Fellow Blogger "Snowbrush" is a delightful person, who writes thoughtfully, passionately, and beautifully.
One of the challenges in his life is his relationship with God, about which he has been vocal. And I have no qualms about sharing his ideas with you.
As someone who is a Pastor by training and service, I encourage people to think reflectively about their lives, what is important to them, and why it is important.
The following is my reply to "Snowbrush's" writing on his relationship with God. Y0u can find it on his site, or you can simply read it here.
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This is a very provocative post. Provocative in the sense of thought-provoking.
I feel really happy for your grandfather. I feel really sad for your father. Having had to fight my own demons, even in my teens, I may understood something of your father's plight.
As for the rest, just about nothing resonates at all. I just don't get it. I suppose that's because I'm a Canadian, and live in a very different context than yours.
• "Respect" resonates.
• I wouldn't give John "a pass"
• I'm surprised that you said so little about the prophets of Israel with their demands for justice and compassion -- including the prophet Jesus.
• I'm a little concerned that you quote things out of context, and that you have missed the literary style in some of what you've been quoting.
• And I'm not sure that you recognize that people have tried to do good things, but used unhelpful methods, and rally messed things up.
I'm really touched by your comment that
"If you were to be marooned upon that proverbial desert island, what one book would you take? I would take the Bible. It’s long; it contains a lot of interesting stories; a good bit of poetry; some history; some wisdom; and it spans many cultures and centuries. I can’t say that I love the Bible, but I sure do like it a lot—I just wish that people didn’t take it so seriously."
Indeed, as you say, the Bible is both a book and a symbol. And it is essentially story -- story and mystery. But I would argue that most people don't take the Bible seriously enough.
I realize that you've got a chip on your shoulder when it comes to God. That's who you are, and I'm not about to try to change that -- because only you can make that change.
The older I get, the more questions I have, and the better answers I find. I hope you keep asking better questions and finding better answers.
2 comments:
Hello Rob Bear,
Thank you for your comments
on my powerfulplay blog.
I had an opportunity to read this post and would like to respond by saying that it is amazing to me that we do have commonality, not just in health care but in our belief system, that of value of the human experience,love for family, community and justice, not afraid to help those who are too weak or injured to have a voice but participate in the process with clearly drawn ethical and moral lines, rooted in something bigger than humankind. I guess I see God equal to Nature with all of us in it.
As a women who was raised a Christian and grew up with the history, what i call baby Jewish soul (all of my parents friends are Jews)and as a memory of the fifties, sixties, a child of the seventies and a love of the 18th Century, I am a contradiction with my learning experience from the eighties and nineties, and still, the inadequacy our language presents, that what we say often has a negative affect on someone with a different environmental experience and now I fear that my words can hurt, unknowingly, when one speaks using the language of their history without qualifying the words.
I have learned that it is important to do so when ever possible so thank you for sharing all that you and your link shared.
I appreciate your thoughts and am glad that you are out there as one of the good guys.
You asked me about the UK
I live in America
I was trying to set up another blog and have it based somewhere outside of the US so I picked an address that you can find in Wiki,of one of my many favorite voices from the past, my way of showing that I am not from the UK.
Sorry for the confusion.
Finally
I do not know much but i believe in the concept of one
treating the one who crosses your path with respect, understanding and most of all love.
That is what the Bible means to me
The Good news is that the human experience is meant to be a shared experience, one of lifting one another up not tearing them down,
it takes little effort to understand this
no need to ponder or think about
really,
very
simple
Yes! We can
::
I am one in need of lifting up now and have faith in the ones who have crossed our paths to assist, although
I think my time is limited
and it has become a race for life
and love
Take care Rob Bear. I read the link to this post and wrote a book in response so I will not post it but have a friend who can read all of my notes so i suspect he will see it.
I am on borrowed time (ain't we all)
and wanted to spend a little of my capitol with you
so
I am asking God of the Universe
to bless you in all that risk your heart for, may you reap what you sew.
That is a God I can believe in, did not say deserve what happens to one
but it is how we respond to what happens that we sew, no?
God is not passive
is not human
is in us
and
cannot be put into a box.
I hope your Dad was loved and understood
That is God, to me
I too come from a long line of Preachers
the only difference is that the ones who influenced me where all self actualized human beings first and then went into the Ministry
there is a big difference between one with an agenda and one who is a worker in the field
Have you seen the movie Defiance?
It is a true story about four uneducated brothers, Jews who lived in Russia, who took to the woods when Hitler invaded their homeland and found that they could not wait for God's miracles to save them
the good news is that they became the miracle they sought
Today more than 19K human souls live because of their action over rhetoric.
sorry this is so long
you may read this and not post it if you wish, i will not be offended
I wanted to respond to your kindness
Thanks for listening
® Hi, bellybutton -- thanks for dropping by.
At this point I'm way behind in the things I'm trying to do. I promise to get back to you, but it may take a bit longer.
A lot of Americans are asking questions about Canadian health care, as they are trying to figure out what they want for service, and what to support in the ongoing battle. That's a life-and-death issue for some, so that's my focus for the time being. Our medicare is a lot like the NHS, but I think there are some significant differences.
BTW, when you re-tired, what kind of tires did you get?
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