Good Questions Can Help

Another suggestion or two for the newbie Bible reader.

The Trouble With Texts

It's pretty neat that Blog Manager Travis Griffith is taking on reading the whole Bible. His eye-opening experience has left him feeling "punched in the face with these taboo topics and left wondering if folks just choose not to discuss this stuff in polite company..."

Perhaps I'm not the only Relief fan uttering a small chuckle. Welcome, Travis, to the foundational Christian writings.

The Bible is difficult. Though many consider it fairy tales for children, others find upon closer inspection a not-ready-for-prime-time experience. But read any ancient tome, from Cicero to Chaucer, and you'll discover a lot we no longer bring up at dinner.

As Christians today, the reason for our indigestion over the Bible isn't usually the racy content, or so I've found. What we shy away from is a truck load of different teachings about why the Bible includes what it does. Thousands of years after Genesis' papyrus dried, we don't remember what issues were being addressed or who the author was speaking to. When it comes to glimpses into the world of Moses (the probable Genesis author), most of us have no clue.

It's as if my grandma came back to life and tried to decipher a text message from my son's girlfriend's phone, but everyone younger than Grandma had died, leaving no one to interpret for her. There wouldn't be much way to understand the real gist of the thing.

I guess to take my analogy further, you could picture Grandma surrounded by people from her time -- each of them with their own guesses as to the meanings of "lol," "jk," and "ftw." Each would guess according to his own assumptions about context and other factors. Someone might insist this wasn't language at all, that it was gibberish or that Grandma made up the idea that people had developed a new code for electric gizmos.

Reading the Bible, we rely on interpretations of ancient Hebrew and Greek by people with their own assumptions. Then we read the English wording according to individual perspectives. Some of us have been served portions or the whole from childhood. Someone like Travis Griffith has only heard of the Bible but has never before tasted it for himself. There are dozens of ways, at least, to begin thinking about the message between the biblical covers, and how are we really to know which one is close to the truth?

The Quality of Questions

Before despairing totally over this situation, I came to see there is hope for an understanding-related reading of the Bible. After all, people translate and read other ancient books with a fair amount of confidence. We don't chuck everything written before the 20th century; there are proven ways to get at ancient meanings. And, yes, I'm one of those who believes the Bible is the unique book in history -- the one God inspired (however that happened). But I think it was written by regular authors for regular readers. There's more work involved in getting at original intent than I might put into reading a text message (though I'm not too good at those). But it's a worthwhile task.

I encourage Travis and anyone looking into the Bible from new or old assumptions to start by asking good questions about the text. This idea I find explored exceptionally well by a teacher from Gutenberg College, a great books school in my town. In 2000, David Crabtree taught a recorded series on Genesis in which he proposed studying the Bible's first book in order to begin discovering answers to basic biblical, faith-related, questions.

Dr. Crabtree's key question for Genesis, and for the Bible is, "Why?" This gets filled out regarding God as, "What kind of being is the Creator? Who is God? What is his nature?" And regarding us: "Why did God create man? What is our purpose? Why do we exist? And what provision did the Creator make for mankind?"

These sorts of questions get at the heart of a valuable Bible read-through. They acknowledge that assumptions exist and that it's valid to work at getting past my own. They're close to the core of a soul seeking spiritual truth.

David Crabtree's complete audio series on Genesis is free and available from this Gutenberg link (it lists sessions in reverse order) and at iTunesU.

Deanna Hershiser’s essays have appeared in Runner’s World, BackHome Magazine, Relief, and other places. She lives with her husband in Oregon and blogs at deannahershiser.com

Murder, Sex, Lies and Incest... in the Bible?

This will not be easy.

As many people might know, I am reading the Bible for the first time and blogging about it here.

The people who are joining me as I read might expect, or maybe even hope for, a certain response. I imagine that's especially true for veteran Bible readers and scholars. Should my response not be what is expected, some people might become defensive and write me off a as a clueless lunatic. Or worse.

My intent is not to trash this book or point out any self-perceived flaws I think it might contain. The reason I chose to embark on this reading is to invoke provocative thought; from myself, from those reading at the same time and from those who have read the book in the past. My intent is to find poetic beauty that resonates within my spirit. To debate, discuss and challenge long-established truths, then dig deeper and find new meaning.

In the first hundred pages or so of Genesis, I'm disappointed. If this were a book I picked up by a new author I wouldn't continue reading. I opened the pages of this particular tome thirsty for beauty and got a mouthful of dust.

Followed by a roundhouse kick to the face.

I'm amused by the account of creation but have a hard time believing that modern humans accept the story of Earth and all life it holds being created within six days. Yes, it's a nice verse that may have convinced people eons ago but today we have science to tell us that the Sun was around well before the Earth and that evolution of the species is a very real concept happening against a well-established timeline.

Where do Adam and Eve fall on that timeline? How many years ago did they take from the tree of knowledge and open their eyes to sin?

The story of Noah holds equal fascination. Why God would create life then decide he screwed up, wipe it away then repopulate with the same species just doesn't make any sense. Then again, making sense and having faith are very different things so maybe there's a deeper meaning here that I am missing. If so, I'd be more than happy to read the section again with a different set of eyes.

The fact that these early human lives spanned 800-900 years doesn't do much for the credibility factor either.

It was the story of Abraham and his descendants, though, that truly disturbed me and opened the floodgates of rhetorical questions.

I read with wide eyes when Abraham shared his wife with other men. I uttered an audible "What?" just below my breath when Jacob took two wives, both of whom let him have sex with other women.

I guess I was under the impression the Bible was against infidelity, but then again I'm early in the story so I'll withhold judgment until later.

My stomach turned in disgust when the two daughters had sex with their father in attempts to get pregnant and felt mortified when Lot offered his daughters in an attempt to stop men from having sex with each other in the city of Sodom.

In that part of the world, in that time period, was forced sex upon females more acceptable than consensual sex between males? I didn't expect this.

It's a moot point, I suppose, because God killed the entire town of men with sulfuric fire rain anyway. (Which sounds more like the devil's work than God's.)

Honestly, I was really nervous to write the post a few weeks ago about pornography, but that's downright tame compared to what I've read in the Bible so far.

However uncomfortable it might be to acknowledge, in these first few chapters, God has committed mass murder (multiple times), feels like he screwed up humanity from the very beginning of creation and seems to condone multiple sexual partners while married.

Wow. This is quite the opening to the story of Christianity.

Maybe the point of Genesis is to establish the point that humans naturally lust for what has been called "sin." To ingrain an immediate fear of a vengeful God. To paint humanity as a disgusting cesspool of lawless evil before being saved by the time the last page is turned.

I hope not. I hope God would instead describe humans as his masterpiece; beings of light capable of experiencing the kind of love he used to create the universe.

Now that I've started this, I'm 100 percent convinced I need support and guidance. Reading Stephen Swanson's advice should really help, along with all the great comments and support posted when this project was announced. I hope (and pray, I guess) that the support continues.

Remember, this truly is the first time I've ever cracked open the spine of a Bible with the intent of reading it with a completely open mind. I was punched in the face with these taboo topics and am left wondering if folks just choose not to discuss this stuff in polite company, haven't noticed it, or just take it all with the same grain of salt I took with the story of a 6-day creation.

I have many, many other questions written down from my reading so far, but I'll end with just one:

Are there any other first-time Bible readers on this journey with me?

***

Travis Griffith, Relief's Blog Manager, is a former atheist now exploring what a spiritual life really means. His children’s book, Your Father Forever, was published in 2005 by Illumination Arts Publishing Company, Inc. Travis works from his home in Spokane, WA as a professional writer.

The Driving Force of Passion

Bonnie writes about the things that she is passionate about. Passion compels us forward into action. While there are several things I support, there are a few that I am passionate about.  I am passionate about being holistically pro-life, my personal theology, and as shallow as it comparatively sounds, reading a good book.

I love to read so when I read a really awesome book or story I am totally absorbed in the plot, the characters, and the emotion – yes, I occasionally laugh or cry as I read. I get so invested in the plot that real life fades a bit – I go through the motions but my mind is on the story. After I finish a novel I always feel a little deflated and sad that my story is over and sometimes I wonder what the characters would do next.

Passion also drives us to invest in the things that we care about, either through volunteering or giving financially. It also means that we invest our time in the things that are important to us. I would like to say that while our LoveRelief campaign is over, consider giving back to a journal that supports great stories.

Bonnie Ponce is the Director of Support Raising for Relief and lives in Huntsville, Texas with her husband and betta fish. She has a BA in English from Sam Houston State University. After work she enjoys relaxing with a good book or working on her novel.

To Travis...About the Bible

Stephen Swanson dispenses kindly advice to Travis to be helpful and avoid the many, many frustrating things in the world today.

So, yeah, there's lots of fun and important things that I could write about: OBL, fake quotes from MLK, end of term, a new son, looking at houses, motorcycles....  Oh, I could go on and on, but I've really been wanting to do something helpful.

I was very thankful for Travis' post last week that gave me a chance to chime in, and rather than just post a comment, I'm choosing to use a column on it.

He's already had some great advice on translations/versions, programs, skipping Leviticus, and other reading tips and hints.  With all the suggestions, I can't but help to feel like it's some sort of Nintendo Power walkthrough.  You know,  "The Bible...the Original Video Game", and Travis is trying to go through Zelda in less than 30 minutes.

I must first disclose that I have never read the Bible cover-to-cover.  I've tried a couple of times, but there's just too many things against it as a practice. My problem wasn't Leviticus or Numbers; they had some cool stuff. It was the minor prophets. "Alright!  We get it!  Bad will be punished...we hope and pray.  Good will be rewarded...we hope and pray.   Yes, yes, G-d IS powerful and amazing."

Yes, there are all sorts of things that will come up.

• There is the frustration with the minute subdivisions of paragraphs and sentences into chapter and verse when the prose just does not support that segmentation.
• There's interminable poetry (LotR's strategy=skip poetry, not necessarily with the Bible), history, law, and prophecy.
• There's a whole mess of some dude's letters that have, for some reason, been shoved between an early history of the Church and a final book of prophecy (You know, just for good measure).
• There's the past 2000 years of use and abuse of the documents in this volume for both great good and great evil.
• There's the present association of the Bible with conservatism, fundamentalism, and evangelicalism.

However, if one looks at it as a wonderful archive, then things potentially begin to change.

• Each book holds a glimpse into generations and generations of real people who struggled to find, understand, and live out some relationship to the infinite.
• Each of  these glimpses comes with loads of historical context where we can really begin to see complex relationships.
• Each one presents an experience into the core questions of humanity as an individual, a community, and a society.
• Each of the books tries to engage in a very real and meaningful way with the questions raised by existence and yet tell gritty stories about hard lives in hard times

It grows easier and easier to equate The Bible with religion.  However, I'd argue that The Bible =/= religion, even though the Reformation used the book as a conduit between the person of faith and their God through their ability, right, and responsibility to read and understand it. I understand that this has morphed into a fascination for those who believe in strict inerrancy and infallibility of The Bible as the Word of God.  I'm not one of them, but I respect that as a position with a lot of power in the world today.

However, regardless of the objective truth of the words, the narratives and arcs that it contains describe the relationship between people and a view of the Divine at the very least.

Many people, therefore, emphasize the epic qualities of The Bible.  After all, it's about "GOD", right?  It's got to be SERIOUS and star Charlton Heston.  The must be heavy, serious music.  It must be in Panavision.  The emphasis has been on the weight and grandeur of a narrative about God and man.

Something about this, though, strikes me as idolatry.  Not in the normal sense, but it's almost like Christians are still competing with the Greeks and Romans to show that their religion is as cool,

"Hey, look!  We've got cool stories too!"

"Do you have a god in the form of a bull raping a woman?"

"No..."

"Well, do you at least have Morgan Freeman?"

"<...>"

"Then I'm not sure how you can call it a religion."

I like to imagine The Bible more like if it was made by HBO or Showtime...maybe AMC, but only if John Hamm and Christina Hendricks were in it.  Imagine if David Simon wrote and directed, maybe with some help from Richard Price.

Connections abound between The Wire, Rome, and The Bible. Family struggles, sex, violence, political intrigue, captivity, and exotic locales abound, but those are points for another day.

Forget the theology for a bit and get to know the people and peoples behind The Bible.  Treat it like The Bible, maybe even the bible.  Think about their lives, thoughts, hopes, fears, and dreams.  Midrash in your mind as you go, and don't be afraid to jump around.

As the Israelites are exiled, jump forward to their prophets who wrote in that time, and then jump back.  As David flees and starts a revolution, read the songs that he composed, perhaps at night.

Works in translation are always hard to really get and feel.  Additionally, the vast majority of The Bible lacks the punch and flow of Elmore Leonard.  However, the people and drama are there.

It's just a matter of letting the other things go, at least for a while.

Stephen Swanson teaches as an assistant professor of English at McLennan Community College. Aside from guiding students through the pitfalls of college writing and literature, he spends most of his time trying to remain aware of popular culture, cooking, and enjoying time with his wife and son. He holds degrees in Communications (Calvin College), Film Studies (Central Michigan University), and Media and American Culture Studies (Bowling Green State University). In addition to editing a collection, Battleground States: Scholarship in Contemporary America, he has forthcoming projects on Johnny Cash and analysis of vampires and gods in terms of hospitality.

A Reaction to Osama bin Laden's Death

Web Editor Ian David Philpot shares his reaction to the announcement of Osama bin Laden's death.

I read the news in a text message from my fiancée late last night.

Shortly after, I was reading Facebook and Twitter updates covered in people celebrating and others quoting Scriptures from Psalms and Proverbs about not rejoicing in your enemy's falls.

And I was torn.

I wanted to celebrate what had happened. I remember nearly ten years ago crying in classrooms with fellow students as we watched the tragedy of September 11 unfold, and I wanted those tears to be wiped away by this step towards a "safer world" (more on that below).

"I don't think it's a day for going to a bar. I think it's a day to maybe go to church." –MSNBC's Chris Matthews

The part of me that wanted to celebrate was the patriotic side. It wanted to write to everyone quoting the Psalms that David's hands were so bloody that God wouldn't let him build a temple. And to those quoting Proverbs, I wanted to remind them that Solomon reigned in peace because of the killings his father was able to execute.

But the patriotic emotions didn't last too long.

Jimmy Spencer, friend of mine and of Relief, wrote a note on Facebook titled "Whose Death Does God Cheer?" (You can read it on Jimmy's Tumblr.) It infuriated me and calmed me at the same time. Those who commented on his post felt either one way or the other.

Here are a two snippets of the comments on Facebook that got my attention:

"Get real. Take your Jesus and stuff it..."

"Thanks for voicing something that goes against what 90% of my facebook feed says."

After reading all of this, the spiritual side of me took over. The side that loves others, no matter who they are or what they've done. I almost feel disappointed that it didn't come out sooner, but I'm just a regular ol' imperfect person.

And it's not that I think we should've let Osama bin Laden continue to murder people. But I think we need to observe a stillness for the loss of life.

I saw this video clip on MSNBC of Chris Matthews talking about what will happen now. He said something that really stuck out to me: "I don't think it's a day for going to a bar. I think it's a day to maybe go to church."

That hit me hard.

Our world isn't any safer. Gas prices won't go down. We still won't be able to get through airport security with a bottle of water. There hasn't been a big shift in how our world works.

But hopefully there can be a shift in our hearts for how we view those who have wronged us.

Coffee Convictions

Last week my husband and I were suffering from cabin fever after a few rainy days, and we decided to get out of the house and grab some coffee and a good book somewhere. Wheeling into the parking lot of Barnes and Noble, we noticed a family of three walking toward their car.

They had just come out of the all-you-can-eat buffet in the strip mall, two parents and a son who looked about eight years old, and all of them a doctor would diagnose with obesity.

So sad, Zach and I said to each other. I wondered what kind of future that child would have, would he be teased? Would he feel like he wouldn’t amount to anything? And what about the parents? What is it they are trying to escape through food? Do they eat here all the time? Do they care that their kid is severely overweight and inheriting their own unhealthiness?

All sorts of disapproving and critical thoughts ran through my head. And then I walked into the bookstore café and bought a $4 espresso drink.

“Are you sure you don’t want a venti, it’s only 60 cents more?” The barista lobbied, as they are trained to do with every customer. I declined. “Do you want a pastry or a sandwich to go with that?” No thanks. They definitely know how to capitalize on the classic impulse buy.

It was only after I was catered to at the coffee bar that I realized I was choosing the same gluttony I had just condemned. I didn’t need an espresso drink topped with whipped cream, I was just indulging. I was paying $4 for something that I knew was overpriced and nonessential.

This year I have been discovering a new way of eating, exploring where my food comes from, the ethics of my culinary choices, such as fair labor treatment and environmental responsibility, and trying to make better food choices in general. And while I am privileged American to be able to choose between pricey organic meat or canned green beans, not everyone has that privilege. Hunger is a real issue in the world just as much as obesity is, and both claim lives.

I’m not against caramel macchiatos, but I hope I don’t consume them ignorantly, as this last experience taught me. I hope I will realize the weight of my food choices, and if I’m going to exercise my privileges, I hope I will also donate to world hunger relief organizations, contribute to my church’s food pantry, and pray for and remember those who don’t have the same privileges God has so graciously given.

Acts of Kindness

Bonnie shares about how an act of kindness can really impact a life. I was standing in line at the grocery store and I noticed how rude the person in front of me was acting to the cashier.  Talking on her cell phone and ignoring the cashier's attempts at conversational pleasantries, she was too busy to be polite.   On the other side, waiting on people who are angry or impatient can be tough.  In college I worked for the university's Information Resources and answered the help desk phones.  Some people were patient as I walked them through the steps to fix their computer problems.  Other people would almost reduce me to tears.  I remember one particularly conversation in which a faculty member accused me of trying to delete all of her emails!

It doesn't take a lot to be nice - a smile, a casual, how are you doing? or a complement can make someone's day.  We often take for granted the people that serve us throughout the day - a waiter, janitorial people, cashiers at Starbucks, toll booth workers, or secretaries.  It only takes a small gesture of kindness to brighten someones day.  But often times it is the rude people we encounter or bad experiences that stick with us an color our whole day.  Which is why I want to share a story about how much it can affect someone or even a whole entity when consideration for others is lacking.  Sam Davidson shares an experience with a non-profit that led him to stop donating.

At Relief, we know that you are the life-blood of what we do. We want to thank you for your donations, for buying subscriptions, for supporting great literature and being loyal to our mission. We want to know what your experience has been with Relief.  We ask for your support so we can continue to provide new stories, poetry, and inspirational creative fiction for you to read. Share your experience with us! If you connect with us, share why you gave or consider giving a gift if you have been encouraged or inspired by Relief.

Bear Witness as I Experience My First Time...

It seems we’re born into a world where everyone is blind.

We don’t know who we are; so we search, arms outstretched, wandering, hoping we run into some form of ourselves that might know the answers.

It’s during that journey through the darkness that many people turn to religion.

Religion provides millions of people with the answers they seek, but for countless others it only raises more questions that outweigh the faith required to believe.

My journey is about to take a turn that every fiber of my being tells me not to follow. And I’m going to need your help.

First, though, a little history.

I spent the first 28 years of my life staunchly opposed to the idea of God and dismissed Christianity, along with all other religions, as mythical stories believed only by the weak-minded.

Then, about six years ago, some things began to happen that jolted my perception of the spiritual realm; things that seem unreal when I look back at them today.  Eventually those experiences opened some new paths in my life, one of which led to the Relief Journal.

It’s been about two years since my first blog at Relief and I’ve contributed sporadically since then. Just recently I had the opportunity to take the blog manager position here, which I humbly accepted.

Many people, including myself, find this more than ironic considering my anti-Christian past. I still don’t label myself a Christian, but I am highly spiritual and have developed a deep respect for all religions, including Christianity.

After accepting the position here, a friend posed a resounding and poignant question. She said, “You don’t comment on movies you haven’t seen, right? How can you comment on a religion when you haven’t read its book?”

Well… shit. I didn’t have an answer. At least not a good one.

While I love being right, I’m certainly not opposed to admitting when I’ve been called out. That was a moment I had my legs swept from beneath me and I could only raise the white flag of defeat while acknowledging she had one hell of a good point.

So I decided I should read the Bible.

You have to understand that if I had the choice between getting caught by someone while secretly reading the Bible or watching porn involving transvestite grandmas with Spanish men, I’d choose the porn every time. There’s not as much shame involved.

I’ve thrown at least two Bibles in the garbage and even seriously considered burning the insanely expensive one we got for our wedding just to see those pathetically thin pages go up in flames.

And so I’ve gone from that closed-minded attitude of years past to openly committing to read the Bible, in its entirety. Even writing those words causes my blood pressure to rise, though I’m not sure if it’s out of embarrassment, because I’m fundamentally opposed to the book or just afraid of what I might find in it.

I’ll start on May 2 and, as my editors here requested, try to finish on July 30. That’s only 90 days, and I’ll try, but make no promises! I do promise to document my progress and express my thoughts and reactions to the book in this space. I expect some of it will piss me off, some will make me laugh, some will cause me to shake my head in disbelief and some, hopefully, will resonate with messages of pure, unconditional love.

At least a couple of Relief staffers have committed to read during the same time, and I hope you will too. I could use the help with my questions, have you take part in the comments and hopefully get inspiration from your reactions as you witness a guy experiencing the Bible for the first time.

Any tips for a Bible virgin?

***

Travis Griffith, Relief's Blog Manager, is a former atheist now exploring what a spiritual life really means. His children’s book, Your Father Forever, was published in 2005 by Illumination Arts Publishing Company, Inc. Travis works from his home in Spokane, WA as a professional writer.

He Is Risen: Easter Poem

Click over to The Englewood Review of Books to read a poem on Easter by the 19th century British poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. Hopkins was virtually unknown as a poet in his lifetime but was rediscovered by the modernists as an innovator in verse form.

The Faith of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Usually I write to encourage people to give to Relief but today I would like to pay tribute to a great person who fought for Truth. I came across this blog by Eric Metaxas and I wanted to share an excerpt from it. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a brilliant young pastor and a theologian, whose deep faith in God led him to get involved in the plot to kill Hitler. When Hitler learned of Bonhoeffer's involvement he flew into a typically violent rage. As one of his final acts of revenge -- just three weeks before he committed suicide -- Hitler condemned the young pastor to death. Bonhoeffer was hanged on April 9, 1945 at Flossenburg Concentration camp.  But by all accounts, Bonhoeffer went to his death with the peace of God, with no regrets. How can that be? He was 39 years old, widely reckoned a theological genius. He had already written two of the classic books of the 20th century, "The Cost of Discipleship" and "Life Together." He was engaged to be married to a wonderful young woman. He had such a terrifically bright future! Bonhoeffer even had an opportunity to escape his fate. In my book I tell the story of how he had fled to America, but then decided to return to Germany, to face the horrors that lay ahead with his people. Why did he return when he didn't have to? And why didn't he have any regrets for doing so, even after he knew he would pay the ultimate price? Just before he died, Bonhoeffer told a fellow prisoner, "This is the end. But for me, the beginning of life." But on that day -- April 20, 1945 (Hitlar’s last birthday mentioned earlier in the original post)-- who was happy and who was at peace, Hitler or Bonhoeffer? For that matter, which of them is happy and at peace today? It's something chilling to think about, the contrast between these two Germans, between these two lives and these two deaths. But at this time of year especially, it's appropriate that perhaps we do think about it. But at this time of year, when Passover and Easter are being celebrated it's especially appropriate that we do think about it. Do those of us who say we believe in God really believe it? Because if we do, it will affect how we behave today, this week, this month... If we believe in the word of God, as Bonhoeffer did, it will give us the courage do the right thing wherever we are. Like Bonhoeffer, we will do the right thing and trust God with the consequences. Faith and courage go together. Bonhoeffer's faith gave him the courage to stand against the greatest evil of the 20th century. And today we celebrate him and revile the inhuman tyrant he stood against. So this Easter season, dare to think about what you really believe. What you believe about your faith will affect how you behave today and how people regard you years from today. That's a fact. Let the life of Bonhoeffer, lived in faith and without fear, be a source of encouragement to you, so that your life in turn may be a source of encouragement to others in years to come.

I agree with Metaxas call to think about what you believe.  Do you really believe in the truth and power of scripture? What would your life look like if you did? What do your actions show that you believe in – yourself or the Truth of God? I think that Easter is a time that we should reflect on our faith since it is the time when the curtain separating the Holy of Holies was torn in two giving us the opportunity to approach the throne of God with confidence and covered by his grace.

Bonnie Ponce is the Director of Support Raising for Relief and lives in Huntsville, Texas with her husband and betta fish. She has a BA in English from Sam Houston State University. After work she enjoys relaxing with a good book or working on her novel.

CA Redemption Value

Some thoughts on trash:

A homeless man in his fifties pulls aluminum cans from the trash barrel in front of the Ralphs Supermarket where I shop. He’s clearly no amateur. What catches my attention this morning is not the act itself. He’s not the only person I've seen scavenging to get by today. This is Ocean Beach after all.

What arrests my general distraction is the way he cleans as he pulls the cans out of the refuse, taking time to pick the cigarette butts out of the ash tray on the top of the stone-speckled trash barrel, dropping them one by one into the bag as if to earn the recycling fees others didn't bother taking the time to redeem.

-#-

When I was a reporter in Los Angeles, I worked for a newspaper that covered the Puente Hills Landfill in a strip of unincorporated county land that was once most likely a dairy farm. Now, it’s America’s largest trash heap at 150 meters tall and covering more than 700 acres. I once covered a meeting where officials discussed the rate at which the massive trash mountain was summiting the space allotted to it. At one point in the meeting, a plan to ship the region’s trash by rail into the Nevada desert was discussed, though not seriously. Apparently, the same objection came up every time the concept was mentioned. It’s less expensive (and thus, more profitable) to continue with the current business model until it is no longer viable.

No word on how viable the people of Nevada find the alternative.

-#-

I love family stories, especially the ones from before I was born. Apparently, there was a DIY trend in the early 70s where particularly resourceful interior design types would piece together area rugs from a number of smaller pieces of (hopefully) corresponding color, though I did mention this was the 70s, right? In my mind’s eye, it’s like a shag quilt. All one needed were the remainders of other pieces of plush pile or low nap and the desire to turn said scraps into one Franken-rug.

My parents apparently harbored said desire, which is why, on more than one occasion, you could find my older brother in the dumpster behind a carpet store. I’m told the results were lovely, though no pictures exist as confirmation.

-#-

I may be over-simplifying, but as I relive these scenes I can’t help but see the writing in them all.

Michael Dean Clark is the fiction editor at Relief, as well as an author of fiction and nonfiction and an Assistant Professor of Writing at Point Loma Nazarene University. He lives in San Diego with his wife and three children.

Vintage Rejection

Rejection always hurts, but this publisher seems particularly hard to please! This vintage rejection slip is from the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company (1907-1925), who is famous for their production of Charlie Chaplin movies (Photo originally posted on NPR). I'm not sure if my writing, or much modern writing at all for that matter, would pass muster! Which reason for rejection do you find most surprising, amusing, appalling? One of my favorites...see #6 for a good laugh.

But to keep you from getting too discouraged, here are a few excerpts from rejection letters of now beloved and classic works,  from publishers who probably still have their foot stuck in their mouths...

Lord of the Flies by William Golding..."an absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull."

The Deer Park by Norman Mailer..."This will set publishing back 25 years."

The Diary of Anne Frank..."The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the 'curiosity' level."

On Writings by Anais Nin..."There is no commercial advantage in acquiring her, and, in my opinion, no artistic."

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame..."an irresponsible holiday story."

Stephanie S. Smith graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a degree in Communications and Women’s Ministry, which she now puts to work freelancing as a book publicist and writer through her business, (In)dialogue Communications, at www.stephaniessmith.com. After living in Chicago for four years, traveling to Amsterdam for a spell, and then moving back home to Baltimore to plan a wedding, she now lives with her husband in Upstate New York where they make novice attempts at home renovation in their 1930s bungalow. She writes for www.startmarriageright.com and manages Moody Publishers’ blog, www.insidepages.net.

Inspired to Give

Bonnie Ponce challenges those who have not contributed to the Love Relief campaign to read these stories and give to Relief.

As I was browsing through the internet, I came across this website of a company who helps charities raise support with capital campaigns.  I thought I would share this story to inspire you about why we ask you to give.  In the stories, the donors give $15,000 and $35,000 but we are only asking that you consider a gift of $25 or $50 or whatever you are inspired and able to give.  This story is from cdsfunds.com

“If you ever needed affirmation about why we do this for a living, these two tales carry a strong message.”

By: Greg Bowden

Fundraising can become such a mechanical process, in which we focus on rating prospects, writing proposals and scheduling logistics. This is never truer than in the midst of a capital campaign, when the pace of activity must be very high and everyone is focused on the bottom line of the campaign’s financial goal. In these instances, we can lose sight of the fact that we are meeting with real people and challenging them to think about their charitable priorities. Often, those donors take our requests very seriously and make decisions that broaden their philanthropy and demonstrate the impact of successful fundraising.

I am currently conducting a campaign for a YMCA resident and day camp based in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, which serves predominantly Connecticut, Massachusetts and metropolitan New York. We recently had two solicitations that produced surprising and very touching results. It was a reminder to me that our work allows us to have an impact on the lives of our donors as well as our organizations.

A few months ago we met with a couple who are very involved, charitable residents in the local community. While they had not given to the camp in the past, they were friends of the camp’s director. They agreed to meet with us, and were frankly shocked when we asked them for a pledge of $25,000 over five years. The wife commented that was more than they contribute to their church. The husband suggested they might be able to do something in the neighborhood of $15,000 and they would give it some thought.

When we followed up with them, the husband confirmed that they would pledge $15,000 to the campaign. He went on to say that our request had really stretched them, which had forced them to examine what they could truly do, rather than easily saying yes to a modest request. Their deliberations had further prompted them to take a look at all of their charitable priorities. How much did they contribute overall? If they seriously wanted to make this gift, but had trouble budgeting it, what did that say about their philanthropy? What changes were they able to make in their life that would allow them to meet their charitable goals?

All of these deliberations resulted in a lifestyle change for the couple. When the husband informed us of their decision, he explained that they had decided to sell their new BMW and buy a used Volkswagen, freeing up additional funds to make this pledge possible. As we were running a campaign for a children’s camp, I immediately thought of that saying, “A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car you drove, or what sort of house you lived in, or how big your bank account was. But the world may be better because you were important in the life of a child.”

The second story came from an alumnus of the camp, who now lives in a town in coastal Connecticut. Both his parents were now deceased and, without siblings, it fell to him to sell their home and resolve their estate. He decided that he would put some of the proceeds from the house sale toward certain charitable projects. Despite the fact that he had no idea they were conducting a capital campaign, his first thoughts were of the Camp that had provided him such a significant experience in his childhood. He called the Camp’s executive director—actually calling twice before he got the director on the phone—and told the director that he wanted to make a significant charitable gift.

The donor’s objective was to make a gift to the endowment, the income from which would fund scholarships for less fortunate children to attend Camp. He was considering giving $15,000. The Camp’s executive director pointed out that, in order to maintain the principal in perpetuity that would not generate much income each year. With some polite probing, the Camp’s director was able to learn that the donor’s true intent was to fund four scholarships each year. That would require a gift of about $35,000. Once the Camp’s director was able to communicate what would be necessary to achieve the donor’s goal, the alumnus readily agreed to make the gift.

We do so much work changing the lives of those people who receive our services, it is easy to forget that we are often changing the lives of our donors as well. Helping people raise their sights in these ways is a critical step in their philanthropic lifespan. It will have a leveraged impact far beyond the value of their current gift, as they will apply their new philosophy to all future charitable decisions, as well.

Bonnie Ponce is the Director of Support Raising for Relief and lives in Huntsville, Texas with her husband and betta fish. She has a BA in English from Sam Houston State University. After work she enjoys relaxing with a good book or working on her novel.

Relief News Tuesday: 4.12.2011

Thank You Christopher Fisher

Over the years, Relief has been stewarded by some amazing people, all of whom have served our literary vision as volunteer staff. This journal is a labor of love, and few have given their hearts as Christopher Fisher has, first as a Relief author (and Pushcart nominee), then as our Fiction Editor (there was dancing and woohoo-ing when he accepted the position), and finally as Relief's Editor-in-Chief. Whether as an author or editor, he has been an asset to this journal, so it is with sadness that I must announce his resignation.

In this next season of life, Christopher will be focusing his considerable talent on building his editing consultation business and returning to his own long-neglected creative writing. As much as we hate to see him go, we must admit that the world needs his writing, and we're grateful for the chances we've had to publish his work. His final issue (at least as Relief staff, though hopefully not as a Relief author) will soon be shipping, so make sure you've ordered your copy!

A New Role for Brad Fruhauff

With the position of Editor-in-Chief open, ccPublishing's Board of Directors was quick at work to find a replacement, since we will begin accepting submissions for issue 5.2 in just a few weeks. After careful deliberation, Brad Fruhauff, Relief's Poetry Editor, will be stepping in as interim Editor-in-Chief. Brad will continue his hard work as Poetry Editor, but he has agreed to take on the extra responsibilities until a permanent replacement has been found.

Book Review: Brian Spears' "A Witness in Exile"

By Alan Ackmann

Brian Spears, whose debut book of poetry A Witness in Exile was published earlier this year by Louisiana Literature press, is no stranger to long-time readers of Relief, having won the editor’s choice prize for poetry back in issue 2.2 for his poem “Hall Raising”. Although the poem published in that issue didn’t make the final cut of the book itself, many of its themes are revisited in A Witness in Exile, and handled in a way that Relief readers will probably find sincere and compelling.

Keep reading for the full review!

Though not explicitly divided, A Witness in Exile cleaves into roughly two sections. Poems in the first half of the book, with some exceptions, often focus on the relationship between an individual and an environment. As his biography indicates, Spears has a diverse background, and he presents poems set against the bayous of Louisiana, the swamps of south Florida, the deserts of New Mexico, and the coasts of San Francisco—places that “teeter on knife-edge” (to borrow a line from one of the poems). Sometimes these poems feature people; sometimes they meditate on the locations themselves. A sensation of loss pervades even those works peripheral to this motif, however, and the composite effect is of a writer seeking peace and completeness, in an existence that is wandering and fragmentary. On first read, this makes the book itself seem initially somewhat rambling, filled with poems that are occasionally quite strong—but collectively disjointed.

Unity emerges, though, in the book’s second half, where the poems take on a more consistent poignancy and urgency. Throughout this second half, Spears addresses material centered on his own childhood as a Jehovah’s Witness, a life he subsequently rejected, and he confronts this subject matter clearly, honestly, and un-ostentatiously. There are poems drawing from the religion’s core beliefs and practices, as well as its liturgical rituals and personal struggles. Most moving, though, are the poems that deal with the personal wounds that open when a prior believer walks away from the culture, and in this case the family and home, that raised and loved him.

Admirably, the Jehovah’s Witness poems (if it’s fair to label them as such) never descend into simplicity or caricature, and simultaneously never lambast or criticize. Spears—or, more to the point, the speaker in his poems—understands the beauty of the people who inhabit the lifestyle he is abandoning, and wishes them no harm. Indeed, some of the poems’ strongest moments come when the speaker seems to wish that he could go back to a time when he was unquestioning, to a clear-cut life undiluted by the complexity of doubt, when spiritual boundaries were clear, and—as the speaker freely admits in one poem—he was the happiest he’s ever been.

It is common to read Christian-themed poems about a believer’s doubts, and the trajectory of such poems is usually predictable. Less common, though, are poems about doubting ones atheism, and Spears’s inversion of the conventional tropes is tender and surprising.

When these two halves of the book are taken together, they enhance one another nicely. The first half presents speakers and poems who, at their center, seek a temporary version of the peace at one point possessed and then scorned in the book’s second half. The book seems to keep the reader at arm’s length for the first thirty pages, where its sadnesses are often ill-defined; someone is wandering off in exile, yes, but it’s hard to say from what. In the back thirty pages, however, the speakers are much more precise with their longing, inviting the reader into their intimacies, and this adds new texture to the initial poems. This juxtaposition creates a book that can exist as a completed text, in addition to a collection of isolated works.

It may be tempting to interpret the composite impact of Spears’s work from a purely spiritual vantage—as an account of the emptiness that dominates when Christ is not accepted, for example, or of the limitations of a particular sect of Christianity. Such interpretation, though, would be an oversimplified mistake. A Witness in Exile is the rare book of poetry that succeeds in treating matters of spirituality with tact and subtlety, coaxing a legitimate emotional response through its depiction of a worldview, not a dogma. It is a book not about the comfort of belief, but of the costs and consequences of a specific unbelief—costs that manifest themselves not in the hereafter, but in the sometimes melancholy here and now.

A Witness in Exile is available through www.amazon.com, and through the author’s personal website, www.brianspears.wordpress.com. I highly recommend it.

***

Alan Ackmann was fiction editor for volume two of Relief: A Quarterly Christian Expression. He teaches in the writing department at DePaul University. His fiction has appeared in numerous literary journals, including Ontario Review and McSweeney’s, and he recently completed his first novel. His website is www.alanackmann.com.

When Books are Burned

In 1933, in one of the first steps leading to the Holocaust, the Nazi regime ordered that any and all books deemed “subversive” to Hitler’s rule must be burned.  There were book-burnings in the streets, carried out by university students and Nazi supporters, who collected all censored literary works and threw them into the flames.

Surprisingly, among the books sentenced to burning were works by what we now view as classics, works by Helen Keller, Albert Einstein, Jack London, Upton Sinclair, and H.G. Wells.  Philosophical and political works were designated for destruction, but also children’s literature, theatrical works, and stories.

It is something of a wonder that one of the most powerful political movements of its day would feel so threatened by a story.

Perhaps the books were burned because even Nazis knew the insurmountable power of words.  Perhaps they were burned because language is so strong, so potentially dangerous, that the Germans only knew one way to address it: to treat it as an enemy.  Hitler himself attested to the importance of words as he used prophetic voice, persuasive rhetoric, and euphemism as some of his primary weapons for his Nazi cause.

While Hitler exploited language for evil during the Holocaust, other words were uttered, at great personal risk, for the sake of truth.  Dietrich Bonheoffer was one such voice; a Lutheran pastor who actively opposed Hitler, Bonheoffer urged his congregations not to conform to Nazi ideas up until his execution shortly before the end of the war.  Irene Harand, an Austrian human rights activist, wrote a public response to Hitler’s Mein Kampf, or “My Struggle”, which she titled, “His Struggle: An Answer to Hitler”.  Martin Niemoller organized the Confessional Church, a Christian group that resisted the Nazi movement, and avowed in the last sermon before his arrest, “No more are we ready to keep silent at man’s behest when God commands us to speak…”

These voices and many more spoke out against the deafening tide of propaganda, and they were heard.  Helen Keller, whose own books were publicly burned including The Story of My Life, responded to the censorship by saying, “History has taught you nothing if you think you can kill ideas. Tyrants have tried to do that often before, and the ideas have risen up in their might and destroyed them.”

What are your views on censorship? How far do you think the power of words can reach in its influence for good or evil?

Thank you for your Support

I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the Love Relief Campaign. Thank you for recognizing the work that we do here and for showing us your love. For everyone else I would like ask that you take a moment and consider giving to Relief. A donation of $5, $10, or $20 can go a long way to helping us continue to publish Relief Journal. The economy is rough but if you can afford a latte at Starbucks or to go see a movie, then consider giving up one luxury want and donating to Relief Journal instead. Giving online is safe and easy.  How much are you going to give to Relief today?

Bonnie Ponce is the Director of Support Raising for Relief and lives in Huntsville, Texas with her husband and betta fish.  She has a BA in English from Sam Houston State University.  After work she enjoys relaxing with a good book or working on her novel.

An..ti.ci.paation!

Stephen Swanson

Stephen Swanson delves into the vital quandry of enjoying and hating "anticipation" for its own sake.

In the past few weeks, I've found that the music of Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings particularly inspiring.  It's not just their blend of classical soul and a contemporary mentality.  Nor does the music just grab at my heart and begin to bounce it in the most pleasant way.  Nor, yet, does it merely provide a hopeful outlook while grading student essays that might be less than impressive in their appearance of dedication.

It calls to me to get ready.

"Getting ready" presents a very real meaning for me these days as we expect our second child at any hour, day, or week.  It's not just the excitement and worry of how a second child will affect our lives and the thrill to meet this new person who will come into our family and change who we are.  Something bigger and smaller at the same time lodges in my heart.

In the beginning of the the title track of 2007's 100 Days, 100 Nights, the horns/saxophones begin by quietly spiraling down in the right channel, pause, the drums tap off four times in the left channel, and Jones' powerful voice comes in, "100 Days...100 Nights...to know a man's heart," in both ears.

Not only does the stripped down production work to recall a 50s/60s feel, it also brings to the fore the absences of the other voices.  This awareness of the missing sounds and pauses heighten and balance the parts where the sound is filled with lead vocals, backing, bass, drums, guitars, and horns, forcing the listener to appreciate both the presence and absences even more.

I want to balance this with the ending track of the album, "Answer Me", particularly the version that the Dap Kings released that shows a bit of the recording process. This version amplifies this anticipation because it not only uses Jones' sparse piano intro, but it takes a number of starts to get it right before breaking into the song itself.  The listener/viewer keeps waiting for the song to get grooving, but not quite yet.

When it finally, breaks into the chorus, the words and music combine to give the lyrics some significance that cut to the heart of the meaning and importance of anticipation:

Answer me, sweet Jesus

Won't you hear me calling

I need you, Lord

Answer me, sweet Jesus

Don't you hear me calling

I need you, Lord

The repetition and subtle differences calls for the listener to pay closer attention but to also join in in spite of those differences. The lyrics and music combine both a familiarity and a new-ness that strengthens the associations between singer and listener.  So that when we reach the verse,

Lord, I've run out of words to sing

All I can do is moan

I cannot pray, like all of a sudden

But let me know my prayer's being heard

whether we are religious, spiritual, or not, we have a bond at least with the singer.  There's an association implied by anticipation...a requirement of a relationship of some sort, and we want that fullfillment.

However, we are stuck in the now...the not yet.

Still, as frustrating as this seems, a meaningful expression comes out, and it's expression does not consist of just one, lone voice.  Jones continues singing as she's joined not only by the band but also with a chorus of background singers as they all call out for the thing that is not yet.

She (They) conclude on a definitive:

I'm gonna wait right here for ya.

It's hard to wait.  Patience is hard, especially when so much can be at stake, but I find that Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings not only join me in the release of those emotions but that they also exemplify the nature of humanity's struggle for meaning and value in the process, the tensions between the strange and the familiar, the solo and collective, and the terrestrial and supernatural.

I <3 them and hope that you will too.

Stephen Swanson teaches as an assistant professor of English at McLennan Community College. Aside from guiding students through the pitfalls of college writing and literature, he spends most of his time trying to remain aware of popular culture, cooking, and enjoying time with his wife and son. He holds degrees in Communications (Calvin College), Film Studies (Central Michigan University), and Media and American Culture Studies (Bowling Green State University). In addition to editing a collection, Battleground States: Scholarship in Contemporary America, he has forthcoming projects on Johnny Cash and analysis of vampires and gods in terms of hospitality.

Touching Scars

Taking a break from my thoughts on place, I wanted to write about doubt. Or English muffins.

Or, really, about Thomas.

As one prone to pressing fingers into my own scars, I've always felt a bit connected to the Missouri of disciples. I think it was because he was supposed to be the one we all looked down on (other  than Judas, but I think that goes without saying even as I finish saying it).

But Thomas, he was the one who didn't believe. He had to be shown. Personally, I think he was just the one who put words to what the other disciples who hadn't been there to see the vacant tomb were thinking.

Recently, I started thinking about Thomas as an author (not about him working as an author, but as an author thinking about Thomas as a symbol…got that?)

I think my initial misconceptions about the most famous doubter in the Bible (though not the biggest or most egregious) have led me to seeing him in a new way. He’s what all artists who claim a faith should aspire to.

Thomas wasn't satisfied with intellectual knowledge that Christ was risen. He wanted to press his fingertips into physical evidence of the miracle that still makes people choose love over what their own eyes tell them. He wanted to feel life in the hands he’d seen lifeless. He wanted to get messy to know, definitively, that we can now be clean.

And that’s what our art should be – a reckless engagement with the scars of living so that they can begin to heal.