PoM 297
Tradition Ten:
“We have no opinion on outside issues”.
As PrayerCall has evolved the last 11 years, we have pretty much minded our own business, focusing on ourselves, and trying to get healthy in as many areas as we could.
Tonight, I dropped in on an old friend of mine, and in the course of conversation just asked him if he would tell me about his experience with God.
He was kind and generous enough to write this response:
I don’t see much evidence for a personal god, i.e. an intelligent being who created the universe, watches over it, or intervenes in it.
I DO see quite a bit of evidence for a more generalized spirituality- an evolution towards intelligence, mindfulness, cooperation.
My hope is that we are slowly evolving towards a much better world, one with much less suffering and much more understanding…
Tom,
Thank you so much for your response.
Gosh, I hope you’re right.
I, too, hope we have evolved and are evolving.
The ancient Incas, Israelites, Mayans, Egyptians, Aztecs and Chinese all sacrificed their children in the fire when they needed rain, a good harvest or to slam their enemies into the ground. Somewhere along the line, it occurred to someone that this wasn’t working too well.
So, I think we got a little better as a species that day, as you note.
Reminds me of the old joke: there’s a Rabbi ringside at a prize fight. His friend says “Will you say a prayer for the fighter in the white shorts?
Rabbi: “I will…but, it’ll help if he can fight”.
Later, on the plains of what would later become Europe, when the Goths, Visigoths and Vandals were slaughtering each other, a group of rather peculiar guys, who were trying not to get laid, and to live by themselves, started proposing an idea of perhaps “Might doesn’t make right”. And a subgroup of society, who were not as physically strong, began to flourish and had the privilege to live…and that was women and children.
That seems like a pretty good move, to me. I like women and I have a two-year-old son…so I appreciate that we may have moved up the spiritual ladder a notch or two.
As a bookseller you may know this next story:
When Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century, books became cheap and plentiful and women learn to read. It didn’t make sense to educate a woman back then because they weren’t allowed to work or own property, so it was a bad business decision to invest in their education.
I believe we evolved as a species when we invested in women’s minds and not just the hotness of their bodies or the prettiness of their faces…although L’Oréal and Chanel may disagree.
So, I agree with you that is there is tangible evidence that we are evolving…however ridiculously slow that progress may be.
The first question is a little more tricky:
“I don’t see much evidence of an intelligent being who created the universe, watches over it, or intervenes in it”.
I’m not sure of that either.
But, I am sure that separating the questions makes it easier to understand.
As a professional teacher, to me, the beauty of the old Jewish story of God creating the universe is unparalleled.
Is it true? I have no idea…
But the really useful question, to me is, “Is there a God that intervenes?”
To understand the truth of this question requires the correct sense.
I don’t listen to a painting. I don’t look at a symphony. That seems idiotically obvious.
The big leap is that I can’t use my understanding when approaching God. It is the wrong organ. It has to be experienced.
There is a group of people in the world who have that opportunity. The ones who are sick, hurt, lonely, lost, disenfranchised, wounded and aggrieved.
Patrick Carnes, PhD , says that two out of three Americans fall into this group. John Bradshaw says that 95% of Americans fall into this group.
To those people, the powerless, reaching out for power that they do not have is sensible…not reasonable.
And many of those people get to experience God…not all, but many.
Just sayin”
PoM 298
Like all men and women, I have been in love with my teenaged “first love” all my life.
I am actually, after 50 years, still friends with her. But, no one could possibly be more wrong for me.
Last night, I was invited to talk about God to someone who was not in program.
I talked with my wife for hours about it.
My wife is endlessly excited about God. She is ebullient. She overflows like Niagara Falls with the joy of God…completely separate and having nothing to do with my own joy.
I so respect, admire and enjoy her fierce expositions on God.
We are similar, but quite different in our views and experiences, but she is spirituality enthralling to listen to.
My first love…not so much.
God gave me so much more than I asked for or deserved.
PoM 299
To my sponcee:
There is in expression in ACA:
If you wonder why your family of origin pushes your buttons, it’s because…they installed them.
Be very protective of your boundaries on this trip so that you don’t get triggered into:
"I don’t belong"
"Someone doesn’t respect me"
"I am not as good as someone else or…I am better than someone else."
The need for esteem of others is important, but not as high-order a need as self-esteem, and nothing raises self-esteem more than unselfish services to others.
Protect yourself by taking time in your lovely play and winsome frolicking…to stop occasionally and help other addicts.
Just sayin’