Ferocious Feline

The horror was evident as I charged into the garage, having heard a horrendous screeching sound, and witnessed a sight that is indelibly printed on my mind forever. A vicious black cat was in the corner of the garage on top of Harrison, our light colored and favorite cat, digging his dark claws and feasting on the live flesh of our gentle pet. In my mind, I saw or maybe felt the terrifying fear and anxiety of Harrison as the sharp teeth of the black cat sank deliberately into the fur, the hide, and the gristle of the muscles of the back. It explained the large gashes Harrison had all over his body and explained why Harrison seemed to avoid venturing out of the garage. I knew right then it was time to do something about the black cat, time to protect Harrison, time to look out for the weak, time to make a decision, and time to interfere.

But, wait. Maybe I should step out of this situation and let the Darwinian concept of "survival of the fittest" take over and rule the world of nature. Who am I to interrupt the flow of the ecosystem and interfere with the natural selection process that seems to reward the strong and the mighty regardless of the perceived ethical dilemma of the moment? Besides, what difference does it really make if one cat kills another cat in a despicable manner? They are cats, for goodness sake. They do not understand quality of life nor address the moral position of their actions. They do not know cause and effect, consequences, assess behavior or reason, evaluate, synthesize, or make decisions based on facts. They operate by reacting to their own base needs for survival. They are animals and the animal world has its own value system apart from any intellect, moral code, or consideration of each other.

Yet there is something inhumane about allowing a defenseless creature to be overtaken by a vicious predator, an animal whose prime concern seems to be to dominate all others through forceful takeover of any obstacle in the pathway toward total control. I knew that while I had a choice, since everyone has a choice, I really had no choice, due to my own nature, but to protect the weak and counter the evil that was being perpetrated on our cat named Harrison. It took a few days, but eventually I caught up to the black cat, interfered, and put a stop to the terrible behavior. The black cat is no longer a threat and is now out of the picture. This ends the story of the black cat and his reign of evil terror, his pervasive darkness that found manifestation by inflicting pain on the weak, but it does not end the story of our obligation, our responsibility, and our need to offer security to those who cannot provide their own protection.

Next week we seek guardianship of our son Joel. Most people earn some rights at the age of 18. The right to make their own decisions, to run away, get married, vote, and to bear arms. But, in the case of Joel, we want to retain the level of guardianship that is our right as parents. We do this not to take away his freedoms nor to restrict his potential. Not to govern his every step nor to insist he become a certain kind of person. We seek to be his official guardians to help him make appropriate decisions and to protect him from the black cats of the world, from the rare but penetrating evil darkness that if allowed to fester could eat away unchecked at our autistic son. We seek to be his guardians because we love him and want only good to come his way. For most of us, we learn from adversity and we learn from challenges; but for Joel, he learns through example and through affirmation. It is our job to design a world of affirmation, a world of hope, a world of optimism, and mostly a world of love. But, ironically, we do this for Joel because he does so much more for us by making our world a better place. Thanks Joel!

Mahler and More, Pt. I

My enchantment with the music of Gustav Mahler began many years ago when my brother began listening to Mahler's First Symphony and associated it with the sunrise and the beginning of each new day. The symphony is magnificent in scope, containing moments of great power, other times of serene tenderness, raw energy, dark mystery, fear, joy, confusion, and leading to sheer exhilaration at an ending worthy of complete expression of all that is good and affirming. Using sophistication of orchestration, musical craft, creative expansion of traditional harmonic practice, and complexity of expression, Mahler's music is all encompassing both musically and philosophically.

But this blog entry is not intended as an entry specifically about Mahler. Instead, it is meant to examine how to apply and comprehend Mahler's eclectic and exhaustive philosophical approach to life. Not that I am not tempted to write on Mahler and his music. His music continues to fascinate me, reach me, and I have yet to feel I have truly captured or understood all that his music entails or all that Mahler was trying to communicate. I could easily write several essays on each symphony and could spend an entire year devoted to careful study of each symphony and each piece that came from his pen. His considerable experience in conducting and interpretation found fruition in colorful orchestration, complex counterpoint, and melodic expansion beyond that of his contemporaries Anton Bruckner and Richard Wagner.

One characteristic of Mahler's music is the use of folk song for many of his melodies, folk songs rich in melodic interest, singable, heart-felt, buoyant rhythms, music of and for the common people. He, of course, was not the first nor last to use folk songs, a technique dating back to the inception of music; but using folk songs in his symphonic output was more than a compositional technique but instead became an extension of his world-view and philosophical approach to the arts. He was not necessarily attempting to create music that demonstrated how sophisticated he could make peasant music nor was he trying to educate the masses by finding a common ground and taking them to new territory. Mahler, rather, was attempting to reach all people.

Whether he accomplished his goal or not is debatable, but what is intriguing is to decipher his musical mission that he undertook by mingling the concepts of folk music and cultivated music, the masses and the elites, the uneducated and educated, the sheep and the goats, the thinkers and the laborers! Mahler's ultimate musical offering as seen in his symphonic output as well as his songs for voice was to create art that could be experienced openly and accessibly by all. It is art at its finest and the personal achievement of a brilliant man who embraced and journeyed with all of culture from the most commonplace to the most sublime.

In the next segment, let's look at Symphony No. 3 in more detail and examine it in terms of a general philosophy of life's experiences and purpose.

Salt Lake City trip

I just returned from a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, where music executives from institutions all over the country gathered for a National Association of Schools of Music convention. When I was not in meetings or sessions involving music assessment or strategic planning, I walked about the city to experience the culture, visit the bookshops, see the visitors center at the Temple, and attend a concert. Thoroughly enjoying the environment of friendly people, warm smiles, thoughtful actions, and helpful attitudes, I found myself going from place to place full of a natural curiosity born from a blending of pragmatism and idealism that makes me wonder about the past and future of objects, events, and people. It is always a joy to dwell on where someone or something has been but it is pure fun to project potential and to anticipate what the future holds.

So I wandered about and wondered about all that I could see and began to think on all I could not see as I experienced this new and special world of Salt Lake City. The bookstores had that anticipated smell and feel of old books, yellowing pages, dusty covers, and the mystery of the wisdom of the ages one finds and experiences in libraries and old bookstores. I was mesmerized by the volume of books old and new, fiction and non-fiction, and not surprised to see an emphasis on books referencing geneaology and Mormon history as well as journals, bibliographies, and encyclopedias.

Each store was a treasure of surprise and expansiveness belying its narrow entry point and unassuming appearance. One antique store in particular had a narrow wooden door that opened into a small room filled with old furniture that caused created a sense of claustrophobia and discomfort. While my inclination was to smile at the proprietor and leave quickly, I decided to proceed further to see what magic may appear. To my surprise another narrow opening led to a cavernous room filled with a wide assortment of antiques, books, musical instruments, artifacts, jewelry, and an endless number of collectibles for anyone's interest level. While days could be spent in the store, it was time to move on. A quick stop at a violin making shop was enlightening as was a brief conversation with a homeless man seeking some financial help to ride the tram.

Up the street was the famous Cathedral of the Madeleine, a stunning work of architecture with a spectacular display of sculpture, color, archways, and aesthetic beauty that was breathless, in a dizzying display of religious iconography guaranteed to elicit an emotional response from even the most objective personality. A wooden floor, a grand piano, a large pipe organ with trumpet pipes, a tall ceiling, inlaid wooden sculpted plates, stained glass windows, and marble cenotaphs, all come together to form one of the most magnificent structures I have ever experienced. Although not Roman Catholic, I felt led to light a candle as I prayed and reflected on God's plan for me, my family, the world at large.

Prior to entering the Mormon Tabernacle for a concert of the music of William Walton with the combined choirs and orchestra of Brigham Young University the University of Utah in the Mormon Temple, I decided to enter the visitors center at Temple Square. I was moved by the stunning religious art, the refined atmosphere, the domesticity of the furnishings, and the juxtaposition of old and new, including modern technology used to introduce and embrace the past. The general friendly and cordial atmosphere of the people was infectious, inviting, and strangely comforting as I toured this facility in curiosity and wonder at the Mormon world and its obvious influence on so many.

The Tabernacle itself was beautiful and the music was performed with great accuracy and musical expression from the beginning to the end. The person I sat beside mentioned he attended at least one concert each week and loved all of them. It was a great experience and one I would like to have again someday.

While most of my time was spent in professional sessions related to music and administration, my most pleasant memories are of the city itself and the time with friends. On this Thanksgiving day, I give thanks to God for the many blessings, my family, my friends, and the goodness He has imparted to us.

Reunion Seminar report

I just returned from Waco, in the beautiful new structure called Brooks Residential College, Senior Commons Room, on the Baylor University campus, where I participated in a reunion seminar of the Baptist Leadership conference. This was a gathering of leaders and interested parties from Baptist higher education institutions to discuss the future of Baptist higher education. As a part of this seminar, we were encouraged to read the recently published book, The Future of Baptist Higher Education, a book published by Baylor Press and edited by Donald Schmeltekopf and Dianna M. Vitanza. This marvelous book containing essays by various Baptist academic leaders is not intended as a prescription for any perceived ailments infecting Baptist schools, nor do we find a blueprint for success in Baptist higher education, but, instead, we do find outstanding essays framing the challenges in Baptist higher education with proposed philosophical and pragmatic solutions for the future. It is well worth reading and good for many hours of great discussion!

Beginning with a speech outlining the differences in thought expressed in the book, the day progressed quickly with great intellectual intensity infused with Christian compassion and optimism for the future. The presentations were clear, thoughtful, prodigious, and transforming without falling into a sense of rebellion or radical departure from the general tenants of academic higher education. The first session was led by prolific author and leader of religious thought and philosophical practice, Robert Benne, and supplemented by a response from current Houston Baptist University president, Robert Sloan. While the content of the session was delivered with the speaker's usual unbounded optimistic style, the underlying path was mildly disconcerting with hints of concern, and firm reminders and expectations for institutional adjustments.

The response to the opening session was not unexpectedly supportive due to being in agreement with what had been said, yet the respondent's approach quickly moved into an exciting design for excellence in Baptist higher education. With an accurate but dramatic style, both presenters offered a thorough analysis of the value and necessity of addressing the issues of being a Baptist institution. As all great lectures tend to do, this session and its response elicited great curiosity and questions from all participants in the room. We were almost disappointed to break for lunch which meant putting a hold on the current discussion.

Following a light but delicious fare, we began again in groups to discuss more specific issues facing Baptist schools. In what ways are our institutions Christian? How do we embody the vision of Baptist faith in our schools? What should be the significance of the Baptist vision in faculty hiring, faculty development, and the curriculum? We dealt with these questions and more and had some fruitful and revealing conversations on these issues. All participants were congenial, concerned, pleasant, intelligent, and progressive in their comments, and although the conclusions were somewhat nebulous, the journey toward those conclusions was wrapped in hegemonic Christianity, compassionate visioning, energetic posturing, and vital philosophical truth-seeking.

It is difficult to condense a seminar into a few sentences and impossible to summarize the joys and challenges of Baptist higher education into a capsule of information; and yet, as the day progressed, I recognized once again that being a Baptist is being a Christian with individual freedom. Because of soul competency and church autonomy, we have the individual and corporate freedom to interpret scripture and formulate a church according to our own prescription under the authority of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. This very freedom, however, makes institutional definition subjective and independent which in turn can result in a lack of purpose and specific expectations. The very freedoms we enjoy as Baptists could also be our undoing were we to wander away from the distinctives of our faith. In the end, I realize that the essence of being a Baptist creates a set of dangers and potential problems that at the same moment creates another set of glorious possibilities. The necessary convergence of personal liberty and institutional mission come together to form our incredible Baptist schools. It is important to continue to value and encourage Christian action within the guidelines of what it means to be a Baptist.

Being of an objective, goal-directed personality and practice, there might have been a time when I felt overwhelmed by the questions presented and baffled by the complexity of the proposed suggestions for the future. Now, however, as I grow in faith and hopefully Christian maturity, I find the questions themselves to be enlightening and the prophetic investigation of Baptist application in higher education to be stimulating and encouraging with propitious and rewarding optimism for who we, the collective we, are and mostly for what we can become. It was a rich seminar that left me and the other participants inspired to apply principles of Baptist higher education to our own institutions. I continue to appreciate the work of Don Schmeltekopf as he rallies future Baptist leaders to make a positive impact on Baptist higher education.

The Mysteries of Lying, Cheating, and Stealing

Sitting at the dinner table, for a delicious but also typical meal of chips and hot sauce, rice, beans, nachos, and tacos, the topic, after having exhausted discussions of national politics and religious philosophy, turned to the events of the day. In between chips loaded with hot sauce, and nachos with cheese, guacamole, and sour cream, we heard a rather dark tale of a small 1st grade boy who, in an effort to get ahead, had taken a set of tickets from the teacher's desk, and then lied about the theft. He claimed to have found the tickets in his desk by saying they had suddenly "shown up." When questioned, he finally admitted to the theft, the lie, and the desire to cheat the other students. It was not a good moment for the little boy.

In the discussion that evening, we tried to determine the cause for the event including the general character of the student, the students' family background, the circumstances of the day, the position of the moon in the sky, the upcoming weather change, the sinful nature of man, the lack of accountability in our modern world, the effects of media on human behavior, the disintegrating moral fiber of our current culture, and the inevitable "kids these days" cliche'. Following this enlightening conversation, we entered into various ideas for appropriate punishment with the goal of how to deter future negative behavior. Several suggestions were put forth involving physical pain, hard labor, formal apologies, suspension, time-out, and various deprivation methods. In this enjoyable conversation, we turned to Joel to get his view of the best punishment.

Joel, our autistic 17 year old son, did not know how to relate to this conversation. The whole concept of someone who would lie, cheat, or steal is difficult, maybe even impossible, for Joel to envision. Furthermore, to fabricate an appropriate set of consequences for such action is completely beyond the scope of his thought processes. After realizing that Joel did not understand most of our conversation, I asked him what he thought would happen to him if he were to lie, cheat, or steal.

The unusual expression on his face is difficult to describe. Something akin to confusion but with more emotion behind it. I was a bit surprised since Joel tends to express his thoughts without much emotion. His face revealed a form of determination and conviction as he made the statement, "It will never happen, I will never do any of those things." We laughed, knowing that a person who makes such a statement is probably lying to himself. While we, as civilized human beings, have a desire to behave according to the law legislated by the government, and hopefully use important documents such as the Bible, as the authoritative written word guiding our moral framework, it remains difficult to uphold a high standard of expectation in all situations.

One cannot help but be moved by the story of Jean Valjean, the protagonist in Victor Hugo's marvelous novel Les Miserables, sentenced to 19 years of hard labor for stealing a loaf of bread in order to feed his starving family. Although it feels unjust to us to punish him for something he did out of necessity and out of compassion, at the same time we justify this in our minds by acknowledging he did, indeed, commit a crime. Did the punishment far exceed the crime? Certainly. Did he more than pay for his mistake? No question about that. And yet, his initial crime was a crime of choice in that he made the decision to take the bread knowing the possibility of the consequences of his action.

Joel does not have the ability to make those choices. He knows the rules and follows them. Stealing, lying, or cheating are mysteries to him due to not existing in his experience. Because of this, he cannot devise an appropriate punishment. The laws of cause and effect in the case of breaking the rules, are not in Joel's emotional makeup. He cannot fathom a punishment since he does not comprehend the crime. His innocence is not necessarily out of choice but rather out of natural character. The rest of us often have to work at doing the right thing, for Joel it is easy!