“You shall not commit adultery.”

BTW: Before I begin.  Don’t ever Google ‘commit adultery.’  Even if your intentions are pure, like trying to figure out if it has more meanings than what we all know.  The sites you will be suggested to are not something you would your grandmother knowing about – which is my litmus test for just about everything.

Anyway, because the extent of my research abilities begins and ends with Google, I don’t know if there is something more to committing adultery than what meets the eye.

Again, this seems like a fairly easy one for me.  Since I am not currently in a partnered relationship, committing adultery is not something I am too worried about.  I would need a boyfriend first, thank you very much.  No, I’m not bitter…well maybe a little bit.

But, nonetheless this is what I will think about this week in the midst of my life.  Hopefully I can find ways to make it relevant, even to single gals like me!

Revelancy

“You shall not murder.”


This was the commandment I worked on this week. I am pleased to report I did not murder anyone all week long. Nor did I kill, which is different people tell me. Since I am a vegetarian no animals died for me this week, and I did not kill any bugs. So, I could just leave it there and say I was successful for the week. But, that is much too simple for me. This commandment got me thinking about the topic of relevancy.

I have a feeling one of the reasons the 10 commandments are not really discussed anymore, or at least taken seriously, is because they don’t seem relevant. The commandment not to murder probably doesn’t seem very relevant to someone like me, who has never had the compulsion to murder. Nor do I spend much time around those who have murdered, though some of my behavioral health patients have murdered in the past, and others feel a desire to, but really don’t want to. Anyway, not murdering is not hard for me and most people I interact with. Because of that, people may say this is no longer something ‘normal’ people need to think about too much.

But maybe that is not right. Maybe we do need to think about. Like the other commandments I have considered throughout my Life Experiment, I have decided they all still speak to us in some way. And the very fact they were written down and given so much importance in our faith traditions make them important to take seriously. But how does one do that when murder will probably never be a part of one’s life?

The reality is, murder is a part of our lives. Everyday. Everyday we are confronted by murder. On television, in movies, in books, on the internet. We are confronted everyday by the reality there are people in the world, in our towns and neighborhoods, who will intentionally take another person’s life. And we are so bombarded by this reality, it does not carry the emotional weight it should for us.
Yes, sometimes a murder becomes a big issue and many people start to talk about it. The Treyvon Martin murder for example. This has, rightly so, been the source of a great deal of talk and emotions. It should be. But how many other young, black men have been murdered since Treyvon’s death? We are most certainly not talking about that. And I think one of the reasons is because we have become de-sensitized by it. I know I certainly have.

But then I am choosing to focus my time and energy on a commandment people may tell me is no longer relevant. But it is. And what it has taught me this week is murder is against God. It damages the intricate fabric of God’s Creation in a way which can never be repaired. We are called by God not to take this lightly. It is written in stone: Do not murder.

So, I shall not murder. And more importantly, I shall not gloss over the murders of others. I will acknowledge the tear in the fabric of life, and grieve the loss. And I will do what I can to make sure those who have lost their lives will not be forgotten or become just another name on a stat sheet.

Religion and Politics

“There are two topics people should never talk about with one another: religion and politics.”  This is a problem for me, since I talk religion day and night and politics is a passion of mine.  But, where did this ‘advice’ come from and why does it exist in the first place?

Here is my theory: A person’s religious beliefs are very personal.  A person will believe what they will believe and, at least in my experience, are rarely open to suggestion.  The same is true for politics.  A person’s political stance on just about anything is for personal reasons.  Therefore it is difficult to change a person’s mind.  So, both religion and politics boil down to personal beliefs, one’s which are not changed easily.  Also, both can carry a great deal of emotional weight.  This can be proven in any conversation between a person who strongly believes one thing and a person who equally strongly believes in another.  If those two ‘things’ – whatever the thing is – disagrees or contradicts each other, passionate disagreement will exist. 

Therefore, people say don’t bother discussing either religion or politics.  A fight is inevitable.  Perhaps, but I still disagree.

Even though, as I outlined above, both religious beliefs and political stances more often than not boil down to very personal motivators, they are not personal issues.  A person’s religious life is rarely contained to just themselves.  A religious life, practiced to its fullest extent, will put a person in relationship with others.  Those very personal beliefs will effect how people engage with a neighbor, an animal, a relationship, the poor, and the wealthy.  And the exact same can be said of a person’s political beliefs.  Neither of these two “hot-button” issues are purely individualistic.  And because we live in a community, a community with other people who have their own strong opinions, then we must discuss religion and politics.

The reason I am writing all of this is because I have been asked to write an endorsement for a state senate candidate.  Not only am I writing her an endorsement, I am on her campaign cabinet with the auspicious title of field director.  She is totally awesome by the way, check her out: www.danaforme.com

When I was asked to write her an endorsement, I asked if she would like me to sign it with Rev. in front of my name.  Yes, the enthusiastic response I was given.  And a political endorsement written by someone with Rev. in front of their name draws together religion and politics in a very real way. 

But, it is my religious beliefs which inform my political stance, and it’s my political ideals which inform my religious under-pinning.  The two cannot be separated from one another.  My strong desire for justice and equally cannot be attributed to just my religion or my politics – they are both inter-mingled.  I can passionately argue for women’s rights using religious speech or political speech.  Because I live in a community, and engage with that community, my religion and my politics will both be very visible.  I will speak about both with humbleness but conviction.  And I will listen to others with equal humbleness and conviction.

I am honored to have been asked to write an endorsement for a state senate candidate who embodies the political ideals my religious beliefs call for.  And as a political Reverend I will approach my task, not afraid to draw together two ‘touchy’ subjects, but rather to engage with them in a way that encourages others to do so as well.

Quotes

I have been collecting quotes in all of the reading I've been doing lately.  And I have wanted to share a couple of really powerful ones.  No better place than here!

"Let us sing now, not in order to enjoy a life of leisure, but in order to lighten your labors.  You should sing as wayfarers do - sing, but continue your journey.  Do not be lazy, but sing to make your journey more enjoyable.  Sing, but keep going." - St. Augustine

 "The darkness is still with us, O Lord.  You are still hidden and the world which you have made does not want to know you or receive you...You are still the hidden child in a world grown old...You are still obscured by the veils of the world's history, you are still destined not to be acknowledged in the scandal of your death on the cross...But I, O hidden Lord of all things, boldly affirm my faith in you.  In confessing you, I take my stand with you...If I make this avowal of faith, it must pierce the depths of my heart like a sword, I must bend my knee before you, saying, I must alter my life.  I have still to become a Christian." - Karl Rahner

"When a bird remains long on the ground it thereby weakens its wings and its feathers grow heavy.  Then it rises, flaps its wings and swings itself up till it takes to the air and glides into flight.  The longer it flies, the more blissfully it soars, refreshing itself, hardly alighting on the earth to rest.  So it is with the soul: the wings of love have taken from it the desire for earthly things.  We must prepare ourselves in the same way if we wish to come to God.  We must rise on wings of longing up to him." - Mechtild of Magdeburg

Not so Hard

This week's commandment does not give me the same level of worry last week's commandment did.

"You shall not murder."

Right now I am feeling pretty confident I will not murder this week, and I mostly certainly hope I never will.  I will, however, reflect on the commandment this week and think about how it can still be relevant for today's 'average, non-murdering type person.'

But, I wanted to share some more about my Sabbath.  On Friday I posted I needed Sabbath.  It had been a really long, hard week.  I was tired and cranky.  I need refreshment.  So I made that my priority this weekend.  I didn't have a list of chores to do.  I turned down an invitation to participate in something.  Essentially, I just sat still and breathed.  And it was wonderful.  Today I felt refreshed and ready to take on the world.  Even at the gym this morning, I was feeling good.  And as I am on-call this week, I will need lots of stand-by energy for whatever may come up.

The biggest lesson I learned was not to let it get so bad.  Not to wait until God slaps you in the face with a commandment you need more than you realize.  I hope to incorporate Sabbath into my life regularly.  I need to regularly refresh myself so I am prepared to take on whatever comes my way and continue to live out my calling to care for others.  I hope you can do the same.

I need Sabbath

Boy, do I ever.  I am in the crankiest mood.  And you know, what, nearly everyone I have encountered today has been in an equally cranky mood.  Even people in other states.  I think Friday the 13th has something to do with it.

Anyway, this week's Commandment to live out is keeping the Sabbath.  Originally I was worried that it would not be possible, since I am preaching on Sunday and thought I would have to write my sermon on Saturday.  But I have it done already.  This means I have no plans for tomorrow.  It will be my Sabbath day.  And I can't wait.

All day today I have been thinking about tomorrow and my intentional Sabbath.  It has helped me to keep a fake smile plastered to my face today while people were rude to me.  I am craving Sabbath.  It may in fact start tonight. 

I wonder if that is the point of Sabbath.  Knowing a day of rest is coming, a day when we stop working and stop hurrying, helps us to get through the work week.  And when Sabbath does finally come, we can thank God for the opportunity to sit still and just breathe. 

I don't know exactly how tomorrow will unfold.  I do know I will go to the gym, but I will take my time and not try to rush.  I will do some baking - my idea of a really good time, seriously.  Then reading, maybe go to a consignment shop.  Essentially, I will slow down.  And I will thank God for the time.  So, when I enter into worship on Sunday morning, called to lead this wonderful congregation, I will be refreshed and ready to share the Good News of Christ's on-going resurrection. 

I hope the rest of you can find some time for Sabbath, especially when you need it the most.

Moderation

You won’t believe it, I turned my television on last night! I was asked by someone who I work with how it was going not watching television and I told them it was great and also got on my soap-box about the crud on television. They said something which struck me, “You get to pick what you watch.”

That is true. So, I wondered what would happen if I turned the TV on and watched some cooking shows – which is what I did instead of blogging last night. I watched 2 and a half cooking shows. And you know what, I didn’t feel any different. I didn’t feel like, “I have been missing this!” or “I am calling to cancel my cable right now!” Instead, I felt nothing too interesting. I did turn the television off for dinner and it didn’t go back on. The only things that interested me were cooking shows and I had seen them all already.

This whole experiment has been really interesting for me. I don’t want to be on my high-horse about television, preaching against it, because we do get to choose what we watch. But at the same time, I wasn’t thrilled. I was much more interested in finishing my latest book last night than continuing to watch. But what I did decide is I need to be less strict with myself. I have been all about restriction lately, setting routines, holding back, trying to reign in my life. And that is all well and good, but it should not be a mean to an end. It should be done not because I “should” but because I “want.” Rather than swearing things off completely, what I need to learn is moderation.

The same goes with my weight loss. I am approaching the “maintenance” period, meaning I will have lost the weight I set out to loose but then need to keep it off. That is the time when people usually begin to fail. I have been restricting only, but now I need to learn moderation. And maybe I can begin with TV. I really don’t want to watch much, and I like not watching the news in the morning or evening, too negative or over-sensationalized. But my friend is right, I can pick what I want to watch. I can pick to turn the TV on and off, it is not just one or the other.

And the more I think about it, the more I am excited to watch my morning of cooking shows on Saturday. That is something which makes me exceedingly happy and I have been missing that. But then I can turn the TV off and do something productive – which this Saturday will no doubt be writing a sermon.

And when I must re-learn my entire eating patterns, again, to maintain my weight loss, I will have had some practice in moderation – something I never learned before.