Here’s a big bowl of pills. Some of them are miracle cures. Some of them are poison…
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Please leave a comment: are you thinking of a particular “poison pill” in the Christian tradition?
Incidentally, I’m a big fan of the animated television series “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” When I made this video, I kept thinking of this scene from the “Cave of Two Lovers” episode:
Iroh: You're looking at the rare white dragon bush.
Its leaves make a tea so delicious, it's heartbreaking.
That, or it's the white jade, which is poisonous.
Zuko: We need food, not tea. I'm going fishing.
Iroh: Hmm ... delectable tea? Or deadly poison?
(later)
Iroh: Zuko, remember that plant I thought might be tea?
Zuko: You didn't ...
Iroh: I did ... and it wasn't.
Zuko: Ahh!
Iroh: When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing.
But, look what I found:
these are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade.
That, or maka'ole berries that cause blindness...
Love your videos, Adam. Not sure where I am spiritually since I’ve moved from Open Prairie but I know the spirit of your message resonates within me. Right now in MN the only place I feel at home is the UU church here in Willmar. I miss UCC but the force that moves our universe is not restricted to any particular religion. I hope you continue to be inspired as a Merry Mystic.
Hey, Barb! Nice to hear from you, and thanks for the affirmation. Blessings on your path!
Hi Adam,
I have the good fortune of being a member of the Church you are Pastoring, so I am blessed to have witnessed this particular sermon in person. Powerful and so meaningful for me. Your messages are alway thought provoking and validating to the faith journey I have kept to myself for most of my life. I knew, even as a child, that my God was not a murderer or unapproachable and certainly not sending, so called non believes to some obscure place called hell. Surprisingly, I continued to stay involved in organized religious communities, because it was better then no involvement at all. My hope is that any one who needs to hear about the poison pills and the blessing pills of Jesus’ teaching, to somehow hear your words. My children have turned away from christianity, because of the poison pills and I really don’t question their decisions. I wonder sometimes how many people have been hurt in the name of Jesus Christ. How sad, because the whole message was about love.
Thank you Adam, for saying what I believe can free us all.
Blessings to you always, Susan
Thanks, Susan. Your encouragement has a big impact on me!
No, I can’t blame people who get fed up with Christianity either. I think the treasure is worth the struggle, but sometimes I think Walt Whitman had it:
Adam, Right now I am on a spiritual journey that has me double checking which pills are good and which are poisonous. As a continue on my path to be a pastor my studies have turned my belief system upside down and inside-out. I am not sure what to believe, but I keep on because of that one certain promise pill of Jesus’ Your Merry Mystic videos give my strength, joy, and peace. it is nice to know I am not on this journey alone.
Thanks, Nancy. And hang in there: seminary has that effect on a lot of people. But how much better the world would be if we could all just admit our ignorance — as Socrates did regularly. And how much better Christian theology would be if some of our theologians could make that admission from time to time: I don’t know. I don’t think Jesus would mind.
What a blessing is your message of the treasure and the “poisons” and how to distinguish. Thank you! Carol
Thanks, Carol, and God bless you!
Hi Adam – I shared your Poison Pill message with my fellow Quakers in our Contemplative Reading Group. It was very timely. One of the members of the group – having now read several Christian classics (and one Buddhist classic) in our slow meditative manner – was inspired to give the Bible another go. All went well until they turned to… Joshua. Now this particular Quaker is Jewish, or at least identifies as a Jewish Quaker, so it was particularly painful for her to see, plain as day, religious genocide. Poison pills indeed. Thanks again for your ministry and the metaphor of the candy bowl. Is it any wonder that several very vocal atheists call for dumping out the whole bowl rather than putting our children at risk? And yet I’m sure I’ve had at least one non-theist in the Contemplative Reading Group – so there’s something that draws us back to the bowl…
Thanks, Rob. Glad that was helpful for you. Your Contemplative Reading Group sounds like fun — wish I could participate!