Day 102- 4/13/11 An Evening with Rabbi Harold S. Kushner author of "When Bad Things Happen to Good People"

Day 102: 4/13/11
New Thing: An Evening with Rabbi Harold S. Kushner author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People      
Inspiration: St. Luke's Hospice          
Cost: $10
Time: Two Hours               
Bottom Line: Very Inspiring and also Pastoraly Practical

Reflection: Tonight was a very special treat for the Bethlehem area since St. Luke's Hospice program hosted a lecture given by the famed Rabbi Harold S. Kushner author of the best-selling When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Here is the description of the night:

Harold S. Kushner, Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in the Boston suburb of Natick, MA, is best known for his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, a straightforward, heartfelt contemplation of his personal doubts, fears and suffering following the death of his teenage son. His reflections have provided guidance and support to millions of grieving people. His book is an international best-seller and has been translated in fourteen languages. One critic has called it “the most important book of popular theology ever written in America.”

Rabbi Kushner was a fantastic public speaker blending humor, stories, tragedy and deep theological insights seamlessly. In his view, There are three things that we want to argue as believers:  God exists; God is all powerful; and evil exists. Yet, to his mind, these three presuppositions cannot be held together at the same time. Thus, he believes that God has chosen to be "self-limited" in some realms of God's own creation. Specifically, God has chosen to withdraw from the laws of nature and human choice. Nature, he believes, is blind and is outside the realm of morality. He cited a story from the Talmud which holds that if a thief were to steal some seed, justice would dictate that the seed should not grow if he planted it. Yet, the laws of nature do not bend to the laws of justice and the seed will grow regardless of the man's righteousness. Similarly, Kushner argued that in giving us free will, God has let out decisions be our own and does not prevent us from the harm that we might chose.  

Yet, he made it clear that he did not think that God was merely an absentee landlord watching us from afar. Rather, he believes that God is active in at least three ways: 

1. The Laws of Nature-Although nature may indeed be morally neutral, it is still predictable. Thus, we are invited to use our God-given intellect to make the world safer through the study of these laws. He sited the cure for Polio as an example. 
2. Fellowship- He quoted another Rabbi by saying that "humans are God's language." By this powerful little statement, he was saying that when life hurts, we cry out to God and he answers by sending us other people to stand with us in our pain. To him, the most important thing that can every be done for another person is to simply go to them when their world is broken rather then staying away because their pain makes us uncomfortable by reminding us that we are also frail.
3. Human Resilience- Rabbi believes that God is active in our lives by giving us those stores of perseverance and refreshment that we need in times of great pain. 

It was indeed a very thought provoking lecture and I know that I will be thinking, praying, and perhaps preaching about these thoughts in the next few days. I am very grateful for this experience. 
 

Lenten Meditation-   
Prayed for: KM (Birthday Girl!!)
Prayer Walk/Yoga- Early Morning Run with Ellyn and two very wet bike rides.
Journal Topic with Ken- What I Got 
Music- Sadly, did not make it to this today. 

Fast- ok  

Daily Office- NP with Music