Monday, April 20, 2009

What DO you believe then?

THE FOOTBALL COACH AND THE LADY

We are going to see how this goes. I did take some notes from the re-air of 'This American Life' on Sunday. The theme, again was 'This I used to believe'. The segments all had the idea of long standing beliefs changing.

While the entire show was another well crafted program, the segment about 'faith', grabbed a hold of me. I want to see if anyone else can help me understand what I am talking about ... would be appreciated!

Cause right now, all I am doing is 'feeling'.

One of the problems I have, is not knowing the ladies background. I hate to assume that she is well off, or at the very least, someone who is of the neighborhood of 'safe and stable homes', but that is the assumption I am going to roll with.

Her faith was shaken, when her friend passed away. So I want to ask her, if she was devout in her faith before her friends TRIAL, let alone passing. That is something I really wonder, whenever I happen upon people like this. She couldn't get the answer she wanted from the football coach, but she did say she got an answer.

The host, who calls himself an atheist, spoke on the coaches 'simple' vision, at being mollified by the knowledge that there are things he will never know, questions that he won't find answers to, but it was all right (right Beth??), because 'God knows' (my words, not anyone else). That kind of bothered me.

My Mom got a GED. But when her nine year old son had questions about faith that she couldn't answer, she did what she thought was best. Got some books that was WAY over our intellect, and tried to figure them out with him. I mention this, because it contrasts the high school football coach, who prolly went to college and had to have had a couple of three deep thinking courses to graduate.

So I would ask the smart lady, and the smart radio show host, how do they reconcile all of this? I mean, we read C.S. Lewis and Thomas Milton. That was when I read Dante and his 'Divine Comedy'. If religion is for the simple, then why are not all simple people religious?

THE OPIATE OF THE MASSES

Maybe it is. So are cigarettes, liquor and sugar. Television, inane pop music, and sports. You could go on and on, what occupies the minds of the simple, the common, the minds of 'folk'. And that is how the 'enlightened' think of those who walk in the bramble patch of religion, as someone who has become addicted to a system of contradictions, that leave them as empty and unknowing as those they are trying to reach out and save from an eternity of darkness.

So they smirk. And that bothers me. Because when you ask them what do they believe, they throw out some ten dollar words that someone else told them that they heard in some hazy bar or in a basement apartment.

But as far as being able to make a personal identification to their 'belief' or ' will ful non-belief' (which, thanks to Stephen King, is a working definition of 'Desperation'), that irks me. If being faithful is the way of dull witted and simple, then what is the way of not believing?

NOT IN YOUR PAY GRADE

When I think back on my 'General Orders', I find myself reciting the first one, ' I will guard everything within the limits of my post, and only quit my post when properly relieved.' I think that is something that is to be expect of each and every single one of us. We are going to live our lives to the fullest, and give that 'unforgiving minute' everything we have.

The lady was wondering about how unfair it was that her friend, who was such a good, sweet and thoughtful person, was taken with so much yet to give, and she was still here. That caught me, because when my Mother moved on, I knew at that moment, that there was no more for her to give here on this plane. It wasn't mine to ask 'why', but if I thought she left with more on her card, then I should try to pick some of it up. And I did my best to do what I thought was what she wanted.

My Mom was what, 55 when she left. Old enough to see some grand children, but young enough to not to have really enjoyed being a Grandmother. I may not have wanted it to happen, but the asking of 'why' is for the dark nights of the soul.

My darling, darling (oh my goodness ... he was SUCH a sweet person!!) brother was only 34 when he got his orders. His race ran, when the moment came to ask 'why' ... I couldn't.

"SO I GUESS THE HERO STUFF IS UP TO ME"

Borrowed that from 'Captain Stupendous'. Cool, cool cat, the Captain was. If there was one thing that I knew, well, what I knew is between me and the people I shared it with. But I got it done.

I sort of guess, my issue with the smart cat show host and the lady is that if you don't believe in something, what do you believe? I mean, they would likely expound on some drivel that they my 'repeat' but I don't think that they 'know'. They dismiss the faithful as 'ignorant', and I have a thing about objectification of groups in negative terms. Yeah, I know that the faithful have their moments, but this isn't about that, I don't think.

I think that it is just about me.

Sometimes, I get nervy about things. I remember when I first started to ice skate, and cracking my butt on the ice. I remember the first time I began to repel and I can remember going down when the PSL 'Game of the Week' was a night game at ML King High, and just goofing of on what is reportedly the 'wrong side' of a bad town.

Yet through it all, I had a faith that whatever it was, it wasn't going to happen to me. And that whatever I have for my 'minute' I was either going to be allowed to run, or I wouldn't. That is prolly why I would annoy my ex-wife, saying things like, "Oh, I know that kind of stuff happens to OTHER people, but that isn't supposed to happen to me!" She'd get so mad!! Good friggin' times!

I would say that, because it wasn't up to her what happened, In fact, I didn't think it was up to 'me' as much as we are all vessels. I think 'non-belief' is the act of cowards, those who would quake beneath the responsibility of having faith, of believing in SOMETHING.

Belief, demands accountability. It is something that makes one responsible to something bigger and beyond oneself. To 'opt out' of faith because it is too hard is something I find kind of confusing. Do you think spritual faith is right or do you think it is wrong? Then say why. Two degrees.

At the end of the segment, the lady said she was open to finding out more. Eh, okay. I think that it was the presumption of the simple mindedness of the faithful that got to me. I have never thought it was simple, just as atheism and agnosticism (and I still check that box) is any more complicated. There is definitely a profound courage to remain faithful, despite everything. And when you short shrift the faithful as intellectually inferior, it will irk me.

Well. Back to reg'lar heathen stuff next time!!

6 comments:

Beth said...

I don't think that spiritual faith is right OR wrong. Everyone needs to find their own way...there are people in my life who have great faith, and it means a lot to them and gives them much happiness and comfort. I would never dream of trying to puncture their faith with some sort of debate, and I don't take kindly to those who try to question my beliefs. It is a very personal thing to me, and I think that we all find our own path.

Hugs, Beth

betty said...

I think you know what I think about faith, Mark; without my belief in Jesus, I truly think I would be more of a basket case than I am right now. When I look at what he did for me and how I get to spend eternity with him, it just amazes me on how much he loves me. I have to believe there is something better than this world and that there is a God, the God I believe in, in charge of it all and that he chooses this or that but that he knows what is best. There was a time I literally had to cling to that belief or I would have gone off the deep end and would have gone crazy. It makes no sense but I have to trust and believe in him that he knows what is best for me, that he knows what I'm going through and what lies ahead for me and nothing catches him by surprise. Without that assurance,I would be totally lost. I just wish more would come to know him and call him their Lord

lots to think about for sure Mark

betty

Anonymous said...

One of the things I like about Hinduism is their attitude toward other religions. They don't see it as a competition; for them, it's more "Different strokes for different folks."

That was such a breath of fresh air for me, having been brought up in "Do as we say, or burn burn burn" Catholicism.

Anonymous said...

I was raised catholic which included 12 years of catholic school. So I had a "starting point." Even still, I was frequently in the principals office for asking the "wrong" questions (like, how exactly does God speak to the pope? Does the pope get a vision? Does God appear? What?). So it isn't any wonder that I haven't been in a catholic church since the day I graduated. I thought most of it was just plain silly. But because I had that upbringing I've spent a large portion of my adult life searching and have come up with my own version of things. I believe that Jesus was an amazing dude (or cool cat as you would say). He'da had to have been. But I have doubts about him being the literal son of God. And the bible always paints him to be so... solemn, when in reality to do what he did he'da had to have been amazingly charismatic and probably very funny, too.
I know this doesn't help but... you asked.
xo
:D

Lisa said...

Mark, you bring about a good point, everyone does has thier own beliefs and yes I too question when someone dies far too young, Thanks for visiting me, Hugs Lisa

Sage Ravenwood said...

What do I believe? Depends on which part of my life that may of applied to. Essentially these days it's a value system of humanity. You have to believe in yourself before all else, or everything comes up empty.

I'm not they type of christian god believer quite a few of my followers are...yet they still tune in. Why? Because I won't judge them for it either. Who can judge someone for whatever it is that gives them hope. I'm a huge supporting of one size fits all not being an answer. Just because it doesn't work for me, doesn't necessarily mean it's not giving some kind of strength or hope to someone else.

The only time religion camps irritate the hell out of me is when someone insist they're way is the only way. We live in a very diverse world there are way too many options to shove a belief system down someones throat.

At the end of the day we each have our own spiritual guidance that thing that gives us strength and hope. (Hugs)Indigo