Have discovered a site where the writings keep slamming me up against the wall. Some of them I want to call to your attention. Here's an excerpt from one:
"The reason I am unafraid to side with the dissenters and those asking questions that aren’t allowed is that history is moving to our side. The manipulators of orthodoxy are in trouble. They’ve taken our confidence and put the screws to us for the sake of their own power. The celebrity-driven churches are, for the most part, going to be exposed as having no clothes. The laboratories that produce these evangelical clones are shutting down as the experiments seem to have gone horribly wrong. The deluded majority can act as if they have squashed everyone’s arguments and rendered all competing opinions foolish, but in fact, quite the opposite is happening. A lot of people are dissenting, even in an atmosphere of intimidation and spiritual abuse. Write all the books and blogs you want. Have a conference and get 3000 men to wring their hands with you. You aren’t gong to stop the collapse of the kind of authoritarian fundamentalism that wants to keep all of evangelicalism in a stranglehold. It’s over."
Read the full post at
http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/talk-hard-ii-defending-dissent#more-2817
"Every day people are straying away from church and going back to God." - Lenny Bruce
ReplyDelete(from The Little Zen Companion by David Schiller)
While truth is abstract and cannot be relative, it's important to remember it's absolute too. Can you imagine if the truth that 'God is love' is relative? If you don't fit the criteria that 'truth' does not apply? (i.e. God doesn't love me because of - insert any "undesirable" psychological/physical trait/condition?) That is a severe fallacy, for truth needs to be the truth regardless of circumstances; as we both know God was the one who literally wrote the book on love. He does judge, true, but the only relevant issues are the choices made by us - which is the heart of the matter. The body and mind can cause a lot of heartache and struggles, but it's how we choose to act that is important. There's a huge difference between knowing what is right and choosing to do what is right; the kicker is some think that knowing is all that it takes. How does a journey ever start if the first step is never taken?
But it seems (I've seen it quite a few times myself) that as long as someone can 'play' the role of going to church, wear the right clothes, say the right things at the right time, they are 'saved'. The moment church lets out they can be terror fueled by their authoritarian view of being 'better' then others for they are 'saved' and God is on their side. They look down upon those they see inferior for they don't do/say/or look the part.
Pardon the involuntary shudder there, but part of me is wondering if the dissension you linked to Robin is result of people reflecting and wondering when did it become a sham? When did it become just an emotional high that needed a weekly fix? What would happen if they fell apart, would that cause them to be cast aside for no longer fitting the role of the 'saved'?
It's what happens when going through the motions and believing that is all it takes to be saved. They do not realize that the true truth is quite the opposite! Needs aren't met adequately when there's a perception that one needs to fulfill criteria for the relative 'truth' to be true. (Ugh, relative and truth to be used in conjunction is causing a brain sprain here.)
The absolute and abstract truth is that God can meet and fill any need regardless of how one is - whether it's in filthy work clothes in pouring rain or alone and besieged with distress due to gloomy outlook of the future; or happily in bed after a great day before drifting off to sleep. You do not need expensive clothes, a designated meeting place, and a crowd to gather to be saved. Just a relationship with Jesus is needed, that's all. Maybe it's just me, but if one can meet up with good friends without sprucing up and can be accepted for truly being themselves with their friends, why do some think they can't do that with Him?
*blush* Just a little long. Sorry!
Not too long!
ReplyDeleteThey are dissenting for a lot of reasons, some of which you mention.
"they can be terror fueled by their authoritarian view of being 'better' then others"--unfortunately this seems to be a human trait not held by 'Christians' alone. It is one Christians should overcome, though, as it's not Jesus' way.
Go to the site. You will appreciate it.
going to check it out
ReplyDelete