Thanks for this, it's really interesting! I think you're right, people can't know if they're truly accepting of their own death until they actually have to face it. I think for me dealing with other people's death is a much more urgent problem. I mean, ok, I might be in a fatal accident tomorrow, but statistically it's likely that I will suffer several bereavements before I eventually die myself.
I do agree that liturgical optimism can be powerful in the right context. I like
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil
and, ugh, the BCP translation of Ps 90 misses a lot of nuance, they have:
You turn us back to the dust and say, "Go back, O child of earth
which doesn't explain why I like it. You turn each mortal back to dust, and You say: "return, o children of humanity". Return to God [in repentance], not go back, 'go back' sounds like rejection. I like that Psalm because it addresses the fact that God creates suffering and death, and I feel more able to be sincere in hoping for redemption / resurrection if I don't have to handwave that away.
Miscellaneous. Eclectic. Random. Perhaps markedly literate, or at least suffering from the compulsion to read any text that presents itself, including cereal boxes.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-08 05:38 pm (UTC)I do agree that liturgical optimism can be powerful in the right context. I like and, ugh, the BCP translation of Ps 90 misses a lot of nuance, they have: which doesn't explain why I like it. . Return to God [in repentance], not go back, 'go back' sounds like rejection. I like that Psalm because it addresses the fact that God creates suffering and death, and I feel more able to be sincere in hoping for redemption / resurrection if I don't have to handwave that away.