Friday, July 10, 2009

The Other Shoe Drops

It's been a while since I've posted. A lot's happened since April. But I don't write...there's a reason my Blog is entitled what it is. I guess my websites collect dust as well.

I write today out of my dismay.

Earlier this afternoon I read from my Bible. In the course of daily readings, I started a about a month ago in 1st Samuel and worked my way through, finishing the book 2nd Samuel today.
My growing knowledge of literature, combined with my Study Bible's handy footnotes caused me to pick up on a lot that I feel is missed by a potentially pedestrian reading.
The author's contrasting of a King abusing power and a King seeking God in all that he does, and what the consequences are when that Godly King chooses in turn to abuse power. How literarily it seems divine punishments fit crimes against God.
How the characters are as real and as human as any in classic literature - filled with complex flaws, fears, strengths, weaknesses, and complex motivations.
The author's arrangement of information into a concise, book-ending pattern. Thanks to Mr. Schienk, I realize this is known as a "chiastic structure", when the events of the story fall into a not-necessarily chronological order, but in an order that instead brings emphasis on events...never mind, I guess it's a lot harder to explain than I thought.
The point is, I have actually enjoyed reading my Bible for reasons both spiritual and intellectual. Who'd a thunk it? An in depth reading brings not only the peace of spirit, but also mental stimulation.

TURNING POINT
And I've been in desperate need of spiritl-peace lately. I only need to look at my daily actions and the motivations behind them to realize that I am a terrible, terrible, terrible person and I need to change.
I am selfish and weak and anxious.
Quite often I feel totally purposeless.
I long for a full, selfless life full of intention and a peaceful soul.
That is why I read my Bible.
That is why I pray.
That is why I believe what I believe.
I've tried other ways and they simply do not work.
I know too many people who have done the same and have reached the same conclusion.

So I finish my reading, I finish 2nd Samuel, filled with a sense of fulfillment and slight wonder at the power of Biblical Literature, and I immediately log onto my Facebook, what one might call one of the most thorough introspections into the current Zeitgeist, to date.
I followed a link that a friend of mine who is an atheist had posted on her profile.
"yourgodisimaginary.com", complete with the youtube video: "Proving the Bible is Repulsive"

I refuse to comment on this literature, other than to say it hurts my feelings very much to have the way of life I have chosen, or some might argue, the way of life that has chosen me, to be slandered so.

I mutual respect so impossible?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Mr. Manion,
I know you never write on here anymore, but sometimes I come back anyway, just hoping you will have Changed Your Mind and once again put your thoughts into the public sphere. Alas, I'm frequently disappointed.
Waiting Anxiously,
P.