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Faith can often times feel like you are going in circles. That is when you have to get creative with it as to avoid it becoming another boring thing you have to do.
Eating Jesus
My vegetable faith. Some of the best conversations I have had in explaining my Christian beliefs with people who really do not understand why I would want to believe this stuff, is to compare my faith to vegetarianism. I know the crossover is by no means perfect (ideally Christians would be known more for what they are for than what they are against), but the general premise of both faith and eating only vegetables is that strongly held convictions and judgemental avoidance of those who disagree with those convictions are not mutually inclusive.
As a rule of thumb, vegetarians do not agree that meat eaters are living their life as healthfully as they could. But this truth does not stop them from loving and congregating with people on every part of the meat-eating spectrum. Genuine friendship and fellowship is not reserved solely for those who agree with your definition of healthy living.
A little while back I read an essay by Jonathan Safran Foer in Men’s Health on the difficulties of explaining the choice to be a vegetarian to his non-veggie friends. He is an author that most recently wrote a book outlining all of the negative aspects of eating meat. The direct parallels in the article to the difficulties in explaining being Christian to my non-Christian friends blew my mind. Below is a version of his original essay edited with my own remixed
(mad libs) throughout:
What matters to me matters, and my values aren’t dependent on whose house I’m at on a given night. Principles are easy to follow when I’m on my own, but these are the moments when they’re tested.
Sharing (your beliefs) feels good and creates social bonds. (Insert spiritual author here), who has written as thoughtfully about (open spirituality) as anyone, calls this “(spiritually open) fellowship” and argues that its importance, which I agree is significant, is a vote against (Orthodox Christianity). On one level, he’s right. There’s no feeling quite as crappy as (feeling as though you are being egoic about your beliefs) on (moral) grounds. The question I ask myself is, How crappy is it for the person (you are talking to)?
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Faulty Furnace Faith
Try not to have a faith that is like a faulty furnace. For a large part of my life, I had a faulty furnace faith. The embers burned evenly in the basement of my heart, providing warmth only to those who went out of their way to seek it. An inefficient amount of time and attention went to ensuring it’s continued burn, but any resulting beauty or passion was tucked away in a shadowy corner, behind a cast iron grate.
The worst part about this type of faith is how selfish and fear based it is. It’s main intent is to make yourself feel more comfortable and because of this, anyone who challenges that must be looked at as a conspirator against your beliefs and sense of self.
It is exhausting. So try not to have a faith that is like a faulty furnace.
Faith is Like Watching Super 8
Q Ideas discusses how logic can often-times be our mainstay for our feelings toward faith, but sometimes we have to let ourselves wonder. Super 8 may not be the best movie this summer, but it did succeed in producing some wonder. And at least it was not a sequel…
“The world is like a drunken peasant. If you lift him into the saddle on one side, he will fall off on the other side.”
Martin Luther
Faith is Like Dodging Forks and Other Parenting Highlights
A thoughtful piece about how God might put pants on his head to help us feel better and faith might be better understood through the eyes of a parent. Perhaps our realizing we are insane is the first step to having any sense of spiritual maturity. Becoming self aware is important in both the real and spiritual realm.
A really interesting church hopping tour in NYC. Contemplating the prominence of the church in New York City when these buildings were established really makes you think about the place church is currently at in our culture.
Can a big church offer the same relationships and personal charing that a smaller church does? Q ideas discusses the notion of agreeing with the principles of disliking the mega-church model, while still being a part of mega church.
I think this is a good example of two things coming together to make something even more awesome. If Christians could make a similar combo move with what we say we believe and what we live out, it could equally incredible. Also, consider this the go ahead to count this in as an official gift registry for Gabby and I’s wedding.
These portrait bookshelves from French-based design studio iBride will add a little intrigue to your home décor. “Les Dandys” feature a trio of mysterious Baudelaire-era gentlemen topped with rams’ heads.
Know anyone doing awesome things that could also potentially use some dollars to help them help people? Nominate them for a grant from Epoch 2011.
Sometimes you have to be creative in the way you stand up for what you believe in.
