O.K. ... I have my statue of Ganesha here (Hindu Elephant God).

[Maat]

You DUers know that I'm part Religious Scientist and part Unitarian-Universalist; both faiths are fun because they let you explore other spiritualities.

Well, I'm in my church's bookstore a few weeks ago (Church of Religious Science), and the lady running it is really neat. She has beautiful stautes of Buddha and Eqyptian goddesses. I had told her that I was kind of anxious about taking the California Bar Test (again) in a few weeks. Suddenly, I was drawn to a statute of a god. I bought him. She told me she didn't really know who he was. I took him home anyway.

I later found out that he is the "lord of success and destroyer of all evils. He is also "worshipped as the god of education." Now, I ask you, what better consciousness can I have in my mind than this guy? I'll just imagine him when I'm in the testing room - feel his presence - and all obstacles will be cleared out of my way - the mental ones anyway.

[elshiva]

1. Ganesha is a great god, a true face of the Real.

He has called your name, so to speak, by drawing you into buying his statue. He is a god of joy, he teaches us how to enjoy simple pleasures like eating and sex.
My mom and dad bought me a wooden statue of Krishna playing his flute for my eighteenth birthday. Krishna is a beautiful god of amorous love and mischief. I still have him on my altar, which is mostly Christian saints, but I also have a tiny statue of the Tara, the goddess of compassion.
I don't consider myself a monotheist or a polytheist. Panentheism embraces all images of God throughout the world.
May God bless you on your Bar Test, Maat! What Egyptian goddesses draw you in?

[Maat]

2. Bless you, Elshiva.

Your words, again, are perfect. Thanks for teaching me that I am a panentheist, like yourself. You taught me of the idea first, and I researched it.

Well, my husband came up with my screenname, Maat. I have a statue of her also. She is the Goddess of Truth, Justice, and the Law (I'm paraphrasing - you probably know more than I) - but when I read about her, she seems to represent judging and advocating with integrity (something I aspire to).

I'll keep taking this darn test until I pass it. "Bear" with me, Friend!

Thanks and take care!

P.S. I wrote down that we embrace all images of God throughout the World. Per my pastor, they can be viewed as 'consciousnesses,' if you will.

[elshiva]

3. How are consciousnesses different than gods?

Thanks for your post. I don't know much about Maat except for what you told me!
Good luck on your Bar test. God is always with you.

[Maat]

4. They aren't, are they?

You know more formal theology than I, Kiddo.

But I would say that I can view Ganesha, for example as (1) an image of God, (2) an idea of God, (3) representing one of God's concepts, or (4) as a "consciousness."

Now, as to remembering "God is always with me," let me just say that I have been repeating that to myself a whole lot lately.

I think you told me once that you had studied theology, but had moved onto something else. I think I know why. They seem to have rather one-sided programs out there (maybe that's not the right word).

I'm taking a break. The experts say that turning oneself into a psychotic, delusional mess by studying more than 6-7 hours a day just doesn't work.

I think that you will always be glad that you know as much as you do, and have explored these concepts. You are using this knowledge to help people - and that is great.

[Maat]

5. I think Ganesha (Ganeha's spirit/idea) can teach me alot about

playfulness, perhaps. I'm too serious.

I'm playing around with the statement about embracing all images of God throughout the World.

You and I could say, "we embrace of god-consciousnesses throughout the world."

Or "we embrace all ideas of God around the world."

Or "we embrace all notions of God around the world."

Or "we embrace all views of God around the world."

And these words are synonyms for 'consciousness' per my dictionary.

How fun!

[elshiva]

7. I still study theology actually

I just am not going to graduate school anymore, Maat.
Washington Theological Union (WTU) is a Roman Catholic school of ministry and theology that is located on the DC/Maryland border, right across from Takoma Park, the Gay Capital of Maryland. WTU is a very unique school, very liberal and open to all sorts of viewpoints. Even though they only teach Vatican II and post-Vatican II Roman Catholic theology, I never think of the school as one-sided.
How open were they? Here's the best example. There is a teaching in the Roman Catholic Church called inculturation. Inculturation (Pedro Arupe, S.J.'s term) is a the idea that when Roman Christianity is introduced through missionary work it should not be a sort of Trojan horse, an excuse for European culture to supersede African or Asian cultures. Instead, Christianity should take on the best aspects of a given culture to show that the incarnation of Christ was always present within the culture (incarnation+culture=incarnation).
Anyway inculturation came up in class discussion in Sister Teresa Koernke's Word & Worship course. Koernke was saying that an African couple wanted to get married in a Catholic ceremony. Their tribe had a tradition of blessing the couple's genitals during the ceremony. Koernke asked, "Should this be part of a Catholic ceremony?"
Before anyone could say anything (we were in shock for about three minutes] Koernke answered her own question: "Yes. Of course. The blessing should be part of the ritual. What are the ends of a Catholic marriage?" Isn't that beautiful? I wish all marriages could have that blessing!
Dear, dear Maat, the truth is I miss writing and reading theology in the academic setting so much. I dearly love you and this forum for being so open.
I am still a woman with such blessings, though. This week I am going to a Religious Studies Circle at my alma mater, the ultra-liberal arts college, The College of Notre Dame of Maryland (CONDOM). All of my friends will be there. M. Shawn Copeland, the womanist Roman Catholic theologian, is going to lecture about the vocation of the theologian so exciting.
Here is a sample of Copeland's writing:
"We are all living, as Audre Lorde taught us, in the 'master's house'-a stunningly accurate metaphor for the union of heterosexist white racial privilege and capitalism. This domain of sin and evil is a house of disordered love: love of God becomes love of money, becomes love of whiteness, becomes self-hating love of a whiter, lighter self. In this house connections, rather than relationships, matter connections to power, to prestige, to privilege."
--M. Shawn Copeland, "Racism and the Vocation of the Christian Theologian," Spiritus 2.1 (2002), 20. This article is appeared in the journal Spiritus, a periodical about spirituality. It is a work of a great voice in twenty-first century theology. The vocation of the theologian is to lead a life that exposes sin and fights against the evils of racism and heterosexism. That is the way to help build God's reign on earth.

[Maat]

8. Wow, you are a very smart young lady! I'm proud of you!

Ma'at is back from taking the Bar.

I'm glad you still study theology. I learn much from your posts.

I like that quote.

Maybe you should study the law. You certainly have the mind for it.

But you would also make a great church leader.

But, I've had three careers (accounting, social work, and now, the law - first as law clerk, and in the future, as a lawyer).

So, we need not limit ourselves to one thing.

And I certainly appreciate the way you continue to pick up knowledge. Each time I studied something, I became aware of more possibilities.

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. I believe that the thoughts and prayers of my friends helped quite a bit.

It went well. I will know in three months.

But one thing I know, it went better than last time (I took it right after I wrapped up law school; I just wanted to know what I was up against. It was worth the money - and learning where I was weak). This time, it went even better than before.

I'm giving it a break, though.

Fortunately, I get to study full-time. I help in my hubby's business, and law-clerk, when I'm not studying. Going to give everything a rest for a week or two, though.

Remember what your friend says, Ms. Elshiva, do not burn yourself out!

[elshiva]

10. Thank you, dear Maat!

Copeland is really an inspiration, as well as everyone else in the circle. Copeland is a big name in theology, but as we discussed in a circle, we should not hold to the hierarchy of the big names above the professors who are above the Directors of Religious Education, who are above the students of theology, who are above...etc. That's not the reign of God, which is all about equality and integrity of every person.

Right now, I'm unemployed, 23 years old, living in my parents' basement. Mom and dad are the greatest. Also with us now is my 94 year-old grandmother, wise, devout, and kind. She is our Rose Kennedy, the matriarch of our family.

Hopefully, I'll get a job at a library. I would not like to do what lawyers do, trying to argue a case in front of a lot of people. Library work is something I have experience so I have a chance. Also, applying to become a church secretary at a Roman Catholic Church and a Unitarian Church.

I do admire some of the lawyers. I know there are a lot of silly lawyer jokes, but lawyers CAN be good. Someone's got to defend people against the crooks, especially the big corporations. That's why I still love John Edwards and his work in this field.

Maat, you are also an inspiration to me. You are polite, enlightened, and I look forward to your posts. Those three months will go by fast, I pray.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Ganesha

you find Ganesha's picture in Hindu stores, as he brings good luck by removing obsticles. Sort of like "ya Fattah"-the attribute of God that removes obsticles according to the Islamic tradition.

We have a lovely antique painting of Ganesha in our home. I find it interesting that he has only one tusk...pointing, I believe, to Brahmin, the One Who is everything.

[Maat]

9. Thanks, Ayeshahaqqiqa! I bought him at my neat church bookstore.

Then I found out he removes obstacles - that is why I must have been drawn to him (or he drew me over - LOL!).

Thanks for the info, again, because, now, the statue has more meaning.

[elshiva]

11. Didn't Ganesh loose his tusk in a battle?