July 05, 2006
Keeping the Faith
I have little in common with author Mary Pipher, who is an activist, feminist, environmentalist and a liberal. Our collective biases recently crossed paths because of her book on writing. For believers, I found a gem of an anecdote from her book, 'Writing to Change the World'. Mary says, “A Mormon friend once told me that almost no one is converted by young missionaries sent by the church all over the world. Rather naively, I asked her, “Then why does the church send thousands of young men abroad?” She smiled, and said, “After two years of trying to convince others, the missionaries become true believers and never leave the church. This is our way of keeping young people in the faith.” Wow! I must admit I was surprised by this insight, although I shouldn’t have been. Certainly had I not served in both the Navy and the National Guard, my patriotism could have been lackadaisical.
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Gail;
----After only a short moment of reflection, I agree. I once considered entering the Army as a chaplin, but I never did. I never served our country in its armed forces, and I have never become deeply involved in politics (other than the holder of brash opinions). And now as I see the Supreme Court hand down rulings in contradiction to the Constitution (and having referenced foreign law in doing so), as I see the non-response of all three branches of our government to the flood of illegals crossing the southern border, as I see the ACLU in league with the judicial branch ripping the symbols of our faith from before our eyes (and making us pay for it), as I see what we so proudly call a free country legislate more and more restrictions into the law based on no more than the stirrings of other people's consciences, I have lost most of the heart for this land that I once had.
----But after four years of trying to convince our contemporary leaders to respect the religious convictions and feelings of people in the church who do not agree with the leaders, after four years of trying to convince these leaders that Paul was serious when he told us to look to the interests of others also, submitting to one another, pleasing our neighbor for his good and edification, I have become much more aware of the needs and feelings of people around me. I feel that I have received a much greater understanding of how we are to lay our lives down for one another, even when death is not eminent. I find myself listening more to my family and I am finding more pleasure in denying myself for the attending of their interests.
----Now somehow I wonder if these two principles have converged. In recognition of the Hispanic and Indian sentiments regarding our land having been taken from them, I am almost ready to let them have it back. Then America can revert back to the production it once had before we nasty Western Europeans arrived - buffalo chip collecting.
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