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Advent

A Chronological Look at the Advent Season

Posted on December 7, 2020 Leave a Comment

According to the latest Pew research poll on religious preference, 4% of the American population self-identify as atheists. Does this mean that the other 96% of the people are on some form of spiritual path? Do they walk in solitude, or have they joined the caravan of seekers that is very long and very old?

“There is a principle which is pure, and placed
 in the human mind, which in different places
 and ages has had different names. It is, however, 
pure and proceeds from God. It is deep and inward, confined to no forms of religion, nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in perfect sincerity.” – John Woolman

For many traditional Christians, the four weeks of Advent offer a designated period  for reflecting over the history of their spiritual walk, hopefully to help prepare them for the coming year. Some anthropologists theorize that the dawn of mankind’s spiritual quest may have occurred about 100,000 years ago. Evidently they have recovered some primitive stone relics that appear to be offerings to a Higher Spiritual Power.

If this is so, it is a stunning revelation to think that it took 95,000 years for the Hindu religion to emerge; currently 900 million followers.

It took 96,000 years before Moses hiked up Mt. Sinai to record “The Ten Commandments” and help establish Judaism; current world population of about 15 million followers.

It took about 97,400 years for Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu to write the, “Tao Te Ching,” and launch “Taoism” (The Way).  Taoism has no Godhead and is widely regarded as a philosophy dedicated to living in harmony with Nature and fellow humans; current followers number about 20 million.

About the same time, Gautama Buddha established Buddhism. Buddhism also lacks a Godhead and he warned his followers to not make a religion out of his teachings; currently about 300 million followers.

About 1,500 years ago, the Prophet Muhammad emerged and founded the Islamic religion; current population of about 1.8 billion followers.

Meanwhile, there are an estimated 1.4 billion people who are spiritual seekers but remain unaffiliated with a formal creed or religion. These could include our Native American brothers and sisters as well as countless indigenous tribes around the world.

However, last and (arguably) the most important of all; 98,000 years elapsed before the greatest human mystery, wonder and miracle on Earth occurred; the birth of Jesus Christ. The event has resulted in the greatest story ever told and is celebrated by 2.3 billion followers.

The story’s greatness was not overlooked by world-renown anthropologist, Loren Eiseley, who wrote:

“Whether we speak of a God come down to earth or a man inspired toward God and betrayed upon a cross, the dream was great and shook the world like a storm.”

Although the “cross” is probably the most common symbol of Christianity, perhaps the symbolism should; “not be confined to any form of religion, nor excluded from any.”

The vertical beam could represent anyone whose base is grounded in the spiritual search for universal truth, beauty and goodness and upper end extends to infinity, eternity and a loving Creator. The horizontal beam could represent the open arms of anyone who embraces the wisdom of Mother Nature, humanity and the quintessential importance of faith, hope and love.

Even though the time frames may not prove to be exact, what is not in doubt is that spirituality has played a huge role in the biological and socio-cultural evolution of mankind. Perhaps, this is what Advent is all about.

Blessings on this wonderful time of year.

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

Posted in: Reflections | Tagged: Advent, Bio-spirituality, Biodesign Out For A Walk, Christianity, faith, freedom of religion, Merry Christmas

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM e.e. cummings

Posted on December 19, 2016 Leave a Comment

yosemite-chapelWatching the increasingly commercial emphasis during the Christmas Season, it is little wonder Albert Schweitzer described a kind of naïveté where people are unaware of the silent, spiritual battles within.  Although blatant commercialism was far less intense during the time Henry Thoreau wrote “Walden,” (1850) it probably contributed to his efforts to strive to avoid reaching the end of his life and realize that he “blew it” and would not get a second chance.

Advent can be a special time of the year when, along with preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ, people can look forward to the beginning of a new year of spiritual growth and renewal.

As a wonderful example of this, after much contemplation, e.e. cummings resolved that he was a “Little Church,” and offered his opinion of what that meant.

i am a little church(no great cathedral)
far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities
-i do not worry if briefer days grow briefest,
i am not sorry when sun and rain make april

my life is the life of the reaper and the sower;
my prayers are prayers of earth’s own clumsily striving
(finding and losing and laughing and crying)children
whose any sadness or joy is my grief or my gladness

around me surges a miracle of unceasing
birth and glory and death and resurrection:
over my sleeping self float flaming symbols
of hope,and i wake to a perfect patience of mountains

i am a little church(far from the frantic
world with its rapture and anguish)at peace with nature
-i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;
i am not sorry when silence becomes singing

winter by spring,i lift my diminutive spire to
merciful Him Whose only now is forever:
standing erect in the deathless truth of His presence
(welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness)

Perhaps Cummings is offering a common man’s interpretation of the bold proclamation that St. Paul made to the Corinthians over 2,000 years ago.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”

Whether approaching the Christmas Story from an anthropological, historical or religious perspective, it is without a doubt the greatest human story ever told. It is childlike, welcoming and inclusive and offers every living human the challenge of accepting that they are living, breathing sacred events.

Volumes have been written about the story of the Magi carrying precious gifts to Bethlehem:

“And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and they presented to Him gifts of gold, and frankincense and myrrh.”  Mattthew 2.

The Bible (and other corroborating stories) indicates that the Magi returned to their respective homes, however, little has been written about how the event changed their lives. In fact, if they did create the original “Epiphany,” perhaps they discovered that spiritual awareness is the quintessential essence of being human.

The great irony here is that they presented gifts to the Christ child but, in return, received the unspeakably perfect gift of the Holy Spirit and the realization that they too were made in the image of God. If so, there is little doubt that their journey home was filled with joy, merriment and laughter and they rejoiced and were exceedingly glad.

Merry Christmas

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

Posted in: Reflections | Tagged: Advent, e.e. cummings, existence of God, faith, Little Church, Lowell Harrison Young, Merry Christmas, miracle of life, Yosemite Temple

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