Lovingkindness and Truth
It is with no small amount of enjoyment that I have been reading posts at 3DFF.com in all their variations. Good discussion on "bad language" by thoughtful Christians.
Just to be clear, I use to swear like a sailor. Now I swear like a guy who runs a fish emporium. Why?
I find I have more verbs and adjectives available.
I was really having a great time reading the one from the guy about to become a priest. He so reminded me of this guy I use to hang with here in San Anselmo before he moved to Philly. I was going through a very rough patch...alone, feeling forsaken (but not really so at all). I was deeply depressed.
We would meet for coffee and I just let it all spill out. On not a few occasions I might sit back after a rant and sigh "fuck!...where is God in all this mess?"
"I don't fuckin know dude, but let's go hang and pray" and we would walk, get some bagels, find a good place to pray and air it all out with our Father in heaven.
This man loves Jesus and I wish he could have stayed and been my priest. I could be myself and sometimes life is pretty fucked up and so am I. That's why I need God. It's why I need Jesus and the Holy Spirit every single day.
Well I finished reading the post and guess what?
It was him posting on the 3DFF.com forum! No shit. For reals.
I just laughed and laughed (and laughter is key...but we will get to that). But really, what are the chances?
Then I realized how much I miss him now that he is in Philly.
The Church is a beautiful thing and those of you struggling to work it out honestly and in faith there in Fresno (3DFF.com) are amazing to me. I don't have that here in San Anselmo. I had only Rick and honest talk and prayer then he was called to move on.
St. Paul
One of the little known facts about Paul's letters is he always urged two things to each community. He urged kindness/compassion/forgiveness to each one in a very specific way (often naming names) and he said we should be truth-tellers.
Part of being a truth-teller is to swear at times.
We all know this.
The truth about humanity is often vulgar. Vulgarity is, sometimes, the opposite of pretence and pride. Think of the movies that you find most funny. Is not the common element that things are "de-bunked" and unmasked for the pretence they are? Isn't laughter often the redeeming moment?
So, be truthful. Then ask God for forgiveness when needed.
Hate that
I hate it when I use the term "God dammit". I have read C.S. Lewis justification for the term (he used it in a radio address once...or a variation), but I am not so noble. I often use it in a selfish and utterly non-theological way. It's kind of ugly and I know it at the time.
I immediately (and openly verbally) ask God to forgive me for being so trite. I do not wish God to damn the issue at hand...particularly since the issue at hand is usually myself and my own bungling. But I wish to keep things open and clear and I also really love God and I suppose God views me the way I do when my child has a tantrum.
Now let me ask you...if in the midst of a selfish tantrum your child stopped and said "I'm sorry Father (or Mother) I mean no disrepsect I am just pissed off and need to get it out" would that work for you?
Well, I suppose there will be many reactions to this. But at the very least you do have to love, forgive and be compassionate with me. That is far deeper Gospel than any infraction that has been nailed to that damned tree (and yes, here it is appropriate).
God isn't playing here. This is serious stuff. Jesus didn't come to die because you say "pee-pee kaka" or because you drive 67 in a 55 lane. That's just dumb. For that God could have just sent Chris Rock to die for your potty mouth and lead-foot.
It's our hearts and minds and bodies God wants. Sure, the human tongue is a problem. It was our original gift in naming the animals and we haven't stopped misusing it since Adam named the Manatee in his own tongue. It's a mess.
In summary, of part one, the overseers are lovingkindness and truth. Often the truth means swearing. If that is offensive to some (and "context is everything") then we may be viewed with lovingkindess for our transgressions. The writer of Proverbs said these should be bound around our neck and set into the soft clay of our hearts. Not one without the other.
~Mac
P.S. anyone not want to install the above pictured key on their PC?
posted by Obi-Mac BakDon @ 7:11 AM
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