The Himalayas, it is said, are made of solid granite. Once every thousand years a bird flies over them with a silk scarf in its beak, brushing their peaks with its scarf. When by this process the Himalayas have been worn away, one day of a cosmic cycle will have elapsed.
From The World’s Religions [Kindle] by Huston Smith. An incredible book.
If the title sounds familiar, it’s thanks to Gretchen Rubin.
Early this month, I had the opportunity to hear Tim Keller’s sermon at Redeemer [wikipedia], the Presbyterian church he founded in 1989 and one of NYC’s most popular among young professionals and Asian Americans.
Because of a friend’s recommendation, I’d already read The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness [Kindle] and watched his Google appearance. His talks are wide-ranging, curious, connect-the-dots. Like all good speakers, what he covers is only the surface of a vast iceberg of knowledge about religion, philosophy, and history. He’s very quotable, too. In particular I remember his bit about how Christianity’s God is the only God who loved his creation (humans) so much that he wrote himself into the play (as Jesus).
The Redeemer sermon was great. You can tell he’s invested multiples of the 10K hours it takes to become an expert. On stage, he makes it look easy. His message focused on the pitfalls of wealth, particularly poignant in NYC where money concerns dominate (from residents complaining about soaring apartment rents to Wall Streeters worrying about their bonuses to the meccas of fashion and luxury in SoHo and on Fifth Ave).
Keller begins with a reading from Mark 10:17-31. My religious beliefs are complex and always changing, but I read the Bible and I like going to church. Whatever your spiritual label – Christian, agnostic, Muslim, undecided, meditator, lazy ;) – I believe everyone can benefit from going to church, for the community, the serenity, the music, the permission to ponder big questions.
Thanks Katy for your notes! (parentheses that start with “me:” are my annotations)
Tim Keller: The Grace of Generosity (Redeemer, Dec 2015)
why are wealth and money dangerous?
“To the rich young ruler, money was his identity and he felt good by spending…”
1. money can corrupt
2. money can be an addiction you’re blind to the presence of
3. money can lull you into a false sense of security
4. money can make you prideful
PS. I am starting a new project, tentatively called “A Good Life” (or maybe “A Better Life”?), a journey to educate myself and others on how to build a good life for yourself, by studying books, philosophers, current events, etc. For simplicity’s sake, good in this context = meaningful = fulfilled = happy. Expect the first video soon!