|
HOME
READ THE
SERMONS
► February
2012 CALENDAR
(updated regularly)
NEWSLETTER
BACK ISSUES
WHAT WE BELIEVE
WHAT WE DO
OUR MINISTER
| |
HOLIDAY SEASON SERIES: (2)
"If We Could Only
Connect..."
INTRODUCTION:
A Sufi scholar has coined the term "Temporary Autonomous Zones,” to describe the
free or liberated spaces that flower briefly within society. He explains that,
“Temporary autonomous zones are places where freedom and a better world can
be experienced as more than just abstract visions, even if for only a moment.”
Let me repeat that: “Temporary autonomous zones are places where freedom
and a better world can be experienced as more than just abstract visions, even
if for only a moment.”
Our
service of worship this morning is one of those “temporary autonomous zones.”
It’s where we withdraw for a while into a place where truth and openness are
prized. Where the opportunity to connect with others is a part of the design.
And where we address the ages-old question of connecting to that, which is
greater than ourselves.
We
don’t have to worry about defending a creed of theology; or not believing like
everyone else; rather, we are intent on building our own theology and our own
spiritual practice.
So
given this free and open space, how is it that we connect to that which really
matters? And in this “temporary autonomous zone,” can we consider alternatives
that are outside the range of intellectual comfort? Let’s try it.
Almost 150 years ago, when
Charles Darwin and others proposed the scientific theory of evolution to explain
our origin as a species, that theory resolved one very significant issue,
namely, how we species are connected to each other.
It was in stark
contrast to the prevailing beliefs of the time, which contended that God
created everything
in one great creative week, with humankind as his piece de resistance.
And connecting everything was this belief: We were all made by God, and it was
done in six days.
It was in
stark contrast to the prevailing beliefs of the time, which contended that God
created everything in one great creative week, with humankind as his piece de
resistance. And connecting everything was this belief: We were all made by
God, and it was done in six days.
Darwin’s scientific
theory demonstrated that’s not the way it happened at all. Rather the
millions of species presently on our planet, as well as an untold number of
extinct species, are related to each other through billions of years of
evolutionary changes, and through a process of
common descent. In fact, it is this
evolutionary process that is responsible for the wondrous diversity of life on
Earth. And it all occurred without any divine intervention.
Now accepting that theory,
which most life scientists do, puts us on an entirely different path for
self-understanding. First, it defines the relationship among species: All of us
– every species – is connected. We are connected not only to other human beings,
but we are connected to the animal, fish, fowl, insect, and plant life, as well
as all forms of organisms which we can see, and microorganisms so small they can
only be viewed under a microscope.
We are connected to all
that is. That insight is also the theoretical underpinning to the ecology
movement…to understand that all of life has an interdependent connectedness that
needs to be safeguarded.
But that’s
all horizontal – species to species. What happened to God in Darwin’s model – to
the vertical dimension? Or to relate it to today’s topic: What happened to our
connection to the
God whom we thought made us all in one fell
swoop, but really didn’t?
Some of course think that Darwin did away with
the whole notion of God. It’s like, if I think John was responsible for
building this building, but I discover that he really was not, that eliminates
the existence of John. If Genesis was not scientifically even close to how
creation occurred, then it eliminates the notion of God, right? Or does it?
If we learn that our ideas about God are wrong
or misinformed, does that do away with God, or does it mean that we may need
to redefine our ideas about God?
But the issue today is not an intellectual
exercise on the existence or nonexistence of God. Rather, I propose that we
set that aside for a moment and ask this question: Is there a benefit to
developing ways to actualize our connectedness? If we are in fact connected to
all that is, then would it elevate our awareness were we to find practices
which would help us to access that sense of being connected? If so, would that
be beneficial?
Further, isn’t that really what we mean by
spirituality – an acute or heightened sense of connectedness to all that is?
So the real issue we’re addressing is how do
we connect? Music of course is one way. I get chill bumps every time I hear
Darlene sing. She gets tired of my asking for the same songs, and I never get
tired of hearing the same songs. But when we really tune in to her music, we
connect at a different level than when reading or talking. When we walk on the
beach, sit high on a mountain, or practice deep meditation, those are all
places of potential connectedness. When we give to the poor, and go out of our
way to help others…when we are kind and friendly to people working hard to
serve us our food, check our groceries, help us at the doctor’s office…those
are times of special connectedness.
And the key is to realize that we do not seek
connectedness for an ultimate high; rather, the process by which we seek to
connect is itself the experience of connection. Afterwards, we can look back
and realize that we may in fact have moved to another level of spiritual
self-understanding. That is not to deny there may well be highs at the end of
a spiritual practice, but in my experience, it is the process itself that
elevates.
But the key is to have a spiritual practice,
which enables that. Our services are one of those ways, but there are others
as well. Fortunately for us, through Robert Bennett’s intercession, we have as
our special guest today, Alice Kajida, a Sufi clergy, who is going to share
with us the Sufi way to connect. She’s already spoken in the workshop this
morning about Sufism. Here she’s going to build on what she said and focus on
connecting.
Now remember: this space in which are, is a
temporary autonomous zone. That means that for us to benefit fully we need to
take down our barriers, and give ourselves permission to experience something
new…and something different -- not only out of courtesy to our guest, but also
so that we might engage another dimension of spiritual experience. So Alice,
what would you like to introduce us to?
<Guest speaker Alice
Kadija played a drum and led a chant, as well as speaking about Sufism. Dr.
Robinson concluded with the following.>
APPLICATION
Jesus was a Jew. He never wrote any thing, and
he never had any intent to found a competing religion. Further, he would have
been horrified to know that people made him into a god, and worse a bloody
sacrifice for their sins. He was a poor, but radical prophet of Israel,
committed to the power of love.
Once he was asked about the 613
laws by which the nation of Israel governed itself, namely, which one was the
most important? He answered “Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and
body” – which comes straight from Jewish scripture. Then he said, but
there’s another one just like it, also from Jewish scripture: “Love your
neighbor as yourself.” In other words, love God, other people, and
yourself.
It’s always seemed to me that the
first commandment – love with everything you have – does not mean think of a
deity somewhere and then love that deity. No, according to Jesus, the only way
you could love God with all you have and then have anything left over to love
your neighbor as yourself is that if by loving our neighbor and loving
ourselves is the way we love God. That seems clear by the fact that following
he made the above statement, he followed it with the story of the Good
Samaritan.
So today, the
issue is not necessarily what we do or don’t believe about God, as much as it
is understanding, that our caring for others and ourselves is the most
fundamental way in which that happens. Peace be unto you.
____________________
Given December 10, 2006, at All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, Ft. Myers,
Florida, meeting at the Crestwell School, 1901 Park Meadows, Ft. Myers, FL, by
the Rev. Dr. Wayne Robinson, minister, second in a four-part holiday season
series.
|
