Conversations with angels and toasters

By Joe Perez

In the Jewish Renewal online magazine Zeek, Jay Michaelson discusses the theme of "Religion and Insanity." Actually, his concern isn't with insanity but mysticism. It's more to dispell the notion that doubt and cynicism are the peak of sophistication (a belief Michaelson says it a fixture in the contemporary literary culture). Michaelson finds doubt and cynicism mere defense mechanisms, revelations of our shame, fear, and ignorance. He writes:

So then, with whom do I have more in common -- the Evangelicals who trust their inspiration, or the literate atheists with whom I like to go to dinner? Really, I and people like me are split down the middle: I am aligned with the atheists on matters of science and cosmology, but aligned with the religionists on questions of spirit and subjectivity. Maybe that's why I feel myself increasingly distanced from my angel-channeling friend -- because he's not split down the middle, but has instead gone over to the other side. Or rather, to a side, as opposed to my have-my-cake-and-eat-it-too perch, astride the fence of doubt. With my meditation practice, I can feel grounded anywhere -- but perhaps that sense of groundedness prolongs my indecision. Whereas, if I trust my experience, then I, too, must admit that I am on the side of the Tarot cards, the evangelicals, and the New Agers -- without all their myth, but necessarily open to the possibility that the myth contains deep and useful symbolism for the unconscious mind.

And why, exactly, do I not believe the myth? Because it is more accurate to interpret my devekut as a mindstate, and condescendingly look down on the 90% of the people in the world who mistake their mindstate for a real, live deity? Their inspiration for divrei elohim chayim, the words of the living God? Is that really wisdom?

This post continues on Joe Perez's Until blog.