notes to self

 

Don't bother asking me for citations, I've long forgotten them, but I remember learning in theological seminary that Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834), German theologian who wrote "On Religion: Speeches To Its Cultured Despisers," asserted, "in each of us there is implanted a sense of the infinite." To an extent, I might agree with him, but I'm more inclined to understand man's (okay, so shoot me) basis for religion as our fear and wonder of the unknown unexplainable that we see around us. Sun, moon, stars, crops growing (Baruch ata, Adonai Eloheinu, melek ha-olam; ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz), threatening clouds, lightning, violent storms at sea, bizarre behavior, childbirth, life itself, death, death itself. Maybe especially death. 

Repeated here many Times, yea unto way too much, I'm a fan of Steve Jobs' famed commencement address summary, Don't live someone else's life; don't be trapped by dogma, which is the result of other people's thinking. I prefer to be sensible that all that we say we know/believe was wrung out of bitter disagreements by flat-earth bishops and emperors, someTimes by shunning and violence. SomeTimes by majority votes about which group's certainties to ratify as True religion, even though (What is Truth?) no amount of certainty makes anything True. 

Is there objective Truth? There is indeed, it's just that it's beyond human knowing, at least at this stage of our evolution toward the image and likeness of God. "Incomprehensible" is the most cogent word in one of our Christian creeds, the Quicunque Vult.

My religion starts the same place as the prehistoric ancients: by looking up at the heavens. As they saw it, they were looking out from the center of things and formed their religious certainties, still set in concrete to this day, accordingly. I'm looking out and seeing the same things they saw, but knowing there's infinitely more beyond what I see, 

and, standing fully as anxious and ignorant as they were, but at least - -  realizing that we are not at the center of things at all but on a tiny speck of planet in an outer fringe of one of trillions of galaxies - - ultimately decide to just let it all be, unanswered and uncertain, and live my life in my Time and place; loving the stories and celebrations, singing the songs, reciting the prayers and creeds, viewing my responsibilities as more important than my rights, loving and enjoying the gift, and working to keep The Promises as my rule of life.

My friends, life is short and we haven't much Time ... so, Will you - -

continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers? I promise.

persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever I fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? I promise.

proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Jesus Christ? I promise.

seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as myself? I promise.

strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being? I promise.

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When all is said and done and the night sky comes out, and I stand here looking out dumbfounded, knowing I have no answers and certainly no certainties, nothing matters but my own integrity as part of it for now.

T89&c