wonder that Christianity has such a bad name today? Is it any wonder that church institutional membership is declining? Who wants to be in bondage? Not me! Jesus came to set people free from the very things that the church is doing.
Where I grew up and where I live there’s a lot of talk about being a “slave to Christ”, “in bondage to Christ”. Now the church has taken some archaic language in the bible and twisted it to support its gospel of bondage. As is surrendering one’s rights to the church has something to do with being Christian. It doesn’t. First of all slavery should never be promoted. If a person chooses to enslave themselves that is their choice. When the Bible is talking about being a “slave to Christ” it is not talking literally but metaphorically. It is about aligning oneself to the teachings of Christ and making every effort to live them in daily life and not give up trying even though one fails. That’s different from giving in to institution demand and mindset to defend the faith – as if faith was something to defend. This has given rise to an increase in Christian Apologetics. Genuine faith cannot be defended – it can only be lived.
Now, I want to be clear – I’ve NEVER heard a church or Christian say, “We are victims”. But a person doesn’t need to say it in words. As I’ve suggested all along – it’s in our attitudes/mindsets and our actions. Look at the Christians (whether Orthodox, Evangelical, Protestant, Catholic, etc) who seek to punish those they perceive are criminals (criminals being; those that object to, criticize, ridicule, distort and slander a person’s faith or religion in word and/or action) And this they apply to the arts, politics, science, education, lifestyles and other religions/belief systems. What has happened is that the Church has come to see itself as separate from humanity and not a part of it. This separation has had dire consequences. It is “Us vs. Them”. The church does not promote unity, healing, love among humanity but is a source of division. It not only puts one on the defensive but it becomes justification to attack and is used as a reason to go out and proselytize others in an effort to “bring them into the fold.” Instead of Christianity’s institutional leaders directing the path taught by Christ, this thinking is supported and encouraged. It is even applied to the institutions themselves – thus the evolution of the Gospel of Bondage.
This is inappropriate and was NEVER supported by Jesus. And that’s part of the problem. Jesus is being taught as the Messiah, that Savior of Humanity that did a lot of cool things and told some cool stories. But by-and-large the Church has stopped investigating his teachings. People use other scriptures out of context to justify their actions, thoughts and lives without testing them against what Christ taught. But if it doesn’t align with what Christ taught it is anti-christian.
So how should we then live? If we are Christians we need to re-investigate Jesus actual teachings and seek every effort to apply them to our lives. Teachings like forgiveness, love, compassion, mercy, caring for ALL people (not just those of our own faith or those who agree with us). When we can do this for people who are against us we no longer see them as separate from but actually a part of the big picture – a part of God’s creation – a part of the human family. We need to understand what he taught about the kingdom of heaven and what it means for us today.
We each have our function and purpose on this earth. We are part of one existence. Part of the God-consciousness itself. Each of us may be a different part of the body (i.e. someone may be a hand, foot, eye etc) but we can’t survive without each other. In fact we need each other. But If we reject others for their beliefs, actions, etc we are actually rejecting a part of the body that we are a part of. When this happens we are slowly killing ourselves by self decapitation. Have you ever seen a decapitation that was a good thing? Decapitation is ALWAYS violent and ugly.
A personal story:
I work in the Customer Service industry. No, not retail, not something that glamorous. I actually work the phones for a utility company. That means that I have the opportunity to be verbally attacked and even threatened – and it does happen from time to time. When I started this job (nearly 5 years ago) I literally had no idea what this would be like. Naturally at first I was on the defensive and it seemed that almost every call was a personal attack. And it’s hard not to feel that way when you are being verbally attacked or having your life or family threatened. Add to that we have a changing work-place environment based on the changing economy that adds challenges to the relationships I have with co-workers and supervisors. This all adds up to one stressful day. I tend to be more emotional anyway so dealing with these things are very difficult at times because it is my nature to react emotionally first and intellectually second. I am getting better at taking a moment (a breath, a pause, a heartbeat) to step back from the situation. But my growth and change has not been easy. I don’t think it’s supposed to be easy. But I view it as necessary. I keep a phrase by my computer that I look at quite often to remind me. It is simply, “Like water off a ducks back, let it roll over me.” The next step was to, as I’ve been talking about, viewing these people I deal with not just as “callers” or “co-worker’s” or “management” but as part of the human body – my body. It is a real game changer to think in this way. I can say that the outcome of my calls has been significantly different from when I started with this company. I still have a long way to go but I at least feel that I am on the right path. But again, it all comes down to the fact that at some point I decided NOT to be a victim or victimize others by being defensive.
We need to diminish our conflicts and differences not escalate them. It’s a choice. The choices we make now not only affect our actions but the actions of others both now and in the future. If we choose to perceive ourselves, our churches, our religion as victims we are making a very dangerous choice with dire consequences, both short-term and long-term. So don’t ever call me a victim. I am not and never will be a victim no matter what happens to me in this life. And it feels so good to say that. 🙂
Scene from DANGEROUS MINDS – “Choice”
Music today by Canadian musician Bruce Cockburn – GOSPEL OF BONDAGE
From the album ‘Big Circumstance’ (1989).
GOSPEL OF BONDAGE by BRUCE COCKBURN
Tabloids, bellowing raw delight
Hail the return of the Teutonic Knights
Inbred for purity and spoiling for a fight,
Another little puppet of the New Right
See-through dollars and mystery plagues
Varied detritus of Aquarian Age
Shutters on storefronts and shutters in the mind –
We kill ourselves to keep ourselves safe from crime.
That’s the gospel of bondage…
We’re so afraid of disorder we make it into a god
We can only placate with state security laws
Whose church consists of secret courts and wiretaps and shocks
Whose priests hold smoking guns, and whose sign is the double cross
But God must be on the side of the side that’s right
And not the right that justifies itself in terms of might –
Least of all a bunch of neo-nazis running hooded through the night
Which may be why He’s so conspicuously out of sight
Of the gospel of bondage…
You read the Bible in your special ways
You’re fond of quoting certain things it says –
Mouth full of righteousness and wrath from above
But when do we hear about forgiveness and love?
Sometimes you can hear the Spirit whispering to you,
But if God stays silent, what else can you do
Except listen to the silence? if you ever did you’d surely see
That God won’t be reduced to an ideology
Such as the gospel of bondage…
(fyi – this is a re-post from my previous blog in 2012)
UN SAFE
What does it mean to be unsafe?
I think it means to be open, unlocked, unconditional and taking risks. Certainly easier said than done. In our culture these things are typically lauded but not encouraged. A strange paradox. I think that in terms of faith, especially the Christianity I live, the paradox is even more profound because the institutions encourage conformity yet the Savior it proclaims was the ultimate individualist, open, and risky person around.
In our culture we have let fear define safety. We close up our borders, we increase security by increasing surveillance and decreasing privacy, we cast the dark light of suspicion on anything we do not understand or are not familiar with. We use religion as a weapon. And I am ashamed to say that many; who claim to believe in Jesus Christ are just as guilty as those who don’t.
Let’s look again at just a couple of examples of what Jesus taught; “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:43-48) “Do not resist an evil person” (Matthew 5:38-42) “Do not act for the purpose of being seen or recognized by others” (Matthew 6:1-4) “When you pray, go into your room, close the door…” (Matthew 6:5-15)
I could go on. I just want to encourage everyone to live a life of faith that is unsafe. Don’t be afraid to be open, to take a stand against “accepted” public opinion. Take the risk of fighting others by trying to understand them and accept them that they may see, in you a different way to live. Love “keeps no record of wrongs.”(I Corinthians 13:5) “The only thing that counts is faith, expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:6) “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and work… so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” (I Thessalonians 4:11-12)
Well that’s all I have to say right now.
I declare myself “unsafe”; An urban explorer of the human soul.
Enjoy this video by Mike Stand and THE ALARM – UNSAFE BUILDING
So after reading Exodus 34 I’ve been rethinking this whole notion of God as punisher of those who do evil – which is a common Christian outlook. Exodus 34:3-7 recounts Moses acquisition of the second set of the “ten commandments”, and lists some of Gods attributes. I want to focus on just one of these – punishment/retribution. Like many things in the Bible there are two sides to this and neither is what it seems on the surface.
Verses 6 & 7 read,
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed: “The Lord! the Lord! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.” [JPS translation]
First the good news. The good attributes such as “slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, extending kindness…” covers a thousand generations. It goes on and on. So-called punishment is only for up to 4 generations.
First I want to question the word “punishment” – which is a common translation. And I’ve always questioned this notion of God punishing children for their parents misdeeds. But if we read it literally that is what it seems to talk about. Let’s think about this. Punishment is something unpleasant imposed by authority on someone or some group for wrong action. In other words punishment is a consequence of wrong action. So let’s get away from the notion of punishment as a whip, hanging, or imprisonment. Lets think about consequence.
Now let’s think about what this consequence is in these verses. We learn that God does not bring the consequences himself. The consequences of wrong actions by parents and society are passed on to their children and even their children’s children [i.e. future generations]…. Now I know you’re probably tempted to say, “but wait” and revisit my previous comment about God punishing children for parents mistakes – BUT STOP!
We are talking about consequences. Cause and effect. Let’s think of the bigger picture here. I’ve always loved the Native American quote from the Iroquois Nation. To paraphrase their Great Law,
“In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation… even if it requires having skin as thick as the bark of a pine.”
We have become a very temporal minded society, living for the moment and not thinking ahead to the consequences of our actions for our children and future generations. Another consequence of our temporal society is that we’ve become more reactive than proactive. Me must find a way to think about this. Parents must consider how they teach & discipline, their children. Parents must consider how children learn from their beliefs and behaviors (emotional and physical action). As a society we must consider how our actions in environmental issues, urban planning, government etc will impact future generations. Because our wrong or right actions now WILL HAVE CONSEQUENCES on our children and children’s children for at least the next 3 or 4 generations (according to the Bible). God doesn’t punish our children for our mistakes – we do. If you don’t want your children to suffer from your wrong actions – carefully consider your actions to begin with; in every situation.
Does this mean we don’t or won’t make mistakes? No, we will still make mistakes but if we are mindful and aware, considering our actions we will be able to correct the mistake much sooner. There will still be strong debate over what constitutes right actions in a larger public arena.
There is much talk in the futurist community about the coming singularity. A time when technology eclipses humanity as an intelligent life form. A time when humans will eventually be remade and become the products of the technology they created. While many suggest that we are still a long way off or that it is complete science fiction I would argue that it is already begun. I suspect that it will not be a flash moment in time when this change occurs but is actually happening now. Think about how attached people are to the technology now. Here is a great video that highlights all the human parts that can currently be replaced.
Rex, the worlds first Bionic Man.
This bionic man highlighted in the above video is still a long way off from being a complete, artificial being with a self-identity because the most crucial replacement part has not evolved yet – the brain.
So what is this Singularity?
Like the video says, now is the time to start asking those questions about what we are doing and whether we should continue down this path? Isn’t technology making it a condition that just because it is beneficial it MUST be accepted and adapted? Isn’t technology making non-replacement unacceptable? And isn’t technology, as a result, saying that bio-forms must be replaced? And to say that we “should not” pursue this does this mean we seek to keep control of technology or are anti-technology? How are all these promises going to be affected by cultural differences? What will happen when things that happen with technology start happening without technology? Will it be possible for humans to evolve in their current bio-forms to compete with their technological counterparts? Will we even have the choice and opportunity to say “no”?
I’m wondering if we need a Bio-Form Support Group or, maybe more accurately, a BIO-FORM DEFENSE LEAGUE.
Any ideas?
... on being and becoming ... 