Anyone who has read the stuff I’ve written know that my tastes lean towards programming that gives TV its title: “The Idiot Box.” Since, the two Bible passages today deal with prophecy, it did get me to remember something that no longer appears on the televised landscape as frequently: commercials for phone-in psychics. 900 numbers featuring some Tarot card reader or D-list celebrity promoting THEIR psychics as being the ones that will tell you want you want to know. Although I have never called one of these numbers, I have always found many Christians’ aversion to all things psychic a bit curious since many of the people in the old and new testament were known for telling the future (albeit not for $1.99 a minute for entertainment purposes only). Furthermore, some Christians have interpreted events as signs of God‘s pleasure or displeasure, most recently of note Pat Robertson’s statement that the earthquake in Haiti may be because of a reported pact between the Haitian people and the Devil. Still, like all fads, the psychic hotlines have now disappeared due to allegations of fraud or people coming to their sense and people who interpret events as being God's wrath tend to move on once their name disappears from the headlines or they are presented with a plausible counter argument. A friend of mine once stated that: if these people are psychic and if they’re your friend, they should know you need help and know how to get a hold of you.
In the passages today we have both a prophet and someone fulfilling a prophecy. Jeremiah is called by God to warn Judah that they have broken the covenant with God by worshiping foreign idols and, as such, they would be invaded by the Babylonian army. In the gospel passage today, Jesus has just read one of the prophesies from Isaiah and tell the people at the temple that the prophesy has been fulfilled in their hearing, indicating that he is the Messiah. The people at the temple then become mad at Jesus because he will not perform the miracles that they’ve heard of him doing in other places. What’s more, he says that no one here will accept him and, like the prophets Elijah and Elisha, God has called him to people who are not part of the national of Israel.
Although Jesus and Jeremiah lived a few centuries apart from one another, I think some of the parallels in their stories bear remarking upon. First, both Jesus and Jeremiah are charged with telling people something that they really didn’t want to hear. A trait of the psychic hotlines is that they often advertise how their clairvoyants have told people of good things happening to them in the future. I think both had audiences that were content with the status quo and having someone saying everything would change didn’t earn them any popularity points.
Second, both were compelled by God to deliver their respective messages even though it would mean a great deal of grief for them. We hear in the first part of the passage in Jeremiah his protestations that he is too young to be any kind of prophet. However, God says he must go everywhere he sends him and say whatever God tells him to say. God then goes on to say not to be afraid and he will protect Jeremiah, if that is not foreshadowing that Jeremiah’s message would ruffle some feathers, I don’t know what is. Jeremiah was attacked, imprisoned, and even beaten by his own family for preaching that God was displeased with his people. It was only after Judea was invaded by the Babylonians, the Judeans were scattered all across the empire, and Nebuchadnezzar ordered Jeremiah released from prison did his persecution end.
Although there is no mention in the Bible of Jesus having reservations about being rejected In Nazareth, we do know what he said did not go over very well. The people of Nazareth were so angry at Jesus that they gathered to throw him off a cliff. Although nothing came of this threat, how many of us willingly invite that kind of rejection and contempt upon ourselves? Commentaries I’ve read on the passage in Luke say that the people of Nazareth were “too close” to Jesus and their inability to believe that he was the messiah was almost a given. I can certainly identify with this interpretation, if I went back to my hometown and started preaching that I was the messiah, my family and neighbors would probably think that vegan diet I tried in college must have had some strange side effects. If Nazareth's rejection of Jesus was so certain, why go there in the first place?
Lastly, unlike what we’ve seen in popular media, God did not tell people about what was to come in order to avoid it, but to explain why it had to happen. In the "Back to the Future" films, Marty McFly is shown his bleak future in order to prevent it from happening. However, God did not tell Jeremiah to say “Judah will be invaded unless…” but “Judah will be invaded because…” In truth, King Josiah was actually making reforms that would bring the kingdom back to the covenant with God but the sins of his father and grandfather were too severe for God to give them a pass. Likewise, if Jesus preformed the miracles in Nazareth, he probably would have won over the people (although it is a contradiction, I think we can all agree faith is so much easier when you have proof). However, Nazareth had to accept Jesus at his word and not based on any deeds.
Given all this analysis, we could ask why did God reveal to his people things that were going to happen if not to change them, knowing the message would fall on deaf ears, and all the headaches it caused for those charged with delivering his prophesies? I believe one explanation for why deals with the subject of experience.
Although we are of varying ages and backgrounds, I think all of us can remember a time where we had a very unpleasant experience that we would not want to go through again in a million years. However, that experience may also have been a valuable lesson to us in what we should do or not do and we walked away from it a better person. This may have taken the form of a job that didn’t work out, a relationship that ended badly, or maybe something we had thought we were meant for turned out to be not for us. My own experience was when I attempted graduate school many years ago. The faculty found my performance to be not up to their expectations and I was asked to withdraw from the program. Although I still remember that experience as being very negative, it also forced me to seriously look at my life and find that I really didn’t desire to be an academic; that maybe I was going to grad school because that’s what the other members of my family did; and I was able to direct my life in a different way and one in which I was able to find personal fulfillment through other avenues of life
All of you have probably heard of kids wanting to touch the heating elements of the stove despite parental warnings that it’s hot, yet only the experience of them burning their hand is enough to sate their curiosity. I am no expert in child development but I think the parents here can agree that at times failure, disappointment, and heartbreak were better teachers for your children than success and happiness.
Continuing in my portrayal of God as a parental figure, it is usually not enough to punish someone but to get them to understand why they are being punished. Those who still adhere to the use of corporal punishment state it is not enough to spank a child but they must know and appreciate why they are being spanked in order for them to understand what they did wrong. If you spank a child without making sure they understand why it is happening, it could serve to only punish and not to reform. Perhaps God called upon Jeremiah to deliver his prophecy of impending doom not to give the kingdom of Judah a way out, but so that they understood why what was happening needed to happen. Maybe it was this experience, along with many other trials God’s people endured, that strengthened them and made them faithful even in the most difficult of times. I do not mean to diminish or justify the oppression the Jewish people (or any other people) have endured at the hands of others for the sake of a “greater good,” but I find it an inescapable fact that the resilience and perseverance many people are known and admired for is usually developed through adversity and not through “smooth sailing” through life.
In the gospel reading today, perhaps it is not the people of Nazareth who need to experience something but Jesus himself. When he taught at the Synagogue in Nazareth, it was still very early in his ministry and, so far he had been very well received by all. However, as the Gospel tell us, that would not be the case in the future. Perhaps it was this initial experience of being rejected by people who may have been his friends and family that gave him the strength to stand up to those who constantly criticized and challenged him.
So we now have some ideas as to why God chose to tell people about what was coming or happening presently and not warning them to straighten up or else. So what does this mean for us? If someone claims to be a prophet should we automatically pay attention to them and follow their advice? The next time Pat Robertson says “This tragedy occurred because God is displeased with us!” should we start listening to him? I don’t think so because, if God inflicted great tragedy on the world every time people made grave mistakes, the ground would probably shake constantly. Furthermore, the situation with Jeremiah’s struggles as he tried to fulfill his role as a prophet shows that God does not promise life will be without struggle if we do what he tells us to, but that he will be with us when it occurs and support us during our times of strife. I think that all the people who have come forward to help during natural disasters like the earthquake in Haiti are proof of that. Also, frankly, I think if God is looking for a Prophet he could do alot better than Pat Robertson.
So, getting back to the beginning of the sermon, maybe God is the actual “Psychic Friend” who tells us what we need to know, not what we want to hear; does not just let bad things happen, but lets humankind have the experiences that will make us better people; and he will call us and be with us through the struggles of life no matter if we think we are worthy or not.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
In Defense of the Germ
Yes, it's that time of year, it’s cold outside in most of the country, everyone is cooped up inside, and if you sneeze there's a good chance someone will point their finger at you and scream "UNCLEAN!!!" Of course, I’m talking about cold and flu season. During this season, people flock to the counters for the latest herbal remedy to a cold, whoever invented Hand Sanitizer gets enough money to feed Borneo, and people would sooner kill you and burn your carcass than come within twelve feet of you when you utter the words "I have a cold." Of course, this year’s season has caused people to become increasingly vigilant given the scare over H1N1, the other day my coworker asked if he should bring in a gallon jug of hand sanitizer for our office.
According to an article in US Pharmacist, people get between 3-5 colds per year, colds are responsible for 2.2 billion in sales of over the counter medicines, and another 7.7 billion in doctor visits. While I do not mean to downplay what those who suffer from chronic and severe illnesses like Cancer, Lupus, and AIDS go through, I still find our preoccupation with illness and avoiding catching diseases like the common cold and flu a definite quirk worth writing about.
First, a little background info: the common cold, or acute viral nasopharyngitis, is an upper respiratory infection, usually caused by either the picornavirus or coronavirus. Viruses are, themselves, quirky things since there is some debate over whether they are living things or not. True, they are composed of proteins and other chemicals that are common in living things but are unable to reproduce on their own, thereby requiring the need for a host (i.e. us).
Although no cure exists for the common cold and no anti-viral medications have been approved for treatment, it remains a relatively benign pathogen. After all, smallpox is caused by another species of viruses (Variola) and it caused an estimated 60 million deaths in Europe in the 18th century and one third of the survivors became blind. Another example is the Bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacteria Y. pestis, whose effects are well known in Europe as "the Black Death." It is estimated that 4.2 million people lost their lives to it in Europe during this time and, globally, is estimated to have reduced the world's population by about 75 million. It was rumored Queen Elizabeth the first would hold up in Windsor castle when the plague spread in London and anyone even coming from the direction of London was intercepted and executed on the spot. Given this background information, I think we can all agree that 7-10 days of stuffy noses and scratchy throats is getting off light.
Even though it is unlikely the common cold will decimate the Human Race anytime soon, I think we can also all agree getting sick is no fun. Furthermore, being someone who has reaped the benefits of embracing some aspects of healthy living, I think being healthy is preferable to be ill, as would anyone else. My mom, when referring to a former classmate of mine who has endured a series of orthopedic problems, reminded me that health is a gift. Isn't health, like any other good feeling, is something we want to maintain and keep indefinitely? We constantly fight against becoming ill, but it is the feeling of being sick that allows us to better appreciate the feeling of being healthy.
As a nation, we are living longer and gone are the days when whole blocks of cities would be isolated off because of diseases like Cholera, TB, and Smallpox. However, we are also becoming more obese, more sedentary, and allowing ourselves to create a society that stresses our body to the limit. Are we taking our health for granted? Is our lack of appreciation for health desensitizing us to people for whom threats of disease remain very real? After all, although AIDS exists in the United States in both urban and rural areas, can we really appreciate the plight of someone in Africa who has lost the whole of their family to the pandemic that plagues the continent? Overall, it is my hope that you will not agonize too much over the feeling of malaise that comes upon you when you catch a cold (mind you, I said "when" and not "if") but take care of yourself and realize that you will, again, be healthy.
According to an article in US Pharmacist, people get between 3-5 colds per year, colds are responsible for 2.2 billion in sales of over the counter medicines, and another 7.7 billion in doctor visits. While I do not mean to downplay what those who suffer from chronic and severe illnesses like Cancer, Lupus, and AIDS go through, I still find our preoccupation with illness and avoiding catching diseases like the common cold and flu a definite quirk worth writing about.
First, a little background info: the common cold, or acute viral nasopharyngitis, is an upper respiratory infection, usually caused by either the picornavirus or coronavirus. Viruses are, themselves, quirky things since there is some debate over whether they are living things or not. True, they are composed of proteins and other chemicals that are common in living things but are unable to reproduce on their own, thereby requiring the need for a host (i.e. us).
Although no cure exists for the common cold and no anti-viral medications have been approved for treatment, it remains a relatively benign pathogen. After all, smallpox is caused by another species of viruses (Variola) and it caused an estimated 60 million deaths in Europe in the 18th century and one third of the survivors became blind. Another example is the Bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacteria Y. pestis, whose effects are well known in Europe as "the Black Death." It is estimated that 4.2 million people lost their lives to it in Europe during this time and, globally, is estimated to have reduced the world's population by about 75 million. It was rumored Queen Elizabeth the first would hold up in Windsor castle when the plague spread in London and anyone even coming from the direction of London was intercepted and executed on the spot. Given this background information, I think we can all agree that 7-10 days of stuffy noses and scratchy throats is getting off light.
Even though it is unlikely the common cold will decimate the Human Race anytime soon, I think we can also all agree getting sick is no fun. Furthermore, being someone who has reaped the benefits of embracing some aspects of healthy living, I think being healthy is preferable to be ill, as would anyone else. My mom, when referring to a former classmate of mine who has endured a series of orthopedic problems, reminded me that health is a gift. Isn't health, like any other good feeling, is something we want to maintain and keep indefinitely? We constantly fight against becoming ill, but it is the feeling of being sick that allows us to better appreciate the feeling of being healthy.
As a nation, we are living longer and gone are the days when whole blocks of cities would be isolated off because of diseases like Cholera, TB, and Smallpox. However, we are also becoming more obese, more sedentary, and allowing ourselves to create a society that stresses our body to the limit. Are we taking our health for granted? Is our lack of appreciation for health desensitizing us to people for whom threats of disease remain very real? After all, although AIDS exists in the United States in both urban and rural areas, can we really appreciate the plight of someone in Africa who has lost the whole of their family to the pandemic that plagues the continent? Overall, it is my hope that you will not agonize too much over the feeling of malaise that comes upon you when you catch a cold (mind you, I said "when" and not "if") but take care of yourself and realize that you will, again, be healthy.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Jesus didn't turn people away...but I'm not Jesus and neither are you.
Those of you who know me well know that my musical tastes are very eclectic. However, one type of music I have never really been into is music by people much younger than myself. Growing up, the big thing was "New Kids on the Block" which was probably one of the first boy bands and whose music, to me, is about as appealing as listening to hogs being slaughtered. Imagine my surprise when I heard a song on the Radio by a band called Eisley and I later found out that it was a quintet of people in their mid to late teens. The song was called "Telescope Eyes" and, if you listen to the lyrics, it deals with the feeling of being unwanted or ridiculed for being different. Although this song deals with the subject from the perspective of youth, it did stick out to me because one of the core beliefs of Christianity is to be welcoming to all, even those rejected by our society. However, many Christians would probably say that is one area that will always remain a work in progress. Yes, Jesus treated all with respect regardless of social status, wealth, vocation, or a litany of other deal breakers during Biblical times. However, how people today (both within Christianity and outside of it) put that idea into practice can serve as a reminder that you are not Jesus and neither am I.
You need only read one of the gospels to get a ample idea of Jesus’ acceptance and love to those unwanted. However, I would like to turn to the Book of Ruth as an example that you do not have to be God made Flesh in order to reach out to someone and have an impact. The book begins with Naomi (Ruth’s mother in law) losing first her husband and then both of her sons. Since, in Biblical times, a person’s family was their source of material support, this may be equated with losing your job, finding out your 401k has tanked, and getting all your possessions taken away. Naomi travels to Judah with Ruth and Oprah (her other daughter in law) and tells them: "Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to the dead and to me." This is basically a way of saying: "I’m nobody and nothing. If you stay with me I’ll be a stone that weighs you down. Go back to Moab where you can start over." However, Ruth says (in a passage that I would use in my wedding if I ever planned to get married):
Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Where you die I will die, and then I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me (RUTH 1: 16-17).
For all intents and purposes, Naomi was a non-person in the eyes of her society and by rights should have been unwanted or undesirable. Despite all that, Ruth said that she mattered to her and, regardless of what happened, she would be by her side. The next part of the story reminds me of those commercials for an investment company or whatever where somebody does something good for someone else and it is noticed by another who "pays it forward" to someone else. In Judah, Boaz hears about what Ruth did for Naomi and praises her for it and lets her glean in his wheat fields, even telling his servants to drop some of their wheat to give her extra. The rest, of course, is history. Ruth marries Boaz and their great grandson is King David.
This story, to me, shows that Jesus’ message of acceptance is not an abstract idea that should be carried out by a particular church, denomination, or whatever but rather a simple but meaningful act of kindness that occurs between two individuals. My Mother, who (although retired) still has the full-time job of being my moral compass, once was at Meijers doing her grocery shopping when she saw a woman who looked very upset and crying. She asked her what was wrong and found out that she was supposed to go out of town with her boyfriend and he ended up taking all her money, dumping her in the parking lot. Since there was no one she could call for help, she would have to walk home which was way on the other side of town (for those of you unfamiliar with Lansing, that’s a 5 or 6 hour trek minimum). My Mom, despite her perishables in the car, immediately offered to drive her and provided a listening ear on the trip.
Now, my Mom was of course not richly rewarded for this act but, her telling me about it inspired me to reach out to others who be unwanted by someone or by society as a whole. Furthermore, it is my hope that me telling you about it will inspire you to reach out to someone. I leave you with two quotes from Mother Teresa: "One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody" and "it is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters."
You need only read one of the gospels to get a ample idea of Jesus’ acceptance and love to those unwanted. However, I would like to turn to the Book of Ruth as an example that you do not have to be God made Flesh in order to reach out to someone and have an impact. The book begins with Naomi (Ruth’s mother in law) losing first her husband and then both of her sons. Since, in Biblical times, a person’s family was their source of material support, this may be equated with losing your job, finding out your 401k has tanked, and getting all your possessions taken away. Naomi travels to Judah with Ruth and Oprah (her other daughter in law) and tells them: "Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to the dead and to me." This is basically a way of saying: "I’m nobody and nothing. If you stay with me I’ll be a stone that weighs you down. Go back to Moab where you can start over." However, Ruth says (in a passage that I would use in my wedding if I ever planned to get married):
Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Where you die I will die, and then I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me (RUTH 1: 16-17).
For all intents and purposes, Naomi was a non-person in the eyes of her society and by rights should have been unwanted or undesirable. Despite all that, Ruth said that she mattered to her and, regardless of what happened, she would be by her side. The next part of the story reminds me of those commercials for an investment company or whatever where somebody does something good for someone else and it is noticed by another who "pays it forward" to someone else. In Judah, Boaz hears about what Ruth did for Naomi and praises her for it and lets her glean in his wheat fields, even telling his servants to drop some of their wheat to give her extra. The rest, of course, is history. Ruth marries Boaz and their great grandson is King David.
This story, to me, shows that Jesus’ message of acceptance is not an abstract idea that should be carried out by a particular church, denomination, or whatever but rather a simple but meaningful act of kindness that occurs between two individuals. My Mother, who (although retired) still has the full-time job of being my moral compass, once was at Meijers doing her grocery shopping when she saw a woman who looked very upset and crying. She asked her what was wrong and found out that she was supposed to go out of town with her boyfriend and he ended up taking all her money, dumping her in the parking lot. Since there was no one she could call for help, she would have to walk home which was way on the other side of town (for those of you unfamiliar with Lansing, that’s a 5 or 6 hour trek minimum). My Mom, despite her perishables in the car, immediately offered to drive her and provided a listening ear on the trip.
Now, my Mom was of course not richly rewarded for this act but, her telling me about it inspired me to reach out to others who be unwanted by someone or by society as a whole. Furthermore, it is my hope that me telling you about it will inspire you to reach out to someone. I leave you with two quotes from Mother Teresa: "One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody" and "it is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters."
Thursday, January 7, 2010
We are all problem children of God
Recently, I came across yet another program that seemed mindless yet began to work its siren song on me so I couldn't help but continue watching. The program was "The World's Strictest Parents" and the premise is that two unruly teenagers are sent to live with a family who adhere to a very rigid code of conduct for their children. The result, most of the time, is that the teens are forced to reevaluate how they live their lives and return to their parents with a fresh outlook on how their lives can be. It is not my intent to dismiss the impact this show has, given that many of these teens have very destructive behaviors and any intervention that can be done before they make a serious mistake should be applauded. However, I mention it because it did get me thinking about another "problem child" the evangelist formerly known as Saul.
If you are looking for an example of someone who goes against his Father, Saul stands out as one of the prime examples. The book of Acts details out how he made stamping out the Christian church as his personal crusade and his approval of harassment and, sometimes, executions of Christian believers. In fact, he was taking his infamous trip to Damascus in order to round up more Christians to take them back to Jerusalem as prisoners. We are all familiar with the story of how he was struck blind on the road to Damascus after hearing the voice of Jesus asking why he was persecuting him. After a disciple healed him, he became someone who history credits as spreading Christianity further than it ever had. Something that does not receive quite as much attention is that, after his conversion, people were still very wary of Saul. In fact, the disciples didn't want to meet with Saul at first and it was only after Barnabas brought him to them and told them of all the things he did that the accepted him as part of their group.
In the show, something that stuck out to me was that the "strict" parents were ones who were willing to recognize good in the kids, help them foster it, and basically "give them a shot" to be themselves in a way that was less destructive. In one episode of the show, a teen that had run into legal problems for tagging had his talents as an artist acknowledged and not criticized by the strict mom. The show ended by her letting him paint one of their barns however he wanted as a more constructive outlet of his talent. In another episode, a teen who let his frustration in not finding a job turn into apathy was actually given responsibilities by the strict Dad and even offers to provide him a reference when he goes job hunting back home. Likewise, I think Barnabas gave Saul such as opportunity by going to the disciples and saying that, no matter what you'd heard about him, he has changed.
As with the strict parents, I believe God found Saul's (who should probably be called Paul at this point) zeal for what he was doing to be a positive thing but misdirected. So, as with the strict parents, Paul was shown another way and, with support, was able to help shape the Christian Church into what it is today. I think all of us have these talents that people don't easily recognize because they are directed elsewhere and only through mutual respect, love, and a willingness to vouch for one another can we fully realize the gifts that God has given us.
If you are looking for an example of someone who goes against his Father, Saul stands out as one of the prime examples. The book of Acts details out how he made stamping out the Christian church as his personal crusade and his approval of harassment and, sometimes, executions of Christian believers. In fact, he was taking his infamous trip to Damascus in order to round up more Christians to take them back to Jerusalem as prisoners. We are all familiar with the story of how he was struck blind on the road to Damascus after hearing the voice of Jesus asking why he was persecuting him. After a disciple healed him, he became someone who history credits as spreading Christianity further than it ever had. Something that does not receive quite as much attention is that, after his conversion, people were still very wary of Saul. In fact, the disciples didn't want to meet with Saul at first and it was only after Barnabas brought him to them and told them of all the things he did that the accepted him as part of their group.
In the show, something that stuck out to me was that the "strict" parents were ones who were willing to recognize good in the kids, help them foster it, and basically "give them a shot" to be themselves in a way that was less destructive. In one episode of the show, a teen that had run into legal problems for tagging had his talents as an artist acknowledged and not criticized by the strict mom. The show ended by her letting him paint one of their barns however he wanted as a more constructive outlet of his talent. In another episode, a teen who let his frustration in not finding a job turn into apathy was actually given responsibilities by the strict Dad and even offers to provide him a reference when he goes job hunting back home. Likewise, I think Barnabas gave Saul such as opportunity by going to the disciples and saying that, no matter what you'd heard about him, he has changed.
As with the strict parents, I believe God found Saul's (who should probably be called Paul at this point) zeal for what he was doing to be a positive thing but misdirected. So, as with the strict parents, Paul was shown another way and, with support, was able to help shape the Christian Church into what it is today. I think all of us have these talents that people don't easily recognize because they are directed elsewhere and only through mutual respect, love, and a willingness to vouch for one another can we fully realize the gifts that God has given us.
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