Date: 2005-04-09
From: Chestoa Bridge, ERWIN , TN

To: Beauty Spot Campsite
Miles today: 11.0

AM: A Saturday post office opens at 10 am, meaning that our shuttle will be the late one. This town is a trap. I miss the woods. I can't wait to get out of here.PM: It was very nice to get back out on the trail. Despite the still unexpected crowds, the woods have a way of helping me relax and get out of the mindset of town. We sat for lunch on a footbridge that crossed a stream. Yesterday's rainfall accumulating below, and towering hemlocks surrounding in the shady cool where rhododendrons grow, I enjoyed a Nutella-smothered bagel, a pack of crackers, some GORP, and a Snickers. Much better than it may sound! The water ran underfoot, and we became part of the trail again.Walking today brought ample reflections, aka ideas for the journal. The first is an attempt to record briefly my understanding of sin. Sin is often reduced to "the bad, impure things we do," often as individuals. Since sin is difficult to measure, most of us tend to create rulesfor themselves. Do this, don't do that (can't you read the signs). Hence, the Hebrew Law and the Pharisees. I don't grant much credence to that approach. Rather, I believe sin to be relative, mainly apparent when we sin relationally, or when other people are involved. For instance, I used to believe that a sin was to drink, cuss, smoke...etc. NONSENSE. I'll qualify that. Here's my rough definition of a sin: " A sin is when the character of God within us is masked or compromised by the way we treat other people, usually when we cater to our own concerns instead of someone else's more urgent needs." As a youngster I would ask forgiveness for cussing under my breath but feel no conviction about pooking fun at the overweight kid or the outcast. I was way off; backwards, in fact. That brings me to a thought on conviction.I don't believe that any moral law is written on my heart, despite Paul. I don't believe the Holy Spirit will convict me of any sin that I have not already processed in my brain. That means moral law, to me, is learned and intellectual, not something revealed mysteriously by emotion. That means that one's theology dictates one's conviction. I no longer feel conviction about some of the things I already mentioned because my theology has changed. I now understand that God wants me to reveal (insert gender neutral possessive pronoun here) light to others by following the social message of Jesus, not the personal piety measures of the Pharisees...or fundamentalist Christians. Social Justice is the goal of God for the world, not purity, and since I'm in the world, that's God's plan for my life. I am but a string in the intricate tapestry of a cosmic redemption sceme.Tonight we're on Beauty Spot, an aptly named bald at 4400 ft, overlooking the Tri-Cities. There are about 20 thru-hikers up here tonight. The bonfire looks to last into the night, and the laughter seems to be sustained and gaining intensity with each outburst. It's a big party up here. One of the highlights was when Proteus (another thruhiker) downed a good bit of Wild Turkey Whiskey and tried to catch Chaya. He dove mightily, several times, but she was much too quick. We all got a great laugh out of it. The Hemlock Muppet and Birdie are here with Beem, Hunter the dog. Heald and Annie, English Bob, Shawn, Bam Bam, Quarter of the Way, Nurse Nick, Senator, Buttah, Leviathan, Proteus, Waypoint, and others are here.I hope it settles down since it's getting late.Another topic of rambling: perspective. Sometimes you have to be far away to get a good look at something, and when you can't see the fullness of something, it's usually because you're getting really close to it. I was reflecting on a paper I wrote my senior year at Emory & Henry today. The paper was an indedpendent study on the life and theology of John Wesley, a 26 page essay entitled: "Ecclesiastical Sanctification and the Wesleyan Ecumenical Ideal." At the time, I wanted to use big words in the title, I guess to make myself sound more intellegent than I really am. The jist of the thesis was that Wesley wanted the universal church to be unified in purpose, and by doing so, it would become holy. With the perspective of 2 years, I would have never tried to pull-off a title like that again because I'm not that insecure about my intellect anymore. At the time I was too close to notice the facade. Oh yeah, Dr. Reiff, if you're reading, I never received any comments on that paper. Maybe that's a good thing, but I'd still like to know if I was off-base.Wow, I've written too much. On to reading my book, "Ishmael," by Daniel Quinn.I'm just a Tennessee WalkerJoshua Ashton Hill"Let me dive into the water, leave behind all that I've worked for, except what I remember and believe. And when I stand on the farthest shore, I will have all I need." --David Wilcox.