Stu News and Photos

First, a quick shout-out to my UConn homies - sorry for the confusion, the championships haven't started yet, I was referring to their game last Thursday against West Virginia, where they were participating in the Big East finals. The NCAA championships are just getting underway. But that's the men, the Huskies also have a women's team and they kicked total butt in the Big East.

Now, let's get down to the heart of this post, which is theological in nature. Those who wish to leave the room for this portion of our broadcast may do so now.

Allow me to start by saying that my health and the heath of my family is excellent. So those of you who worry, turn that down to a simmer.

I've had a philosophical conundrum rolling around in my head for a few years, maybe the past five or so. It starts with my chosen religion, Judaism. One of the main aspects of my religion (some would argue the chief aspect) is that I believe that there is a single entity that is omnipresent and omniscient, whom I/We refer to as G-d. Yes, I don't spell out the whole word, out of respect. We Jews take the 3rd Commandment pretty seriously, the taking of The Lord's name in vain. To me, this translates, in part, into, don't let The Lord's name get destroyed. That's what I was taught as a kid, which went for printing, and now, as an adult, it works for me in the Digital Age. So when I type His name, you'll see the hyphen.

So, obviously, I respect G-d. A lot. And in doing so, I want to do my best, especially the aspects of my religion that are specific to G-d. One of these is where it's ok to think about or pray to G-d. Seems to me, and feel free to correct me on this, the only place I'm not supposed to think about G-d is in the bathroom, where there is a toilet present.

At first, this made sense to me. Pee and poo are, to most folks, unclean. And thinking about G-d while in the process of something unclean seemed to be disrespectful.

And then, as I grew older, I began to delve deeper, and to fall more in love, with the idea of G-d's omnipresence. That He was everywhere slowly began to take root in my soul and initiated a level of comfort that I had never felt before.

And as I got deeper in that state, the more I began to think, the deeper I dug into my own brain, my own knowledge, as well as the knowledge of others.

And then I had a bathroom issue that involved a mild level of discomfort for a very short period of time. But the discomfort was such that I started to pray. And then I stopped myself. I remembered where I was and just stopped. I hummed. I sang. I talked to myself. And I got through the pain.

But I didn't get over the thought: Why was I not aloud to reach out to G-d, who was there? Surely G-d would have received me. He might not have relieved my discomfort, but the pain would have surely lessened if I had been able to lean on G-d's shoulder for a bit.

I've spoken to many knowledgeable folks, rabbis, fellow Jews, as well as Christians and Catholics and Muslims and Buddhists and Protestants and Lutherans and such. Most of them have repeated the same sentiment, that I should honor G-d, that in times of discomfort while at the commode, I should not think of G-d, that if G-d pops into my head, I should mask it with other thoughts.

I am having great trouble with this. If G-d loves me, and if G-d all-knowing and, therefore, perfect, and G-d is omnipresent, then why would G-d not *want* me to reach out for Him when I truly need His support?

That's it, that's where I'm at. Feel free to comment, I'd love to hear what you think, especially those of you with an answer to my paradox.