Learning the Spiritual Disciplines from a Mormon Blogger
Jana Riess discovered she'd been changed by her attempts to practice the classic spiritual disciplines such as fasting, service, and prayer when she received a phone call informing her that her father was dying. He'd abandoned the family while she was growing up. She hadn't seen him in 26 years.
"Here's what I learned from my father's sudden reappearance and death: all of those unsuccessful practices, those attempts at sainthood that felt like dismal failures at the time, actually took hold somehow," Riess writes in her new memoir, Flunking Sainthood: A Year of Breaking the Sabbath, Forgetting to Pray, and Still Loving My Neighbor (Paraclete). "They helped form me into the kind of person who could go to the bedside of someone who had harmed me and be able to say, 'I forgive you, Dad. Go in peace.'"
The call came shortly after Riess—known best for her long-running Beliefnet blog (which just moved to Religion News Service) and Bible-tweeting project—had spent an entire year sampling spiritual disciplines, one per month, accompanied by her reading of appropriate companion spiritual classics. The result, Flunking Sainthood, made the 2011 Publisher's Weekly Top Ten list in the religion category.
Riess writes with honesty and wit about auditioning these spiritual disciplines. During the month of October, for example, she elected to adopt a vegetarian diet, writing, "I'm going to spend a month avoiding my good friend, Mr. Porterhouse." Though a concern for animal welfare sparked the decision, she decided to explore vegetarianism as a spiritual practice. She read Bonaventure's bio of St. Francis, one of the most famous animal lovers of them all.
Riess learned that in spite of his animal-loving ways, Francis wasn't exactly a vegetarian. She learned the same thing about herself:
After two weeks of semi-virtuous eating, I am seriously craving a burger … I don't want any more waif food, no greens or granola …. I want fried chicken, and if I can't have that, I'm going to have (the Golden Corral's) macaroni and cheese along with green beans that were probably boiled with a nice chunk of ham for flavor. The specter of ham technically violates this month's principles, but since it is only a suspicion, maybe I'm not morally responsible for the welfare of Wilbur, or whichever pig might be gracing my vegetables today.
Riess tackles Sabbath-keeping, hospitality, generosity, and more. Some practices root bits of themselves into her life as she moves through her year. Others, not so much. Her June experiment with Centering Prayer was an exercise only in frustration. Midway through the month, she writes, "Although I've failed to varying degrees at the five spiritual practices I've tried so far this year, I've never stopped cold turkey before. I am exhausted by the artificiality of trying to pray this way."
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gus pendleton
The comments from "I am a Mormon woman" are so skewed and weird that a real practicing Mormon would only recognize it as a strange charicature of their faith. Anyone who really wants to know what the Mormons believe should simply visit LDS.org or Mormon.org
Jamesw
Sorry i am so late to this thread but wanted to make a comment. I think it is important to have clarity on what any person believes. It is also important to look at a persons life to see if they demonstrate good morality and humanity. I am not sure why some of us are so driven to prove others wrong or to make pejorative statements about someone else's faith. Even if you thought someone had some erroneous or dangerous beliefs the best way to help them would be to be respectful and try and understand why they have chosen the way they have. I wonder about what motivates people to "stand up" for the truth. Is it a desire to be right? Is it an attempt at being superior? Is it an act of love? I like to be with people who have a generous, open spirit and are seeking the truth about faith and God. In this light, the labels we use are helpful but not necessarily accurate. Rather, the needs we have to pigeon hole other faiths or other Christians is not done in a spirit of charity but often of control and judgment. Rather than state the beliefs of some group or another as an terrible negative, why not go ask someone gently why it is they believe what they believe. What is it about Mormonism that someone loves and appreciates. I think that action would express the spirit of Jesus. Or you could simply pray with the Pharisee in Luke 18:11 "God, i thankyou that i am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector." Luke 18:11
Doreen Ashley
I just want to echo Tim2's comment above and add to it that from now on I will either be avoiding this site, as I can no longer trust it as a source of encouragement and wisdom. "This blog post shows an astonishing lack of discernment. How can an adherent of a false religion teach Christians anything about spiritual disciplines? Such a person has no knowledge of the true God and is in spiritual darkness. The appearance of this post on a CT site saddens me."
Tim
"Mormon Woman", that is one of the most illuminating comments I've read on a blog post. Thanks much. Tim
I am Mormon Woman
I just want to add to Anna's statement about what Mormon women and men believe based on the teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith and those who followed. We were pre-existent spirits waiting to receive bodies, but now we are spirits with bodies and this is the time when our future status (after death) is determined. The highest level of heaven for the Mormon Church is called Celestial Kingdom. We all aspire to get there both men and women. In order to get there we must perform righeous works. Some of these works include serving on a 2 year mission, serving for a calling such as ward bishop (men only) or priesthood callings. My friend quit her job doing scrapbooking parties because she received a calling to teach it for free at our local ward. A woman must marry a worthy priesthood man in a Mormon temple and perform all her duties and callings at home or in the church. If she does this then her husband can call her through to the Celestial Kingdom providing that he himself is worthy. (In the early days of the church when polygamy was practiced young girls would often marry older men with several wives who held these high offices in order to assure herself a place in the highest level of heaven). A woman can not reach the Celestial Kingdom (Highest level) unless she is sealed to a husband of this standing. Some Mormon women urge their husbands to take on high church positions and temple assignments so they may be pulled through (to higher level of Celestial Kingdom) with their husbands. We are now living a mortal existence which was preceded by a spirit world existence and will be followed by a spirit world existence (for a time) in the life to come. It is in this mortal life that a person may improve his status in the spirit world or worsen it. Some Christian churches teach pre-destination and God's sovereignty, but Mormons believe in free agency. Mormons teach that a soul in mortal state is continually confronted with choices that he is completely free to choose among and these are opportunities to better his/her soul in the spirit world to come and enhance his/her exaltation to Celestial Kingdom. A mortal soul (those living with bodies) must always strive for betterment. Female Mormons are urged to have many children because there are pre-existent spirits that are waiting to have a human body. It is our duty to try to give as many of these an opportunity to have a human body so they can fulfill their requirement in this mortal life and advance if possible to the celestial kingdom. A Woman's primary purpose is to bear and raise these children or they are doomed to eternal life as homeless spirits. They surround us pleading for an opportunity to get into this world. It is our duty. That is why even after 5 C-sections my friend's husband gave her the blessing that she would do this yet one more time. Her doctor didn't think it wise, but with her husband's blessing she knew it would all work out. Joseph Smith was so wonderful to have given us this new insight into the gospel. I am Mormon Woman see me try.
I am Mormon Woman
I just want to add to Anna's statement about what Mormon women and men believe based on the teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith and those who followed. We were pre-existent spirits waiting to receive bodies, but now we are spirits with bodies and this is the time when our future status (after death) is determined. The highest level of heaven for the Mormon Church is called Celestial Kingdom. We all aspire to get there both men and women. In order to get there we must perform righeous works. Some of these works include serving on a 2 year mission, serving for a calling such as ward bishop (men only) or priesthood callings. My friend quit her job doing scrapbooking parties because she received a calling to teach it for free at our local ward. A woman must marry a worthy priesthood man in a Mormon temple and perform all her duties and callings at home or in the church. If she does this then her husband can call her through to the Celestial Kingdom providing that he himself is worthy. (In the early days of the church when polygamy was practiced young girls would often marry older men with several wives who held these high offices in order to assure herself a place in the highest level of heaven). A woman can not reach the Celestial Kingdom (Highest level) unless she is sealed to a husband of this standing. Some Mormon women urge their husbands to take on high church positions and temple assignments so they may be pulled through (to higher level of Celestial Kingdom) with their husbands. We are now living a mortal existence which was preceded by a spirit world existence and will be followed by a spirit world existence (for a time) in the life to come. It is in this mortal life that a person may improve his status in the spirit world or worsen it. Some Christian churches teach pre-destination and God's sovereignty, but Mormons believe in free agency. Mormons teach that a soul in mortal state is continually confronted with choices that he is completely free to choose among and these are opportunities to better his/her soul in the spirit world to come and enhance his/her exaltation to Celestial Kingdom. A mortal soul (those living with bodies) must always strive for betterment. Female Mormons are urged to have many children because there are pre-existent spirits that are waiting to have a human body. It is our duty to try to give as many of these an opportunity to have a human body so they can fulfill their requirement in this mortal life and advance if possible to the celestial kingdom. A Woman's primary purpose is to bear and raise these children or they are doomed to eternal life as homeless spirits. They surround us pleading for an opportunity to get into this world. It is our duty. That is why even after 5 C-sections my friend's husband gave her the blessing that she would do this yet one more time. Her doctor didn't think it wise, but with her husband's blessing she knew it would all work out. Joseph Smith was so wonderful to have given us this new insight into the gospel. I am Mormon Woman see me try.
Anna
I'm a practicing Mormon and I believe in Jesus Christ as the merciful Creator, Savior of the world, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I believe that women and men are equal. I believe that we will be judged by both our works and the intents and beliefs of our hearts (see Jeremiah 17:10). I believe The Book of Mormon. I was excited when I came across a blog written specifically for Christian women. Thank you to those commenting who have been respectful of my faith. With all due respect, I still consider us all fellow Christians.
Anna
I'm a practicing Mormon and I believe in Jesus Christ as the merciful Creator, Savior of the world, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I believe that women and men are equal. I believe that we will be judged by both our works and the intents and beliefs of our hearts (see Jeremiah 17:10). I believe The Book of Mormon. I was excited when I came across a blog written specifically for Christian women. Thank you to those commenting who have been respectful of my faith. With all due respect, I still consider us all fellow Christians.
Tim
My take on this is that even a Christian who might write a similar book about following a year of anything in order to become more Christ-like would be missing the boat. The Bible says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Gal. 5:1.) It doesn't say it is for being able to follow rules better, but for freedom. Even freedom from a year of anything that we think if only we get better at it we'll be better Christians. Cheers, Tim
Tim
My take on this is that even a Christian who might write a similar book about following a year of anything in order to become more Christ-like would be missing the boat. The Bible says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Gal. 5:1.) It doesn't say it is for being able to follow rules better, but for freedom. Even freedom from a year of anything that we think if only we get better at it we'll be better Christians. Cheers, Tim
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