World of Pain, World of Joy

Article

I cannot believe that the inscrutable universe turns on an axis of suffering; surely the strange beauty of the world must somewhere rest on pure joy!

Louise Bogan

At times the Lord can seem pretty divorced from the very real suffering around me. Where is He in the indescribable emptiness after a miscarriage, the hopelessness of a failed relationship, or a broken home? Where is He in the shocking prevalence of abuse as you learn of yet another loved ones’ past experience? Where is He in the numbing reality of a severe illness in a family member? And that doesn’t even touch on the greater world suffering. I find it is especially hard to feel the Lord’s presence as an observer to these pains. I find I have an easier time accepting comfort from the Lord when it is my own suffering, but when it is the suffering of someone I love, I feel helpless. Helpless and guilty. Guilty for not sharing that pain, and guilty for the goodness in my life that seems unjustifiably kept from others. And so I find that a deep, seldom acknowledged part of me is quietly asking: Are You really here, Lord? Do You really care? And since You do care, which I know You do, why so much pain?
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That Damning Independence

Article, Quotes and Reflections

My online dictionary tells me “independent” means “not influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinions, conduct, etc..” and “not dependent or contingent on something else for existence, operation, etc”. Even to the most extreme individualist, the idea of a world full of textbook independents must look scary– everyone unconnected and self-focused– that would really be Hell. Which is why I picked my title– a steadfast devotion to ourselves is a sure road down to Hades.

So why does modern Western culture hold up independence as such a high virtue? I can’t identify a single point of origin, I blame everyone from Aristotle to faith-alone advocates to the inventor of the printing press.

Whatever the cause, I find the results of our independence obsession both frustrating and frightening.
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The Power of Dependency

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The New Christianity has some very new ideas. Some of these concepts are so profound that they contradict both western “progressive” values as well as our “traditional” perspectives. The challenge for us is to stand outside the cultural boxes we exist in, and take a look at our world as God describes it.

The Heavenly Doctrines paint a truly unique picture of what it means to be a woman and what it means to be a man and how these two different creatures are designed to fit together. I can find no similar perspectives to this either in the current world cultures or in my studies of history. This makes these particular teachings fascinating and exciting for me, but I have also discovered that the very uniqueness of these teachings can make them confusing to conceptualize. Continue reading The Power of Dependency →

Is God Fair?

Article

It matters to me that life is fair. I know that life isn’t fair—naturally—but one of the ways that New Church teachings have really come to life for me is in finding the ways that life is fair spiritually. It has always felt very important to me to believe in a fair God. I have spent a lot of time over the past few years thinking about Divine Providence, and I think when I first was looking it seemed sort of flat and lifeless. But now it feels like one of the most healing, wonderful, and epic teachings in my life because it has showed me that God is universally fair.

Here are some of the passages that articulate some of the ideas that really matter to me. I’m including some long readings here, but bear with me. The story of Joseph from Genesis is quite long (you can read it starting here). It is a story that includes pain, difficulty and loss, much of which is referred to in the quote I am including, but to save space I’m not going to include more of the story. Continue reading Is God Fair? →