More and more people in our time are disconnected from religious institutions, at least for part of their lives. Others are religious and find themselves creating a family with a spouse from another tradition or no tradition at all. And the experience of parenting tends to raise spiritual questions anew. We sense that there is a spiritual aspect to our children's natures and wonder how to support and nurture that. The spiritual life, our guest says, begins not in abstractions, but in concrete everyday experiences. And children need our questions as much as our answers.
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Comments: 1
Possibly as part rebellion I married two non Jewish women - both Catholic.
Along the way I had three children. Although I rejected formal religion I have always felt that I was deeply spiritual. So my concern with what to do about these matters with my children.
Since my second wife felt that our two children should be given some formal exposure I agreed to have them go to church if they so desired. They have done that.
I also have taken the position that - like Rabbi Sasso - asking more questions is better {and more truthful} than acting as if I know the absolute answers.
My early days in Temple did leave me with two exceedingly important spiritual experiences. The first is when I was about 13 years old in a class speculating about God. Hardly original but new to me was a question I asked the Rabbi such as who made God? No sooner were the words out of my lips but a so called friend sitting a few seats next to me got furious, leaped out of his chair, and nearly attacked me. The Rabbi - a wise and sensitive man - restored order and said: "In the Jewish religion the highest form of prayer is the contemplation of God's existence."
Life defining experience #2: With this same friend and another BarMItzvah student we met in the bedroom of Rabbi Zwitman who was dying from a resurgence of malaria contracted in the Phillipines during World War II. I hated to see him on his bed with his grotesque distended stomach and a tall army green canister of Oxygen next to him. But the man had an indomitable spirit. But because he was always friendly, warm, unconditionally accepting and wise these qualities overrode my discomfort. His sense of humor was second to no one. I liked the philosophy part but I hated learning Hebrew. So as the days ticked by getting closer and closer to when I would have to conduct the service I began to panic. I reluctantly told him the day before I was to officially be a man that I would not possibly be able to go on. Wisely he did what I imagine has been done many times before and will be done many times in the future but for me was a life saving solution. We would tape an English translation of the Hebrew into the Torah. What a wonderful anditote to instantly reducing panic anxiety without drugs. These two acts from real people in response to real complex concerns is the essence of what I refer to as a "grounded" non transcendental spirituality.
I thank you for your wonderfully thoughtful and elightening program.