Skeptical Faith

Google Image I recall as a youth being saddened by the song, Auld Lang Syne. I’ve read that the title is taken from a phrase in a 1788 poem by the famous Scotsman, Robert Burns. It’s typically sung on New Year’s Eve around the world.” Among the title’s translations is “Times Gone By.”   The only lyrics I knew were barely understandable: Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne? B ut combined with its melancholy melody, they were enough to put me in a minor funk. More than anything, I think, it reminded me of the death of my grandmother, Julia Carney, whom I loved dearly, and that one day, I, too, will die.   “Ok,” you might think, “this is getting morbid.” Not really. This blog is actually about happiness, and “happy” and “death” can coexist. But the specter of death, I believe, hangs over the heads of many people like an anvil on a string, and is a major obstacle to happiness. And, contrary to popular b...

Google Image Sometimes these blogs come together easily. They flow from my brain onto the screen. Other times, I write and re-write, and every word is a problem. That’s the case with this one. The reason is that I wanted to write about Christmas, but for many years I’ve been ambivalent about this important feast/holiday. The / illustrates the point. I like traditional Christmas music, especially those with a religious meaning, and I like short-term decorations, the thrill for children, the family gatherings and the good wishes. But I can’t shake the idea that a major, meaningful religious feast day has been shanghaied by commercialism and sentimentality. Stuff We Don't Need I grumble about the too-early lights and decorations at the malls and in neighborhoods, about the insipid Christmas music that will have to be endured for more than a month, about the incessant sales that urge us to buy stuff we and the recipients of our gifts don't need. If I were the pope, I would ...

Google Image During Mass at a parish in Denver that my wife, Amparo, and I attend when visiting family members, children bring gifts to a Nativity display at the foot of the altar. Dressed in their Christmas best, they are – to coin a phrase – “cute as a bug’s ear.” But watching them last year, I remember wondering how many would grow up continuing to practice the faith of their parents. I thought about this when I read about a Harvard University study showing that “p articipating in spiritual practices during childhood and adolescence may be a protective factor for a range of health and well-being outcomes in early adulthood.” Makes sense to me, but I know a lot of people disagree. Many, in fact, say that including young children in the religious practices of their parents is a form of brainwashing. They believe children should be raised without any religious beliefs, allowing them to reach intellectual maturity completely on their own. Mind Control? I really don’t think it’s ...

Google Image I can’t remember a day in my life when I haven’t prayed, and that includes times when my faith was weak-to-none and when I was facing personal crises. But seldom has prayer been easy. And though I believe I’ve made progress in my prayer life, it’s still not always easy. I do most of my praying, morning and evening, in an easy chair near the front window of our house, but not facing the window. That would invite distractions. I try to relax, and beforehand focus on placing myself in God’s presence. (Of course, you can pray any time, any place, by just having a talk with God.) When I pray, I try to minimize distractions, but they seem as inevitable as sneezing when an irritant gets in your nose. What’s that noise outside? What time is it? What do I want to do today? What are my children doing? And then there’s that itch on my forehead or that bit of lint on my left sleeve that need urgent attention. Any Effect? And those are only the minor distractions. The major ones ...

Google Image Scientists, according to a recent article on the National Public Radio web site, have discovered that what formerly appeared to be empty space at the edges of the known universe emit unexplained light. This apparently means that we’re far from really knowing where those “edges” are. “In fact,” says the article, “the amount of light coming from mysterious sources was about equal to all the light coming in from the known galaxies….” One of these scientists says that “for 400 years, astronomers have been studying visible light and the sky in a serious way and yet somehow apparently missed half the light in the universe." “So what?” some may ask. “How does that affect my life?” Observant and Thoughtful Ok, it doesn’t affect us like the price of gasoline or the weather or the risks of getting COVD-19, but it affect us, nonetheless, if we’re observant and thoughtful. In my view, the universe was already inconceivable in its enormity, making you feel like the size of...

Google Image I’m not a big follower of celebrities, including actors and actresses. I admire their talent but otherwise don’t pay much attention to what they say or do, especially if it has to do with something other than show business. So I haven’t paid much attention to Michael J. Fox, 59, who became famous for his major roles in the Back to the Future trilogy of films and the Family Ties television series. But I must admit he’s pretty impressive, having overcome hardships that would be a huge challenge for anybody. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 29. Then in 2018 he learned he had a tumor on his spine that required a risky surgery. The surgery was successful but he had to relearn to walk.   A review of his new book, “No Time like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality,” appeared recently in USA Today. It details the devastating fall he took shortly after the surgery that left him with a broken arm and on the threshold of despair. Nothing but Pain an...

Google Image My brother, Jack, and his wife, Rosie, raised four wonderful children, each of whom are loving, caring human beings who contribute to the good of society. But Jack and Rosie didn’t have the chance to fully raise a fifth child. Barbara, whom we called “Barbie,” died at age 4 in 1959. She had cystic fibrosis. For those unfamiliar with the disease, c ystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder which causes the lungs to produce extra-thick, sticky mucus that builds up and clogs airways. Though CF is still considered incurable, much progress has been made through medications, exercise and diet management. The average life expectancy for a child born with CF in 1959 was 6 months. Today it’s 37 and steadily rising. Barbie’s life was short, but full of love and support. Her sister, Karen, who is two years older, recently shared her memories. She recalls that after coming home from school, she and Barbie would sit on the top step of a staircase and talk about what happened at school...

Google Image A recent poll confirmed for me something that I have been suspecting: Many people who stopped going to church during the pandemic probably won’t return. In a new survey of Catholics, ages 18-35, by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate - which is associated with Georgetown University and commonly known as CARA - found that “36 percent of respondents plan to attend Mass less frequently when stay-at-home orders related to the Covid-19 pandemic end and churches fully open,” according to America Magazine. The data apply only to young Catholics, but I would bet they can be applied to most young churchgoers, whatever their denomination. Given that the years-long decline in church attendance among young people is well documented and well-known, these new data may not be surprising. And though the rate of decline in church attendance may be lower among older people, I would guess that a proportional decline applies to them. More Prayer at Home The survey showed...

Google Image Interesting that during the election campaign, “science” became a bone of contention, with one side accusing the other of ignoring it. Most of us don’t give the topic “science” much thought, but as a regular listener to “Science Friday” on National Public Radio and other media reports, I’m aware that many scientists worry about the public’s lack of enthusiasm for, and sometimes even hostility toward, science. I really don’t think there’s much to worry about. A Pew Research Center poll earlier this year found that most Americans “see net benefits from science for society, and they expect more ahead. Strong Public Support “ About three-quarters of Americans say science has, on balance, had a mostly positive effect on society. And 82 percent expect future scientific developments to yield benefits for society in years to come. The overall portrait is one of strong public support for the benefits of science to society….” What about the attitude toward science of people ...

Google Image Of all the media images related to the pandemic, none have affected me more than images of nursing-home residents deprived of visits from loved ones. Nursing-home residents are often shown sitting in front of a window trying to communicate with a spouse, daughter, son, or friend on the outside. But gesturing through glass is a poor substitute for a hug. Many nursing-home residents, I’m sure, deal with loneliness and isolation just at the time of their lives when they most need love and companionship. Undoubtedly the images affect me so because I’m of nursing-home age. I could easily be living in a nursing home. Were it not for my current good health, I would probably be there now. Mirror in the Face of Society Despite all its harm, the pandemic is placing a mirror in the face of society. For all our heralded internet connectedness, the ease with which we discover and invent new things, and for our scientific advances – including those in medicine – we don’t seem to h...

Google Image I wouldn’t tell you who to vote for or what party to support, but I do offer my opinions on what I believe people searching for God should look for in a candidate, whether running for president or weed commissioner. People searching for God, after all, aim to be God-like, not principally moved by party affiliation or tribe or the need to be seen as liberal or conservative. We’re not called to be culture warriors, but peacemakers, who are sorely needed in today’s toxic political climate. Those who seek belief as Christians need to make Christ-like decisions about everything. The Beatitudes, part of Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew’s gospel, are a summary of how people searching for God should live. They should be touchstone for how they vote. Poor in Spirit The beatitudes show that Jesus wants people searching for God to be poor in spirit and a comfort for people who mourn; to be meek, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to be merciful, pure in heart...

Google Image Eight hundred years ago, St. Francis of Assisi went to Egypt where he visited Sultan Malik-al-Kamil. The journey entailed considerable hardship, given Francis’ scarce resources, the great distances to be traveled and differences of language, culture and religion. But that journey, undertaken at the time of the Crusades, demonstrates the height and breadth of St. Francis’ love, which sought to embrace everyone. His fidelity to God resulted in his love for his brothers and sisters. Unconcerned about the hardships and dangers, Francis went to meet the sultan with the same attitude that he instilled in his disciples: If they found themselves “among the Saracens and other nonbelievers,” without renouncing their own identity, they were not to “engage in arguments or disputes, but to be subject to every human creature for God’s sake.” Need for Openness and Unity This story is told at the outset of Pope Francis’ new encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,” or “Brothers All.” The timing...