First, here's an update...
The cast came off yesterday! yea!
I'm in a walking boot and start P.T. today. oooowwwww!
Disclaimer: If you are fundamental/evangelical, this post is not about you personally. I grew up in a strong fundament/evangelical setting. This post is about me waking up and seeing how empty this form of faith left me, and coming to know God out of any box humans use in order to define, explain (etc.) God. It's about expressions in which I find a god to be biased, judgmental, exclusionary, patriarchal, etc. An expression where I do not experience love and compassion and unity. It's about me shedding old skin and putting on more inclusive, compassionate, non-patriarchal, non-heirarchal expressions of God.
I'm going through a major transition as far as my spiritual life is concerned. There are things about the fundamental/evangelical side of christianity that really bother me.
I asked one of the sisters, "How can you stay a christian with the basic tenets loudly professed by the religious Right?"
She responded, "Who says they are the ones that get to define what christianity is and how it is expressed?"
Good point.
The latest roo-ha-ha by the Christian Right is over the DaVinci Code movie. Did you hear the one about director Ron Howard making the movie in order to subvert christianity?
Pleeeease! My response to that: "I suppose he made the movie because he knew Americans were enthralled with the story and it would bring a nice profit at the box office! I do not think he is a pawn of Satan."
Oh...And here's a bit of interesting information: LITTLETON, Colo. : "Evangelical churches across the nation are launching an aggressive effort to save souls by talking about a fictional murder mystery that many regard as blasphemous. Pastors are setting out doughnuts and sandwiches and inviting non-Christians to come discuss "The Da Vinci Code" bestseller. They're creating hip marketing campaigns to draw nonbelievers to sermons about the thriller. They're even giving away free iPods loaded with their commentary on the novel."
Am I the only one who sees something wrong with using "marketing campaigns" in the name of God and encouraging and supporting American Corporations and spending habits?
These things make me roll my eyes, grimace and sigh all at the same time.
Did you know there's a mega-church in Dallas that advertises one of its ministries as The Bomb Squad? It "consists of teenagers on a mission of warfare against the strongholds of Satan against all youth. The Bomb Squad Mission sends them to Malls and neighborhoods dropping the BOMB of the WORD of GOD to all who will hear and receive. After the bomb is dropped, they are off to the next Mission."
This morning during our Bible (Wisdom) Study.
One of the sisters said: "Since when does God need us to do all this defending?"
Finally, there's a sane thought.
(i.e. as if the DaVinci Code is really somehow a threat to God's existence?)
I wonder sometimes if anyone who is on that "war path" for God has stopped to look outside themselves and see the presence God in all -- especially in the created world. I personally don't find God in haggling over a book and movie and receiving a free iPod.
What do mega-churches and corporations have in common?
Advertising.
OK...this is the end of my rant against the insanity of some sects of christianity. (Yes, my judgment and opinion)
I don't buy into it anymore. Though I admit, I once did!
I moved out of TX, I've aged, my faith is maturing. Fundamental/Evangelicals would say I've strayed. Everyone's entitled their own opinions.
About Me
- Sr. Lilli Ana
- (I'll upload a new pic soon.) The habit sort of gives it away, doesn't it? Well, maybe the outside picture but not the inside, and definitely not the whole. Reading my writings I hope you'll learn more about the Deep-Time picture of what makes up "me", for my history began 13.7 billion years ago; and, there is only One "I" out of which we all bring ourselves forth into the intricate web of life we find ourselves in today.
2 comments:
I move to Dallas over 25 years ago from a more liberal part of the country (Colorado). Moving into the Bible Belt was a shock to my spiritual self. I had never know this type of "Christian" before, ones who could so easily express their deep Christian beliefs in one breath and their prejudices in the next. I had never seen churches before with professional stages for sanctuaries, bowling alleys and gyms. We have one here that looks more like a stadium than a church! I attended the funeral of a friend in one of these churches and never felt less close to God. So sad!
I think the way we stay Christians is that we let Jesus define Christianity, not the "religious" right (or the religious wrong). American Christianity by-and-large seems to forget about Jesus's 3 year ministry, concentrating on the crucifixion and resurrection. Grace is cheap to so many people. Forgive me, Lord, but not anyone else, they seem to say. (I live in Dallas, too!)
We stay Christians by studying the Sermon on the Mount, by looking at the log in our own eyes, by returning to the struggle to love those we perceive to be unlovely as we love those dearest to us. We bless the "religious" right as we bless those in whom we actually see Jesus. We stay Christians by fixing our eyes on Jesus, not on our fellow sinners. Otherwise, we'd be lost.
I have a group of girlfriends, 2 of whom are members of the extreme right and they are good women. 2 women in the group are not, they say, AT ALL attracted to Christianity, but they both said that they want what I have, not what they see from our dear but right-wing friends. Could have knocked me over with the old moldy, cliched feather. They know what a mess I am, too. I had to tell them that what they saw was the living Christ, the Holy Spirit. I don't know what effect this testimony will have, but it's in God's hands.
When I think of Christianity, I think of the wealth of saints that lived for Jesus, rather than the overfed and regrettably (I KNOW that's misspelled) smug faces I see representing the Lord in the news media. Eric Liddle, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, my great-grandmother, my friends Sherri and Scotty. I see power and mercy wedded together. Gentleness and joy. Strength and tenderness. Great flaws and greater grace.
Don't know if that makes any sense, but I've thought about this reply for days.
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