Early on in my journey of therapy and personal development I realised that I could be happy and sad at the same time. I realised that they weren’t opposites on two ends of a sliding scale.
I don’t know whether my prior perspective is a Christian thing, or a stages of faith (as in James Fowler) thing or a stages of life thing, but I notice that the idea that there is a simple truth out there is prevalent, at least amongst the Christian après blog dialog I am inclined to explore.
Now this certainly hasn’t been statistically tested and I don’t tend to read all that widely in blog-space but as I think we are meant to be all that God has called us to be I’ll aim my observations at my own family. I am wondering if by and large Christians have such a commitment to there being a truth, that they intuitively know that what is presented to them is incomplete, that they then keep searching for the answer and then every time they find a new piece of the jigsaw they then tell one another that “It is all about…” – finish the dots for yourself.
I’d be interested to hear who notices this while reading. I think it is something for me personally to be sensitive to as I know that I can respond in that enthusiastic manner and also I am aware that it portrays an immature observer, is obvious to my more mature (typically non-Christian) friends and lacks credibility that I think contributes to the decline in the faith.
Maybe it’s not all about. Maybe there are many pieces to the jigsaw and maybe there is no magical silver bullet.
7 comments:
I agree, we WERE meant to be all God created us to be. There is such a dichotomy in Christian teachings about “denying” who you are and at the same time living up to God’s best plans for your life – aka taking up your cross, blah blah blah. A verse which is grossly taken out of context.
If anything, I think Jesus showed us how to LIVE, so that we will no longer walk around as the living dead. But I see the same mentality in Christianity as what they had, and because of dispensational teachings, Christians never live as if this world matters just as much as the next. Again, using verses that is taken out of context.
Which probably means you are right about seeking the “silver bullet.” Because Christianity’s views about God is cast and stone, fixed, settled, written down and forever memorialized, they don’t leave room that maybe all the truth is not there, and as we evolve as a race, so could our understanding about God. In other words, they leave no room that we might even learn new things about God, not written in the Bible. Now there’s a heresy!
I think the piece of the jigsaw that we miss is the fact that together we are all an expression of God, and since none of us knows all of us, it only means none of us will ever know all of it. It wasn’t meant to be known, but to be lived and experienced.
If you catch my drift …
It's certainly something I notice - admittedly I'm saturated in the Christian tradition, but there is a restless at the heart of what it means to be human - a God shaped hole or cave to be explored. I'm sure you'll remember St Augustine's oft quoted expression - "My soul O God is restless until it finds it's rest in you..."
Forgot to say, this is what I was reflecting on in my post "The Queering of Theological Reflection" (6th Sept 2005)
http://prodigal.typepad.com/prodigal_kiwi/2005/09/the_queering_of.html
I'm leaning toward the idea that relationship with God isn't about joy or sadness (although Christians will tell you that you're expected to be happy all the time. Otherwise, you must not love God, because loving God makes you happy all the time). Oops, did I go off on a rant? Pardon me...
Anyway, I was saying... I've come to believe that relationship with God is more about "peace". We have peace when we're happy, and we have peace when we're sad.
But, the enemy to peace, is a lack of trust. And what brings on a lack of trust is doubt and fear. And the problem is, most religion that I've ever encountered, thrives on keeping you in doubt and fear. Something doesn't add up there, huh?
Paul... I reread your post... it's funny how many people seem to be thinking the same thing at the same time... or maybe it's just the fact that we're all on-line and is merely a coincidence... who knows... acceptance & peace DM
Bruce.. I agree about peace.. I also think there are two other emotions.. courageousness and acceptance or love.. the life of faith to me is to being living a courageously to God knowing that it will be alright in the end in that there is nothing you can't cope with.. DM
Eddie... yeah I think I catch your drift... ;o)
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