Eye on Faith

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Andrew Greeley: A priest, pure and simple

Father Andrew Greeley (Public Domain)

Never mind that Father Andrew Greeley had written a host of popular novels, plus a number of influential sociological works. In his own words, he was first and foremost "a priest, pure and simple."

Wikipedia reports that Greeley had discerned this calling by the time he was in second grade. He was born into "a large Irish Catholic family" and grew up during the Depression. Ordained in 1954, he never looked back. According to

Greeley: The other things I do – sociological research, my newspaper columns, the novels I write – are just my way of being a priest.

So what's an ordained Catholic priest doing writing sexy novels? Thus spake some of Greeley's (righteous, no doubt) critics. While on this subject, one might as well also ask why the Vatican supported some of the greatest works of art the world has known. (Ever hear of Michelangelo? Raphael?)

The thing is, spirituality cannot be (easily, if at all) captured literally. Greeley was not one who believed that every word from the Bible was to be taken at face value. He instead believed that "visible, tangible things in

the created order serve as metaphors for the divine…" Certain works of art are therefore sacred in nature because of their ability to evoke religiosity.

And sexuality? Read the Song of Songs. Greeley had commented that his novels weren't nearly as sexy as that biblical passage. But how would a priest even know about such details as are written in these novels? Greeley had explained that from what priests "heard in confession from women," they "probably knew more about marriage than most married men…"

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Greeley

Friday, May 31, 2013

Gay Scouts: Church controversies

1969 (Public Domain)

According to Ken Mandel of Newsmax, the Boy Scouts have decided to "allow openly gay youths to join their ranks."

Mandel explains that some religious groups are in support of "the Boy Scouts' attempts to be inclusive." These groups include "the Mormon church, The National Jewish Committee on Scouting, the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Metropolitan Community Church."

However, the Roman Catholic Church continues to debate this issue, and the Southern Baptist national leadership is openly opposed to it. These latter two church groups have historically been two of the Scouts greatest supporters.

Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page told Newsmax: I think I can

say with pretty strong accuracy that the vast majority of Southern Baptists are

very disappointed in the latest change in [Boy Scout] policy…

A Boy Scout statement responded to the controversy in this manner: We believe this policy is reflective of the beliefs of most of Scouting's major religious chartered organizations and are unaware of any that believe a youth member simply stating that he or she is attracted to the same sex, but not engaging in sexual activity, should make him or her

unwelcome in their congregation…

Resources

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/churches-cut-boy-scout/2013/05/29/id/506972#ixzz2UnC6kJVv

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Mermaids: Real or not, they're essential

(Public Domain)

Brenda Peterson, a contributor to the Huff Post Green Blog, doesn't exactly believe in mermaids. She nevertheless treasures the many mythologies about them.

She explains: Mermaids are mirrors reflecting back to us our ancient bond with the oceans and our future dependence upon the 'gifts of the sea'… Mermaids call forth from us a kinship and memory based on our own Aquatic ape ancestors. Most of all, they remind us that our seas are our ancestral wombs and our most vital future life support system.

This kinship between humans and sea animals could explain the high ratings

for Animal Planet's two shows, Mermaids: The Body Found and Mermaids: The New Evidence. Whereas there is no scientific doubt that beautiful and intelligent sea creatures such as whales and dolphins are being killed in droves by military sonar,

Animal Planet raises the additional question of whether a mermaid-like body was also washed ashore with the beached mammals.

In answer to that latter question, Peterson concludes: Who's to say? She therefore concentrates upon another conundrum: Why are we making our oceans too dangerous to sustain all life?

Mermaids or not, she feels that this is the essential question raised by these fishy documentaries.

Resources

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brenda-peterson/mermaids-on-animal-planet_b_3321506.html

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Autism: An upbeat perspective

(Photo by Nancy J. Price)

In an article titled "The perks of autism," Sunday Stilwell writes about being the mother of two autistic children, and compares that with parenting neuro-typical (NT) ones. Although she does not discount the challenges of her situation, she also heralds its strengths.

For example, Stilwell applauds the fact that her "boys do not whine." They might scream at times with the frustration of not being able to verbally express their feelings, but the incessant whining that whittles away at the psyche is thankfully absent. Rather than engaging in a litany of nit-picking questions, her children prefer succinct and straightforward information.

Stilwell states that her boys display a "lack of greed and competition." This means that on Christmas morning they are satisfied with far less than the average NT child craves. Plus, they are not looking over their shoulders to compare gifts with everyone else. Instead, they are concentrating upon what's right in front of them.

This results in an astonishing dearth of sibling rivalry. Not only are Stilwell's boys appreciative of their own toys, but they are also prone to independently enjoy them. They are far more interested in marching to their own beat than in raining on someone else's parade.

Resources

http://living.msn.com/family-parenting/mom-to-mom-blog-post/?post=55f4b34f-e372-4dd9-b478-245c9cf845e7

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Pope to Mafia: Fuhgeddaboud your evil ways

Palermo at Christmas (by Josep Renalias)

The Bishop of Rome, i.e. Pope Francis, is taking care of business right at home.

He not only made a pastoral visit to one of Rome's peripheral parishes, but also recently preached against Mafia "exploitation and slavery." Frances D'Emilio of the Associated Press reports that Francis "paid tribute to a courageous priest murdered by the Sicilian Mafia as a martyr [Rev. Giuseppe Puglisi, beatified this past Saturday in Palermo] and urged mobsters on Sunday to abandon their evil ways…"

These "evil ways" include drug and human trafficking. The latter entails the clandestine placement of illegal

immigrants on farms and in factories, plus the use of "young people from abroad for prostitution." Because

Francis envisions a "poor church for the poor," he is concentrating upon bettering the lives of society's most desperate people.

Rev. Puglisi had done the same. He had worked in Palermo, Sicily's toughest slums – neighborhoods in which young people were being recruited by the Cosa Nostra for illicit activities such as "drug pushing and

numbers running." Puglisi accepted neither Mafia favors nor intimidation, and he repeatedly urged

parishioners to do the same. Wikipedia reports that his last words as Mafia hit men approached him were these: I've been expecting you.

Resources

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-urges-mafiosi-stop-exploitation-others-104849224.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pino_Puglisi

Monday, May 27, 2013

World War II study: Atheists in foxholes?

1958 Foxhole Fighting (Public Domain)

Although there may very well have been some atheists entering World War II foxholes, chances are that a number of them came out praying.

Kimberly Winston of Religion News Service reports on a new study by brothers Craig Wansink of Virginia Wesleyan College and Brian Wansink of Cornell University. This study included "data collected from U.S. Army service members in the Pacific in 1944 and from surveys the authors sent to surviving veterans more than 50 years later."

Study results indicated that prayer was a better motivator for getting through the tough aspects of military service than "several other factors, including the broader goals of the war." The frequency of subsequent church attendance was particularly high with those veterans whose World War II experiences were particularly negative.

Craig Wansink stated: The most important thing is that the more veterans disliked the war, the more

religious they were 50 years later. Study statistics also showed the following: As fear increased during

combat, the amount of prayer rose by 30%, and 69% of those later surveyed are now church members who

attend services more than three times per month.

Brian Wansink concluded that religious involvement could therefore help to heal the overall wounds of war.

He explained: One reason it may have been so effective in the past is that religion is a very social experience… That might be missing from current strategies in helping recent soldiers cope with stress.

Resources

http://www.religionnews.com/2013/05/23/study-suggests-bad-world-war-ii-experiences-led-vets-to-church/

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Faith healing: Why an either/or?

Seri Shaman (Photo: Tomas Castelazo)

There's an old joke that goes something like this: If God wanted us to fly, He would have given us soul travel and airplanes… By the same token – if God wanted us to heal, He would have given us doctors and shamans, medicines and herbs, exercise and exorcism, logic and prayer…

Why does religion need to be pitted against science? Why can't the two work hand-in-scalpel – both tools of the same God?

Wikipedia defines faith healing as "healing through spiritual means… [that] can be brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or

rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability." There is nothing within this definition that precludes also relying upon scientific and/or medical assistance. In other words, God sometimes works in such obvious ways that they only seem mysterious.

Unfortunately, those who more narrowly define faith healing as relying solely upon prayer and ritual sometimes end up with tragic results. Such is allegedly the case with Herbert and Catherine Schaible of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to MaryClaire Dale of the Associated Press, they are currently facing third-degree murder charges due to their refusal to seek medical care for their now-deceased infant son.

Resources

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/faith-healers-charged-with-murder-after-2nd-death?ocid=ansnews11

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_healing