Lay Theism

I really like SOF (Speaking of Faith) on NPR Sunday mornings (yes, really). Krista Tippett has the good fortune to interview the most interesting people, and today it was Kate Braestrup. She serves as chaplain to the Maine Game Warden Service to support and comfort those that experience loss or tragedy in the Maine wilderness. A Unitarian Universalist minister, she is called upon to support search-and-rescue missions when children disappear in the woods or when snowmobilers disappear under the ice. I like her theology, which she says has become simpler over the years. She sums up her theology as “God is Love”. I am just a small baby step beyond her in that I refuse to include “God” in the whole idea of love. The way she presents her beliefs reduces to a semantic argument that certainly doesn’t require God to remain a wonderful idea.

The show’s producer, Colleen Scheck, makes an excellent point that has nothing whatsoever to do with theology, faith, or spirituality:

I love this week’s program with Kate Braestrup, chaplain to the game warden service in Maine. Simply, her practical theology just makes sense to me — a daily translation of spirituality into caring, useful, deliberate action.

Although, I am not as commited as the full-time chaplain, my wife and I spend most of our free time in the mode of caring, useful, deliberate action. Certainly, Kate, of all people, sees enough random tragedy that much of it makes little sense (if any). What impresses her is the “miracle” of people wanting to help. Every time there is tragedy, people appear to assist in any way they can… out of love for their fellow man. She indicated this to be the essence of love (and God) that she feels to be so profound. I agree… except (once again), this has nothing to do with God. I may be oversimplifying her point-of-view, but not much.

Why is it that people insist on a divine explanation for compassion, beauty, love, weather, etc.? We can all save ourselves a giant leap of faith by embracing life as it is, without the spooky magic and mysticism. The framework of theology simply is not required… in fact, it adds an inordinate amount of unnecessary noise to the process.

Although, would she be as revered if she were an atheist/agnostic psychologist serving the exact same role?

I just watched Frank Miller’s ‘300′ again today.  It truly is an impressive work.  This story is impossible to tell without the extreme violence.  To the filmaker’s credit, they tone down the gore and blood quite a bit by stylizing the spurts and splashes into mostly dark brown droplets.  There is hardly any bright red in the movie other than the capes worn by the Spartans.  It’s very artful, clever, and historically significant (if not 100% accurate).  This is an important chapter in human history that occurred a mere 2,500 years ago and it was about freedom.

What caught my attention more than the viseral imagery and over-the-top Persians was the story and the characters.  King Leonidas, his wife Queen Gorgo, and Dilios are fantastic characters.  Xerxes the outlandish megalomaniac scoffs at the idea of a few hundred Spartans stopping his advance. 

And so the Spartans and the Persians meet at Thermopylae.  I won’t drag you through the whole history, but except for the dramatic visualizations, the movie brilliantly tells the tale of several incredible days of battle for freedom.  See Wikipedia for an impressive retelling of the Battle of Themopylae.

My point in bringing all this up is the quote by Dilios at the end of the film.  It is now a year later and the Greeks are several thousand troops strong and resisting another invasion by the Persians.  In the final moments of the movie, he says:

This day we rescue a world from mysticism and tyranny and usher in a future brighter than anything we can imagine…

What a shame that things didn’t quite work out that way… but imagine… what if we could rid the world of superstition and myth?  Truly, that would be the dawning of a future that I look forward to and desperately want to be a part of.

I found this very moving and worthwhile.  I hope to find a local event to attend on May 10, 2008.  I am a huge TED fan, and knew that Jehane Noujaim would go on to do very important work.  Raising the consciousness of people around the world in this way is important work and will go a long way towards creating a future that we can all look forward to rather than fear.  Incidentally, Pangea refers to a time millions of years ago when the land mass on earth was contiguous.

What is Pangea Day?

Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film. On May 10, 2008, live events in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked by satellite to produce a program of powerful films, live music and visionary speakers. The program will be broadcast live to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.

Who started Pangea Day?

Pangea Day was created by award-winning documentary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim in collaboration with the TED Conference after she won the prestigious TED Prize, which granted her a wish to change the world. Together, Jehane, TED, and the Pangea Day team — led by Executive Director Delia Cohen — have created Pangea Day to harness the power of film to enhance empathy, compassion, and peace.

And if you aren’t familiar with TED, check it out.  I watch and listen to the free podcasts all the time.

What is TED?

TED stands for “Technology, Entertainment, Design.” It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from those worlds. Since then, its scope has become even broader. This annual conference brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers and challenges them to give the talk of their lives. Talks from the conference are now made available online, for free, and have been watched more than 35 million times worldwide.

What is the TED prize?

The TED Prize was created as a way of taking the inspiration, ideas, and resources that are generated at TED and using them to make a difference in the world. The prize was introduced in 2005 and recognizes three individuals annually with the talent to change the world. It’s unlike any other award, and here’s why: Although the winners receive $100,000 — that’s the least of what they get — the real prize is that they are granted a wish. A wish to change the world. The TED Community then comes together to make that wish come true.

How amazing is that?

To get an idea of how moving and clever this will be, take a look at the world through someone else’s eyes for a minute… Tank Driver:

Very well done.  We should all take time to reflect on our common human experience.  We are all in this together.

One of the best speeches ever made… By John F. Kennedy over a generation ago.  Includes the passage:

I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute–where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote–where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference–and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.

How could we have strayed so far off course in such a short time.  When can we get back to the real United States of America?  The one without ‘God’ all over our money and tacked on to our pledge.  I guess those were simpler times, but here in 2008 we clearly have simpler people.