I confess that I suffer from the chronic inability to escape my own point of view. This was pointed out to me today regarding the reading of scripture, but I think it applies across the whole of my life. I confess that I believe this means that the most important learning I’ll ever do is learning about myself. Self-awareness is a rare and precious gift which only comes to those who doggedly pursue it .
I confess that the audio recorded version of the morning office has changed the way I pray in the morning. It has enhanced my prayer life and the way I listen to the scriptures (as opposed to reading them), by keeping them ever before me at times when I would otherwise have to miss the office altogether. I confess that listening to the scripture and to the prayers of the church seems to me to be a qualitatively different experience than simply reading them. I confess that I’m beginning to think that the scripture functions in a completely different way – it impacts us differently, with different potentialities and outcomes – when it is read aloud (spoken/heard) as opposed to when it is read, especially read silently and privately.
I confess that I have been increasingly interested in the writings of folks like David Frum, Mike Lofgren, David Kuo because we share a common heritage and story, yet they seem to be making some important observations about the life I have lived, and the beliefs I have held to. I like them because we share common proclivities, but they are challenging assumptions that I haven’t been able to challenge on my own because I’m not on the inside of the power circles in our society. I confess that I’m equally interested in writings of folks like Thomas Mann, Paul Krugman, and others who do not share my same story and background, but nevertheless seem able to unmask and question my assumptions in ways that make me a more coherent person.
I confess that I think I make more progress toward becoming a whole human being when I am letting go of old beliefs, even long held beliefs, than when I am forming new beliefs. Could it be that the nature of maturity, generally speaking, is much more of a “letting go” more than a “grabbing hold”?
I confess that my amazon wish list has been filling up with more political stuff than theological in the past month, a trend which I think is problematic, and one which I hope will abate once the presidential election is over.
I confess that I’m currently trying to decide if I want to begin to subscribe to the New York Times for home delivery M-F. I like to read it online, but usually hit my 20 article limit way too early in the month. I don’t like to read on my iphone so I don’t want to use the app. Plus, I love the discipline of browsing an actual paper – so much fortuitous reading that I would never do if I were clicking. It also gets me access to the e-version with no limits. $3.85 a week…hmmmm.
I confess to an unholy enjoyment in the fact that the Republican presidential Convention is to be cut short by a day because of an act of God. I confess that I’m waiting on the fundamentalists to start saying that God is judging Republicans for something…
Okay, I made my confession. Now you make yours!
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