Admiration

This Sunday morning, if you sit outside the Richardson East Church of Christ in Richardson, TX you might see some people entering in less than their Sunday best. This is not because the church members don’t have nicer clothes to wear. It is not because the church is trying to attract the young non-church-goers of the Dallas area. On most Sundays you will find people attending Richardson East in nice, business casual clothes; you might even find a tie or two.

This Sunday, however, Richardson East Church of Christ is participating in what they call “The Church Has Left the Building.” Instead of their regular worship service, they will be heading out into the community to serve. They will be doing yard work, cleaning up alleys, painting, changing oil in the cars of elderly people and single mothers, etc.

I don’t attend a Church of Christ. My beliefs don’t line up well. But who can disagree with this kind of Christianity? I’ve been thinking for a while now that Jesus’ message was one of the simplest messages ever taught: treat others how you would like to be treated (simple not easy). It seems like a few churches are finally getting the idea that Jesus didn’t talk about church, Jesus didn’t talk about praise bands or worship music, the frequency of the Eucharist or ecclesiastical structures. He talked about being connected to God through loving and serving others.

I don’t attend a Church of Christ, but if you ever see me going into one it will probably be Richardson East Church of Christ, and I will probably be dressed in my painting clothes.

A Train of Thought Request for Prayer

It certainly is not that I want to discount your relationship with God. It isn’t that I know how God works or how prayers are answered. It’s just that I tire of hearing people ask for prayers; not all prayers, just certain prayers.

Mostly, it’s the prayer requests like, “Please ask God to help Johnny get over his cold,” or, “Please ask Jesus to be with me while I take this test.”

Now that I think about it, it isn’t really the asking that bugs me so much. Because, I don’t mind listening to what is on people’s minds (because people really just want to be listened to). My problem is really with the reports about answered prayers.

It isn’t that I don’t like to hear what is going well for people. I like to rejoice with people when they’re doing well. Hell, I like to celebrate (if you know what I mean)! The problem is when they give credit to God.

Wait, no it isn’t that either. I mean that is a little irritating, but it is most irritating when people tell me that God answered their prayer for a good grade on a test; or when someone tells me that God answered their prayer for a job promotion.

It isn’t that I want to argue with them about how God works. It is possible that God heard that prayer and answered it. I do not know how God works or if God works. Maybe some people have such a great connection with God that God answers their prayers for things like good performance at a recital or a football game. I am not one of those people, but maybe they’re out there. I don’t want to argue about it.

I’d just like to invite those people to do some praying for some other things, on behalf of those of us that don’t have that ‘direct line’. So, if you’re reading this and you get your prayers answered all the time I would like to invite you to consider praying for some of the following: housing for people who are sleeping on the streets, peace for people who are living in war torn countries, rest for single mothers who are working full-time and going to school and raising children without family support.

It just seems like if God is all powerful (and that seems to be the consensus from these pray-ers that I hear from so often), then he ought to be able to solve some of these other problems we’re having. And if you can get God to help you win an auction on Ebay for those books you’ve been wanting, then maybe you could put in a word about some of the issues I listed above.

Oh, and if someone really has God’s ear, could you mention food? I mean, it’s one of the basic needs of humans and there seems to be a bit of a distribution problem (i.e. some have enough to throw away, and some have none at all). Seriously, there are people starving down here.

[Disclaimer: this is not about you]

Oh, How I Love Jesus #3

Two weeks ago I was moved to tears in church. That does not happen very often, either at church or otherwise. So, I thought I would share.

There was a song in the service called “All Lifted Hearts.” It talked about the sources of the UU tradition.

I was moved to tears by this song because during the song different people read pieces of scripture from many different religious groups. Here are the readings from "All Lifted Hearts" (Words by Kendyl Gibbons & Music by Jason Shelton):

“In the Talmud of the Jewish tradition, the sage Hillel said: What is hateful to you, do not do to others. This is the whole of the Law; all the rest is commentary.

“In the Hindu legend of the Mahabharata, the divine Krishna declared: This is the sum of duty: Do nothing unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.

“In the Gospel of Matthew in the Christian scriptures, the messiah Jesus says: Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

“In the Buddhist text of the Udanavarga, the student is urged: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

“In the Muslim Hadith of al Nawawi, the prophet Mohammed teaches: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.

“In the T’ai Shang treatise of Taoism, the seeker is instructed: Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.

“In the ancient wisdom of Shinto there is a saying: The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form.

“The Oglala Lakota spiritual leader Black Elk wrote: All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves…

“It is written; it is taught; may it be so.”


I’m not much of a fundamentalist, but if I was, I’d base my dogma on this fundamental that can be found in many, if not all, major religions:

“Treat other people the way you want to be treated.”

Jesus said that all of the Law and the Prophets hang on that one phrase.

Yet another reason to love Jesus. He agrees with many of the other great prophets of the world.

It is written; it is taught; may it be so.

Oh, How I Love Jesus! #2

One good reason to love the things that Jesus said is that they are usually simple, but hardly ever easy (this seems to be a mark of good advice). This could also be one good reason that people, including myself, often choose to disregard things that Jesus said.

Jesus said, “Love your enemy. Ask God to prosper those who hurt you. Only then will you be a true child of our father. Loving those who love you needs no reward; even the unrighteous love. What merit is there in being kind to those who are kind to you? Your father is compassionate to all, as you should be.”

Yea verily!

Most of my favorite sayings of Jesus invite us to be like God. It is as if Jesus actually believes that we can be like God.

Here, Jesus invites his listeners to be like God by having compassion toward all. He assumes that everybody listening is accomplished at loving friends. Even the unrighteous love those who love them. So, Jesus focuses on the other folks in life. Loving the people who have set themselves against us, now that is a difficult task indeed.

I think Jesus recognized the difficulty here. That is why Jesus said that we should ask God to prosper those who hurt us. Another translation is, “Pray for those who persecute you.” It seems likely that Jesus is hoping for a change in the pray-er not the one for whom the prayer is being said. In my experience, most of the positive change happens in the one actually doing the praying. It is hard for me to hate a person when I am dwelling on all of the good things I want to happen to that person.

Further, being compassionate and loving seems to require more than just warm fuzzy feelings toward another person. Sitting around praying for something often yields good results in me. However, as I pray for another person I begin to realize that I can actually bring the blessing.

Being the hands and feet of God, acting as an agent of God, becoming God; call it what you will. I think I will know that my prayer worked, not when something miraculous happens to the person for whom I am praying, but when something miraculous happens to me. When compassion and love take such deep root in my heart that I am moved to action, then I will know that prayer has been answered.

This has all sorts of applications. It doesn’t have to be only my sworn enemies. What about people who are less fortunate and different from me?

Imagine the consequences:

- What if I prayed so hard for the homeless people of Denver that I was actually moved to action?

- What if I prayed so hard for at-risk youth that I actually spent time with them?

- What if, and this would be amazing, I prayed so hard for people that do not believe exactly like me that I actually began to try to understand their point of view?

If that happened, if I was moved to action by my own prayer, then I would know that I truly loved my enemies, or those people who are different from me, or those who are in a bad spot right now, or even those who love me too.

So there you have it: my second post in the series. Why do I still love Jesus? Because he said things that challenge me to become a better person. He invites me to become (like) God. He said things that make sense. No matter where you live or what you believe it is hard to argue with his ideas about valuing people and being compassionate.

As my friend G said, “May the story of Jesus help us express the divine among us instead of divide us in strong opinion.”

Oh, How I Love Jesus!

Since I began attending a Unitarian Universalist Church various people in various states of concern have asked me about my relationship with Jesus. In particular, many people are concerned that I still believe in the divinity of Jesus.

Because I generally do not like to discuss this topic, I typically say something like, "I don't think Jesus is any less divine than anyone else." This answer usually gets a laugh or an angry reaction. Either way, the topic is usually changed.

In my exploration of spirituality and religion I have gained and lost many beliefs and values. I have rejoiced as I have found freedom and I have mourned the loss of the God I once knew. I have marveled at new ideas and worked hard to construct my own theology. One thing that has remained constant is my appreciation for Jesus.

Christianity has its roots in the Jesus' teachings. Though today's popular Christianity and I are not the best of friends it does not mean that I do not like Jesus. One of my professors in graduate school said, and I agree that, "Jesus is not the problem." In all that I have done I have tried to hold on to the teachings of Jesus. In all that I hope to do I hope to hold onto the teachings of Jesus. There are things that Jesus said that are just hard to argue with; even if you go to a heathen Unitarian Universalist Church.

So, I would like this to be the first of a few posts on why I still, after all of these years, love Jesus.

Jesus said, "Don't judge if you don't want to be judged. The measure you use on others will be used on you."

Of all of the sermons that I have ever heard on this phrase, I have only ever heard two sermons: Either the sermon that tried to explain that judging is really okay in certain situations or the sermon that tried to tell us that God will judge us the way we judge other people.

What I have gained from Jesus here is that I should try not to judge people. To me this means that I should try not to assign value to people based on actions or attitude. I should value each person equally because each person’s humanity is inherently valuable. Also, I should be careful when I am in a situation where I make a judgment about other people (because we all have to make judgments). I should be gentle and compassionate so that when I am in a situation where I am being judged, people will be gentle and compassionate with me.

Not that Jesus is the only person who ever said any of this, but I believe he did say it. And this is one of those things that is really hard to argue with. And that is one reason why, after all I have seen, done and learned, I still love Jesus.

Tension

Each week at my church we have a time set aside for members to share joys and sorrows that are on their hearts. It is, aside from the regular benediction given by the minister, my favorite part of the service.

Last week my wife was preaching for the first time and she was in charge of directing the entire service. So, as people made their way to the front of the room to light their candles and open their lives to the rest of the congregation I was particularly engaged.

The second person to share was a young lady in her early twenties. She is in college and had just gotten word this week that she received a grant that will pay for the rest of her schooling. She was understandably ecstatic. This young woman turned in to a giddy little girl as she expressed her excitement. Everything was right in her world and she was eager to share it with those who care about her.

The next man was a little older, maybe mid thirties. As he lit his candle and timidly made his way to the microphone, shoulders slumped, looking down, this 6’3” man turned into a small child. His father and step-mother of 23 years are getting a divorce, and his mother has a hardening of the lungs, which is most likely cancer. As he finished and the tears welled up in his eyes I was reminded of my own spiritual journey and how I came to be at this church.

Several years ago, before I had a child, I spent a summer with my wife in Uganda. There were many things that summer that began to change my world-view, probably because it was one of the first times that I was able to actually view the world. What struck me most, and still gives me pause to this day, is the contrast between my life and the lives of those I encountered in Uganda. I am wealthy beyond the dreams of Godfrey, the guard at the compound in which we stayed. I have opportunities that he will never have. I have seen more places than he will ever see. I have more rights and privileges than he can imagine.

I remember coming home and thanking God in prayer for the seemingly endless choice of food that we had available to put on table. I remember being grateful for my soft bed and the home that kept out all of the weather.

But all of my thankfulness eventually turned into questions. Why did I have all these things? Or, more importantly, why did other people not have all of these things? Is it because I am good? Or is it because they are bad? Am I faithful, or are they just not faithful enough? Why, if God gives me good things (and that is what I was constantly reminded of at church), does God not also give good things to everyone else? Why, if God answers the prayers of a church for a new million dollar building, will God not also answer the prayers of people who are asking only for enough food and water to live through the day?

Of course, if I asked those questions it only sparked anger. Others would get angry with me for presuming to be as smart as God. “Who can know the mind of God?” This, in turn, would make me angry. “How can I please God and live in relationship with God if God keeps hidden from me the very nature of goodness? Shouldn’t I be able to grasp what is good and what is evil? Isn’t that in Genesis? Are we not made in the image of God?”

Anger is not a good communicator. So I no longer asked those questions to my people, the people from which I came. Instead I found a place where I am able to ask questions and where I am able live in the tension. I go to a church where sorrows and joys are shared and accepted, the good with the bad. There is no need to offer excuse for God’s capriciousness. Rather, we are allowed to accept life as it is: joyful, sorrowful, plentiful, needful. And we are content to offer what we can.

“For the joys shared, we join you in celebration. For the sorrows and concerns spoken here, may you feel our sympathy and compassion. For all that remains unspoken, both joys and sorrows, may the caring of our community offer you both kindness and hope.”

The Marquee

When I was young I went to a church that had a marquee in front of it. I don't recall ever reading it, though I'm sure I did.

I have not worked for or gone to a church that has a marquee since I've been an "adult". I do, however, make a concerted effort to read marquees whenever I see them in from of churches.

Marquees are generally a church's first opportunity to make a bad impression. Churches usually succeed in that area with the aid of the marquee. It seems to be very difficult to sum up anything meaningful in 12 inch movable letters.

Instead churches settle for putting silly things on a large board for all of the world to see and judge them by. Usually it is unfortunate.

A church near to my house has a fairly good track record with the marquee. Most of the time the things on their marquee are not offensive or silly. Sometimes they offer a greeting to visitors or passersby. Other times simple sayings that at least give you something to think about.

This week it said:

Most of our burdens are self imposed.

Any comments?

Does that tell you anything about the theology of the church?

Agree or Disagree?