I'm currently reading two different books (ah, the great luxury of time to read!). One is "They Like Jesus But Not The Church" by Dan Kimball. The other is "Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices" by Brian McLaren. The first talks about what people perceive as being 'wrong' with the church (he tackles 6 perceptions that he has heard from people outside of the church, and I must admit that this past month I heard all 6 as well). The second takes on what is 'right' about the church - pulling the reader into an understanding of the beauty and gift and wonder found in the best of the 'traditional' practices of spirituality found in the church, as those practices help open us to the reality of God's presence and the joy of God's love.
They are wonderful to read, side by side. But I wonder about those that I met along the way last month, who had lost all interest in being a part of organized religion because of the wrongs and pains it had caused or they had perceived. What would it take to get them past that anger or indifference and welcome them into the joys of a life of ever deepening realization of God's love and presence.
As I was walking into Manchester, I found a sign lying in the grass by the side of the road. "REPENT" it proclaimed. I wondered about who it had been aimed at. What it had been used for. It's a very biblical message . . . but in my experience most often used in a spirit of self-righteousness rather than a spirit of love for the other. What pain had that sign caused?
In many ways, that sign represents all the negative views that we have all heard about the church. The self-righteous, judgmental, law focused, even arrogant attempt of a person or persons who believe themselves to have all the truth (and all the righteousness) to make a line in the sand between themselves and that evil awful world out there.
What if we picked that sign up, and carried it - turned around so that WE were the ones to read it? What if WE repented?
If we simply listened to people's pain, even when expressed in rantings about the church . . . and then acknowledged it. Said, "I know. Too often the church has acted that way." And even more so, what if we simply said, "I'm sorry" ? What if we repented of not loving the other enough so that our hearts break for the hurts of this world? And especially for the hurts that have been inflicted in the name of religion? (Yes, even when WE aren't the ones doing the inflicting!)
What if we practiced Truth and Reconciliation. By going out into the world, and loving it, rather than condemning it. (For God so loved the world SO MUCH that he sent his son into the world, not to condemn the world but to save it.)
In his book, Brian McLaren talks about practicing the faith like we practice learning a musical instrument. The practice is not the point, but the way of reaching the point where the music flows forth. And maybe, instead of telling others that they 'ought' to do these things . . . if I just practiced them myself enough, believing that God's grace and love will flow forth as my practice makes me open to such music . . . . maybe that will be the key to helping others hear the strains of God's love, rather than the cacophony of human pride.
I think I need to repent - to turn away from 'knowing' the answers, and turn to being an answer.
Posts
2 comments:
“Love Not The World”
”For the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one”(I John 5:19)
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world will pass away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of The Only True GOD will abide for ever.” (I John 2:15-17)
“If you were of the world, the world would love it’s own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:19-20)
“Where do wars and fighting among you come from? Do they not come of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is to be at enmity with The Only True GOD? Therefore whoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of The Only True GOD.” (James 4:1-4)
“The world cannot hate you; but the world hates Me, because I testify that the works of this world are evil.” (John 7:7)” and “The Messiah gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of The Only True God, Our Father.”(Gal 1:4)
The Messiah testified: “If the world hates you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”(John 5:18) Truly, Truly, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life in this world shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall have it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25)
John testified: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.” (I John 3:13) “ James testified, “Whoever would be a friend of this world is the enemy of GOD”(James 4:4)
The “earth” is The Creation of The Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”, he who is “the father of lies”, he who “has blinded the minds of those who believe not The Messiah”! All the nations of this world are under the dominion of, and serve, the evil one for he provides the fuel that feeds mankind’s “imag”ination, and mankind’s “imagination is destroying and perverting Creation(land, air, water, creatures, Truth, Love, Peace, Faith, Simplicity, .etc.) ;-(
And the “strongest thing” in the evil one’s worldly systems? “Woman”…… yet The Truth, that which is of The Only True GOD, is stronger even than woman. (read I Esdras 3&4 of the Apocrypha) And Truth, Love, Peace, Faith, Mercy, Hope,,,etc,,, all that is “good”, is of The Only True GOD and is of HIS Spirit, not of this world. Those born of The Spirit, those born of The Only True GOD, are the brethren of The Messiah, for they received "a love of The Truth that they might be saved”. Reborn!
And those who have received "a love of The Truth” have separated themselves from this world and those of this world, for they have taken heed unto The Call of The Only True GOD to “Come out of her MY people.” They are “in, but not of this wicked, evil world”, and The Only True GOD has received them, and is "A Father unto them, and they are HIS sons and daughters”. And they follow, and desire to be like their Master and Brother, The Messiah, He Who was “the firstborn of many brethren”. And as “The Messiah was a servant of The Only True GOD”, so also His Brethren are “servants of The Only True GOD.”
The called out ones are not “adulterers and adulteresses”, they are not “friends of this wicked, evil world”, they do not “fornicate with the god of this world” for they know that “to be a friend of this world is to be the enemy of The Only True GOD.” They are at war against the evil spirits that possess those who are of this world.
And they do not “allow that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach. For she teaches others to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. The Only True GOD gave her a chance to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.” (Rev 2:20-21)
“fornication” and “adultery..” in that which is recorded above signifies spiritual fornication with “the god of this world”, which is to love that which is of his world.
Once again, the “earth” is The Creation of The Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”. Those who “love this world” all serve “the god of this world”, and play their part in the processes that seek to destroy The Creation of The Only True GOD. “And The Only True GOD will destroy them who destroy the earth.” (Rev 11:18) Global warming, polluted air, land and waters, toxic wastes, sexual perversion, evil inventions of destruction, greed, hate, carnal warfare, dis-ease ,,,etc,,, are all destructive processes that have their root in “the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life”. And as stated, “woman is the strongest thing of this world”. Yet stronger than woman is The Truth, which is in those who have “received a love of The Truth”. The Truth Is Alive in those who have been born of The Spirit for “they no longer love this wicked, evil world and it’s things, nor do they love their own lives in this world”. They but seek and desire The Will of GOD, as they await their final transformation. “Corruptible to Incorruptible" ndeed and Truth!
Now “the ground was cursed for Adam’s sake” because he “hearkened unto the woman”. Adam listened to a woman rather than obeying The Only True GOD. Yet because of Faithful Noah, The Only True GOD “no longer would curse the ground for man’s sake” because Noah obeyed The Only True GOD! (Genesis 8:21-22) And the Faithful today are exhorted to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” And Faithful women are exhorted to “be in silence.” “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. For I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” “For Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (I Timothy 2:11,12,14) A man and woman joined together in obedience and submission unto The Only True GOD are blessed indeed. All who are not obedient, all who will not submit themselves unto The Only True GOD will have to answer to HIM..period.. Be not of those who deny and defy “The One GOD, Father of All”. Be not of those who are destroying and perverting HIS Creation(land, air, water, creatures, Truth, Love, Peace, .etc.)!
“The Only True GOD is The HEAD of The Messiah, The Messiah is The Head of the man, and the man is the head of the woman”. Multitudes pervert GOD’s Order because they have been seduced by ” the commandments and doctrines of men and devils”. Multitudes are seduced by the religious systems that are in and of this evil world. Seduced because they love this evil world and their own life in it! “Set your affections on things above”. Desire heavenly, eternal things. Quit serving ‘time’ in the prison that is this world and take heed unto the call to ”Come out from among them and be separate!”
Once again, “Come out” of the worldly systems, which are the product of mankind’s “imag”ination, especially the religious systems. “Come out” from among those who are destroying and perverting Creation and be of those who follow The Messiah on “The Way to The Truth of The Life”.
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world……. francisco
I greatly appreciate this post as one who has had people scream, "Repent!" at me because I am one of the "others". In fact, it happened only a few weeks ago, again, following a showing of "For the Bible Tells Me So". A man dropped to his knees, and "witnessed" for all present that we were going to Hell if we didn't repent. And, no doubt, you have seen where your bishop encountered the same thing in England.
But what you are saying here, and perhaps what McLaren seems to say, is a point I've been trying to make in my small efforts toward bridging the gap between those who have enjoyed being on the inside of the church...and those of us who are overcoming the perception (and reality) of exile, and returning.
The ones who hold the status of majority must be willing to hear from the minority, and must be willing to say, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me." In turn, then, the minority must accept that someone is asking for forgiveness for the sin of exclusion, and placing a stumbling block, and grant that forgiveness.
And--you are correct---this has to happen even if *you* aren't the one who has been doing the wrong!
Best of luck in your travels to NYC and Scranton.
Susan
Post a Comment