THERE IS NO BABY IN THE BATHWATER.
Repeat:
THERE IS NO BABY IN THE BATHWATER.
Thank you.
Editorial and commentary on Christian culture, religious and political fundamentalism, and more.
Editorial and commentary on Christian culture, religious and political fundamentalism, and more.
What's up, Lewis?
ReplyDeleteAre you getting nasty emails again?
Lolz! =)
ReplyDeleteAmen. That bath water is so nasty, the baby won't sit in it!
ReplyDelete'''That bath water is so nasty, the baby won't sit in it! '''
ReplyDeletelol Erika! AMEN to that!
(Thank you for the giggle - I needed that!)
Sometimes there is indeed a baby in the bathwater, but that baby is a demon!
ReplyDeleteThank you for clearing this up. :-)
ReplyDeleteI had to chuckle when this post came through my google reader but then a serious second thought came to mind. The real baby that IS worth saving in patriarchal extreme christianity is whatever is the answer to this question: what is the thing that draws so many people into this philosophy? Fundamentalist versions of all religions, including atheism, are growing in numbers and virulence all over the world. Something about fundamentalism meets a very real need that people are experiencing. Identifying that very important Truth, disguised as it is within very ugly practices, is the baby worth saving and fostering in a healthy and gracious manner.
ReplyDelete(sorry, got distracted and posted without specifying what I thing that baby is)
ReplyDeleteI think the draw of fundamentalism is a sense of security, of knowing that you've got the certainty of eternal Truth in an increasingly uncertain and always finite life. Everyone needs some understanding of The Meaning of Life in order not to go insane. Everyone needs to feel the security of knowing that they are certain of eternal Truth. The more insecure one feels, the more drawn they are to fundamentalism.
If we could meet that need for security and certainty, facilitate those most desperate souls to a Meaning that isn't about hate, isolation, tribalism, legalism, maybe fundamentalism would fade away.
ROFL @ Erika...
ReplyDeleteSandra, I agree. People need security, but they also need to hear the truth. And the real truth is that except for the love of God (which nothing can separate us from), there is no security. God is not a tame lion, and we can't turn our lives into cages to contain the Lion, because He will always break out of the cage-- and we'll be left with an empty cage (bathwater with no baby), not even realizing that we're worshiping an empty cage instead of a living Lion.
ReplyDeleteFundamentalism says, "if you just live by this formula, you can tame God and have a secure and predictable life." And it's a lie. The only security we can have is in His love and in heaven-- in this world, He said, we WILL have tribulation. He has overcome the world, but he has not taken us out of it or its troubles.
People choose fundamentalism because they're afraid-- and fundamentalism keeps them in its clutches by fear of what's outside it. But the weapon that combats fear isn't security-- it's faith. Faith gives us the only real security we can have-- but it's a security of trust, not certainty. What we need to do is help Christ teach people who never learned to trust, how to trust God. Until we do, they will be drawn towards fundamentalism,the certainty of the lionless cage, and the security of the babyless bathwater.
I think people are misusing the word, "fundamental" and its permutations. I am a fundamental Christian, in that I follow the fundamentals of the faith. If I am going to be in an airliner, I want a fundamental pilot - one who follows the fundamentals of flying rules. If I'm having my taxes done, I want a fundamental CPA. What these patriarchy types do is twist the meaning of the fundamentals. So it isn't the word, it's the twist given to it.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, how did I miss this?
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, that's right. I have my own drama going on and people pointing fingers at MY blog. :P
Lewis, I believe this comment will interest you. It’s on the topic of “eat the meat, spit out the bones” (another way of saying don’t throw out the baby with ...) on a thread that discuss Debi Pearl’s Created to be his help meet, here: http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=182754721491331897&postID=6894481107506042127
ReplyDeleteThe quote: People can say "take the meat and leave the bones" on this one all they want. JESUS teaches that a little leaven leavens the whole lump--meaning that a little false teaching mingled with truth makes it false teaching. That was the same tactic the devil used on Eve in the garden! He mingled enough truth with his lies that Eve was deceived. Many women are being deceived by this book. May the Lord open their eyes to the truth.
She just used the words of Jesus to answer that one.
I am part of a Bill Gothard yahoo discussion group. One of the moderators used to respond to the 'Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater' comment with 'Unless it's Rosemary's baby!'
ReplyDelete