Let's Put On Our Thinking Caps

John Wesley, credited with founding Methodism, revolutionized theology by formulating the quadrilateral process which applies Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience to the task of discerning ultimate issues. Growing up in such a theological climate made it seem only natural to go beyond the Bible in quest of life’s meaning, etc, an attitude which has contributed to a growing disparity of opinion with those who claim sola scriptura (I personally know of no one whose worldview consists solely of Scripture). I’m wrestling with my ability to articulate what’s going on here because it is becoming increasingly fashionable and popular to justify one’s claim to being a Christian on the basis of familiarity with the Bible—more to the point, the New Testament, with an even narrower focus not upon the gospels but the epistles and Revelation. The problem I see with this is that Christianity, then, becomes something that really has nothing to do with the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth because it is so deeply grounded in the dogma and creed of the early church and its emerging institutions. This is what allows someone like George W. Bush to claim that he is a born-again Christian while simultaneously defiling and desecrating the Christ by nearly everything he says and does. It saddens me how quickly intelligent, thinking people literally throw the baby out with the bathwater by dismissing Jesus’ enlightenment because they find the Church to be disingenuous. If there is some way to encourage a more genuine exploration of Jesus’ revelation to humankind through the implementation of something like Wesley’s quadrilateral process, that is what I envision my calling to be.

Everything's Okay

There is no pithy lunch-hour entry today because I had the joyfully good fortune of having Mary join me at Potato Valley Café for some good eats (don’t forget to visit her Rant from the link on this page). We enjoyed a wonderful weekend with our children (sorry, Gaisford family, we’ve come to think of Steve as ours) in Flagstaff, and are looking forward to visiting Mom and Kim (Kirby, Kyler & Konner) next week. I know that it’s probably weird to give a date with my wife priority over some heady e-pistle, so sue me!

Is This the Best I Can Do?

My blog should probably be named something else, because my insight fails to incite much of anything (yes, the homophone was intentional). Case in point: my explanation thus far of what I understand to be true about Jesus has not created any great stir. How could it? I’ve basically described Jesus as a nice guy that could be trusted. While such a personality seems rare in real life, such uniqueness doesn’t really explain how or why a religion was started around it. One of the arguments used by those to support the supernatural divinity of Jesus is that he was more than just another good teacher; he was God made flesh on Earth. I have long appreciated Albert Schweitzer’s observation that the claims made for Jesus since his earthly ministry are not claims that he ever made for himself. The Jesus I “know” would have, I think, been satisfied to be thought of as good and trustworthy, if, that is, such a perception didn’t get in the way of the message he had to proclaim. Here is where I find Jesus to be at radical odds with the religious establishment of his day and thus at odds with the Church that has developed in his name. Jesus, I think, primarily wanted to communicate that one’s relationship with God is utterly personal. He knew this for a fact from his own experience, and consequently he did not go about telling people what steps to take to develop their own relationship with the Creator but only that because it was possible for him it is possible for anyone. That’s revolutionary revelation for the masses, but it is absolutely treasonous to those who aspire to have power and control over their fellow humans. He was a nice guy that could be trusted, but his principal message is as threatening to the status quo as any ever revealed to human consciousness.

PS
Mary’s second blog post was a long time coming, but is well worth the wait. You can read her thoughts at the Rant link on my home page (be sure to book mark it for when she decides to rant again).

PPS
I think you’ll enjoy reading Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s essay, I Confess, I Want Latin.

Would You Believe?

So far, I’ve described Jesus as a humble, sincere, and friendly man that could be trusted. This last trait is inestimably important because of the good news Jesus discovered he had to share. First, there is a God. This was likely not an earth-shaking disclosure to his contemporaries because many of them had probably never even questioned the issue. But the revolutionary revelation of the Christ is that we humans are invited to be in relationship—in communion, if you will—with our Creator. Jesus felt the intimacy of this relationship so profoundly that he referred to God as Abba, as Daddy. This is a quantum spiritual leap from the unknowable Yahweh that was revealed to the prophets in only indirect ways (e.g. Moses’ burning bush), an understanding which has persisted to the present day in deistic, pantheistic theologies. Equally radical was Jesus’ proclamation that God’s reign on Earth is imminent. Today is the day that the Lord has made, and so our relationship with God is not to be found in the past or future but rather to be experienced in the existential now. Even when it is a humble, sincere, friendly person that is presenting us with such an incredible concept, our initial reaction is not to trust it. It’s not what we’ve been taught. It’s not what we believe. And so, while you’re really a nice guy and all, Jesus, we need some proof that we can trust what you are telling us.

It’s the Real Thing

English translations of the New Testament gospels use words such as “astonished” and “amazed” to describe people’s reaction to Jesus. And it wasn’t just a response to supernatural miracles but to the man’s presence and the authority with which he spoke. Apparently, unlike other rabbis of his day, Jesus didn’t just recite scripture but instead made it come alive. He communicated his in-depth understanding not just of the words but what they meant. Coming face to face with this teacher left no doubt that he was the real thing.

Genuine; sincere; honest; truthful: These are words that I use when I attempt to understand what was so remarkable about this man that a world religion over two millennia old evolved from his ministry on Earth. The Jesus that has emerged for me is surprisingly humble simply because he has no need to be. His relationship with God is the most perfect that humankind has known or experienced, and yet this does not lead to the pompous bravado and superiority that so many other gifted and talented human succumb to.

Contemporary psychology speaks of the trait of “transparency”, and as one who has been evaluated as such I can tell you that it’s not always in one’s best interest to be perceived as open and forthright. People don’t always want to hear the truth. People don’t always want to learn something that is contrary to their beliefs. And yet the scriptural account of this most enigmatic of all humans relates that he was approachable, down to earth, and not at all interested in impressing people with anything but who he really was. Again, I like to think that if I had the opportunity to meet Jesus of Nazareth I would find myself in the company not of pretense, but of authenticity.

What a Friend We Have In Jesus

Being born on December 25 gives one an intuitive affinity with Jesus of Nazareth. I do not quarrel with the scholarship which posits that the date more likely coincides with a pagan Roman holiday (Saturnalia) than the actual birth date of Jesus. Nevertheless, it does mark the time that Christianity has designated for the event and anyone born around that time—as I was—is immersed in the imagery, iconolatry, and legend of the celebration. In other words, I was introduced to the concept of Jesus from the very beginning.

It would be disingenuous of me to attempt to claim that I know anything about what Jesus the human was like. An elementary study of the gospels of the New Testament quickly reveals that there is more disagreement than agreement with regard to the descriptions of Jesus found there. The common thread that weaves among all accounts, however, is that this Nazarene from Galilee exhibited an extraordinary relationship with the Divine that permeated all he said and did. There is also an implicit message about the man’s humble character which allowed him to be remarkably approachable. Indeed, Jesus went looking for disciples whom he would call his friends. No fortresses. No temple courts. No bodyguards. I get the strong impression that had I lived then and had I desired to become one of Jesus’ friends, that would have been possible.

It is impossible to try to reconcile the contemporary world we live in with the ancient one in which Jesus lived, not to mention that it is rather absurd to even try. Two millennia later we have only impressions and interpretations to work with, but the one that stands out most strongly in my mind is that in Jesus people quickly discovered a genuine friend that was humble enough to relate to them at their level. Today’s world doesn’t seem to value humility much. In fact, quite the opposite it true. Think of the world’s leaders and try to determine which of them would walk up to you and ask you to be her/his friend. I’m thankful that the most significant person in human history would have (I think) been my true friend.

PS
I enjoyed reading Amy Sullivan's essay, The Origins of the God Gap. I hope you will, too.

To Those I Love

I know that I’m late coming to it, but I’ve just had one of the most profoundly disturbing experiences of my life. I fancy that readers come to my blog because they like to think. It probably comes closer to the truth, though, to understand that there is some sort of fleeting morbid fascination that attracts the passing viewer. The only sure thing is that those who love me and have the ability to access this technology are my most faithful (harder truth: my only) readers. Taking all this into account, I hesitate to invite those whom I love and who love me to enter into my depression—but I find no way around it. Please take the hour-and-a-half that it takes to watch Loose Change and then maybe we can get some sort of cyber-dialogue going about what it is that we need to be doing.

It’s the Emissions, Stupid!

Readers of yesterday’s entry will note that I anticipated this possible digression from my noble stated goal, but hearing it reported on this morning’s news that the sale of hybrid automobiles is decreasing because the actual miles per gallon is below what customers expect justifies this moment of rebuttal—even if it doesn’t have anything to do with Jesus (although I think it might). Since the purchase of our first Prius in 2003 it has bothered me that the emphasis is upon mileage rather than emissions. While there is a correlation between higher mileage and lower emissions, the radical advantage of the hybrid to the environment is discovered at the stop sign. While even the most fuel efficient conventional gasoline engines continue to run while the vehicle is stopped or crawling in traffic (thereby continuing to emit exhaust) the hybrid does literally nothing. When I stop for a red light, or when I am caught in stop-and-go traffic, the gasoline engine is OFF and the electricity is ON. Voila! No emissions! And for that, I think that we drivers of hybrids (ala South Park’s Prius smugness) deserve special recognition and treatment for our failure to pollute the environment. I’m almost nauseated each day as I walk past the hundreds of fuel-guzzling, air-polluting behemoths parked in the county garage, knowing that they’ve been navigated there by mentally challenged ingrates who probably think that global warming is a Communist plot. As far as I’m concerned, they should be penalized and taxed in every way imaginable while I want the primo parking spaces, the most generous rebates, as well as my own lane on the freeway. After all, I’m doing it for you!

Jesus is just alright with me…

It probably seems to some that I’ve had the arrogant audacity to criticize historical and contemporary interpretations of Christianity, even to the point of calling George W. Bush’s profession of faith a lie (I take some comfort in learning that I am not alone in my opinion; see Joe Klein’s Bush’s July Surprise for Iraq). I can understand that some might ask: who are you to make such judgments? But after learning that Tori Spelling is now ordained I have concluded that I am entitled to my interpretation but that it is my responsibility to articulate it publicly so that my readers can evaluate its legitimacy. In one way it is encouraging to know that religion is an integral facet of American life and politics, but on the other hand it is somewhat frightening to realize what is passing for religious thought. I have no way of knowing whether this mental spurt will last until tomorrow, but right now it seems exciting and challenging to spell out what I understand of Scripture, of Jesus, and of the Church that has evolved in his name. Do I know more about these topics than the people I criticize? Time will tell.

The Real Axis of Evil

I grow increasingly tired of the deceit and secrecy of the Bush White House. W’s most blatant lie is his profession to be a born-again Christian. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he has simply adopted the already perverse and corrupt interpretation of the Gospel that has evolved over the years. And so I ask the following questions not only of the President, but of all the like-minded fundamentalists that have co-opted the teachings of Jesus just as surely as fanatical Islamists have distorted Mohammed’s.

Given that a literal interpretation of Scripture limits any verbatim quotes to the four New Testament gospels, will you please show me where Jesus says that the way to deal with our enemies is to wage war upon them? Will you please show me where Jesus passes judgment upon infidels? Will you please show me where Jesus endorses imperialism? Will you please show me where Jesus suggests that military might makes right?

You can’t. And what’s worse, you know you can’t. The pretense of being a disciple of the Prince of Peace is nothing more than a political sham that you have shamelessly exploited to your own ends. Dobson, Falwell, Robertson, Bush. They are all of the same ilk that pathologically lies about their faith in the Truth. I doubt that any expose is going to change their ways, but I can pray that We the People might wake up to the treachery and deceit that is being promulgated in the Christ’s name. It’s a shame that W’s Sunday school didn’t have a No Child Left Behind program in place when it might have done him some good.

To Stay or Go

Ever since Bush stole the White House in 2000 I’ve had this sinking feeling that the United States of America may not be the country of which I want to be a citizen. Our viewing this weekend of Michael Moore’s Sicko and the CBS documentary about Edward R. Murrow, Good Night, and Good Luck, has only compounded the dilemma. If the United States is a true democracy, then the preemptive attack on Iraq, the chief concern about health care being the bottom line, the callous disregard for the environment is the will of the people. If these things are contrary to the will of the people but we find ourselves powerless to change them, then we can’t really call this a democracy anymore, can we? So which is it? Are the majority of Americans just greedy bastards that will exploit anyone or anything in order to gratify their unabashed selfishness? Or does that just describe those who have bought their way into positions of power? Either way is giving me little comfort these days. So, the question that has been nagging me for the last seven years isn’t going away: Should I stay or should I go?

Question: Is It Too Late?

My thanks to Rob for meeting today's deadline for submitting a newsworthy article to share with my readers:

Nobel laureate calls for removal of Bush
Irish peace activist's speech at Dallas event gets standing ovation
12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, July 12, 2007
By JAMES HOHMANN / The Dallas Morning News

Nobel Peace Prize winner Betty Williams came from Ireland to Texas to declare that President Bush should be impeached.

In a keynote speech at the International Women's Peace Conference on Wednesday night, Ms. Williams told a crowd of about 1,000 that the Bush administration has been treacherous and wrong and acted unconstitutionally.

"Right now, I could kill George Bush," she said at the Adam's Mark Hotel and Conference Center in Dallas. "No, I don't mean that. How could you nonviolently kill somebody? I would love to be able to do that."

About half the crowd gave her a standing ovation after she called for Mr. Bush's removal from power.

"The Muslim world right now is suffering beyond belief," she said.

"Unless the president of the United States is held responsible for what he's doing and what he has done, there's no one in the Muslim world who will forgive him."

When an audience member told Ms. Williams that Vice President Dick Cheney would become president if George Bush were impeached, she said, "Can't you impeach them both?"

"It's twisted. It's all wrong," she said. "There are so many lies being told. It's hard to be an American and go out into the world right now."

Ms. Williams started her speech by asking every member of the audience to hug everyone around them. Then she cut to what amounted to both a call for peace and a stinging rebuke of the American government.

Conference organizers have said that the conference is nonpartisan and that no one was invited to speak about the war in Iraq. After Ms. Williams finished her speech, conference chairwoman Carol Donovan took the podium to say that Ms. Williams did not speak for the conference – only herself.

"It's important for us to separate the opinion of the person and the position of the conference," Ms. Donovan said.

Two other Nobel Peace Prize winners, American activist Jody Williams and Rigoberta Menchú Tum of Guatemala, will speak this week as part of the conference. Jody Williams, who was in the audience Wednesday, has also indicated she would speak about Mr. Bush.

"We believe very strongly it was important to have the opportunity to hear these three peace prize winners," Ms. Donovan said.

Betty Williams won the Nobel Prize in 1976 for creating a group that helped start peace talks in Northern Ireland.

In 1992, Texas Gov. Ann Richards appointed Betty Williams to the Texas Commission for Children and Youth.

Many in the crowd found out that Lady Bird Johnson had died when Jan Sanders, the wife of U.S. District Judge Barefoot Sanders and a close friend of the former first lady, gave an impromptu eulogy.

"She was a friend, a doer, an influencer of world events," Ms. Sanders said. "She lived a full life. If she were here, she would say to you, 'Keep on being women doers.' "

If they agree with my point of view :-) I'll be happy to pass along your ideas and opinions, too.

It Sounds Good

While “all men are created equal,” the name of the game seems to be to introduce inequity just as soon after creation as possible. Just as nature abhors a vacuum, humankind can’t tolerate the idea of every individual being on equal footing. Indeed, the whole notion of competing one against the other to achieve superiority is so ingrained in our thinking as to almost be classified human nature (if there was such a thing). Much of the distress being experienced by the United States of America today is because of the rise to power of neoconservatives who plainly stated their objective to be never letting this country relinquish its position as sole superpower. It is difficult to reconcile that powerful idealism proclaimed in the Constitution with current government practices which flaunt equality as unrealistic and impractical. Why are we surprised that no one of Abraham Lincoln’s caliber and stature is in the race for the White House? While things were admittedly imperfect in his day, I cannot imagine that he would have been particularly successful in the financial competition that defines today’s politics. It would be interesting to see what would happen in this old world if we genuinely incorporated the belief that everyone we meet is our equal.

Let the Ayes Have It

Zheng Xiaoyu, 63, China’s former chief drug regulator, was executed for taking bribes. While I do not advocate capital punishment, it does occur to me that George W. Bush and his cronies are far more deserving of the death penalty when their crimes against nations and humanity are compared to Zheng’s infractions. Knowing, however, that Congress cannot even muster an impeachment before this most disastrous of presidencies expires, ‘W’ et al continue their assault on civil liberties and national sovereignty with impunity. If the “decider” knew that he was subject to execution just as were so many Texans under his governorship, we might actually hear him start singing another tune. So, how about it? All in favor of executing President Bush say aye!

A Passing Thought

It all begins with ME
Inevitably that leads to WE
With love it becomes OURS
And that ultimately makes it YOURS

Rocky Mountain High

Computers are marvelous devices, but when they start malfunctioning it panics those of us who are technologically challenged; i.e. don't have a clue how the darn thing works. Anyway, I seem to have a moment of grace from my defunct Word program which keeps "abnormally terminating" my pithy compositions (I'm composing this directly into blogger which hasn't been successful in the past). Thanks to blogger I managed to clear my cache and reset my cookies, and I haven't even had breakfast yet.

We are on the road back to Las Vegas, having spent the night in our old stomping grounds of Westminster, Colorado. We paid our friend Stacy a surprise visit which resulted in dinner at Denny's...it's complicated. We are headed into the majestic Rocky Mountains today, then across the beautiful Utah terrain to Beaver where we will spend the last night before driving home tomorrow. Our faith in America the beautiful has been restored by our time spent in the heartland, and we return dedicated to defeating the tyranny of the Bush Administration so that our nation may once again know liberty and justice for all.