Keep praying: Prayer is reminding us that God is with us. July 4, 2016

"Keep praying: prayer is reminding us that God is with us." The hymn "It is well with my soul" expresses how for the author the strength of God carried him through a very difficult time. I wrote this down at church as I listen to the pastor's sermon.

When I hear a talk like this, I don't personally see the need for a god image or image of God. For me, this is kind of God talk is an empty promise. To me it just makes it clear that we are on our own. But with Buddhist thought, we have the community or Sangha which is really where modern Christianity comes down also. This is emphasized all the time how we find God through the community.

More and more I feel comfortable with my Buddhist understanding of Christianity. In other words, as I learn more about Buddhist thought, it integrates with the best of what Christianity is trying to accomplish in the modern world. I wonder sometimes how I can hold both of them. I see the needs of common humanity expressed in both Christianity and Buddhism. I just feel Christianity takes the longer route to get there. Also I find the worship of God and other practices to be superfluous; they just don't have much meaning for me. But I can be there with the Christian community and provide support. I very much feel this way with the Bible study I need. I see this strong faith and how it helps these church members through difficult times. Yet I am amazed when they think Jesus may have written the book of Romans. Or isn't Paul one of Jesus's disciples? So in the Bible study and other church activities, I feel I can strengthen their faith and and that is not inconsistent with my belief and practice. I can see the hymns, creeds, and liturgy as historical elements and join in reciting them even though I don't think the words describe the truth.

Also if I was trying to help a young person and give them advice, I would come more directly from Buddhism then try to use Christian images unless they were meaningful already to them. It is sad what I just don't see Christianity as being relevant to most young people. It is like there is so much baggage and the essential message in quality, modern day, Christianity is compatible with Buddhist thought.

There is also an element of Christianity where God, though Jesus, gives himself over completely to humanity. This Kenosis in some ways means God disappears. Also I am clear that God does not need our praises and when that is shared in church it just seems like such a primitive religion of trying to appease God.

The word "kenosis" (kenosis) has entered theological language from Philippians 2:7, where in the sentence he "emptied himself" the Greek verb is ekenosen. "Kenosis," then, the corresponding noun, has become a technical term for the humiliation of the Son in the incarnation, but in recent years has acquired a still more technical sense, i.e. of the Son's emptying Himself of certain attributes, especially of omniscience.