thoughts

It's been a week and a half. Way too long again. I've just been really tired. But today was the last class of Immigrant LA, so I'm thinking the workload will relax little. Quick overview? Saturday Lydia and I did a short tour of Boyle Heights for our project and then I pretty much did nothing and allowed myself to relax. Sunday, I don't remember, but I'm pretty sure I did mostly nothing. Monday: class. I can't even remember anymore. It's all a blur. Tuesday: Internship. Same ole, Same ole. Wednesday, Lydia and I didn't go to the LA Term Worship time because we chose to sit down with our host sister Erika and interview her for our project. That was nice getting to talk to her for a bit. Thursday, we woke up early and went to the immigrant rights rally which took place right outside of the high school where President Obama was to have a town meeting only a few hours later. That was really cool, using my white privilege and power to stand in solidarity with people who are seeking to have their voices heard. Immigration reform is a must, and that's what we stood out there for. We held a banner that said "Alto de las Redades" (Stop the Raids). Cool.
Friday was a great day in class. We finished watching Gandhi, which is a great movie, by the way. (And I started developing a really good Indian accent. I was pretty proud.) But then as a class, we discussed Gandhi's universalism. Some were getting really wrapped up in the validity of other religions. We discussed the fact that Alicia and I both participated in the prayer rituals at a Muslim mosque. I never take notes in that class, but I had to find someway to write stuff out to remember it or think it through. So I'll go through what was on my paper:

Universalism- "Is Christianity the only way?" I've been through this stupid struggle before. I do believe it, but sometimes it's hard for me to rationally vocalize it. I know there's the whole "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." And that's great. It really is. Yet even though I believe firmly in that, someone else believe firmly in something else. If we are both equally passion and convicted by our beliefs, who is right? I can find proof for me, and they can probably find proof for them. Is there any way we can REALLY know? Or does it just come down to faith and personal experience?

Which transitions me to the next item of business on my notes: several students were going down a thought path that makes Christianity very relative, basically a "This is true for me; that's true for you. I'm going to trust that they are both true." Paul called it a postmodern view of faith/religion. I would definitely not be one to go along with this. If there's one thing I learned in my Christian Life, Faith, and Ministry class, it was the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. This says that faith/religion is based on four main aspects: Reason, Experience, Scripture, Tradition. I totally agree. You can't just dismiss scripture and go with experience the same way that you can't dismiss reason and experience and go with tradition and Scripture. One leads to wild "spirituality" (as is the case with much of our generation); the other leads to rigid legalism. Neither option is healthy. One of the girls was even talking about the mistakes that are in the Bible. Now, I know there are inconsistencies, but I will NEVER believe that they are mistakes. The writers of the Gospels wrote for different purposes and this is the reason for a lack of agreement.

So the next part goes back to Universalism, because I suppose our conversation went in that direction again. A very wise comment was made about the differences between religions. This comment was something along the lines of "The biggest difference among religions is what happens after death and the rules along with that. Each religion's prescribed way of living is very similar to the others." Most religions value truth and love. I think that is where some of the other students were getting caught up. If we all want the same things, then aren't we the same? And the answer is no, because the end result is very different.

And like I wrote earlier, we discussed participation in other religion. I cited Paul as an example, "When I am with the Gentiles, I act like a Gentile, but when I am with the Jews, I act like Jew". Other something very similar to that. (No meaning was changed in my lack of exact words.) I talked about how in order to win people over, we need to realize we are coming into their culture (in other countries) and need to respect their way of life. I do not desire to show up and be stand-offish, because I feel that behavior like this sends the message that I feel I am better than others. But then there was also presented the argument that we cannot bow down to idols and even if we aren't "bowing our hearts," we must not give the impression that we are. Thoughts, anyone?

Then Saturday, we went to a church service with Juanita. And then Allie and Emily and Summer picked me up for Lenka, Justin Nozuka and Missy Higgins concert. It was amazing. Lenka rocked it up. She pretty much has my dream job. Ok, not dream, because the dream is to lead worship around the world, but a very close second. She just went up there and had so much fun, dancing around and singing. It made me have fun in the audience. Justin sang beautifully with lots of soul, something I would like to develop in my voice. And Missy was amazing. She was so much better live than on her cd. And her cd is really good. But oh my goodness, when she would sing, I would just close my eyes and ask God to let me sing some day. Sometimes, it's the greatest desire of my heart. Just to sing. TANGENT: In Immigrant LA, we talked about how in other countries, children picked their desired professions and then follow a schooling track that leads them there. I thought to myself, how cool is it that the jobs little kids dream of having are actually within reach for them. (I also saw the downside of not getting to learn new stuff that you would never have tried before.) But really, why must we develop "backup plans" for ourselves. If we really want to do something, why don't we work until we get it? That's my idealistic side coming through. My realist side says: Because i's never going to happen. There is no way you are going to be good enough on any instrument to lead worship professionally. And you don't have enough musical talent to write your own stuff. That's my reality. Boo for that.

Sunday was all project, all day. Today in class, we had a guest speaker that cited both Old Testament and New Testament for reasons to help immigrants. And I thought to myself, can you really use OT commands today? Do they still apply? Because I have a feeling that they were directly to the Israelites for the way they were to live many years ago. Didn't Jesus come and totally rewrite the way that we are to live? Should the OT be used mostly for history and background?

I also vocalized my hesitancy to stand on either side of the fence (no pun intended) on immigration. I talked about how one part of me does acknoledge the need to address the lack of human rights available to undocumented immigrants crossing the border. The other side says, shouldn't they realize the great risk they are taking? Don't they take into account the hard journey ahead? The speaker just mentioned that many of them don't realize that the desert is so big and they don't realize how severe the desert elements can be. I guess I never thought of that part. But still: Should we help them if they are breaking the law?

Lydia helped me by taking a step backwards. Do I believe the current laws are just? Because if I do, then civil disobedience is something I'd be willing to do. I think.


Lots of questions in my mind lately. Yup, yup.
Got any answers/ideas? Please share. :)
Trace