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Category: Life and culture

Questions that Haunt: Reprint

Published by mhelbert on March 9, 2013

My journey from conservative, fundagelical to a freeing of my inner liberal has led me to many thought-provoking sources. One of them is the blog of Tony Jones, “Theoblogy.” I have appreciated Tony’s ability to stretch me…in a good way. I have also appreciated the times that I simply don’t agree with him.
He has been on vacation that last week and has had several other individuals pinch hit. One of them is a guy named Richard Beck. Now, until yesterday, I had never heard of this person. But, I read his response to Tony’s “Questions that Haunt” series. This week Beck explained his take on loving God. His conclusion is that “To Love God is to Love Flesh and Blood.” For a blog post, this is one of the best expression of what it means to be a Progressive Christian in today’s culture. I encourage you to read it with an open heart. Allow Ruach Elohim to touch the very core of you with the love that is central to Beck’s piece.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tonyjones/2013/03/08/8214/

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Curds are curds are curds

Published by mhelbert on March 2, 2013

Christ followers have a tendency to curdle into small lumps. These lumps have affection, or at least a modest tolerance, for others in their lump. Now, some of these lumps think that they are the one and only true curd. All others are some kind of fraudulent curd. They may look like the real curd, smell like the real curd, maybe even taste like the real curd. But, they cannot be the real curd. Problems tend to arise when there is a whole bowl full of curds stating that they are the only true curd. They are forced to rub their curdy little elbows because they’re all in the same bowl. This makes them extremely uncomfortable. They wish that they could have their own bowls. In fact, many of the curds believe that as long as they can keep from being polluted by the other pseudo-curds, they will when a special time comes be transported to their own bowls in some kind of glorified curdled curd. The truth is, however, that curds are curds. They are all formed out of the same curd-making stuff. The little curd battles that they fight do nothing but deform themselves.
This is kind of the way that I feel about a lot of what I read from various sources. There are the self-proclaimed gatekeepers of evangelicalism, Albert Mohler, Owen Strachan, and others. These people are convinced that their understanding of Jesus and the Church is the only possible understanding. Any who would differ with them are on one slippery slope or another that inevitably leads to some disastrous outcome. They lead through fear and manipulation.
There are others, like Fred Clark and Tony Jones who are more than willing to point out the deficiencies of Mohler and company. But, they are also willing to point out their own deficiencies. That’s kind of refreshing, but it’s still one curd calling another curd a curd.
There are still others who simply refuse to get involved. They ignore the other curds in the bowl. I think of much of the Orthodox faith. They are content to play by themselves.
Then there are folks like Brian McLaren and Justin Lee. These people can see the distinctions between people and their beliefs. They use their experience as a guide to what they think and believe. Both, but especially Lee, are gracious toward others. Even when that other really deserves to get smacked up-side the head. People like these give me some hope for us as a species.
One of the things that we tend to miss in all of the posturing and arguing is how much we really need each other. In the so-called ‘bigger picture,’ we are all still fellow travelers on this big ol’ marble in space. According to the Bible, we have are co-workers in the field of Yahweh. So, we can be different and still united. I think they call that diversity.
Anyway, all that to get to this. I was reading a poem by Walt Whitman this morning. He was by no means a devout follower of Christ. Yet, he seemed to understand our need for one another better  than most of us who do claim to follow Yeshua. His poem, “Stronger Lessons”…

Have you learn’d lessons only of those who admired you,
        and were tender with you, and stood aside for you?
Have you not learn’d great lessons from those who reject
        you, and brace themselves against you? or who treat you
        with contempt, or dispute the passage with you?

Maybe we do need to stop and take a closer look at those other curds. We may find ourselves in the process.

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Walt Whitman and…the Bible?

Published by mhelbert on February 3, 2013

This morning I was reading through the book of Hebrews in the Second Testament. Chapter 11 in that book contains some enlightening stories of faithful people in First Testament history. At the end of the chapter the following was recorded, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” This was written to show that we are interconnected with those who have gone before us. In a real way, we are people who share in the lives and faiths of all of humanity. Walt Whitman, a poet that I have only recently come to admire and appreciate, wrote the following:

On the beach at night alone,
As the old mother sways her to and fro singing her husky song,
As I watch the bright stars shining, I think a thought of the clef of the universes and of the future,
A vast similitude interlocks all,
All spheres, grown, ungrown, small, large, suns, moons, planets,
All distances of place however wide,
All distances of time, all inanimate forms,
All souls, all living bodies thought they be ever so different, or in different worlds,
All gaseous, watery, vegetable, mineral processed, the fishes, the brutes,
All nations, colors, barbarisms, civilizations, languages,
All identities that have existed or may exist on this globe, or any globe,
All lives and deaths, all of the past, present, future,
This vast similitude spans them, and always has spann’d,
And shall forever span them and compactly hold and  enclose them.

“A vast similitude interlocks all…” How true. We are all interrelated by virtue of a common heritage. Whether one believes in a single creative act of Yahweh Elohim, or the natural progression of evolution, we all share a common Source. Perhaps, it would do all of creation a great service if we humans started to live like parts,  siblings, of the Whole rather than the masters.

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Quiet…Please!

Published by mhelbert on February 1, 2013

It’s rare whenever I see two blogs discussing similar topics. So, it was pretty amazing to see two this morning on the same topic. These reviewed a book entitled, Quiet:
The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking By Susan Cain.
I had never heard of the title, but it will certainly find a home with me fairly soon. The reviews, and a brief excerpt, discuss the place of introverted people in a world built on the idea that extroverts rule. For those who know me, I am definitely the former. I’ve told many folks that I much prefer books to people. Let me do anything, but let me do it alone. Of course, I’ve had people read that as selfishness, a lack of working to be a “people person” and any number of epithets that come from mostly extroverts who want everyone to be like them. Well, I’m not…and will never be.
So, I found the reviews refreshing. They were penned by kindred spirits that I can identify with. Here are links to the reviews:
 http://www.patheos.com//Progressive-Christian/Making-Room-Greg-Garrett-02-01-2013?offset=0&max=1

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/livingaholyadventure/2013/01/finding-your-restorative-niche-a-review-of-susan-cains-quiet/

And here is a link to an excerpt from the book:
http://www.patheos.com/Books/Book-Club/Susan-Cain-Quiet/Read-a-Book-Excerpt-02-01-2013.html

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Under Construction

Published by mhelbert on January 29, 2013

I’m going to be trying some new things on this blog. The first thing I’ve done is to eliminate the ‘Interesting places’ and replace it with a list of blogs that I frequent. Please note that just because I’ve put a link to a blog on mine, that does not mean that I agree with all of the content of the other blog. I have found that each of these, however, does stretch me and make me take pause to reflect. One of the things that keeps me on my toes is to check out opinions that may differ from my own. I think the dialogue this can encourage is important. Whenever we get content and complacent within our own comfort zones bad things can happen. Our minds and hearts tend to atrophy and we can become functionally useless. So, poke around and comment.

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I now pronounce you…

Published by mhelbert on January 16, 2013

The past few years there has been much ink spilled with books, essays, blogs, etc. about Godly or biblical marriages. The evangelical tradition that I grew up in is very patriarchal when it comes to marriage relationships. The husband is the ‘head’ of the wife who, in turn, must remain submissive to that headship. After all, Paul made it clear in Ephesians that this was so. For many years I’ve felt that this is simply not accurate. There was something missing when Paul could say something about men, (husbands), being like Christ and women, (wives), being something less. This seemed to ignore the ‘no longer male or female’ texts. It also made singles into second-class citizens. Today at Rachel Held Evans’ blog, she posted a guest essay about this issue. I thought that it was wonderfully thought out and presented. Here is a link:
http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/kristen-rosser-marriage-christ-church?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RachelHeldEvans+%28Rachel+Held+Evans+-+Blog%29
Please take time to read and comment there, or here.

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God’s gift of Creative Reflection

Published by mhelbert on January 13, 2013

Most of my opinions and thoughts on things are most likely incorrect. Or, at least ‘half baked.’ I know this, so I try not to cling too tightly to them. In fact, it takes very little effort for someone to question me and send me off to reconsider my positions. Many times this reflection forces me to make modifications. I find that the added input from these other folks is good and deserves a place in my thoughts. Other times, my position is vindicated and I am content to hang on to my position. At least until someone else comes along to question it again. I think that this is a fairly good way to develop opinions and beliefs. It allows me to use the brain that Yahweh has given me. A creative mind that has the ability to reflect and learn. This, I think, leads to growth.
There are many folks, however, maybe even most, who do cling tightly to their positions. Some of these positions may be untenable in the face of prevailing data. But, they call if ‘faith.’ Their position has been verified by God, or some other source that is outside of, or higher than they are. It’s not ‘their’ idea, but God’s. This necessarily relieves them of the responsibility to think and reflect for themselves. How sad this is.
I think that part of the issue with this is the human need to be accepted as part of a group. We desire to be a part of something larger and more significant than we are by ourselves. Many times this leads to a phenomena called ‘Groupthink.’ In order to belong, we give up our right to think reflectively and creatively and we adopt the thoughts and positions of the group. This is done willingly and without reflection.
There are many dangers inherent in this process. One, as I’ve already stated, is that people simply don’t think. They don’t reflect on beliefs and practices that seriously impact their lives. It is more important to belong to the group, and perhaps safer, than to venture into the unknown realm of real faith and trust. The group defines the identities of its members. Who they are before God, self and others is given up for the sake of the group.
Another problem with adopting the group’s positions on things is that boundaries of exclusion are defined and raised. When we appropriate the group’s thought as our own we immediately define who we are, as well as who they are. We need only to take a cursory look at history to see the damage that has caused. Ask those who have been colonized how it feels to be ‘other.’ Look at the Holocaust in Nazi Germany to see how ‘we’ care the ‘them.’
There is another group, a larger group, that we may be able to be a part of that wouldn’t have these kinds of consequences. That group is the Community of Creation. I first heard this term used in a book by Dr. Randy Woodley. This group includes all of creation; all things and all people. The Community is the result of Yahweh’s good, creative work. It might be said that it is the result of God’s Creative Reflection. There has been too little use made of this great gift of God. We can think and reflect creatively. Perhaps it’s time to start.

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Just for the sake of discussion

Published by mhelbert on November 6, 2012

Over the years as election time rolls around, a lot of folks, primarily conservative evangelicals, begin to talk about each candidate’s or party’s position on abortion. All of the issues and questions are distilled into that one position. As long as a candidate holds a position that is in favor of repealing Roe v. Wade, she/he gets my vote. It would really be interesting to have all of the candidates on the same side of that issue so that we could actually consider other planks in their platform. But, alas, that’s not the case in 2012. The lines have been etched in stone and for any self-respecting evangelical the question is already answered. As one pastor said a few years ago, “I can’t tell you how to vote, but if you ask me after the service I can help you decide.”
Well, here’s a new wrinkle. What if our concept of being ‘Pro life’ is too narrow? What if this, like any other ethical question, has ramifications far beyond the simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’; ‘black’ or ‘white’ that so many of our evangelical leaders would have us believe? I found an interesting article from the New York Times oped that addresses questions that should be asked by people who truly want to be ‘Pro Life.’
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/opinion/sunday/friedman-why-i-am-pro-life.html

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Just a thought

Published by mhelbert on October 30, 2012

I just read the following blog:
http://ethnicspace.wordpress.com/2012/10/27/tearing-up-the-letter-what-could-you-ever-trade-your-soul-for-jesus-by-bruce-crawford/
Much of what is contained in it resonates with me. I, too, was indoctrinated under the western, white patriarchy that is so pervasive in our culture. I remember sitting with the pastor who was going to perform my wedding and telling him that, as the man, I was going to be the head of the household and my wife would submit. He disagreed, but did not try too hard to dissuade me. Of course, over time the reality of my statement proved untenable. But, I continued to preach the conservative evangelical position as true orthodox doctrine.
It took rubbing elbows with a variety of cultural influences at seminary to remove the scales from my eyes. As I studied with and learned from African American men and women, Anglo women and men who truly understood the cultural contexts of those who wrote and compiled the scriptures I found that the so-called orthodox position was merely a cultural expression that had little support from the scripture that they claimed to live by.
Now, I find that I must live to respect others, especially those who live at the margins of the patriarchal culture of the West.

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Just something to think about for a Friday!

Published by mhelbert on October 19, 2012

Saw this at my daughter’s Facebook homepage. I LOVE IT! Being, as one of my dearest friends has called me, “a sensitive musician,” this really resonates with me. Think about it the next time the person next to you is singing out of tune or when your kids want you to play that song, “Just one more time, mommy”!

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