Transformation and Growth
Sermon given on September 19, 2021
by John Kennison
Last July, the New Yorker magazine published a review of several books about cults. The article mentioned that a woman named Dorothy Martin became a cult leader in the Midwest after predicting that a huge flood would destroy America on December 21, 1954, but that on August 1, 1954, a fleet of flying saucers would rescue her followers. When the saucers did not appear on August 1, several cult members quit while others worked overtime to gather new recruits. Some members even waited for the rescuing saucers on 5 different occasions. What is happening here?
The review claimed that all of us, if subject to enough stress, are capable of being captivated by a cult. Is this really true? My first reaction was that I would never believe that flying saucers were coming to rescue me.
But it seems possible to be so dejected that we’ll believe statements that are obviously false. It does not depend on how logical we are; it does not depend on how sensible we are, but I think it depends on our spiritual health. When our basic spiritual needs are not being met, we find ourselves in desperate need of companionship, in desperate need of love, in desperate need of purpose in life, in desperate need of belonging. And we desperately need hope to avoid being swamped by our fears. But we also need room to grow, room to transform ourselves when life becomes difficult. The cult in the Midwest gave people companionship, and a sense of belonging even something to hope for, namely that those flying saucers will come in time. But when the saucers fail to appear it’s harder to have hope.
Sometimes the situations of our lives change dramatically and the methods and formulas that we depended on no longer work. We may have to figure out how to live and be happy in challenging times. We may find that our spirituality has been sidetracked by false goals, such as the desire to gain social prestige or material goods or the demands of our egos. These goals are alluring and we can become engrossed in pursuing them. But false goals only appear to be what makes life sweet. We may not realize how starved we are for more meaningful goals until we reach a crisis. That’s when we might be so desperate that we’ll take radical steps to fill the void in our lives. And if we are desperate enough, we may try things that defy common sense.
Can religion help us? Can we simply join a church to solve our spiritual problems? It depends on how vital our religion is. If we want a religion that will keep our spirits up, we have a lot of work to do. We need to let our religion fill in the empty places in our lives and make us less dependent on false goals. We need to live our religion. That is, our religion needs to influence our everyday lives. A religion that doesn’t do this will have difficulty displacing the false goals that we all can be trapped by. Being active in church (and reaching out to others in general) may help so long as we put our hearts into it.
The magazine article suggests that cults are similar to religions, particularly religions that emphasize belief. Is there a difference between an established religion, such as Christianity and a cult? A vital Christianity can make people more loving, more compassionate and more sensitive to the needs of others. But suppose we were around when Christianity started. There were many people who were followers of Jesus. If some of those followers concentrated only on the reported miracles, they might have a religion that would closely resemble a cult. They might strengthen that religion by focusing on the Sermon on the Mount, which challenges us to be as loving as we possibly can and even love our enemies. But it is not unusual for a cult to have some idealistic goals.
However, Marcus Borg has written a book that suggests it is a large part of modern-day Christianity which is in danger of losing its way. Whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, his book, “Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Power and How They Can Be Restored.” can give you a vivid sense of what a religion needs to be vital and transforming. Borg shows how much we have lost because the language of Christianity has been corrupted. One of the reasons for this loss of power is the overemphasis, in some parts of Christianity, on getting into heaven. Borg writes than when he was 12 years old growing up in a devoutly Christian family, his impression of what Christianity was all about was something like:
Jesus died for our sins so that we can be forgiven and go to heaven if we believe in him.
Of course, Borg also learned that Christianity is about more than that. It also means seeking to lead a changed life by practicing the teaching to love one another. The Christianity of Borg’s youth was about behavior as well as belief.
Nonetheless, sin seemed to be the central issue of Christian life. Borg was taught that we are “by nature sinful and unclean” and in need of mercy and forgiveness. Borg recalls hearing a Buddhist teacher say, with a twinkle in his eye, “You Christians must be very bad people, you’re always confessing your sins and asking for forgiveness.”
And this emphasis on sin has changed many of the most powerful words of the Christian religion. For example the concept of being “saved” now seems to refer exclusively to being saved from the consequences of our sinfulness -- being saved from going to Hell. But this interpretation cheapens the whole concept of being saved. Borg gives a good example of this, from the Old Testament account of the Exodus from Egypt. There the Descendants of Israel were slaves. Moses led the slaves to make a massive departure from Egypt. They trekked across the desert and headed for the Red Sea (or maybe to a marshy area called the Sea of Reeds). But Pharaoh’s army pursued them on their fast moving war chariots.
Soon the Israelites were in a desperate situation. The Red Sea blocked the path in front of them and Pharaoh’s Chariots were closing in from behind. And some of the escapees described their plight using black humor, saying, “Moses why have you led us out into the desert to die. Is there a shortage of graves in Egypt?””
Of course, there was a miracle, but Borg’s point is not about the miracle but about the ancient meaning of the word “salvation”. Because in the biblical account, Moses says, “stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord.” And, of course, the waters of the Red Sea parted and the children of Israel crossed on foot. But when Pharaoh’s chariots tried to cross, the waters rolled back and Pharaoh’s army was destroyed.
Historians doubt that the entire episode is historical. They debate all kinds of questions about which parts, if any, are factual. Maybe the descendants of Israel reached a nearby marshy area called the Sea of Reeds which they could cross on foot but which caught the speeding chariots when their wheels sank into the mud. The theory that the chariots stopped short when they hit the muddy water seems to be supported by a later verse that the horse and the rider were thrown into the sea. But the chariots presumably stayed glued to the mud.
The point is that the story provides a powerful example of salvation. It didn’t mean that the children of Israel would go to heaven, at least not right away. They made it to the opposite shore but were without much food or material goods. They still had miles to go. But they had been transformed. Because once Pharaoh gave up the chase, these people who had been slaves their whole lives were now free. Their lives were changed. And this is what salvation means: escaping slavery, being transformed and able to make the best of the challenges that lie ahead.
And this is what a vital religion can do. It can change us. It can help us emerge from a difficult situation. It can rescue us. It can save us from slavery and save us from the delusions that can make us slaves to false goals . A cult or religion based on accepting a rigid set of beliefs doesn’t leave us room to grow or to be saved when change is necessary. A vital religion allows us to grow and to change and to be more compassionate and more courageous. A vital religion can help us grow beyond being a slave to our egos or to our status or to our material possessions. Such a religion can show us we are capable of dealing with despair and fear. And then, like the former slaves, we can find that we have been truly saved.
May It Be So
Reading From the book of Exodus, Chapter 5, King James Version:
Background:
The Israelites, also called the "Descendants of Israel" or the "Children of Israel",
were slaves in Egypt for several centuries. One of these slaves gave birth to a bright, healthy baby boy and wondered what kind of life he would have as a slave to the Egyptians. So she made a basket out of bulrushes, water-proofed it, put the baby in the basket and set the basket afloat in the Nile River. As she had hoped, the basket was eventually picked up by one of pharaoh's daughters, who gave the baby the name of "Moses". And Moses was accepted as a member of the royal family of Egypt. Later Moses found out about the true story of his origins.
I will continue the story as told in excerpts from the King James version of the book of Exodus:
1 . . . Moses . . . told Pharaoh, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, . . ."
2. And Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." . . .
6. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. . . .
9. Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
10. And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, "Thus saith Pharaoh, 'I will not give you straw.
11. Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not [any] of your work shall be diminished.' "
I will tell the rest of the story in the sermon and explain why I think it is important.
Sermon given on September 19, 2021
by John Kennison
Last July, the New Yorker magazine published a review of several books about cults. The article mentioned that a woman named Dorothy Martin became a cult leader in the Midwest after predicting that a huge flood would destroy America on December 21, 1954, but that on August 1, 1954, a fleet of flying saucers would rescue her followers. When the saucers did not appear on August 1, several cult members quit while others worked overtime to gather new recruits. Some members even waited for the rescuing saucers on 5 different occasions. What is happening here?
The review claimed that all of us, if subject to enough stress, are capable of being captivated by a cult. Is this really true? My first reaction was that I would never believe that flying saucers were coming to rescue me.
But it seems possible to be so dejected that we’ll believe statements that are obviously false. It does not depend on how logical we are; it does not depend on how sensible we are, but I think it depends on our spiritual health. When our basic spiritual needs are not being met, we find ourselves in desperate need of companionship, in desperate need of love, in desperate need of purpose in life, in desperate need of belonging. And we desperately need hope to avoid being swamped by our fears. But we also need room to grow, room to transform ourselves when life becomes difficult. The cult in the Midwest gave people companionship, and a sense of belonging even something to hope for, namely that those flying saucers will come in time. But when the saucers fail to appear it’s harder to have hope.
Sometimes the situations of our lives change dramatically and the methods and formulas that we depended on no longer work. We may have to figure out how to live and be happy in challenging times. We may find that our spirituality has been sidetracked by false goals, such as the desire to gain social prestige or material goods or the demands of our egos. These goals are alluring and we can become engrossed in pursuing them. But false goals only appear to be what makes life sweet. We may not realize how starved we are for more meaningful goals until we reach a crisis. That’s when we might be so desperate that we’ll take radical steps to fill the void in our lives. And if we are desperate enough, we may try things that defy common sense.
Can religion help us? Can we simply join a church to solve our spiritual problems? It depends on how vital our religion is. If we want a religion that will keep our spirits up, we have a lot of work to do. We need to let our religion fill in the empty places in our lives and make us less dependent on false goals. We need to live our religion. That is, our religion needs to influence our everyday lives. A religion that doesn’t do this will have difficulty displacing the false goals that we all can be trapped by. Being active in church (and reaching out to others in general) may help so long as we put our hearts into it.
The magazine article suggests that cults are similar to religions, particularly religions that emphasize belief. Is there a difference between an established religion, such as Christianity and a cult? A vital Christianity can make people more loving, more compassionate and more sensitive to the needs of others. But suppose we were around when Christianity started. There were many people who were followers of Jesus. If some of those followers concentrated only on the reported miracles, they might have a religion that would closely resemble a cult. They might strengthen that religion by focusing on the Sermon on the Mount, which challenges us to be as loving as we possibly can and even love our enemies. But it is not unusual for a cult to have some idealistic goals.
However, Marcus Borg has written a book that suggests it is a large part of modern-day Christianity which is in danger of losing its way. Whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, his book, “Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Power and How They Can Be Restored.” can give you a vivid sense of what a religion needs to be vital and transforming. Borg shows how much we have lost because the language of Christianity has been corrupted. One of the reasons for this loss of power is the overemphasis, in some parts of Christianity, on getting into heaven. Borg writes than when he was 12 years old growing up in a devoutly Christian family, his impression of what Christianity was all about was something like:
Jesus died for our sins so that we can be forgiven and go to heaven if we believe in him.
Of course, Borg also learned that Christianity is about more than that. It also means seeking to lead a changed life by practicing the teaching to love one another. The Christianity of Borg’s youth was about behavior as well as belief.
Nonetheless, sin seemed to be the central issue of Christian life. Borg was taught that we are “by nature sinful and unclean” and in need of mercy and forgiveness. Borg recalls hearing a Buddhist teacher say, with a twinkle in his eye, “You Christians must be very bad people, you’re always confessing your sins and asking for forgiveness.”
And this emphasis on sin has changed many of the most powerful words of the Christian religion. For example the concept of being “saved” now seems to refer exclusively to being saved from the consequences of our sinfulness -- being saved from going to Hell. But this interpretation cheapens the whole concept of being saved. Borg gives a good example of this, from the Old Testament account of the Exodus from Egypt. There the Descendants of Israel were slaves. Moses led the slaves to make a massive departure from Egypt. They trekked across the desert and headed for the Red Sea (or maybe to a marshy area called the Sea of Reeds). But Pharaoh’s army pursued them on their fast moving war chariots.
Soon the Israelites were in a desperate situation. The Red Sea blocked the path in front of them and Pharaoh’s Chariots were closing in from behind. And some of the escapees described their plight using black humor, saying, “Moses why have you led us out into the desert to die. Is there a shortage of graves in Egypt?””
Of course, there was a miracle, but Borg’s point is not about the miracle but about the ancient meaning of the word “salvation”. Because in the biblical account, Moses says, “stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord.” And, of course, the waters of the Red Sea parted and the children of Israel crossed on foot. But when Pharaoh’s chariots tried to cross, the waters rolled back and Pharaoh’s army was destroyed.
Historians doubt that the entire episode is historical. They debate all kinds of questions about which parts, if any, are factual. Maybe the descendants of Israel reached a nearby marshy area called the Sea of Reeds which they could cross on foot but which caught the speeding chariots when their wheels sank into the mud. The theory that the chariots stopped short when they hit the muddy water seems to be supported by a later verse that the horse and the rider were thrown into the sea. But the chariots presumably stayed glued to the mud.
The point is that the story provides a powerful example of salvation. It didn’t mean that the children of Israel would go to heaven, at least not right away. They made it to the opposite shore but were without much food or material goods. They still had miles to go. But they had been transformed. Because once Pharaoh gave up the chase, these people who had been slaves their whole lives were now free. Their lives were changed. And this is what salvation means: escaping slavery, being transformed and able to make the best of the challenges that lie ahead.
And this is what a vital religion can do. It can change us. It can help us emerge from a difficult situation. It can rescue us. It can save us from slavery and save us from the delusions that can make us slaves to false goals . A cult or religion based on accepting a rigid set of beliefs doesn’t leave us room to grow or to be saved when change is necessary. A vital religion allows us to grow and to change and to be more compassionate and more courageous. A vital religion can help us grow beyond being a slave to our egos or to our status or to our material possessions. Such a religion can show us we are capable of dealing with despair and fear. And then, like the former slaves, we can find that we have been truly saved.
May It Be So
Reading From the book of Exodus, Chapter 5, King James Version:
Background:
The Israelites, also called the "Descendants of Israel" or the "Children of Israel",
were slaves in Egypt for several centuries. One of these slaves gave birth to a bright, healthy baby boy and wondered what kind of life he would have as a slave to the Egyptians. So she made a basket out of bulrushes, water-proofed it, put the baby in the basket and set the basket afloat in the Nile River. As she had hoped, the basket was eventually picked up by one of pharaoh's daughters, who gave the baby the name of "Moses". And Moses was accepted as a member of the royal family of Egypt. Later Moses found out about the true story of his origins.
I will continue the story as told in excerpts from the King James version of the book of Exodus:
1 . . . Moses . . . told Pharaoh, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, . . ."
2. And Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." . . .
6. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. . . .
9. Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
10. And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, "Thus saith Pharaoh, 'I will not give you straw.
11. Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not [any] of your work shall be diminished.' "
I will tell the rest of the story in the sermon and explain why I think it is important.
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