  Spiritual
This week: What Connects Us? Edited by: Sophurky  
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Hi, I'm Sophurky ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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What Connects Us?
Scientist Gregory Bateson asks, "What pattern connects the crab to the lobster and the orchid to the primrose and all four of them to me? And me to you?" Mystics would answer that love and compassion are that patterns that stitch the universe together and I would agree. Genuine love and compassion enable us to reach out to those who are different from us and treat them as if they were members of our family.
One of the places where this can happen is within a spiritual community. One of my favorite movies, "Lars and the Real Girl," epitomizes this by depicting a Lutheran church in a small Midwest town as the catalyst for an amazing outpouring of love and care by its entire community for someone who needs their help. The central plot of the movie centers around Lars Lindstrom (played by Ryan Gosling), who is a painfully shy loner who avoids contact with people as much as he can. We learn that his mother died giving birth to him, and he was raised by his depressed father. The now adult Lars lives in the garage apartment behind his childhood home - his older brother, Gus, and his pregnant wife, Karin, live in the main house.
Lars' only social activity is regularly attending the nearby Lutheran church and going to work during the week. One day at the small office where he works, the guy who shares his cubicle shows him an ad for a life-size female doll that is anatomically correct. Lars decided to purchase one, and after it arrives he introduces her to his brother and sister-in-law as Bianca, a half-Danish, half Brazilian missionary who's "on sabbatical to experience the world." Lars claims to have met Bianca on the Internet, and he has fallen in love with her. Because she has not had the use of her legs since birth she must be pushed around in a wheelchair, and because she's very religious and it wouldn't be right for her to sleep in Lars' small apartment, she is given her own bedroom in Gus and Karin's house.
Gus is understandably freaked out by his brother’s behavior and worries about Lars becoming the source of ridicule in their small town. Karin suggests that they seek counsel from the local family doctor, who also happens to be a psychologist, and pretty soon Lars is taking Bianca to the doctor once a week, which gives Dr. Dagmar a chance to talk to Gus and work on his fear of being touched at the same time she “treats” Bianca’s ailments. She tells Gus and Karin that Lars has a delusion and the best thing for them to do is to go along with it.
Meanwhile the church council meets with the pastor to decide what to do if Lars brings Bianca to a service. One of the women on the council convinces the rest of them that everyone has some kind of problem, and they should offer moral support to Lars in the name of love. The minister agrees and says the only question they should be asking is "What would Jesus do?" Consequently, when Lars brings Bianca to church the congregation makes room for her and even welcomes her with a gift of flowers.
The tolerance which begins with the Lutherans rapidly spreads throughout the whole community. For instance, at an office party Lars' coworkers treat Bianca as an honored guest. She gets her hair styled at the local beauty shop, is asked to volunteer at the hospital, and is even elected to the school board.  At one point, the local pastor comments that Bianca "has become one of us. She is our teacher. She loves this town, and most of all she loves Lars." As a result of all of this - for the first time in his life, Lars begins to see that he could have a normal life as he begins to respond to all the good vibrations coming his way from the people of his town.
I end this letter as I began - Scientist Gregory Bateson asks, "What pattern connects the crab to the lobster and the orchid to the primrose and all four of them to me? And me to you?" Mystics would answer that love and compassion are that patterns that stitch the universe together and I would agree. Lars' neighbors and family willingly endured a good deal of silly and inconvenient rituals for the sake of loving Lars, and he was transformed by their compassion. In what ways can we offer the same compassion and acceptance to others in our lives - to those who are different and therefore need it the most?
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Here is a response to my last newsletter "Spiritual Newsletter (March 8, 2017)" about "Lightening the Load:"
From Prosperous Snow celebrating 
For Baha'is the nineteen-day fast occurs during ‘Alá’ (Loftiness). These are the days after Ayyám-i-Há (February 25-28 or 29) before naw-Ruz, which occurs on the vernal equinox (March 19 or 20). During these days Baha'i between the ages of 15 and 70 fast from sunup to sundown. Fasting is obligatory and intended to bring a person closer to God. Those who are ill, pregnant or nursing and performing hard labor are exempt.
Thank you for sharing this ritual with us - a great reminder of how much we have in common with one another.
     
From Chris Breva 
I am an adherent to the Salvation Army and will soon be a soldier. Our captain discussed Lent last week. He reminded us that Lent is also a season during which one sacrifices or gives something up. The question our corps commander asked the other day was "What are you willing to give up?"
How did you answer him?
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming! Until next time! Sophurky |
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Spiritual: April 05, 2017 Issue [#8215]
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