Locating the character of the divine within oneself is not really a new concept. The idea has been incorporated into the belief systems of other religions and philosophies, some of which are older than Christianity and evolved parallel to Judaism. Still, some people have concerns about looking within because they are afraid they will be disappointed by what they find. One writer stated that when he looked within himself, he found only selfishness -- that all of his relationships and activities revolved around what others could do for him. He determined that there needed to be more to his life than this selfishness, and so he turned to the Christian church to find that something more. My question would be: What informed the belief that there needed to be more than selfishness? If one is only relying on what is within oneself, and one arrives at the conclusion that selfish behavior leads to a certain emptiness in life, mustn't one conclude that something within oneself contributed to that conclusion? Something deeper than the surface level selfishness?
Different people will have different answers to that question, but what makes sense to me is that human beings are complex creatures and that one cannot merely glance within and gain a complete picture. We have layers of thoughts and beliefs, and it requires a bit of work to truly be connected with oneself. This is not all that different from what the writers of Deuteronomy wanted the Jewish people to understand. It is a simple thing to say, "Love the Lord your God," but most people require a bit of guidance to put that command into practice. Similarly, it is an easy thing to say, "Seek the divine within," but most people would actually appreciate a little more direction on that journey. Deuteronomy 6 elucidates that command for the Israelites, so what follows is how I would update that chapter in light of a new understanding of the divine. As the biblical chapter refers to the Ten Commandments in its opening line, I refer to the agreements from last week's discussion.
If you are willing to make these agreements with yourself, you stand a much greater chance of living a happy and satisfying life. Cultivate respect for yourself and you will find it easier to respect others. Love yourself and you will be better able to love others. This requires constant awareness, and it can mean working through many false ideas that you've learned through the years. Because there are many other voices and ideas in the world, you may find that you are reminding yourself of the truth about your value repeatedly. This is not in any way a weakness; it's simply the process of recognizing a deep truth and beauty and creativity on which you haven't been very focused.
This is what it takes to have confidence in honoring and valuing human beings (yourself included): Talk about the truth of human value whenever you have the chance, whether in the privacy of your own home or walking about in public. Put up visual reminders of this truth in your home, your car, your office, and wherever else you spend time, so that you will constantly be drawn back to the reality of your worth and the worth of the people around you. And if you teach your children
to value, honor, and respect themselves and other people, they will have
a much easier time living meaningful lives as adults.
Be grateful for what you have. Recognize the benefits in your life that came about because of the generosity of others, and acknowledge the things you have created yourself. When you are grateful, it is much more difficult to be distracted by petty disappointments, by superficial comparisons, or by pangs of entitlement that tempt you to place your value above that of other people. When you are grateful, it is much easier to see the value of other people, to be generous with what you have, and to be connected to yourself, other people, and the world. In short, gratitude makes life more satisfying.
Trust yourself. Even when you make a misstep, trust yourself to be able to improve upon it. Test the beliefs that other people try to instill in you, and weigh cultural concepts against the truth of human value. Our creativity can be a double-edged sword, because we can create all manner of distractions away from the reality of our own intrinsic value. It's tempting to focus on acquiring money or things, to concentrate on what makes some people "better" than other people, or to shift personal responsibility for our lives away from ourselves. These lines of thinking will never help us to realize our full potential. Trust yourself to be able to see your own worth and the value of the people around you. If you see something less than that in the behavior and beliefs you've adopted, look deeper. At the core of your being is undeniable and connecting truth, a deep sense of beauty, and inspiring creativity. It's at the core of all of us, even if we have covered it up with other things. Trust yourself to find it within you.
Showing posts with label self respect. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self respect. Show all posts
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Exodus 32-33: Golden Calves and Undeniable Access to the Divine
Those who assume that the Bible tells things chronologically with infallible accuracy must draw some strange conclusions about the events of Exodus 32-33. The Israelites are either outright liars, fickle with their word, or they have the brains of carrots. A few chapters back, Moses told them all what God wanted them to do, and all the Israelites agreed to it. Aaron was there, along with all the other Israelite leaders. Then, Moses went off to get the stone tablets God was carving for him, which took about 5 weeks. In that span of time, the Israelites, with cooperation from Aaron, forgot what they had promised and made a golden calf to worship.
As Aaron tells the story, the Israelites were evil-hearted from the start. They didn't know what had happened to Moses, and they wanted Aaron to make some gods to go before them, so Aaron told them to take off all their jewelry, which he threw into the fire and -- Voila! -- out came a statue of a calf. That was apparently a god the Israelites could relate to and worship for a few weeks before they got distracted by something else.
Well, Moses was so angry that he broke the stone tablets he had spent so much time carving, melted down the golden idol, ground the gold into powder, scattered it in the water supply and made the Israelites drink it. Then he ordered the Levites to kill 3,000 of their fellow Jews. That's less than 1% of the total Israelite population as the Bible records it, but it's still a hell of a violent streak. Back in Genesis, Jacob had this to say about Levi and his descendants:
The story is illustrative of a big issue, obviously. We want something concrete to believe in. Even when we believe we know the divine on some level, we still want something tangible. People (both in and out of the church) worship all sorts of things: money or the accumulation of personal possessions, fame or acknowledgment, physical pleasure, power over other people, political favor -- the list could go on and on. Very few people sincerely worship an intangible, invisible force that epitomizes unconditional love for all, which is how the Christian god is often portrayed. Even the Israelite god in Exodus was closer to a Greek deity with human emotions and weaknesses, as we'll see in just a moment.
First, though, let's consider what worshiping external things really says about us psychologically. The idea of worship literally means that one is attributing worth to something. To worship a thing is to proclaim its worthiness. And when we truly worship something, a part of us is committed to the belief that whatever we're worshiping is worthy of our total effort, adoration, gratitude -- the fullness of who we are. It's why some people who worship success become workaholics and why some people who worship fame do incredibly stupid things just for the attention it will garner. Our perception isn't always healthy. It can't be completely healthy when we are looking outside of ourselves for a target to which we can attribute value.
We are terribly uncomfortable with the idea that we ourselves are worthy of anything, that we have value. It's a bit of a burden for some people. If you are worth something, then you have to live up to that somehow. If you have value, then you have to maintain that value. As if you have to keep proving your worthiness to yourself, and potentially to everybody else. So we look to something outside of ourselves so we don't have to look inward and potentially face the fear that we are, at the end of the day, valueless. That we do not even approach worthiness. Much better to find something tangible that we can target. Money. Titles. Golden calf.
What's very interesting about the Exodus story is that God tells Moses that he needs to take those people away. They need to get on the road, and God will send an angel ahead of them to clear their enemies away. If the Israelites wait around, God may not be able to control his anger at this whole idolatry business, and he just may destroy them all. And God can't travel with them, because he is so angry that he'd just kill them en route. But when Moses pleads with him, God changes his tune rather quickly. Actually, Moses' pleading comes across as a bit manipulative and demanding, but the point is that it doesn't ultimately matter what Moses or the Israelites do, the divine presence won't abandon them.
This suggests a deep truth about the character of the divine: It cannot be separated from us. Even when we have acted in ways that betray that divine nature within us, when we have pursued things that do not lead us to satisfaction or happiness or peace, there is no chance that we will be abandoned by our divine nature. We cannot ultimately blot it out or eradicate it. The divine is a part of who we are, even if we decide to use some external imagery to relate to it.
People who recognize that there is nothing earthly that is truly worth that level of devotion sometimes find solace in the concept that there is something bigger, something beyond our complete perception, watching over us and guiding us. That there is someone who has taken care of all our mistakes -- covered over our unworthiness. Certainly that figure is worthy. That person is valuable enough to be worshiped. That person surpasses all that any human being could hope to be, especially us. And thus the stories and the beliefs and the mythology is born. Because we crave some source of meaning, and we are too afraid to look within to find it.
We build golden calves and mythologies because we crave some source of meaning, and we are too afraid to look within to find it.
Stop being afraid to look within yourself. There is nothing you need to do to have value. You simply are valuable. You are worthy of your highest level of commitment because you are you. The divine is a part of who you are, inseparable and yet deep enough to run the risk of being overlooked. There is no amount of money or fame or drugs or charity or sermons or political action or Communion that can truly overshadow the profound value and worthiness of being you. You are worth your best effort. You do not need to use any adornments to shield yourself from any ugly truth about who you are. That fear is a lie. You are worthy. Period.
As Aaron tells the story, the Israelites were evil-hearted from the start. They didn't know what had happened to Moses, and they wanted Aaron to make some gods to go before them, so Aaron told them to take off all their jewelry, which he threw into the fire and -- Voila! -- out came a statue of a calf. That was apparently a god the Israelites could relate to and worship for a few weeks before they got distracted by something else.
Well, Moses was so angry that he broke the stone tablets he had spent so much time carving, melted down the golden idol, ground the gold into powder, scattered it in the water supply and made the Israelites drink it. Then he ordered the Levites to kill 3,000 of their fellow Jews. That's less than 1% of the total Israelite population as the Bible records it, but it's still a hell of a violent streak. Back in Genesis, Jacob had this to say about Levi and his descendants:
Moses was apparently more comfortable with their genetic propensity for violence."their swords are weapons of violence.
Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly,
for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel!
I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel."
The story is illustrative of a big issue, obviously. We want something concrete to believe in. Even when we believe we know the divine on some level, we still want something tangible. People (both in and out of the church) worship all sorts of things: money or the accumulation of personal possessions, fame or acknowledgment, physical pleasure, power over other people, political favor -- the list could go on and on. Very few people sincerely worship an intangible, invisible force that epitomizes unconditional love for all, which is how the Christian god is often portrayed. Even the Israelite god in Exodus was closer to a Greek deity with human emotions and weaknesses, as we'll see in just a moment.
First, though, let's consider what worshiping external things really says about us psychologically. The idea of worship literally means that one is attributing worth to something. To worship a thing is to proclaim its worthiness. And when we truly worship something, a part of us is committed to the belief that whatever we're worshiping is worthy of our total effort, adoration, gratitude -- the fullness of who we are. It's why some people who worship success become workaholics and why some people who worship fame do incredibly stupid things just for the attention it will garner. Our perception isn't always healthy. It can't be completely healthy when we are looking outside of ourselves for a target to which we can attribute value.
We are terribly uncomfortable with the idea that we ourselves are worthy of anything, that we have value. It's a bit of a burden for some people. If you are worth something, then you have to live up to that somehow. If you have value, then you have to maintain that value. As if you have to keep proving your worthiness to yourself, and potentially to everybody else. So we look to something outside of ourselves so we don't have to look inward and potentially face the fear that we are, at the end of the day, valueless. That we do not even approach worthiness. Much better to find something tangible that we can target. Money. Titles. Golden calf.
What's very interesting about the Exodus story is that God tells Moses that he needs to take those people away. They need to get on the road, and God will send an angel ahead of them to clear their enemies away. If the Israelites wait around, God may not be able to control his anger at this whole idolatry business, and he just may destroy them all. And God can't travel with them, because he is so angry that he'd just kill them en route. But when Moses pleads with him, God changes his tune rather quickly. Actually, Moses' pleading comes across as a bit manipulative and demanding, but the point is that it doesn't ultimately matter what Moses or the Israelites do, the divine presence won't abandon them.
This suggests a deep truth about the character of the divine: It cannot be separated from us. Even when we have acted in ways that betray that divine nature within us, when we have pursued things that do not lead us to satisfaction or happiness or peace, there is no chance that we will be abandoned by our divine nature. We cannot ultimately blot it out or eradicate it. The divine is a part of who we are, even if we decide to use some external imagery to relate to it.
People who recognize that there is nothing earthly that is truly worth that level of devotion sometimes find solace in the concept that there is something bigger, something beyond our complete perception, watching over us and guiding us. That there is someone who has taken care of all our mistakes -- covered over our unworthiness. Certainly that figure is worthy. That person is valuable enough to be worshiped. That person surpasses all that any human being could hope to be, especially us. And thus the stories and the beliefs and the mythology is born. Because we crave some source of meaning, and we are too afraid to look within to find it.
We build golden calves and mythologies because we crave some source of meaning, and we are too afraid to look within to find it.
Stop being afraid to look within yourself. There is nothing you need to do to have value. You simply are valuable. You are worthy of your highest level of commitment because you are you. The divine is a part of who you are, inseparable and yet deep enough to run the risk of being overlooked. There is no amount of money or fame or drugs or charity or sermons or political action or Communion that can truly overshadow the profound value and worthiness of being you. You are worth your best effort. You do not need to use any adornments to shield yourself from any ugly truth about who you are. That fear is a lie. You are worthy. Period.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Exodus 15-18: Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
In the Exodus story (picking up in chapter 15), there is a celebration after the Israelites watch Pharaoh's forces get swept away by the waters of the Red Sea. The Jews sing a song crediting God with their escape from Egypt with the plunder they stole from the Egyptians and their safe passage into the wilderness. Until they have trouble finding potable water, that is. Then, there are complaints until Moses works some magic with a water-purifying stick, and God is once more praised for watching out for the Israelites. Until they have trouble finding enough food to fill their bellies, that is. Then they tell Moses that he should have left them all in Egypt instead of taking them out into the desert to die. So, Moses instructs them on how to gather food from the harsh environment so that the community has plenty, and everyone praises God for providing.
This trend continues: The Israelites have trouble finding water again. They gripe at Moses for taking them into the wilderness to die. Moses uses a magic stick. God is praised. The Israelites face hostile nomads. Moses determines the outcome of the battle by raising or lowering his magic stick. God is praised. Then, Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, pays a visit. He tells Moses that it isn't wise to be the only person to whom the entire Israelite community comes for advice and leadership. Jethro suggests bureaucracy, a formula of delegation that will spread authority out a bit among the people. Moses likes the idea and puts it into practice.
It's interesting that God isn't credited with the idea of bureaucracy, but Jethro's suggestion to "teach them the decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave" is essentially an admonition to encourage spiritual maturity in a people whose faith is threatened by every troublesome circumstance. Not a bad suggestion. Build up the faith of a people and they will be a little more able to take care of themselves. It's a far cry from the practice of some twenty-first century spiritual leaders who think it's best to tell people what to think and feel with an overbearing volume and repetition that prevents people from thinking for themselves.
If a people believe that a higher power is watching out for their well-being, expressions of gratitude seem appropriate. It is perhaps dubious for modern-day Christians to look back at the Song of Miriam and formulate a philosophy of international relations based on the assumption that God will smash their enemies, unleash his blazing fury, and consume them like straw. Being grateful for the good things that happen in life is healthy, though, especially when you consider just having enough food and water to be a blessing. Those with a more mature faith might even be able to express gratitude when survival is in question or when they experience some degree of unpleasantness in life. That seems to be where Jethro's idea could ultimately lead, even if his goal at the time was just to spread out Moses' leadership and authority a bit.
The problem with Moses' identity among the wandering Israelites is that he has become the only man with the answers. He is the only one who is entitled to say what God wants from the people. He is the only one who can provide sustenance for them. Moses is essentially their god, even though they aren't recorded as praising him directly. He has set himself up with unassailable authority because he communicates with God and the people do not. They need him in order to receive God's blessings. They need him to survive. Or so it would seem, at least. Jethro saw clearly that nothing good can come of one person wielding that level of power over a community.
As the story continues, we'll see that there is still a great deal of "I know what God wants and you don't." When the governing rules of the community are delivered, they still come with the threat of "do what God wants or die." It would seem that spiritual maturity is a scary prospect for both sides. It isn't as easy for a leader to compel people to do what he wants once those people start thinking for themselves a little more. But there's also a great deal of vulnerability in developing personal responsibility for one's own beliefs. In a way, the whole of the Bible (and perhaps every religious text) is about that struggle to accept the responsibility of spiritual maturity in order to reap the tremendous rewards.
Historically, there may never have been an Israelite exodus from Egypt. Still, if there was, I believe that the Israelites would have been able to survive without Moses. It may not have been pleasant, and they may have lost many of their number in the process, but perhaps they would have become a more tightly woven community as well. People are capable of a great many things, whether it's purifying water to drink, surviving off the food that the land provides, or defending themselves against actual aggressors. To give all the credit for such things to a single individual in a community is lazy and immature. Consistently waiting for Moses or God or someone else to act on your behalf reflects not only a sense that you are too weak to take care of yourself, but also that you deserve to have your every need provided for you by someone else. People are capable of more than that. Be sincerely grateful and earnestly praise God if that makes sense for you. But also recognize your own responsibility for your thoughts and actions. Personal responsibility is at the very heart of spiritual maturity.
This trend continues: The Israelites have trouble finding water again. They gripe at Moses for taking them into the wilderness to die. Moses uses a magic stick. God is praised. The Israelites face hostile nomads. Moses determines the outcome of the battle by raising or lowering his magic stick. God is praised. Then, Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, pays a visit. He tells Moses that it isn't wise to be the only person to whom the entire Israelite community comes for advice and leadership. Jethro suggests bureaucracy, a formula of delegation that will spread authority out a bit among the people. Moses likes the idea and puts it into practice.
It's interesting that God isn't credited with the idea of bureaucracy, but Jethro's suggestion to "teach them the decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave" is essentially an admonition to encourage spiritual maturity in a people whose faith is threatened by every troublesome circumstance. Not a bad suggestion. Build up the faith of a people and they will be a little more able to take care of themselves. It's a far cry from the practice of some twenty-first century spiritual leaders who think it's best to tell people what to think and feel with an overbearing volume and repetition that prevents people from thinking for themselves.
If a people believe that a higher power is watching out for their well-being, expressions of gratitude seem appropriate. It is perhaps dubious for modern-day Christians to look back at the Song of Miriam and formulate a philosophy of international relations based on the assumption that God will smash their enemies, unleash his blazing fury, and consume them like straw. Being grateful for the good things that happen in life is healthy, though, especially when you consider just having enough food and water to be a blessing. Those with a more mature faith might even be able to express gratitude when survival is in question or when they experience some degree of unpleasantness in life. That seems to be where Jethro's idea could ultimately lead, even if his goal at the time was just to spread out Moses' leadership and authority a bit.
The problem with Moses' identity among the wandering Israelites is that he has become the only man with the answers. He is the only one who is entitled to say what God wants from the people. He is the only one who can provide sustenance for them. Moses is essentially their god, even though they aren't recorded as praising him directly. He has set himself up with unassailable authority because he communicates with God and the people do not. They need him in order to receive God's blessings. They need him to survive. Or so it would seem, at least. Jethro saw clearly that nothing good can come of one person wielding that level of power over a community.
As the story continues, we'll see that there is still a great deal of "I know what God wants and you don't." When the governing rules of the community are delivered, they still come with the threat of "do what God wants or die." It would seem that spiritual maturity is a scary prospect for both sides. It isn't as easy for a leader to compel people to do what he wants once those people start thinking for themselves a little more. But there's also a great deal of vulnerability in developing personal responsibility for one's own beliefs. In a way, the whole of the Bible (and perhaps every religious text) is about that struggle to accept the responsibility of spiritual maturity in order to reap the tremendous rewards.
Historically, there may never have been an Israelite exodus from Egypt. Still, if there was, I believe that the Israelites would have been able to survive without Moses. It may not have been pleasant, and they may have lost many of their number in the process, but perhaps they would have become a more tightly woven community as well. People are capable of a great many things, whether it's purifying water to drink, surviving off the food that the land provides, or defending themselves against actual aggressors. To give all the credit for such things to a single individual in a community is lazy and immature. Consistently waiting for Moses or God or someone else to act on your behalf reflects not only a sense that you are too weak to take care of yourself, but also that you deserve to have your every need provided for you by someone else. People are capable of more than that. Be sincerely grateful and earnestly praise God if that makes sense for you. But also recognize your own responsibility for your thoughts and actions. Personal responsibility is at the very heart of spiritual maturity.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Exodus 14: The Other Side of the Coin (Recognizing When You Are the Leader and When You Are Not)
Thus far in the Exodus story, I’ve suggested that it’s more accurate for us to identify with the personal power of Moses rather than the victimhood of the other Israelites. I’ve also suggested that what we think of as the divine is not an external intelligence but an inner part of ourselves. It’s important to remember that the same is true for everyone, that each person has the capability to tap into a deep truth, beauty, and creativity. Exodus 14 provides a couple examples of what happens when we fail to acknowledge our personal power and the personal authority of others.
Moses leads the Israelite plunderers on a cunning escape route that provokes the Egyptians to pursue them and attempt to reclaim their stolen goods. When the Israelites see the Egyptians coming, their response to Moses is, “Were there not enough graves in Egypt that you led us out into the wilderness to die?” Encouraging words from a devoted following? Hardly. And yet, there are probably similar accusations leveled at leaders all over the world each and every day. While spiritual leadership can be abused, it’s also important to realize when someone else is exercising their capabilities for the greater good.
Every leadership role lives and dies by the trust of other people. Some people are good at winning trust and fall short on the follow-through. Some people are incredibly capable but have a difficult time helping other people see a lofty vision. Some people fail to recognize how their strengths could turn the tide of a situation, so everyone loses out. And some people are too busy trying to maintain control to recognize where their strengths end and another person’s strengths begin. There is a balance that must be struck between embracing our own personal power and opening space for the capability of other people to shine. When we tap into the deep truth, beauty, and creativity within us, our perception of equality may be challenged.
All people are equally valuable as human beings, but all people are not equally skilled in all things. It’s simply dishonest to treat life like a game of kids’ “fair and fun” sports, where no score is kept and there are no winners and losers. A false sense of equality leads to frustration, stagnation, and separation. We wind up complaining about leaders instead of giving their ideas a chance to succeed. We sometimes decide that we are being overlooked and spend our time trying to outdo someone else rather than focusing on the things that we are uniquely capable of doing. Recognizing the deep truth, beauty, and creativity within ourselves and others leads to an honest sense of what we are able to contribute to the world and honest acknowledgement of the contributions of others.
As the story of the parting of the Red Sea continues, the people following Moses become convinced of his capability for a short time. His connection with the divine was perhaps stronger than theirs was at the moment. They don’t make much effort to develop their own connections to the divine, though, and before long, they are complaining once again and demanding that Moses’ leadership look like what they want it to. They complain about things without suggesting any practical alternatives. They make demands without considering what is required to satisfy those demands. They expect to have something done for them rather than being part of a cooperative effort to make things better. And as we’ll see later on, when leadership apart from Moses does emerge, it’s shallow and irresponsible.
Connection with the divine brings a certain amount of personal responsibility with it. This goes for people who claim the labels of organized religions as well as people who chart their own spiritual courses. It’s unwise to blindly accept the words of everyone who claims to speak for God. But it’s also unwise to dismiss everyone who speaks with authority just because they may say something we don’t like. Hostility and petty conflicts most often result from fears and false beliefs. Our connection with the truth, beauty, and creativity within us combats those fears and beliefs and opens paths of cooperation. Paths where we can confidently bring our honest strengths forward while allowing space for the honest strengths of others to shine as well. Trying to tear other people down, or building ourselves up in dishonest ways, can never yield the same level of satisfaction that honest and authentic partnership brings. Great satisfaction comes from partnership that places equal value on people as human beings while recognizing diverse abilities.
Moses leads the Israelite plunderers on a cunning escape route that provokes the Egyptians to pursue them and attempt to reclaim their stolen goods. When the Israelites see the Egyptians coming, their response to Moses is, “Were there not enough graves in Egypt that you led us out into the wilderness to die?” Encouraging words from a devoted following? Hardly. And yet, there are probably similar accusations leveled at leaders all over the world each and every day. While spiritual leadership can be abused, it’s also important to realize when someone else is exercising their capabilities for the greater good.
Every leadership role lives and dies by the trust of other people. Some people are good at winning trust and fall short on the follow-through. Some people are incredibly capable but have a difficult time helping other people see a lofty vision. Some people fail to recognize how their strengths could turn the tide of a situation, so everyone loses out. And some people are too busy trying to maintain control to recognize where their strengths end and another person’s strengths begin. There is a balance that must be struck between embracing our own personal power and opening space for the capability of other people to shine. When we tap into the deep truth, beauty, and creativity within us, our perception of equality may be challenged.
All people are equally valuable as human beings, but all people are not equally skilled in all things. It’s simply dishonest to treat life like a game of kids’ “fair and fun” sports, where no score is kept and there are no winners and losers. A false sense of equality leads to frustration, stagnation, and separation. We wind up complaining about leaders instead of giving their ideas a chance to succeed. We sometimes decide that we are being overlooked and spend our time trying to outdo someone else rather than focusing on the things that we are uniquely capable of doing. Recognizing the deep truth, beauty, and creativity within ourselves and others leads to an honest sense of what we are able to contribute to the world and honest acknowledgement of the contributions of others.
As the story of the parting of the Red Sea continues, the people following Moses become convinced of his capability for a short time. His connection with the divine was perhaps stronger than theirs was at the moment. They don’t make much effort to develop their own connections to the divine, though, and before long, they are complaining once again and demanding that Moses’ leadership look like what they want it to. They complain about things without suggesting any practical alternatives. They make demands without considering what is required to satisfy those demands. They expect to have something done for them rather than being part of a cooperative effort to make things better. And as we’ll see later on, when leadership apart from Moses does emerge, it’s shallow and irresponsible.
Connection with the divine brings a certain amount of personal responsibility with it. This goes for people who claim the labels of organized religions as well as people who chart their own spiritual courses. It’s unwise to blindly accept the words of everyone who claims to speak for God. But it’s also unwise to dismiss everyone who speaks with authority just because they may say something we don’t like. Hostility and petty conflicts most often result from fears and false beliefs. Our connection with the truth, beauty, and creativity within us combats those fears and beliefs and opens paths of cooperation. Paths where we can confidently bring our honest strengths forward while allowing space for the honest strengths of others to shine as well. Trying to tear other people down, or building ourselves up in dishonest ways, can never yield the same level of satisfaction that honest and authentic partnership brings. Great satisfaction comes from partnership that places equal value on people as human beings while recognizing diverse abilities.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
The Human Condition: Why Making the Same Mistake Over and Over Again Doesn't Mean We're Broken
Leading from the idea that there are discrepancies in the narrative of the Bible, Genesis 20 is an excellent case in point. Back in Genesis 12, Abraham lied to the Egyptians, claiming that Sarah was his sister instead of his wife. Although Abraham prospered for a while because of his deceit, he was ultimately driven out of Egypt, and the lie cost him a great deal of comfort and security. So it seems a bit odd when, much later in his life, after it is already declared that Sarah is an old woman and no longer able to bear children, Abraham lies to another group of people and claims that Sarah is his sister. Quite honestly, it seems that this is just another version of a story about an important event or lesson in Abraham's life. It seems unlikely that a man would make the same huge mistake twice, especially considering the level of maturity Abraham is supposed to have reached by this point.
The stories do end a bit differently. Not only did the lie in Egypt cost Abraham, it cost the whole world a great deal of peace and security, if we take the story at its word. One of the things Abraham gained in Egypt was Hagar, the Egyptian servant with whom Sarah suggested Abraham sire a child. This was not only acceptable in the culture of the time, it was justified between Abraham and Sarah as following God's will. Well, according to the story, Sarah winds up getting pregnant in her old age as well, and she winds up resenting the Egyptian servant woman and the boy that Abraham fathered with her. So, Hagar and Ishmael are eventually sent away, and this Ishamel is the forefather of Muhammad, and thus is an important figure in Islamic culture. Meanwhile, Sarah raises her own son, Isaac, a patriarch of the Jewish people. No one can say what would have happened if Abraham had simply told the truth in Egypt, or if he hadn't slept with Hagar. The end result of Abraham's first lie about Sarah has been centuries of conflict between the descendants of his two sons.
Of course, that conflict hadn't become an issue when Abraham lied the second time about Sarah being his sister. It's worth stating again that the story seems unlikely as an accurate historical record of Abraham's life, but there is something that rings true about it on a deeper level. Abraham indicates that it was habitual for Sarah to be portrayed as his sister and not his wife. It had apparently been the practice in their relationship to deceive people out of fear for Abraham's safety. Fear is a powerful motivator, even if it leads us to make mistakes we have made before. That is the aspect of the human experience that makes the story plausible.
People do sometimes make the same mistakes over and over again, even when it costs them a great deal. Some may look at that trait and determine that human beings are hopelessly broken. That isn't the most helpful perspective. Deciding that a person is incapable or that a situation is hopeless denies a deep truth about personal responsibility. When we believe that we have no real power in our own lives, it's easy to keep making decisions that yield different results than what we want. When people realize their own responsibility in a situation, they also recognize their own control. If a person sees the realistic power to change, then the possibility for making decisions differently becomes an attainable option.
People make decisions for all sorts of reasons. Fear is often a huge factor. In fact, just about every decision we consider to be a mistake is the result of fear in one way or another. There is something to learn from those decisions. We might make similar choices many times before we fully understand our power to do something different, but once we reach some measure of awareness about our own power and responsibility in our own lives, we have many more options than what fear allows. When we acknowledge the deep truth and beauty and creativity within every person, we open the door of possibility.
People are not broken. People are not hopeless. People are not incapable. Some people have more apparent challenges than others, but all people embody the capacity to do good in the world. Even as we make the same mistakes over and over again, the possibility always exists to recognize the deep truth and beauty and creativity within us. It is not out in the universe somewhere, pulling strings or watching and listening and judging. It is immediately accessible within our own beings. Our mistakes (no matter how many times we have made them) call us to recognize the falsehood of our fears and to acknowledge the truth about our own personal power and responsibility.
The stories do end a bit differently. Not only did the lie in Egypt cost Abraham, it cost the whole world a great deal of peace and security, if we take the story at its word. One of the things Abraham gained in Egypt was Hagar, the Egyptian servant with whom Sarah suggested Abraham sire a child. This was not only acceptable in the culture of the time, it was justified between Abraham and Sarah as following God's will. Well, according to the story, Sarah winds up getting pregnant in her old age as well, and she winds up resenting the Egyptian servant woman and the boy that Abraham fathered with her. So, Hagar and Ishmael are eventually sent away, and this Ishamel is the forefather of Muhammad, and thus is an important figure in Islamic culture. Meanwhile, Sarah raises her own son, Isaac, a patriarch of the Jewish people. No one can say what would have happened if Abraham had simply told the truth in Egypt, or if he hadn't slept with Hagar. The end result of Abraham's first lie about Sarah has been centuries of conflict between the descendants of his two sons.
Of course, that conflict hadn't become an issue when Abraham lied the second time about Sarah being his sister. It's worth stating again that the story seems unlikely as an accurate historical record of Abraham's life, but there is something that rings true about it on a deeper level. Abraham indicates that it was habitual for Sarah to be portrayed as his sister and not his wife. It had apparently been the practice in their relationship to deceive people out of fear for Abraham's safety. Fear is a powerful motivator, even if it leads us to make mistakes we have made before. That is the aspect of the human experience that makes the story plausible.
People do sometimes make the same mistakes over and over again, even when it costs them a great deal. Some may look at that trait and determine that human beings are hopelessly broken. That isn't the most helpful perspective. Deciding that a person is incapable or that a situation is hopeless denies a deep truth about personal responsibility. When we believe that we have no real power in our own lives, it's easy to keep making decisions that yield different results than what we want. When people realize their own responsibility in a situation, they also recognize their own control. If a person sees the realistic power to change, then the possibility for making decisions differently becomes an attainable option.
People make decisions for all sorts of reasons. Fear is often a huge factor. In fact, just about every decision we consider to be a mistake is the result of fear in one way or another. There is something to learn from those decisions. We might make similar choices many times before we fully understand our power to do something different, but once we reach some measure of awareness about our own power and responsibility in our own lives, we have many more options than what fear allows. When we acknowledge the deep truth and beauty and creativity within every person, we open the door of possibility.
People are not broken. People are not hopeless. People are not incapable. Some people have more apparent challenges than others, but all people embody the capacity to do good in the world. Even as we make the same mistakes over and over again, the possibility always exists to recognize the deep truth and beauty and creativity within us. It is not out in the universe somewhere, pulling strings or watching and listening and judging. It is immediately accessible within our own beings. Our mistakes (no matter how many times we have made them) call us to recognize the falsehood of our fears and to acknowledge the truth about our own personal power and responsibility.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
God Told You to Cut Off What Part of My Anatomy Exactly?: Circumcision and the Need to Belong in Genesis 17
Nearly everyone has done something at some point in time to be a part of a special group of people. A person might shop at particular stores, wear a particular style of clothing, take up particular hobbies, listen to particular music, or hang out in particular places because of a desire to be identified as part of a subculture. People join fraternities or sororities in college, or they may join a fraternal organization later on in life, because on some level they want a place to belong. There is, I believe, a deep-seated need to seek out and discover one's place in the grand scheme of things, and there are many benefits that come from being a part of a larger group. Gang culture wouldn't be so compelling otherwise.
One factor that sometimes accompanies belonging to a group is the clear distinction that one does not belong to a different group. One only needs to belong to one fraternity, and there is a certain amount of pride that accompanies wearing those particular Greek letters. Likewise, if one is a Crip, then one cannot also be a Blood. One might avoid wearing red altogether, not just because blue clothing signifies where one belongs, but also because it clearly identifies who the "better" people are.
So competition kicks in on some level when we are finding our group. There is some "survival" value to this competition. If one identifies with people who work in a particular industry, one may be more or less likely to have consistent employment. Belonging to a "better" group could lead to opportunities that wouldn't otherwise be available. At the most basic level, actual survival may even be on the line. This was at least the case thousands of years ago, although most people didn't have much of a choice about the tribe to which they belonged.
Many groups have initiation rites that members must undergo. This "proves" the candidate's level of commitment to the group on a certain level, but more importantly it solidifies a personal sense of belonging with a powerful experience. Christians may be baptized into the church fellowship, Freemasons may undergo a series of initiations into different levels of the group's hierarchy, and a white nationalist may shave his head and get a swastika tattoo. So, some of the initiation procedures into a group leave a mark by which other people can identify a person, but many times the rites leave a much deeper mark on the psyche of the individual, allowing them to claim with some certainty, "I am ___________."
In Genesis 17, God supposedly tells Abraham that the mark by which his people will be known involves the removal of foreskin. Circumcision has meant different things to different cultures. In ancient Egypt, it was simply a rite of passage into adulthood, granting a young man the ability to learn mysteries that were not accessible to children. The initiated would then learn stories, rites, and prayers intrinsic to the religion of the culture at the time. For the Jewish people in biblical times, circumcision was a demonstration of obedience to God, which ultimately meant obedience to religious and community leaders.
In fact, the uncircumcised were literally cut off from the spiritual practices of the community. In no uncertain terms, they knew they were not a part of the in-crowd. Of course, this practice of enforcing identity with the group went beyond any hazing on a college campus. Circumcision was seen as a matter of purity. To be uncircumcised was to be impure. Not just excluded from a group of people, but excluded from favor with the divine. In other words, it was a very effective tool for control.
By now, many people have heard stories or seen movies about how difficult it is to extract oneself from a group. Whether it's the mob or a street gang or a cult, leaving is not easy. Even if one is allowed to break off ties easily, there is a void that some may find unbearable. A person who has broken off from a group no longer has a place of belonging, no longer fits anywhere, no longer has the same easy of identity. And the more intense the rites of inclusions, the deeper the void may feel.
It is not at all uncommon to want to belong somewhere, to want a place where one is accepted as part of the group. That feels safe. It satisfies a deep-seated need. I don't know of many groups, however, that do not in some way look down upon others who do not belong, whether they be people who belong somewhere else or people who don't seem to belong anywhere. It becomes one more Us vs. Them. "We belong to the chosen people." Therefore everyone else is obviously not chosen, or essentially worthless. So, identifying with one group automatically tells us which other groups we can ignore, abuse, or generally devalue.
The trick might be to recognize one's place in the world based on one's capability and passion rather than what kind of initiation one is willing to undergo. Not that everyone has a choice about what is done to their body, especially as a young child, but we do all have choices later on in life about the kinds of associations we make. We ultimately get to choose where we belong. Recognizing oneself as a unique human being who still shares an incredible wealth of characteristics with the totality of the human race can put things in a much healthier perspective than the idea of being part of a chosen few. People wind up doing things that would otherwise be unthinkable, all because of their affiliation with a particular group. Things like committing violence against other people when there could be countless other ways of handling an issue.
The bottom line is that wanting to belong is natural, but rites and marks that set one group apart also identify the outsiders. And "outsiders" is a strange word to use for the people with whom we share this planet. It's time that we stop looking for ways to belong by blindly following what other people tell us is right. We have a place in reality, every last one of us, and that place is determined by what we are willing and able to create, not by what we are willing to endure. No group is better than any other group. We are people. We are all people. Foreskins or not.
One factor that sometimes accompanies belonging to a group is the clear distinction that one does not belong to a different group. One only needs to belong to one fraternity, and there is a certain amount of pride that accompanies wearing those particular Greek letters. Likewise, if one is a Crip, then one cannot also be a Blood. One might avoid wearing red altogether, not just because blue clothing signifies where one belongs, but also because it clearly identifies who the "better" people are.
So competition kicks in on some level when we are finding our group. There is some "survival" value to this competition. If one identifies with people who work in a particular industry, one may be more or less likely to have consistent employment. Belonging to a "better" group could lead to opportunities that wouldn't otherwise be available. At the most basic level, actual survival may even be on the line. This was at least the case thousands of years ago, although most people didn't have much of a choice about the tribe to which they belonged.
Many groups have initiation rites that members must undergo. This "proves" the candidate's level of commitment to the group on a certain level, but more importantly it solidifies a personal sense of belonging with a powerful experience. Christians may be baptized into the church fellowship, Freemasons may undergo a series of initiations into different levels of the group's hierarchy, and a white nationalist may shave his head and get a swastika tattoo. So, some of the initiation procedures into a group leave a mark by which other people can identify a person, but many times the rites leave a much deeper mark on the psyche of the individual, allowing them to claim with some certainty, "I am ___________."
In Genesis 17, God supposedly tells Abraham that the mark by which his people will be known involves the removal of foreskin. Circumcision has meant different things to different cultures. In ancient Egypt, it was simply a rite of passage into adulthood, granting a young man the ability to learn mysteries that were not accessible to children. The initiated would then learn stories, rites, and prayers intrinsic to the religion of the culture at the time. For the Jewish people in biblical times, circumcision was a demonstration of obedience to God, which ultimately meant obedience to religious and community leaders.
In fact, the uncircumcised were literally cut off from the spiritual practices of the community. In no uncertain terms, they knew they were not a part of the in-crowd. Of course, this practice of enforcing identity with the group went beyond any hazing on a college campus. Circumcision was seen as a matter of purity. To be uncircumcised was to be impure. Not just excluded from a group of people, but excluded from favor with the divine. In other words, it was a very effective tool for control.
By now, many people have heard stories or seen movies about how difficult it is to extract oneself from a group. Whether it's the mob or a street gang or a cult, leaving is not easy. Even if one is allowed to break off ties easily, there is a void that some may find unbearable. A person who has broken off from a group no longer has a place of belonging, no longer fits anywhere, no longer has the same easy of identity. And the more intense the rites of inclusions, the deeper the void may feel.
It is not at all uncommon to want to belong somewhere, to want a place where one is accepted as part of the group. That feels safe. It satisfies a deep-seated need. I don't know of many groups, however, that do not in some way look down upon others who do not belong, whether they be people who belong somewhere else or people who don't seem to belong anywhere. It becomes one more Us vs. Them. "We belong to the chosen people." Therefore everyone else is obviously not chosen, or essentially worthless. So, identifying with one group automatically tells us which other groups we can ignore, abuse, or generally devalue.
The trick might be to recognize one's place in the world based on one's capability and passion rather than what kind of initiation one is willing to undergo. Not that everyone has a choice about what is done to their body, especially as a young child, but we do all have choices later on in life about the kinds of associations we make. We ultimately get to choose where we belong. Recognizing oneself as a unique human being who still shares an incredible wealth of characteristics with the totality of the human race can put things in a much healthier perspective than the idea of being part of a chosen few. People wind up doing things that would otherwise be unthinkable, all because of their affiliation with a particular group. Things like committing violence against other people when there could be countless other ways of handling an issue.
The bottom line is that wanting to belong is natural, but rites and marks that set one group apart also identify the outsiders. And "outsiders" is a strange word to use for the people with whom we share this planet. It's time that we stop looking for ways to belong by blindly following what other people tell us is right. We have a place in reality, every last one of us, and that place is determined by what we are willing and able to create, not by what we are willing to endure. No group is better than any other group. We are people. We are all people. Foreskins or not.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Soap Opera Characters, Bibilicial Figures, and You and Me: Self-Centered People Who Sometimes Forget that Actions Have Consequences (Thoughts on Genesis 16)
Chapter 16 of Genesis is like a scene from a soap opera. Abraham and Sarai believed that God had promised them children. But they were old and didn't see that as a physical possibility. So Sarai suggested Abraham sleep with Hagar, Sarai's Egyptian maidservant. Which he does, of course. Hagar gets pregnant and Sarai gets angry. Come to think of it, this could be an entire season of a soap opera. The point is, actions have consequences, and when we act out of fear, the consequences are not usually going to be things we like.
Our actions reflect our understanding of and commitment to the truth and beauty and creativity within us, as well as our acceptance of the reality of our circumstances. It can sometimes seem like a more difficult choice to acknowledge these things, where a self-serving or violent response might be easier, or at least might more directly yield what we want from a given situation. Wisdom reveals that there are consequences to our actions, however. If we betray someone, why would we not expect them to betray us in return? If we attack someone, verbally or physically, why would we not expect retaliation? Or in the instance recounted in Genesis 16, doesn't it makes sense for someone to run away from mistreatment?
When we choose what seems like the easier path in the moment, reacting without thinking our actions through, we actually make our journey more difficult. At the very least, we open ourselves up to be ruled by fear: fear that we won’t get what we want, fear that we won’t be able to keep it, or fear that someone will seek to harm us because of what we have done. It's hard to imagine the married women I know saying to their husbands, "Hey, why don't you just sleep with my young servant girl." But times were obviously different when this story was originally told. What hasn't changed is the idea that if God has made a promise, it doesn't matter how I go about pursuing it. Mistreatment and dehumanization of other people is seen as sanctioned behavior if a line can be traced back to a perceived divine promise. Honestly, it winds up looking like an excuse for poor behavior by self-centered people.
I have heard people claim something akin to the idea that God has a plan and that imperfect people are used as a part of that plan. So there is no real reason to strive to improve oneself because God can use people just as they are, mistakes and all. There's no real way to argue with that. The Bible is as full of people who do stupid things as the cast of any soap opera, but that doesn't mean other people are supposed to emulate them. It's a nice sentiment that God is watching over people, even the mistreated and abused, but wouldn't it be an incredible world if people who claimed to found their lives on faith actually exhibited faith? Everyone, at some point in their lives, can identify with one of the three people in this little domestic drama, but that doesn't mean we should make the same decisions. To suggest that the end result is the only thing that matters opens up an ethically dangerous can of worms.
Although it requires a little more thought on our part, choosing to respect the actual truth and beauty and creativity at the heart of every person yields much greater dividends in our lives. In a way, it may be a self-focused reason to do what is right, but we ultimately can’t avoid seeking to do what we think is best for us. Largely, it's in the way that we go about pursuing that self-interest. When we have respect for ourselves, for other people, and for the reality of our circumstances, we can create the best results for everyone involved, including ourselves. We wind up creating more strife for ourselves and others when we react out of fear and anger.
Our actions reflect our understanding of and commitment to the truth and beauty and creativity within us, as well as our acceptance of the reality of our circumstances. It can sometimes seem like a more difficult choice to acknowledge these things, where a self-serving or violent response might be easier, or at least might more directly yield what we want from a given situation. Wisdom reveals that there are consequences to our actions, however. If we betray someone, why would we not expect them to betray us in return? If we attack someone, verbally or physically, why would we not expect retaliation? Or in the instance recounted in Genesis 16, doesn't it makes sense for someone to run away from mistreatment?
When we choose what seems like the easier path in the moment, reacting without thinking our actions through, we actually make our journey more difficult. At the very least, we open ourselves up to be ruled by fear: fear that we won’t get what we want, fear that we won’t be able to keep it, or fear that someone will seek to harm us because of what we have done. It's hard to imagine the married women I know saying to their husbands, "Hey, why don't you just sleep with my young servant girl." But times were obviously different when this story was originally told. What hasn't changed is the idea that if God has made a promise, it doesn't matter how I go about pursuing it. Mistreatment and dehumanization of other people is seen as sanctioned behavior if a line can be traced back to a perceived divine promise. Honestly, it winds up looking like an excuse for poor behavior by self-centered people.
I have heard people claim something akin to the idea that God has a plan and that imperfect people are used as a part of that plan. So there is no real reason to strive to improve oneself because God can use people just as they are, mistakes and all. There's no real way to argue with that. The Bible is as full of people who do stupid things as the cast of any soap opera, but that doesn't mean other people are supposed to emulate them. It's a nice sentiment that God is watching over people, even the mistreated and abused, but wouldn't it be an incredible world if people who claimed to found their lives on faith actually exhibited faith? Everyone, at some point in their lives, can identify with one of the three people in this little domestic drama, but that doesn't mean we should make the same decisions. To suggest that the end result is the only thing that matters opens up an ethically dangerous can of worms.
Although it requires a little more thought on our part, choosing to respect the actual truth and beauty and creativity at the heart of every person yields much greater dividends in our lives. In a way, it may be a self-focused reason to do what is right, but we ultimately can’t avoid seeking to do what we think is best for us. Largely, it's in the way that we go about pursuing that self-interest. When we have respect for ourselves, for other people, and for the reality of our circumstances, we can create the best results for everyone involved, including ourselves. We wind up creating more strife for ourselves and others when we react out of fear and anger.
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