Happy Fourth of July From Cherry, AZ

Jackson's Death Exemplifies Need For Life Of Faith

Last week's deaths of celebrities Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and even pitchman Billy Mays held a mirror to public beliefs on life and death.

By the very nature of his fame, as well as his untimely passing at only age 50, Michael Jackson's death had the greatest impact worldwide.

In my corner of the world, reactions from friends varied tremendously. Some essentially said "good riddance" to a pedophile; some judged him a spoiled brat and addict; some were saddened by the passing of a talented performer; and some were distraught because of some connection with his music or life with their own.

When Princess Diana died, I grieved disproportionately because I had identified with her as a single mother whose life paralleled my own in some ways. She married a few years before I did and she divorced a few years after I did. I wept for her passing at such a young age, leaving two young sons behind. The sudden and horrifying way that she died also haunted me.

To me, Michael Jackson's life was his tragedy as much as his death. His incredibly long and painful fall from grace as an accused child molester, his obsession with changing his appearance and his apparent unrelieved loneliness all exemplified how heights of wealth, fame and popularity did not bring him joy. If anything, most aspects of success in his life did the opposite.

Judging by accounts of his final years, it is apparent that he was a shadow of a man who could not live with himself and even found it impossible to sleep at night. He was tormented by demons that may have been literal as well as figurative. When Jesus cast out demons, he saved people from their own spirits of evil, and blessed them with peace. Jackson needed to seek forgiveness for his sins to obtain that kind of healing.

According to accounts from a Christian news service, friends of Jackson who ministered to him a few weeks before his death said that he had sought spiritual guidance and help in becoming a better Christian. Whether or not he was saved by Jesus, Jackson's addiction may have made it impossible for him to change his life before it was too late.

Farrah Fawcett, by contrast, became far more spiritual before her death. She clearly drew strength and solace from her faith in Christ.

Some Christian groups see the consecutive deaths of these stars as an opportunity to reach the Hollywood community, which is rife with people who need saving from their egocentric lives. Whatever the reason for the timing, I hope that it does give people the chance to see that a life without God is ultimately an empty one that leads to death, while one that has God in its center leads to Life and, in the end, Eternal Life.

'God' Book Caters to Short Attention Spans

Perhaps it's been the beautiful weather. Or the hummingbirds zipping in and out from the feeder by the window of my home office. Or the many projects I've been working on. Whatever it is, my distraction level has been higher than usual and I've only been able to enjoy short stories in my leisure reading.

First, I picked up Jhumpa Lahiri's Pulitzer Prize-winning Interpreter of Maladies, which dissects moments in the emotional lives of a variety of Indian-Americans. (A book I highly recommend.) Then I moved on to Salman Rushdie's edition of The Best American Short Stories 2008, a mish-mash of internationally themed pieces that were very New Yorker-ish in terms of sophistication. I also savored the PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009, which seemed much more American than the international flavor of the afore-mentioned book, and which lives up to its namesake O. Henry in delivering a punch at the end of each story.

Now, I am reading a collection called God: Stories that culls the best of the best of stories by well-known American short story writers, selected for their themes on spirituality, religion, faith and/or the loss or lack of all three. You can't beat the variety of voices here -- from James Baldwin to Flannery O'Connor to Louise Erdrich to John Updike and even Philip Roth. Some are familiar stories, like O'Connor's "Parker's Back," which is included in most scholarly collections of short stories. Others are more obscure, but incredible gems that are unforgettable in their descriptive flair.

If you find yourself unable to wade through an epic novel, yet you aren't in the mood to devour a brainless thriller or supermarket bestseller, then this will cure what ails your spirit.

Star Trek Film Takes Inner Journey

It's been a month and a half since its release, but no summer film has yet to rival the masterpiece that is Star Trek, the 2009 reboot. What makes this such a remarkable film is that it takes the old franchise and completely rewrites it, while maintaining the integrity of the original characters, the sense of fun and the triumph, often, of human ingenuity over mere technology.

The film has a sort of Biblical beginning, starting with the birth of Captain Kirk and the death of his father in dramatic martyr-like fashion, the first of many actions that show these characters would give their own lives to save others. Without hesitation.

I have to admit here that I have seen the film three times. First, for the sheer pleasure of it, the second time to experience it with my son while in New York and the third time because my husband wanted to see it again, and there were aspects of the screenplay I was still mulling over. As in most action films, the faulty dialogue and holes in the plot don't really become apparent until the second or third viewing, but this film holds up rather well in spite of them.

Without giving away too much of the plot for those few who have yet to see the film, the relationship between Uhuru and Spock didn't work for me at all, no matter how many times I saw the film. I think, however, the filmmakers are probably setting up the story for the next film when Spock evolves into the monk-like character familiar to fans. It's one of the unsettling deviations from the old storylines.

In an interview in Script magazine, the screenwriters, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, admitted that Spock was the focal point of this film, and they were influenced by the themes in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in writing it. The villain Khan was avenging the death of his wife; the villain Nero in the new film is avenging the death of his wife and unborn child. They cited the theme of Spock's struggle between logic and emotion as pivotal in the storyline. To me, it's similar to how many protagonists in the Bible struggle between living according to God's law, as opposed to living according to ego, or id. Spock's inability to control his anger makes him practically homocidal -- potentially a Cain to Kirk's Abel -- until he is reined in literally by his father.

I happened to catch the end of Star Trek II the other night and was struck by the homage to that film in the new one. When Capt. Kirk explains how he defeated the Kobayashi Maru test by cheating, he does so cavalierly while eating an apple. In the new film, the young Capt. Kirk actually performs the described feat while eating an apple.

As pointed out on a screenwriting website I sometimes surf, a scene in the new film in which Capt. Kirk is jettisoned onto a planet and then accidentally stumbles onto the Spock of the future does seem a bit far-fetched. However, there's a sense of destiny in the story, of these characters having a divine purpose, that makes it possible to suspend disbelief and embrace the improbable.

Like a blend of the strange, wondrous and improbable in the Old Testament and the blend of the human and divine in the New Testament, this Star Trek burns away any of the sentimental dreck that remained in the old series and creates a shiny, new version with much to commend it.

Jesus Didn't Kill Muhammad, But Obama Gave Hope

As riots sweep through Iran this week over perceived fraudulent presidential election results, I feel that the Middle East is poised for real change. A confluence of events going on now could lead to a lasting peace, but not without some upheaval in the meantime.

President Obama's recent speech encouraged many Muslims that the West does not condemn them for their religion -- it instead respects them in spite of religious differences, but will not accept intolerance toward Jews and Christians by terrorists and extremists.

In the weeks following Obama's speech, Israel has announced that it is moving toward recognizing a Palestinian state and Iranians are voicing their opinions about what appears to be a corrupt election that reinstated Ahmadinejad as president. Through news reports and now the Internet, their protests are being heard around the world. It was inspiring to see people speaking fearlessly on camera about the election, without masks and without fear.

Contrast these heartening developments with the dark days in Iraq when Christian evangelical elements of our military were taunting Muslims by booming on loudspeakers that "Jesus Killed Mohammed." This, and other efforts to convert Muslims -- not our mission in Iraq -- were enough to stir anger against our country from both Sunnis and Shias. A report in Harper's Magazine about the ongoing incidents makes it clear that no one was reprimanded for this behavior -- in fact officers de facto encouraged it by not banning it.

Since the Commander-in-Chief has set an example of tolerance, we can only hope that things will change on this front as well.

It's instructive to look at how Jesus handled people of different faiths and tribes. He told his disciples that if people did not want to receive their message to shake the dust off their sandals and move on. He didn't mock or taunt or push. People had to come to his message of their own free will. His clear message? Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you; love others -- especially if they don't agree with you.

Church Job Fair Blesses Community

When a Kansas City, Missouri church planned a job fair recently, the turn-out was even better than anticipated, with 400 people seeking jobs and information on how to land them. The church put its money where it could do the most good for a great many by taking on all of the costs of the event, so that both the unemployed and the 45 companies seeking employees would not be burdened with fees.

They even provided a free lunch. Sometimes a free lunch really is free.

Northland Cathedral Church sponsored the Job Fair and Career Expo because it saw the need of the large number of people in the community hurt by downsizing and lay-offs. It had a large facility in which to hold the event, so the costs were principally in printing materials, electricity and clean-up, since volunteers handled organizing and setting up the event. People started showing up at 9 a.m. for the 10 a.m. event.

Along with seminars to teach various skills on how to land a job, the church emphasized volunteerism for those out of work, so that they can help themselves by helping others. Also, to help people network, they started a job club to assist and mentor people on the search for jobs.

This event was a real blessing for the people who attended and for those who set it up. At registration, attendees were asked if they had specific prayer requests. It was a chance to remind people to love their neighbors as they love themselves -- and to help themselves at the same time.

I read about the May 28th event on Breaking Christian News, which sends out a positive message on what's happening in the world to churches via the Internet. It's an example of how one church can make a real difference for its community.

Danny Gans Death Sparks God Debate

Back in the mid-'90s during a Ramada convention in Puerto Rico (during my hotel industry editor days), I had the chance to see Comedian/Impressionist Danny Gans up close as he riffed on various people in the audience, including the president of the company. Not since I saw Don Rickles do the same to the Holiday Inn executives did I laugh so hard.

In any case, I remembered Danny Gans, and was floored to see that he had his own show at The Mirage casino in Las Vegas some years later. He expanded his entertaining to singing and dancing, as well. He was an extremely funny, talented guy.

Gans, known to be a family man, died suddenly on May 1 from an unknown cause. I searched today to see if there was any update on what caused his early death at age 52, because it often takes at least a month for toxicology reports to be completed. Instead of getting any clarification, I discovered a debate on God raging on an entertainment blog.

Apparently Gans was a born-again Christian who made his beliefs part of his act, something truly unique in a place like Las Vegas. The blog debates were with tinged a mixture of grief and anger, as well as contempt toward the religious who mentioned this fact. What I found interesting was the lack of an open mind on the part of the anti-religious. Certainly that's the easiest position to take, since faith is required of the other, but I wonder why it's so threatening to someone in this context, and why at least one poster thinks that belief is simply "fire insurance" for Hell. They are missing out on the bigger picture.

Scientists Cite Better Days with Spiritual Practices

There are so many aspects of the NPR series on the brain and spirituality to discuss, I hardly know where to start. Since it is Sunday, however, I will stick with one message appropriate to the day.

If there is anything to take out of listening to the NPR series, or reading the book on which it’s based, it’s that spirituality is good for you. Being a spiritual person will make you a physically and emotionally better, happier, more complete person. This is demonstrated by the people who participated in the studies and their practices, from meditation to prayer to worship and chanting. There is no denying that we are spiritual beings as much as we are physical and intellectual ones – something that quantum physics will one day prove.

Recently my friend Norman asked me about when I “got religion.” I guess I opened myself up for that one with my last headline in which I ask, “Got God?” The process is different for everyone, but in my case it was a combination of education, experience and self-actualization.

I wish it had been an event or an epiphany that changed me overnight. Some people have those and are on the path immediately. As Bud and Betty of Bible.com often say, people in poor countries are the ones who are most open to God because they have no intellectual barriers. Some of them have absolutely nothing to lose (ego-wise) in completely committing themselves to following Jesus; hence they are capable of experiencing the miracles of God’s love immediately.

For me, it was a much more labored process. My metamorphosis was long and sometimes confused; occasionally arduous and painful. This pilgrim continued on her journey due to a combination of love and practice. It was more like learning piano than a quick conversion. I practiced through worship, prayer and reading and grew to love the results of my practice and the people who were part of it until my playing became more like music and less like noise. Also, I discovered that I was able to master myself better by following the teachings of the Bible. The spiritual “music” soothed my inner beast.

For years before that, I was subject to depressions, most often in the winter. Taking care of my son was the one thing that kept me going during those times. Antidepressants helped some, but were far from being a cure. Since I dedicated myself to God, I no longer have those periods of darkness and fatigue. Recently when I read The New York Times Magazine story on Daphne Merkin’s clinical depression, it reminded me that there are people out there who have faith in medicine and none in God and don’t even realize that they are ignoring the one thing that could be the permanent remedy to what ails them.

For all of self-help books out there to cure people's problems, few mention the spiritual cures for the sickness in people's souls. Some people find the answers through the backdoor of AA or other substance abuse programs, but many turn away from anything that requires them to take that leap of faith.

I thought it was telling that one of the comments by a listener to NPR was that because science could duplicate spiritual experience through drugs or brain stimulation that it meant that God didn't exist. Another listener responded that just because you can replicate the experience of seeing a rose in the brain, does that mean that roses don't exist?

Unwittingly, perhaps scientists some day will lead everyone to see the truth.

Got God? NPR Science Series Examines Your Brain

National Public Radio's recent 5-part series on the "Science of Spirituality" tackles the physiological and psychological aspects of the experience of faith. It's one of those expanded series that reminds me why I've always adored the station for its meaningful discussions -- like hanging out with intelligentsia with a heart.

Drawing from the latest research, compiled by author Barbara Bradley Haggerty for her new book Fingerprints of God, the first piece in the series explores the "God Chemical," or how serotonin is activated in the brain by spiritual experience.

The second piece, which is named the "God Spot" (a bit too cute for my taste) tells how the temporal lobe, where epilepsy occurs, is the seat of spirituality in the brain. The hint that past saints were all epileptics strains credulity just a tad.

The third story on "Spiritual Virtuosos" explains how deeply spiritual people "reshape" their brains through prayer or meditation, improving their concentration through frontal lobe activity, or increasing their orientation and visualization through stimulating the parietal lobe.

The fourth piece, "The Biology of Belief," is the one I heard on the radio, which set me off in search of the website. The logical fallacies spouted by scientists intrigued me. It was as though they had a score to settle for Gallileo and Bruno.

The fifth piece, "Near Death Experiences," takes on the topic that has generated so much interest in popular books, film and TV.

I'm still reading and listening to all of the pieces, so I will have lots more to say about this series. Mostly, for now, it's a thrill to see how the topic is becoming so much a part of our culture. God is not dead, despite the many popular books that argue that He should be. Not by a long shot.

'Angels and Demons' All About the Action

When I read the Dan Brown novel Angels & Demons several years ago, my main impression was that it demonized the Catholic church in fast-paced action story. The film is even more of a clockticker, trimming down the plot and history for a nonstop race to the finish.

The film, however, issues a softer critique of the Vatican, which functions in its own country, state and, some would say, world -- outside of reality. The emphasis on tradition, ritual, authority and power all combine to make it one of the most influential churches, yet in the real world it is not nearly as influential in terms of people actually living according to its rules. Catholic Italy is a prime example, where birth control is practiced widely and the birth rate has fallen so drastically that some regions are paying people to have children.

Evangelicals call it a "dead" church because the spirit is not the focus of the church, rather it's the authority of the Pope. The prime problem with this infallibility doctrine is that it makes the Pope a demi-God. Hence, Protestantism continues to grow. Still, there are many Catholic faithful, and even some growth in Third World countries.

Personally, I don't think there is a right or wrong way to worship as a Christian. My own denomination forbids speaking in tongues. However, if that is a way for someone to break through their own mental barriers and pray to God, then I see nothing wrong with it. I don't judge people for the way they worship, as long as they don't go against the teachings of Jesus.

But back to the film. Its principal protagonist, Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks) does not believe in God, yet he studies the history of the church and writes about its symbolism. This is in part because it was so entwined in the history of Europe during the Middle Ages through the Renaissance. This intellectual passion clearly isn't in the favor of Catholicism or Christianity. In that sense, you could call it an anti-Christian film. Very entertaining, though, and better than The Da Vinci Code. I'd say it's worth seeing for discussion purposes, too, as it touches on how science is coming closer to proving the existence of God.

Uptempo Book Gains Momentum in Hard Times

Not long ago, weighted down by the dread of knowing my father would die soon, I read a book by Brian Zahnd, a Missouri minister. Called What To Do On The Worst Day of Your Life, it examines the lowest point in the life of the biblical David and how he survived and then thrived.

While the title sounds more like a glib how-to book, the story is part inspiration, part testimony and part Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's stages of grieving -- but with a twist. The story imparts that faith can turn what seems like disaster into something that ultimately strengthens us.

The story opens as David and his army return from a battle and find that their homes in Ziklag have been destroyed, their wealth stolen, and worst of all, their families taken away to be sold into slavery. Chapter by chapter, Zahnd writes how David dealt with the situation, from weeping, to praying, to facing off with the accusers in his own camp, to pursuit and eventual success far beyond what he imagined.

Based on a sermon Zahnd gave and then self-published in a slim volume that went out of print, he was encouraged to republish it last year when hard economic times struck. After some revision, it was released this March. While the book contains some of the Christian-speak you could expect from a minister, it does deliver the message in a way that makes it fresh. I liked it so much that I gave it to my son to read.

'Soloist' Film Transcends to Evoke Divinity in All

The Soloist is one of those films that make you flinch with its reality, yet its ideas and emotional impact stay with you for days after.

The theme of the divinity in us all runs through the film like a silver thread that gleams and disappears for stretches of time until it can be seen glinting once again. Music is the bridge that connects the film's ideas.

The film tells the story of the Los Angeles Times journalist, Steve Lopez (played by Robert Downey, Jr.), and his subject, Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man played by Jaime Foxx. A former musical prodigy who made it all the way to Julliard until he had a schizophrenic breakdown, the character intrigues Lopez, who writes about him in his city column and then becomes his friend.

Loving his mentally ill neighbor becomes a challenge, to say the least, when he tries to deal with his paranoia, lead him back into a career and help him find housing. Ayers resists his friend's help as much as he accepts it.

There was much of the "there but for the grace of God go I" feeling about the film, since Lopez is working at a company that is shedding employees in waves of lay-offs. Now journalists are not only just as good as their last story -- they're only as good as the company's stock price that quarter. My friend Valli Herman, who was laid off from there last fall, can attest to that.

The theme even continues with the homeless animals who are native to the Los Angeles area that have been displaced by housing. Raccoons pop up all over. Lopez gives up trying to get rid of them, allowing them to eat worms from his lawn.

Yes, times are tough all over, but the kicker at the end of the film is a line stating that 90,000 homeless live on the streets of Los Angeles. That's enough to fill a stadium. Even more frightening is that the numbers are increasing by the day. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, an estimated 1.5 million people will become homeless within two years due to economic problems -- not mental illness, alcoholism or drug abuse. That's a stunning figure, and one that ultimately will impact us all.

Dad's Death Returns Thoughts to Faith

One of the first things my Dad said to me when I arrived late to his hospital room was that he was worried he would “run out of gas” before I got there. My flight had been delayed an hour by a sick passenger.

I had about six hours with Dad until he slept. The next day, he was no longer coherent as the poisons from his failing liver and kidneys flooded his body. They moved him home in a hospital bed after he lost consciousness. On the fourth day after I came there, he died.

It’s been a week since I saw him breathe his last, though it seems only a day. I’m beginning to forget a few of the details, something that I have to admit is a blessing. Toward the end, he was in a lot of pain. I prayed for his peace.

On the one day that we had together, he said a lot of things he must have been thinking about. Already eight days after his last dialysis treatment, he’d been bed-bound for much of the time. He said, “Dying is boring.” He told me that he was glad that my Mom was provided for financially. He said he loved me.

His last meal was peaches and a few bites of his dinner from the hospital tray. I think he ate so he would have enough strength to talk later. The only thing he really wanted was sleep.

The day they brought him home, the hospice nurse explained what would happen as he died. How his pain levels would increase – requiring more medication – how to put the oxygen on him, and how his breathing would become congested and ragged as the liquid filled his lungs. There is nothing poetic about death.

The crucifixion of Jesus is told in such excruciating detail in the gospels because it really happened – the reality was bloody, horrifying and long. The Resurrection restored hope and joy by ensuring eternal life. Without faith, death is a dark finality, instead of a doorway to the light.

Wacky Theater Piece Examines Rapture

National Public Radio features many thought-provoking pieces on its Science Friday show, but I was surprised to hear an interview last week with a playwright about her play called End Days.

The play, which closed in New York on Saturday, had a single actor playing physicist Stephen Hawking as a savior to the daughter and as Jesus to Jewish mother who is a converted evangelical Christian. The mother character is also convinced that the Rapture is imminent. To add to the zaniness of the conversation, an Elvis impersonator who lives next door is attracted to the daughter.

Any time the topic of religion is discussed in art, I prick up my ears, though I suspect the writer was more interested in mocking evangelicals than actually considering their perspectives. However, if the play ever comes to Arizona, I would definitely check it out. You can download the podcast by going here.

What Sheep, Moses, Joe Eszterhas Have in Common

This week I learned a lot of things -- all to do with the interpretation and misinterpretation of the Bible and of grace.

First, I learned about sheep. Chuck, the visiting minister, explained how working for a time as a shepherd taught him what the references to sheep actually meant in the Bible. For instance, the passage in Psalm 23 about how "He makes me lie to down in green pastures." What it meant is that the sheep, who graze all day, have to be led to lie down and regurgitate and rechew their cud, or they will continue grazing and the grass won't digest well and nourish them as much otherwise. Leading to still waters has

something of the same meaning (drink water, you fool sheep!), though I think with humans it's more about the tranquility of the stillness.

The passage on sparing the rod and spoiling the child, well, that has to do with sheep, too. The rod is a stick or curved cane, as we picture it, that the shepherd uses to guide the sheep. It is NOT used to beat the sheep. Therefore, the passage is about gently guiding children, instead of leaving them to roam around and get into trouble. Funny how that one got misinterpreted.

Moses, too, was not exactly portrayed properly in the Hollywood version of things in The Ten Commandments. I watched a History Channel program, Battles, BC, that explained how things probably happened in reality when the Pharoah went up against the Jews who were intent on going back to Canaan, the Promised Land of their ancestor Abraham.

First of all, the account explained that Jews were in Egypt initially as a tribe of well-paid mercenaries hired to keep the other savage tribes from attacking or otherwise wreaking havoc on Egypt. Once Egypt had gained enough power not to need the tribe, the Pharoah decided to hire them on as construction contractors for his pyramid projects, to keep them from otherwise causing problems. When the Jews began to outnumber the Egyptians, and when he was informed by a soothsayer that a Jewish child would rise to power, he became worried and decided that something had to be done. After he ordered the massacre of the male babies, things fell apart and the Jews had to be "enslaved" under a militia to keep them from going to battle.

After Moses made his move and got permission to leave with his people, they plundered the homes of the wealthy, taking animals and gold to enable them to resettle elsewhere, and that's when the Pharoah decided to send his army after them. The pilar of fire was a giant bonfire lit by the Jews to be able to watch for the army at night.

The historians describe the parting of the Red Sea (or Sea of Reeds) as the tide going out, the wiping out of Pharoah's army was the tide coming in. It all makes sense, even if you ascribe supernatural occurrences to it. How would Moses know when to go? Of course, none of that is as dramatic as the film version.

Now on to Joe Eszterhas, the writer/director of such sex- and violence-filled flicks as Basic Instinct, Flashdance and Showgirls. He wrote in a Washington Post piece about how when he asked God to save him from larynx cancer, he was completely healed in seven years. He wrote a book about his conversion called Crossbearer. What I learned from that is that Eszterhas felt he was saved because God loves him. But more specifically, he was saved because of grace, delivered through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Now Eszterhas, who was able to quit drinking, smoking and drugging with the help of God, and whose throat cancer has completely healed, is an ardent Christian who literally carries a cross in his church in Ohio during services.

The irony is that Eszterhas's conversion is a dramatic story, and it has no sex or violence in it. It's a story of survival and redemption, an age-old story with a modern twist. His fame and fortune can now be used for good, and perhaps his talents will make a difference to other lost souls in the end.