A mystery...

So last Monday I was driving my kids home from scouts when I suddenly pulled over. A new paperback book fluttered helplessly in the middle of the road. I love books. I made my daughter hop out of the car and get it like we did with the black box turtle, even if she was rolling her eyes as she did it. "Mom!"

So the book is Joshua Harris's latest, "boy meets girl." He previously published "I Kissed Dating Goodbye."

At a quick glance, the previous reader diligently studied the text, underling and highlighting passages. Then there are some places where the reader couldn't hold back a retort, the feminine handwriting jotting "Ha!" in the margins or "OK...."

The book, as I imagine its predecessor was, has a very traditional Christian perspective on the roles of men and women in marriage and how that affects the efforts of single Christians striving to remain pure until marriage.

For example, a list of questions a man should consider when trying to determine if he should marry begins with, "Am I prepared to lead my wife spiritually and serve her in every way?"

Later he encourages women to avoid leading while dating to give your boyfriend a chance to practice leading for when you are married. "How else can you practice for the time when you will follow your husband?"

But she didn't get that far. Her notations stop about a third of the way in, in the chapter that offers the sage advice of allowing room for friendship before premature intimacy, suggesting, for example, that you pray together, discuss sermons, and read the Bible.

So why do you think the book was in the middle of the road? Did she drive off with it on the roof of her car? Did she throw it out of the window? her boyfriend? a girlfriend?

Let me know if you want your book back.

I just recently finished listening to an unabridged audio recording of The 19th Wife, a novel by David Ebershoff, considering the mystery of faith by exploring the polygamous history of Mormonism. The book juxtaposes passages from historical documents alongside his modern narrative.

The narrator of the modern storyline is Jordan Scott, a young man who was excommunicated at age 14 from the Firsts, the modern fundamentalist Mormon sect. He is returning to his bizarre hometown to try to solve the murder of his father in order to exonerate his mother who is accused of the crime. He hasn’t spoken to his mother in six years, since the night she dropped him off on the highway with $17.

Jordan identifies the point of contention that led to the rift between the Firsts and the Mormons as polygamy…. “This sort of split happens all the time: the Jews & the Christians, the Catholics & the Protestants, the Mormons & the Firsts. It’s been going on forever, and the only thing I know for sure is it messes up a lot of shit for the rest of us.

I know a lot of people, myself included, who have been screwed by such religious rifts. I understand exactly what Jordan is talking about.

A minor character in the modern storyline says, “I’ve never been much of a god person, but I admire a man who knows what he believes and sticks to it. All great men are like that. And who am I to say that what he believes is any crazier than the rest of the shit everyone else out there believes, including me.”


Have you ever been to Salt Lake City? I was standing in Temple Square, reading the tributes to Joseph Smith & Brigham Young. My then husband asked, “Who’s buying this?” But is their belief in Joseph Smith and those golden plates and the revelation that polygamy is God’s will any crazier than our Christian walking on water stories? What about Noah’s ark?

Faith is a mystery. I think we just need to back off a little and acknowledge that the religions of other people are equally valid to whatever our beliefs are.

But what about when one person’s religious views are harming others, like in polygamy? What about the honor killings in Muslim countries? What about preventing homosexuals with the legal benefits of marriage? What about censorship? Abortion?

At least we live in a country where we can debate these issues. I hope we can maintain that status and not become a theocracy.

At last...
(I guess I took my sweet time settling back into a routine. Took a while to find this new summer one.)

Here is my favorite story from our trip to England.

My son had a serious religious experience.
On the first full day of touring, he left his backpack, with the new iPod and a loaded wallet in a taxi cab. No need for scolding because he was distraught, physically ill. "I'm so sorry, Mommy, I'm so sorry." poor heartbroken guy. He just had to suck it up and continue with the afternoon's touring, which he did well. That night we filed a report with the city taxi service, but they said it takes a week to process all the stuff brought in. (Seems we weren't the only ones.)

During the week we toured several cathedrals: St. Paul's, Ely, Westminster Abbey, Canterbury. In each one, my son put down 20p for a candle, lit one and prayed that his "lost things be found." (He's carrying my backpack for me in the picture.)

Well, thank God that on departure morning, we called the taxi lost & found and they had the backpack and all of its contents. Amazing! (Enter rays of divine sunshine and angel band)

He was overjoyed but said very seriously to me, "Now I have to go to church every Sunday." Seems a deal was struck. Eureka!

His sister perked up and asked if he'd go to Youth Group now too. He insisted that he made no promises regarding youth group.




Check out Mark's great photos from our trip.

(Pardon all the parenthetical asides.)
;-)