Monday, June 21, 2004
Losing my Religion
I find myself at a cross roads. It's been quite awhile since I started posting on the ooze.
When I first got here, I would quickly call myself an "Orthodox" Christian. Now I find I'm just a "Christian"
A couple of thoughts.
First, I've been meditating on this verse:
1 Samuel 15:23 "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship"
Why does God equate rebellion with Witch Craft? What is the Craft? The manipulating and bending of reality to suite the practitioner. Seeking to re-create reality so that it benefits ME. Okay, if that is so, now my understanding is growing. Seeking power for myself. To use for and by me to benefit me.
More and more sense. Leadership is supposed to mean, influence what we see it meaning in the Instituional Church is Control. So, if I am seeking to amass, degrees, power, control, to benefit myself (all the while saying I'm doing it for the Kingdom) how is that any different than a witch invoking the 4 watch towers to close the circle so that he's safe during an invocation/incantation? How is that different than selfish praying? It's not. Thus, Rebelllion is the sin of WitchCraft. Wanting my own way, and amassing power to get it.
Also, I've given up on Tradition, cause for the most part I see it as something used to support extra biblical things, things that can be distractions....and are for the most part just Religious Recipes for Getting My Act Together. I abandon them all.
The first step in any good 12 step program is to admit that we are 'powerless' i.e., 'helpless' that there is nothing we can do to restore ourselves to health and sanity. Nothing. To me, this is the Gospel of Grace. Christian and Religion are diametrically opposing terms.
Religion is us trying to add to the finished work of Christ. It is us trying to find some religious recipe for being better than we can ever hope to be, and somehow merit the Kingdom of Heaven, which Christianity says to us is a Free Gift in Jesus Christ.
Sigh. Well there you go. Comments? Questions? Objections? I desire them all.
Peace.
Love4theWord
When I first got here, I would quickly call myself an "Orthodox" Christian. Now I find I'm just a "Christian"
A couple of thoughts.
First, I've been meditating on this verse:
1 Samuel 15:23 "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship"
Why does God equate rebellion with Witch Craft? What is the Craft? The manipulating and bending of reality to suite the practitioner. Seeking to re-create reality so that it benefits ME. Okay, if that is so, now my understanding is growing. Seeking power for myself. To use for and by me to benefit me.
More and more sense. Leadership is supposed to mean, influence what we see it meaning in the Instituional Church is Control. So, if I am seeking to amass, degrees, power, control, to benefit myself (all the while saying I'm doing it for the Kingdom) how is that any different than a witch invoking the 4 watch towers to close the circle so that he's safe during an invocation/incantation? How is that different than selfish praying? It's not. Thus, Rebelllion is the sin of WitchCraft. Wanting my own way, and amassing power to get it.
Also, I've given up on Tradition, cause for the most part I see it as something used to support extra biblical things, things that can be distractions....and are for the most part just Religious Recipes for Getting My Act Together. I abandon them all.
The first step in any good 12 step program is to admit that we are 'powerless' i.e., 'helpless' that there is nothing we can do to restore ourselves to health and sanity. Nothing. To me, this is the Gospel of Grace. Christian and Religion are diametrically opposing terms.
Religion is us trying to add to the finished work of Christ. It is us trying to find some religious recipe for being better than we can ever hope to be, and somehow merit the Kingdom of Heaven, which Christianity says to us is a Free Gift in Jesus Christ.
Sigh. Well there you go. Comments? Questions? Objections? I desire them all.
Peace.
Love4theWord
