Caught in our own web

This fable, Caught in Her Own Web, to me illustrates how we often let the wrong part of our brain do our thinking. The brain has three parts; the brainstem which controls automatic processes like respiration which operate solely for survival. This is the part of the brain we have in common with reptiles. The limbic system controls our emotional responses like love, hate, bond and play. It also mediates between pain/pleasure, fight/flight responses. This is the part of the brain we have in common with other mammals. These two parts of the brain function automatically and make up only 15% of our brain. The rest is the neo-cortex, it is the home of our creativity, our ability to analyze and symbolize. Using your neo-cortex allows you to learn new ways to cope and imagine alternatives. It is the human part of our brain. If you could locate where the image of God resides, it would probably be in the neo-cortex.

In his seminal work, called Generation to Generation, Dr. Friedman identified ‘reptilian regression’ as those times when because of some sort of anxiety we become reactive, impulse overwhelms intention, instinct sweeps aside imagination. The reptilian part of our brain takes over when what is most needed is the capacity to use the human part of our brain to find new and imaginative responses.

The Gospel of John today gives us Jesus’ version of this. “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Focusing on saving your life is survival thinking. Living the gospel is all about imagining different responses to the world but all too often, we allow our reptilian brains to rule the day. This country has been in the throes of a reptilian regression ever since September 11. We have allowed fear to make all of our decisions and very little creative thinking has gone into our responses to the world. The whole immigration issue right now is being played out in fear based reptilian thinking. There is proposed legislation that would make it a crime for churches and other aid agencies to help anyone who is here illegally. Cardinal Mahoney, for all of his failings on other issues, has been absolutely right to come out and say any law that tells the church not to feed the hungry and help the desperate and destitute is wrong. Immigration is a very complicated issue but if we operate from fear and anger we will block the imagination that is so need right now.

I’ve had several conversations lately with people here about fear. People are concerned about my being here at the church alone. Am I safe? When is keeping the door open and unlocked too risky? Now, I’m all for being smart and cautious when it is needed but I never allow myself to be afraid. I simply refuse to give fear any kind of power over my life and actions. When I moved into my little cottage at the church in Bloomfield Hills, MI., the senior warden was very concerned about my being there by myself. She wanted to put in an elaborate security system with motion detectors and rapid response and I said “no.” It was an incredibly safe neighborhood and I told her that I didn’t believe in being that afraid.

The only real security we have is faith that we are loved by God, that we don’t need to be perfect or perfectly protected from injury or upset. Life happens and it is up to us to respond to its challenges with our spirit and imagination in such a way that the world is made a better place for everyone.

This series of fables that I’ve read to you during Lent has been a beginning of looking at how we relate to one another and the world. When we begin to understand that we can choose how we act and respond to challenge and change we create a place for God to do new things. When we choose hope and sharing and justice and love, Lent is over and it’s always Easter.