It's all about me! ...and you

Phipps at night.

I had dinner tonight with an old, well, acquaintance. It's funny, I would certainly be honored to call Chris a friend, but we really don't know each other that well, even though we know each other from a number of different things. All Campus Worship stuff, worked together at Starbucks, Hot Metal Bridge church...

Chris is a reader, and a thinker. He's a Christian, and a liberal. He's an idealist, and passionate. He and I had a lot to talk about.

The conversation would be accurately described as exhausting, though I am not exhausted. I'm an extreme extrovert who enjoys debate and conversation on those topics not appropriate at the dinner table (no, not gay porn, silly. religion and politics) and so I left feeling quited energized and revitalized.

We covered simply too much ground to rehash the entire discussion here. But, I think I shall just start throwing out themes and see where it takes me.

Chris is a self described idealist. I am too. But we have completely opposite conceptions of how to achieve an ideal world. And, ironically, that is exactly what I think is right and good and beautiful about this world, and Chris (like most people) seemed to struggle with that. Let me explain.

My philosophy on life is complicated. It's deep, not entirely worked out, hypocritical at times, beautiful, perfect, spiritual, idealistic, pure, and true. And so is yours. But they're not even remotely the same. I guarantee it. And that above all else is my philosophy on life: simply put, to each his own. And I mean that.

Look at this world. Look at all the people in it. All the thoughts, ideas, religions, beliefs, philosophies, conceptions of beauty, and wisdom, and grace, and love, and justice, and truth. Every single person has a different perception of the world based on his/her own experience (which includes knowledge, of course). How could anyone have the audacity (I struggle with the use of that word now that is have become trend-ified by Barack Obama) to claim that (s)he has it right?!

Well, no, let me back up. My belief, my perception, is that they do have it right. And I do too. I believe that each person has it right (or is trying to figure out what is right) for him/her. I believe that there is no one way in anything. I believe in truth, but in many truths. And I believe that perceptions matter.

Why can't we truly live and let live? Why can't you do what you want to do and let me do the same? Now, I understand that people have conflicting goals and that creates problems, and so we need discussion, knowledge, education, compromise, and action. But, I am a strong believe that the ends justify the means (not universally, but specific to this conversation). Chris and I overwhelmingly agreed on the ends: a safer, cleaner, more peaceful, less consumer-driven universe. We disagreed on how to get there (he wants to attempt to make big ripples; me, smaller ones. He wants to be self-sacrificing, a blessing onto men; me, see life as a series of experiences and I want to have as many good ones as I can, helping people and making a difference along the way). We also disagreed on faith and the bible, on idealism and courage. I think that all good people are fighting a losing battle, that the seven old white guys who rule the world will ultimately win and there is really nothing we can do about it. But, like Tolkien, I believe that true courage is raging into battle with the knowledge that you will lose, but believing that its still worth it. Chris truly believes that good can overcome. That we can feed the hungry, reverse environmental damage, defeat all evils.

I say that both of us are right because any Truth (whether or not it does even exist) on the matter is irrelevant. We have a limited amount of time here? Why squander it being miserable or fighting over the justifications of our actions. Let us have the discussions to learn from one another and share and grow, but, ultimately, whether you believe that the earth was created in seven days or seven-hundred million years, let's just take care of it together.

I truly and absolutely believe that no one person has it all figured out. I guess I really don't even believe that there is a right answer to everything too figure out. Everyone has to find his/her own way, his/her own path. Some people will do bad things. Some people will hate and be cruel. We must not let those people stop us. And we must stand united with the other good people (good as you see it, of course) and work to create a better world. And whether you are like me and are doing this merely on principle without the hope of victory, or are a true believer in the possibilities alive in each of us, no matter. I work for a better world, the outcome is out of my hands.

Chris is an exquisite composer. You can check out his work at http://www.myspace.com/chrismassa .

Identity Crisis/Crisis of Faith

What constitutes a faith? A particular worldview, ideology, religion, spirituality, or set of conventions and behaviors that dictate one’s life? The term faith conjures up images of strong belief and practice—something that requires devotion and something that demands a certain element of trust in and expectation of that thing. While faith is a deeply personal element of an individual, a faith is something people share which can foster community and facilitate culture. A faith is something people, groups of people, identify with.

But the ability to identify with a faith—or anything—doesn’t just fall in to place accidentally. Religions do not boast millions of followers by dumb luck. Rather, an identity is carefully crafted and strategically promoted on behalf of the belief itself by those representing it. In this way, rhetoric is essential to the experience of faith and community that is so closely tied to religion and spirituality.

As in all churches, this experience is unique in First Congregational Church, a member of the United Church of Christ denomination located in Boulder, Colorado. Each institution of faith has its own traits and characteristics which construct its unique identity. Or, perhaps more accurately, traits and characteristics are constructed to create this identity. It is no wonder that the familiar phrases “having a crisis of faith” and “an identity crisis” have become clichés; faiths now inherently have an interdependent relationship with identity.

The above is my first attempt at an introduction for my rhetorical criticism paper. Feel free to critique. It's only one page...the intro itself isn't even complete yet.

Sitting and waiting. Note the lovely day outside and me sitting inside.

Grad school. It'll kill ya.

UCC what I see?

Photo commentary: outside the Theatre building. It was one of those days that people just can't stop talking about. I sat and read for not nearly long enough, trying to get some research done for a paper that's been attempting asphyxiation for several weeks now. No headway made.

The United Church of Christ ran a full page ad in the New York Times in response to all the Pastor Wright hullabaloo. It costs $120,000. Here is what it said:

Much has been said about the United Church of Christ in recent weeks, much of it hurtful for many in our country, including members of Trinity UCC in Chicago. That is why we are eager to share the broad and diverse story of
the United Church of Christ, one that we celebrate.

With all Christians, we rest in God’s amazing grace and hear God’s voice in the words of Scripture. Yet, the UCC is unique to some because we do not require uniformity of belief. We are a church of open ideas, extravagant welcome and evangelical courage. Our passion for democracy extends to both government and church, where decision-making rests within each congregation. We support liberty in our pulpits, just as we affirm the individual conscience of our 1.2-million members to agree, disagree and wrestle with life’s biggest questions in a spirit of love.

Our story is this nation’s story. We are the people of the Mayflower. More than 600 of our 5,700 congregations were formed before 1776. Eleven signers of the Declaration of Independence were members of UCC predecessor bodies.

As early abolitionists, we came to the aid of the Amistad captives and founded hundreds of schools across the South after the Civil War. We were the first mainline church to ordain an African-American (1785), a woman (1853) and an openly gay pastor (1972). We were also the first to form a foreign mission society (1810). Our multi-ethnic membership includes persons from every immigrant group, as well as native peoples and descendants of freed slaves.

Our unity is not dependent upon uniform agreement, but in our shared allegiance to Jesus Christ. Ours is a risk-taking church, because ours is a risk-taking God.

God is still speaking.

I feel that the ad was a good one, and that it was money well spent. They took no funds from mission projects; it was mainly paid for through donations from individuals and congregations. It saddens me to think how people will stop at nothing to win. This pastor's words were taken out of context and flashed all over 24 hour news networks in order to discredit a presidential candidate. No care was taken whatsoever for those who are members of his church, for his denomination's reputation, and certainly not his own.

I wonder what punishment will befall these people.