The discovery of God for humankind is personal to the individual. There is a kind of exclusiveness in it, necessary for the person taking responsibility to discover self-identity (Who am I?) and to answer the other vital questions of life: Where am I? What am I to do? Where am I Going? And, How Do I Get There? The questions appeared to me so often with students, parents, and persons in churches, even at secular conferences. Issues are questions. I am inspired today to write this page after two events: the first, at noon a fellow called me from California asking if he could use some of my material gathered from a paper I had written, and a presentation to a conference, where I spoke when he was in attendance thirty years ago, dealing with life questions; and, the second was my own review of a popular magazine for women, O, the publication sponsored by the media mogul, Oprah Winfrey. This is part of a project of mine to discover the changes and influences related to printed materials during the emergence of electronic media formerly identified with well-regarded newspapers, magazines and books. Winfrey combines two factors, secular and spiritual, not evading the mysteries of search for beliefs and values. It is likely that Winfrey identifies herself as Christian, even though her published and verbal statements are pointing toward the human conflict relating to God presence rather than declaring her faith. She does identify Scripture as a daily interest in her personal life. Much of the material in her magazine is eclectic, and some writers raise issues without direction for resolution of thought or action. Admitting she is a person of faith, she does not clearly declare specifically as Scripture teaches that it be declared. It appears to be an organ for search.
In the issue before me: 20 Questions Every Woman Should Ask Herself, the article begins with my point above. Q: What’s the root of the word question? A: Quest. The 20 questions follow: Do I examine my life enough? Do I care too much about what people think? Am I with the right person? What’s a deal breaker? What do I really want to do all day? How do I want to be remembered? Do I say yes enough? Do I know how to say no? Am I helpless? Am I helpful? What am I afraid of? Am I paying enough attention to the incredible things around me? Have I accepted my body? Am I strong enough? Have I forgiven my parents? Do I want children? Does what I wear reflect who I am? What am I missing out on? Do I let myself fail enough? Why are we here? These are questions touching important factors in our lives, except that some of them as given above are loaded, and should be cast differently. For example, the question related to forgiveness of parents may easily be taken as an implied insult. Many persons feel they have no reason to forgive their parents for anything. It would be better to ask: Is there anyone from my childhood, even from my family, who needs my forgiveness? Or, since the world may not be incredible to the person, the question ought to be: Where should I focus my attention on the world of life in which I live? This would be accompanied by follow-up questions such as one about what the person sees as most positive, and that most negative. Even a good self-counselor has something of the answer deep inside. It needs to be evoked. Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, the person of understanding will draw it out – Proverbs 20:5. This takes relevant and non-judgmental questions to gain answers/solutions.
The main question in the list of 20 is the last one. The response to it was written by a person who has not resolved the issue. That person, who has emerged publicly because of her striking book about her development as an educated person, activist, and having an epiphany experience she believes was genuine, not related to hallucination, continues as an atheist with unresolved issues. I admire her honesty that carries some objectivity, pointing to mystery. She is unable to suggest an appropriate response for her young granddaughter. Her answers were not distorted, but did not serve well. For many persons, if my counseling days serve me, the 20 questions/responses might leave some seekers in a more difficult context than if they had not been offered. Appropriate questions deserve appropriate responses. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020