THE GUY PROJECT
Of Religions
Jarod,
I can already see that my struggle with other religions will become more difficult in this journey. A good Hindu lives a life of love. They respect other people and are in touch with the inner moral fabric. This is the same with a Muslim, and a Christian. All emphasize obedience to a transcendent moral code, whether it takes an abstract or personal form. They are so annoyingly similar in feeling. Muslims emphasize obedience to Allah. Hindus tap the inner energy within, much like the Christian’s Holy Spirit, which they only receive when they believe.
And each religion has had very similar goals: to get those within their respective cultures to shed apathy. A lack of compassion feels like the true evil. Christ calls the duty to love our neighbor the 2nd greatest command, so this matches up.
Every culture has evil, moderately evil, moderately good, and good people. A more accurate scale might be: cruel, apathetic, and saintly. It seems as though the saintly person in any culture is naturally drawn to the goodness of the created world, and is more likely to leave his heart open to God’s truth. I am less worried about these persons, because I believe God will reveal Himself to them somehow. Many now believe that there is a final after-death experience that confirms or denies their pursuit of truth on earth and gives them one last chance to accept Truth.
However, the apathetic need more of a push. These are the people who need their lives to be interrupted by positive influences. Often cynical, they need to have their attitudes challenged. They are also often without a vision for where the world is headed, and are content to continue on with life after some base questions are answered.
The evil might find redemption through punishment.
I think back to the talk we had in your kitchen, where three cups represent three religious structures – we’ll say Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism. Then you held a spoon over each one, which represented Christ. We'll say each religious structure includes its teachings, values, disciplines, and cultural history. I'm attracted to the idea that a person may follow a number of different religious structures in their search for truth. People must work with what pieces of truth they have been given. However, no one may commune with God the Father except through the person of Christ. And He is truth embodied. Perhaps there is more hope for the devout follower of another faith whose heart is full of love than for the shallow, materialistic Christian. For some since Christians are content to continue in the weakness of faith in which they began.
The message of the Gospel is unique. It is not just a bit of mercy here and there; it is not a reprogramming of the human mind; it is the person of Christ and His sacrifice. It is complete forgiveness for sins irreparable. It is alive with power, dynamic and moving within us. But those who devote their lives to holiness are not given assurance of salvation - it is in the hand of God. Apparently salvation is available even to the worst of sinners. The frustrating thing is that we are powerless to grab it - it is a gift from God. The way of salvation has not been hidden from us, but it sure hasn’t been made crystal clear. I rest in the hope that God is continually opening our eyes.
Dave
The Role of 'Brother'
I sat down to write about my experiences here, and this is what came out…
Jarod,
I really needed to hear that. Our actions eventually define who we are,above everything else. This gives me motivation to do things for which I lack confidence, because I have the hope of eventually mastering what Iset out to do. By the way, I have recovered from my insanity as well.One role I have grown to love is that of the brother. I have threesisters, and each of them is a different type of woman. But for eachsister my role is fundamentally the same: to offer the love,encouragement, safety, and protection from a man in the same bloodline. The brother is an unasked for representative of the “other” gender and hasa position of inherited power due to the vulnerable nature of a family. Ihave seen brothers who could not handle this inherited power, and bynature brought anguish to their sisters’ lives. This is an earlyresponsibility. Of course I had no idea of this power when I was a child, but the adultbrother is a very different matter. He is not the father, thoughsometimes he also must take that role. No, in those moments when he iswith his family, he is an aspiring leader: a father in training. Yes, the joy of being young is the ability to make mistakes.
When I was a youngboy growing up with three sisters, I played alone quite a lot. My thoughts were quite far from cultivating my sisters. I loved them, theywere an oddity.
For my oldest sister, I was the goofy little brother who stayed in theawkward stage for a very long time. Now I am the young brother who rejoices with her in her new life as a married woman. For my middle sister, I was the nerdy recluse who she sometimes playedbasketball with. Now I am the brother that she encourages as we laugh andmake light of painful situations.For my little sister, I was the older brother who was somewhat distant. Now I am the older brother who feels very close to her and watches with joy as she grows into a mature young woman. Again, I didn’t understand the joy of this role until I was grown. Now Iam trying to do the things I need to do to be the kind of brother mysisters deserve. This role may develop outside of the blood family aswell, but it is rare to become close to a woman outside the familywithout…er…complications.
Sisters within the blood family are a gift from God. We did not ask for them but, to some degree, they will always be apart of our lives.
-Dave
Giving Blood
A group of men walk into a Red Cross clinic to donate blood. They all start by reading a statistics sheet about how much blood is needed in the U.S. every day, and how injured people are anticipating their donations. The first man skims the sheet, but he can't stay concentrated. He is thinking about his new rims. He just bought them, they're sitting in his trunk, waiting to be put on his tires. That's it- he can't take it anymore- he has to go.... his rims are calling. So he leaves the clinic and goes to his car.
The second man leaves too. But this man read the paper carefully. Slowly. And then read it again. So much injury, so many deaths. The nation needs so much blood, and there are so few who give. He doesn't see how his small gift can make a difference. His burden gets the better of him, and he starts to feel nauseous. Already nauseous, and he hasn't even seen the needle.
The third man fills out his paperwork, goes through the screening process, chats with the health-care workers. He asks his buddies where they want to go for dinner after they donate. He talks about the football game with his nurse as his blood is being drawn. He is robust. This man hardly feels the loss of his blood- glad to give it to someone in need. Smiles and gets a bandage on his arm. Says "thanks" as he leaves. The fourth man decides to stay. He felt the same temptation as the second man... too much need. But he stays. He doesn't have quite as much fun as the man before him. He is already hurting with those who have been injured. His donation is a direct transaction of grief mixed with blood... the recipients take some of his blood, he takes some of their grief. The needle hurts this man. He goes light-headed. They run to bring the fan. Elevate his feet. "Do you want us to stop drawing?" They ask? "No." He keeps squeezing, pumping. The bag fills slowly. But the man knows his discomfort is only a minor price to pay to help. He finally meets his quota, and they withdraw the needle. They bandage him, but the man walks away unsatisfied. He doesn't want to leave. He turns around, asks "Can you take any more?" "No." They say. "That's enough for today." The man knows his body will soon recover, but someone else who was wounded many not. He wishes he could go back to the chair again, fill up ten bags, give them all his blood. But they would never allow it. So he leaves the clinic, waves to the man installing the new rims on his car... wonders how such a man can live with himself... then helps him finish putting on the rims.
Seems that I'm like the last guy, Dave.
