empty lots for grazing goats at the base of shopping malls
Sunday, August 31, 2008
a smiling moon
tonight, throughout all of the middle east (and of course, other parts of the world as well), people are outside, looking to the skies, to see if they have to give up lunch (and cigarettes, alcohol, water, and afternoon delight during the daylight hours) for the next 30 days. Ramadan is upon us, and there is an air of hopeful anticipation that the moon will not indeed be the woeful crescent that indicates the start of the month of Ramadan. people on roofs of houses, shop owners sneaking a peek at the skies, leaving their merchandise unattended, and children playing on the stairs, waiting for the moment that the moon will break through the haze over the city of Amman and tell them if they can eat three meals for one more day. but, chances are very good that September 1st will be the first of 30 days where folks will not be allowed outside of their houses with a snack in hand or water for the walk to the bus. for 30 days, break-fast is at night and start-fast is the morning meal. this is a foreign concept to much of the west. but here you are required, by law, to respect the religious order of Ramadan and not disturb the fast by walking around with water or food to eat. its mandatory. so, as you can imagine, everybody dreads this month of the year, as everyone is agitated (imagine 1 million chain-smokers without cigarettes all day) with each other, and possibly God. hopefully we can learn to trust God more and have the opportunity to share with our neighbors and friends that fasting can be more than just an obligation, more like an opportunity to encounter God on a deeper level. we're keeping our eyes peeled tonight, too.
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4 comments:
Really interesting stuff. When you speak of fasting as an opportunity to encounter God on a deeper level you do mean your God right? Honest question.
ultimately, yes. of course. our goal here isn't to encourage people to become more deluded in their thinking. but, this fast (which is the only type of fast they do all year) is an obligation, not a willing participation with the God of the universe. the concept of fasting in order to grow closer to God is foreign thinking. i believe that as we share about our reason for fasting, our friends and neighbors will begin to see the holes in their reasoning for fasting, and maybe start some healthy questioning and discussion. but, all we can do is hope, and fast (because an answer of no to "are you fasting" is a door closed in my opinion), and look for those opportunities...and learn arabic.
i think it's amazing how much TRUTH can be learned from other cultures and how they do things. Just because they may have a different religion doesn't make the fact that their ideas and ways of doing life (like their obligation to help you find your way to the store for example) are wrong or evil. As Paul says, All things are yours right?!? And as the apostle Rob says if it's truth CLAIM it. I claim that way of life, the idea of being a good neighbor, whether it be by obligation or not, is a better more true way to live. So i would say that their beliefs and convictions about "their' God can point us to bits of TRUTH about OUR God. I love it. Keep telling stories!!!
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