1). I'm going to split loyalty between religion and politics.
You cannot serve two Gods.
Many religious people have become obsessed with "taking America back for God..." never considering that God has never asked them to take America back (by government... or force)...
I have many religious friends who have committed their lives to the conservative cause posting every conservative post that they find... or anything that might set them off.... Often doing it indiscriminately without concern for validity... or truthfulness... or even if it reflects anything of the teachings of Jesus...
example.... recent (false) report that President Obama was opposed to the national day of prayer..... spread like wild fire over Facebook and the Internet.
Integrity matters... and "Taking America Back for God".... (especially by any means necessary) is not the same as living the Jesus life.... according to the Sermon on the Mount..
2). God wants me to control people in His name.
Just had a friend who after finding out that her 3 year old niece was going to die soon from brain cancer.... yelled out... to her friends on Facebook in pain. In her post... among many other heart wrenching words..... said some frustrated angry "curse words"..... At which point a very religious observer commented on her status....
Breezing past any possible "heart break"... that the observer assured us... "God would heal in time"... the observer then got on to the real business of asking my friend to "watch her language" because there were "little eyes" that were watching on Facebook.
There may be fewer curse words on Facebook now.... (I doubt that as well)... But there was a moment that a broken hearted person saw Jesus as a very distant.... religious... un relatable.. Judge.
Is your Jesus nothing more than the Facebook Police?
3). Generally continue to prop up the myth that going to Church is the answer to life and all of it's problems.
The formal meeting of believers is not why Jesus came to earth.
Since Ive been out here.... I've had multiple church friends very concerned because they haven't seen me "in church". A Few of them have discussed meaningful things... But many would just feel better if they saw my face I think.... (and I'm presuming that is wether I'm actually doing "ok" or not).
However since I've been out here I've found there's A LOT of people (and I mean A LOT) that for whatever reason don't "go to church"... (organized meeting) but still have a faith... and Live it out in their informal ways... share life with each other... support each other.... love.... pray.... encourage.... teach.... learn... grow.... change... etc...
I have a "believing" work friend who spent her entire day off yesterday in a patients room telling a dying mentally challenged young man (has incurable cancer)... about what its gonna be like when he gets to heaven.
She doesn't go to church except for the occasional drop in. She does ridiculous things in the name of Love. Yet many would be concerned for her soul.
Life is informal and it happens outside of "church".
Church has it's place.... (when it's not fake and fraudulent)... But I often hear of the virtues of "going to church". I would for once like to hear an admission that "church is not the point".
Jesus didn't come with a final goal of establishing a church.... He came with the goal of establishing a Kingdom of Love.... where the church would play it's part.
very eloquent, very true--love this jamie
ReplyDeleteHmm... not sure how I feel about being in category three. You are right church isn't the point, Jesus is. I believe that is what we are suppose to chase after. I have a feeling the Kingdom he is building will be a lot different than what we imagine. Hope I haven't added to the fakeness or messed up His plan for what the Church is supposed to be.
ReplyDelete