Theoview – A Theological View of Culture

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Anguished over Romantic Choices? A Lesson from Jane Austen


Anguished over Romantic Choices? A Lesson from Jane Austen


Jane Austen’s lesson here is that when one is anguished with one’s own personal life choice, instead of following Charolet in her pragmatic rationalism, or Lydia in her emotionalism, we can follow Elizabeth in aligning ourselves to our telos, our true end, for Christians this telos is the resurrected life. This telos is what C.S.Lewis refers to as he says that Christians of the ancient times were people who had a heavenward view of life, but in the transition to modernity we have become too focused on happenings of  this earthly life. Given this context, it shouldn’t be surprising why the existentialist philosophers of the 20th century, from Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre, considered choice a burden than a gift of freedom! Perhaps, it shouldn’t be surprising that we modern this-worldly neurotics stymied with limitless choices find Jane Austen’s world quaintly attractive!


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On Why Solitude is so Difficult! Solitude as Sabbath


On Why Solitude is so Difficult! Solitude as Sabbath


For people living in culture of compulsive productivity, solitude is so difficult because it is as unproductive as is Sabbath. The way of out of such compulsivity is to treat the practice of solitude as Sabbath. Sabbath rest is where we learn to rest in God’s presence. Augustine said, “we are restless until we find our rest in Thee(God).” We come to experience true freedom in resting in the presence of Christ instead of being addicted to our compulsion to productivity. Spiritual practice of silent solitude helps us to learn to trust in the God’s provision and rest Christ’s love instead of being addicted to our need for productivity. 


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Theology of Blade Runner (original) - A Question of Empathy


Theology of Blade Runner (original) – A Question of Empathy


A mind compulsively intent on self-preservation cannot look at the world from the other person’s point of view. Only when one steps away from ones addiction to self-preservation can one’s mind be freed to see the world from the other person’s point of view. Then one will stop seeing others as “tools” in one’s own project of self-preservation, making way to have empathy for the other. 


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Examen Prayer – An Discovery of Deep Desires


The Examen prayer is done at the end of each day, as a way of reviewing the day to see how our spirit and desires were moved through the day. It is a way of prayerfully asking a series of questions that help us be attuned to the presence of Christ’s spirit and discover our deep desires.


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Spirituality as Purging Beauty


Spirituality as Purging Beauty


The question this lays in front of Christians is this – do we wanted to be shaped by a consumerist style of beauty of the world or by God’s Wabi-sabi style of purging beauty? To appreciate this sparse spiritual beauty one has to step away from one’s frenzied narcissistic time into deep time which is the realm that God operates in slowly, patiently, Wabi-sabi style, removing all that is non-essential, charging us with a new Christ-like character, created through purging beauty!


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On Why Solitude is so Difficult! Solitude as Sabbath


On Why Solitude is so Difficult! Solitude as Sabbath


For people living in culture of compulsive productivity, solitude is so difficult because it is as unproductive as is Sabbath. The way of out of such compulsivity is to treat the practice of solitude as Sabbath. Sabbath rest is where we learn to rest in God’s presence. Augustine said, “we are restless until we find our rest in Thee(God).” We come to experience true freedom in resting in the presence of Christ instead of being addicted to our compulsion to productivity. Spiritual practice of silent solitude helps us to learn to trust in the God’s provision and rest Christ’s love instead of being addicted to our need for productivity. 


Read More →



Examen Prayer – An Discovery of Deep Desires


The Examen prayer is done at the end of each day, as a way of reviewing the day to see how our spirit and desires were moved through the day. It is a way of prayerfully asking a series of questions that help us be attuned to the presence of Christ’s spirit and discover our deep desires.


Read More →



Labyrinthine Renunciation of Frenzied Time


Labyrinthine Renunciation of Frenzied Time


Renunciation of the the desire for compulsive control is going to be a long process of accepting the grace of God. The control monster, deep in my psyche, pulling me into frenzied time zone. Killing the control minotaur is about giving up the compulsive pursuit of immediate happiness in the frenzied time zone to live in the deep time in appreciation of God’s grace, no matter what life throws my way.


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Pilgrimage into Deep Time!


Pilgrimage into Deep Time!


Just like Pink Floyd has concept albums. Mine is going to be a concept road trip. The theme for my trip is going to be experiences of deep time, I will keep posting anything I am moved to write about as a result of contemplative excursions into Deep Time! 


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Brahms Requiem – Promising Purpose through the Pain


The language of music is the language of the human psyche. Genius artist are one who have a deep grasp of how the work of art, born authentically out of human pathos can speak authentically to the universal human condition. I think some where in the mystical realms between Movement II and Movement III was teleported into the timeless realm of my own conscientiousness and experienced a shift that resolved some deep angst within, helping me reemerge a more grounded individual with a deeper faith in, “the word of the Lord (that) endures for eternity,” promising purpose in spite of the pain. 


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Anguished over Romantic Choices? A Lesson from Jane Austen


Jane Austen’s lesson here is that when one is anguished with one’s own personal life choice, instead of following Charolet in her pragmatic rationalism, or Lydia in her emotionalism, we can follow Elizabeth in aligning ourselves to our telos, our true end, for Christians this telos is the resurrected life. This telos is what C.S.Lewis refers to as he says that Christians of the ancient times were people who had a heavenward view of life, but in the transition to modernity we have become too focused on happenings of  this earthly life. Given this context, it shouldn’t be surprising why the existentialist philosophers of the 20th century, from Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre, considered choice a burden than a gift of freedom! Perhaps, it shouldn’t be surprising that we modern this-worldly neurotics stymied with limitless choices find Jane Austen’s world quaintly attractive!


Read More →



Ansari Analysis – Needed: A #meFORfeminism


The #metoo movement is great in standing in solidarity against moronic men. Grace’s mistake is in thinking the #metoo movement will give her crushed soul its pound of flesh. One could say her attempt likely has backfired. The #metoo movement cannot empower women like Grace and Gabrielle who desire enduring stories. Their courage in sharing their personal pain seems to me to call for a kind of #meFOR empowerment which is not so much as standing against someone but a standing FOR one’s own hope for pursuit of enduring stories. This #meFOR movement should stand FOR one’s deep desire to be a drawn into an enduring story of romance. To make a stand FOR positive romantic desires is to be self-differentiated enough to NOT stand allowing ones true desires and hopes for enduring story to be subverted by someone else erotic gratification.


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Christmas through a Star Wars Lens


Both the Jedi and the Sith operating with conventional expectation of logic of power, miss the miracle of the story of Star Wars: the miraculous power of Luke’s love turning Darth Vader to a loving father. Christmas season is a time for us to set aside our conventional expectations for our own lives, whether the expectation is for more health or wealth or happiness, and wait with awed eagerness, making space for God’s miracle in our own lives. The miracle of Christmas is that somehow own own meager manger unconditionally surrendered to God will becomes a place where God’s presence Forcefully manifests to redeem the darkness in this world.


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Theology of Blade Runner (original) – A Question of Empathy


A mind compulsively intent on self-preservation cannot look at the world from the other person’s point of view. Only when one steps away from ones addiction to self-preservation can one’s mind be freed to see the world from the other person’s point of view. Then one will stop seeing others as “tools” in one’s own project of self-preservation, making way to have empathy for the other. 


Read More →


 

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