Aug
13
Day #5 of Religion Week at The Napkin Dad Daily
Here are three questions:
- Throughout history up until the present day, why do so many people talk, argue, hate and kill over theology, doctrine, creed, denominations, interpretations, canons, divinity, hagiography, dogma, faith, communion, baptism, history, piety, revelation, orthodoxy, sacraments, sacredness, ritual, liturgy, relics, veneration, saints, martyrdom, and history?
- Why is the world obsessed with the most shallow of pursuits as seen in popular culture?
- Is there any real difference between the first two questions?
I have the same answer to both the first and second questions.
- Because it’s easier than loving your neighbor.
That answer gives me the answer to my third question.
What are your answers and why?
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Drawing and questions by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by G. K. Chesterton, 1874-1936, English Writer
Sep
19
>
Theology was, at the beginning, simple story telling. It was an explanation for why things were they way they were. It was handed down over centuries and it didn’t need to be very rigorous in it’s believability because the realm of what was known about the universe was very small at the time. It was their version of science, in a way.
But as time went on and people had more questions and were finding out more ‘truths’ theologians (as they were eventually titled) had to fill out the various stories to be more believable. But at the same time they had to stick with the story already told and somehow combine the new and the old.
The result was a pretty convoluted set of explanations for the how and why of the world that was separated from science as it was developing.
To test this idea clear your mind of any and all ideas of the universe and human origins and development. Now tell a brand new story that explains how we came to be and why we are here. Have it make sense in the here and now, consistent with what you now know about life. Would it be the same story you were taught as a child? Would you have the same organization of life, afterlife, material world, spirit realm? Would you have the same explanations for why things happen, good and bad? Maybe so, maybe not. But it is a good exercise to help us remember that we are listening to a story.
Drawing by Marty Coleman, The Napkin Dad
http://napkindad.blogspot.com
http://www.martycoleman.com
Quote by Elbert Hubbard, 1856-1915, American writer
Oct
15
>
Usually this quote is used as a negative statement about God and man. But read the story below and perhaps you will feel that just sometimes the image God creates of us and we create of God reflects well on us both.
I received a wonderful email yesterday from a delightful woman in Chicago. She is doing some advanced academic work in Theology and wanted permission to use 5 of my napkin drawings in her work and in presentations regarding peace building in Africa. I was happy to make the connection and give permission.
A number of wonderful things about it. She is in graduate school but offered to pay for the rights to use the images. Think of how many profit making enterprises don’t have the courtesy to ask permission to use an image much less offer to pay. I took her up on the willingness to pay since I believe they are worth the money and she will feel more freedom to use them as she sees fit in her work. She was telling me my work had value and was willing to prove it in a concrete way by paying me money that could help me in ways a mere complement could not.
The other wonderful thing is that she is using them in a serious thesis regarding peace building in the world and later in presentations regarding that same thing in Africa, where peace building is a hard road for all. It really made my day to know that.
They are just silly drawings on napkins, but good ideas well stated are powerful and transformative no matter where they are found.
