Surviving Elders Among the Exiles

The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament in the Christian Bible) speak in several places about the people being in Exile.  Jeremiah in chapter 29 speaks of the Elders who had been taken off to Exile at Babylon along with the Priests of the Hebrew people. One translation speaks of the "residue of the Elders..."

 

In the 21st century the process is that Exile comes to the Elders of the Faith of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. With global communications and unlimited sharing of ideas as well a commodities and money, there is no remote place out of reach. We stay in one geographic place and the culture comes upon us and changes constantly.

 

The situation today is Exile for Elders in a foreign culture.  This form of Exile is comparable to that which is spoken by Jeremiah. As an Elder in the Christian religion I search for anchoring points in Western culture. Being an older age Elder means being a survivor - part of the residue. 

 

This is not a complaint. No, my writing is a step in gaining a voice in a culture that seems no longer interested in traditions that are separate from Entertainment and Commodity Exchange lubricated by money. 

 

This is an experiment in using contemporary culture and its technology to find a better way of human life. I observe the confusion among so many citizens who search for meaning in life.  Elders are seldom seen as reliable sources for useful thoughts and information. 

 

This begins a continuing conversation. 

Delton   dkrueger@visi.com

 

When Disaster Looms Take Action

According to many students, writers and observers of the Christian Religion in particular there is evidence of fear in the face of cultures that are questioning religions of all kinds. Christians are not alone in feeling the acids of secular and materialistic forces now ascendant in apparent world cultures.

 

So why bring trouble on ourselves? Why avoid the challenges and give in to visceral attempts to enervate the religious impulse? Why not use the challenges to grow this religion. I am in favor of religious knowledge coupled with realism about global trends. We have been created with minds that are to be put to work for the uplifting of the human experiment. At least that is my belief. 

 

I am sympathetic with the scientific perspective which appears to say that only that which can be measured and objectified is genuine. Experimentation using hypotheses is one way of looking at all things.  My argument with the scientific community is the apparent fundamentalism of many spokespersons in that no other options are even possible. It is the same mindset that is often present in religious traditions when fundamentalism takes over.

 

The human mind is capable of dealing with threats to a sense of meaning in human life. All of life appears to be an affirmation of meaning in the universe. Are not both religion and science necessary for keeping balance?

 

Earlier I mentioned the "human experiment". Surely there is no assurance that humans will be around forever. It is not all that long ago that humans appeared on planet earth. Millions of years are involved in various experiments that likely go on for billions of years. We humans do not even know how to count time when it gets beyond our methods of remembering and recording. 

Leave a note if this triggers other thoughts.

Delton

 

Dreams Have Their Place

The story of Elijah and Elisha and the transfer of authority has little rational meaning to 21st century people. If such a story is considered to be a dream, then a new frame of reference is created for the sacred texts of many world religions. 

In the Hebrew Bible the story is found in the book of II Kings chapter 2. Jews and Christians look to the Bible in various ways. Some see it is the authority for all matters of faith. Some see the Bible as the authority for all knowledge. Some see it as a history book. Some see the Bible as a glimpse into the dream world that taps into the vast store of cultural experience of the human family.

 Transfer of authority is an elementary human experience for all cultures.  Whether the people vote or the present authority figures decide or whether violent struggles prevail the end result is the same. One generation gives over leadership as aging and death remove the weak or the less alert members of the community. 

In dreams human minds play out scenarios that could happen, often very frightening and irrational. In the 21st century the power of media to immerse people in the dream world created to exalt the powerful interests has come to dominate minds. 

Religion has the opportunity to revalue dreams in the cause of filling in some of the blanks in knowledge about our species. Leadership has to be willing to step forward onto the public stage and merit attention in the religious realm.

Delton

Institutional Paralysis Affects Some Christian Churches

The new is apparently a threat to some Christian leaders. At the very time when innovation is most needed the apparent response is to continue the practices of the past. That strikes me as a recipe for institutional paralysis.

 As a secular cultural world view grows in influence the usual practices of the church are simply sidelined. Irrelevant.

Perhaps church leadership is waiting for reporters or writers to come up with some key to create the refreshment of the institution. It simply does not work for religious organizations to take cues from the surrounding culture for finding a direction. Especially if the culture is decidedly alien to the cause being promoted by the religious leadership.

Responsibility needs to be assigned. Having been a leader in a denomination several years ago I have observed what appears to be a gradual diminishing presence of informed, educated, and courageous persons in leadership roles. Talk about being judgmental. Well, I too have opinions.

This is a complaint type of writing. No one may see it so the damage is minimal. Perhaps I can learn how to speak up from the safety of being 89 years of age.

Philosophy Befriends Religion

The last time I observed religion and philosophy in a befriending embrace was when the Emmys performance highlighted a song named "To Pimp A Butterfly". This expression of blackness goes beyond the usual cultural boundaries of the American culture.
When anyone attempts such a slight of hand I imagine philosophers and religionists leaning into each other. "Is this a Vikings like raid (from the 7th century) wherein the intention is to take anything of creative value and carry it off for sale or prestige?"

Monasteries of the Middle Ages developed and preserved religion and philosophy when all around was being destroyed and stolen and enslaved for the sake of power, prestige and personal satisfaction. 

The language of Pimping a Butterfly uses lovely and crude images to express the rage of unharnessed emotion and cultural desolation. Rootlessness looking for a home finds itself expressed in prison and ghetto concepts. 


This "hip hop" creation by was influenced by funk, free jazz and spoken word. Kendrick Lamar, rapper, put the album out in 2015. Critics applauded the musical scope and social relevance of the lyrics. Negative stereotypes of black Americans is here being addressed. It is said that this creation "tackles hatred, racism and hypocrisy" Source here is Wikipedia. 

"Knock these walls down that's my religion" says Kendrick Lamar in one song when he is referring to everything thing from prison to woman and sex. "Sneak me through the back window, I'm a good field nigga".

D

Geology and Religion

In order to think and image theologically I have to be able to image mentally the geological history of the earth.

The assumption is being tested out to see if produces testable results in my growing life. 
 Delton 

Beyond the Internet Challenge

By now the religions of the world have been ingested by technology and the internet so that is a done deal. 

Moving into a next phase Christian Believers are posed with the challenge to find a place in the thoughts systems of the global community. Assumption of the past will become increasingly irrelevant. 

Religions that depend on "revelation" will need to develop a philosophy and theology for discussion and debate on the platform of an interconnected global scene.

The concepts and proposals of Jacques Ellul and Teilhard de Chardin may be of vital importance in this process of ingesting a new culture.  That means I need to get into the mix. The chance of finding anyone around here for discussion is not good. I need to give it a chance.

Delton