Ever since I heard the word antidisestablishmentarianism on a quiz show in the fifties, I wanted to use it in some context. First of all I wonder if I spelled it correctly, my spell check does not recognise it. The term comes from our friends in the Anglican (anglo-catholic) Church of England. It is all about those accused of challenging traditional church doctrine.
Today challenging church doctrine is a quite a popular sport in all faith traditions. It is a little like skeet shooting. So grab your shotgun and lets look at these pigeons. Feel free to yell pull at any time.
I grew up in an atmosphere of blind trust. We all knew what God was and what He expected of us. I myself gave up on trying to please this god when I was about thirteen. I did not give up my faith, I just condemned myself to everlasting damnation early on. I knew that I was doomed so I no longer cared if what I was doing was "sinful" or not. All I had to do was keep up the pretext through Catholic High School and I was free to be me. What I learned in religion in high school only served to bolster my acceptance of a future stoking coal in the Big Hibachi. This lasted for twenty-seven years. No hope, just mad attempts at happiness.
At forty I knew that I was dead. But I was asked to be a godparent for my cousin's baby. I was flabbergasted that I would even be considered for such a holy responsibility. I grabbed at this chance like a drowning man for a life jacket. I came home to the church that gave me new life. Three years later I was in the seminary studying for the priesthood.
I felt very ill at ease in the seminary. Firstly because I still had mega doubts about how doctrine was promulgated in the church. The whole process seemed so unlike the wonderful acceptance and forgiveness I experienced in my homecoming. Nothing much seemed to have changed. What had changed was me. I now saw church as a vessel charged with carrying a precious cargo of loving forgiveness meant for all who met her. But I also saw her crewed by many who demanded high tariffs for a cargo that was given to them freely.
This is where my word anti... comes in. Despite my misgivings I decided to help crew the vessel. But when we got to port I would join those on the fantail quietly passing the gifts over the side to waiting beggars in leaky canoes. The main cargo was being strictly controlled by the officers and they were collecting the proper fees on the wharf.
When the loyal crew found out about our unsanctioned largess we were set ashore without stipend to fend for ourselves. The landlubbers did not know what to do with us. Weren't we supposed to stay on board? But some discovered that we had smuggled enough of the cargo ashore that there is more than enough for all. This upset some of the lubbers not to mention the powers that be. How dare we give away for free the bread from their table? So they tighten up the security. People still come to the fantail (the back of the boat) to beg for a crumb of the cargo, but now they are shooed away by the royal loyal crew (clergy).
Bottom line: The cargo is real and aplenty, the vessel is sea worthy, the crew is afraid to go out over their heads.
We will survive their imagined terrors. The gifts we already have will sustain us until a new crew is readied.
Hang in there.
Cap'n Rod (former pirate)
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Hindrences
I hated grammar school. I was skinny at first and non-athletic and then I became fat and non-athletic. I spent most of my time trying to escape bullies. During my sophomore year of high school I discovered that I was gifted with a deadly weapon that would make all bullies cower before me. I had a lightening fast, caustic, cynical, invincible wit that could cut down all challengers to my person. It helped also that by then I weighed in at 235 pounds and had begun a life long love affair with lifting weights. But I never needed to get physical, my phaser was on stun and that was good enough. This wit also saved my skinny ass when I went into the navy. I dropped down to 150 pounds thinking that I would be more acceptable. I had high blood pressure and they would not let me in the service but when they saw all the trouble I went to they relented. Of course now I was in boot camp and every muscle had wasted away on my crash diet. It took awhile but my devastating "humor" prevailed even there, I survived. The next four years saw my weight fluctuate 50 pounds a year as I tried to get back to my flight weight but that's another story.
This blog is about spirituality. I see by my face book that so many of you are hard right or hard left politically. I describe myself as a liberal democrat but that is not my politics. It is the culture I grew up in. What culture did you grow up in? It is so important to our spiritual growth that we examine the whys of our points of view, political and social. Why does Rush resonate with half the country while the other half grimaces at the very mention of his name? Which side is wrong?
I don't care, all I know is that both sides are not right. The reason for this conclusion is that I see myself in the cryptic comments and down right hard hearted blasts that each side throws at the other on MY FACEBOOK thing. These comments and attempts at cynical humor are the weapons I used for the first 60 or so years of my life and they served me well. I survived.
But the person I projected was not the person that I would want to be my friend let alone my pastor.
My best friend and spiritual mentor pointed this out to me. Even then I was in denial claiming that I was only playing with someone whilst I toyed with their self esteem through "humor." I was dead wrong.
One of the greatest "sins" is to rob another of their self-esteem. I was an expert at it.
So, I have been working hard not to take that easy shot when someone lets down their guard. Even if I disagree with all they believe. O God, its so hard to change. Its so hard to encourage those whom you think are completely wrong. But it is the path to enlightened spirituality. You will survive their juvenile taunts and name calling. You will become more like our Creator. Try it. Ok lefties listen to a radio talk show preferably with someone who will challenge you. Drop by a gun show and do not look better than thou. Ok righties, seek out and listen to a demonstrator against the death penalty. Better yet, get involved with prison ministry. Maybe only a couple of days a month. I have been chaplain at four prisons. I have met with people that even the most violent movies could not come close to portraying. I survived. I know better now why my faith is what it is. No amount of visits to church on Sunday could make up for one 15 minute session with the worst of the worst. They are me and I want to know all about me before I stand before my Creator.
Fr. Rod
This blog is about spirituality. I see by my face book that so many of you are hard right or hard left politically. I describe myself as a liberal democrat but that is not my politics. It is the culture I grew up in. What culture did you grow up in? It is so important to our spiritual growth that we examine the whys of our points of view, political and social. Why does Rush resonate with half the country while the other half grimaces at the very mention of his name? Which side is wrong?
I don't care, all I know is that both sides are not right. The reason for this conclusion is that I see myself in the cryptic comments and down right hard hearted blasts that each side throws at the other on MY FACEBOOK thing. These comments and attempts at cynical humor are the weapons I used for the first 60 or so years of my life and they served me well. I survived.
But the person I projected was not the person that I would want to be my friend let alone my pastor.
My best friend and spiritual mentor pointed this out to me. Even then I was in denial claiming that I was only playing with someone whilst I toyed with their self esteem through "humor." I was dead wrong.
One of the greatest "sins" is to rob another of their self-esteem. I was an expert at it.
So, I have been working hard not to take that easy shot when someone lets down their guard. Even if I disagree with all they believe. O God, its so hard to change. Its so hard to encourage those whom you think are completely wrong. But it is the path to enlightened spirituality. You will survive their juvenile taunts and name calling. You will become more like our Creator. Try it. Ok lefties listen to a radio talk show preferably with someone who will challenge you. Drop by a gun show and do not look better than thou. Ok righties, seek out and listen to a demonstrator against the death penalty. Better yet, get involved with prison ministry. Maybe only a couple of days a month. I have been chaplain at four prisons. I have met with people that even the most violent movies could not come close to portraying. I survived. I know better now why my faith is what it is. No amount of visits to church on Sunday could make up for one 15 minute session with the worst of the worst. They are me and I want to know all about me before I stand before my Creator.
Fr. Rod
Intuition
Yesterday was Veteran's Day. I am a veteran. I served as a flight crew member in an anti-submarine squadron. About the only thing I enjoyed in the navy was flying, the rest was ok but kind of boring. We would chase after Soviet subs and we would practice with NATO subs.
We had state of the art anti-submarine detectors. State of the art for 1967. All of our data was collected by an on board analog computer. It was kind of like having a rear screen projection television in the cockpit. It was top secret stuff at the time. It was also the crankiest piece of electronic gear ever invented up to that time. Yet we had no trouble finding our share of soviet subs.That's where the fun came in.
We had a plane full of detectors that really were a sophisticated maze. They would lead you all over the ocean if you let them. Our job was to use our natural instincts to sort through all this info and come up with a reasonable solution as to where the sub was. Good old Yankee intuition would solve anything Ivan could throw at us and that was a rush for us.
So, what is this secret weapon, intuition? Whatever it is it has been the secret weapon for humanity since the cave days. Those who have a well developed, trust worthy, intuition are the ones who survive.
So, my blog is about spirituality not naval warfare. And I cannot think of a more useful tool for those who would be spiritual than intuition. In the church biz we call it an informed conscience. Its that little voice that tells you what will work and what will hurt. To develop a working conscience we all need to rely on teachings and scripture. But we also have to consider the intangibles that surround us. That is tough for the "show me" types who need intrinsic physical evidence before they dare make a move. I would hate to be one of these. Ya gotta be gutsy if ya wanna grow. The "show me" types are aware that the spirit world is filled with very able liars. But I say that they are identifiable with practice. And it is true that if you cannot recognise these attractive demons they will have you looking for submarines in the Sahara.
My intuitive advice for this little essay is for all of us to examine where out gut feelings have led us. Some of us may be using instrumentation that is a lot older than the stuff I used in the navy. Some of it is pre-Christian. Its time to up grade. Read, ask questions, look around you. There are guides who can and will help you. In my day we did not have satellites to tell us where we were. We could not communicate with the whole of humanity in a click of a button.
Today we are blessed with a new state of the art communication system upgraded from the limited biblical references that brought us safely thus far. All our spirit guides want is a chance to give you some on the job training. Trust them. Your intuition will keep you safe.
Fr. Rod
We had state of the art anti-submarine detectors. State of the art for 1967. All of our data was collected by an on board analog computer. It was kind of like having a rear screen projection television in the cockpit. It was top secret stuff at the time. It was also the crankiest piece of electronic gear ever invented up to that time. Yet we had no trouble finding our share of soviet subs.That's where the fun came in.
We had a plane full of detectors that really were a sophisticated maze. They would lead you all over the ocean if you let them. Our job was to use our natural instincts to sort through all this info and come up with a reasonable solution as to where the sub was. Good old Yankee intuition would solve anything Ivan could throw at us and that was a rush for us.
So, what is this secret weapon, intuition? Whatever it is it has been the secret weapon for humanity since the cave days. Those who have a well developed, trust worthy, intuition are the ones who survive.
So, my blog is about spirituality not naval warfare. And I cannot think of a more useful tool for those who would be spiritual than intuition. In the church biz we call it an informed conscience. Its that little voice that tells you what will work and what will hurt. To develop a working conscience we all need to rely on teachings and scripture. But we also have to consider the intangibles that surround us. That is tough for the "show me" types who need intrinsic physical evidence before they dare make a move. I would hate to be one of these. Ya gotta be gutsy if ya wanna grow. The "show me" types are aware that the spirit world is filled with very able liars. But I say that they are identifiable with practice. And it is true that if you cannot recognise these attractive demons they will have you looking for submarines in the Sahara.
My intuitive advice for this little essay is for all of us to examine where out gut feelings have led us. Some of us may be using instrumentation that is a lot older than the stuff I used in the navy. Some of it is pre-Christian. Its time to up grade. Read, ask questions, look around you. There are guides who can and will help you. In my day we did not have satellites to tell us where we were. We could not communicate with the whole of humanity in a click of a button.
Today we are blessed with a new state of the art communication system upgraded from the limited biblical references that brought us safely thus far. All our spirit guides want is a chance to give you some on the job training. Trust them. Your intuition will keep you safe.
Fr. Rod
Thursday, November 3, 2011
What will happen to us?
Today is my birthday. Thanks to all who sent me greetings. My healing/prayer group threw a birthday party for me out in a lovely park in Glendale, AZ. We had our weekly prayer meeting today and once again we talked about forgiveness. But the forgiveness we asked for was not just for ourselves. All asked for help for their family and friends who are having such a difficult time adjusting to the fallout of our wastrel ways. So many are becoming physically ill through their constant worry about the financial and social upheaval that has just begun to wreak havoc on the unprepared.
My group is made up mainly of senior citizens who see so much of what they had hoped to pass on to their children and grandchildren eroding and collapsing. They ask me what we can do to help those who are struggling to establish meaningful careers and those whose dreams of a secure predictable life are quickly fading.
My answer to them and to any of you who are finding this unfolding rite of human passage difficult, if not downright unbearable is that the times are what they are. The times are what they have always been. The time now is about a miraculous growth in our relationship with our Creator, the world and each other. If we had continued on the path of self-destruction that we once considered normal life, our entire species would have been destroyed. Our creators and guides have warned us just as the prophets of old warned Israel.
We do not exist to glorify humanity. The glory of humanity which is kinship with our Creator will be bestowed on those who have been invited. We cannot invent machines or societies that will satisfy our hunger for glory, for becoming God. Our Creator sent His Son to manifest real glory and expected us to follow in that light. Most have ignored this and have chosen to seek the carnal god of money and power. What's new about that? What's new is that now we are on the verge of doing something godlike, destroying the earth and ourselves. This "godness" we do not need. So, another invitation is being sent out. As were the others, it is wrapped in the skin of sacrifice. Our Creator will never give up on us. Look around, the way now is clearing for an even closer relationship with all the members of the Body. We have to come together or perish with the uninvited.
Our spiritual leaders need to step up and identify themselves even at the risk of ridicule. Others need to look for this leadership. This Most Holy Renaissance is practical as well as spiritual. New ways of physical and spiritual healing will be gifted to those who minister this renewal. Those who will not trust will wither on the vine and pass into the afterlife as ghosts of what they could have been.
The faithful have been invited. Those priests who answer yes will survive the tumult. Our Creator will not waste this world or His children. He has sent help. Pray for your ordained clergy. Pray for all who minister His Word whether titled or not. The Good news is real for all. Our churches have only to accept their role and be prepared to share in these enhanced gifts without judging the invited. Forgive our enemies, "Feed my sheep."
Fr. Rod
My group is made up mainly of senior citizens who see so much of what they had hoped to pass on to their children and grandchildren eroding and collapsing. They ask me what we can do to help those who are struggling to establish meaningful careers and those whose dreams of a secure predictable life are quickly fading.
My answer to them and to any of you who are finding this unfolding rite of human passage difficult, if not downright unbearable is that the times are what they are. The times are what they have always been. The time now is about a miraculous growth in our relationship with our Creator, the world and each other. If we had continued on the path of self-destruction that we once considered normal life, our entire species would have been destroyed. Our creators and guides have warned us just as the prophets of old warned Israel.
We do not exist to glorify humanity. The glory of humanity which is kinship with our Creator will be bestowed on those who have been invited. We cannot invent machines or societies that will satisfy our hunger for glory, for becoming God. Our Creator sent His Son to manifest real glory and expected us to follow in that light. Most have ignored this and have chosen to seek the carnal god of money and power. What's new about that? What's new is that now we are on the verge of doing something godlike, destroying the earth and ourselves. This "godness" we do not need. So, another invitation is being sent out. As were the others, it is wrapped in the skin of sacrifice. Our Creator will never give up on us. Look around, the way now is clearing for an even closer relationship with all the members of the Body. We have to come together or perish with the uninvited.
Our spiritual leaders need to step up and identify themselves even at the risk of ridicule. Others need to look for this leadership. This Most Holy Renaissance is practical as well as spiritual. New ways of physical and spiritual healing will be gifted to those who minister this renewal. Those who will not trust will wither on the vine and pass into the afterlife as ghosts of what they could have been.
The faithful have been invited. Those priests who answer yes will survive the tumult. Our Creator will not waste this world or His children. He has sent help. Pray for your ordained clergy. Pray for all who minister His Word whether titled or not. The Good news is real for all. Our churches have only to accept their role and be prepared to share in these enhanced gifts without judging the invited. Forgive our enemies, "Feed my sheep."
Fr. Rod
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