"the god who isn't there"

Sent this be a colleague in Victoria. part of Cheryl Lawrie's musings.
I really "resonates" with me too!

not sure if this makes sense yet, but i don’t want to lose the thought]

on the way back from Port Phillip prison on thursday night i was wondering again about the ethics of leaving verses out of psalms that we’d read together before we wrote our own. a lot of the psalms are pretty self righteous and smug: all that talk of god smiting the wicked requires a fair bit of unpacking when you’re using them in the company of those who have been convicted as the wicked… I’d edited out the verses that asked god to destroy our enemies, verses which thanked god that we were not as evil as all those other people, and verses which requested that all those wicked people out there go languish in prison forever.

i went straight from the prison to have dinner with some people from st michaels in the city, who want to explore alternative worship. during the conversation [the first half of which seemed to be a test of my theology to make sure it was ok… all in the nicest way, of course], Adam asked whether i thought that praying for rain helped [we had downpours of rain across the state on thursday, after 12 months of the lowest rainfall on record].

i don’t think god can make it rain. i don’t think god can smite our enemies, either. personally, i think the theology within prayers for rain and psalms of revenge is really dubious. i do think, though, that the theology that lies in the writing of them is profound and quite wonderful: knowing that there is no expression of anger too shocking to fit within a framework of faith, no loneliness to uncomfortable to be expressed within a community of faith, no desperation that will go unheard.

there are times when we need to pray for rain, even if we know that praying will do nothing - because it is all we can do. there are times we need to pray that god will smite our enemies, even if we know god can’t. there are times we need to ask god to raise someone from the dead, even if we know it’s not going to happen. because to not pray those things is too devastating - it leaves a chasm that’s unbearable at a moment of greatest fear. and because there are moments where we need to be able to want a god who will do those things, even if deep down we know god can’t…

i had a conversation last week with someone who is wandering around the edges of this project, wondering whether he’ll find a place to belong here. he said that when he goes to churches he is either promised a god who has the power to do all those things but has chosen not to, or he’s offered another version of god - who doesn’t have the power or choice, but who acts with love within everything that happens [a theology that he resonates really strongly with]. what he needs at the moment, though, is a place where he can be [irrationally, as he admits] angry that there isn’t a god who can simply make the world right, right here, right now.

i know he’s not the only one. in fact, i suspect that half the world is missing that place too.

Let's make an end to accepting authority uncritically.

Been away on holidays for a few weeks.
Was sent this among 100's of emails waiting for me when I returned home.

Resist the Temptation to Submit to Authority

January 13th, 2007 by John Wesley ·

For many reasons, submitting to authority is extremely attractive. It takes the pressure off. We don’t have to think for ourselves. If any problems arise we don’t have to worry about deciding what to do. We can just do what the leader says and be confident that answer is the final truth.

This innate craving for authority is rooted deeply in the human psyche. In Freud’s philosophy, the mind is divided into three segments. The id is our primitive childish side. It causes our spontaneous desires for sex, food, and laziness. When you get an urge to quit working, take a nap, eat junk food, or look at pictures of scantily clad members of the opposite sex, that’s the id at work. The superego is the opposite of the id. When you feel compelled by success and ambition, the superego is exerting its influence. The ego is the moderator between the id and superego. It tries to balance the two and is perpetually torn between extremes. Authority forms a bridge between the superego and the id, allowing the ego take a vacation. When you submit to authority, the superego is happy because it believes you are doing the right thing, the id is happy because your childish craving for a father is satisfied, and the ego is thrilled because for once there is peace.

Authority is not constrained to a single personage. It takes the form of belief systems, religious doctrines, political parties, and any entity claiming to hold truth exclusive to all the rest. These entities appear to have our best interests at heart. They take us under their wing and shelter us from the world.

In our heart of hearts, we’re all searching for a great teacher, someone who has mastered life and will show us the way. Isn’t it invigorating to discover a potential authority? Whenever I find a new author that strikes a chord I can’t get enough. I read everything they have to offer, hoping to find that elusive truth. But inevitably, my naive enthusiasm wears off and I realize the answer isn’t there.

From childhood we are conditioned to submit to authority. Do what the teacher says or you will be punished. The desire for authority continues in adulthood and there is never a shortage of potential leaders urging us to join them. Consider the books and web pages you read. How many claim to improve your lives, if only you subscribe, tell your friends, and follow their instructions? Understand that all motivation is rooted in self interest, and be guarded against those who offer simple answers.

There is No One Right Way

I’m not saying that everything offering guidance is evil. There is much to be learned from authority. But it is harmful when accepted unconditionally. There is no ONE right way. The are many shades of truth and ways to live. Growth, intelligence, and perspective are developed by experiencing a broad variety and drawing your own conclusions. By submitting to authority you sacrifice originality and potential for personal growth.

Nothing Will Solve All Your Problems

Many people are of the opinion that if one party took over the government, or if some ideal system was implemented, our problems would be solved. Our problems are not so simple. The root cause is human weakness; greed, selfishness, aggression, and jealousy. There is no system of government that can change human nature. The conflict would remain and people would turn to another ‘answer’.

We see the same weakness exploited at a personal level. Supposed gurus preach miraculous programs. For a price, you can be cured. We are so desperate for authority we flock to these frauds, and in a desperate search for answers oversimplify our problems. Suppose the guru is correct and you make a million dollars, or fulfill some other dream, what then? Authority will give you no lasting peace.

Authority Exploits

When we submit to authority, we willingly pull the wool over our own eyes, exposing ourselves to manipulation. The greatest catastrophes of human history were caused by submission to authority. The Holocaust was caused by submission to the Nazi authority. September 11th was caused by submission to Bin Laden’s authority. Everyday people are suckered out of hard earned money because they blindly believe in authority. Be distrustful, question what you’re told, and don’t believe that anyone claiming to have all the answers has your best interests at heart.

It is a cold and lonely road to stand alone without authority and rely on your own judgment. But as Emerson said, “To be a man, is to be a nonconformist.” I hope you will choose to trust your own intuition above any outside authority. Be honest with yourself, live by your own principals, and you people will admire you for it. But don’t take my word for it, reflect and draw your own conclusions.