Comments on: What Is God Doing In Your Life? http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/ The manic mind of the minister -- Auntie Mame Meets Cotton Mather Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:23:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Pastor Peters http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2966 Pastor Peters Fri, 29 Sep 2006 16:57:39 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2966 PB, I went to seminary with a whole bunch of UUs. Some of them would fall into the category that you describe. But, not all of them. <br/><br/>Recently, I had dinner with one of my very favorite UU ministers when I was going through a tough time in my discernment process. I was warmed by the fact that she was the only one among my faithful friends that I understood exactly where I felt God was at that moment. <br/><br/>I offer this because I think UUs often get a bad rap -- not unlike members of my own denomination. Faith is intensely personal and I can't imagine a more honest way of engaging that relationship with God then simply asking your bold question. <br/><br/>May God bless you each and every day in a very personal way. PB, I went to seminary with a whole bunch of UUs. Some of them would fall into the category that you describe. But, not all of them.

Recently, I had dinner with one of my very favorite UU ministers when I was going through a tough time in my discernment process. I was warmed by the fact that she was the only one among my faithful friends that I understood exactly where I felt God was at that moment.

I offer this because I think UUs often get a bad rap — not unlike members of my own denomination. Faith is intensely personal and I can’t imagine a more honest way of engaging that relationship with God then simply asking your bold question.

May God bless you each and every day in a very personal way.

]]> By: Wally Nut http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2965 Wally Nut Thu, 28 Sep 2006 22:56:52 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2965 Thank you so much for your post, Peace Bang. I am thinking of your nightly practice of reading Scripture and how it is changing you as a person. It seems to me that this woman of which you speak has a practice of thankfulness. I do not think there is a more powerful practice. Those who are masters of this practice will have just as much thanks for the moment when all has fallen apart, perhaps even more thanks, for it is in such times that the biggest shifts are posible in our lives. I believe it would be the epitome of elitism to challenge her practice just because she may not yet have become a master in it. Actually we do not know. Perhaps she is already a master in this practice. Instead of being critical, we might learn from her about this practice of thankfulness. Thank you so much for your post, Peace Bang. I am thinking of your nightly practice of reading Scripture and how it is changing you as a person. It seems to me that this woman of which you speak has a practice of thankfulness. I do not think there is a more powerful practice. Those who are masters of this practice will have just as much thanks for the moment when all has fallen apart, perhaps even more thanks, for it is in such times that the biggest shifts are posible in our lives. I believe it would be the epitome of elitism to challenge her practice just because she may not yet have become a master in it. Actually we do not know. Perhaps she is already a master in this practice. Instead of being critical, we might learn from her about this practice of thankfulness.

]]> By: UU Soul http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2964 UU Soul Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:02:44 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2964 Thanks, PeaceBang :) I have to give credit to UUPlanet.com for my lovely flaming chalice. Great the topic! Thanks, PeaceBang :) I have to give credit to UUPlanet.com for my lovely flaming chalice. Great the topic!

]]> By: Chelle http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2963 Chelle Thu, 28 Sep 2006 04:48:00 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2963 hey there PB....when I was growing up we learned the saying "God is good all the time and all the time God is good." <br/><br/>For the longest time I used to say it because it was what was said, but then I got to thinking about what MLKjr said about the arc of history being long but bending towards justice and I've been struck mute because he's right. Most things take patience, and that's something we have to learn more. This instant culture of ours is going to be our downfall. hey there PB….when I was growing up we learned the saying “God is good all the time and all the time God is good.”

For the longest time I used to say it because it was what was said, but then I got to thinking about what MLKjr said about the arc of history being long but bending towards justice and I’ve been struck mute because he’s right. Most things take patience, and that’s something we have to learn more. This instant culture of ours is going to be our downfall.

]]> By: indrax http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2962 indrax Thu, 28 Sep 2006 04:40:07 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2962 Fantastic post PB.<br/><br/>I don't know this woman, but I think my reaction to her comment would be to percieve, as you put it 'weak mindedness'. I would wonder if she had thought through the implications of what she was saying. I'm just as wary of ill-thought-out atheism. (come to think of it, this would be the athistic compliment to her statement: "I lost my house/phone/food, God isn't real.") Particular life events don't prove anything. I mean, believe what you want, but have good reasons.<br/><br/>I don't know if that's intellectual elitism, or a demand for a responsible search. Fantastic post PB.

I don’t know this woman, but I think my reaction to her comment would be to percieve, as you put it ‘weak mindedness’. I would wonder if she had thought through the implications of what she was saying. I’m just as wary of ill-thought-out atheism. (come to think of it, this would be the athistic compliment to her statement: “I lost my house/phone/food, God isn’t real.”) Particular life events don’t prove anything. I mean, believe what you want, but have good reasons.

I don’t know if that’s intellectual elitism, or a demand for a responsible search.

]]> By: Joel Monka http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2961 Joel Monka Thu, 28 Sep 2006 04:19:31 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2961 As I'm sure you've gathered from my other posts, I do believe in the Divine, and I have felt the Divine presence. Although I have been a rationalist in my day, I was never able to shake the feeling completely; I was only able to try to argue myself out of what I knew was true despite all arguments. Eventually it became impossible to deny God.<br/><br/>Today I find no conflict between my spiritual life and my intellectual life, and the conflict was resolved by a very rational process. It's an axiom that when reality doesn't match your math or logic, it is the logic that's faulty, not reality. This is a hard pill to swallow- even Einstein tried to deny reality when Quantum Physics didn't match his logical conclusions. But I've managed to swallow my pill- and found in the end it was harder for me to admit to myself I believed in God than it was to tell others. As I’m sure you’ve gathered from my other posts, I do believe in the Divine, and I have felt the Divine presence. Although I have been a rationalist in my day, I was never able to shake the feeling completely; I was only able to try to argue myself out of what I knew was true despite all arguments. Eventually it became impossible to deny God.

Today I find no conflict between my spiritual life and my intellectual life, and the conflict was resolved by a very rational process. It’s an axiom that when reality doesn’t match your math or logic, it is the logic that’s faulty, not reality. This is a hard pill to swallow- even Einstein tried to deny reality when Quantum Physics didn’t match his logical conclusions. But I’ve managed to swallow my pill- and found in the end it was harder for me to admit to myself I believed in God than it was to tell others.

]]> By: dame olympia's page http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2960 dame olympia's page Thu, 28 Sep 2006 02:26:17 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2960 this thread is helpful, PB... I'm in a residency where we're being asked to answer the question, weekly, <br/>"What is God doing in your life?"<br/><br/>this week I didn't have an answer; it's too important a question to create a polite non-answer; and it's a hard question for me to answer, especially in a community that is extremely christian centered.<br/><br/>I pride myself on being more comfortable with God/theistic language than some/most UUs, and this question, it stumps me every once in a while. It is good to hear a UU think out loud about it. <br/><br/>Dame O this thread is helpful, PB… I’m in a residency where we’re being asked to answer the question, weekly,
“What is God doing in your life?”

this week I didn’t have an answer; it’s too important a question to create a polite non-answer; and it’s a hard question for me to answer, especially in a community that is extremely christian centered.

I pride myself on being more comfortable with God/theistic language than some/most UUs, and this question, it stumps me every once in a while. It is good to hear a UU think out loud about it.

Dame O

]]> By: PeaceBang http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2959 PeaceBang Thu, 28 Sep 2006 02:07:38 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2959 Good to hear from you, UU Soul, and I dig your flashing icon!<br/>Thanks for writing. Good to hear from you, UU Soul, and I dig your flashing icon!
Thanks for writing.

]]> By: UU Soul http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2958 UU Soul Wed, 27 Sep 2006 23:15:37 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/09/27/what-is-god-doing-in-your-life/#comment-2958 I struggle with the fact that I have personally moved from a skeptic to a believer worldview and don't easily see how that fits in with my Unitarian Universalist community. I haven't suddenly returned to my Christian faith past, but I now feel that I need something more than just the joy of questioning and freedom of disbelief. <br/><br/>That said, my problem with statements that God is specifically assisting someone at a certain moment is the flipside the statement creates - when bad things happen God isn't blessing you... isn't with you. It always strikes me as cruel to those who haven't been so lucky.<br/><br/>There must be a way to express a sense of connectedness and gratitude without creating a division between the blessed and not blessed. I struggle with the fact that I have personally moved from a skeptic to a believer worldview and don’t easily see how that fits in with my Unitarian Universalist community. I haven’t suddenly returned to my Christian faith past, but I now feel that I need something more than just the joy of questioning and freedom of disbelief.

That said, my problem with statements that God is specifically assisting someone at a certain moment is the flipside the statement creates - when bad things happen God isn’t blessing you… isn’t with you. It always strikes me as cruel to those who haven’t been so lucky.

There must be a way to express a sense of connectedness and gratitude without creating a division between the blessed and not blessed.

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