What with my recent climb to get back over the weather, and some other personal issues going on over the last week or so, the blog has been a bit neglected. That'll probably continue to be the case, at least for a few more days. In the meantime, I wanted to post a couple of short (and not necessarily new or original) thoughts that have been swirling around in the no man's land otherwise known as my head...
The greatest, most heavily reviled enemy of the fundamentalist or fungelical Christian isn't the "librul" (those mean ole Democrats), or secular people, or the gays, or the abortion doctor or patient, or people who hurt people, or anything like that. The greatest enemy of the fundamentalist Christian (in their own mind - gauged by their behavior) is the Christian who dares to disagree with them by rejecting the Kool-aid of fundamentalist Christianity. The fear of and the hate and venom reserved for this wretched soul is unique, tapped into only for the occasion of dealing with the damned. There's no greater, more putrid and disgusting sinner, and there's nothing on this earth more worthy of their fear.
Also...
If you live your life in mortal fear of "the world", you've already been overcome by "the world", and, in essence, become a part of "the world". Life, and especially a life of faith, can never be lived effectively from a position of fear by someone continually playing defense. Stop playing defense. Pick up the ball and run with it. Put some real, significant, and lasting points on the scoreboard for a change.
Editorial and commentary on Christian culture, religious and political fundamentalism, and more.
Amen!
ReplyDeleteMay I beg you to be careful though... we are to be in the world but not of it.... and narrow is the way.
ReplyDeleteIn your attempt to leave your "past" behind, it's easy to conform to the world and go too much to the worldly side of things.
Your behavior/words could easily model the world's and be a stumbling-block to a new/young Christian.
I'm not saying you have but just be aware of what kind of influences you can carry with your words and actions and the weight of that.
Romans 12:1-2
1 I a beseech 1 you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
That's a little too religious for me. You shouldn't live in fear of "the world". I'm not going to. "The world" isn't a great big boogeyman hiding around every corner, and as far as people new to the Christian faith, the fundamentalist portrayal of "the world" is just about the biggest possible stumbling block.
DeleteHey, Lewis, we have the same troll. They're very good at copy/paste too. :P
DeleteLewis: ""The world" isn't a great big boogeyman hiding around every corner" -- THANK YOU for writing this! I know SO MANY Christians, even ones that aren't very fundamentalist in any other way, that live in fear of "the world" (and probably worry about my soul because of all the "worldly" things I do and friends I have). I don't know how to get people to see that the world in and of itself isn't evil or scary, and can actually be quite enriching and educational and positive, even as a Christian.
DeleteI loved your comment, Lewis: "The world" isn't a great big boogeyman hiding around every corner." It made me think of what C. S. Lewis says: "God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us. We may think this rather crude and unspiritual. God does not: He invented eating. He likes matter. He invented it.”
DeleteI don't know why so many people think "the world" is evil. I haven't seen anyone stop eating because food is "material" or "worldly!"
Other Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to make a distinction here. You are talking about the "in the world, not of the world" mentality. Lewis is talking about the "terrified of the world and forcing people into unhealthy lifestyles using the excuse of 'protecting' them from the world" mentality.
The second really doesn't have much to do with the first. The Bible never tells us to fear the world. In fact, it gives us permission to be "in" it. You're right to point out that being "in" it doesn't mean we should be "of" it, but Lewis is talking about a completely other dynamic.
I agree with you- two totally different viewpoints here. I'm not talking about fearing the world.
DeleteThey really hate "backsliders" too -- the ones who have tried out their churches/lifestyles/koolaid and then rejected it. [That may be who you were talking about, not sure.]
ReplyDeleteI just decided to stop attending the fundie (pentecostal) church I've been attending. I fear I'm about to become the enemy. Let the games begin.
Not entirely related, but this conversation in the comments thus far reminds me of these bright pink car window decals I see from time to time, "NOTW" (Not of This World). I kind of feel like advertising the fact (with a trendy bumpersticker on the back of your trendy SUV, no less) renders your point a little moot. Am I alone on that branch?
ReplyDeleteI am a 54 year old childless widow who is studying for a PhD in the physical sciences. I have found "the world" to be a lot more fun, exciting, friendly and supportative than church. In "the world", I am accepted for who I am. The church is rigid and insists that women have to be wives and mothers to be "acceptable". At church, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways I am constantly reminded that I am deficient because I do not have a husband and children.
ReplyDeleteI sympathize with you so much, but from a slightly different perspective. I am married, and now the church expects me to define myself by that marriage. It's like once I got married, all the social rules changed for me. My husband and I have more fun with our old college friends than with our church people most of the time. :(
DeleteThankfully, it's not that way for me. I'm a Christian and getting older yet still very single. I don't feel defined by my relationship status at all. In fact, I have many (Christian and non-Christian) friends who tell me that I don't have to ever get married. Either way is fine :)
DeleteI feel for you... that your church hasn't been supportive of you in your walk in life. I have a lot of fun and excitement with my Christian friends.
"At church, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways I am constantly reminded that I am deficient because I do not have a husband and children."
DeleteI hear ya. It's the same way with me. And I'm not even 30 yet (although I am also pursuing a PhD in the physical sciences).
When churches emphasize that the calling of all women is to be a wife and mother, it does not matter why a woman is childless. There is absolutely no valid excuse for a woman not to fulfill her "proper" role of motherhood. Infertility is not an "excuse" because infertile women are supposed to be frantically trying to adopt. A woman could have lost her only child to a tragic accident, but that is also no "excuse" because she is supposed to be always trying for another child. And if her husband has also died before she could have another child, tough luck and too bad.
DeleteI am tired of being rated as deficient for things that I cannot control, such as my infertility and losing my husband to cancer.