Tuesday May 13, 2008

Aquaman

I remember watching the Superfriends on Saturday mornings - back when Saturday mornings were good TV. Aquaman was always my favorite... still is... here is our own Aquaman, Matt:

I’m a 34-year old corporate lawyer, married to my college sweetheart (an amazing woman) and the proud father of two beautiful children-- a 5-year old girl and a 2-year old boy.

My parents, both Catholic, gave me a strong upbringing in the faith, but I was one of those people who (to paraphrase Lenny Bruce) had to leave the church to go back to God. I’m grateful God led me to that realization eight years ago; some people spend their entire lives letting the flaws of human institutions stand between them and Jesus. Thankfully, I have since been led to a vibrant, Protestant church community that embraces my family and nourishes my faith.

I don’t care for labels, but the label “progressive Christian” fits me as well as any. I believe Jesus was God Incarnate, died for my sins, and rose on the third day. I accept the authority of the Bible. I look forward to Christ’s triumphant return, when he will place the powers of this world under his feet. I’m also a registered Democrat who falls somewhere between Ted Kennedy and Noam Chomsky on the political spectrum. I’m bemused that so many people see a contradiction here; it seems so natural to me.

My faith was greatly tested 3 years ago when my daughter was diagnosed with a rare, degenerative disease. The typical life expectancy for a child with her illness is 10-12 years. We’re optimistic she’ll do better than that, thanks to some innovative treatments, but assuming I’m blessed with decent health and luck, I know I’ll bury her someday.

Soon after my daughter’s diagnosis, I realized that nurturing my anger toward God was a luxury I couldn’t afford-- as angry as I was, I needed God more than ever. That’s not to say my faith is the same; like every other part of my life, it has changed.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote that “when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” I’m slowly grasping the truth of those words. I used to think walking with Jesus was something like a leisurely walk along the beach with a dear friend. That’s part of it, but walking with Jesus also means walking alongside him as he carries the Cross to Calvary.

I’m drawn to this blog because I sense that David’s understanding of “J-Walking” is very similar to mine. Compared to that common ground, our political differences are trivial (though they make for lively discussion).

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posted by David Kuo @12:39pm Permalink Email This Add to:

Tuesday May 13, 2008

Thoughts on suffering, pt. 2

Tonight my father called a cousin in Chengdu who, we discovered with relief, is fine. His reports about the incredible destruction at the earthquake's epicenter were anything but comforting. So mangled are the roads that getting there with any help is next to impossible.

I've been in Chengdu, I've been in the mountainous outskirts where the quake was centered. And as the son of a geophysicist who, among other thing, specializes in earthquakes and has done work in Chengdu, this strikes close to home.

I don't have much to add to all the words being penned right now about China or Myanmar but I have one thing to add. This blog from a Harvard law professor dealing with his own awful cancer. They all relate me thinks:

I don’t have any previous experience with this sort of thing, but judging from what I hear and read, I’m supposed to be asking why all this is happening, and why it’s happening to me. Honestly, those questions are about the farthest thing from my mind.

Partly, that’s because they aren’t hard questions. Why does our world have gravity? Why does the sun rise in the East? There are technical answers, but the metaphysical answer is simple: that’s how reality works. So too here. Only in the richest parts of the rich world of the twenty-first century could anyone entertain the thought that we should expect long, pain-free lives. Suffering and premature death (an odd phrase: what does it mean to call death “premature”?) are constant presences in the lives of most of the peoples of the Earth, and were routine parts of life for generations of our predecessors in this country—as they still are today, for those with their eyes open. Stage 4 cancers happen to middle-aged men and women, seemingly out of the blue, because that’s how reality works.

As for why this is happening to me in particular, the implicit point of the question is an argument: I deserve better than this. There are two responses. First, I don’t—I have no greater moral claim to be free from unwanted pain and loss than anyone else. Plenty of people more virtuous than I am suffer worse than I have, and some who don’t seem virtuous at all skate through life with surprising ease. Welcome to the world. Once again, it seems to me that this claim arises from the incredibly unusual experience of a small class of wealthy professionals in the wealthiest parts of the world today. We think we live in a world governed by merit and moral desert. It isn’t so. Luck, fortune, fate, providence—call it what you will, but whatever your preferred label, it has far more to do with the successes of the successful than what any of us deserves. Aristocracies of the past awarded wealth and position based on the accident of birth. Today’s meritocracies award wealth and position based on the accident of being in the right place at the right time. The difference is smaller than we tend to think. Once you understand that, it’s hard to maintain a sense of grievance in the face of even the ugliest medical news. I’ve won more than my share of life’s lotteries. It would seem churlish to rail at the unfairness of losing this one—if indeed I do lose it: which I may not.

The second response is simpler; it comes from the movie “Unforgiven.” Gene Hackman is dying, and says to Clint Eastwood: “I don’t deserve this. To die like this. I was building a house.” Eastwood responds: “Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.”

That gets it right, I think. It’s a messed-up world, upside-down as often as it’s rightside up. Bad things happen; future plans (that house Hackman was building) come to naught. Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.

Why, then, are we so prone to think otherwise? This is one of the biggest reasons I believe my faith is true: something deep within us expects, even demands moral order—in a world that shouts from the rooftops that no such order exists. Any good metaphysical theory must explain both of those phenomena: both the expectation and the lack of supporting evidence for the thing expected. The only persuasive way to get there, I think, is to begin with a world made good that was twisted, corrupted, bent. Buried deep in our hearts are hints of the way things ought to be; the ugliest reality can’t snuff them out. Still, that reality exists; it can’t be denied. Christianity sees that reality, recognizes it for what it is—but also sees the expectation, and recognizes where it comes from.

Bottom line: I don’t need anyone to tell me why I’m in the situation I’m in, and I certainly don’t think I merit an exemption from the rottenness to which the rest of the world is subject.

But I do need to know some things. Three, to be precise: first, that I’m not alone; second, that my disease has not made me ugly to those I love and to the God who made me; and third, that somehow, something good can come from this. My faith tells me that the God of the universe suffered everything I suffer and infinitely worse. Death and suffering don’t separate human beings from our Creator—on the contrary: those things unite us with our Creator. The barrier became the bridge: that is the great miracle of the Incarnation, the Cross, and the Resurrection. So I need never suffer alone. Job’s story confirms that, far from rejecting the ugliness of disease and pain, God embraces those who suffer and takes on their suffering. Beauty and ugliness are turned inside-out. Joseph’s story and the gospels alike show a God who delights to use the worst things to produce the best things. That doesn’t make life’s hells less than hellish. But it does make them bearable.

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Filed Under: cancer, chengdu, china, myanmar, suffering

posted by David Kuo @12:08am Permalink Email This Add to:

Monday May 12, 2008

Canucklehead

Canucklehead sent me his story but given his generally surly attitude I am tempted not to post it. Alas the invitation was for everyone, even... him.

Hi all! I'm Canucklehead (aka Tim). I've spent most of my life in western Canada where I grew up in a fundamentalist Protestant community where we sang songs with really cool theology like "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam," "Climb, Climb Up Sunshine Mountain" and "If You're Saved and You Know It, Rat on a Friend." I went to college/university/seminary in Winnipeg/Toronto/Chicago and currently live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in the heart of the Canadian oilpatch. We're a sister city to Houston and have something like 90,000 "oilpatch" Americans who live here. I've been a Baptist pastor for so long now that I long ago embraced the post-tribulation view of the eschaton, believing that I've already been thru the tribulation at least three times. (Hey, that coincides with the number of Baptist churches I've pastored!) I have also taught part-time at a number of colleges over the years. The present church I'm in is pursuing a "build" with Habitat for Humanity which I'm quite pleased about as I'm big into social action/justice. I just gave a major presentation to our church on "why ministry in the 21st century cannot be like ministry in the 20th century" and am excited about some initiatives we're doing related to that. In other lives, I've worked as a journalist for various secular and religious publications and done TV/radio commentary work for various media outlets. I have also served as an editor/advisor/critic to my youngest brother (Phil Callaway) who has published something like 15 books of "Christian" humor with various American publishers such as Multnomah, Harvest House and Bethany. My current project is finishing the last 2 chapters of a PhD dissertation on growing up fundamentalist during which I've been reminded that sports, humor, God's grace, Joyce (the "love" of my life) and good music (see above, also Eagles/Bob Seger/Peter Cetera/Chicago/Ethel Waters) and books like Dave's Tempting Faith are responsible for leaving me with some semblance of sanity intact. I just finished reading Frank Schaeffer's CRAZY FOR GOD which reminded me a lot of my growing up years. I've been a political junkie all my life and really got into American politics during the Jane Byrne/Harold Washington eras as mayors of Chicago. Joyce and I have three twenty-somethings in various stages of studying law (oldest) and psychology (two youngest) so there's hope yet that I can be declared legally insane. I really enjoy the perspectives shared on this site and was greatly moved by Dave's recent trip to Uganda. If God should lead you to support my ministry with an ample donation, please feel obliged.

We wouldn't be the same without you Canucklehead... now, back to my 30-day...

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Saturday May 10, 2008

Here's Doug

This is a blast. Here is Doug Pascover's story:

From the ages of 10 months old until 7 years, my family lived on the South side of Chicago so the White Sox were my first religion. I became a Christian at 13 and have never been particularly good at it. I worked as a cowboy, farm-hand and construction-worker until I went to Emory University at the age of 24. While a student and for a few years after I worked at The Carter Center's Interfaith Health Program. Today I am the Executive Director of an agency that helps adults with developmental disabilities become independent, which sounds virtuous but mostly isn't. (My employees have virtuous jobs.) I am very involved in the development of State policy towards people with disabilities, mostly as a crank. I raise dogs in lieu of children, marriage being too complicated for me.

I guess, considering your politics and religion focus, I can add that I am a member of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a political independent with fairly conservative views on the size and scope of government and no interest in regulating personal behavior. I have a very difficult relationship with large, man-made institutions including both government and the church.

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posted by David Kuo @ 9:35am Permalink Email This Add to:

Friday May 9, 2008

Meet Thinker

We have all come to love and appreciate Thinker. Now, a bit more about her:

Thinker here.

I went from nursing to teaching theology....figure.

However, I teach in "Catholic" school so the community and administration are one. Not much in the way of politics, but a lot of great friendships in such an atmosphere. I have several friends in the "New Thought" movement and am always intrigued with their way of thinking God through. But Catholic I am and will remain - sometimes hanging on by my fingernails, but convinced that this way of Tradition, Sacrament and Scripture holds the most possibility of understanding for me. Oddly enough - I also came out of an Evangelical adolescence. As I recall - in my adolescent rebellion - about the only thing I could have done to really piss off my parents was become Catholic - so I did that. God does have a sense of humor.

A priest once told me that God comes to us in the way we can understand God. Those without belief simply have not had God named well to them. They have often been hammered with a belief system where there is only literal dogmatic understanding or where "anything goes" and there is no systematic thinking. Literalism makes God very small and mean indeed ( I have found the God that some literalists espouse is the one who hates what they hate and will have vengeance on those they fear) and "anything goes" simply does not work. I am preparing to join the associate group of a group of nuns. This means I will be connected to them by intention and commitment, but will get to avoid being a nun. For some reason people often mistake me for a sister. I quickly point out the vast differences in holiness and life style. However, I apparently have the right haircut for the job. Most sisters that I know have a much greater sense of style than I do. My kids want me to have a makeover before one of them gets married. My husband, however, thinks I’m adorable just the way I am. Of course the kids think he needs a makeover too.

About 15 years ago I discovered the work of Rene Girard and mimetic theory and have been astounded at its depth, its truth and its vast application to all that I do. Currently writing and teaching about mimetic theory and film. I’ve seen almost every movie anyone can think of and use those films to teach the great story of incarnation and redemption. It seems to work.

Before I was a nurse – I was a social worker and before that – a singer. So, I’ve had a long career or several long careers.
Getting a master’s in theology was the integrating of all for me. Recently completed more graduate work in theology and am pretty sure I never want to go to school again and I know for a fact that I never want to write a paper ever ever again. I hope that is clear.
Been married for a very long time to a wonderful man and have three grown children. Have a badly behaved dog (which means I am a bad dog owner), a lovely cat and when I’m not teaching, reading, blogging, cleaning, cooking, or chatting with friends – I watch movies. ADD has its gifts – multitasking being one of them. I’m in the process of adding lots of walking to my list of daily tasks.

David’s book and friendship have been important to me this past year. It’s hard to find people who “seek” and they do seem to come on board here. David seems to evoke that in most of us.

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posted by David Kuo @ 1:58pm Permalink Email This Add to:

Thursday May 8, 2008

Meet Brian

Brian Horan has been walking with us for a while now. Here's a bit about him and the bonus pic too. Thanks Brian.

I am 33 and am changing careers from public school teaching to nursing. The politics of public education were too much to bear, but like a moth to the flame I follow local and national politics.

I grew up in the Evangelical Republican Right. I was soured my first year of my undergraduate in '92 when Bush the elder made it much more difficult for middle class kids to get financial aid. Plus, I never understood how supply-side economics coincided with the Gospel preference for the poor.

Still, my first year of university I was involved in Campus Crusade. On a mission trip after my freshman year my faith fell apart because I was surrounded by biblical literalists; but I could no longer in good conscience take the Bible literally.
I maintained friendships but dropped the dogma. I still keep in touch with the Campus Crusade director who is a genuinely awesome person.

Since I have investigated Buddhism and New Thought (as espoused by Religious Science, A Course In Miracles, Eckhart Tolle, Neale Donald Walsch, etc.) Eckhart Tolle in particular brought Jesus into a new focus for me.

Even though I may bitterly disagree with you on some issues, I consider you a thoughtful brother in God. I first saw a news item about your book a few years ago and have followed you with avid interest since.

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posted by David Kuo @12:47am Permalink Email This Add to:

Wednesday May 7, 2008

Race

I just watched 90 minutes of election coverage on CNN... 90 minutes that can best be summarized as 90 minutes of evidence that Sen. Obama's brilliant race speech needs to revisited.

Because for 90 minutes the entire subtext of the conversation was that the black folks in Gary, Indiana were up to something sneaky because the votes took so long to be reported. Then, low and behold, the rest of the votes from Lake County came in and... guess what? The problem in the delay wasn't with heavily black Gary, it was with the heavily rural polling places.

It was an ugly 90 minutes for CNN.

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Filed Under: barack obama, casting stones, cnn, hillary clinton, indiana primary

posted by David Kuo @ 1:23am Permalink Email This Add to:

Wednesday May 7, 2008

What are our stories?

For the past 18 months or so we've developed this community called J-Walking. The very best part of this for me has been getting to know many of you... even you canuckle. ;-)

Everyone has gotten to know a lot about me - sometimes too much.

So, a request. Email me your stories. I want to post information about each of you - who you are, why you are here, what you are interested in, what your questions are, things like that. Email me at dkuoblog@mac.com so I can post... I can post them to protect identity so don't worry about that part of things.

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posted by David Kuo @ 1:14am Permalink Email This Add to:

Monday May 5, 2008

What is faith?

As most of the readers of this blog - and yes, depite the lull in my blogging this is still my blog - know I've been dealing with this tumor-type object in my brain for the past five years.

For the past 18 months we've been smacking it around with some chemo. And for 18 months it has been retreating. (There are no "buts" to follow -- all is well). In fact, it has been retreating so much that for the last five or six weeks I haven't even had the mildest seizure (and I only have very mild seizures in my left leg to begin with).

I don't know what to do with this reality.

On the one hand it is thrilling. I haven't gone this long between seizures for four years.

On the other hand I don't want to get too excited about anything because I understand what the doctors say - I have a chronic illness and they have no way to cure me.

But somewhere in the midst of all of this is that famous five-letter word - faith.

I'm not sure how to handle faith at this moment. Do I have faith the seizures won't return - something that would be, very simply, miraculous? Do I have faith that the tumor is shrinking? Do I simply rejoice in every day of life no matter what happens?

What do you guys think?

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posted by David Kuo @11:40pm Permalink Email This Add to:

Monday April 28, 2008

The temptation of Miley Cyrus

It is hard to read about Miley Cyrus' recent "issues" - in Vanity Fair, other slightly tart pics - and not fear for the road she is being tempted to walk... a road not unlike the one Britney Spears walked a decade ago.

Like Cyrus, Spears was a young Christian girl with a very upfront values system - sex, she said, would wait until marriage.

Over time, however, she began walking a road that seemed - visually at least - at odds with those values; it was a road that capitalized on and exploited her emerging sexuality.

This album cover:

..ended up presenting her in a video this way:

And over time that became this:

And so on and so forth and...

The shame for this in Cyrus' case and in Spears' case doesn't lie so much with photographers or managers or magazines or any other media. The shame lies with their parents.

What on earth are THEY thinking? They are supposed to be the grownups here. You know, the ones who are supposed to be protecting and guarding their children? And Cyrus' father let her pose like that? Do they become so star struck or money struck that they become blinded to simple things like... oh... the fact that someone is taking semi-nude pictures of them to be printed in a magazine?

I've got daughters. I know what I would do if anyone suggested that they wanted to take "artistic" photos of them draped in nothing but a sheet.

Suffice it to say I'd need to repent for violence.

Comments (32)

Filed Under: britney spears, miley cyrus, vanity fair

posted by David Kuo @ 1:46am Permalink Email This Add to: