Thoughts on Learning

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

All those in favor of peace, say “aye,” raise both arms, stomp your feet, shout “amen,” take a breath. All those opposed, don’t breathe.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

We treat you as if you were the Wizard of Oz. We want you to improve on what you’ve created. We want you to explain what we don’t understand. We want you to fix our shortcomings. We, like Job, want you to justify your actions to us. Yes, it sometimes crosses the line to become arrogance, this desire to have answers from you. But where else can we turn? Better to you than to some of the alternatives – those who claim to speak for you, for example. I’ve passed, for now at least, the impatient stage. For now I can be satisfied with “I’ll tell you later” or “I’ll explain it when you need to know.” I’m no longer angry at you for the injustice that abounds. You’ve told me I am your child and that you love me. That’s enough.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“A shekel for your thoughts, Martha. Just kidding. They’re not worth it.”

[Not exactly how the exchange went in the house of Mary and Martha.]

D. Blog: Thoughts on Learning

God has been called Wisdom, Sophia, for God is the source of all knowledge, source of the desire to learn, source of the curiosity we have to learn about the wondrous world in which we live.

We go at this learning full time until we think we know everything, or until schools tell us we know nothing, or until teachers or parents make us afraid to fail and, thus, afraid to learn. Some adults teach children to fear learning, to fear certain subjects deemed to be unclean or dangerous.

Because I had teachers who encouraged curiosity and learning, I gained an appreciation for the great variety of knowledge fields. I learned that I would avoid subjects that demean me or other human beings. So I have no respect for violence and ridicule and abuse. They are rightly termed inhumane. I learned that truth is present in many books by many authors, that scripture has no corner on truth or on wisdom to live by. God’s revelation cannot be confined to the past. God is ever present, in the details as well as in the big picture. God has placed us in a huge classroom. Pay attention!