Heart of Faith

Recently, I was talking with someone about Quakerism. He was asking questions about our worship time and what happens during that time. It was clear to me that he wasn't getting it...it wasn't connecting. This, I think, is largely in part because he and his religious affiliation hold beliefs that are strikingly different than my dearly-held Quaker beliefs. When I fully realized he was not going to understand what I was trying to explain, I quickly redirected the conversation and asked him questions about his congregation.

A week or so later, we got a phone call from this person. He is a pastor at his church and he informed my husband that he had decided to base a sermon on me, a "strong-willed woman", in his words. The passages from the Bible that he chose were Mark 7:24-30. He added that he had tried to call earlier in the week, but got no answer. He had wanted us to read the sermon before he shared it with his congregation.

After Brian got off the phone and told me all this, I was incredulous. First, because he called me a strong-willed woman. Was that a compliment or an insult? Depends on who you ask and/or who is saying it. Second, what were these passages...and where is my bible?! Next, my mind was swirling with questions: "What does he mean by this? Why didn't he just e-mail the sermon to us?" And..."Why did he have to use me as an example for his sermon?"

After reading the passage, things were not much clearer. It doesn't help that the bible I was using is a Bible that was my Great Aunt's and the language is far from modern. It was no clearer to me, except that dogs were also in the passage and what I understood was that the woman was being compared to a dog and the woman apparently had a child that was "possessed by an evil spirit". This certainly did not improve my disposition about the matter by any means. So, I then asked a Friend for advice who is much more Bible-literate than I am. We resolved I would get back to her about which passages were involved. She had the same questions about it being an insult or compliment, but she also suggested that I not talk to him anymore.

This works out since I don't see this person but once every two years, but I am still trying to get to the bottom of this mystery and have read several sermons online now that suggest the meaning of the verses. One believes the passages are about humility, another concludes that it is about seeing a woman's heart of faith and that even such a woman is worth saving. And that brings up a whole new issue; each one of the sermons interpret the verses differently, since each one is written by a different person. And, in my opinion, that is what makes religion and following the Bible literally so dangerous. This great work of literature means something different to each person, because each one of us has a unique perspective and experiences that make up that perspective.

The ironic part is that this is exactly one of the things that I love so much about my Quaker Meeting, that each person is respected for their perspective, regardless of whether anyone else agrees with it. People are loved for who they are in that moment, at that time, and people even agree to disagree.

The real test for me, here, is to embrace this as a learning experience. To perhaps even, be humbled by the fact that I played a small part in someone's sermon. But the larger part of me is leaning towards agreeing to disagree. For now, anyway.