e-zine for August 25, 2006
What Marks Progressive Religion?
"Beyond this universality of the symbolic language, we are apprised of the divineness of this superior use of things, whereby the world is a temple, whose walls are covered with emblems, pictures, and commandments of the Deity, in this, that there is no fact in nature which does not carry the whole sense of nature; and the distinctions which we make in events, and in affairs, of low and high, honest and base, disappear when nature is used as a symbol. "
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Progressive Measuring Stick
By Ian Lawton
Two questions to set up as a measure of a progressive religion might be:
1. How self-empowering is it?
2. How inclusive is it?
The first question gets at unlocking the untold wisdom and beauty that is within each one of us. It asks the disciple to awaken to a divine power that is within rather than seeking solace and guidance from any external authority, whether that be the church or a supernatural God. It asks the question, "Will we come of age as human beings, and break the shackles of dependence on the hand-holding, fatherly God?"
The second question is more searching than whether we accept difference, in a politically correct sort of way. It pushes far deeper than that. It challenges how passionately we celebrate the diversity of life, how we approach what we perceive to be negative experiences in life, and what our relationship is to the whole unfolding Kosmic process. Will we include all things; sadness, grief, war, tragedy, achievement, science, mystery and beauty and so much more, in our religious embrace?
If these are two measures of a progressive religion, then it's not warm and fuzzy like some strands of liberal religion. It demands your life, your soul, your all. It asks the ultimate questions, the tough questions and requires discipline and courage to pursue. The intent of the two questions is to inspire an active faith that believes we can make a difference in a tormented world.
What is the relationship of this searching progressive religion to its tradition's mythology?
For the next two Sundays at C3/CCC, we will be exploring how an "as if" approach to the power of myth can enhance a progressive religion's abiliy to be both self-empowering and inclusive. On the first Sunday we will wonder together how living as if there is no supernatural God can open us to a personal responsibility that is world-changing. On the second week we will explore living as if there is no distinction between sacred and secular, heaven and earth, divine and human. The power of myth in both cases is to shatter our preconceived notions of what limits and divides us.
If you can get to the gatherings, you will be pleased you made the effort. Either way, consider the power of myth in your life, and how imagination has shaped your ability to envision a more peaceful and just world. Believe in the power of myth. Believe in the power of your own wisdom. Believe in the unity of life.
Ian's Bio
Don't Miss this Sunday at C3/CCC
The Power of Myth: Taking Responsibility
Bonhoeffer said, “God would have us know that we must live as men who manage our lives without him.” What would it mean to live Bonhoeffer’s “religionless Christianity”? What would it require for us to live as if there is no God? What would it gain us to live as if we are surrounded by miracles at every turn? This Sunday, Ian Lawton will be speaking as we explore living life with an “as if” mentality, celebrating the power of myth and story, seeking personal responsibility and taking on the needs of the world as if we can make a difference.
This Sunday's Gathering will also include:
* Music of Steve and Goldie Weideman
* A Visual meditation of photographs by Ed Post
* An Important Community Financial Update
Check Out the Bulletin for this Sunday!
May the words of Max Ehrmann inspire you:
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
the universe is unfolding as it should.
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A Theologian and A Physicist in Dialogue: 'Living As If There Were No God'
"We have to live in the world esti deus non daretur (as if there were no God)...God would have us know that we must live as men who manage our lives without him. The God who is with us is the God who forsakes us (Mark. 15:34). Before God and with God we live without God."
~Bonhoeffer
We are happy to offer you an excerpt of a very timely dialogue between Ian Lawton and Howard Van Till. A theologian (Lawton) and a physicist (Van Till) discuss synchronicity, how it gels with the traditional notion of divine providence, and how it relates to the conflict in the Middle East. Follow the link below to read the complete dialogue.
Howard Van Till writes:
Ian, I'm not sure if I am on the same page with you regarding "synchronicity". As I see it, our lives are a vast sea of events that are highly divergent in character. Combinations of these events that bear no similarities go unnoticed. Why? Because the brain experiences no benefit or reward in trying to relate them.
Occasionally, however, there are event combinations that exhibit some relationship, even if it is purely superficial or accidental. The brain is then inclined to make even a superficial relationship into something that provides some sort of satisfaction.
As I see it, that is purely a matter of "value added" by the brain, and is not evidence of some universal phenomenon of "synchronicity" that has value or meaning in its own right.
So, if there is no need to go beyond the statistics of occasional event similarities and the value-adding action of the normal human brain, why postulate another nebulous layer of significance??
In reading the recent neuroscience literature (and reflecting on my own belief odyssey) I am startled to see how little of what we think & do is subjected to the critique of our rational/intentional capabilities. The effects of both hard-wiring (the way the brain is structured to function as a consequence of an evolutionary history in which survival is need #1) and social pressure (the survival value -- for both physical and emotional benefits -- of belonging to a tribe) appear to be the major influences. Rational examination of empirical data (mindful reflection on actual experience) plays a far smaller role than my Calvinist upbringing led me to expect.
Ian Lawton writes:
I think you may have misrepresented my position on synchronicity. My perspective is to live AS IF there are no accidents, much like Bonhoeffer suggesting we live AS IF there is no God. My reason for adding AS IF is that the more intentionally and consciously we live, the more meaning we can create out of all circumstances and the more we can allow opportunities to arise out of each moment.
I agree with you that synchronicity is a dangerous notion, especially when it is used dogmatically like the old notion of divine providence.
My perspective is that to rely on the comfort of outside control (whether called God or synchronicity) is dangerous as we may become passive. It can also be manipulative to claim divine (or synchronistic) support for a self serving purpose. On the other hand, to be aware that we are choosing to assign meaning is to keep our own sense of personal responsibility firmly alive. Its about living mindfully.
Pop Culture Will Eat Itself
By Brad Vander Ark
What Makes Us Who We Are(?)
“Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death.”
-Anais Nin
In December of 1996, my former band mates and I were sitting in a dressing room in Stuttgart, Germany, preparing to take the stage for one of our final opening gigs supporting Kiss. The conversation centered on our return to the States, and the kickoff of our own headlining tour. We were arguing whether or not to play some of our more popular older songs from the early days. None of us really wanted to play any of them; we had spent seemingly countless years performing them over and over. As the discussion progressed into a rather heated debate, Gene Simmons of Kiss walked into the room, in full makeup and costume. His boots added 7 inches to his height, which forced him to bend down to enter the doorway. He asked us what we were arguing about, we gave him a general overview, and he responded by saying, “You have to play what the fans want to hear. Do you think I like playing ‘I Was Made For Loving You’ every night?” (This particular song, as all hardcore Kiss fans know, was a huge hit during their controversial “disco” period). That was all he had to say; we realized that satisfying the fans was the number one priority. I must mention that the wisdom inherent in Gene’s statement was only slightly sullied by the fact that, as he turned to leave the room, he forgot to duck, and banged the crap out of his forehead.
Just the other afternoon, I was wandering around my yard calculating the percentage of dead, scorched grass in relation to the whole, while listening to my iPod, and Kiss’ “Detroit Rock City” shuffled on. My finger, almost unconsciously, started to move to the fast-forward button, but I decided to listen for a moment, for nostalgia’s sake. When the song ended, I navigated the menu to play all available Kiss songs, and listened to an hour’s worth of my childhood.
There were so many things about being in a successful touring rock band that I could have enjoyed, but did not. There were many reasons, but the predominant one was the fact that I hated leaving my house, and for years I was on the road about four times as much as I was at home. The bus became a rolling “Twilight Zone” of sorts: You got in at midnight, slept 12 hours away, and opened the door to find that, even though you had traveled 500 miles, you were seemingly on the same street, next to the same bar, around the corner from the same McDonald’s as the day before. I quite often wondered “What in my life has brought me to this point?” I loved making music, but hated being away from home, didn’t particularly care for the other band members, and was not at all happy about being part of a manufactured corporate machine. But, I felt that there was nothing else I was capable of doing. I was a lifelong musician, it was the only thing that I had ever known, and it only made sense to me, at that point, to do it for my entire life. It was not until I moved to New York City in 1999 that I realized that success as an artist did not necessarily have to mean driving yourself completely ragged in an attempt to reach as many people as possible.
Over the past year or so, I have begun to come to terms with my former life. I had always felt that I had completely wasted 10 years. I have been to Germany, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, France, Scotland, Belgium, Norway, Austria, Italy, and many more countries of which I have no distinct memory. My bank account never contained more than a couple hundred dollars during that entire time, nor does it now. But, recently, I received an email from a fan that had just watched my documentary “Resurrected”, and told me how much the music of The Verve Pipe had touched her. Beyond the hype, after the fall into oblivion, something that I had helped to create had an impact on another human being. It doesn’t matter that we were merely a blip on the radar of popular culture, or what we created was never received well critically. However subjective any music may be, it occasionally breaks through and creates a memory timestamp, that when revisited, can transport us back to a distinct time in our lives.
I have since moved beyond the constant attempt to please others, and now only wish to satisfy my own creative needs. But I have taken with me a great lesson, one that was planted when Gene Simmons cracked his head, and has grown over the years, allowing me to look back on my career with a little less regret. I was miserable, but what I did inspired people, and continues to do so today. It doesn’t matter if it touches one or one million people.
It means something.
Brad's Bio
Resurrected: Behind the Music of The Verve Pipe
In 1996, The Verve Pipe released "Villains", their first album on the RCA Records Label. The CD went on to sell over 1 million copies in the U.S. Then, the band seemingly disappeared...Until now.
Former bassist Brad Vander Ark presents "Resurrected", a documentary detailing the downfall of the band, his move to New York City, and on to the present, in which creative success is not measured simply by record sales and radio airplay.
The limited edition set features two DVDs, which include the film, deleted scenes, outtakes, and promotional trailer, all for just $25.00 (shipping included).
All proceeds from "Resurrected" serve as a fundraiser for C3/CCC. Check out the C3 Store for more information and to watch the trailer for the film.
Check out the C3 Store
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