BY: Shane Claiborne
I cannot write a review on this book without applying it to my belief in faith. I cannot write about his writings other than it is descriptively powerful and funny. Most definitely cannot treat this memorabilia as a novel. So I'm going to write it with accordance to my faith, beliefs and still constant doubts.
From dressing the wounds of lepers in Calcutta to living among the homeless in Philadelphia to visiting families in Iraq, social activist Claiborne strives to live an authentic Christian life. In his view, he is a radical in the truest sense of the word, returning to the roots of Christianity by living as Jesus did and doing "small things with great love." A partner-founder of the Philadelphia-based faith community Simple Way, he presents an evangelical Christianity gentler and more inclusive than is usually seen, especially in the mass media. Although the book isn't an autobiography, in it Claiborne reports much about his life: growing up in the Bible Belt, becoming a Jesus freak, moving to Philadelphia despite his family's misgivings, and helping the homeless there. A moving, often humorous account of a life of faith lived to the fullest.
This is the first Christian book I've ever read unless you count the children's Bible (Yes, I have not read the Bible. Ever.). Whilst normally I love to be the denying lost sheep, I picked this book up because of the spark I had once I laid my eyes on its title.
Yes, I am your typical born Catholic sceptic.
Baptised, confirmed. Yet I left Church on a Sunday morning and only came back on dates that I felt like it. Most probably only come back to God on my dying bed.
I felt touched by this book, it made me bring back the moments I felt God was there. The peace I had at irremediable calamity and the Rosary that gave me sleep. However, where can I get the strength to see through the imperfections of the world, the different religious groups and myself.
I can understand Shane's undying compassion for others, I can also see myself taking a holiday in the future to help some village in the 3rd world. I could not however be like him and live poorly, devoted to my fate and I am just one of the many who feel the exact same way.
There is no complete selflessness in helping others. Even though sometimes we do things out of no reason that instant sweetness you give to the world is for your own satisfaction. "Do good and feel good." That is what it means. There is no wrong to it of course. I could do with a exponentially decreasing number of assholes around. What makes people who can give up everything at such a young age(not the 40 year olds who are tired of the rat race after successfully climbing the ladder)? How can these people be so selfless, I have no clue. And I bet I don't even have the faith and complexity to understand this.
I do not see myself living poorly just because someone is. I am not oblivious nor ignorant. I just do not see how my WILLING state of poverty can possibly be of any help to them. How is it people can work to give it all away? What is it about these poor people who deserve a constant share of my hard work. How do you differentiate between someone who could possibly help themselves apart from those who have no medium to.
How would I know some lazy bastard isn't taking advantage of my graciousness. And if someone tells me the Bible says give all because you can to anyone. Is God really so free to take care of injustice?
I really think God is angry with the world, you have all your natural disasters, religious wars, mutating viruses. He's not going to bother about me, I mean the Bible says "Help yourself so God can help you" right? So why can't I be a protective asshole and be selective?
Anyway I'm sure that Noah's Ark will be up and running again soon. I'll willingly die to cleanse the world really.
Then you have your religious wars. Or even better dominations of one belief divided by different interests, ways to worship and focus. They debate and debate with each other all day. Which one came first, what you're doing is wrong, have you no respect, why can't the revolutionized way of worship be the right way.
Why is it some Christian must always be up in my face and say why are you idolizing Mother Mary, she is not God. Why are you idolizing Jesus (but yeah Catholics love praying to lots of people but our main focus is our Father), he is the son of God, not the almighty. Okay so Jesus did this and that. But really do you think God should have come down himself to get you to notice his power? Then we might as well worship our pope, bishops, priests, monks and nuns.
Really must some Christian tell me "The right way"? If I have a stubborn hold to what I was born into, you can't really ask me to be logical right? And if I'm stubborn but know no shit about my own Catholic ways how do you expect me to compare myself to you? Why must we differ ourselves? We both love the almighty what is the problem really?
The Bible says lead those into righteousness, my Bible and yours are slightly different but same stories. People say don't interpret the Word of The Lord wrongly then you cannot be certain who is right any more.
I feel there is no proper place for religion in this world any more. We ambitious human beings, want to climb beyond the sky and have no problems at the possibility of entering the gates of higher hell. Today, we are so preoccupied by jobs, families and hierarchies. Have so many options out of simpletons.
I would say we can do without religion for now at least. What we need is love and compassion to stop killing each other for now. We can worry about the politics of religion later right now, we have to love our own brothers and sisters.
