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pastorsperspective · 1 year

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A Mother Who Prays

A blessed Friday to you all! Last Sunday’s message, given by Rev. Dr. Mary-Ellen Barrow was titled: Sanctuary - Living Prayerfully. The accompanying scripture was from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17. If you were unable to be with us, you can listen to the message here: https://fb.watch/jBFwYWZOgm/ Let's dive right in!

You spoke so emotionally about your prayer life and about your mother, it was truly touching. My Nana is that person for me, so I understand. You asked many of the questions that I would have asked within your own sermon and then answered them! Which doesn't leave me much to question! That just means you spoke a wonderfully concise word!

You mentioned the days when someone could run into a church and claim sanctuary. Though times have changed regarding the legal view of sanctuary, do you think that churches are still viewed as a place of sanctuary, a safe place for hearts?

I think the role of the church and society has changed through the decades. I don’t think we still maintain the same sense of sanctuary that was held in ancient times where the church was always open and always a place where people could go for safe keeping or for refuge. Instead, our society has evolved, so that there are government agencies and social/community resources that people can turn to, in addition to church benevolence for assistance when needed. I definitely think the church needs to foster a perception and reality that the church is a safe place. And we become a sanctuary where all people, sinners and saints, can find a spiritual home.

So many people don’t feel safe in church though, for whatever their reasons are. Sometimes it’s because of past trauma and sometimes it’s simply because of personal nature, not feeling safe and at ease around others. That can make focusing in church difficult for some. For others, perhaps it’s simply the awkwardness you mentioned.

I love the quote you shared: If your day is hemmed in prayer, it's less likely to come unraveled. How true! I never thought of it like that. You touched on that awkward feeling that we can get when praying collectively. What is the best way for someone to push through that awkwardness? Or is it even necessary?

Public prayer in social settings is difficult for some people. Many people never get past the fear of speaking publicly, and depending on their own personal goals, may choose not to address that concern. Whether they choose pray openly in group settings is a matter for them to discern individually with the Lord. It’s not for me to say whether every single person must feel comfortable with that skill. Out of sensitivity and kindness, if a person tells me they’re uncomfortable praying in public, I would honor their request and not call on them in a group setting. The more important matter is that they have a comfort level approaching God personally and intimately for their own spiritual support and edification. They need to fostering their spiritual life with private prayer and spiritual practices, staying in touch with God, finding ways that makes prayer authentic and uplifting for them.

Oh how I wish I had been blessed to have you as my Sunday School teacher! I wholeheartedly agree that the most important component should be teaching a person to be comfortable seeking God in their private time. So often people can be made to feel as if they are less than for being uncomfortable praying in public. As if private prayers are less meaningful than the ones that all can hear. When you talked about how not to pray. The public prayers with the many words and the showy demeanor, meant to be seen by others. I immediately wondered what that means for corporate prayer? What does that mean for the wordy prayers? Are these prayers less effective?

Prayer is about communication and when we communicate individually with God, it’s a one-to-one personal experience. When we communicate by prayer with God in a group setting, there are many dynamics of interaction at play in the group. We have to think about those introverted persons who may feel very uncomfortable talking openly about their issues and their struggles. Even extroverts may desire to keep certain things quiet until they are ready to share. Some things just don’t need to be shared publicly! We think about the need to honor confidences, be respectful, and honor personal matters that are not appropriate for speaking aloud in the group.

I do not believe that prayers are less effective when they’re personal—in a small group, or even just with your pastor. But I have to confess that prayer is also a mysterious process. There have been many studies about prayer in the clinical setting. I find this interesting, because, as a chaplain, I am asked to pray for people often who are facing serious illness, terminal diagnoses, or medical procedures. For people of faith, some are encouraged when more people are praying for them… as if more prayers are more powerful. I have to confess that I have seen miracles happen when faithful people come together in prayer. That being said, I, nor any theologian who has ever lived, can explain why one prayer is answered and another is not. That answer remains singularly held in the heart of God. Ultimately, prayer is an act of faith. Whether we do it corporately, individually, or silently, God knows our heart and responds as God sees fit. Prayer builds the relationship with God…and that’s a beautiful thing. in the process, we are transformed.

I don’t really think it matters one way or the other how you choose to pray as long as you truly have your heart surrendered to what you’re praying. I absolutely would have asked why DO we pray then if God knows everything, but you answered that! You did mention that there are 650 prayers in the Bible and 450 answers. Some would say that proves that God doesn't answer all prayers. Why do you think that there weren't 650 answers?

Regarding answered prayer, people tend to think of prayers being answered when they get the affirmative response that they’re hoping for. I would say that of all 650 prayers listed in the Bible, there were answers. It is more likely that the “no’s” or “not nows” we’re not recorded.

This is exactly what I was thinking, I was just curious if you had some kind of different thought process or “closer to God” view point that you could share with the rest of us.

The part about the praying dog was so true. Isn't it just like us to beg God for our wants and our needs without thanking Him first for everything He has already done for us? How very guilty we are! What are some mindfulness techniques that we can use to remember to bring our thanks before we bring our needs?

Yes, it is our nature to want more. Developing a perspective and attitude of graciousness and thankfulness goes a long way in helping our spiritual life be more mature.

Mindfulness techniques are incredibly helpful in our spiritual life. I will send a link about that separately. Here in Ft Worth, one of my dear friends (Cynthia Powell) is an educator and life coach who teaches MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction). she is also a professor at UNT health science center. She teaches online and in person courses in mindfulness and I highly recommend her approach as it supports a healthy spiritual life.

Perfect, thank you! I’m sure many of us could use all the help we can get! I know I can because sometimes I do use prayer as the spare tire. I think “Well, God, I have done everything I can think of to do, I guess I'll ask you for help.” In the grand scheme of things, I like to think that I am saving God from my tiny, little, trivial, unimportant, issues when I do this and am not "bothering" Him with my mess until I can no longer handle it on my own. I don't think God sees us that way though. Or at least I hope He doesn't.

Regardless of the circumstances, I hope that no one ever thinks of their prayer as a “bother” to God. Rather, we should consider that we are God’s beloved sons and daughters. Think about the prodigal son story (Luke 15:11-32). When we pray, we become the prodigal son, topping the hilltop on our long journey of return to the loving father who waits, binoculars in hand, on the front porch every evening longing for us to return home. God waits with open arms and an open heart…only grace!

I'm so sorry to hear about your Mama. My Nana still prays with me on every phone call, during every visit, and daily for every one of her kids, grandkids, great grandkids, and great-great grandkids. The power of a praying Mother is endless. What an amazing power her prayers have had in your life. What an amazing power your prayers will have had in the lives of your loved ones.

It brings to mind a poem from a book that my Nana gave me.

I Have a Mother Who Prays

Some have had kings in their lineage,

Some to whom honor was paid.

Not blest of my ancestors – but,

I have a mother who prays.

I have a mother who prays for me

And pleads with the Lord every day for me.

Oh what a difference it makes for me –

I have a mother who prays.

Some have worldly success

And trust in riches they’ve made –

This is my surest asset,

I have a mother who prays.

My mother’s prayers cannot save me,

Only mine can avail;

But mother introduced me to Someone –

Someone who never could fail.

Oh yes… I have a mother who prays for me

And pleads with the Lord every day for me.

Oh What a difference it makes for me –

I have a mother who prays.

Author Unknown

Here is the bio for Cynthia Powell, a dear friend of Pastor Mary-Ellen and instructor for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.

This is the link to the course that is already underway for Spring. At the bottom of the page, there are links to upcoming events and trainings.

#pastorsperspective #methodist #fumc #pastormaryellen

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tasmiq · 1 year

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Jumu'ah Khuthbah: 2 December 2022

As we ready ourselves for the live and blessed presence of Shaykh Taner and Shaykha Muzeyyen (Anne) in a matter of days in our shores, Subhana'Allah! Alhamdulillah that we've made it into our eery post-COVID world. All the more richer as a spiritual community that managed to thrive in spite of the sense of loss and rightly enforced physical distance.

#1. Shaykh Nishaat reflected on how we draw closer to Allah with a mutual relationship of love. In fact, it is in our everyday lives, that we draw closer to Allah. Our trials make us realise who we are, Subhana'Allah as my post-accidental reality is doing. We overcome our negative trials by persevering in our desire to be with Allah. Through drawing nearer to Allah by striving against ourselves sincerely, we realise our true fitrah (nature).

#2. We were reminded through Shaykh Taner about the need to foster a better relationship with people. Relationships are often soured because of miscommunication and muddied by holding onto presumptions. Instead we should hold onto patience and do an activity together as the key to infuse these relationships with purpose in pursuit of a common goal!

As personally experienced with your Mimi in preparation for the shared joy of your Aunty Tash and Uncle Peter's wedding, and Maryam Bhen in decorating for your Abbu's birthday. I learnt that she takes notes from me, on how to love her own husband 😊

#3. The next blessing was an appeasement of my worries and seeing a reward for converting my stress therein, into the Positivity Prayers - seeking collective guidance!

We found out that my post-accident rehab team are closing down their Durban branch, but my breath of fresh air of a new Physiotherapist from Johannesburg will go private and remain in our service and close to her mother in KZN, Insha'Allah, Subhana'Allah and Allahu Akbar! I am seeing the collective power being offered through the Positivity Prayers. Shukran Ya Allah (gratitude to Allah) that an important basic daily due of our Tariqa, has such far reaching and deep power!

#4. Was again a Shaykh Nishaat piece of wisdom where he spoke about how our Zikr is performed in a sequence of how to hold on to Allah. Again, my pressing Tasbih (remembrance tool) as our Istinja container (for the cleaning and purification process after passing our excretory functions) being noticed by my non-Muslim star of a Physio. Alhamdulillah for the opportunity to clarify both our understanding of a fundamental, daily practice in our lives!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasbih

Shaykh Nishaat continued to remind us that everyone in the silsila (spiritual lineage) is representing Allah in the manifested world. When we sing ilahi (devotional music), we remind ourselves what we have as the proverbial rope to Allah. Here, Jalaluddin Rumi (Allah bless his secret) was quoted as saying that a spiritual journey that would take several years, will take a fraction of its time because of our spiritual guides. Alhamdulillah!

#5. Ultimately we have various levels of nafs (ego) that are worked on proclaimed Shaykh Nishaat. Us human beings are given the choice to glorify Allah through Zikr with our freewill, which other creations don't possess. Again gratitude to Allah for seeing the depth of our ocean of devotion, where the deeper you go, is its depth realised!

Now we pass over to your Abbu's Arabic Khuthbah, with gratitude that the next time insha'Allah we will be in the presence of our spiritual mentors!

Alhamdulillah × infinity

...that we made it into our almost post-COVID world!

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revlyncox · 3 years

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The Wisdom of Love (2021)

Love as presence, embodiment, and interdependence from the perspectives of Black humanists and freethinkers.

This talk was revised and expanded for the Washington Ethical Society, February 14, 2021.

There is an annual occurrence that I look forward to at this time of year: leftover Valentine’s chocolate is about to be on sale. I hope this turn of events brings comfort and joy to many. I do wonder, though, if there ought to be more to this season of commitment than a box of candy. Love is wild, powerful, wise, just, and compassionate. We don’t need to be romantically partnered to pay attention to love.

Knowing what I know of this community, even though it feels like I just arrived, I admire so many of you for your efforts to repair the world. I see healers of the mind and body, teachers, people devoted to caring for family members, scientists, activists, and artists. At the root of each person’s quest, I hear the voice of love: love for family and friends, love for the earth, love for humanity, love of beauty, love of the dizzying possibilities for discovery in our universe. Our minds can provide the analysis and our hands can provide the skills, yet the longings of our hearts keep us engaged and refreshed along the pathways of hope. We need our whole selves—rational, embodied, spiritual, and emotional—to make manifest the dream of a better world.

In this community, there are several labels that circulate, though I also know there are those in our community who prefer not to carry any label at all. We might call ourselves Ethical Culturists or Humanists or Free Thinkers. A few of us might call ourselves Unitarian Universalists. These movements all have a tinge of intellectualism to them, even as we insist that our values must be demonstrated in our actions. We prize reason, and we also need to remember that reason alone, without love, is incomplete.

Egbert Ethelred Brown, who was a Unitarian minister in Harlem in the early twentieth century, saw the wisdom in bringing our whole selves into community. Though early twentieth century Unitarianism and early twentieth century Ethical Culture were different movements, I think what he said can also apply in a place that Adler said is a religion for those who want it and a philosophy for those who don’t. Rev. Brown wrote, “Religion is ethics touched by emotion. If the intellect dominates and there is no hint of emotion, a cold and barren matter-of-factness results. Conversely, if emotion leads, unguided by intellect, we are doomed to a wild sea of fanaticism. Yet mind and soul united create one music, grander than before.” (Quote from “Cold Services,” p. 33 in the anthology Been in the Storm So Long, edited by Mark Morrison-Reed and Jacqui James; see also, Darkening the Doorways by Mark Morrison-Reed; more resources here, here, and here.)

I believe that emotions bring us a great deal of wisdom. We need to consult our feelings and gut instincts to make the best decisions. In particular, I think love in the broader sense offers three lessons that will help us live out our faith: groundedness, embodiment, and interdependence. Love keeps us here, rooted in the world as it is. Love is active, practical, and at one with our physical selves. Love remembers data and frameworks that our intellect may have forgotten, and revels in the unpredictable dance of change and growth. The wisdom of love teaches groundedness, embodiment, and interdependence.

Love Keeps Us Here

To be a community that brings out the best in each other and helps create a society where everyone can grow into being their best selves, we must be rooted in the world as it is, flinching neither from the pain nor the joy that is possible in the here and now. Each of the senses available to us helps us to understand the universe and our place in it. We think, touch, taste, and feel our way into making sense of the world. Love is the capacity that helps us to keep the doors of our perception open rather than escaping into abstraction or obsession. When we are able to truly love the world and the lives it holds, trying to hide is a less attractive option because escaping would separate us from love.

The power of love to draw us into the here and now, to embrace our souls with gentle, cupped hands and breathe fire into the embers, is a spiritual perspective. Lewis Latimer shared it. Latimer was an African American engineer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was also a poet, as demonstrated in this piece, “Love is All.”

“What is there in this world, beside our loves,

To keep us here?

Ambition's course is paved with hopes deferred,

With doubt and fear.

Wealth brings no joy,

And brazen-throated fame

Leaves us at last

Nought but an empty name.

Oh soul, receive the truth,

E'er heaven sends thy recall:

Nought here deserves our thought but love,

For love is all.”

(“Love is All” by Lewis Latimer, p. 39 in the anthology Been in the Storm So Long, edited by Mark Morrison-Reed and Jacqui James; see also biographies here and here.)

Latimer suggests that our loves, plural, collectively form the strongest force that keeps us “here.” I can imagine several meanings to where “here” might be. It is not a fixed point. “Here” moves with life and time. Here is where we put one foot in front of the other. Here is the present moment, this time and place and plane of existence. Here we are, gathered in strength, rooted in the world as it is. Love keeps us connected with the ground of our being.

Love is Embodied

The second piece of wisdom is that love is embodied. Love inhabits physical form and manifests in the real actions of human beings. This is true at the personal level and at the societal level. When we are able to fall in love with the world, to keep faith with humanity while fully recognizing the human capacity for causing harm, affection becomes action. Similarly, when tangible actions and their effects lead to suffering, we know there is something is amiss. Love needs mindfulness and compassion to bear the best fruit.

Humanism, to me, is a movement of people who believe in people. We value human creations like art and literature, we seek human solutions to our shared challenges, and we value dignity and equality as humanitarian goals. Love is an irreplaceable ingredient in this tradition. People can do (have done, are doing) terrible things, individually and collectively. Love helps us to be humanists anyway, to believe that positive change is possible, that society still has something to celebrate, and that creating an environment for healing is worth the effort. We are sometimes disappointed and often heartbroken, yet we persist in the spirit of love.

Within the Humanist movement, there are those who say that it should be exclusively atheist, those who don’t think belief or non-belief is relevant or needs discussion, and those who find room in Humanism for theists who don’t mind saying so out loud as well as atheist and agnostic humanists. In all three cases, Humanism is rooted in human experience and human responsibility to create the world we long for, as well as an insistence on the worth of every person.

Wade McCree, Jr., was the third kind of Humanist. He was a vice moderator of the Unitarian Universalist Association in the late sixties. He was also the first African American to serve as the United States Solicitor General, and so had plenty of opportunities to see the best and the worst in people. He supported the idea of love as a force that helps us to be humanists anyway, even when the evidence challenges the idea of human goodness. He wrote:

“To me, one's religion is expressed in the manner in which one relates to other human beings. If one fights relentlessly against injustice, want, hate, and every form of exploitation, then one is a religious person. The love of God is not expressed by ritual or ceremony, but by loving.” ("By Loving" by Wade H. McCree, Jr, p. 18 in the anthology Been in the Storm So Long, edited by Mark Morrison-Reed and Jacqui James; obituary here)

Across the decades, leaders agree that fierce, open-hearted, actual-feet-on-the-ground love is an expression of their deepest commitments. People are worth caring for. Love longs for the well-being and abundant life of the beloved.

Love for people in general is embodied, and so is love for individual people in particular. For anyone who has ever cared for a child or an elder or a loved one who needs direct physical care, the earthiness of love is undeniable. Lifting, holding, and carrying are physically exhausting. Sleep deprivation depletes people mentally and spiritually. Yet people care for others, often without expectation of return. Within the wisdom of love, a person doesn’t have to produce anything or contribute to the GDP in order to matter.

Advocacy is also embodied. When it’s safe to do so again, people will be walking the halls of legislatures to demand policies that help people stay alive, and this is an act of love. Marching is embodied love. Vigils are embodied love. Using your voice and your dialing fingers for phone banking is an act of love.

Audre Lorde spoke about the intersections of poetry, dreams, care and advocacy - and about how this is different from a purely intellectual project - in her 1984 book, Sister Outsider. She wrote:

The white father told us: I think, therefore I am. The Black mother within each of us — the poet — whispers in our dreams: I feel, therefore I can be free. Poetry coins the language to express and charter this revolutionary demand, the implementation of that freedom.

However, experience has taught us that action in the now is also necessary, always. Our children cannot dream unless they live, they cannot live unless they are nourished, and who else will feed them the real food without which their dreams will be no different from ours. “If you want us to change the world someday, we at least have to live long enough to grow up!” shouts the child.

From Fannie Barrier Williams (who was featured in the Time for All Ages story earlier in the Platform) to Audre Lorde, it is clear that the wisdom of love is concrete, it is not a theoretical exercise. For over a century, Black freethinkers have been saying, with love, that all people deserve equality of access to health care, housing, and public services. Love feeds our commitment to abundant life. Wisdom knows that embodied care and advocacy are aspects of love.

We value people of all ages, races, levels of economic activity, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities. The force of our conviction is made real with concrete actions. Love is embodied.

Love Remembers Interdependence

We can fool ourselves into thinking we are logical all the time. I can appreciate the attraction of making moral choices through what seems like a coldly rational framework. I don’t believe that any of us are as rational as we think we are, but even if we could be, love brings us some of the data we actually need to make good decisions. Furthermore, sometimes data gives an illusion of permanence that doesn’t match the experience of being fully human.

If we only look at short-term consequences, we may fail to take into account the expense of disaster cleanup when we are figuring the cost of energy. Without love, we might not realize that it is against our long-term interests to cause species extinction as we scrape up the Great Barrier Reef. Without love, humans appear to be statistics. When humans become statistics, the result can be disastrous policymaking. Statistics might obscure the fact that Black lives matter, and that justice for immigrants makes us healthier as a nation, and that we have a choice about whether people go hungry and get evicted during a pandemic. Love is what reminds us of the fierce importance of looking out for each other.

Ethical arguments for environmental and social justice might be dismissed as mere sentimentality, because love is made out to be less reliable than money. But of course that’s not true. Our gut instincts are sometimes on to something. When we love without apology, we come to our senses. We remember that the potential results of our actions go beyond the predictive models. We remember the interdependence of all life. We remember our connection with the earth. We remember that community can be life-giving, in all the ways that community is defined. And we remember that the essence of life is change.

Alain Locke is another history-making Black freethinker whose ideas are relevant here. WES members have heard about Dr. Locke before, especially in the work of my Ethical Culture colleague Jé Exodus Hooper. Dr. Locke lived from 1885 to 1954. He was a philosopher, patron of the arts, and a professor at Howard University. Dr. Locke didn’t use the word “love” as often as he used the word “culture,” yet from the essayists and poets we’ve already heard today, I think it’s clear that there is a connection between the practice of love and the way we understand ourselves to be related to others. I am indebted to philosopher Leonard Harris for his journal article to help me understand what Dr. Locke had to say about culture and community.

Two of the ideas Locke wrote about might seem to be in tension with each other until they are closely examined. One idea is that race and culture are social constructs; that is, what draws people together in shared identity is influenced by what we see, hear, and experience; and that therefore it should be no surprise when the definition of an identity is unstable. That’s not a very controversial idea now, but he went out on a limb academically in the 1920’s for rejecting the idea that biological races exist and are biologically caused to express cultural traits.

The other idea provides creative interplay, but is not mutually exclusive with the first. Locke argued that people have an instinct to seek out people with whom they share some kind of similarity, and that even though that similarity is a social construct, this instinct to form communities is good. A shared experience with what it means to be assigned to a group as it is defined in that moment still provides what he called “a consciousness of kind,” with associated common interests and responsibilities, and is enough of a reason to lead to a sense of belonging. He wrote:

The final thing is that we shall see that human society must [have] a … consciousness of kind, and that consciousness of kind is a healthy[,] and a normal[,] and a fundamental social instinct.

(From A. Locke, Race, Contacts and Interracial Relations, Quoted in “Alain Locke and Community” by Leonard Harris, The Journal of Ethics 1:239-247, 1997. This article is behind a paywall, but we might be able to find someone with access. For a free resource on Alain Locke, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has an entry that is thorough and peer-reviewed.)

Dr. Locke warned that the social instinct can go astray, and that the construct of an identity begins to be harmful when the identity becomes regarded as static. He goes on:

… normal and healthy instinct has a very abnormal expression from time to time in the false notions, the false conceptions[,] of kind which are not conceptions of social kind--not conceptions of civilization type, of the American civilization type--but [rather] conceptions of racial kind and conceptions of race type [as permanent and invariable].

(Ibid.)

Dr. Locke's support for the healthy social instinct is part of what drew him to be a patron of the arts. The 1925 publication that launched his reputation as “The Father of the Harlem Renaissance” included art, African artifacts, articles by Black intellectuals, and poems by such writers as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Angelina Grimke. In retrospect, Dr. Harris writes that this publication was “intended as a work ‘by’ rather than ‘about’ African Americans. It was a text exuding pride, showing African-American historical continuities, and revealing a new spirit of self respect.”

In other words, the things valued and created by the people who share an identity should be celebrated, not because they represent an objective reality or timeless virtues, but because the particulars draw people to connect with one another in a healthy, human way that helps people find a feeling of belonging.

Dr. Locke’s insistence that community is both always in the process of being socially constructed and vitally important as a human instinct reminds us that love isn’t just about who we think we are, it’s about who we are becoming, and about continuing to find ways we are related beyond the current social constructions. Everything that makes us who we are and leads us to places where we feel that we can belong is subject to change because we are part of an interdependent network of living, changing, mutually-affected influences and relationships. Even in this constantly-moving dance of being, Dr. Locke says that it is still important that we find community, and that we guard against the absolutes and the inflexibility that lead the instinct for community to go awry.

Love is wise because love remembers connection. When we love truly and deeply, the tug of emotions and relationships help us to account for data and frameworks that short-term thinking has forgotten. Even if identity and community are formed on ever-changing parameters, our human connections fuel compassion and a flexible landscape with room for healing.

Conclusion

I’ll be coming to a close soon, but I wanted to say a bit about Black History Month and how my thinking has developed with this Platform Address. I originally just wanted to say something about love, because today is a day for talking about love. As I researched sources, I came to understand that I had a great deal to learn about the perspectives of Black Humanists and freethinkers. While I am very far from being an expert on Black history, I believe all of us have a responsibility to study the whole history of the movements of which we are a part. The poets and essayists I have drawn from today bring lenses that are vitally necessary for understanding how we, in our close communities and in our larger society, have arrived where we are, and give us important perspectives from the history of the Humanist and free thought movements. I anticipate that I have made some errors. I look forward to learning more.

If you happen to be enjoying some discount chocolate later this week, I hope it will remind you that love is wise. Love goes beyond romance, beyond sentimentality, even beyond human concerns. When love works in harmony with all of our senses—the clarity of reason, the skillfulness of our hands, the renewal of our spiritual path—the combined wisdom helps us to be our best for each other.

Love keeps us here. In our caring relationships, we hold secret pockets of ourselves, treasures that help us stay connected to the forces that create and uphold life. May love call us back to our truest selves. May we carry resilience and hope for one another.

Love is embodied. Whether our bodies are part of a movement for justice or part of a team that cares for one person, our actions make wisdom visible. Love knows that people matter.

Love remembers interdependence. Cause and effect transcend the next quarter and can’t be measured by a single yardstick. We take the big picture into account when the wisdom of love invites us to take a second look.

Let us love deeply. Let us love boldly. Let us love wisely.

May it be so.

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momtemplative · 4 years

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Watching My Diet.

Of Words and Images, That Is.

As for a spoiled life, no life is spoiled but one whose growth is arrested.—Oscar Wilde, from The Picture of Dorian Gray.

When I was pregnant, I was astounded by the amount of shit-advice people felt entitled to force upon me, thanks to the visual whistle-blower of my growing belly.

I kept the book, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin next to my bed like a sacred text. The second half of the book contains a collection of empowered women sharing inspiring stories of their natural birth experiences. I read at least one story every night to off-set the deflating stories that were pushed at me. (One, still clear as day in my mind over a decade later, came from a woman who had never had kids! She said, in low tones and with concern in her eyes, “It’s the most painful thing you will ever experience. You WILL NEED DRUGS.”)

I would often fall asleep with Ina May’s book on my chest, thinking maybe the positive messages would cause seep into my being, like a topical treatment.

Now, during the era of COVID19, the news is an IV drip of mounting catastrophe into all of our collective veins. And the way we receive news during these current times is 24-7, on screens, visual, relentless and without limits. (PS: as said in Time, “media images can be so intense that they can cause symptoms of acute stress or even PTSD.”)

Like many, I find myself falling into the habit of using my few-far-between windows of space to either read updates from the Post and the Times, or to check social media. While informative at best, these word-venues are, nutrient-wise, anemic crumbs not suitable for a bottom-feeder.

So why the impulse to keep going back?

According to Time Magazine, “The human brain is wired to pay attention to information that scares or unsettles us—a concept known as “negativity bias“. Meaning, our brains are predisposed to go negative, and the news we consume reflects this.”

On a personal level, my intake of news is rising by the day—sometimes seemingly out of my control. I’ll just be grabbing my phone to check the weather and suddenly I’m well into an article on the pandemic, as if in a trance.

Without clear boundaries and a bit of mindfulness, the news and media we are ingesting can be far more toxic than beneficial. The effects of constant negative-news consumption are real and complex.

And I feel the wear-and-tear in my mental state, to be sure. I’ve been taking in the news every night, just before bed, via my tiny phone screen as if that makes it less potent and more manageable. Not the case. I can easily slip into helplessness, along with tasting the vinegar of potent rage in the back of my throat, even as I’m trying to settle in for sleep.

Anxiety and stress create cortisol, which can wreak havoc throughout the physical body and beyond. My neck and shoulders feel like they are clutching with white-knuckles for some unseen disaster, pretty much all the time. Yoga and breathing provides a world of help while doing it, but the muscle memory is so deep, that the bad patterns often return within moments of back-to-life.

This is not to say the solution is to bypass the news entirely. But if we are in this for the long haul, deliberate choices need to be made, for the stability of everyone.

Last week, my dear friend, Steph, mailed a box of crafting goodies to my girls. An eclectic mix of junk-drawer extractions and art things—things that have the potential to clutter up a house. But, when assembled in a package with intention and love, feel like vintage treasures from another world. Girl scout patches, circa the early 1990’s, ribbon in original packaging from the Carter administration, an untethered bouquet of white plastic glitter flowers. And in the midst of this treasure chest: a hardcover copy of the Oscar Wilde book, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

It was a fancy, old-timey edition that I had read through and written-in during college, using the same red ink from the same red pen the whole way through. My handwriting is young—an un-mastered version of my current script. But my brain is searching and inquisitive. I’m not sure why Steph wound up with the book, but there was a time when I passed out Oscar Wilde books like a communist would pass out propaganda and I likely forced it upon her.

Back then—over twenty years ago, more than half my current age—Oscar Wilde spoke to me in a way I was not accustomed to being spoken to, and brought about feelings that literature rarely provided. I indulged in Him, collected photos, quotes, and bought multiple used copies of his books. He became an unwitting spiritual guide of sorts. I carried the story of his tragic incarceration and subsequent death with me the way a god-fearing man would hold the image of Jesus’ crucifixion close to his heart. If they sold Oscar Wilde on a necklace, I’d have bought one, for sure.

Placing my hands on the cover of that book—while my girls squealed and unpacked the rest of the boxed treasures—was not far from the feeling of placing my hands on a body to massage. Flesh—living, breathing flesh. Cracking open the book brought with it not only the slight sigh that takes place in the inner ear during a good stretch, but also a swell of emotions. I flipped through the pages, feeling saved.

The article, What You Read Matters More Than You Might Think, in Psychology Today discusses the difference between “deep and light reading.” Deep reading is defined as reading that is slow, immersive, rich in sensory detail and emotional and moral complexity. It is distinctive from light reading, which is little more than the decoding of words. The author continues by saying deep reading is great exercise for the brain and has been shown to increase empathy, as well as inspiring reflection, analysis, and personal subtext to what is being read.

A passage from The Picture of Dorian Gray—”Words! Mere words! How terrible they were! How clear, and vivid, and cruel! One could not escape from them. And yet what a subtle magic there is in them! They seemed to be able to give a plastic form to formless things, and to have a music of their own as sweet as viol or of lute. Mere words! Was there anything so real as words?”

Another passage (how can I resist?): “In this country, it is enough for a man to have distinction and brains for every common tongue too wag against him. And what sort of lives do these people, who pose as being moral, lead themselves? My dear fellow, you forget that we are in the native land of the hypocrite.”

How I missed that man. And what a time for him to pay a visit.

Last weekend, I was feeling particularly ill-at-ease. My speech had edges like so many sharp river rocks. Tears and sadness rotated through in unpredictable gusts.

On the particular day I refer to, a book called Ordinary Magic, Everyday Life As Spiritual Path all but did a swan dive from my bookshelf and landed at my feet. The cover-image was dated and sun-bleached. The font and spacing came directly from the early 90’s, which is when it was published. I have a vague memory of buying this book at Half-Priced Books in Columbus, just before I made my move out west, in 2002, eighteen years ago. It’s a collection of Buddhist essays that focus on sectioned-out, topics—creativity and community, for example. It did not take long to realize that the editor, John Welwood, steals the whole dang show. His intros to each chapter sparkle with the quiet wisdom of one who is not the headliner, but knows his own worthiness.

(As with Oscar Wilde, I could include countless quotable phrases, but a taste is all you need.) In his introduction to the creativity essays, Welwood said, “By being still and receptive, instead of busily trying to find solutions, we give our intelligence the time and space it needs to find an appropriate way to proceed.” I read that line and gently set the book on my lap to take pause and think to myself, Thank god.

Another account of being liberated by the right words.

The Unknowing. Yes, that is the landscape we all inhabit now. How do we work with such potent feelings of lack-of-control? A classic solution would be to distract the hell out of ourselves so the low hum of anxiety doesn’t seem as loud. Or, we could try to re-frame our reaction, teach the brain that there could be another approach.

Our lives are, in many ways, on hold as we await a vaccine to protect our collective physical health. But our mental health is not on hold. Our intellect is under non-stop media siege and our sanity begs to be nourished and protected now more than ever. An essential piece of that puzzle (the puzzle of avoiding going clinical insane, that is)—more so than what’s contained in a bottle or that can be purchased online with a credit card—may very well already live on our bookshelf.

John Welwood also said, “What is fresh and alive comes only from the unknown.” I’m pretty sure I’m going to have that phrase tattooed on my forearm in old-english script after this whole thing is over.

May 17, 2020

#momtemplative #mindfulparenting #COVIDwords #DietOfWords

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christianstevefinnell · 3 years

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THE ONE BAPTISM -BY STEVE FINNELL

THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID THERE IS ONE BAPTISM. WHAT IS THAT BAPTISM? (EPHESIANS 4:5 ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM,) WHAT IS THAT ONE BAPTISM?

There is one baptism. Is it water baptism or baptism with the Holy Spirit?

The 12 apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. What was the purpose of their baptism?

Acts 1:4-8 ....but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence...8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witness both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

The purpose of the apostles being baptized with the Holy Spirit was so they could receive power to witness to the world.

There no mention of being baptized with the Holy Spirit and a connection to being born again. The apostles baptism with the Holy Spirit was not their new birth.

The apostles were not baptized with the Holy Spirit so their sins could be forgiven.

The apostles were not baptized with the Holy Spirit so they could be saved.

The apostles were not baptized with the Holy Spirit as a baptism into Christ.

Being baptized with the Holy Spirit is not the ONE BAPTISM that the apostles Paul is talking about in Ephesians 4:5.

THE ONE BAPTISM IS IMMERSION IN WATER.

Jesus said ( Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

Was Jesus telling the eleven disciples to Spiritually baptize disciples of all nations? The disciples did not have the power nor the authority to baptized anyone with the Holy Spirit. They baptized people with water.

On the Day of Pentecost after Peter preached the gospel to them; the 3000 asked what they should do. Peter did not tell them to wait until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit so they could have their sins forgiven. Peter commanded them ( Acts 2:38..."Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive thegift of the Holy Spirit.) Peter commanded the ONE BAPTISM, water baptism.

Was the apostle Peters instruction to the 3000, to be Spiritually baptized? Of course not, you cannot command someone to be Spiritually baptized. On the Day of Pentecost 3000+ were immersed in water. (Acts 2:41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

The conversion of the eunuch. (Acts 8:26-38....36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?".....

The eunuch did not ask what prevents me from being baptized with the Holy Spirit. If Phillip was going to Spiritually baptized the eunuch, why would he need water. There is ONE BAPTISM and it is water.

Acts 22:12-16....Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized,and wash away your sins, calling on His name.'

Ananias did not tell Saul to get up and be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Why would Saul have to get up to be Spiritually baptized. Saul was baptized in water, the ONE BAPTISM.

IS THE HOLY SPIRIT PRESENT DURING WATER BAPTISM? YES!

Although Jesus was without sin and did not have to be born of water and the Spirit; the example was given at His baptism. (Matthew 3:16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him.) This was symbolic of the new birth.

THE NEW BIRTH

John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

This parallels the example of the baptism of Jesus is that, there is a water and Spirit connection.

Titus 3:5 He saved us, not the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

Two things happen that saved them 1. The washing of regeneration (water baptism). 2. Renewing by the Holy Spirit. You cannot separate water baptism and the Holy Spirit when taking about being born again (The New Birth).

Acts 2:38 ....be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

When you are baptized with water you receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. You are born of water and the Spirit. That is being born again, it is the new birth.

There is only one baptism that you can comply with; and it is to be immersed in water.

If you have been obedient to the terms for pardon, you have been immersed in water, you have been born again of water and the Spirit.(Of course faith, repentance and acknowledging Jesus as Lord and believing His resurrection, must precede water baptism)

THE ONE BAPTISM IS IMMERSION IN WATER. (Ephesians 4:5)

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

HELL-BY STEVE FINNELL

The contemporary church of Christ looks at the Bible and cannot see the word, hell, written there. Well they actually can, but to mention hell is not really "seeker friendly." To speak of hell makes people uncomfortable, fearful, and increases their anxiety level. The church wants to hear God's love preached, not a negative, depressing message about hell. To reference hell could alienate visitors. Is that want God wants?

THE UNSPOKEN EDICT IS, DO NOT PREACH ABOUT HELL!

Matthew 10:28 Do not fear of those who can kill body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

JESUS DID NOT GET THE MEMO!

Mark 9:47-48 If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

JESUS DID NOT GET THE MEMO!

2 Peter 2:4-9 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgement; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly..........

PETER DID NOT GET THE MEMO!

Matthew 40-43 So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

JESUS DID NOT GET THE MEMO!

Revelation 20:14-15 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

COMFORTABLE SEEKER FRIENDLY PREACHING CAN HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES!

THERE IS A LAKE OF FIRE!

(All Scripture quotes from: NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE)

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2016

DO MEN RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THE MOMENT THEY BELIEVE?-by steve finnell

When do Christians receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit? In other words when do believers in Christ receive the person of the Holy Spirit? Do men receive the gift of the Holy Spirit the moment they believe in Jesus or is it after they-believe-repent- confess-and are baptized in water?

Except for the special case of Cornelius, his family, and friends, believers do not receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit until they are baptized in water as the apostle Peter commanded. Cornelius received the Holy Spirit to prove to Jewish Christians that salvation was for the Gentiles as well.

The apostle Paul found some disciples of Christ and asked this question. (Acts 19:2 He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.")

Contrary to what some Bible commentaries say, Paul did not ask them if they had spoken in tongues or received other spiritual gifts since they believed.

Point: These disciples of Christ were already believers. They not only had not received the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit, they had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:3-4 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who, was coming after him, that is, in Jesus."

John's baptism was not valid after the Day of Pentecost. Even though they believed in Jesus they did not receive the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

They needed to be baptized as Jesus instructed (In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit Matt.28:19) and as the apostle Peter implemented, in order to receive forgiveness of sins and to receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

After they were baptized in water Paul laid his hands on them and they spoke in tongues and began prophesying.(Acts 19:6)

Paul did not impart the indwelling gift of the person of the Holy Spirit. They received the Holy Spirit Himself at the time of their being baptized in the name of the Lord.

Romans 1:11 For I long to see you so, that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;

The apostle Paul and the rest of the apostles could impart spiritual gifts, to Christians, through the laying on of hands, however, they did not have the power to give the person of the Holy Spirit to others.

WATER AND SPIRIT ARE LINKED

John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

WATER AND THE SPIRIT

Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration [water baptism] and renewing by the Holy Spirit.

WATER AND THE SPIRIT

The three thousand souls on the Day of Pentecost did not receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit until there were baptized in the name of the Lord.

The twelve men at Ephesus did not receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit until they were baptized in the name of the Lord.

MEN TODAY, DO NOT RECEIVE THE INDWELLING GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THE MOMENT THEY BELIEVE

MEN RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AFTER THEY ---BELIEVE---THEY REPENT---THEY CONFESS JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR---AND ARE IMMERSED IN WATER FOR THE REMISSION OF THEIR SINS.

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

ERRONEOUS BELIEF IS NOT A VALIDATION OF TRUTH STEVE FINNELL

The sinner's prayer is an erroneous belief.

"Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless.

I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.

I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."

There is no Scripture that confirms the sinner's prayer as fact. The proof-texts given are 1 John 1:5-10 and Luke 18:9-14.

1 John 1:5-10.....9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness....... (NASB)

In 1 John 1:5-10, John was addressing Christians, he was not talking to sinners outside of the body of Christ. Non-Christians need to meet God's terms for pardon in order to have their sins forgiven.

Luke 18:9-14.....14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."......(NASB)

Jesus was talking to a Jewish Pharisee and a Jewish tax collector. The tax collector said a prayer of humility and Jesus said he went to his house justified. The Pharisee nor the tax collector prayed in the name of Jesus. The tax collector was not added to the body of Christ by saying a prayer of humility. Jesus had not died nor had He been resurrected from the dead. The new covenant was not in effect. Men need to follow God's terms for pardon to have sins forgiven under the new covenant.

No matter how sincere or honest a person is erroneous doctrine cannot save them.

GOD'S TERMS FOR PARDON.

1. FAITH: John 3:16

2. REPENTANCE: Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19

3. CONFESSION: Romans 10:9

4. IMMERSION IN WATER: Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16, John 3:5, Romans 6:3-7, Colossians 2:11-13, Galatians 3:26-27, Ephesians 5:25-27, Titus 3:5, Acts 8:35-38

Humility and prayer is the avenue to the truth.

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THE WORDS OF GOD THE FATHER-BY STEVE FINNELL

Where do men find the words of God the Father? Why do men reject the written words of God the Father?

John 7:16 So Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

John 8:28 So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

John 12:49-50 For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak , I speak just as the Father told Me."

The teachings of Jesus and the actions of Jesus were all from God the Father. Jesus did not read and follow the man-made catechisms from the Jewish elders. Jesus did not get His instruction from the scribes and Pharisees.

WHERE DID THE APOSTLES GET THEIR DOCTRINE?

John 14:24-26 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. 25 These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

John 16:12-15 ....13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth...... He will disclose to you what is to come......

The apostles learned from Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The words of Jesus were that of the Father. The Father sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles so they could remember all that Jesus taught them and be taught future events.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

The gospel of Christ, the terms for pardon, and the doctrine for Christian living, are all from God the Father. Jesus, the apostles and the Holy Spirit delivered the message. It is all found in the Bible.

Jesus, and the Holy Spirit taught the apostles ALL THE TRUTH.There is no more truth, in addition to, what the Father has given us through Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the apostles. All the truth is found in the Bible and the Bible alone.

The apostles had all the truth before John Calvin, John Wesley, Joseph Smith Jr, all the Popes, Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, and Martin Luther were born. There is no new Scripture. There is no new revelation from God.

THE APOSTLES WERE GUIDED INTO ALL TRUTH BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. There are no new truths found in the catechisms, creed books nor any other extra-Biblical books written by men.

THE ONLY APOSTLE ALIVE TODAY ARE THE FALSE ONES!

MEN REJECT THE WORDS OF THE GOD THE FATHER BY OBEYING MAN-MADE DOCTRINE, RATHER THAN ACCEPTING THE BIBLE AND THE BIBLE ALONE AS THE TRUTH!

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SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

DIRTY LITTLE SINNERS?--BY STEVE FINNELL

Are all babies born into this world as dirty little sinners?

BABIES ARE NOT GUILTY OF ADAM'S SIN

ORIGINAL SIN: Accord to the proponents of original sin, men are born with hereditary depravity and corruption of nature and liable to God's wrath. They think all men are inclined to do evil, and that continually. They believe every person born into this world deserves God's wrath and damnation due to the sin of Adam. They believe all men are guilty of sin at the moment of birth. They believe all babies are dirty little sinners.

Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Was Jesus saying the kingdom of God belongs to DIRTY LITTLE SINNERS, like these children?

Mark 10:15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

Was Jesus saying in order to enter the kingdom of God you have to be DIRTY LITTLE SINNERS, like children?

If all babies are born DIRTY LITTLE SINNERS; that would have made Jesus a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER.

Hebrews 2:14-17 Therefore, since children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.........17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make the propitiation for the sins of the people.

Jesus was a descendant of Adam. He was made like His brethren in all things. According the original sin advocates that would make Jesus born as a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER. JESUS WAS NOT GUILTY OF ADAM'S SIN NOR ARE ANY BABIES GUILTY OF ADAM'S SIN.

1 John 3:5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

Jesus was not born a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER.

Psalms 139:13-14 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

Did David believe God made him, wonderfully made, because God made him totally depraved and a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER?

Ezekiel 18:20 The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

Men will not be punished for their fathers' sins nor will they be punished spiritually for Adam's sin. Men do not inherit sin. Men are not born as DIRTY LITTLE SINNERS; they become sinners by choice.

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Was Jesus saying the kingdom of heaven will be filled with unforgiven DIRTY LITTLE SINNERS? No, He was saying the kingdom belongs innocents like these children.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

How could Job have been blameless and upright and be born as a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER? Job was not totally depraved, and inclined to do evil continually.

2 Kings 2:1 And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven....

Did the Lord take Elijah to heaven because he was born a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER and deserved His wrath and damnation, because of Adam's sin? Elijah was not totally depraved.

Genesis 6:8-9 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

Noah was a righteous man. How is it possible for Noah to be born a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER; only inclined to do evil, be guilty of hereditary depravity, and find favor in the eyes of the Lord? Noah was saved because he trusted God and was obedient. Noah was not going to be sent to hell because of Adam's sin. Men will die spiritually because of their own sins; not Adam's.

Acts 10:1-2 Now there was man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.

Cornelius was neither Jew nor a Christian, but he feared God and gave alms to the poor. How would it be possible for Cornelius to act in this manner if he was born a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER; inclined only to do evil, and was totally depraved? Cornelius was not guilty of Adam's sin nor was he guilty any other man's sin.

Luke 8:15 But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

Jesus said some men have a good and honest heart. How can a man who was born as a DIRTY LITTLE SINNER and are totally depraved, and only incline do to do evil, have a good an honest heart?

MEN ARE GUILTY OF THE SINS THEY COMMIT; NOT THE ONE ADAM COMMITTED.

1 John 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

Babies no not practice lawlessness in the womb.

James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Babies are not tempted and enticed by lust in the womb. Adam and Eve sinned when they were enticed by their own lust. Men today sin because the are enticed by their own lust. Men will be held accountable for their own sins, not Adam's.

MEN WILL DIE PHYSICALLY BECAUSE OF ADAM'S SIN.

MEN WILL DIE SPIRITUALLY BECAUSE OF THE UNFORGIVEN SINS THEY THEMSELVES COMMIT.

BABIES ARE BORN INNOCENT OF SIN.

BABIES ARE NOT DIRTY LITTLE SINNERS!

(All Scripture quotes from: NEW AMERICA STANDARD BIBLE)

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PREACHING TRUTH? BY STEVE FINNELL

A common ploy to prevent the truth of Jesus Christ from being preached is to say that unpopular Christian doctrine drives people from the church or prevents them from becoming a follower of Christ. The doctrine of Christ is not an impediment to Christianity.

John 8:31-32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."(NASB)

A church built on lies and erroneous teaching makes no man free, it enslaves men by their own self imposed ignorance and arrogance.

If God's word offends, but the words found in creed books, Bible commentaries, books written by preachers, and other extra-Biblical works are soothing to your ears, you may need a hearing exam.

NOTE: Most people in the first century found the words of Jesus offensive. Most people today find the doctrine of Jesus offensive, and many of those claim to be followers of Jesus.

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BAPTISM NOW SAVES YOU--BY STEVE FINNELL

1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto

even

baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:(KJB)

The Bible says baptism doth now save us .....by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Faith alone advocates say baptism has nothing to do with salvation. They say it is a simple act of obedience.

1 Peter 3:21 Baptism, which is like that water, now saves you. Baptism doesn't save by removing dirt from the body. Rather, baptism is a request to God for a clear conscience. It saves you through Jesus Christ, who came back from death to life.(God's Word Translation)

The Bible says baptism....now saves you.

The Bible says baptism is a request to God for a clear conscience.

Faith only proponents say water baptism has nothing to do with salvation. They say baptism is only essential in order to join a denominational church.

Faith only enthusiasts proclaim that baptism does not save, but is only a testimony of faith to the community.

Faith only defenders state that men can get to heaven without being baptized in water, however they cannot join the local church without baptism.

Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.(English Standard Version)

Jesus said whoever is baptized will be saved. Will be, is future tense not past tense. Will be saved does not mean has already been saved.

Faith only champions say men are baptized because their sins have already been forgiven.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

REPEATING THE TRUTH BY STEVE FINNELL

If the truth is repeated often enough will men believe it? Men will believe the truth only if they are prayerfully seeking God's truth.

God's absolute truth is recorded in the book He inspired, the Bible. If you are looking for absolute truth in creed books, Bible commentaries, books written by preachers, theologians, and early church fathers, then you are looking in all the wrong places.

Be humble enough to realize God has the truth, but you do not.The first step to finding eternal life.

Pride blocks the door to truth. Lay pride aside and just believe what God has said in His book.

Just because the majority of people you know believe something does not make it the gospel truth!

If what you have been taught is not found in the Bible or is contradictory to the Bible, then the Bible is wrong or you were taught error. Honest prayer is the answer to God's truth.

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SALVATION---ONLY OR ALONE?--BY STEVE FINNELL

HOW MANY TIMES IN THE BIBLE ARE THE WORDS ONLY OR ALONE USED WHEN REFERENCING THE REQUIREMENTS OF SALVATION? TO OBTAIN A CLEAR UNDERSTAND OF GOD'S WORD YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER ALL OF THE SCRIPTURES OF ANY PARTICULAR TEACHING.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SALVATION!

Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Jesus did not say he who has only believed shall be saved.

Jesus did not say he who has only been baptized shall be saved.

Acts 15:7-11...Peter stood up....11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."

Peter did not say they were saved by grace alone.

Acts 16:29-31....They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

Paul and Silas did not say believe only and you will be saved.

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Paul did not say confess with your mouth only and you will be saved.

Paul did not say believe in the resurrection of Jesus only and you will be saved.

Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

Paul did not He saved us by mercy alone.

Paul did not say He saved us by washing of regeneration alone.

Paul did not say He saved us by renewing by the Holy Spirit alone.

1 Peter 3:20-21....Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you....

Peter did not say that baptism alone saves you.

Acts 3:19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

Peter did not say repent only and you will have your sins wiped away.

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Peter did not say repent only and your sins will be forgiven.

Peter did not say be baptized only and your sins will be forgiven.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SALVATION

GRACE

FAITH

REPENTANCE

CONFESSION

WATER BAPTISM

THERE IS JUST ONE ONLY AND THAT IS JESUS AS THE ONLY SAVIOR.

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else...

The only place you find the terms saved by grace alone and saved by faith only is in man-made creed books. YOU CANNOT FIND THOSE TERMS IN THE BIBLE!

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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016

THE KING JAMES MYTH---BY STEVE FINNELL

The translation myth perpetuated by King James only advocates, as well as others, is that fifteen hundred years after the apostle John wrote the last book of the New Testament God authorized King James to write the only trustworthy English version of the Bible. Is the 1611 King James version the only version God has approved? [King James only advocates do not read the original 1611 King James Version. The King James Bible found in most bookstores is actually the 1769 King James Version.]

Is the true gospel plan of salvation found only in the so-called 1611 King James Version ? No, it is not.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting. (KJV)

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (NASB)

John 3:16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (The Living Bible-Paraphrased)

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (KJV)

Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. (NASB)

Mark 16:16 Those who believe and are baptized will be saved. But those who refuse to believe will be condemned. (The Living Bible-Paraphrased)

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (KJV)

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (NASB)

Romans 10:9 For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord, and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (The Living Bible-Paraphrased)

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (KJV)

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (NASB)

Acts 2:38 And Peter replied, "Each one of you must turn from sin, return to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; then you shall also receive the gift, the Holy Spirit. (The Living Bible-Paraphrased)

These three translations all have the same gospel message, they all have the same terms for pardon. THE TERMS FOR PARDON: Believe, confess, repent, and be immersed in water.

There are over sixty English translation that teach God's terms for pardon.

Note: The irony of the 1611 King James only advocates is that they do not even believe their own translation. Most of them deny that water baptism is essential in order to be saved.

The remaining question is what Scripture teaches that the 1611 King James version was the only translation approved by God?

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musicgoonmail · 4 years

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Wedding Cake

In This Edition

In this week’s edition, I share my most recent interviews, reflect on Instagram turning 10, and write on what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment. As always, I share what’s new with my book reviews and point you to the all of the new free eBooks around the web.

Even though the Southern California heat does not cool down, it is starting to feel like the Fall season in my mind. I think it shows in these longer newsletters that I love to write. Don’t forget that you can always let me know what you think simply by replying to this email. Thanks for spending your weekend with me here.

Interview: "Stop Taking Sides" with Adam Mabry

Instagram Turns 10

Godly Wisdom

Book Reviews

Free eBooks for October

More Free eBooks for October

Extended Play

Lightning Links

Playlists

Coming Soon

Weekly Review

Interview: "Stop Taking Sides" with Adam Mabry

Earlier this week I went LIVE on Instagram to interview author and Pastor Adam Mabry about his book "Stop Taking Sides." It was an encouraging conversation and I'm thankful for the opportunity. We talked about his book, his writing process, and publishing with The Good Book Company. He also gave some tips to writers. You can watch our interview on IGTV or listen on Spotify and Podcasts.

I have been interviewing my pastors and members at my church with my Walnut Commentary, Walnut Notes, and Unikoi Questions podcasts. It is a joy to serve our congregation in this way. Starting at SOLA Network and growing Dive In Dig Deep has allowed me to interview a wider group of people. On my website, I made a working list of the interviews I've conducted. I hope to get to do a few more before the end of the year.

Instagram Turns 10

Instagram turned 10 this week. As hidden features, they brought back the classic icons and added a private map and archive of your stories from the past three years. To access the icons, click on your profile icon on the bottom right corner, click the hamburger menu on the top right corner, click on the settings menu, and do a long swipe up. For the private map, click on your profile icon on the bottom right corner, click the hamburger menu on the top right corner, click on the settings menu, and click on the archive.

Instagram is, probably, the app that I spend the most time on. While it's afforded me a lot of fun, I know we can't deny that it is still dangerous. In a recent newsletter, tech writer Casey Newton spoke with Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier. He asked: "Of all the changes made to Instagram since then, which do you think has had the biggest consequences?" She answered: "The crucial change was the addition of stories. We usually think about it in terms of its significance from a competitive standpoint — like Instagram vs. Snapchat. I think it's actually more significant from the standpoint of Instagram recognizing that the immense pressure that people have to perform on Instagram, and portray their lives a certain way, is actually bad for growth. The anxiety that goes into deciding whether something is Instagrammable actually made people post less. Since they introduced stories, they’ve taken away some of that pressure. That’s what really brought them down their path to a billion users, and the ensuing conflicts with Facebook over whether they would cannibalize Facebook's success."

Even though Frier states that stories has taken away some pressure, I think there is still a performative aspect to sharing stories. We're crafting our image, creating our persona, and it doesn't always align with reality. And the dangers are more than what we create. It also includes what we consume. We can get jealous, greedy, assume the worst, and judge others. There's also the dangers of pornography and lust, emotional attachment and sliding into DMs for inappropriate relationships.

I have two points to make after sharing on this. First, I hope to reawaken us to the reality of the platforms that we use. To think of them in a sober way and to stay safe. Second, I want to remind us that our true selves aren't always reflected in what we share. I hope to show a better glimpse of my heart here in this newsletter, and I'll do my best to keep it real.

Godly Wisdom

I made another short sermon excerpt video for my home church, FCBC Walnut. I trimmed a clip from our youth pastor Kevin, grabbed a photo, added some effects, and made some music. Can you guess what song I played? Here is the main point: “Godly wisdom should move you to work towards future goals, hopes, and dreams while surrendering everything to the good and perfect will of God.” You can watch the excerpt on YouTube and IGTV.

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and I took the opportunity to record a 2-minute video to thank our pastors. You can watch it on YouTube and IGTV. And in the most recent episode of our Walnut Women podcast, my friend Leslie asked Regina, Meryl, and Vanessa - who are pastor’s wives: “How can the church love and encourage the pastors and their families?” You can watch the 9-minute clip on YouTube and IGTV, and catch the entire 40-minute interview on YouTube.

Book Reviews

This week I published a total of 6 reviews. There was a good variety, including a book of articles compiled from Christianity Today through the years on American Evangelism and political engagement, some classic Christian books, a festschrift to Don Whitney (author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life), and Crossway's Unfolding Grace (with the accompanying Study Guide).

Unfolding Grace

Study Guide Review: Unfolding Grace

Grace and Glory by Geerhardus Vos

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs

The Spirit of Holiness

Dual Citizens

Free eBooks for October

Monergism added two new eBooks this week: Assurance to All the Heirs of Promise: Sermons on Hebrews 6:18 by Thomas Manton and The Balm of the Covenant Applied to the Bleeding Wounds of Afflicted Saints by John Flavel.

Ligonier is offering for free the Luther and the Reformation video teaching series with R.C. Sproul and the ebook edition of The Legacy of Luther edited by R.C. Sproul and Stephen Nichols. And to further celebrate Reformation month, you can also stream the Luther Documentary for free.

Monergism: Assurance to All the Heirs of Promise: Sermons on Hebrews 6:18 by Thomas Manton

Monergism: The Balm of the Covenant Applied to the Bleeding Wounds of Afflicted Saints by John Flavel

Ligonier: The Legacy of Luther edited by R.C. Sproul and Stephen Nichols

More Free eBooks for October

This week, DesiringGod featured This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence. It is available to download for free as a PDF on their website. I consider it one of my top reads on marriage and I highly recommend it. The free eBook for the month of October from The Good Book Company is Time for Every Thing? by Matt Fuller. In this book, Matt Fuller shows how following Jesus frees us from the tyranny of the to-do list.

The October issue of Ligonier’s Tabletalk Magazine is on Covenant Theology, and this issue seeks to help readers better understand covenant theology by exploring its basics and the many ways it applies to the Christian life. The October issue of the 9Marks Journal is about Learning from Scripture and History on Pastoring in Political Turmoil. The October issue of Credo Magazine looks at the Nicene Creed and the doctrine of the Trinity. The Fall edition of The Master’s Seminary Journal opens with an editorial on how their new direction will be focused less on popular-level articles and more on academic papers. Check out the list below for more free recent reads.

The Good Book Company: Time for Every Thing? by Matt Fuller

Tabletalk Magazine: Covenant Theology

The Master’s Seminary Journal: Fall 2020

9Marks Journal: Learning from Scripture and History on Pastoring in Political Turmoil

Credo Magazine: The Nicene Creed

DesiringGod: This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence

The Gospel Coalition: 250 Theological Essays

Crossway and 9 Marks: How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics?

Crossway and 9Marks: Prayer: How Praying Together Shapes the Church by John Onwuchekwa

The Gospel Coalition: 9 Free eBooks by D. A. Carson

Extended Play

Jess and I are having fun watching "Halloween" movies that aren't really Halloween movies. We watched A Bug's Life (because bugs are creepy) Monsters Inc (because monsters), Monsters University (because monsters again), and Beauty and the Beast (because of Beast). 1991's Beauty and the Beast is a classic, and rightfully so - the animation is beautiful and the songs are made for Broadway. It holds a special place in Disney history, and you can read about it on Wikipedia and watch the documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty on Disney+ for your own insight and entertainment.

The podcast that impacted me the most this week was the Ask Pastor John episode: Why Do I Need to Read the Bible When We Have Bible Teachers Online? Today more than ever, Christians have access to a wealth of faithful Bible teaching online. So, why do we need to read the Bible for ourselves? Here is my takeaway quote: "Perhaps at the bottom of the problem is that our friend has so completely intellectualized his faith that the only category in which he thinks, the only category that’s going to profit him, he thinks, is the category of verbal explanation. There are a lot of people who think about sermons that way. They just think, “I need to know; I need some more information, some more explanation,” rather than also the heartfelt exultation that a lover has in reading the very words of his beloved."

Throwback: Trials are Tests

Article: Bach: A Theologian at the Workplace by Jonathan Camire

Podcast: Why Do I Need to Read the Bible When We Have Bible Teachers Online? by John Piper

Movie: Beauty and the Beast (1991)

TV: Community

Book: The Gathering Storm by Albert Mohler (Thanks, Endora!)

Music: Wedding Cake by Damien Jurado

Lightning Links

These quick hits are exclusive to my newsletter readers. Some struck immediately before writing this newsletter. I don’t necessarily endorse the positions or lives of these authors. Some may contain sensitive language. I find them all extremely interesting.

Instagram Turns 10: How the App Helped Democratize Art

‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ sets surprise holiday special

The Problem with the Inconsequential Quest

Asian Americans most likely to live in multigenerational homes. How Covid has taken a toll

Kelly Marie Tran on Why Quitting Social Media Was Her Best Decision Ever

Jiayang Fan’s Grub Street Diet: Jiayang Fan Misses Chinatown’s Muscadines “They’re like a summer-camp boyfriend. By August you think, I’m gonna have to part with you soon …”

Playlists

MUSICGOON: 7 songs I enjoyed this week.

SVRGNLA: Jess and I love these songs.

ETJ: Music that inspires my band.

DIDD: A crowd-sourced worship playlist.

TGIF: SOLA Network friends and faves.

This is FCBC Walnut: The songs we sing at church.

Coming Soon

I’m finalizing some lyrics to a new original worship song I want to sing at church soon, and I’m trying to squeeze some remote recording worship covers in with some friends before the end of the year.

I have some BIbles and children’s books arriving soon for reviews, and several Christmas books are also starting to be sent out. But before Jess and I start getting ready for Christmas, we’re excited to get Linus and Ark dressed up in their Halloween costumes.

Weekly Review

SOLA: Justin Giboney’s Both/AND Politics / When God Chooses Not to Give You Children / Why Do I Need to Read the Bible When We Have Bible Teachers Online?

TGIF: This I Believe (The Creed) / Stream the Luther Documentary for Free / Why Do I Need to Read the Bible When We Have Bible Teachers Online?

Book Review: Unfolding Grace

Book Review: Grace and Glory by Geerhardus Vos

Study Guide Review: Unfolding Grace

Book Review: The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs

Book Review: The Spirit of Holiness

Book Review: Dual Citizens

Recommended Reading: Forgiveness Is Spiritual Warfare / The Church Is You, So the Church Will Be Like You / Folding Singles into Family in the Life of the Church / Sisters, You Have Permission to Lead an Ordinary Life

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theimportanceof990 · 4 years

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11toe11-blog · 4 years

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Baal ki Khaal ~ Skin the Hair

Much happened. Well. Happenings were not much in the outer realms but conversations. Wrestles.

Anger flung and received and flung right back. As valid counter points.

Anger flung and received and passed on. to plates.

Hair cuts, that had nothing to lose because they were on their way to a shave.

Lets keep quiet for a few days.

And a newspaper in print. A lock down extension. Resting lazing squirrel, ambling away when a friend visits and the woodpecker taking the couch. The corner of the tree felt like the laze zone or the park bench.

I thought there would be so much to write about yesterday. Nothing much other than the haircuts, and the image of the trees, and sharing measurements with mom with the big Homelite matchbox as the yardstick, planning to start stitching lessons with mom starting thursday, and long conversation with S. And in the long wrestle that spanned weeks many, something of a comprehension of each other however elusive to attempts at articulation.

I catch a glimpse of my own bias and victimhood tape, projecting reprojecting on the other. Of Course and the other’s projection on me. Conversation on mental health. And responsibility. Important conversations, sure. But cannot happen unless we mutually reach a moment in time. Otherwise it's preaching, one to the other. Or pleading.

And like that yesterday went. 40 degree R announces now.

___

Today starts.

Body. stretches. Observer.

Mind going on playing in loop the images from films and clips and virtual news and people. Notice the observer.

Can I watch the watchman? More profound words were never spoken, again and again in different ways. Can one watch the watch-man?

Can one watch the time-man?

Identities. Association. Disassociation.

A dancer stretching out, working on the split, stretches the psoas and pouring out memories. Identities stored in there. (Gesture of the menstruating woman with open stretched crouching core- has much story to tell, i hear)

Two people attempting suicide, with only one slot available at the moment in deadlands, arguing who needs to be successful.

Memories of a blue colour top, a hand me down from a cousin, lasted almost a decade and past a marriage, with me. Marriage far briefer than the blue beautiful top that was distinctly european in its sleeves and neck. The friendship that continued out of the marriage vaguely trails as the memory of a person.

Identities Disassociation. Maybe one of the outcomes of trauma that points an expereincer of trauma onto the path of finding the Source, what is loosely called spiritual, or deep meaning making, is possibly the experience of the observer. In deep pain, one tends to disassociate. Becomes at some level aware of the presence of the state of observation, ie truth ie deep meaning. And then embarks unknowingly on that journey as if having picked up a bread crumb trail.

Identities. Disassociation. For an actor that is possibly the main part of the skill building / training. Finding the ability to identify with, empathize with , step into the shoes of any character. And at the same time the ability to leave, disassociate with the identity once the role or exploration is over. Where things get very tricky, however is when we take this exercise that requires immense ability of observation and energy, into something casual. Not knowing how the back end of all this programming and deprogramming works.

Any identification can end up sticking, deep. Blurring the line between the self and the archetype evoked by such an identification. And the archetype rides out of the deep seas on the back of that identification, and spilling into life.

Any disassociation can end up in numbing out, a reverse identification. A fear of identifying with anything on account of the pain. Inability to empathise, associate, relate.

Koodu vittu koodu maral vidya. Usually referred to a shaman leaving his body to inhabit the body or form of another person or animal or being. But the very basics of which is what i suppose the actor performs in the mind scape.

Folk. Classical. Such labels for certain stages. Certain natures of mind.

The lotus flower, the petals opening in mudra is an experience. A very personal experience of opening, taking many weeks, or years to discover. As the meridians are stretched and opened and blocks released. In the body and in life. One gesture learnt is such a lived experience.

Bansi Kaul spoke of the folk performer who could simply and easily improvise and associate with other performers. His trick according to him, as shared with Kaul is, the repertoire of gestures and songs and walks and all that he learnt from his father over time. So he pulls them out when he feels the need for that particular one, instinctively. This is language no? How we use words? Hence we associate and improvise with others in conversation.

I wondered this morning of the richness of experience offered by each of the gestures. Richness of embodying that gesture, which holds so many layers within in. Whichever stream i am trained in or not. A human body stretching out its fingers in certain angles, creating a certain effect particular to that body and for that bodymind.

A quote somewhere said - even if we all did the same exercises and training and ate the same things we will all still be different. Like no two mango trees are the same. No two mangoes of the same treee are the same. No two sides of the same mango taste the same.

I begin to, just about begin to understand language and meaning making. That too is too much to say at this point. But yea, i am not as unaware of it as i was yesterday.

Why bother with taking the skin out of the each hair strand ? baal ki khaal? It's not so much about the baal or the khaal as much as it is about the process of understanding how all this works together. If. If one is to make a baal. But baal grows simply, without me having to make anything. And that's true. That's a stumper. Like something Ramana would say. Be still. I suppose i am not yet still, so while i wait for that i'll fiddle with the baal.

I am pleased that the haircut of earlier threaded into the baal now. BUt exercise and body work long procrastinated waits. Do i want to show up? Yes. I am ready and oiled and bandaged and all that. But the heaviness , the womb of inertia sending up gentle lulls to my eyelids are soothing, suggesting that it's ok.. Just stay here. Keep typing into the screen. Something or the other will come and you will feel satisfied here also.

How about looking into that suggestion of VV that he was apparently offered by AV who was offered this by RR, the behavioral scientist. To mythify one story.

The idea quite struck me when he suggested it, on hearing my return gift of my journey in response to his story of his theatre journey. It offers a fundamental shift of perspective, otherwise one is constantly trying to fit the present story into the frame of the myth, shove it all into the shoe.

This suggestion is to make a whole new shoe. With the caveat that once you write a line, you will or delete it. Hmm. That doesn't feel too difficult. Very rarely does backspace feature in this workspace except for spelling correstions.

I noticed somewhere today that when a certain emotional palette / archetype is alive, it becomes the basis of identification with whatever comes one's way. I had sensed the envy alive in me. And while watching the movie - the associations where envy was alive among characters or within the makeup of a character, kept playing back in some way. The pervert was particularly disturbing.

Or while scrolling insta - a person whom one identifieses with, for having a certain similarity of thought or political position or whatever, is associated with on the basis of envy. Acquiring tones of aspirational. Unconsciously maybe wanting to be where they are, be who they are, emulating their manner, attire, attitude.

In my case i experienced it when i came across the insta profiles of GM and RK. Women. From kerala. Performers, dancers, film makers taking theri space and living it. Somewhere that's a point of identification for me, i see. And then its from the lens of envy that the rest of it plays out, stemming from this identification - aspiration, motivation ie - action.

I suppose if one has the capacity for action - then there is room for transformation of this envy, if a wider perspective is available.

But in the event of not enough energy for action - one plummets into self loathing and deeper insecurities and depressions.

Because i see them as separate from me. If i were to place the hypothesis of the Unified self here- I am not separate from the other. So my envy of them, is an envy of my self.

I am jealous of myself.

What madness.

I can imagine a scene in which this person afflicted with envy - is envious of her own self in the mirror. Is envious of herself in the future. Is envious of her child self. Tremenous dramatic potential. Shoe-rpanaka Lands not very far from Karna and Duryodhana. This is a solid and interesting enough thread to take onto the floor now.

Any reflection of existing reality, in part, is a reflection of insanity. ONly when the reflection and reflector is vast enough to hold the totality, can sanity be reflected.

I understand R a lil more.

Can i explore this - with a vasness. Can i at the same time explore this at its depths.

___

I entered not for power. I entered for insight and wisdom and illumination for myself and the whole. Guide me so that i don't lose my way, with the light and gems you offer so generously. I leave closing the door gently behind me. Holding with me what is not mine alone but belonging to the whole. May I always remember the whole.

Do i need to spell check and autocorrects before posting this? I wonder.

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writingatthecrossroads · 8 years

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Jimmy Recinos

Student Textual Analysis

(Image Source, The Plus Me Project)

When you first meet Los Angeles-based storyteller Jimmy Recinos, he comes off as quiet with an unassuming nature that is as grounded in his Chicano heritage as it is in his personality. It is only through delving deep into a series of trust building, exploratory, philosophical conversations with Jimmy that one could learn his calm exterior is a grounded self-possession has been polished by an interpersonal finesse that only comes with deep knowledge of The Self, The Streets and The Game (for the sake of clarity, I’m talking about the social game we all play as individuals who have consented, willingly or unwillingly, to social contracts and strive to find our place in society based on those contracts, not the internet spread mind worm, The Game). Jimmy constantly engages the concept of understanding one’s self within the context of The Game in his socially conscious online writing. In his independent and online magazine posts, Jimmy parses out the webs of oppression that ensnare people from all walks of life. Constantly probing issues surrounding oppression through writing has led Jimmy to develop a prolific online presence that spans across the UC Davis campus and in the Los Angeles social justice community.

I met Jimmy during my first year as the Aggie Voices editor. Jimmy came on the team during the Winter quarter and we immediately hit it off. Over coffee or glasses of wine at Delta of Venus we debated social issues, parsed out the nuances of popular ideas that were floating around campus at the time and, on occasion, laughed it up. In essence, we kicked it. Hard. In our little bubble, Jimmy and I transcended the socially imposed limitations on literary writers of color to talk about the craft of writing, to indulge our imaginations and to talk about what impact, if any, the reality of our lived situations had on our different pieces of work. I can’t say I really mentored Jimmy like I did with other students. We nourished each other with food for thought and still continue to do so through our mutual love of words, love of people, and love of ideas.

Jimmy’s deep commitment to the written word and his prolific output led me to select him as the main student to conduct a textual analysis on for this dissertation. Jimmy’s compositions range across a multitude of genres including political essays, journalist opinion pieces, blog posts, fiction, and poetry, so there were many samples to choose from. I selected samples of Jimmy’s independent writing to be used a baseline for his voice. I compared those samples with the work we did together at Aggie Voices and the Diversity Forum and the discourse in our interviews to accurately gauge whether some facets of his voice came through when we collaborated. I say “some” here because it would be impossible to measure all facets of his authentic voice without examining discourse and texts he shares with his family members and himself (like in the form of a private journal). Even if we had all of those samples, however, we would still need to rely on the trustworthiness of interview data from Jimmy to ascertain if he considered each voice to be a “true” facet. Thus, I concede there are limits to the analysis I will present below.

To understand how Jimmy’s rhetoric shifts from context to context, I analyzed and compared the messages, syntax, and lexicon of the following written and spoken samples:

Research Data Samples

How My Ruby Red Schwinn Made Me An Aggie, Published by Aggie Voices March 11, 2014

Why Seminars Can Change Your College Life, Published by Aggie Voices July 25, 2014

Episodes of The Diversity Forum that aired on 1/22/14 (begins at 2:20) and 2/05/14 (Begins at 1:34).

Baseline Data Samples

After Pike, Published by The Aggie November 15, 2012 {This is his best sample. Pull from it a lot}

Keep Reading, Published by The Aggie November 1, 2012

20 Years After The L.A. Riots, Published by The Jimbo Times July 15, 2015

Traumatized Bodies, Desensitized Minds, Published by Abernathy Magazine.

In addition to using these sources, I also examined the one on one interview I had with Jimmy in addition to a written response Jimmy submitted that reflected on his time with Aggie Voices. The interview transcripts from the Diversity Forum and one on one interviews can be viewed here.

Originally the goal of this analysis was to examine whether Jimmy’s voice shifted based on the genre of writing, since the context of the medium, online writing, was so similar. What was found, however, is Jimmy’s voice shifted according to the sub-genre and the socio-emotional environment in which he wrote or spoke.

Vocal Positioning in Baseline Texts

The texts that were used as baseline data revealed Jimmy’s rhetoric is a hybrid academic-conversational stance, the type of language moderately educated people might use when engaging in friendly philosophical debates. In all of the baseline samples, Jimmy makes clear his positionality is grounded in self-knowledge and in social justice before supporting his positionality with additional outside evidence that bolsters his claims.

Jimmy’s establishment of a positionality that is grounded in the self, not theory, is clear in following quotes from the piece After Pike:

“I also speak with an opposition to political oppression and a suspicion of authority, as well as a passion for my individual findings of knowledge or information.”

“Finally, I speak with consciousness that even when others share my biases, I still speak only for myself. I believe this last clarification is particularly important for supportive readers to consider, as in supporting the views of individuals it’s not uncommon to surrender our own voices in “being represented.”’”

“Correspondingly, I think demonizing any claimed figures of oppression falls under dogmatic and uneducated culture. To me, figures merely represent structures of oppression much larger than one person — structures including not only the aforementioned figures of one’s life, but also one’s self and much more.”

In these quotes, Jimmy firmly positions himself as a serious advocate against oppression who encourages the reader to not take his words as gospel, but only as his particular view in relation to society. Jimmy is candid about his own quest for knowledge and his “suspicion” of knowledge or power that is handed down from those in authority. Here, Jimmy makes clear his suspicion of authority springs from the knowledge he has gained about the systemic oppression institutions enact through individuals, including those of diverse backgrounds, to perpetuate an inequitable status quo.

Jimmy also positions himself as an advocate for self-education in these baseline texts. Consider the following quote from Keep Reading, an opinion piece that encourages students to inform themselves about the issues they will encounter on the voting ballot.

“But it is not my intention to tell you what to do with this information. Right now it is only my intention to ask that you go and seek the information for yourself and encourage others to do so as well.”

Here Jimmy positions himself as someone who encourages readers (who he assumes to be his peers) to investigate political issues for themselves, not someone who gives hard and fast advice. He would rather encourage others to inform themselves so they can find their own truth and explore the collective “truths” in conversation with others’ individual truths.

The firmness in which Jimmy speaks projects a voice that is serious, contemplative and conscientious of the impact a message can have. What is clear here is Jimmy writes with the goal of inspiring action or to get the reader to contemplate issues from a new angle.

What is also clear in Jimmy’s baseline texts is his control of high-level sentence construction and vocabulary. Jimmy clearly projects himself as an educated individual through the vocabulary he uses in the text above. The complex structure of Jimmy’s sentences also reflects a vocal cadence that uses strategic pauses and a bevy of clauses to emphasize particular points in his arguments. Jimmy’s cadence gradually unwinds, which makes for an organic formatting of the text that mirrors a vocalized argument or conversation. Organic formatting that mirrors vocalizations is typical for text written in the blog genre. Jimmy demonstrates cadence control in Traumatized Bodies where he writes:

“To name just one such instance: When police take you into custody, they attack you not just with their own imposing, uniformed bodies, but with the bodies of concrete walls that limit your eyesight, the bodies of voyeuristic police cameras watching your every move, and with the bodies of cold steel handcuffs that weigh down your wrists, as well as other instruments that enclose themselves upon your body.”

In this passage, we see the deftness in which Jimmy infuses each phrase of this sentence with the physical senses of sight and feeling to give the reader the feeling of being thrust into panopticonic incarceration. Jimmy also uses repetition of the word “bodies” to emphasize the reduction of the individual, which encompasses the spiritual, the logical and the heart, to a nameless, faceless, physical entity that is violated in the incarceration system. The passion behind Jimmy’s voice in this text carries places the reader in a situation they probably have never experienced, being arrested and jailed, to encourage them to consider the impact our so called justice system has on individuals and, by extension, our society.

Putting the reader in the moment through detailed, hypothetical examples has a different impact than the academic standard of quantifiable or even some qualitative data. It produces a visceral emotion because the reader can see themselves in the situation, they have placed themselves in the other’s shoes, so to speak. I find this to be the most interesting aspect of Jimmy’s voice and messages. Jimmy doesn’t just ask the reader to think about issues. He challenges them to feel the fallout of those issues as well.

Jimmy’s approach to writing is critical in an age where life is data driven. It becomes easy to intellectualize an issue when an individual cannot see or feel the outcomes of that issue in real life. Intellectualism doesn’t necessarily lead to action. More often, it leads to a lot of philosophizing, papers and armchair quarterbacking. According to the Heath brothers (2010), if you want to make an individual or group change, you have to make them feel something. Jimmy activates those feelings in his writing with the goal of bringing about change.

Syntactical Regression and Sardonic Enthusiasm: An Analysis

With this idea of evoking complex feelings through rhetoric to bring about change in mind, I turn to the work Jimmy completed for Aggie Voices. In these pieces, Jimmy’s voice takes a dramatic shift from advocacy to upbeat enthusiasm (?) in his Aggie Voices posts. The sophisticated nature of Jimmy’s sentence construction and vocabulary use is dialed down slightly. What is more interesting is the laissez-faire seriousness that is present in all of Jimmy’s other writing is nowhere to be found in any the Aggie Voices posts.

Take this excerpt from The Seminar for example:

“It really depends on your major, but there are still some general customs that apply. In my own experience, there’s one kind of class structure that I would recommend to anyone from any major! It’s called the seminar. By its official definition from UC Davis’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, the seminar course is described as “[a]n exciting program of innovative seminars that reflect instructor’s intellectual interests. These once-in-a-lifetime courses promote intellectual exchange, critical thinking and community.” By my own definition, I’d posit that it’s the best kind of class you can take at the UC, EVER!”

The Seminar is a well-written post that integrates some of Jimmy’s vocabulary along a smidgen of his ideas about “critical thinking” and “intellectual exchange. However, it is clear there is an imposition from an outside force on this piece’s format. The Seminar closely resembles the bullet format that was preferred by the Office of Strategic Communications, not the organic, cadence driven blog format Jimmy typically uses.

I reasoned this piece had an enthusiastic tone because exclamation points are sprinkled throughout this piece (8). I was taken aback by the exclamation points because in Jimmy does not use this punctuation to emphasize his arguments. In fact, Jimmy’s argument style shifts as a result of this punctuation, moving him from a writer who encourages a reader to consider an issue to a writer who is doling out advice point blank. A high level of enthusiasm, happiness and advice giving is also evident in Jimmy’s other Aggie Voices posts.

Consider these excerpts from Ruby-Red Schwinn:

“It had been ages since I owned a bicycle, so when I finally settled on Gorgeous, it wasn’t just a set of pedals for me, it was special. With a fierce red exterior, a small light frame, and a fresh new feel to it, Gorgeous was the one!

To make things better, Davis being one of the greatest cities for bikers in the nation made our pairing doubly awesome. Together, Gorgeous and I explored the claim and found that it’s true; Davis is where your bike wants to be for its gigantic bike lanes, its overwhelming selection of bicycles, its bike tournaments, and a slew of other reminders that cars are cool, but bikes just give you that connection, man!”

“ Once you have your bicycle, there’s a code to learn about; namely, hand signals. My advice to you: don’t underestimate their power! While you can ride around however you like, it’s courteous to your fellow cyclists to be familiar with the code and to make use of it.”

In Ruby-Red Schwinn, some of Jimmy’s voice comes through when he addresses the reader as “man” and when he mentions having a conversation with the owner of the Bicycle Depot in Ruby-Red Schwinn. However, in this post Jimmy goes against his nature again to offer advice to the reader. Also, in this post, Jimmy’s vocabulary is scaled back even further,making his voice sound like it was written by a high school junior who wrote a quick report, not an experienced college senior from the English department. An overwhelming number of exclamation points cropped up in this post again (10 in this post) which convey an enthusiastic tone.

That tone was a serious sticking point for me because I have some doubts as to whether the enthusiasm that is projected in these pieces should be taken at face value. Comparing Jimmy’s writing for Aggie Voices to the baseline texts, the interviews we did for the Diversity Forum and then triangulating that information with what I know about Jimmy’s personality led me to feel Jimmy’s Aggie Voices posts could have been written from a subtly sardonic stance. I can’t speculate as to whether that stance was intentional, what I will say is that as a writer I have experienced and devoutly believe in the transmutability of a writer’s feelings on the messages they generate. Even if the writer actively suppresses an emotion to complete a text, some aspect of their emotions will be infused in their work. Usually, a writer suppresses their feelings to create text for some type of personal gain, but that text runs the risk of being flat and boring if the author was bored/disconnected, or outright insincere. I feel transmutability might responsible for some of the interpretations readers find in text that were not intended by the author of the text. So perhaps Jimmy did not mean to have an underlying sarcastic tone, but that is what comes across to me when I see a deluge of exclamation points in these works.

The tone I’ve found here would not be evident to the common reader who just happened to click on the post from the UC Davis website. I can only pick up on this undercurrent because I know what Jimmy’s voice sounds like in work and everyday conversation. I know that voice can be subtly subversive and flippant, which is something I really enjoy about Jimmy. If Jimmy did intend to write this in a sardonic tone (I plan to ask him about this because I’m dying to know), that approach would reflect Jimmy’s confession during our Diversity Forum sessions that he has harbored a “certain kind of hostility against having to clean up [his] language (pg. 11, Interview Transcripts)” to be successful in school environments. For Jimmy, switch to a code that is acceptable in the academic sphere isn’t just a strategy diverse students can be used to navigate the institutional environment, as has been argued elsewhere. It is a subtle indicator that the institutional space is not safe for Jimmy and people like him to be their authentic selves and communicate in the way that feels most comfortable for them. Codeswitching, Jimmy argues “dissuades a person to a certain extent from trying to communicate.”

That said, I do not feel the peppy voice that is on display in the Aggie Voices blog is not a facet of Jimmy’s diamond, authentic voice in any regard. Jimmy is a drop dead serious intellectual with social issues at the forefront of his consciousness. That seriousness and commitment to social change is clearly demonstrated in Jimmy’s various online publications, the interviews we did on and off air, his fiction (see...) and how he describes his own actions in 20 Years After. I’m not saying that Jimmy is a morose, misanthropic person who is not capable of joy or enthusiasm for the simpler things in life, like his bike. What I am saying is that I believe if Jimmy were to show that side of himself in his writing, I don’t think his happiness would be portrayed in such a simplistic, cheerleaderish manner. What we’re seeing on display in the Aggie Voices posts is the cubic zirconia voice passing off false coin, giving the administration what it wants, hyper positivity in bullet points. Moreover, the Aggie Voices posts are grossly off message when compared to Jimmy’s other rhetoric. They are the only posts that consistently ignore issues of race, class, incarceration, poverty and social activism. ALL of Jimmy’s other writing and spoken rhetoric address those issues. So, with these examples from Aggie Voices we can see Jimmy on the surface level is communicating what the administration wants to hear but on a deeper level he is communicating a resentment at having his messages micromanaged and his feelings being reduced to an overly simplified form.

When I spoke to Jimmy about the tembre of voice that was valued at Aggie Voices, he deftly pointed out:

“It’s a journey in the writing, it’s a journey in the reading, and they wanted to chop down that journey, and just get to why UC Davis was an absolutely amazing campus with no problems, and with no issues of racism and sexism and class.... This speaks to where UCD is still at, even as it supposedly wants to gain this idea of diversity, it is insulting the very people who they’re seeking it from.”

What Jimmy is getting at here is in the rush to co-opt diverse voices, the school neglected to also integrate the complicated truths those voices wanted to share. What I found in my analysis of the text reflects what Jimmy disclosed during our interview about his conflicted feelings as he wrote for Aggie Voices. Jimmy felt as though he had “enticed to sound a certain way for Aggie Voices (pg. 18, Interview Transcripts),” that he had been lured in to tell stories, but ultimately it became apparent to him that he was just “a commodity... some sort of object (pg. 17, Interview Transcripts)”the Office of Strategic communications could use as a tool to portray the school in a positive light. Jimmy claims he writes “with enthusiasm (pg. 17, Interview Transcripts),” and approaches storytelling “with honesty, with humor, with criticism, with contemplation, and ultimately with optimism about what is going on, but... an optimism” that is “reach[ed] through getting through these difficult steps (pg. 19, Interview Transcripts).”

Those difficult steps were clearly omitted in Jimmy’s Aggie Voices posts because social justice issues and the complicated emotions social justice conversations dredge up simply were not welcome in that space. It could be argued the tangled emotions social justice activists bring up won’t sell. I counter, being real about those issues does attract students who are critical thinkers who want to engage about ideas, but those students probably won’t come from the white monoculture. Jimmy’s voice got whitewashed to keep those students comfortable while portraying a brown face to give potential students of color the illusion that everything is hunky dory in Davisland. That whitewashed voice joins in with the chorus, one note monolithic university voice. It is a voice that is blissfully and intentionally ignorant of every vocal movements on campus, like the ASCUD’s vote in 2015 to divest in Israel. That voice also overlooks more negative forces on campus,by refusing to condemn the students who “spoke” against the predominantly Latino Kappa Sigma fraternity through an attempted arson, or to tell the young men who gang raped a biracial young woman in the campus arboretum they do not represent our community.

Yes, these events are ugly. Denying that they occurred, however, is even uglier. Denial of the harder issues on campus sends a signal to the bad actors that their behavior will be overlooked. Allowing students to confront the bad behavior of their compatriots head on in their writing demonstrates the institution is not only paying lip service about these issues, it shows that students, community members, and the administration are willing to examine these behaviors to create solutions that will mitigate violence and hate crimes in the future.

When the institution denies or covers up negative happenstances or social activism that seeks to remediate negativity on campus, the school misses the opportunity to demonstrate that it is the progressive, inclusive space it claims to be. The missed opportunity to rectify wrongs through confrontation confirms the feelings of mistrust diverse students harbor when they come into college, those same feelings that drive them to refrain from using their authentic voice. Mistrust prods them into engaging with people in community developed safe spaces, not interacting with people in the institution they are paying to attend. Jimmy’s case is a prime example of this vicious cycle. As Jimmy points out in his reflection, the manipulation of his voice led him to neglect his post at Aggie Voices to pursue other social justice based opportunities that were more in line with his message and his hopes for societal change.

Rectifying the Omission of Voice

The constriction of voice Jimmy experienced was evident to me when Jimmy was generating those posts I describe above for the blog. As I mentioned before, I felt it was my responsibility to give students another avenue for sharing their messages, which fed into the development of The Diversity Forum. Jimmy was one of the main students I had in mind when I created the show, which is why he was one of my first guests.

As I listen to the recordings now and look back on the transcript, I think it would be easy for a critic of this research to say I led Jimmy in my line of questioning for the Diversity Forum. We’re so tightly focused on issues of equity, culture and race and in some parts of the discussion it seems like we’re in concert with each other. The reality is that those recorded conversations sprung from informal conversations we had over the course of weeks. In essence, these interviews are simply an on air continuation of those conversations that were shared because we thought the public would be interested.

I also notice something else as I listen to those recordings. Jimmy’s rhetoric is simplified in comparison to his written text, which is not surprising considering the amount of editing a writer undergoes to build that linguistic precision into their work. The sentences are compound, not complex and his extensive academic vocabulary is traded in for code that is exclusively reserved for smart homies who are down. What sets the simplicity that Jimmy conveyed during the Diversity Forum apart from the simplicity he projected in his Aggie Voices posts was the language was simple but the ideas were anything but. Also, the emotion I described before is there and it is raw. Take this portion of the second interview (9:10) where Jimmy discusses the challenges of being a chameleon for example:

“I just grew up with a lot of homies from the hood, and their interest or the things which surround us, the kinds of conversation we had, dealt with who was slanging, who was selling, who just got into the hood, or um what happened with the homie that got locked up. And everything in relation to the pigs, and the way that young people deal with an environment that sort of prompts them to grow up faster, and become, in my community, an environment that prompts them to become men faster, like tough men, men that are just ready to get down whenever need be.

And so um the kind of mindset that instills in a person is a very gritty sort of competitive sort of also insecure type of mentality, in which you know, you’re just trying to make sure that you get your respect, you’re just trying to make sure you’re known, that you’re known in the right sense...

...when I go back home, I’m in the same neighborhood, I see the same kind of friends that didn’t go to college, that didn’t get a job after high school, that are still kind of out there doing their thing. And just so much as speaking to them, it feels strange, it feels kind of awkward, and there’s almost a sense of that I’ve betrayed my friends, you know, people I grew up with, which both of us kind of experience.”

Initially, I thought Jimmy’s pared down language was the result of speaking extemporaneously on air. Further examination of this text makes it clear to me Jimmy consciously or unconsciously switched code to speak directly to audience members who are like him- those who are caught in the liminal space between their cultures, communities and the academic realm. This stripped down code where individuals drop knowledge based on their own experiences signals to listeners who speak the same code the level of the speaker’s trustworthiness. When it comes to the type of code Jimmy uses here (there is no word for it. It is a hybrid of hood slang and “standard” English), An untrustworthy speaker is one who uses inaccessible language, whether out of hubris or ignorance when trying to project their message. The speaker who has been inducted into the community’s covert prestige (Labov, 2006; Trudgill,1983) knows not to alienate themselves from those who speak hood code by speaking in an elevated way, yet they still have to possess the sophistication to drop knowledge. Jimmy walked that fine line here, which gave him the opportunity to address listeners from his community and those who might have never heard his perspective. Most important, all of those listeners heard his message through a facet of Jimmy’s authentic voice.

I argue here Jimmy was only able to project the voice that is experienced when listening to the Diversity Forum interviews because we were given a great deal of autonomy as students to project the types of messages we liked, as long as they were in the boundaries of FCC rules. Although KDVS is housed on UC Davis academic campus, shows like The Diversity Forum are required to read disclaimers absolving UC Davis for the content contained in those show. Those disclaimers allow KDVS to be a marketing tool of sorts for the school while also keeping school communication policy out of student-generated messages.

The analysis above demonstrates that the genre Jimmy typically publishes through, blogs, shifts based on the socio-emotional space within the academic institution. The contexts where Jimmy’s social activist voice was well-projected, The Aggie Newspaper and The Diversity Forum, were student or activist created contexts embedded within academia. While those contexts were informed by academic debates, on campus events and the mix of diverse cultures converging in one locale, those contexts mitigated the reach of the institution communication policies, so students were allowed to communicate more freely. Those non-institutional contexts made socio-emotional space for Jimmy’s intellectual voice by allowing his intellectual and emotional autonomy.

In contrast, when Jimmy wrote novel texts on the behalf of the academy, an institution that is supposed to augment an individual’s linguistic dexterity, his linguistic prowess was truncated and his philosophical sophistication was dramatically muted/constricted. The constriction that is apparent in Jimmy’s writing can be attributed to the sub-genre Jimmy’s writing in, the marketing blog. What we’ve seen in Jimmy’s work for Aggie Voices is the effect marking, commoditizing, (mis)appropriating and prioritizing capital over communication has on the diverse individual’s voice. In contrast, the voice we saw in Jimmy’s Diversity Forum interview is a voice that has been afforded a certain amount of protection from the powers of the institution while using the institution as a platform to project a critical message about social inequity, education, and institutions.

In the next section, I will move on from text to examine the feedback students gave to me during on air and one on one interviews about the projection of their voice as community leaders and in their disciplines. That feedback gives more insight into how the projection of voice is an act of confidence, interpersonal trust and self-trust in discipline specific knowledge.

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michellelynnvip · 4 years

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Message for the Gifted Pt 4/Finale: Most Kings, Envy, & The Purpose of Pain

In honor of #HOV50, I’m re-posting a blog I wrote in 2013. This post was 2 months after I 1st visited LA & knew I had to move here; 1 month after I wrote the post best known for its publication in the Amazon Bestseller “2 Billion Under 20: How Millennials Are Breaking Down Barriers & Changing The World.” The “Message for the Gifted” series was inspired! It’s one I re-read from time to time when I’m feeling down & need a boost. If you’re reading this, I hope it adds value to your journey in some way. Happy 50th Jay-Z!

Most Kings/Why I Love You (Another Jay-Z Reference)***

These are the titles of 2 Jay-Z songs expressing cautionary tales of the demise of leaders. Jay-Z isn't just a rapper, he's a leader. He's a mogul on his way to becoming a billionaire. He was raised in the projects of Brooklyn, NY & bootstrapped his way up the corporate ladder by the grace of God. Jay said most who lived the life he did die or go to jail. He changed, followed his instincts at just the right time. “Good instincts” means listening to God’s voice.

He's an unreasonable man who came into this world without instruction, but he had good instincts. He lived enough pain to bury his fear & did what he had to do. He had the “instinct to increase” & did so by any means necessary. He wasn't given a lot in this life, but he's multiplied the gifts he was given 100 fold. Therefore, he's a fitting modern-day example of someone who's enacted this “Parable of the Talents.” And the fact that after a lot of hard work on his journey, he was blessed with the comfort of Beyoncè can stand as inspiration for the gifted but lonely. Much can be learned from Jay-Z. A lot of his works, especially his more recent volumes, speak to the struggles leaders face.

If you don't like Jay-Z, yet you want to be successful... quote me on this one, “never hate on someone who has that which you aspire to acquire.” You can learn something from anyone who has something you want. So don't waste your energy on anger, hatred, envy, etc (ie. criticizing the gifted). Instead, spend your energy learning from that person. There's a reason Jay-Z has an album series called “The Blueprint.” The box set is literally (with an architectural drawing & everything) the blueprint to his success. Because he's been writing songs throughout his journey, he's also leaving one of the most complete & accessible blueprints around. I recommend his book “Decoded” to anyone interested in creativity, success, or leadership... or who has an opinion on hip hop as an art form. The book was enough to convince Oprah of the validity of hip hop, & she was a very outspoken longtime critic. But enough about Jay-Z.

Jean-Michel Basquiat Charles the First

“Most Kings get their heads cut off,” the famous quote from the bottom left corner of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Charles the First, is the refrain of “Most Kings.” In this song as well as “Why I Love You,” he compares the pairs of Caesar & Brutus as well as Jesus & Judas. The troops are fickle. The “same sword they Knight you (with), they (wanna) goodnight you with.” & if you “try to teach these ****** how to be kings, but all they ever wanted to be was soldiers,” they may then consider you an outsider & have no qualms about coming for your head even though you love them. It may sound harsh, but it's true. Why? My favorite definition of leadership is, “creating a future for others that would not otherwise exist.” So in creating that future, you can become like those in Zion trying to unplug people from the machines of The Matrix which are feeding off of them.

But why would I work so hard to help people who may rise up against me? What if there are too many of them? Maybe I should do my work behind the scenes?

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”

(Psalm 23:5)

Bishop Jakes said that when you're surrounded by “haters,” that's most likely when God is going to bless you.

So now that you're blessed before them, how do you prevent them from becoming your demise? For that, you need great leadership qualities, but the saving grace above all others is not an acquired skill, but a gift. You need intuition.

Envy

I've expressed that these gifts are also a burden. I've told you that the struggle to create an external environment that matches one's internal visions can be maddening. I've shared that when you're a leader, the problems of those you lead become a burden you're constantly fighting even while you're trying to avoid an uprising from the troops you fight for but may be your ultimate demise. There's an internal conflict between your emotions & your purpose, & your rational mind & the work your spirit compels you toward. There's also external conflict between you & that which opposes you for attempting to lead; leading to a future that cannot otherwise exist. Yet people envy you & the envious ones will very likely prove to be the weak links in your organization & attempt to become your ultimate demise.

It's amazing that they envy you, the leader who has all of their problems & their peers' problems, plus your own, & that causes them to become yet another one of your problems.

So Bishop Jakes spoke on the sin of envy. He said, Never covet that which belongs to your neighbor because You Can't Handle It! You are gifted according to your ability. And when you gain greater abilities & have conquered the opposition on your level, you get to move up. If you try to move up before you're ready, you will destroy yourself!

Your life is about you & what you do with your gifts. When you put your gifts to their best use on your level, you'll rise above & can even be crowned with a new gift. And of course with that new gift will come greater responsibility & more opposition, but at that point, you can handle it.

The Purpose of Pain

One of my mother's favorite stories to tell is of watching men walk on hot coals in Hawaii. She was amazed they did it without flinching. So when they finished, she asked one how it was done. He explained that pain is simply an alert telling your brain that something is wrong. So when you acknowledge it & assure the brain that you are okay, you can dismiss the pain alert.

So why do the gifted experience such great pain?

Loneliness

If you're connected to others, that's a comfort. Being comforted is a reduction in pain. So when your purpose is so much greater than you, you will live in pain until you connect with whatever spiritual forces you need to fulfill your purpose. That pain is a constant reminder that you need to use your gift & connect to the source to make some changes. Deep companionship dulls the pain & can lull you into a false sense of security as you forget to go to the source.

The Brink of Insanity

Being haunted by visions that have yet to manifest can cause most creatives to get to the brink of insanity - I spoke of in my previous post - where they say, “I have to create this or I'm going to explode!”

Of course, one will not usually allow themselves to explode. LOL That would go against the most basic instinct of self-preservation, so that a person's will must become truly unbending. The most valuable lesson I learned from the season finale of the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” cartoon was, “to bend the will of another, your will has to be truly unbending.” So at the brink of insanity, you may find the unbending will to manifest your greatest potential.

“A reasonable man adapts himself to his environment. An unreasonable man persists in attempting to adapt his environment to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

~George Bernard Shaw

Under Siege

When under siege, one must dig deep. This predicament is one of the greatest tests of character. It's a test of a true believer. In this situation, you must either stand up for what you believe in, or give up & allow your creation to be destroyed. This is a test of the strength of one's character, will, & conviction. Making it through & maintaining one's sanity is evidence of readiness to break through to a new level.

Dissent Amongst the Troops

The lessons learned from making it through a Siege prepares the initiate in part for this next level of attack. But where this attack differs greatly from the other is that previous sieges could easily be circumstantial. But at this level the attack is personal. Again, this is a test of the strength of one's character, will, & conviction, but it's also a test of the capacity of one's heart.

So why must the gifted endure such pain?

Fear is the anticipation of pain.

When the pain is present & there is nothing to anticipate, fear ceases to exist.

The Next Level

When all fear has gone out of the window, your most basic instinct of self-preservation is transformed into what I like to call “True Self Actualization.”

At that point, it's like Maslow's Hierarchy of needs inverts & the soul's highest need becomes your most basic need.

I'm at the point where my fears have been buried. The anticipation of pain has been buried in actual pain. It doesn't sound very pleasant, but it's the most powerful state of being.

From rock bottom, you're already lost to the world around you. All you have is the vision that haunts you & you know that manifesting it into reality is the only lasting solution to your ultimate peace.

When you feel you have nothing to lose, you Bury Your Fear & Expose your Talent!

Why? Because you have nothing to lose and everything you ever imagined to gain!

So here's my "Message for the Gifted:" Pain is Powerful!

If you missed the 1st 3 parts of this series, here they are...

Message for the Gifted: Ever wonder why you’re so gifted or feel the burden of a cross many envy? Then this is for you. (From the Bishop T.D. Jakes Sermon on “The Parable of the Talents”)

Message for the Gifted Pt 2: Living in Pain (a holistic triage of the gifted patient)

Message for the Gifted Pt 3: Genius, Insanity, & The Spiritual Burden of The Gifted

#HOV50 #Gifted #Message #Basquiat #Jay-Z #TDJakes #PottersHouse #parable of the talents #Talent

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lovefollowsknowledge · 7 years

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The Feminine Hero

Last night, I watched Wonder Woman, and to my surprise, it was an explosion of truth! I’m not sure what the comics say about her, what the intent of the author was, or what the intent of the director was, but it spoke so many levels of truth, and the one I want to focus on is that of femininity. I don’t know what people’s impression of her is, but to me, she represented beautifully what the feminine genius is. I’ll try to limit myself to 3 reasons why I found this movie so awesome, and I’ll do so using quotes from a couple of Greats in the Church.

1) “Perhaps more than men, women acknowledge the person, because they see with their hearts. They see them independently of various ideological or political systems. They see others in their greatness and limitations; they try to go out to them and help them” - Pope St. John Paul II

What struck me about Diana (Wonder Woman) was how her heart cried out for mankind. Her whole mission was to get to the heart of the War, where the battle was at its worst. When she gets there, she arrives at a village where she meets a woman who says they have been enslaved. Upon entering the village she sees tortured animals, a child crying for his mother, wounded soldiers laying on the sidelines. Her heart instantly breaks for these people, and she’s quick to jump into action. But Steve, her male counterpart I guess you could say, stops her and says there’s no time to save everyone. Throughout this scene, Steve is constantly telling her she can’t save everyone, almost implying they’re in an impossible situation - there’s no getting past No Man’s Land. There’s another part where Diana is shocked at the violence the men are so drawn to, how they’re determined to fight to the end out of hatred for one another. She expresses her concern to Steve and how they have to do something about this, but he tells her, “Maybe some people are just bad,” again implying that they’re in an impossible situation. But every time, Diana refuses to give up. When Steve says, “we can’t save them all,” she replies “that’s what I’m gonna do,” and she runs into battle. When Steve says it’s a hopeless cause trying to save these men from their evil actions, she refuses to let that be the end. She refuses to give up on mankind because she knows they are just being corrupted (by Aries). She knew that deep down that they were still good. She saw their intrinsic worth when everyone else only wanted to see the evil they've done. JP II teaches that women have this innate sensitivity to see the goodness of the human person, and you can see that so clearly in Diana’s example. She just shows the true beauty and gift of the heart of the woman.

2) “In all these areas, a greater presence of women in society will prove most valuable, for it will help manifest the contradictions present when society is organized solely according to the criteria of efficiency and productivity…” - Pope St. John Paul II

What I feel like he’s saying here is that when solely men are put in charge, things are organized by efficiency and productivity, but when women come into play, we see something else. He says women “bring the richness of [their] sensitivity, [their] intuitiveness, [their] generosity, and fidelity.” They see beyond productivity and efficiency. So with the corruption of mankind, Steve saw little reason to save them because they appear to no longer offer anything good. But Diana saw more than that, she saw more than their evil actions; she saw goodness beyond productivity and efficiency. And what I mostly wanted to point out about this was a specific moment when one of the men on her team wants to give up because of how afraid he was in the last battle, how he appeared to not be as strong or useful, and how because of that he almost seemed to hold them back, thus making him less efficient and productive for the betterment of the team. But Diana’s response was, “But, Charlie, who would sing for us?” I just love that! She saw worth that most people wouldn't see, wouldn't deem worthy and necessary. But she saw his specific gifts, the goodness of his heart and saw that even in his weakness, he still had value and a role to play. I just think that’s so beautiful and something so unique to women. We don’t just see the strict skills needed for a certain task, we don’t just see if someone checks everything off a check list. We see the beauty of their heart, their unique gifts, their particular strengths…at least we have the unique capacity to do that. Haha because I for one do not have the most tender and compassionate heart…yet ;)

3) “To a great extent the level of any civilization is the level of its womanhood. When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of her. The higher her virtue, the more noble her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness – the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women.” - Venerable Fulton Sheen

Finally, one of my absolute favorite parts was when Diana ran into No Man’s Land. Just as she was ready to run in, Steve explained that it’s called No Man’s Land because no man makes it past the enemy lines. Once you enter the battlefield you’re pretty much shot dead. But this does not discourage her in the least bit. This was the same scene when Steve says, “We can’t save them all,” and she responds, “That’s what I’m gonna do,” and she runs into the battlefield. As predicted she was shot at right away, but Diana had no fear, no hesitation, she just went forward with all she had. And to their surprise she was more than safe. She was strong and brave and more than holding her own ground. And in that moment the rest of her team, which was made up of men, looked at each other and were not just encouraged but were called on by her heroic actions, and then jumped into battle right behind her. It was Diana’s bravery and devotion to “truth, justice, and goodness,” that calls her team on to be better men, stronger men, to be men of greater courage. Diana’s strength didn't demean her men, but rather it called them on, it held them accountable and even empowered them to be greater, to be the men they were called to be.

I loved Wonder Woman because she was a feminine hero. She was a hero without having to become manly. She was still beautiful, still wore clothes that fit and complemented her body type. She didn’t try to look or act like a man. She didn’t hide the sensitivity of her heart. One of my other favorite parts was literally one moment that could easily be overlooked; in fact, it was probably mostly for comic relief. But when she arrived to the city and got all dressed up to look more professional, as they’re walking to the offices, she gets distracted and says, “A baby!!!” and almost instinctually goes straight for the baby, but of course Steve said there was no time for that. And though he was right, I just love that DC didn’t take that feminine side out of her, because what woman can resist a cutie patootie baby?? I just love that they didn’t compromise her femininity in order to make her a hero. Even when they explain the creation story of the Amazon Women! They say Zeus created them because the world needed peace and love, and the Amazon Women would provide that, which is such the feminine heart! But that wasn't their only job. They were also created to protect! Which yes typically is a masculine feature, but there is also a certain fierceness in the heart of a woman that will stop at nothing to protect her children, be it biological or spiritual.

I love Wonder Woman because she’s a hero that embraces her femininity. And that didn’t mean being anti-men! Which I feel like is so crucial because in feminism today there’s like two extremes. 1) In order for women to have equal pay and equal treatment, they feel they have to act like a man. They have to be tough and ruthless, and they even have to dress like a guy, the whole power suit and shoulder pads thing (not to say there’s anything wrong with a woman in pants, but I’m just saying that was started so women could better fit in with men). 2) In order to affirm the strength and gift of womanhood, they feel they have to put down men, degrade them and make them feel almost useless, like they’re in the way of women (which is ironic because that’s the exact attitude we fight against for women). So it’s like we either totally imitate men to exert fairness or we declare they’re basically useless, and we can do it all without them to illustrate our true strength. But the truth is, as JP II said, “Woman complements man, just as man complements woman: men and women are complementary. Womanhood expresses the “human” as much as manhood does, but in a different and complementary way…Man and woman share equal responsibility from the start.” AKA Man needs woman just as much as woman needs man, and Diana totally recognizes that! She recognizes their importance and how much she needs them to win this battle. She never once resists the idea of having to work with men on her team.

And finally, my absolute favorite line was when Aries was trying to convince Diana of the uselessness of mankind because of how horrible they are, how evil and full of hate they are. He tries to convince her that it’s better they destroy them because they don't deserve gods like them, they don't deserve to be saved and cared for. And Diana’s response (which is actually inspired by Steve, hence the complementarity) goes, “They’re everything you say and so much more. It's not about what they deserve. It's about what you believe. And I believe in love.” Boom baby! No matter what, for the sake of love, a love we’re all called to, a love that is full of truth, beauty, and goodness, a love that is full of mercy, hope, and life, in the name of Love, mankind is worth defending, saving, and redeeming. Boom. Freaking. Baby. Wonder Woman is an unexpected, beautiful example of the feminine genius because even in her strength and heroism, she brings a heart that is tender, compassionate, fierce, and unrelentingly loving and ready to fight for the goodness of mankind’s heart.

...Ok so I didn’t quite stick to 3 points but whatever, it’s an awesome movie for our times and you should go see it! #femininefreakinggenius

All Glory to God through Mary!

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woodworkingpastor · 4 years

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Can I get a witness?--Romans 12:9-21--Sunday, September 6, 2020

One of the great benefits of my time at Eastern Mennonite Seminary was having the privilege to meet and study under our dean, George R. Brunk, III. George is a spiritual giant in the Mennonite Church. An introverted, scholarly follower of Jesus, Dean Brunk took great delight in training up the next generation of preachers and pastors, especially in the two classes he taught—Interpreting the Biblical Text and Greek Exegesis, a class where students were introduced to the wonderful nuances of the Greek text of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, work from which George’s commentary on Galatians was eventually published.

We all knew, however, that there was one particular thing that really frustrated George: he couldn’t stand it when seminary students would apologize for sermons. Preaching in seminary chapel can be an intimidating thing; every student knows that the faculty understand the text better than they do, and even though the faculty come as worshippers and not evaluators, the tension is real. So inevitably a student would begin their sermon with an apology. “I was up late studying for an exam, or writing a paper, or getting a reading assignment done, and I didn’t have as much time as I wished to prepare for the sermon. I hope you’ll extend grace to me.”

It only took a time or two of this before the inevitable would happen. Grace from the Dean came with a lecture that I’ve come to call the George R. Brunk Rule of Preaching: “Never apologize for your sermon. Stand there and proclaim the word as if you have something profound from God to say—because you do!”

After graduating from seminary, I moved to Patrick County to begin as pastor of New Hope Church of the Brethren. Soon after that I was elected to the Church of the Brethren General Board, where I met my friend and colleague Frank Ramirez, currently the pastor of Union Center Church of the Brethren in northern Indiana. Frank is a fantastic writer and preacher and from him I’ve learned to modify my preaching rule to with the Frank Ramirez corollary to the George R. Brunk Rule of Preaching: “Never apologize for your sermon…but you might want to leave the engine running in your car.”

There were no cars in 1858 when Brethren elder Samuel Garber was invited to travel from his home in Illinois to preach in a Presbyterian Church in eastern Tennessee, but for all the trouble his sermon got him into, I wonder if he might have left the engine running in his car. The circumstances of the invitation to preach are largely lost to history; what we do know is that Brother Garber was invited to preach on Isaiah 58:6:

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

Brother Garber gives this report on his experience:

I attended at the time appointed and found a large concourse assembled. I took the…text and delivered a discourse. I spoke of the yoke and the bondage of sin in general terms, and of temperance, justice, and judgment to come, and particularly against oppression in every shape and form. I held forth the law of love, mercy, and truth; showed that there was a time coming when every yoke of sin would be broken, intemperance banished from our sphere, oppression cease, contention, strife and wars would be at an end; love, peace, good-will, union, and fellowship would universally prevail throughout the whole earth, etc.

About the close of my discourse, I said that among the yokes and oppressions might be named that of slavery…

As I mentioned, this was Tennessee in 1858, and it was here that Brother Garber’s troubles for preaching the Gospel began. Another minister immediately announced that he would preach a sermon to show that Isaiah 58:6 had nothing to do with African slavery. Garber was condemned for preaching an abolitionist sermon in the presence of a master and slave, threatened with lynch law, of being tarred and feathered, and being ridden out of town on a rail. Ultimately, he was fined $234 for an illegal sermon.

I share this rather lengthy illustration this morning neither as an apology for my sermon nor an indication that I’ve left the engine running in the car. But it is to invite you into a conversation around how willing Brethren today are to proclaim a specific Gospel. How willing are preachers like myself to stand on the Gospel when it leads us to culturally unpopular places? How willing are church members to follow the Gospel to these same places, and share in the sufferings and controversies that will come when we pray “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? Brother Garber’s sermon was acceptable until he made application to the cultural hot-topic of the day—whether or not White people could own Black people.

The times in which we live

There is no question that these are challenging, uncertain times. Many people are struggling, and there are as many kinds of struggles as there are people who are struggling.

Covid-19 brings anxiety about catching the virus and frustration with job insecurity, loneliness, and social isolation. Both of your pastoral families have had to quarantine recently. Your concern for us has been expressed with a more serious tone of voice than in other times we’ve been sick.

Social unrest is constantly with us in a variety of forms: Black Lives Matter; police shootings-protests-violence; child sex-trafficking; abortion; immigration; 2020 Presidential election happening in a political context that pits people against one another. One of the funniest and saddest things I heard about the recent political conventions is that there is one thing both parties agree on: if the other guy wins, the world will probably end.

To all of that I will add the way social media—especially (but not only) Facebook—continually stirs the pot in the form of “gotcha” types of posts that assume that anyone who thinks differently is a bad American, bad Christian, or both; quotes attributed to public figures offered with minimal or no awareness of the fuller context of those quotes; outright conspiracy theories that would require the collaboration of law enforcement, both political parties and all news media in order to be true. For my purposes, there are offenders of all political persuasions in this.

To risk putting it simply, we are living in the midst of an unsustainable level of anxiety and outrage. Like Covid-19, we don’t need to have the virus to be impacted by the virus.

Let risk a personal story. About 10 years ago I had a panic attack while telling a Cougar River story on Christmas Eve. It was the strangest thing: I could feel it coming on, and even as I was telling the story to the congregation, I was telling myself, “Calm down. You’re fine. You know this story backwards and forwards. There’s no reason to be anxious.” But I couldn’t do a thing in the world to stop it. Several in the congregation knew something was up when they saw how white my face became. Finally I asked the organist and music minister to lead a hymn, and I left the room. Even though I eventually got myself under control, the whole thing was terribly embarrassing.

About six months later I spoke about this with a friend who is a psychiatrist and asked him what I could do if it happened again. He told me that everyone has an anxiety threshold that, when crossed, will push us into a panic attack. On that particular Christmas Eve, I was already a bit anxious (for whatever reason), and something happened that caused my anxiety to “spike” past that threshold.

Because we can’t control the events that cause our anxiety to spike, what we have to do is lower our overall anxiety so that when the spikes come, you can recover from them.

I want to be very clear about my point this morning: How do we understand our calling to be the church in a culture that feels as if it is constantly on the verge of a panic attack? How do we lower the threshold so that when the inevitable spikes come, we are prepared to handle them in a theologically, relationally, and emotionally healthy way?

You know that I enjoy beginning the sermon before we read the Scripture—although I doubt I’ve ever waited this long. But after all that has been said, let’s call our attention to today’s text and read Romans 12:9-21 in unison.

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good

Two weeks ago I needed to be at home under quarantine, and Brother Greg graciously came and preached an excellent sermon on how Jesus calms the storms in our lives. Of the many helpful things he said in that sermon, one particularly stood out to me: “The presence of Jesus does not mean the absence of difficulty.” There was literally no safer place for the disciples to be than in the very presence of Jesus, and yet the storm came anyway.

I want to riff on that statement this morning this way: the presence of the church does not mean the absence of conflict. Where better to work these things out than in the presence of the church? Romans 12:9 tells us specifically:

“Hate what is evil, hold fast to the good.”

Brother Garber’s 1858 sermon did just that. What is more, it was the sermon on abolition that caused the anxiety in East Tennessee to spike almost beyond the point of no return. Make no mistake, Brother Garber publicly took sides in the most contentious social and theological controversy of his day. He was not neutral. He did not see it as his job to preach a generic Gospel that soothed all and offended none. The threats of lynching had to be taken seriously.

So how did the Brethren respond? We might say they lived out Paul’s words in Romans 12:10:

love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.

The Brethren of east Tennessee sent Brother Garber home and said, “We’ll pay your fine. You’ve done your job, now let us do ours.” Copies of The Gospel Messenger from 1859 are still available to read online. You can read the appeals made by Brethren asking the entire denomination for financial help.

I wonder sometimes if such unity exists in the wider church today. I watch the way that Brethren have largely divided themselves up in ways that feel like they too closely resemble the divisions of our political parties and I wonder how we would respond to a sermon and fund raising appeal like that of Brother Garber’s day. Sometimes I see members of our congregation having conversations on important matters like these on Facebook. Generally we behave ourselves pretty well. But there are moments when I want to say, “Why are we not having these conversations in Sunday School, where we can open our Bibles, be honest about our opinions and how we’ve formed those opinions and have a rigorous theological discussion on what it means to follow Jesus in the presence of contentious issues?” We are people whose theology is shaped by 2,000 years of Christian tradition and 312 years of Brethren tradition. We are not the first ones to face challenging circumstances. As we seek knowledge and understanding, do we value our own heritage?

There’s no sense in pretending we’re neither bothered by nor discussing these matters. Is our commitment to one another something that is stronger than our politics, or is there some part of ourselves that we’re holding back behind a filter of sorts? This is the kind of struggle that Paul knew; he planted congregations filled with people who questioned other’s theological correctness. Still he labored to show them that the Gospel was more powerful, and had the ability to transform even the most entrenched theological position, bringing all things together in Christ.

Paul could be this way in part because he was a great believer in a stranger-centered faith that proclaimed the Gospel in the midst of evil times. He knew that the missionary focus of the church had certain things to teach us about the Gospel. So he challenges us to

Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. (Romans 12:13-16).

I am convinced that part of the problem with our collective outrage is that we think we know more about other people’s situations than we really do. It is easier to criticize someone for weeping than it is to enter into their circumstances and weep with them. What might we learn by expanding our own set of relationships to include the sufferings and struggles of real people so that instead of having a weapon available to win a Facebook argument, we have a fuller understanding of the challenges people face, so that we might more effectively bear witness for Christ in the midst of our anxiety and outrage driven culture?

There is much more that can be said on this subject, but at some point we simply need to stop. Two more very brief points.

First, about those rules of preaching I mentioned at the beginning. I hope Dean Brunk would be satisfied with what I’ve said here today and not heard any hint of an apology. As to that part about keeping the engine running in your car, well, my car keys are right here. I’m not going anywhere, and I certainly invite further conversation.

Second, on those days when my own anxiety gets a bit higher than is helpful and I’m feeling particularly homeless in the midst of our culture, I find my soul nourished by several Christian singers. Michael Card is one of these. He is a masterful poet with an incredibly insightful way of proclaiming the Gospel in the midst of these times. His song God’s Own Fool reminds us that if we are serious about following Jesus, then we had better be prepared to be misunderstood. That was Jesus’ experience, and it will be ours.