Here is sample of an unfortunate incident that occurred yesterday. I started a blogpost about a week ago. It took a while because I needed to check some details so it might read with some credibility. Among other things also commanding my attention, I whittled and researched and fretted, finally decided it was okay to post. Copy and paste proceeded as per usual, at least so I thought, until my Control V yielded only a blank page at the blogsite destination. Gone! Gone, not even a whimper. It was hard to believe, but after two requests for technical help from library staff, my plight began to sink in. Gone! Gone, still gone.
It was at
that point that I began to do my usual. Why is this document hidden in the
netherworld somewhere? Is there perhaps a reason? Is the topic perhaps ill
founded, perhaps unnecessary? I could definitely live with that, but if it is
merely a stupid copy and paste mistake that I had made, I’d like to know about it. I need to grow in computer skills anyway; it would be interesting to head
down that trail.
So here it
is another day later. Among the suggestions I had heard yesterday “perhaps type
it again” both from the librarians and from my son the residual expert for all
problems of this nature (He lives in Ontario but that does not keep me from
crying help from him). Typing again seemed like an impossibility – until late
last night. Why not give up on retyping, but perhaps just ‘recreate’ using the
same title and tell it with a different slant. There are actually
several books written about that.[i]
This is risky because I am a bit detail-challenged, even if concept-creative! And
my only handwritten notes were a few scratches I had made while checking some
details on Google! Here we go!
It all
begins with my slight frustration with the endless variety of versions of Bible
readings I hear in church services these days. In fact more often than not a ‘creative’ reader
is doing away with the Book and the scriptures get read from an 8x11 sheet of paper or even a cell phone! 😒 What is happening to the concept of inspired Word? I’m
getting tired of this; does not meet my criteria for worship of God nor
respect for the assembled people! We seem to be pleasing ourselves more so than looking to the Word.
A quick
survey of Bible Gateway reveals 64 English versions without even signing in.
Sign in to Gateway Plus and you get 233 Bible versions in a total of 74 languages! That
is a lot of information, or should I say many different ways of saying the same
thing. In this computer age we have resources to pursue whatever our language
or version - or preference!
This is in sharp contrast to some recent experiences in Scripture Reasoning, one of program offerings of our city's Interfaith Council (my main point). Scripture Reasoning is simply a virtual or occasionally in-person opportunity for one person on a chosen topic to share the ‘Sacred Text’ from their particular faith, that followed by questions for clarification and then reflections from anybody, either comparing to info from another tradition or spiritual reflection on the reading just shared. Thanks to an excellent moderator, these conversations usually lead to some quality testimonies of personal faith, never belligerent but upbuilding and faith affirming. Also, yes ALSO, these sacred texts are shared unapologetically! Coming from my low church tradition of multiple favorite Bible readings from pieces of paper, I hear considerable renditions of King James English, whether from the Bible or from Book of Mormon, or from Writings of the Baha’i. I hear gentle witness from a Hindu participant who from their Bhargava Gita does not participate in Creation arguments or theologizing because creation is so far back that it is just ‘eternity,’ too far back to waste energy speculating about. Now that is something that both modernist and fundamentalist Christians need to take to heart, allow into the conversation when we have our apocalyptic debates!
So this is the context. I wrote about this, and then I lost it all, probably because I was a little too adamant with my Ctrl button on my laptop. Turns out the logic, the development of my thoughts was not that important after all. Only difference is that you (the reader) would now need to wade through an expanded version of that scratchpad! And now we are spared that effort. It is possible to do a personal version of our various faiths in a peaceable manner! We do not argue, no debate, and our moderator always thanks the presenter and each participant for their particular contribution on topic at hand. [Know-it-all moderators would have greater difficulty!]
Wonderful.
Coming out of these sessions I am more grateful than ever for my faith, for Jesus,
indeed my Savior and acknowledged as Prophet (to the Muslims) and absolute
example to the Buddhists (hear Dalhi Lama) and of course the Hindu maverick Mahatma
Ghandi, giving witness and inspiration to fellow people of India as well as
British colonialists. The inspiration for me in the ‘scripture reasoning’ is
that when sacred texts are shared from a relationship perspective, then there
is little reason to debate. In so doing we are a positive force within our
group and that becomes a positive contribution to our city.
Enough already. I
see little need for endless modernizing of our Holy Bible. More important
is that we be in receptive posture to receive God’s Word for
our worship and for our life. Sacred texts
speak to us. No need to contort these texts to please each and every one. Holy writ is
not about us. It is about the One who is above and beyond.
All scripture is inspired by God and is[a] useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). This is what I was trying to say before it all disappeared! 😌
