Acedia. Sometimes referred to as the eighth deadly sin. It is apparently a state of torpor (I had to look this word up too, it's like a depressed state or something that animals experience that is slightly different from hibernation) that is characterized by not caring about your life, position, or condition in the world. It sounds a lot like depression, but it's slightly different. It was common among monks and other ascetics and can be identified by a number of symptoms.
People with acedia may report having chronic sleepiness and sickness, and they may also experience pain and weakness in the knees and limbs as well as a fever. Psychologically, people have a loss of interest in daily tasks and a dissatisfaction with life, as well as boredom and laziness. This illness, to me, sounds a lot like a combination of depression and sloth...
Another definition I found of acedia described it as a disease that is characterized by people either stuck in the future or the past. They obsess about things to come and then are faced with terror when they realize their reality is much different from what they hope it to be. Or they brood over the past and miss out on valuable life chances.
Here's how you can cure acedia, according to this website:
1. Mind your own business. Know what is in your control and accept the things that are not.
2. Make decisions, don't spend all your life debating what to do. Just take a risk!
3. Reprioritize things. Do the things that matter the most first.
4. Forgive. Recall the past and make peace with it.
5. Set small goals.
6. Practice being present.
7. When you relax, use the time to develop parts of your personality that aren't employed in your daily work.
8. Be still, silent, and appreciative.
9. Perservere.
Mainly, though, I think the way to cure acedia is to really live in every moment. Don't let the past consume you, or hopes for the future overcome you. Be fully appreciative of every moment and recognize that your struggles are teaching you something in some way. I think after that, all your worries will dissolve.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The Sex Manual for Puritans
We mentioned the book "The Sex Manual for Puritans" by Vernard Eller the other day in class. The book is outlined by the following eight chapters:
1. Everything You Always Assumed About Sex
2. Sex for Fun and Profit
3. What to Look for in a Partner
4. Foreplay
5. Positions
6. The Climax
7. Afterword
8. Long Afterward
I couldn't really find any reviews about his book, but according to Dr. Richard Armour, Eller doesn't write "about sex in a slimy, prurient way" instead, his book "keeps within the bounds of good taste, though being frank and forthright." The book is apparently "practical, positive and decent" and Eller strives to make sex "both fun and funny". He basically tells us how to view sex in a "Christian" way.
According to Eller himself,
"God’s commitment, the character of his original creation, the thrust of this work in history, and the magnetism of his purpose and goal—all are in the direction of man’s becoming more human rather than less so…Sex can be human and humanizing because it can be a vehicle for expressing love.” He sees human beings as channels through which God's love can be expressed.
The main purpose of his book, as I understand it to be, is so that, in the midst of a civilized Puritan society made up of people who are "deprived of this literature solely on the basis of a religious-philosophical prejudice," they can finally learn about sex without having to address the feelings of guilt that go along with owning a "sex manual." Eller makes this manual exclusively for Puritans so that they may go along with answering their pressing questions in a way that God would not frown upon. You can take a look at the book here.
1. Everything You Always Assumed About Sex
2. Sex for Fun and Profit
3. What to Look for in a Partner
4. Foreplay
5. Positions
6. The Climax
7. Afterword
8. Long Afterward
I couldn't really find any reviews about his book, but according to Dr. Richard Armour, Eller doesn't write "about sex in a slimy, prurient way" instead, his book "keeps within the bounds of good taste, though being frank and forthright." The book is apparently "practical, positive and decent" and Eller strives to make sex "both fun and funny". He basically tells us how to view sex in a "Christian" way.
According to Eller himself,
"God’s commitment, the character of his original creation, the thrust of this work in history, and the magnetism of his purpose and goal—all are in the direction of man’s becoming more human rather than less so…Sex can be human and humanizing because it can be a vehicle for expressing love.” He sees human beings as channels through which God's love can be expressed.
The main purpose of his book, as I understand it to be, is so that, in the midst of a civilized Puritan society made up of people who are "deprived of this literature solely on the basis of a religious-philosophical prejudice," they can finally learn about sex without having to address the feelings of guilt that go along with owning a "sex manual." Eller makes this manual exclusively for Puritans so that they may go along with answering their pressing questions in a way that God would not frown upon. You can take a look at the book here.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Faith Healing
Faith healing is essentially how Christians believe someone can be cured from an ailment. They believe the "curing process" involves prayer and rituals that bring a divine presence and power to the ill person.
However, the sick person is often times not cured by "faith healing" and some deaths even occur. In May of last year, a 17 year-old boys appendix burst, but instead of taking him to the hospital, his parents had him anointed with olive oil and prayed over. The boy stayed in bed in agony for several days before he died. And this isn't the only case. The trend of "faith healing" as been going on for several decades, and it is usually by people of the Followers of Christ Church. Parents who chose to "faith heal" instead of taking their kids to the doctor are often convicted of manslaughter, as was the case when a sick infant was denied medical care by his parents in 2011.
It is extremely sad to me that these people think their religion is ordering them to neglect medical care. It's even more unfortunate that, on top of dealing with a dead child, these people also have to deal with being convicted criminals of murder. Hopefully more people will start to realize that medical care can actually make a difference with sick children, and maybe God would have wanted it that way.
However, the sick person is often times not cured by "faith healing" and some deaths even occur. In May of last year, a 17 year-old boys appendix burst, but instead of taking him to the hospital, his parents had him anointed with olive oil and prayed over. The boy stayed in bed in agony for several days before he died. And this isn't the only case. The trend of "faith healing" as been going on for several decades, and it is usually by people of the Followers of Christ Church. Parents who chose to "faith heal" instead of taking their kids to the doctor are often convicted of manslaughter, as was the case when a sick infant was denied medical care by his parents in 2011.
It is extremely sad to me that these people think their religion is ordering them to neglect medical care. It's even more unfortunate that, on top of dealing with a dead child, these people also have to deal with being convicted criminals of murder. Hopefully more people will start to realize that medical care can actually make a difference with sick children, and maybe God would have wanted it that way.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Dirk Willems
In class the other day, we addressed Dirk Willems briefly. I thought his story was fascinating so I wanted to do a little more follow up research on him!
Apparently, Dirk was born in the Netherlands and was baptized in his older years, therefore going against the norm of infant baptism. To enrage the Catholics and Protestants even more, he practiced adult baptism in his home. He was condemned in 1569 by the Roman Catholics and arrested. He was sent to a prison that used to be a residential palace, but he soon escaped by fashioning a rope made of knotted rags.
From the rope, he was able to descend onto a frozen moat below and was able to walk without breaking the ice because of his emaciated state. However, a guard saw him escaping and he tried to pursue him. The guard, being much heavier, fell through the ice and cried for help. Dirk turned around and actually saved the guard's life. The guard apparently wanted to let Dirk go free, but the burgomaster reminded the guard of his oath and convinced the guard otherwise. After many trials and imprisonments, Dirk was burned at the stake on May 16th, 1569.
Dirk Willems remains one of the most celebrated martyrs of the Anabaptists, as well as a great folk hero for the Amish and Mennonites. A book titled Dirk's Exodus was later written about him in 1990.
Apparently, Dirk was born in the Netherlands and was baptized in his older years, therefore going against the norm of infant baptism. To enrage the Catholics and Protestants even more, he practiced adult baptism in his home. He was condemned in 1569 by the Roman Catholics and arrested. He was sent to a prison that used to be a residential palace, but he soon escaped by fashioning a rope made of knotted rags.
From the rope, he was able to descend onto a frozen moat below and was able to walk without breaking the ice because of his emaciated state. However, a guard saw him escaping and he tried to pursue him. The guard, being much heavier, fell through the ice and cried for help. Dirk turned around and actually saved the guard's life. The guard apparently wanted to let Dirk go free, but the burgomaster reminded the guard of his oath and convinced the guard otherwise. After many trials and imprisonments, Dirk was burned at the stake on May 16th, 1569.
Dirk Willems remains one of the most celebrated martyrs of the Anabaptists, as well as a great folk hero for the Amish and Mennonites. A book titled Dirk's Exodus was later written about him in 1990.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Amish Paradise
Rumspringa
Today in class we talked about the Amish and their tradition of Rumspringa. I found an awesome video that details it all, and even though it says it's 8 minutes, you really only need to watch the first 4 (the rest of the video is a song spoof).
Here's the basic rundown of the tradition:
Rumspringa is a rite of passage and coming of age that is equivalent to that of the college experience for American teens. It has no set age or time period (that is determined by the parents) but it is characterized as a period in which an extended amount of time is spent away from the parents. Amish teens enter the "English" community and are free to experiment with drugs and alcohol and party like American teens. After this period is over, the Amish teens have the option of being baptized back into the Amish community, or leaving their friends and family forever and choosing to live in the English world.
The decision may seem easy enough, but here's the catch: the entire Amish community will shun you forever if you choose to leave. There is tremendous pressure to reenter the community from family and friends, as well as the thought that they need to be good role models for their siblings. The teens also fear losing such a tight-knit community, going to hell if they don't return to the Amish way of living, and facing guilt for the things they did during rumspringa. If they do decide to leave the community, their parents are still allowed to talk to them. They don't approve of their decision but they try to accept them nevertheless.
Only 10% of Amish teens decide to join the English world. I suppose it is important for them to get a taste of the world outside of their own and they must be given the freedom to decide on their own. I honestly think all religions should mirror this way of being. For example, we are born into a certain family with certain beliefs, but we shouldn't feel trapped or obligated to be "Christian" or "Muslim" all our lives. If all teens were given the opportunity to experience new religions and ways of being outside of their own community, then I think the world would be a much more tolerant place.
Unfortunately, blogger won't let me upload the video that I found from Youtube. You can access it by following this link.
Here's the basic rundown of the tradition:
Rumspringa is a rite of passage and coming of age that is equivalent to that of the college experience for American teens. It has no set age or time period (that is determined by the parents) but it is characterized as a period in which an extended amount of time is spent away from the parents. Amish teens enter the "English" community and are free to experiment with drugs and alcohol and party like American teens. After this period is over, the Amish teens have the option of being baptized back into the Amish community, or leaving their friends and family forever and choosing to live in the English world.
The decision may seem easy enough, but here's the catch: the entire Amish community will shun you forever if you choose to leave. There is tremendous pressure to reenter the community from family and friends, as well as the thought that they need to be good role models for their siblings. The teens also fear losing such a tight-knit community, going to hell if they don't return to the Amish way of living, and facing guilt for the things they did during rumspringa. If they do decide to leave the community, their parents are still allowed to talk to them. They don't approve of their decision but they try to accept them nevertheless.
Only 10% of Amish teens decide to join the English world. I suppose it is important for them to get a taste of the world outside of their own and they must be given the freedom to decide on their own. I honestly think all religions should mirror this way of being. For example, we are born into a certain family with certain beliefs, but we shouldn't feel trapped or obligated to be "Christian" or "Muslim" all our lives. If all teens were given the opportunity to experience new religions and ways of being outside of their own community, then I think the world would be a much more tolerant place.
Unfortunately, blogger won't let me upload the video that I found from Youtube. You can access it by following this link.
Westboro Baptist Church and Bombings in Boston
Last Monday, a horrible tragedy struck Boston. Two crudely fashioned bombs were detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing 3 and injuring 175 runners. This seemed to hit home for me: both my sister and Dad were in Boston on Monday, and although neither of them were hurt, the terror evoked on that day seemed very real to me. In a time when everyone is shaken by this act and in the process of mourning, there are people who see it differently.
The Westboro Baptist church are these people who see it differently. According to an article by Steven Nelson titled "Westboro Baptist Church Plans to Picket Boston Funerals", the members of the church "celebrated this carnage" and claimed that it was God's way of punishing the same-sex marriage that was first made legal in Massachusetts. They plan to picket the 3 funerals of those who were killed. A disturbing tweet was sent from one of the members of the church saying "Westboro Baptist Church to picket funerals of those dead by Boston Bombs! GOD SENT THE BOMBS IN FURY OVER FAG MARRIAGE! #PraiseGod".
I find it incredibly disturbing that these people are preaching such hate in the name of God. When families are in the midst of painful grieving, the last thing they want to hear is that God meant to kill their loved one out of spite and revenge for granting same sex marriage. I don't understand how anyone could see God as a wrathful being who should be feared, and how anyone could find inner peace and contentment with worshiping such a being. I really hope someone stops them from picketing the funerals, this is such a disgrace to Christianity and humanity.
If God had bombed and killed their children and relatives in the Boston Marathon race, would they react differently? We must give compassion and love to those who are grieving, because it could have happened to any of us.
Find the article I got my information from here.
The Westboro Baptist church are these people who see it differently. According to an article by Steven Nelson titled "Westboro Baptist Church Plans to Picket Boston Funerals", the members of the church "celebrated this carnage" and claimed that it was God's way of punishing the same-sex marriage that was first made legal in Massachusetts. They plan to picket the 3 funerals of those who were killed. A disturbing tweet was sent from one of the members of the church saying "Westboro Baptist Church to picket funerals of those dead by Boston Bombs! GOD SENT THE BOMBS IN FURY OVER FAG MARRIAGE! #PraiseGod".
I find it incredibly disturbing that these people are preaching such hate in the name of God. When families are in the midst of painful grieving, the last thing they want to hear is that God meant to kill their loved one out of spite and revenge for granting same sex marriage. I don't understand how anyone could see God as a wrathful being who should be feared, and how anyone could find inner peace and contentment with worshiping such a being. I really hope someone stops them from picketing the funerals, this is such a disgrace to Christianity and humanity.
If God had bombed and killed their children and relatives in the Boston Marathon race, would they react differently? We must give compassion and love to those who are grieving, because it could have happened to any of us.
Find the article I got my information from here.
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