I couldn't agree more, I find myself these days either being angry, scared, heartbroken, or all of them at the same time every time I read or watch yet another post from people operating under the guise of Christianity, when in truth, they have no place there. 😢 💔
You're so right, John- faith cannot be coerced, just as love cannot be. Jesus Himself, when bruised and bleeding, corrected Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. And He needs no autocracy claimed on His behalf. In fact, He both said and modeled that whoever sought greatness in His kingdom should be the servant of all. He said they would know we are Christians by our love, and that makes me weep.
I'm sorry to hear you experienced that, Sharon. Sadly, that is far too common and part of the challenge of changing a system that has been so polluted for so long.
The long path into this current morass reflects a series of incremental perversions of Jesus of Nazareth's attributed teachings: hardened ritualism, heirarchical clericalism developed in the 2nd century, the merger of throne and altar starting with Constantine, soteriological exclusivity claims, secular enforcement of heresy and other thought crimes, "unholy alliances" with some economic models (slavery, unrestrained capitalism), prosperity gospel, and the elevation of institutional preservation above pastoral (even legal) obligations (which led to the embrace, however reluctantly, of fascism and naziism (Spain, France pre WWII, and Germany) by the cardinals and bishops in those lands. Sadly, our experience in the US is of a challenge that has asserted itself for centuries and extends well beyond the Catholic heirarchy to reach deeply into many, if not most ostensibly Christian communities. The encouraging aspect, the hope, is that each of these communities have members who, like you, John, have not accepted the bargain of the third temptation of Jesus and instead have attempted to remain true to the original teachings. May those "embers" turn into a conflagration and recapture the moral legitimacy and force of the faith. It will be a long fight.
Thank you, Rod. Sadly, we will likely not see a fundamental change in our lifetimes but we can use this time and place to slowly bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice and know that we made a difference.
Thank you, THANK YOU, John. Takes courage when I have watched & read described by excellent writers how those older white men listening for decades to women/minority-hating RUSH Limbaugh morphed into current racist & hate-mongering “Trump” party.
Good word John. When I am confronted by Christian Nationalism in though word or deed, I say where is Jesus in all this? Your words have spelled it out - no where. I remember decades ago, folks wore wrist bands that said “What would Jesus do [or say].” I would reply to myself, “only God knows.” My other thought was take those words on your wrist and wrap them around your heart. Today I do not see those wrist bands any more; and nor do I see Jesus in many professed “Christians.” I admit discipleship is a challenging discipline but, “Come on folks, who are you following? Jesus or your own selfish interests?”
All of the "unknowns" that have been shunted aside for a couple of hundred years—evolution, relativity, archaeological evidence about Scripture, the fact that we are but a speck in an unimaginably huge universe—can no longer be tamed.
The fact is, we don't know a whole lot.
So, it is not surprising there is a retreat into something seemingly safe and secure as Christian doctrine.
The more the unknown presses upon consciousness, however, the more hardened and distorted that doctrine becomes. Fear of the unknown is a powerful motivating force—enough to make people attempt to enforce their own view upon others.
Jesus' message was simple and, in my opinion, true. But he lived in a world vastly different from ours. A world that never imagined "God" beyond local and tribal.
As time progresses, Voltaire's observation becomes ever more true: "God created man (sic) in his own image, and man has been trying to repay the favor ever since."
Christianity has been hijacked by fundamentalists. There is a way to question without confrontation during conversations e.g. I’m interested in how you came to that conclusion? Sit back and let them drill themselves into the abyss..
I couldn't agree more, I find myself these days either being angry, scared, heartbroken, or all of them at the same time every time I read or watch yet another post from people operating under the guise of Christianity, when in truth, they have no place there. 😢 💔
You're so right, John- faith cannot be coerced, just as love cannot be. Jesus Himself, when bruised and bleeding, corrected Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. And He needs no autocracy claimed on His behalf. In fact, He both said and modeled that whoever sought greatness in His kingdom should be the servant of all. He said they would know we are Christians by our love, and that makes me weep.
Amen. My childhood was controlled by a mother who abused me in the name of Jesus. The current GOP would make that the norm, not the aberration.
I'm sorry to hear you experienced that, Sharon. Sadly, that is far too common and part of the challenge of changing a system that has been so polluted for so long.
Indeed; and back in the day, teachers were not mandated reporters. :/
I’m so sorry. 😢
What doesn't kill you, right?
❤️
The long path into this current morass reflects a series of incremental perversions of Jesus of Nazareth's attributed teachings: hardened ritualism, heirarchical clericalism developed in the 2nd century, the merger of throne and altar starting with Constantine, soteriological exclusivity claims, secular enforcement of heresy and other thought crimes, "unholy alliances" with some economic models (slavery, unrestrained capitalism), prosperity gospel, and the elevation of institutional preservation above pastoral (even legal) obligations (which led to the embrace, however reluctantly, of fascism and naziism (Spain, France pre WWII, and Germany) by the cardinals and bishops in those lands. Sadly, our experience in the US is of a challenge that has asserted itself for centuries and extends well beyond the Catholic heirarchy to reach deeply into many, if not most ostensibly Christian communities. The encouraging aspect, the hope, is that each of these communities have members who, like you, John, have not accepted the bargain of the third temptation of Jesus and instead have attempted to remain true to the original teachings. May those "embers" turn into a conflagration and recapture the moral legitimacy and force of the faith. It will be a long fight.
Thank you, Rod. Sadly, we will likely not see a fundamental change in our lifetimes but we can use this time and place to slowly bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice and know that we made a difference.
Thank you, THANK YOU, John. Takes courage when I have watched & read described by excellent writers how those older white men listening for decades to women/minority-hating RUSH Limbaugh morphed into current racist & hate-mongering “Trump” party.
Thank you, Wynne!
Good word John. When I am confronted by Christian Nationalism in though word or deed, I say where is Jesus in all this? Your words have spelled it out - no where. I remember decades ago, folks wore wrist bands that said “What would Jesus do [or say].” I would reply to myself, “only God knows.” My other thought was take those words on your wrist and wrap them around your heart. Today I do not see those wrist bands any more; and nor do I see Jesus in many professed “Christians.” I admit discipleship is a challenging discipline but, “Come on folks, who are you following? Jesus or your own selfish interests?”
All of the "unknowns" that have been shunted aside for a couple of hundred years—evolution, relativity, archaeological evidence about Scripture, the fact that we are but a speck in an unimaginably huge universe—can no longer be tamed.
The fact is, we don't know a whole lot.
So, it is not surprising there is a retreat into something seemingly safe and secure as Christian doctrine.
The more the unknown presses upon consciousness, however, the more hardened and distorted that doctrine becomes. Fear of the unknown is a powerful motivating force—enough to make people attempt to enforce their own view upon others.
Jesus' message was simple and, in my opinion, true. But he lived in a world vastly different from ours. A world that never imagined "God" beyond local and tribal.
As time progresses, Voltaire's observation becomes ever more true: "God created man (sic) in his own image, and man has been trying to repay the favor ever since."
Christianity has been hijacked by fundamentalists. There is a way to question without confrontation during conversations e.g. I’m interested in how you came to that conclusion? Sit back and let them drill themselves into the abyss..