Lots of companies have shed jobs and laid off employees who may never return. Paychecks are lower, taxes will probably go up and the cost of living endlessly rises. Without a good job the future is daunting, and it's not all about money.
Americans place a huge emphasis on work and it's a big source of our identities. The loss of a job can be mind-numbing and ego-shattering no matter what kind of work we do as our sense of value is challenged.
Does the inability to get a comparable job need to be devastating? Not if you asked 17th century Puritans, for whom work was vital. Amy Henry of The Wall Street Journal writes "they developed one of the most highly defined and well-honed work ethics in history" and "believed that all of life, including their work, was God's, and as such, infused with purpose and meaning. They saw hardship not as a sign of failure, but as a path to growth and maturity, a mind-set that kept them from the kind of work-related despair seen in today's news."
The Puritans knew that physical activity and fun were essential to well-being. The Victorian idea that Puritans embraced "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy," is not true. "The Puritans pursued joy, the very antithesis of depression, even in the midst of hardship, believing they were firmly in God's hand, not forgotten or forsaken."
All work was esteemed and taking "a step down in pay or stature (did) not equate to failure." Whatever work was found, it was essential it be done." As Martin Luther so eloquently put it, "God...does not want me to sit at home, to loaf, to commit matters to God, and wait till a fried chicken flies into my mouth."
Ever see Dirty Jobs on TV? If the people they film decided none of their jobs were worth doing, we'd quickly discover that politicians and company presidents are a lot more expendable than pig sloppers, fish gutters, trash collectors or roadkill picker-uppers.
Work is healthy and everyone, regardless of occupation, is on the same plane in the eyes of God. For Christians who suffer setbacks, it's a perspective that dismisses the idea that those with job security, fancy titles and Armani suits are somehow more worthy than others.
Even if the next job doesn't measure up to the lost one, it's still God's work. It leaves a Christian's dignity and sense of value intact.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
A Professorial Observation
College professors usually aren't supporters of Christianity. That's why it's surprising that a number of them "have noticed an occasional bright light shining out from the dull, party-going, anti-intellectual masses who stare back at them from class to class." According to Naomi Schaefer Riley, reviewing the book Souls In Transition by Christian Smith in The Wall Street Journal, these young adults are religious Christians.
They do well because they're more serious about their studies. Since they're grounded in moral absolutes from God, they have a clear sense of right/wrong, correct/incorrect and positive/negative conduct that directs them toward success. Their core beliefs give them strength, clarity, direction and motivation.
Compare this with the moral mushiness of their peers. One put it this way: "Morality is how I feel, because in my heart I could feel it. You could feel what's right or wrong in your heart as well as in your mind. Most of the time, I always felt, I feel it in my heart and it makes it easier for me to decide what's right and wrong. Because if I feel about doing something, I'm going to feel it in my heart, and if it feels good, I'm going to do it."
So the individual bases his perception of right and wrong on how he "feels" and there aren't any objective standards, especially from God.
This is scary. Under Pol Pot in the 1970's, much of Cambodia's population was marched into what were called "killing fields." An estimated 1.7 million people died of starvation, disease, overwork and execution. When his government was overthrown, Pol Pot remained on the loose for 17 years but was eventually captured. He subsequently offered a pearl of moral insight. He asked, "Am I a savage person? My conscience is clear."
If we make up our own moral standards there's no limit to the indecency, indolence, violence, greed or other vices we can justify. When left on his own, man is likely to choose selfish, destructive behavior. Christians, on the other hand, don't feel morality that changes with the wind. They've been taught morality that's solid regardless of the individual's whims.
Ms. Riley notes that "Not only does religion concentrate the mind and help young people to think about moral questions, it also leads to positive social outcomes. Religious young people are more likely to give to charity, do volunteer work and become involved with social institutions. They are less likely to smoke, drink and use drugs...and are less likely to feel depressed or to be overweight. They are less concerned with material possessions and more likely to go to college."
It's heartening that the difference is apparent. But it's distressing - and perplexing - to watch the same intellectual class that sees it turn around and spurn Christianity. Especially when it provides the moral framework our culture so desperately needs.
Have any thoughts or observations?
Reader's feedback is welcomed! Click on "comments" below to let us know your thoughts. They may be sent anonymously.
To add or remove an address from the Finding Faith mailing list, which provides a link to the weekly post, please send an email to cwgalaska@triadpress.us
They do well because they're more serious about their studies. Since they're grounded in moral absolutes from God, they have a clear sense of right/wrong, correct/incorrect and positive/negative conduct that directs them toward success. Their core beliefs give them strength, clarity, direction and motivation.
Compare this with the moral mushiness of their peers. One put it this way: "Morality is how I feel, because in my heart I could feel it. You could feel what's right or wrong in your heart as well as in your mind. Most of the time, I always felt, I feel it in my heart and it makes it easier for me to decide what's right and wrong. Because if I feel about doing something, I'm going to feel it in my heart, and if it feels good, I'm going to do it."
So the individual bases his perception of right and wrong on how he "feels" and there aren't any objective standards, especially from God.
This is scary. Under Pol Pot in the 1970's, much of Cambodia's population was marched into what were called "killing fields." An estimated 1.7 million people died of starvation, disease, overwork and execution. When his government was overthrown, Pol Pot remained on the loose for 17 years but was eventually captured. He subsequently offered a pearl of moral insight. He asked, "Am I a savage person? My conscience is clear."
If we make up our own moral standards there's no limit to the indecency, indolence, violence, greed or other vices we can justify. When left on his own, man is likely to choose selfish, destructive behavior. Christians, on the other hand, don't feel morality that changes with the wind. They've been taught morality that's solid regardless of the individual's whims.
Ms. Riley notes that "Not only does religion concentrate the mind and help young people to think about moral questions, it also leads to positive social outcomes. Religious young people are more likely to give to charity, do volunteer work and become involved with social institutions. They are less likely to smoke, drink and use drugs...and are less likely to feel depressed or to be overweight. They are less concerned with material possessions and more likely to go to college."
It's heartening that the difference is apparent. But it's distressing - and perplexing - to watch the same intellectual class that sees it turn around and spurn Christianity. Especially when it provides the moral framework our culture so desperately needs.
Have any thoughts or observations?
Reader's feedback is welcomed! Click on "comments" below to let us know your thoughts. They may be sent anonymously.
To add or remove an address from the Finding Faith mailing list, which provides a link to the weekly post, please send an email to cwgalaska@triadpress.us
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Third Man
Ron DiFrancesco was in the South Tower of the WTC when the airliner hit the floors above, generating a cascade of debris and knocking him into a wall. He climbed upward, hoping to be rescued from the roof, but was trapped by smoke and fire on the 91st floor.
Losing consciousness, DiFrancesco "heard a voice call him by his first name. 'The voice was insistent but encouraging. Somebody lifted me up. I was led to the stairs. I don't think somebody grabbed my hand, but I was definitely led.'"
Sarah Chalmers of the Daily Mail reports, "The benevolent helper guided him down the stairs, insisting he walk through fires - which he did, covering his face - to make his way down." He reached the exit and got out as the building collapsed. DiFrancesco awakened in a hospital to find that he was the last survivor.
**********************************************************************************
An avalanche swept James Sevigny away, killed his friend, and left him lying in bloodsoaked snow with a broken back, wrecked knees, internal bleeding and resigned to death. John Blake of CNN Living writes that Sevigny "felt someone behind him and heard a voice: 'No, you can't give up. You have to live.' It was like if I would sneak up to you and put my nose a quarter of an inch from your neck. It was that kind of physical sensation."
The voice was "warm and nurturing, and it gave practical advice: 'You have to get your jacket on. You have to get water.'" It told him to form his lost blood into the shape of arrows pointing his direction. Sevigny said, "I didn't question it. I didn't think about it. I did exactly what the voice said." The companion led him to safety.
**********************************************************************************
Extraordinary stories, but not uncommon. Years after his Antarctic trek with two others Ernest Shackleton reported he felt there were four of them - not three - and that the unseen presence guided them. It turned out the others had sensed the companion, too.
How does this happen? Scientists have stimulated epileptic brains to produce the sensation of a presence felt by the patient. They theorize that in extreme situations an "angel switch" is activated that creates this feeling. Others think it's a psychological coping mechanism that kicks in under stress. But neither explanation accounts for the comfort, support and specific instructions the companion provides.
Shackleton and DeFrancesco didn't need to explain it since both were Christians who attributed the "Third Man" to divine intervention.
Sevigny disdains religion, but his experience touched him so deeply he couldn't talk about it without crying for years. Sounds like an unresolved conflict between a brain trying to rationalize the experience into something it accomplished and a heart that knows God saved his life.
The name "Third Man" was inspired by the episode in which the risen Christ walks with two disciples without identifying himself. Is the Third Man Jesus, the Holy Spirit, an angel or just some physiological/psychological process?
Any thoughts? Has anyone had this experience or know someone who has?
Reader's feedback is welcomed! Click on "comments " below to let us know your thoughts. They may be sent anonymously.
To add or remove an address from the Finding Faith mailing list, which provides a link to the weekly post, please send an email to cwgalaska@triadpress.us
Losing consciousness, DiFrancesco "heard a voice call him by his first name. 'The voice was insistent but encouraging. Somebody lifted me up. I was led to the stairs. I don't think somebody grabbed my hand, but I was definitely led.'"
Sarah Chalmers of the Daily Mail reports, "The benevolent helper guided him down the stairs, insisting he walk through fires - which he did, covering his face - to make his way down." He reached the exit and got out as the building collapsed. DiFrancesco awakened in a hospital to find that he was the last survivor.
**********************************************************************************
An avalanche swept James Sevigny away, killed his friend, and left him lying in bloodsoaked snow with a broken back, wrecked knees, internal bleeding and resigned to death. John Blake of CNN Living writes that Sevigny "felt someone behind him and heard a voice: 'No, you can't give up. You have to live.' It was like if I would sneak up to you and put my nose a quarter of an inch from your neck. It was that kind of physical sensation."
The voice was "warm and nurturing, and it gave practical advice: 'You have to get your jacket on. You have to get water.'" It told him to form his lost blood into the shape of arrows pointing his direction. Sevigny said, "I didn't question it. I didn't think about it. I did exactly what the voice said." The companion led him to safety.
**********************************************************************************
Extraordinary stories, but not uncommon. Years after his Antarctic trek with two others Ernest Shackleton reported he felt there were four of them - not three - and that the unseen presence guided them. It turned out the others had sensed the companion, too.
How does this happen? Scientists have stimulated epileptic brains to produce the sensation of a presence felt by the patient. They theorize that in extreme situations an "angel switch" is activated that creates this feeling. Others think it's a psychological coping mechanism that kicks in under stress. But neither explanation accounts for the comfort, support and specific instructions the companion provides.
Shackleton and DeFrancesco didn't need to explain it since both were Christians who attributed the "Third Man" to divine intervention.
Sevigny disdains religion, but his experience touched him so deeply he couldn't talk about it without crying for years. Sounds like an unresolved conflict between a brain trying to rationalize the experience into something it accomplished and a heart that knows God saved his life.
The name "Third Man" was inspired by the episode in which the risen Christ walks with two disciples without identifying himself. Is the Third Man Jesus, the Holy Spirit, an angel or just some physiological/psychological process?
Any thoughts? Has anyone had this experience or know someone who has?
Reader's feedback is welcomed! Click on "comments " below to let us know your thoughts. They may be sent anonymously.
To add or remove an address from the Finding Faith mailing list, which provides a link to the weekly post, please send an email to cwgalaska@triadpress.us
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Enlightened Courtship Revisited
Back in November, before the Tiger Woods meltdown, the Finding Faith post titled "Enlightened Courtship" commented on traditional rules of courtship becoming obsolete. According to David Brooks of The New York Times "the search was on for more enlightened courtship rules" that reflect a compartmentalization of emotional commitment and sexuality that's resulted from the sexual revolution and fast communication.
The idea is that birth control and Twitter have somehow freed humans from responsibility to each other and made intimacy into no-strings-attached recreation.
Ask Elin Woods what she thinks. Her husband, Tiger, made huge amounts of money from endorsements. Since personal behavior impacts marketability, Elin had powerful reasons to ignore his philandering, keep it quiet and keep the gravy train rolling.
But some things trigger emotions beyond suppression and this betrayal was one of them. It wrecked the marriage, affected the children - who may end up in Sweden - and caused hurt that'll last a long, long time. The schadenfreud (a German word meaning "pleasure taken from someone else's misfortune") is palpable at office water coolers over the fall of a guy who was universally esteemed for his skill, dedication, drive, personality and even his storybook marriage.
We don't have many heroes and it's hard to watch one self-immolate. Instead of reveling in schadenfreud we should be saddened that a role model's been swept away.
Elin Woods is only the most recent victim. Jenny Sanford filed for divorce from Governor Mark Sanford, who had taken up with an Argentine "soulmate." And Silda Spitzer will suffer Chinese water torture as her husband Eliot's call girl became a New York Post advice columnist. Anybody seen John Edwards lately?
On national television, political analyst Brit Hume suggested Woods consider Christianity because of the forgiveness and redemption it offers. He said Tiger "would feel an extraordinary blessing. It would be a shining light...(and) a magnificent thing to witness. (He) could make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."
This ignited a firestorm, eliciting remarks like "Christianity, in America, is hate-filled, judgmental, bombastic, revelation which is reflective, for the most part, of intellectually challenged low life." The commenter, Frugalchariot on www.thinkprogress.org, obviously needs an open mind, better information and grammar lessons. At least his opinion was printable.
Asked about the reaction, Hume noted "It has always been puzzling to me. The Bible even speaks of it, that (when) you speak the name of Jesus Christ...all hell breaks loose. It is explosive." The virulent response is mystifying to Christians because it doesn't jibe with what we believe or practice. Maybe it's just that our values come from a higher authority and we question man's ability to make up his own morality.
In our morally relativistic society, we're told teachings based on biblical knowledge of the human condition are obsolete and we're free to ignore them. But does anyone - especially Woods, Sanford, Spitzer and Edwards after paying the price for indulging their appetites - really buy it?
Reader's feedback is welcomed! Click on "comments" below to let us know your thoughts.
To add or remove an address from the Finding Faith mailing list, which provides a link to the weekly post, please send an email to cwgalaska@triadpress.us
The idea is that birth control and Twitter have somehow freed humans from responsibility to each other and made intimacy into no-strings-attached recreation.
Ask Elin Woods what she thinks. Her husband, Tiger, made huge amounts of money from endorsements. Since personal behavior impacts marketability, Elin had powerful reasons to ignore his philandering, keep it quiet and keep the gravy train rolling.
But some things trigger emotions beyond suppression and this betrayal was one of them. It wrecked the marriage, affected the children - who may end up in Sweden - and caused hurt that'll last a long, long time. The schadenfreud (a German word meaning "pleasure taken from someone else's misfortune") is palpable at office water coolers over the fall of a guy who was universally esteemed for his skill, dedication, drive, personality and even his storybook marriage.
We don't have many heroes and it's hard to watch one self-immolate. Instead of reveling in schadenfreud we should be saddened that a role model's been swept away.
Elin Woods is only the most recent victim. Jenny Sanford filed for divorce from Governor Mark Sanford, who had taken up with an Argentine "soulmate." And Silda Spitzer will suffer Chinese water torture as her husband Eliot's call girl became a New York Post advice columnist. Anybody seen John Edwards lately?
On national television, political analyst Brit Hume suggested Woods consider Christianity because of the forgiveness and redemption it offers. He said Tiger "would feel an extraordinary blessing. It would be a shining light...(and) a magnificent thing to witness. (He) could make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."
This ignited a firestorm, eliciting remarks like "Christianity, in America, is hate-filled, judgmental, bombastic, revelation which is reflective, for the most part, of intellectually challenged low life." The commenter, Frugalchariot on www.thinkprogress.org, obviously needs an open mind, better information and grammar lessons. At least his opinion was printable.
Asked about the reaction, Hume noted "It has always been puzzling to me. The Bible even speaks of it, that (when) you speak the name of Jesus Christ...all hell breaks loose. It is explosive." The virulent response is mystifying to Christians because it doesn't jibe with what we believe or practice. Maybe it's just that our values come from a higher authority and we question man's ability to make up his own morality.
In our morally relativistic society, we're told teachings based on biblical knowledge of the human condition are obsolete and we're free to ignore them. But does anyone - especially Woods, Sanford, Spitzer and Edwards after paying the price for indulging their appetites - really buy it?
Reader's feedback is welcomed! Click on "comments" below to let us know your thoughts.
To add or remove an address from the Finding Faith mailing list, which provides a link to the weekly post, please send an email to cwgalaska@triadpress.us
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