Fran and I had a three-hour discussion/debate about religion today while reading Dawkins’ The God Delusion and preparing for our Easter family gathering tomorrow afternoon. Two of our topics were 1) a lot of folks will go to Easter services tomorrow (or Passover recently) more from cultural habit than any sincere religious belief. Does this make any sense? Is there any honesty in it? and 2) according to many Christians (including the aforesaid Easter attenders), Quakers are not truly religious but heretical (and so Fran’s relatives hanged them in Boston). I’ll be at Meeting tomorrow morning as usual, but Easter Sunday is not a special event for Quakers. For Quakers, as a matter of religious faith and practice, each and every day should be celebrated as much as Easter. Additionally, my type of Quakers speak of the gift of continuing spiritual revelation and not of a bodily resurrection. There’s some interesting biblical support for this view, but I must say that I’ve never met anyone who would change his/her belief in the face of a close reading of the earliest texts. The texts themselves have no significance unless we find them a catalyst for spiritual growth. FOR A SUBSTANTIAL TREATISE ON MY RELIGIOUS THINKING, SEE COMMENT #2.
April 11, 2009
March 18, 2009
Is It Appropriate for a Christian Institution to Support a Military Unit on Its Campus?
Is It Appropriate for a Christian Institution to Support a Military Unit on Its Campus?
Presented by Paul Sheldon & Joseph Betz, on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, 12:30-1:20 p.m., in Room 300, SAC.
The life of Jesus brings a new covenant between God and man. The Prince of Peace tells us to put away the sword, trust in the Armor of God, and to love our enemies. If we are to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s, which do we put first when these two appear to conflict? Until the time of Constantine, Christianity functioned apart from the Roman government, and complicity was minimal. How has the Christian message of love and forgiveness changed in the intervening centuries? What are the responsibilities of the academic Christian community in this regard? If you have questions, please contact paul.sheldon@villanova.edu.
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The announcement above was distributed to all Villanova faculty and staff via the Campus Currents page, and in addition was sent to (more…)
February 28, 2009
History of the early Nazi period — personal and general.
My father had a keen sense of history, and when my parents were in Germany in the early 1930s (he had a graduate travel fellowship at the University of Berlin), he was aware of (and peripherally involved in…another story) history in the making. He also was something of a perfectionist, and carried not only his 16-mm Kodak but also a tripod and light meter all over Europe and the Middle East. I am the repository for his 1930s films, all on highly flammable nitro-based celluloid. When my parents returned to the states, he used these films and other historical material (some interesting items) for public lectures. By the time I came along, I would occasionally set up the projector so that I could show my friends our home movies of Stalin in Red Square on May Day and Hitler in his open Mercedes. I burned up much of the Hitler sequence by stopping the projector to see things better, and then Hitler would curl up before our eyes in wisps of acrid smoke. My father intended to get the “Big Three” on film, but Mussolini was out of the country when my parents were in Italy, and so we have a very nice sequence of the Italian square and balcony from which Mussolini used to deliver his harangues to the people (apparently the best possible shot available under the circumstances).
February 27, 2009
Musings
Re the financial hysteria: The real measure of our wealth is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.
This year the world’s largest cruise ship will be launched, a 220,000-ton behemoth for more than 6000 passengers. Why?
The other day Fran and I got into a debate about cosmology, which became particularly heated over the topic of whether we were talking about the “observable universe” or simply the “universe.” Google that distinction if you care to. So very “us.” I forget how it ended finally (certainly not resolved, but that’s not the point). I do love her so.
Some of the following comes from an online debate on the question: Why does the freest nation in the world, the United States, have the highest rate of incarceration (about 1 out of 100) in the world, compared to say Sweden (more like 1 out of 1500)? The discussants noted that it is uncertain if the U.S. can rightly claim the title of “freest” and in any case the rate of incarceration does not necessarily indicate the degree of general freedom. Freedom can be only be determined by the limits of your body, the comparative strength of those who oppose you, and your willingness to accept the consequences of your actions. One conception is that a nation will be freest when citizens are willing to, and frequently do, commit acts deemed illegal by government. In that case, the U.S. could outrank Sweden, whose citizens might be more restricted by their obedience to law than Americans are restricted by the threat of the bars of a jail cell.
January 29, 2009
Journey of a Quaker Marriage (Published in Friends Journal June 2009)
A Quaker wedding may appear to be a relatively simple affair. During a Meeting for Worship for Marriage, a couple publicly declares their love and continuing commitment to one another. Nothing more is required. However, what Quakers reject in formalisms and ceremonial trappings, they more than compensate for in preparation, and that is especially true for significant life events such as marriage. A couple who wishes to be married under the care of a meeting is required to seek spiritual guidance concerning how they understand their current relationship, what they want it to become, and how they can best help it develop. When they feel they have achieved this understanding, a Clearness Committee tests their leading for marriage. This is no simple task but an extraordinary undertaking, valuable for its practical contribution to a successful marriage as well as for the spiritual enrichment of the couple as a family unit and as individuals.
My wife and I had many lively discussions in the course of writing our vows and discussing what they meant in the context of our intended marriage. We agreed that a basic requirement was that our marriage be an open and honest relationship between equals. Without a base of equal power and commitment, any attempt at this is fatally compromised. This sense of an open marriage should not be confused with the so-called “open” marriages of the 70’s that skirted marital responsibilities in the name of freedom.
We asked ourselves whether anyone could honestly promise to love a partner forever. We acknowledged that love can never be totally secure. Marriage does not change that fact. The heart follows its own course, and we would not pretend to promise the heart. We considered that perhaps it is preferable to make an ideal promise and fall short, because the promise provides a clear goal. Ultimately we realized that change is inevitable and can be seen as an opportunity for love to grow, not as something to be feared.
We acknowledged that the root of Quaker marriage is spiritual responsibility. The root of love is continuing revelation. You must accept spiritual responsibility in marriage for the continuing revelation of love. Although love is spontaneous, with mutual seeking a couple can construct the contexts that favor love’s growth and development. At the same time, we recognized that even the best-intended spiritual seeking is not necessarily rightly led. If either of us ever felt the need, we would call upon our Clearness Committee to help us test the source of significant leadings. Such testings can generate valuable insights to help guide a successful marriage.
A loving relationship represents commitment to the partner, not ownership. Because we are still growing as individuals, what we should wish for our spouses is no less than we would wish for our children. As I said to Fran at our wedding, “My love is intended not to encumber your freedom, but to support you along your life path, so that you may live fully and authentically.”
I experience my love for Fran as unconditional love. I find this to be a life-changing feeling. It does not mean that I never get angry. Fran and I are blessed to be amazingly well matched, but we are not perfect. I do believe that perfect love, in the sense of being forgiving, understanding, and having total confidence in one’s love, is achievable. Such love blesses both the giver and the receiver, and even the world beyond.
I have long been an antiwar activist, our marriage is a source of inspiration and empowerment for my work in this area. My love for my wife leads me to understand that war is totally wrong because it destroys the lives of people who also love and are loved. This is an example of how the continuing revelation within marriage becomes part of the evidence of God’s love for all humankind, and how the marriage partners become a channel for expressing this love in the world.
Fran and Paul have shared their lives for seven years, and they publicly declared their marriage at Lansdowne Friends Meeting (PA) in October 2005.
January 28, 2009
Thoughts, Ideas, and Principles
In response to a query on my Facebook page, I posted twenty-five “Thoughts, ideas, and principles” recently. Since this material might not be readily accesible by some, I have added it as a comment below for those who don’t have Facebook accounts.
January 10, 2009
Another side of the “good” war.
The following is a story that I recall from my psychology classes at Tufts. This is all that I remember of that course.
During WWII, when fighter planes in North Africa took off for enemy territory, it was customary to check the guns by firing a few rounds shortly after take-off. Typically a pilot would choose a target on the ground such as any sheep, goats, or cattle in range, as a test of sights and accuracy. Shepherds would regularly appear at the airbase with stories of animals killed in this way and be reimbursed by the U.S. government for loss of property. The going rate was $10, $20, and $100, for a goat, sheep, or cow, respectively. Unfortunately this custom resulted in occasional collateral damage in the form of the death of the attending shepherd. The government was unwilling to set a price tag on the value of a life, but the military psychologist in charge of winning hearts and minds of the populace (apparently my college instructor) was authorized to pay a burial expense to the nearest relative of the deceased, in the sum of $50. The incompatibility was obvious. After some discussion (should a cow be worth $40?), it was decided to pay the cost of a more elaborate funeral and give the nearest relative $150 toward this final expense.
September 23, 2008
“Who Would Jesus Train To Kill” Window Sign
In response to a visit this evening concerning a sign in my window (see title above), I wrote the following email to my Department Chairperson. OSA refers to Order of Saint Augustine. There is more information and a picture at my website www.peacefulways.com/ (click on Conscience and Militarism).
Hello Tom,
It was good to speak with you a few minutes ago in reference to my being visited a few minutes earlier by Corporal Hall of Villanova Security, his presence at my door being at the request of certain members of the OSA complaining about my sign. It was good to confirm that you have spoken previously with Fr. Peter concerning my sign, as have I, and to confirm that his response was not of a critical nature. In fact, my sign has generated some meaningful interaction with a number of members of religious orders on campus, including members of the OSA. No one has ever questioned the appropriateness of my placing it in my window. I believe it poses a relevant question for each to answer in his/her own heart — it does not propose any specific answer. My website www.peacefulways.com/ provides further information.
What is my response to learning that some members of OSA appear to be unhappy with this sign?
1. I believe most strongly both that this sign is appropriate for a Christian institution, and that I have a right (indeed, an obligation) in my academic position to pose such a question.
2. I intend to keep this sign (or a copy) in my office window while I am a tenured faculty member. It is not my intention to be confrontational. The fact that some may disagree with the sign, or even may find it upsetting, does not lessen its value as a catalyst for significant discussion. It is my sense that this is what an academic institution is all about.
Peace, Paul
p.s. Villanova later removed any mention of the word PEACE from its Mission Statement.
September 9, 2008
U.K. Conference on Peace/War Taxes — both good news and bad news.
Here is a very frank appraisal of this international conference that I recently attended. Wonderful people, some very good times, some very frustrating times.
Perhaps I spoke too much, but for me, there was very little in the way of direct action from this conference group. This seems surprising when I consider what I know of the wonderful examples of direct action that have been taken by many of those who were present. There was a lost opportunity here. I felt I should stand up and cheer when, during the perennial discussion of why there were essentially no young people at this conference (thank you, Kristen and a few others, for being the exception), someone stated out loud that no young person could stand to attend something (often dull– my addition) as this was. Exactly one solution was offered….let’s set up niffty interactive websites at sites where young people are active. Since this is an older group whose members tend to be ignorant of technology, this idea can take the form of “the answer” when nothing else seems possible. Peacepays is a fine website, but it is not “the answer.” My question — what do we offer after the website? And just how great is that medium for us? I am dubious about how well our peace message can ever compete on youth websites — it is not inherently well suited to the medium in the way that the U.S. Army has perhaps the world’s best hi-tech video games on their websites. How far can this approach take us — then what?
Our action needs to be “on the ground” and we offered not one stitch of that at this conference. (more…)
July 6, 2008
July 4, 2008 — Peace is Patriotic
It’s 4th of July, and I have my peace flag flying as usual. My most recent peace activities have focused on the Relgious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Bill and the 12th International Conference on War Tax Resistance and Peace Tax Funds. Here also are some comments about my lovely and fascinating wife.
1. In late May I carried a Minute from Chester Quarterly Meeting to Interim Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting requesting that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting send a letter to all members of Congress asking for their support of the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Bill (currently H.R. 1921). For those not familiar with Quaker lingo, the preceding sentence describes a process by which a large group of Quakers (more than 10,000 in PYM) reach unity on a decision (we don’t vote and don’t have representatives). After some discussion at the Interim Meeting, PYM approved sending out such a letter in their name. The Relgious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Bill would enable those conscientiously opposed to participation in war to pay their full taxes into a government fund that did not go to war-related purposes. For many pacifists, paying for a gun for someone else is just as wrong as doing the killing yourself. This puts such pacifists (myself included) in the quandry of either paying taxes for war or being civil disobedient by refusing to pay. The refused tax money is not retained but given away to charitable institutions. More information and links are available at my website www.peacefulways.com/ To read an informative draft of this letter, click Comment #1.
2. During May and June I have been working with regional Quakers (including PYM) to get their support for my attendance at the 12th International Conference on War Tax Resistance and Peace Tax Funds, to be held in Manchester UK in early September. I have attended these biennial conferences twice before and found them informative and practical. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting agreed to Minute their support of my attendance at this conference and to pay my expenses. For more information and to see my Minute, click on Comment #2.
3. This 4th of July weekend Fran and I went foraging in a nearby park along Darby Creek (there is also a prior post on this topic). We had our milkweed peas last night (excellent) and spice bush tea and various other wild edibles. We are getting more skilled at this (particularly Fran), and pictures are on line at sheldontimes. com. Now when we go backpacking she is prepared to make fresh bread on the spot and cook it (something like pancakes) on a flat rock over a small flre, along with our foraged foods. She never ceases to amaze me with her ideas and innovations.
4. About a month ago we attended a Memorial Service for the last relative of Fran’s mother’s generation. The extended family was gathered, and I saw a chance (re my last comment in #3) to discover if Fran has always been as interesting and lively as she is now. She always describes herself as being very shy and quiet most all of her life, and only starting to come out of her shell quite recently. This struck me as unlikedly, so I asked a number of her cousins about what she was like when younger. They said “least shy of all…bubbly…striking… redhead…glamorous…just like she is now” and everything OPPOSITE of how she describes herself then. I was not in the least surprised to hear this, but Fran was absolutely astonished. Isn’t it interesting how others can know us and think about us in a way so different from how we know and think about ourselves?