Spiritually Political and Argumentative (At Least With Myself)

When I decided to start this blog, I made the firm decision to keep this as a religious blog. I've been going through quite a lot with my journey in Faith lately. Learning quite a bit about my religion and myself. For example, I had no idea that I was a Hicksite Quaker until recently (of course I wasn't the only one in Meeting that didn't know that was specifically what we were...). I didn't know that there was more than one kind of Quaker, and that not all Quakers practiced Silent Worship. So, this blog is meant as an exploration of that journey.

The reason I have had to keep that in mind is that I also have a strong interest in politics and government. So my personal struggle here is how much I should talk about political subjects. Quakers in my tradition have long been advocates for Social Justice. Highly Political and deeply involved. My Faith informs and guides my political beliefs. So, where do I draw the line and say "Okay, this is purely a political rant. Not about my spiritual journey. It doesn't belong on this blog."

In my second blog I mentioned the Poor People's Campaign I felt confident doing so because while it is aimed at social and political change, it is fundamentally a religious movement. It's founder the Reverend Dr William Barber II is actually the speaker at the 2018 FGC (Friends General Conference) Gathering. The FGC is the parent organization for the New York Yearly Meeting. So the Poor People's Campaign is group that I know has the support of the greater Quaker community. I felt confident that I could classify it as not totally political. Or at least morally important enough to justify discussion.

We also have to consider that while I may be trying to keep things completely apolitical. There has been a tendency lately for previously non-partisan ideas and organizations to become suddenly polarizing. Just the other day I woke up and suddenly found an entire political party slamming the FBI... While there are valid reasons to distrust the FBI. Including their long term tendency to investigate Quakers because of our Anti-War beliefs. In this case it was purely partisan, and incredibly unexpected.

One of the biggest contributors to my personal debate is the Political Religious Right. They claim the morality of Christianity, but do not seem to be following in the steps of Jesus. I do feel called to oppose this group as necessary. However, I do not oppose their right to use call themselves Christian. I do my best to see that of God within them. I just feel that they have placed their Faith in second place to Power. I have an especially hard time seeing how it reflects well upon them that they currently support someone who is the exact opposite of Jesus, in the name of shortsighted political gain.

With all of this. I can't totally separate the Religious, the Social, and Political, when I make my posts. They are separate spheres, but there is some overlap normally (I personally am Liberal in all three spheres). On the other hand, it is perfectly possible to be Religiously Neutral, Socially Liberal, and Politically Conservative.

Like many Quakers I have a strong interest in politics, so I'm sure eventually I will give in and make a post that is fairly political. Or at least create a Politics section on the blog. For now, I plan on keeping this blog about my religious journey. For now.

Not Falling Into the Fire of My Own Ire.

The hardest of the Quaker testimonies for me to personally follow is the Peace Testimony. I'm positive that it must have been for my Quaker mother as well. I like to think that I am doing a good job, because most people's reaction upon learning that I have anger management issues is shock. For many of them, I am the most calm and serene person they know.

For background, extremely horrible tempers run in my mother's family. I know that most people feel that their family has anger issues. However, my family is extreme, it is not unusual for the police to be called when my extended family gets into arguments. Now, I don't think that we have anything as bad as the adrenal tumors  of the McCoy's from the famous feud. I just know that something makes it worse than usual.

In my case the Divine gave me a sign that lets me know when I have to fight my anger. I get migraines when I give in to too much anger and rage. When I start feeling the ache, I must examine my motivations and reasoning.

  

Every day is a constant struggle not to let my temper loose. 

I take a moment to breath deeply and slowly whenever necessary. 

I remind myself that "Everyone is the Hero in their own story," when confronted with those who are small minded and selfish. 

I follow what I call the  Craig Ferguson method (video link)  in my daily life. I ask myself. "Does this need to be said?" "Does this need to be said by me?" "Does this need to be said by me right now?" Doing this cuts down on moments of spontaneous anger. It doesn't help as much with considered anger, but it does keep that under control.

At this time, I feel that I have my anger issues under control. The question then becomes when it it appropriate for me to let righteous anger out. Also, how far is it okay to go with my anger, even righteous anger at the various injustices, inequalities, and hatred in this world.

I do not want to go down a path where I lose myself to my anger again.

Losing yourself to anger is possible even with anger focused against injustice and cruelty. You can become so focused on the target of your rage. That you do not notice when you have lost sight of your goals and are only in it for the fight. Even following the Peace Testimony of Non-Violence we need to recognize when we are no longer being Non-Aggressive.

On the other hand, we have an obligation to fight for those who do not have a voice. To promote Equality for all. To protect those under our care. How do we do that without giving in to just rage and loving ourselves. Unfortunately, I do not have an answer. I am always stopping myself from falling into the fire of my own ire.

God as The Word. Finding God in Books, the Divine as Knowledge.

      Passing on a love of reading

I am a huge bibliophile. I own hundreds (maybe thousands) of books. I have a joke about my own life. "My ex-wife asked me which I loved more, her or my books. Now, I still have my books, and a new more compatible wife."

Even before I returned to Quakerism. I have felt that I am closest to the Divine while I am reading. Not in the "I learned something new, now I am illuminated," sense. I don't feel that Nirvana of any sort is attainable in a set path. (Except for the band from when I was in Junior High, you can find an easy path to buy their songs.)

What I feel is the sort of openness and internal stillness that among Quakers is most often experienced in Silent Worship. It does not matter what I am reading. When I am, as the colloquialism goes," lost in a good book." I feel the Light of the Divine.

I am led to feel that I am not alone in that discernment. In the beginning of the Gospel of John, Jesus is referred to as The Word. Specifically as LOGOS. An idea that in the Greek has greater connotations than the English concept of The Word. LOGOS means something closer to an idea of words as the basic building block of the universe. How you can describe something so completely that the description is indistinguishable from the thing itself. So, maybe our modern concept of mathematics comes closer to that concept then our idea of The Word. (It also sounds like something else I should explore further as well in the future) Also, that you can experience God through The Word. In essence, Jesus was LOGOS in order to spread The Word and bring us closer to God.

To get back to my point, when my wife's devoutness caused a renewed interest in Faith for me. I handled it the way I do everything I want to learn about. I started reading everything that grabbed my interest about religion. Starting of Course with my own Yearly Meeting's Faith and Practice.

As I read more, I am learning more about my own faith tradition. Progressive Christianity has a long and proud history. Especially among Liberal Quakers. It is so liberating to see that Christianity does not have to be small minded, bigoted, and hypocritical. That Christianity can be rooted in seeking knowledge, loving everyone, and taking care of the world and people around us.

There is also so much Light to be found in other Faiths. Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Islam, Non-Theism, and even Neo-Paganism all have a portion of the Light in them. It is also so much easier to see where your own path is causing personal blindness by using the Light of other paths.