ADDRESSING THE MYSTERY OF OUR EX

ADDRESSING THE MYSTERY OF OUR EXISTENCE: “Steering by the Stars.” [1]

“I have treated many hundreds of patients. Among those in the second half of life – that is to say, those over 40 – there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life.”

Twenty-five hundred years earlier, Laotze expressed somewhat the same point when he said, “Happiness has nothing to do with wealth and status, but it is a matter of harmony.”

At the Memorial Service of Barry Smith a few weeks ago, one of his sons mentioned his father sailing on his boat at night and “steering by the stars.” Before there were Global Positioning Satellites, Map Quest, radar, even before compasses, there was “steering by the stars”…which constellation was were, and setting sail accordingly. My lasting image of Barry will be of his standing at the helm of his boat and looking to the heavens so as to “steer by the stars.”

But may I suggest that imagery is also a symbol for living our lives…for finding directions when lost…a resource for guidance in time of difficulty…in times like these.

None of us here needs to be told that these are truly tough times for many people. The Great Recession we’re living in has devastated lives, destroyed careers, and eviscerated retirement plans for many.

And those on whom that toll has been taken are not a statistic, nor a percentage. They are wives and husbands, family and children, couples and partners…who one by one have been forced to face a much more bleak and daunting future.

They’ve been the victims of a system that broke. It traces back to a movement in the 1980s, led largely by the Libertarian Alan Greenspan. Its impetus was the removal of the impediments of big government oversight; that removal would be accomplished in part by removing many of the regulatory protocols implemented following the Great Depression. But once those changes were in place, the financial system metamorphosed into unregulated greed. Last year at this time, it brought us to the brink of a national and international catastrophe, with which we still struggling.

There are those of you here who have experienced it up close and personal. We trusted the system…believed in its viability…and hoped in the future which it promised. Suddenly, the roof caved in, windows of opportunity closed, and doors shut in our face. And it was not because of mistakes we had made. Rather, it was a systemic failure at the top, which when assaulted by greed, had few safeguards in place to protect those utterly dependent upon its healthy functioning.

When something like that happens and we’ve done all we seemingly can to survive, to whom do we turn for help? Where do we look for strength and guidance? Which way…which direction do we take?

“I have treated many hundreds of patients…. Among those in the second half of life – that is to say, those over 40 – there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life.”

So what is a “religious outlook? What’s the difference between a religious outlook and a nonreligious outlook? First, let me say that a “religious outlook” is not necessarily a belief in God – that’s a “theistic” outlook. As we know, one can follow the Buddhist religion, for example, without believing in God. One can follow the principles and practices of Christianity or Judaism, even participating in its rituals, and practicing its principles, without believing in God. Believing in God is not identical with a religious outlook.

Rather, a religious outlook is one which believes that religion, of whatever flavor and culture, is about addressing questions that nothing else can. Questions like this one, for example from Terry Eagleton, in his book Reason, Faith and Revolution. English Professor Eagleton asks,

n “Why is there anything…?” We can describe the Big Bang…we can explain evolution…and still be left with the question, “Why is there anything in the first place?” That’s a religious question.

Those are only a few of the religious questions…which inform a “religious outlook.”

To have a religious outlook is not like going to the store, and saying, “I’ll take two of those.” It’s not reading the latest book on, or against religion. So what is it?

Many of us were taught that it was going to Mass regularly, repeating the creeds, confessing our sins, and doing penance.

Others of us were taught that to be truly religious we had to have this spontaneous, lifetime-affecting, spiritual experience. That was my tradition.

I still remember the set of circumstances at age 16, when my father demanded as I was leaving to go to school, that instead I sit down on the couch and listen to him. He then retold a time when I almost died as a baby, but was spared – according to my father – spared through prayer. Now though, I was 16, had my own car, and was engaging in behavior far outside the boundaries of the Pentecostal Holiness tradition in which I had been raised. When he was almost finished, with tears in his eyes, he made me look him in the face and he said, “Son, I had rather God not spared you as a baby, rather than see you live the way you’re living now.” That was one rather strong variation of your basic “Come to Jesus,” moment.

Not surprisingly, the conditioning kicked in and a few weeks later in church, “I found Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.” But let me say this: Despite its having been initiated by my father’s attempting literally to scare hell out of me, the result was that from that time until this good day, I’ve pursued a religious outlook in life, sometimes better than at other times; but always, I’ve understood my life in terms of the ultimate questions by which we each are addressed.

A distinguishing characteristic of the Jewish religion is its emphasis upon conduct and character, rather than belief, faith, or dogma. In the Jewish religion, the ten days beginning with Rosh Hashanah last Friday evening at sundown, are commonly known as the Days of Awe or the Days of Repentance. It’s a time for serious introspection, to consider the sins of the previous year, and to repent before the arrival of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, next Sunday.

The ancient understanding under girding this practice is that God has a book that he writes our names in, writing down who will live and who will die, who will have a good life and who will not in the next year. These books are written in by God on Rosh Hashanah, but our actions of repentance, prayer, and good deeds during the following ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the days of Awe, can alter this. The "books" are sealed, however, on Yom Kippur.

During Rosh Hashanah, it is common to seek reconciliation with people we may have wronged during the course of the year. The Talmud maintains that Yom Kippur atones only for sins between God and us. To atone for sins against another person, we must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs we committed against them if possible, before turning to God for forgiveness.

Rosh Hashanah is also the beginning of the Jewish New Year, when according to Jewish tradition God created the world. Based upon a lunar calculation of the calendar, Friday evening was the first day of the month of Tishri and marks the anniversary of the creation of the world, and also starts the Jewish New Year.

And in the Islamic tradition we have been in the midst of the 30 days of Ramadan, during which Muslims spend time in repentance and reflection. It ends today with three days of celebration.

Sometimes acquiring that religious outlook is a more gradual thing…we begin to associate with others of a religious outlook…and join in some of their practices, and one day we realize that we too share some of those perspectives…that religious outlook.

Having said that, I realize that a lot of us have reacted against traditional religious forms; in fact, if given the choice, we would prefer to use the word “spiritual” more than “religious.” But what ever term we use, what religion tries to do is to connect the universal – what I’ve poetically called, “steering by the stars” – with the everyday practices of countless millions of women and men.

I know many of you were genuinely impressed with Chris Hitchens wonderfully written book – God is not great: How religion poisons everything – but I what I wanted to say about it is, “It’s well-written, but he answered the wrong question.”

Some of you will remember that he starts by saying, “…given the emergence of the telescope and the microscope, religion no longer offers an explanation of anything important.” But religion is not meant to be an explanation of anything in the first place. As Ellington puts it, “It’s rather like saying that thanks to the electric toaster we can forget about Chekhov.”

Believing as Hitchens does that religion is a botched attempt to explain the world…is “like seeing ballet as a botched attempt to run for a bus” (Ellington).

It’s true that “running” is to move quickly and steadily by springing steps so that both feet leave the ground for an instant in each step. But “ballet” uses a theatrical art form to convey a story through dance. Science is running for the bus; religion is ballet. They do not yield to the same forms of measurement. Hitchens totally misunderstood the question.

I remember when first admitted to what was then one of the more liberal graduate theological schools in America. Due to my Pentecostal background, I had to pass an unusually severe admissions process. Even though I had a full ride scholarship, because of my past, it was provisional based upon performance.

I really worked hard to prove myself. And one day in an introductory philosophical theology class, the professor lectured on a section of Plato. He said that sometimes in the Dialogues, they said things they actually didn’t believe, and then through discussion and dialogue clarified what they really meant.

So when the first paper over that particular section came due, I spent hours upon hours showing that what they said was not what they meant. I was stunned when I received my paper back and had totally missed the point. I had brought my presuppositions to the question, rather than being addressed by the question itself.

So it is in religion: Religion is not about science. Nor is science about religion. They can offer critical views of each other, but a religious understanding of the scientific enterprise, or a scientific analysis of the religious need, is not what they are about. Religion is to help us make it from Monday to Sunday…to live with others during that week…and to put one foot in front of the other.

And what will help us to do so is when we can reach for the stars in so doing. Here’s what I mean:

How many of you have ever walked on the beach or watched the waves roll in, or viewed a gorgeous sunrise? And afterwards, you had a very special kind of feeling…a peacefulness?

My son talks about taking his two Labradors to the beach early every morning. He said there is something very meaningful and quieting about the water, the morning sunrise, the empty beaches, that give a spiritual punctuation mark to something as ordinary as taking the dogs out for their morning exercise.

How many of you have finished a tough workout, or a great run, and had a feeling of exhilaration?

How many of you have heard great music, read something special in a book or magazine, seen an unusual television show, a wonderful play or a movie, and felt that you were a better person for having had that experience?

I could go on, but the point I want to make is that anything which creates in us a feeling of being closer to the center of what matters…of consciousness…of God…that is a spiritual experience. Spirituality is about bridging the gulf between us and the Ultimate. It’s about making a connection between us and other people, between us and nature. It’s about reaching within us and being able to sort out what is truly important. It’s steering by the stars.

It’s also about reaching beyond ourselves to others in need. It’s about working to change things for the better in our community, state and nation. It’s being involved, being informed, voting, writing letters, and making telephone calls. It’s about helping those in need. It’s giving voice to the oppressed. It is about connecting to that which is more than we are.

Gabriel Marcel wrote that too often people talk about trying to “have” faith, hope, and love, when in fact, it isn’t a question of having something, but being love, hope, and faith.

That’s important because a key component in this mystery we call life is how we relate to others. When we make ourselves available to others, we link ourselves with their world and experience. We are present to them and for them, and in communication with them. We are at their disposal when they’re in need. They aren’t alone.

When we are present to others, that is, available to others, they are enabled, or empowered, to be faith, hope and love in miserable times.

Marcel argues that a person who is hope doesn’t accept the current situation as final. A person of hope doesn’t give up hope, or admit to its fading…because we are hope itself. As people of faith, we are faith…we are love.

[1] A sermon given September 20, as the second in a series entitled: “Addressing the Mystery”; given at the All Faiths Unitarian Congregation of Ft. Myers, FL, meeting at the Crestwell School, 1901 Park Meadows, Ft. Myers, FL by the Rev. Dr. Wayne Robinson, Minister.