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July 3, 2005
Creeds
[NOTE: The Mprize does not endorse any religion or any lack of religion. The Mprize does, however, appreciate my father's donation of $10/month.]
"Jeremy, give me the first line of the Apostles' Creed," I said to the associate pastor of my father's church as we were about to process down the aisle behind the choir. In about thirty seconds I was going to have to lead the congregation in the creed, and though I've known it since I was old enough to talk (We all remember the stories of my mom teaching me creeds in an effort to try to get me to fall asleep during the first several years of my young life when I never seemed to be tired. It didn't make me sleepy, but I learned a lot of creeds) but I've had so many pieces of information floating around in my head lately, some of which begin with "I believe," that I was distinctly afraid that I'd start the congregation reciting the wrong thing.
The creed is a statement of belief, and when shared with others and proclaimed loudly in unison, it can have its own haunting power. My father's church, where he was installed as pastor this morning but has been serving since January, has the atmosphere of a very old southern Methodist church, complete with deep red carpets, high white arching walls, and beautiful dark wood pews with rich red cushions (very important for those us who are a little more advanced in our CR.) The thundering sound of 125 people saying the creed together was impressive to the ear, and to the spirit.
What do you believe in? What do you believe in strongly enough that you would stand (if possible) and proclaim it? When I first learned the creeds, they were just a series of words: my under-five year old brain wasn't ready to comprehend what I was saying. I liked the sound of the words, and it was fun to be able to keep up with the grown-ups in church. Memorizing like that early in life, combined with what is probably a genetic gift for memory, turned me into the MR-quoting freak who showed up at the CRS conference, ready to entertain any and all with long passages from the Firebreathing One's most fire and brimstone works, most of which I knew by heart. Some of the passages were just words when I first read them, especially the more complex scientific ones. But as I said them over and over again to myself, the meaning sunk in. Part of the process of changing my life and reclaiming my health was learning these principles that I memorized in MR's writing so that they seemed to be a part of me.
You'd have a hard time getting CR folks to agree on a creed; other than Fewer Calories = More Life, there's not much we agree on. Our diversity of thought is, in my opinion, one of our strengths. We honor and value our differences. Besides, think of how long it took those church fathers to come up with the creeds. Makes that last list argument about eggs look like a minor skirmish!
I thought I'd take a shot at my own CR'd life-extensionist creed. Write your own and put it in a comment.
I believe in the power of human beings to take control of our life and health. I believe that fewer Calories equals more life, and that those Calories should not be squandered on the empty Carbs of Death, but should consist of at least 30% Protein, that it may nourish our bodies and bring joy to our souls. I believe in the Vegetable, bearer of Vitamins C and A, and in its crunchy deliciousness that satisfies with great volume but few Calories. I believe in the holy unsaturated fat, Omega 3 and Omega 6 in balance, and in its vehicles the flax oil, the hazelnut, and the olive oil. I believe in the Eggwhite, pure incarnation of the Egg, wholly eggy, yet devoid of that saturated fat which brings poison to the arteries and disease to the heart. And I believe in the non-fat dairy products: in cottage cheese, yogurt, and fat free ricotta, that strengthen our bones and comfort our empty stomachs.
I believe in the mystery of the Zone, and in the power of the macronutrient ratio to calm our cravings so that we may bring our Calories ever lower. It shall come in glory at the end of days to judge the Atkins and the Ornish, the low-fat and the low-carb. I believe in the communion of CR'd folk, the forgiveness of past gak-eating, the repair of the body, and (through radical anti-aging biomedicine) the life everlasting, or at least lasting a very long time. Amen.
May the Megamuffin be with you.
And also with you.
Posted by april at July 3, 2005 2:18 PM
Comments
> I believe in the communion of CR'd folk, the forgiveness of past gak-eating
This is very important, I think, and I thank you for bringing it up. I myself have committed the very grievous sin of eating gak, and am grateful that through repentance (eating non-gak), one can be forgiven, both by one's self, and by one's peers.
I still eat gak, but I'm learning how to eat less and less of it. Please forgive me if it takes me a few months, or even a year, to move to a gak-free life. And let us not judge others who eat gak, but try with loving patience and kindness to show them the light, that eating non-gak leaves one more satiated and energetic and healthy.
Posted by: Jay Fox at July 3, 2005 8:07 PM
Hi Jay!
You are so right!!!
Most of us still ocassionally eat something that is, shall we say, sub-optimal. No big deal! I think it's exciting to be improving all the time, and I definitely have a long way left to go! You will have setbacks -- almost all of us do -- the thing is to get right back on track and keep going.
Thanks for the comments. I think that almost all of us can identify. I know I can.
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Posted by: april at July 4, 2005 6:59 AM
Love the creed.....I'm still making up for the sleep lost when you were a baby and I taught you creeds so you might go to sleep. For all of the bloggie friends--my work is in ethics and librarianship and the broader field of information ethics. We talk a lot about codes of ethics--for ALA (American Library Association) etc. http://www.ala.org Makes me think that librarians should have a creed instead of a code of ethics. Makes a lot more sense and perhaps easier to ask people to proclaim their ideals. Sounds more affirming and not so punitive. I'll try it.
Posted by: Marti at July 5, 2005 8:06 AM