had also decided to be baptized. While sitting quietly on the pew, Michal leaned over to me and whispered, "You know, it's weird to think that I rode down to Salt Lake as Michal Gibson but I'll drive home a Christian." For her, this symbolic plunge will change who she is, how she views the world, and how she will behave toward other people. And this, for the rest of her life. Wednesday she told me, "I can feel the Holy Ghost telling me to share with Eli, " and she said today, "Now that I'm baptized, I'm trying not to get mad at Sam." Michal is becoming a better person; she's trying harder to be Christ-like.How can I not contrast this with the week's reports of escalating violence in the middle east. I haven't read the Qur'an and I'm no expert on the Torah, (I have enough knowledge of the Old Testament to be sympathetic, though not benign to the subject matter) but I know that as canonized religious texts, they both claim to lead souls to God/Allah. Even as such, they remain subject to individual interpretation. Beautifully and essentially so. How is it that the loudest voices and the strongest arms interpret the message to be one of violence and death? Why don't the consummate followers of the Qur'an and Torah stand up to these manipulators of faith? No book of a Heavenly source would inspire a mother to strap a bomb to her 12-year-old son and send him out to blow up a children's school bus. Even if you want to discount religiosity in this, secular sensibility and human decency dictate killing one's child is horrific.
I know this post is a juvenile over-simplification of the middle eastern conflict. But I could not resist making note of the flagrant juxtaposition between my daughter's new sense of faith, which propels her to love and serve, and another child's new sense of faith, which propels hand grenades.
7 comments:
It is lovely how easily Michal recognizes the Holy Ghost. Having someone recently baptized in my own home has made me wonder if it is the newness that makes the Holy Ghost more easy to perceive, or the willingness to act when it is felt. Either way, I am being taught to be a better listener. And as I listen, I am convinced that what you are saying is true: God is love.
Juxtaposition?? Seriously?? Whenever I read your blog, I have to google like, 3 words an entry. It's very humbling.
Oh-- and feel free to link your blog to mine.. link away!
I know war should be avoided but I can't imagine living a "normal" life in the State of Israel. Not only do their neighbors not like them but want them destroyed. Just in 2008 thousands of rockets were fired into their nation. Can you imagine if Mexico or Canada fired rockets into the US, of course we would do something to prevent it from continuing. I think they show restraint but there comes a tipping point when something needs to be done to protect themselves.
Haha, I just read my comment to Brynne before I posted it and I think I lost her interest in the first sentence.
Sorry, I'll keep my political opinions to myself in the future.
Oh, the comments from Michal were great, thanks for sharing!
aka, Bryan D.
Michal is such a sweet girl- how can she be anything but sweet when she is being raised by a such a great mom!
I love having Michal in class! It's going to be a great year with the group of girls that I have! Gloria asked the girls to look up a scripture last week, and I started laughing when Michal proclaimed "Oh ya...I know that one, I have it memorized!!" That is hilarious! She's a cute one!
As your friend, I want to comment and let you know I'm glad I get to visit your blog. As your UNEDUCATED friend, I'd like to take your advice to uneducated voters, and not voice an opinion. :) I'm lucky to get to read yours, though!
I am still waiting for Mitch (who was recently baptized) to want to be nicer to his siblings! And I'm not sure I am smart enough to read your blog! You have some serious insight...Thanks for the free education!
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