SL Blog #2

The people I am serving are mentees from 7th grade to sophomore year in high school. Glover is located in the Northwest and Northtown neighborhoods. Therefore, the mentees come from two different areas in Spokane. They are generally of lower middle class backgrounds. Communities in Schools runs GAME. Communities in schools is a program that actually works. Because of CIS, there are fewer dropouts. At this moment, 1/3 kids in spokane drop out. CIS is all about having mentors for young people. They believe young people need mentors in their life, to promote "student success." -cis website. Mentors help raise the self esteem, promote team spirit, and motiviate the students that they can put their mind to.

POV: I don't really understand why I'm here. My teachers talked to my parents about how I act with other students. Going to GAME on Wednesday nights are such a waste of time. We play dodge ball every week. I mean, I guess I do pick on other kids alot... I feel like i have to prove something to others, so I put up a front. I really wish I could be like the Gonzaga athletes. They are so cool. Sometimes they get mad at me for saying mean things to other people. Maybe I should listen. I'm not doing too well in school either. They say that's why I'm here. School is not fun... But I guess I'll have to stay put if i want to go to GU... Its really hard at home sometimes. My parents fight alot. I'm scared sometimes. I guess its nice to get away for a few hours a week. Maybe I won't skip GAME this time..

There is a need for an older role model in the lives of glover middle students. Many of them are chosen to be in game because they are at-risk. This may be with their families, how they interact with other people, or because they are not doing well academically. One in three Spokane students drop out. CIS is a program that actually reduces the rate of drop outs. When us mentors show kids how the mentors behave, the mentees want to follow that example simply on the premise that we are older. We can make a difference in their lives by showing them how to work with others, and how they can succeed.


Blessed are the young, for they are the future of the earth.

Crimes and Misdemeanors

Katherine Conyers
Professor Bass
RELI120
Movie Paper #1
Crimes and Misdemeanors
The film Crimes and Misdemeanors was written by Woody Allen, and was released in the 1980’s. In Crimes and Misdemeanors, the characters Ben and Judah Rosenthal have different views of God and His/Her role in the universe. These different ideas of God affect how they carry out their lives.
The characters Judah and Ben have different images of God. Judah views God as a judge, while Ben views Him/Her as King. Over the years, Judah has become less religious, and more involved in his work and his money. Judah distances himself from God, because doesn’t know how to communicate with Him/Her. He has spent the latter half of his life focusing on everything but God, and therefore is out of touch with Him/Her. Judah is so distant from God, and therefore views him as a judge. Because Judah is sinful, God seems further away from him than He might to Ben. Judah has a pessimistic view of God. The only contact Judah has had in his life to God is when he is sinful. The only God Judah knows is judgmental and makes Judah feel like he is a horrible person. For Judah, the role of God is to be a conscience, and make people remember their actions.
Bens image of God is very different from Judah’s. Ben views God as King because it is all he knows. As a religious man, God consumes his life. God is his life and profession. As a rabbi, Ben is in contact, in person or while preaching, with many people on a daily basis. He helps them reevaluate their lives and their faith journey. He is a counselor to Judah when he is in need. He lays the law down for Judah and gives him advice to look for what is long lasting and self sustaining rather than the quick, temporary. This advice is much like his life. He has chosen to follow the kingdom of God on earth, rather than deal with the impermanence of human tradition. Because he is involved in his city via his synagogue he has a community. His faith brings him closer to others, and helps him think of the world as a warm, welcoming place. In the middle of New York, it is difficult for one to feel as if they are making a difference in the lives of others. Ben has an optimistic view of God because God has brought many people together in such a large area. He thinks the role of God is to bring everlasting hope, rather than the transient glimmers that the world has to offer.
Judah and Ben’s images of God directly affect how they live their lives. Judah specifically turns further from society because he is far from God. Judah is Jewish, and was raised in a very religious family. However, his family also has conflicting ideas. He has different input from his brother and father about how he should live. His brother is a humanistic idealist, and seems to be atheistic, while his father is religious and believes in tradition. This influences Judah to keep away from religion. Judah is under a pressure from his Brother to get into the real world, and pressure from his father to be righteous so he can go to heaven. Judah’s father tells him that “The eyes of God are always watching”. The thought that God is watching, is constantly brought up in the movie. The recurring thought reveals how guilty Judah feels about his actions. These opposite ideals are the battle that goes on in Judah’s mind throughout the movie. When he struggles with whether to commit a sin or not, he thinks back to his Father’s teaching. Because Judah is so distant from God, he sees the world through dog eat dog eyes. This competition makes him bury his nose in his work. He is so involved with his work and his money that he doesn’t consider the consequences of his actions. He chooses to fall in love with another woman, to mix up his mundane life. Maybe if had a good influence in his life he might think to consider the results of each small action that leads him further from the Kingdom of God. It also leads him further away from the world. Unlike Ben, who people depend on, Judah can more easily seclude himself. Sure, he may help the sight of some people, but he doesn’t have many close friends from his work. He doesn’t even know Ben that well when he confides in him. Rather than making a profound difference on the lives of others like Ben, Judah becomes reclusive and rejects the world entirely. He is pessimistic about God. The life Judah lives brings him further away from others.
It is ironic that Judah is an ophthalmologist, yet is ignorant of the consequences of his actions. At the same time, Ben is blind, but desires to positively impact the people around him with his faith and counsel. Woody Allen could have placed this metaphor in the movie to show that even the most prosperous of people have tragic flaws.
Judah and Ben live different lives because of their ideas about God. They have different places for God in their lives. Judah drifts away from God, while Ben finds God in everyday life.
The universe is what we make of it. Like Judah and Ben, we are conditioned by their parents, faith, or environment to view the world in different ways. The universe is what we make out of it. I think parts of it are fantastic, and others are unfamiliar and unfriendly. For example, I love Gonzaga University. When I leave my phone on a table, someone will tell me I dropped it. People smile here, and open the door for you. It is small enough where friendly faces can be seen everywhere. When I visited my brother in New York, I was scared out of my mind—it was a completely different story. He lived in Williamsburg when I visited him, which was very secluded from the big island, and very industrial looking. The city itself was shocking—the people looked like scenery because there were so many! In the hustle and bustle of daily life in New York, how is it possible for one to think of others? So I believe it depends where we choose to live. The universe is full of good and evil, and we have to find the place that suits us best. We can examine the role of God in our lives and try to let God positively affect our lives.


Works Cited
www.imdb.com

SL blog

Game is Gonzaga Athletes Mentoring for Excellence. We work with kids in middle school, playing games from 7-9pm. We help build self confidence and give them a safe place to hangout after dark. There is a wednesday group and a tuesday group. I go to the wednesday group, where we work at Glover Middle School.


Sunday, GAME had an orientational meeting. There were a bunch of us college kids learning about a few games to play. It was hillarious. i'm pretty sure i had more fun than i should as a young adult. First we played "on the creek, on the bridge" we would stand on one side of a rope and when our director said on the creek/bridge we would hop over. We played another game where five people stood up in the front and one would turn around and start telling a story until another person turned around and began- so me and 4 other people told embarassing stories about ourselves that were cut up into different times. it was hillarious!

So wednesday was my first day at GAME. It was so much fun! There were more mentors than mentees, which was a bummer but it was still a lot of fun. We played this game where one person would flip a coin and when i twas heads, they would squeeze the thumb of te person next to them, and create this chain reaction. Two lines tried to get to a koosh ball first. Then we had free time, so I reffed a sweet game of ping pong and played Jenga. Then we had this ultimate game of dogeball-which was the best game we played. We would run around and when we got hit with a ball, we would sit down untill the person who got us out was out. This was such a good system because everyone got to play for a longer period of time. Game was really fun. I can't wait to get to know the kids and make GAME a staple in my weekly activities.

RP #3

Crossan continues to give examples of scenarios we have interpreted as true and makes them more plausible to what they could likely have been, by using previous text, and historical context. Crossan came up with a few shocking, yet notable revelations. He states that on palm sunday Jesus never paraded into town. Crossan belives the last supper never happened because the last suppers do not have corresponding dates.

Crossan goes over the scenarios where Jesus reappeared to the disciples or performed miracles. One of my favorites is when crossan goes over the woman that anointed Jesus. She remains unnamed, however Jesus says she'll be famous--contradictory to what is actually true,

Finally the epilogue comes where Crossan describes the characteristics of Jesus-how he came to the poor looking like them, with an entirely different message. you can feel how radical this Jesus guy was--walking up to strangers, telling them about the word of God--giving them hope. I think Crossans epilogue makes the biography come full circle. Jesus was the ultimate grassroots organizer--he had no political power, and just relied on others to spread the word of God. His "words" or advice became a revolution, an he starte a revolution of new thought, and revival of religious life. He brought the living into the kingdom of God.

Self Portrait through History

This is a picture of me doing the Aids walk in Spokane.
This picture may be historically important in the future if LGBT rights are expanded or if health care is more readily accessible in the united states. This issue is very important to me because as an Episcopalian, I am a very big supporter of lgbt rights and domestic partnership. Aids is an issue that effects every population, but the gay community is very much associated with it. I hope one day that negativity towards these issues are less prevalent, and that awareness of both issues are expanded.

I would really like to have a picture of me in front of the National Cathedral in DC, or in Aneheim, California where the 76th annual General Convention was held for the Episcopal Church. I wish I could have been there. My church is one of the first churches to openly, publicly, wholly admit that we have gay members in our clergy and congregation.

The openness of the church to accept gay and lesbian members into their community shows how far this world has come in accepting LGBT peoples. I think that though the episcopal community is small, we have made a very large statement to the world that we are ready to coexist if they are.

Reflection Paper #2

Crossan opens his new chapter with contrasting definitions of "Basileia" and "kingdom." Kingdom is the closest definition we have for Basileia-some sort of ruling power. The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is associated with the highest majesties in English.. But the Greek version may have a more profound sound, because the word Basileia means more than kingdom, it is more o fa divine rule. Most think of the Kingdom of God as something to look forward to after death. Crossan points out that this is not the case--we must relate this kingdom to our life. So he explains the four-fold path of the Kingdom of God-
there is time divided into two parts - present and future, and there is class- peasants vs high class. The kingdom of heaven should, as crossan states, be viewed as an basic ethical standard (how to live like the divine, be a moral person, etc), rather than a future place that exists only after death. Everyone must attempt to live in this ethical kingdom to continue on. There are two standards for this future kingdom, for upper and lower class. The upper class must rule with dignity and keep peace in their kingdom. The wise must work to ban ignorance and ethnocentrism. The lower class must strive to be like Jesus--he was in the lower class.
I think its fantastic that Crossan points out that we must attempt to live in the present ethical kingdom to share in divinity. Its a relief to imagine that the kingdom of God is here on earth rather than waiting for the unknown that we will live or not live out in the future. I think living peacefully and in harmony with earth to the best of ones ability is relieving and is taking part in the Kingdom of God--I find it great that one can find peace in living out morale and just ways.

Crossan understands that it is hard for us to relate, as Americans, to the lives that first century Mediterraneans lived. Americans are focused on getting to the top by their selves, whereas the people of the first century were focused on their family and work. Family is important, because Jesus stressed that everyone could be part of Gods family, could be his brother or sister. Family brought about a lot of controversy. Basically all the drama in the 1st century derived from the family: every woman is required to marry, have children, and so forth. Some that were unable to perform these tasks were exiled--Crossan thinks Jesus wanted people to denounce their families so things like this wouldn't happen, so that the balance of power would be restored to all being equal.

Crossan also points out that only the beggars are poor. a mistranslation divides desitute and poor. We commonly believe that those that are lacking any sort of wealth have rewards in the kingdom of heaven. Crossan basically says only those who are born in third world countries with no chance whatsoever to move ahead are rewarded in the kingom of God. Maybe this also means that by the poor in spirit are really extremely defecit in spirit--meaning mentally ill? Baically Crossan is saying all of us are horrible people and have no excuse, and should repent for our sins.


I am relieved to hear an explanation that i am familiar with. Crossan talks about how Jesus ate at the table with tax collectors,sinners, gross people. Therefore, he was associated with them, by keeping their company. Inviting someone to eat with you was a very strong statement back then.


Crossans writing sure is interesting, and I do believe he makes some valid points. I'm not so sure this is a strict biography of life events, at least not yet. I feel like Crossan is starting to narrow things down and decipher exactly what Jesus wanted from his followers.

Life Events September 15.

• Have there been any specific events in your life that have changed the way you view things? High School had a big impact on my life. I went on this awesome retreat called KAIROS. It changed how i thought about people, God, and how i wanted to treat others. I also got fired from a job (was re hired later), which was a big turning point in my life.

Did you view these events as negative or positive at the time they happened?
Both of these events had similar lasting impacts, but they were different when they first happened. When I got fired, i felt horrible and wanted to change everything about myself... When I went on Kairos, i felt like i was loved and accepted,and wanted to change for the better.

• What do you have as tangible proof of the major turning points and influences of your life? What kind of images and writings do you have that denote these events?
I have T-Shirts from the job i had, and I have a necklace that says live the fourth on the back of it from KAIROS. I also have proof in journals from KAIROS. I have more proof from both in pictures.

• When you think about major influences in your life, you may think of personal items that carry significance not obvious to the outside observer, but that act as triggers for your memory or are emblematic of the time, place, or people who have influenced you. Can you make a mental list of some of these things? Is there any commonality between these items? If you group these items together, what kind of a picture do they create about your life?

i think of a cross, a journal, a guitar, water, and pine trees.
They are very much God related... All of them are interconnected with what reminds me of, or what is my image of God. They create something to build off of..

• Take a few minutes to think about a major turning point in your life, an event that happened to you or someone else, or perhaps to the world outside of yourself, that you think has had an impact on how you turned out.
• Take 15 minutes to elaborate on this event, what happened, and how it impacted you. In what way are you a different person because of what happened? What were the positive and negative aspects of this event? What is the most important thing you learned about yourself as a result of this event?
A turning point in my life was probably when i was twelve. I had neighbors that were super into god (nondenominational christian) and i wanted to find that drive, that motivator for myself. So i asked to go to church. My mom wanted to try out these "episcopal" churches.. I had no idea what they were but apparently my grandparents who were British went to an Anglican Church back home, and my mom wanted to honor my parents. It turned out, being Episcopalian is the best religion that i could be involved in. I love Catholicisim, i went to a catholic school, sometimes i wish i was catholic, but #piscopalian is just the right mix for me. It's helped me in everything i do, been my guiding light in everywhere I go. The only negative parts about this are that my brother is pretty agnostic, and thinks religion is a flawed institution.. So its been a bummer having him dislike that part of my life, but i couldn't live without it.



• What makes turning points so powerful? turning points can make you a brand nedw person. and help you reflect on things, no matter how short the time, if you keep a constant reminder of your turning point, you might be able to change for good.
• What can you gain from a turning point? You can gain insights about yourself and life and maybe even start over.
• Have you experienced a change in the way you view turning points over time (i.e. did you experience a turning point as negative at first, then realized it had a positive outcome over the longer period). yes, sometimes things like breakups are super painful at first, but in the long run you can become a better person by getting over the person and moving on, taking some you time and starting over fresh.
• Do you think there are any turning points that have no positive aspects? there can be negative turning points. physical/emotional abuse or drugs, for example can lead people down a windy path.