Daily Manna from the 'Net - Sunday, September 12, 2004


Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV

This showed up , as a daily mailer kind of thing. Yesterday, I manipulated a situation which , basically , left someone hanging out to dry in a meeting where they were counting on me. I had the sensation of watching myself do it, and knowing I was doing it in person, just to be spiteful. Good grief. You think that you have made some spiritual progress, and then turn around , and do some boneheaded silliness that is just forehead-slappingly MEAN. To be mean just because you can, and just to see what happens. Sometimes I look at myself, and can hardly believe what I seem to be capable of. Backstabber. I'm sort of not sorry either. Just wanted a meanness outlet. They must be why people box or run or practice karate, to rid oneself of aggression.... Trying to get ready to start up EFM, and feeling very unqualified, and hypocritical, and gaaaaaaaaaaa... I know there was a good reason to do this, but it escapes me at the moment. Peter and I went to see "What the Bleep" last p.m. , thinking it would be
a movie that would really appeal to us. There were aspects of it that were interesting, and well done. I liked a lot of the interview segments. But , the story line of the deaf photographer and all of her angst was a bit wearing. The New Age paradigm seems sort of hollow in the middle. A lot of thinking and a lot of mental stuff presented by some (clearly) very clever folks who have been changed by their work (in Science, Medicine, Psychology). But, I was thinking, there should be artists, a good script , a real story, or a narrowing of point of view, or focus. Yes, we, at many different levels DO create our reality. But others realities intersect our reality. And, when we're down here talking about atoms, and subatomic particles, and quantam physics, and the distiinction at that level of individuation ----- to then make the leap, that the mind is one, that identity is one, not to mention WE, silly humanity, is also one. It need more development, and perhaps , more heart. More soul. More, emptying of self.

I need to mull more over the sermon I heard this morning, which started with the idea that the Bible's polarity is between ignorance and knowledge, (Knowledge as illumination). That God's relationship to humanity, is one of asking human beings to change their minds, to turn, to grow and to change. We've all been so preached to about sin and righteousness and judgement , that we have to reclaim those concepts and that language to see what is really going on. Is God trying to reform people? To make them behave? To "ambush" them, or set them up? To convince them that they are bad, or sinful?

It seems that Jesus probably didn't talk like that. That, in fact, he thought the simple act of being at the table with them was sufficient.. That in that context, repentance was, basically not to withdraw, not to close down. Willing to change our stance, God can get to us, and tell us more and more and more..... Religion becomes a human crafted technology to get God to do right.
The alternative to "religion" then, might be "the kingdom of God", the "Rule of God" in all human consciousness. It is the recognition that religion can get too stuck in the externals. That, viewed from an inner perspective, "righteousness" might mean a relationship with someone with no obstacles in it... Religion might mean, something for those people who are scared of going to hell. Spirituality is for people who've been there. (to hell). The spiritual, the kingdom of God; these concepts boil down to Zen Buddhism. I watch myself have thoughts and feelings. I know I am different from those. I go to that different zone, where the universe looks different. The spiritual points us to a reality we do not normally see. This zone of reality know that it really is a redemptive universe, created that way by whatever the Creator Is. So , also part of the spiritual, part of the Kingdom, is participation with other people in examination of reality.. When we come to the table, we allow ourselves to be beckoned and summoned. There , in the presence of others , we come to know that we are forgiven, known, and loved. And we come to know, who else is there alongside us.

That this path in relationship with God is why we study and read the Bible, why we participate with people in projects that effect change, both in us and our society. We aren't a completed work, in that sense. There is always something to work on, and something to see that is new.
And boneheaded lapses that show us that we've got nothing to give ourselves airs or importances about. Get to work.