Yes, I enjoyed reading this. Looking forward to the next series you are going to write about ‘exits’ 😊 I am constantly wracking my brain at the moment trying to work out an ‘exit strategy’ from my current employment! Am feeling like I am ‘subject’ to irritating employers WAY too much at the mo, crying out to Jesus for a new sense of liberation, not from myself or sense of internal sin, but from the powers that be.
For me evil is clearly residing in the powers, the social, economic and political structures. A floating around, homeless demon feels easier to trample on and combat, easy to laugh at from a higher place, laughing in it’s face is seriously NOT a problem, or dealing with a single person with demonic influences but what about National, global, and economic institutions!??? How do we trample on those? 😳🤯 It is this I am asking Jesus to liberate me from. Some great stories for the OT where this happens. But, Jesus was crucified by them.
In the reality of my life, annoyingly I still have to have a roof over my head, food to eat, and the necessity of giving to Caesar what is Caesars - or perhaps I should go all out and rely on finding gold coins randomly, perhaps in a fish’s mouth 🤔 or perhaps. I could live like St, Francis of Assisi? Not sure I have the courage, or inclination to do that 🤣
Such a wrestle. But, Jesus is here with us, in this age and he promised he always would be with us. And, he gets it. I get great comfort knowing he gets it. Only a God, also truly human, could ever het this. Get us. What life in July 2024 is actually really like, Jesus gets.
Hi Emma. This is well put and perhaps it the question that weighs heaviest on me: that gap between how I see things and what is actually possible. That's a difficult dissonance to live with and I worry that the dissonance gets worse the more I dream. Having written here about declarations of refusal, I want to write something about practices later this year: enacting what's possible. My sense is that more is possible in community, and very little is possible when we're atomised. Thinking of you in your toil 🙏🏻.
Only just got here ... via Uncivil Savant ... coincidence ...
Yesterday posted a comment at Martin Shaw's ... debt / sacrifice / salvation / sin ... and context of Jesus' Roman slave world.
However,Graeber below explores sacrifice, even self immolation, in the historical context of Bhuddism's odd take in China. There might be parallels...?
From yesterday: "... the late David Graeber in his sprawling book 'Debt - The first 5000 years', a scholarly speculation on a world viewed through the experience of owing debt becoming one of virtual eternal debt, and of material / personal sacrifice, even religous fervour (e.g. Tang Dynasty 608 - 907), on behalf of humanity, that could free-off the logical grip of unpayable debt. (An inadequate summary on my part of Graeber's section: 'China: Buddhism (the Economy of Infinite Debt').
Thank you for these words, David. I love this one especially. It makes me think that becoming un-subjugated actually requires an immense amount of courage, and speaks directly to the current moment. Strengthening our atrophied relational muscles, our neighboring muscles.
Thank you for your insight into that problematic couplet: ”Lead us not into temptation / But deliver us from evil.”
Your version: ”And lead us not into trial and affliction / But deliver us out of miserable toil and subjection” makes so much more sense, with its ”into” and ”out of.” It suggests more clearly that "this day" we are on a journey and that we are not alone.
Gracias, for sharing. its always so interesting to look at the original language and its meaning. This part you write " I can’t move spacially out of a time" made me think of a short essay Ive been working on titled Einstein and the sabbath.... on the strange properties of time and the sabbath as the doorway to the kingdom where god remains King....well time is a weird thing indeed. Happy month of rest to you. and Gracias de nuevo for your work.
Very interesting discussion. I guess there's been a consistent need to find language, image and story to describe what appears to be maliciously stacked against the joy of creaturely life.
Yes, I enjoyed reading this. Looking forward to the next series you are going to write about ‘exits’ 😊 I am constantly wracking my brain at the moment trying to work out an ‘exit strategy’ from my current employment! Am feeling like I am ‘subject’ to irritating employers WAY too much at the mo, crying out to Jesus for a new sense of liberation, not from myself or sense of internal sin, but from the powers that be.
For me evil is clearly residing in the powers, the social, economic and political structures. A floating around, homeless demon feels easier to trample on and combat, easy to laugh at from a higher place, laughing in it’s face is seriously NOT a problem, or dealing with a single person with demonic influences but what about National, global, and economic institutions!??? How do we trample on those? 😳🤯 It is this I am asking Jesus to liberate me from. Some great stories for the OT where this happens. But, Jesus was crucified by them.
In the reality of my life, annoyingly I still have to have a roof over my head, food to eat, and the necessity of giving to Caesar what is Caesars - or perhaps I should go all out and rely on finding gold coins randomly, perhaps in a fish’s mouth 🤔 or perhaps. I could live like St, Francis of Assisi? Not sure I have the courage, or inclination to do that 🤣
Such a wrestle. But, Jesus is here with us, in this age and he promised he always would be with us. And, he gets it. I get great comfort knowing he gets it. Only a God, also truly human, could ever het this. Get us. What life in July 2024 is actually really like, Jesus gets.
Hi Emma. This is well put and perhaps it the question that weighs heaviest on me: that gap between how I see things and what is actually possible. That's a difficult dissonance to live with and I worry that the dissonance gets worse the more I dream. Having written here about declarations of refusal, I want to write something about practices later this year: enacting what's possible. My sense is that more is possible in community, and very little is possible when we're atomised. Thinking of you in your toil 🙏🏻.
Only just got here ... via Uncivil Savant ... coincidence ...
Yesterday posted a comment at Martin Shaw's ... debt / sacrifice / salvation / sin ... and context of Jesus' Roman slave world.
However,Graeber below explores sacrifice, even self immolation, in the historical context of Bhuddism's odd take in China. There might be parallels...?
From yesterday: "... the late David Graeber in his sprawling book 'Debt - The first 5000 years', a scholarly speculation on a world viewed through the experience of owing debt becoming one of virtual eternal debt, and of material / personal sacrifice, even religous fervour (e.g. Tang Dynasty 608 - 907), on behalf of humanity, that could free-off the logical grip of unpayable debt. (An inadequate summary on my part of Graeber's section: 'China: Buddhism (the Economy of Infinite Debt').
Thank you for these words, David. I love this one especially. It makes me think that becoming un-subjugated actually requires an immense amount of courage, and speaks directly to the current moment. Strengthening our atrophied relational muscles, our neighboring muscles.
Amen No liberation without a web of good relations 🙌🏻
👍
Thank you for your insight into that problematic couplet: ”Lead us not into temptation / But deliver us from evil.”
Your version: ”And lead us not into trial and affliction / But deliver us out of miserable toil and subjection” makes so much more sense, with its ”into” and ”out of.” It suggests more clearly that "this day" we are on a journey and that we are not alone.
Amen yes 🙌🏻
This is so helpful, thank you
Only just reached here this morning via Uncivil Savant ...
Ah ... 'There are no Kings insie the Gates of Eden', Bob Dylan if I remember, it was a long time ago.
Gracias, for sharing. its always so interesting to look at the original language and its meaning. This part you write " I can’t move spacially out of a time" made me think of a short essay Ive been working on titled Einstein and the sabbath.... on the strange properties of time and the sabbath as the doorway to the kingdom where god remains King....well time is a weird thing indeed. Happy month of rest to you. and Gracias de nuevo for your work.
This essay sounds fascinating. Will you publish it here?
The “us" makes better sense this way. Super useful post
Yes, you're right. This is helpful
Much appreciation for your words. They intersect with a discussion in the comments to a recent WD James conversation with Paul Cudenec- https://open.substack.com/pub/wdjames/p/spiritual-revolt-guest-paul-cudenec?r=1hp10e&utm_medium=ios
Very interesting discussion. I guess there's been a consistent need to find language, image and story to describe what appears to be maliciously stacked against the joy of creaturely life.
Anyway, lunch break over - back to Pharoah 🤣
Perhaps your workplace needs a Moses?
Perhaps 👍🙏❤️