I guess I'm just going to have a faith crisis on a regular basis. For someone who thought she was so "open minded" - I sure have a lot of BS (belief system:) that is getting blown to smithereens! This last paper was a menopausal bitch- and since I am menopausal, I can say that. "She" - the paper, was moody, volatile, inconsistent, and unfair. She ran hot and cold, up and down...and I re-created her 5 times. From scratch. I finally sent it in, 2 days late, and am SO glad to have this one done. I'm sure there was a lot I could learn about time management, as I spent 4 of the 5 weeks on Jesus and MBE, and then had only 1 week to compare creation myths.
So. In my research I realize, that MOST of the stories in the Bible are inspired from mythology. Yes, I said this already...in my last blog. This is a big deal to me! I also am coming to terms with God being a Rorschact (?) blot. Really - God is a human construct. I know, I know - I am still going to hell. Personally, I believe Hades chose the Underworld just to get out of all those meetings with Zeus and all the other Gods! Just think about all that ego!
I also did the tiniest piece of research on Joseph Campbell and one thing he said really hit home for me. "I don't need faith, I have my own experience!" This truly is what it comes down to for me. God has been recreated more times than my most recent paper...just in MY experience in the last week! so I had to come down to, "What does God mean to me?" Do I truly believe that God exists?
Well, those of you who are wondering if I was taken in the Rapture (HA! LOL) I do believe in God. The reason I believe in God is simply not about church or belief systems or prayer (well, maybe a little bit of prayer)...it's about my own healing and evolution. I've been healed instantaneously of strep throat, while being the biggest sinner there is by definition...I sold my house in Fenton in an amazing way (another story), and Holistic Fitness sold, thereby giving me a time of true blessing and healing. It simply doesn't matter to me how all of this is explained - it means God exists for me. God was there for me and is more real for me now, in this time of blessing and few dramatic events...than ever before. I think that is it. God doesn't have to be in the instantaneous healing...altho that's nice, VERY nice...but this time of evolution for me, is going to be a mainstay for me in my future. This is foundation time.
Truly. When I am sitting on my deck, writing my papers...it may be raining (I have a screened-in porch:), or windy, or sunny...the birds are out, the air is fresh and LIFE IS DAMN GOOD. I see God on my screened-in porch. It's an energy, an atmosphere. It is being soaked into my bones and is saturating into my blood. I will be able to bring this energy up, into my experience, from now on. And please understand. I DO appreciate what a blessed time this is. My life is fabulous. Glorious. and I am grateful. Even when the papers I write take on a personality of their own and become menopausal bitches. Even then.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Myth and Our Belief System
Okey Dokey - warning. There may be material in this blog that messes with your religion - ie: your belief system. It has certainly messed with mine.
So here's the deal. I am now writing a paper contrasting creation stories. Genesis vs (my choices) Greek mythology and Native American Indian myths. The first thing to define is myth - religious story that informs and guides a faith tradition. Marcus Borg, Bible scholar puts it another way...a story that has true meaning, whether or not it's factual.
The factual part...that's what got me. I grew up, like most of you, thinking my religion was about facts. I believed, without a doubt, that Jesus was born of a virgin, healed multitudes, that Samuel survived the lion's den (wasn't it Samuel?) and Abraham almost sacrificed his son...but his wonderful God stopped him at the last minute. (Except I always had issue that God would ask in the first place! but some things ya just don't question...until you go to seminary)
So I start doing my research for this paper, and find that many of the Bible stories are first told in Greek mythology...and it occurs to me that Zeus looks just like that description of God as the man in the white beard, sitting on a throne, making judgements. That God is also vengeful, unpredictable, and NOT comforting. Sounds like Zeus.
Speaking of Zeus - his mother Rhea hid him in a cave, in a basket...does anyone else think of Moses? Humans were made in "gods image" on two feet, so they could gaze up at the heavens, rather than at the ground, like animals. Oh yea - Zeus punished humans with floods. Pandora was given to men as an "equal creature of delight and torment", then given a box and told not to open it. uh - Genesis did come to mind...and what sort of God gives you a gift and then says not to open it?
What if the Bible is myth? All of it? Remember the definitions...they're true, just not factual. That means I get to decide what is meaningful to me - but more importantly, it means I get to decide who and what God is. Does this feel sacriligious to you? It felt overwhelming to me. Just tell me what to do! Tell me the truth! Tell me who God is - don't make me decide!
Isn't that what mankind has been doing for centuries? and then when God doesn't work out, we dump Him or move on to another belief system. I mean, Greek mythology is just as widespread as Christianity, except we would never say we believed it to be true. Except that it is the BASIS for Christianity. Yes, I do know I'm going to hell - except hell is just a belief system:) and somehow, since there are a few of you still emailing me that you like my blog...I must be striking a chord.
The thing that amazes me? How strong a belief system can be, and how a civilization can be run on fear. Some guy stronger than you, kills your neighbor for believing the wrong thing...and somehow, your sacred belief system is not so important b/c you want to stay alive. How many countries have been dominated this way?
Well, you can see that I want to share the wealth where all this thought processing comes in:) Thanks for listening! Again!
So here's the deal. I am now writing a paper contrasting creation stories. Genesis vs (my choices) Greek mythology and Native American Indian myths. The first thing to define is myth - religious story that informs and guides a faith tradition. Marcus Borg, Bible scholar puts it another way...a story that has true meaning, whether or not it's factual.
The factual part...that's what got me. I grew up, like most of you, thinking my religion was about facts. I believed, without a doubt, that Jesus was born of a virgin, healed multitudes, that Samuel survived the lion's den (wasn't it Samuel?) and Abraham almost sacrificed his son...but his wonderful God stopped him at the last minute. (Except I always had issue that God would ask in the first place! but some things ya just don't question...until you go to seminary)
So I start doing my research for this paper, and find that many of the Bible stories are first told in Greek mythology...and it occurs to me that Zeus looks just like that description of God as the man in the white beard, sitting on a throne, making judgements. That God is also vengeful, unpredictable, and NOT comforting. Sounds like Zeus.
Speaking of Zeus - his mother Rhea hid him in a cave, in a basket...does anyone else think of Moses? Humans were made in "gods image" on two feet, so they could gaze up at the heavens, rather than at the ground, like animals. Oh yea - Zeus punished humans with floods. Pandora was given to men as an "equal creature of delight and torment", then given a box and told not to open it. uh - Genesis did come to mind...and what sort of God gives you a gift and then says not to open it?
What if the Bible is myth? All of it? Remember the definitions...they're true, just not factual. That means I get to decide what is meaningful to me - but more importantly, it means I get to decide who and what God is. Does this feel sacriligious to you? It felt overwhelming to me. Just tell me what to do! Tell me the truth! Tell me who God is - don't make me decide!
Isn't that what mankind has been doing for centuries? and then when God doesn't work out, we dump Him or move on to another belief system. I mean, Greek mythology is just as widespread as Christianity, except we would never say we believed it to be true. Except that it is the BASIS for Christianity. Yes, I do know I'm going to hell - except hell is just a belief system:) and somehow, since there are a few of you still emailing me that you like my blog...I must be striking a chord.
The thing that amazes me? How strong a belief system can be, and how a civilization can be run on fear. Some guy stronger than you, kills your neighbor for believing the wrong thing...and somehow, your sacred belief system is not so important b/c you want to stay alive. How many countries have been dominated this way?
Well, you can see that I want to share the wealth where all this thought processing comes in:) Thanks for listening! Again!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Holy Cow
I am a student...one with a paper due next Friday and another one due the following Friday. The problem is that I can't stay on topic. It's not that I'm not interested in my topic..."Compare the ministry and miracles of Jesus with those of a current healer". Truly, if you are a spiritual nerd like I am, this is gold. The issue is that I want to make it bigger than the topic, and of course, I want to apply it to my own life...but that can't go in the paper. Remember? I'm a student, supposed to be practicing critical thinking and writing in focused and conclusive format. (with stinking footnotes to boot)
So. I have chosen Mary Baker Eddy to compare to Jesus. I have to say she comes off fairly well! Better than any other healer I am aware of. Truly - if half of the healings are true that she says she did - she is freaking amazing! She also healed multitudes. Many of her healings are documented...more than we can say for Jesus!
Why is it that MBE and Jesus could heal anything they wanted to? Is it that they were truly anointed? We have heard for centuries that Jesus was the "Son of God" - but that is not how Jesus described himself (it's how his apostles described him, 30-70 years later). And who was MBE?
I believe she was influenced by that dude "Quimby", but more so by her Puritan upbringing. This might have a tad to do with my trouble with her rigidity:) A psychologist would have a field day with her...she lost her husband, mother, and brother within 4 years of each other. Her son was taken away from her, her new husband betrayed her, and she lived in poverty for many years b/c she was a woman and couldn't own property. It makes me wonder if she "denounced" everything human b/c it just hurt too damn much?!
Ok - I'm giving you way too little information, if you don't have a basis in Christian Science. I also wonder how twisted a religion becomes, by the people who practice it. "What would Jesus do??" WE DON'T KNOW! What would MBE do? Again, only opinions.
So let's just put aside our religious differences. Do you believe in dramatic healing? Instantaneous? What are your perameters around that? MBE was big into "not sinning" and "denouncing error". OF COURSE, my question is...who gets to decide what is sinning and what is error? Might be my identity of being gay here...lots of people think I am a sinner and am going to hell...and, I have one or two issues with that. Jesus said a helluva lot more about judgement and compassion, let me tell ya! (Did I mention that Jesus said NOTHING about being gay?...again, back to topic...)
Whatever issues I have with MBE - she healed like a dynamo! But what does that truly mean? What if the Bible is myth? MBE certainly didn't think it was myth, and she healed like it was true...does that make it true? or is it like Marcus Borg says..."a story can be true even if it is not factual...".
Once again I have meandered all over this page. Thanks for reading and putting up with me.
So. I have chosen Mary Baker Eddy to compare to Jesus. I have to say she comes off fairly well! Better than any other healer I am aware of. Truly - if half of the healings are true that she says she did - she is freaking amazing! She also healed multitudes. Many of her healings are documented...more than we can say for Jesus!
Why is it that MBE and Jesus could heal anything they wanted to? Is it that they were truly anointed? We have heard for centuries that Jesus was the "Son of God" - but that is not how Jesus described himself (it's how his apostles described him, 30-70 years later). And who was MBE?
I believe she was influenced by that dude "Quimby", but more so by her Puritan upbringing. This might have a tad to do with my trouble with her rigidity:) A psychologist would have a field day with her...she lost her husband, mother, and brother within 4 years of each other. Her son was taken away from her, her new husband betrayed her, and she lived in poverty for many years b/c she was a woman and couldn't own property. It makes me wonder if she "denounced" everything human b/c it just hurt too damn much?!
Ok - I'm giving you way too little information, if you don't have a basis in Christian Science. I also wonder how twisted a religion becomes, by the people who practice it. "What would Jesus do??" WE DON'T KNOW! What would MBE do? Again, only opinions.
So let's just put aside our religious differences. Do you believe in dramatic healing? Instantaneous? What are your perameters around that? MBE was big into "not sinning" and "denouncing error". OF COURSE, my question is...who gets to decide what is sinning and what is error? Might be my identity of being gay here...lots of people think I am a sinner and am going to hell...and, I have one or two issues with that. Jesus said a helluva lot more about judgement and compassion, let me tell ya! (Did I mention that Jesus said NOTHING about being gay?...again, back to topic...)
Whatever issues I have with MBE - she healed like a dynamo! But what does that truly mean? What if the Bible is myth? MBE certainly didn't think it was myth, and she healed like it was true...does that make it true? or is it like Marcus Borg says..."a story can be true even if it is not factual...".
Once again I have meandered all over this page. Thanks for reading and putting up with me.
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