Spirituality

The Floating Feather

Spirituality

November 27, 2009

Semonette for the Day

"Wherever God erects a house of prayer
The devil always builds a chapel there.
And you will see on close examination
The latter has the largest congregation."

In times of change and unrest, the fundamentalists of any religion take advantage of the situation to hijack the faith to use to their own ends, which have nothing to do with the real faith. This is true of all religions. It has happened to Christianity as surely as it has happened to Islam. Fundamentalism has just about destroyed Christianity in America. At best, it has made it irrelevant.

It happens because most people are uninformed about their faith and unconcerned about what's going on. It also happens because the clergy and the religious institution (church, mosque, synagogue, take your pick) are as subject to the seven deadly sins as anyone (pride, anger, envy, greed, lust, gluttony and laziness) and these are allowed to take precedence over true leadership.

- Marilyn Austin, author of Faith Tektonics

November 27, 2009
Water on the Moon

All my life I've been fascinated by learning something new. The paragraph I selected from the article is a small example of why new discoveries are so important. They lead into so many unanticipated new directions. Who would have guessed the discovery of fire would have such an impact on human evolution? Last night there was a really good show on the National Geographic channel about farming on Mars, actually being able to create an atmosphere on Mars similar to that on Earth.

One of the most important passages in the Bible is found in Isaiah 43:19.."I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, don't you perceive it?"

And another, Isaiah 48:6-7. "from this time forward I make you hear new things, hidden things that you have not known. They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them."

And Jesus told the disciples in John 16:12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."

The whole biblical record is an exposition on one major theme: SOMETHING NEW IS HAPPENING. TRUST THE FUTURE

It's this possibility of something new, of the capacity for discovery that sets us apart from all other living things. With new possibilities, new choices, new growth, salvation from being condemned to habit, to what happened in the past, to our mistakes, to what others may do. Only humans can hope. And hope creates an unknown future in which we anticipate a new, better world.

We can never know the future, but we can be joyfully open to discovery. Now couple that with the knowledge that we are loved by God. We have nothing to fear. Whatever plans God has for us will be all for our good. God's plan for us is our good. Trusting that, we can take anything life has to offer.
Marilyn

From the article:

"Consider the side-effects of the Apollo program: it drove the development of small computers, doubled the number of doctoral students in science and math in about a decade and marked a new stage in relations between the Americans and Soviets."

- Marilyn Austin, author of Faith Tectonics

Most human relations are complicated whether it's religion or politics. White hats and black hats on both sides. Always more than one way to tell the story. That's why the "true believer" on any side, liberal or conservative, in any situation, needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Not many right answers. Not many wrong answers.

Most people find this hard to do. That's why we avoid discussions about religion and politics in most situations. Unless you are with people who agree with you, or the few people who are able to think outside the box and consider both sides of the story.