I find that I read a lot of books, or more aptly, I read some of a lot of books, and while I'm reading, there are things that jump out to me. So, I jot them down. Then, at some point, I end up misplacing the notes I've taken, or if it actually makes it onto on my computer, I eventually file it away, never to be heard from again. Well, this is my attempt to store my notes in a place where I can easily go back and find them when I need them.

It's also convenient that you can comment on the notes that I have taken because most of you are probably smarter than I am. So, I look forward to learning for you.

Eyes With Which to See the World

The second chapter started off with an excellent paragraph:

Religion is not primarily a set of beliefs, a collection of prayers, or a series of rituals. Religion is first and foremost a way of seeing. It can't change the facts of the world we live in, but it can change the way we see those facts, and that in itself can often make a real difference.

In chapter two, Rabbi Kushner gives examples from real life where changing your perspective can allow you to see something completely differently: in a hospital one person may see pain and suffering while another person witnesses human courage and resiliency, coming out of a broken relationship, someone might feel unlovable until someone else makes them believe that they are lovable. The facts are no different, but the people see something different.

He goes on to conclude that people with faith see the world through a different lens. He quotes Paul's letter to the Hebrews, which I find odd, given that he is a Jewish Rabbi, where it defines faith as believing in "the evidence of things not seen." He talks about the value a Jew sees in the Torah beyond words on parchment and the value Christians see in a cross beyond a simple geometric design.

Both the Torah and the cross convey a message about God's reaching down to express His love and concern for His creatures on earth, but they convey that important message only to the person who knows how to read the symbolic language of religion.

That is what a symbol does. It says something profound and important, but only to the person has learned to see the message in it. The wedding ring I wear is more that a piece or jewelry; it is a symbol of intimacy and loyalty. The flag I salute is more than colored cloth; it is a symbol of hundreds of millions of people, strangers to each other but connected to each other by a shared vision of what our country stands for. Those symbols elicit strong feelings in people only when the have been taught to read the hidden messages in the objects. Without that comprehension, the flag is only cloth, the scroll is only parchment. When religion has trained our eyes to recognize the reality of things not seen, those important messages disclose themselves to us.

This chapter wraps up with the author talking about the book of Psalms. He says that he thinks that Psalms is God's favorite book in the bible and that he often feels that the authors of the Psalms are not much different that him, or us. He breaks down Psalm 30 and indicates that he plans to use the Psalms throughout the rest of the book.

Chapter two felt pretty disconnected from chapter one, but both chapters stood on there own quite well. Thus far, I have enjoyed the book and have gotten good stuff out of each chapter.

Your thoughts?

Labels: Harold Kushner, Who Needs God