Heroes and "fools for Christ"

One of the favorite things I learned while in an Eastern Orthodox Christian monastery was the term "fool for Christ." These "fools" were simply, and often simple, spiritual people who had truly found their connection to God, to a higher order. It changed their lives, but in doing so it often cost their lives. The "fools" would confront what they perceived as non-Christian behavior in even the powerful, both within the church and the State. And for doing so, were often executed or persecuted for their efforts. Many of the Orthodox saints were "fools for Christ"

What prompted this diary was an essay that konopelli wrote at the My Left Wing blog that is entitled "God Must Have Some Plans for Us..." Link here,

http://www.myleftwing.com/...

His (assumption) essay dealt with a deadly plane crash in the Congo which resulted in the deaths of many black Congolese. The white Christian missionaries in the plane survived, and he commented that they "all walked away, singing the praises of their Lord..." for having saved their (white) lives. konopelli's essay did not mention concern or remorse for the dead and wounded, although I feel sure (at least I certainly hope) there was some.

Back to topic at hand. I witnessed a hero once, during my sixty years of life. My dad and I were driving towards Midwest City, Oklahoma, and I was watching a jet fighter take off. This would have been around 1960. It must have suffered a flame-out, meaning the engine quit, or some other mechanical failure during take off. Rather than eject and turn the aircraft loose in a highly populated area, which was his option, the pilot chose to turn it nose down and dive into a field, and by doing so took his own life. That is a hero.

Back to the "fools for Christ." If you read some of the history of these folk, you come to understand that they were true heroes, and often gave their lives willing, simply to help others. And that, I would say, is being both a hero and a true Christian.

Given konopelli's essay about the missionaries and their subsequent comments, I would have to say that they, the missionaries, were neither heroes nor "fools for Christ."

•  Tip jar, for those so inclined.

  I think it is sad that I've met one "hero" in my sixty years, and sadder still that I feel I have yet to meet a "fool for Christ." Martin Luther King Jr. was one, but I never really met him. Gandhi, although Hindu, also was. Perhaps the term should be "fool for God" instead.

  by allep10 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 09:18:23 PM PDT

  •  damn! these thing ratchet off quick, don't they?

    by allep10 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 09:21:02 PM PDT

    •  Unfortunately, yes

      And this excellent diary should get lots of attention. Thank you for writing it.

      by Ekaterin on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 09:25:44 PM PDT

      •  And thank you for the comment, Ekaterin. n/t

        by allep10 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 09:33:35 PM PDT

  •  Some of the Holy Fools

    simply went around behaving very strangely -- making the point that what Christ asks of us in not social conformity or worldly acceptence and success, but rather to love Him and each other without regard to all the abusrd niceties.

    Too much that passes under the title Christianity has very little of that absurd, transformative, self-sacrificing love in it.

    by silent no more on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 09:25:52 PM PDT

    •  Agreed entirely, silent no more.

      "Too much that passes under the title Christianity has very little of that absurd, transformative, self-sacrificing love in it."

      You seem to have a good heart. May many blessings be upon you, and Ekaterin, too. Thanks for your comment.

      by allep10 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 09:37:58 PM PDT

  •  The term "fools for Christ" struck me

    differently than you describe it but I like the term. I;m not quibbling with what they are because I didn't know the term but I'll tell you how I feel it.

    I don't link it with dying, not even for others although it could lead to that and they would face death with less resistance than most and there is a certain fearlessness.

    I feel ~opening to the unknownm giving yourself over to it. Though you know the unknown is Christ (or perhaps you don't) it is a different kind of knowing, beyond common logic...a knowing of the heart, something ineffable that you couldn't share in words to explain yourself.

    You wouldn't know where you're going or what you'll do except for the step you are taking, the moment. Plans might come but can change in the blink of an eye, a spontaneity but just your own whim though your whim is used. It's that inner flow that moves you and ever flowing deep within is this certain peace and joy that is independent of the outer circumstances.

    Your life will change but you don't know in what direction and it might look better and it might look worse.

    In a sense it's not quite like being back in the garden but the garden is in you wherever you go, original innocence.

    That's heroic in itself, not just the courage that it takes to make the inner steps of release but because you'll always be where you should be when you are needed there although you might not know why or how what you did mattered. Perhaps for no reason you know of you move a hat you see deserted on a bench, knowing you need to whyever and then moving on. The owner of the hat returns and has to take time searching  and because he is delayed those minutes an accident does not happen.

    We just never know. The closer we are to being ourselves the better chance that we're all heroes on this mythical journey of life.

    Which all wanders from what you wrote but it came into my mind because of what you wrote so I shared it. Thanks

    by joynow on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 09:57:32 PM PDT

    •  And thank you for having done so, joynow.

      I found your comment to be very close to the feeling I get when I read of these folk; they are simply open to the moment, aware of their surroundings, and respond to what they see, and what they feel in their hearts. If I can grow up to be a "fool for God" I'll be quite happy; if I don't, well, I don't really want to go there. As best I know, none of the "fools for Christ" were ever physically violent, it would have been beneath them.

      by allep10 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 10:10:09 PM PDT