"Napa Valley" Brocken InaGlory. Licensed. Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
"Napa Valley" Brocken InaGlory. Licensed. Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Welcome to LAST SUPPER RED!!
What if laughter and hilarity are sacred? Might prayer be less about words and more about how we position ourselves before Mystery? What if God is less like Santa Claus and more like air? What if we are defined more by "Original Blessing" than "Original Sin?" Would Christianity flourish if we followed Jesus instead of worshipping him? What if "the Kingdom of God" has much less to do with the hereafter and is instead a here-and-now countercultural idea and reality with political and economic consequences?
What if laughter and hilarity are sacred? Might prayer be less about words and more about how we position ourselves before Mystery? What if God is less like Santa Claus and more like air? What if we are defined more by "Original Blessing" than "Original Sin?" Would Christianity flourish if we followed Jesus instead of worshipping him? What if "the Kingdom of God" has much less to do with the hereafter and is instead a here-and-now countercultural idea and reality with political and economic consequences?
Q spends some time contrasting two different sorts of religion in this Dialogue.
Some forms of religion promise "proven certainty" and may have particular appeal to people who are, for a variety of reasons, quite anxious. These expressions of religion also trade a lot in fear. Harold Camping represented this variety of religion. More of his story can be found here.
Q has some fun in this chapter with appearances . . . a theme he will develop in greater detail later on.
We instinctively form opinions of others based on their outward appearance. What's your history with doing so? How has it helped you? Has it sometimes led you to be surprised . . . or embarassed . . . or relieved?
Other expressions of religion appeal to what one writer (Matthew Fox) calls "Original Blessing" which recalls the words of God over all of creation, including people: "It is good, so very good!" These expressions typically do not offer proven certainty but invite people to live "by faith." That is, they call persons to commit themselves to a belief and a lifestyle even though it is impossible to be certain in advance of its correctness.
What is your experience with these and other expressions of religion? Which ones attract you . . . repel you? Why?
Do you think it's desirable to refrain from committing one's life to an idea and lifestyle absent proof of its correctness? Is this possible?