Closed Fist, Open Arms

This weekend we rode up to Asheville to attend a service at Missio Dei, the church that Lori attended while she was studying at UNC Asheville. There was a laid-back atmosphere that made me feel very comfortable and welcome, and the band was a whole lot better than the one last week, complete with drums, bass, and electric guitar. I was not surprised by the eclectic mix of people of all ages and backgrounds, seeing as that is an accurate cross-section of the city itself. At one point a small child mimicked her mother by raising her hands in the air to God. It was ridiculous and beautiful at the same time, one too young to understand the concept of God but smiling and enjoying the presence of something greater than herself nonetheless. It made me want to be young and pure again, open to anything that came my way without getting caught up in the complexities of God, religion, and metaphysics. When I talk to people that have been "saved" the conversation ultimately comes to a dead end because my line of questioning is based on a logical understanding of the world around me, and their faith exists outside the plane of logic. So I turn to questions of philosophy and still don't understand how one man could be responsible for the salvation of the entirety of humanity. It just doesn't make sense...to me. The sermon was an exploration of Unity, and we were asked to think of Unity not as universal tolerance or conformity, but as a united front of believers of redemption through Christ. "The trinity," we were told, "is not up for debate." I tried to feel what it's like to believe. I really did. I cleared my mind and heart and took Communion, but I got bogged down by what the damn cracker tasted like and whether Jesus' blood was a Merlot or a Cabernet. Then I just felt stupid. How do I not get this? And what is it that makes me want to get it? Is it possible for me to understand Faith through someone or something other than Jesus Christ? It must be, considering there are like 4 billion people out there that have never even heard of Jesus and seem to be doing alright. I am forever trying to grab a hold of something I don't believe to be tangible, only to have it slip through my fingers when I try to close my fist. So, unlike last week, I tried to keep my focus on the positive aspects of welcoming and community, chatting with old friends of Lori's as she got caught up on their lives and looking forward to a healthy lunch and the motorcycle ride home. We drove through Pisgah National Forest on the way home and it was the second most beautiful thing I have ever seen; mountain-sized Chia Pets as far as the eye could see! We took some fantastic pictures and really let the bike loose for the first time since we've been riding together. I can't explain the smile that ripped across my face as we zipped through those wooded turns...just as I can't explain God.

How to Interpret the Bible: 101

Step 1: Decide first what your beliefs are, then flip through the pages until you find something that vaguely supports your opinion and flaunt it like patent leather shoes on your confirmation day.
Step 2: Rinse and repeat! Of course I'm kidding, but I hope it illustrates the point that too many people use the Bible to bolster political and moral decisions that could be better made by listening to their hearts. After taking a week off to relax and reflect in the suburbs of Chicago and the Finger Lakes region of New York, I returned to the South to begin a new volunteer position about 15 minutes down the road from Mill Spring in the town of Tryon, North Carolina. Lori and I walked to church this Sunday and were greeted with smiles, coffee, and an interpretation of Ecclesiastes that really made me think outside the box. The Grace Foothills church has been meeting in the Tryon movie theater for about three years now, and it features a live band playing new age Christian music as well as television and movie clips that put a modern spin on the traditional Sunday sermon. I have to admit that other than a revamped version of Amazing Grace, I prefer singing older hymns as I feel they offer a certain reverence that is missing (for me) in the new age stuff. The sermon spoke to our cynicism as Americans about government and the people in power. The pastor asked us to "give to Caesar what is due Caesar and give to God what is due God." I was on board for a while, but was thrown off when he mentioned serving in the military as a necessary function of American citizenship. I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find a passage in the Gospel where Jesus wanted us to kill other human beings in His name, and I immediately succumbed to the same cynicism that he was trying so hard to dispel. After talking to Lori about her thoughts on the sermon, I realized that focusing on that one sentence had blinded me to many of the other valid points that were made about being a good member of society. After hearing the military comment I wanted to disagree with him on principle and chose to focus on the negative rather than the positive. We as Americans have a unique opportunity to express ourselves because our government tries (though often fails) to protect the basic human rights that so many people in so many other countries do not have. After my discussion with Lori I remembered a letter the Pastor read about early Christianity and how despite constant persecution by the Romans, those first Christians managed to be model citizens while subscribing to a higher form of order, that of goodness and brotherhood to all mankind. I only wish he had started with that anecdote and focused his sermon around the difficulty of upholding Truth and Humility in the face of hardship. So...my updated version of How to Interpret the Bible: 101...Step 1: Think for yourself. Step 2: Read each passage with an open and honest heart. Step 3: Carry out the message of peace, love, and kindness in every way possible.