1) that there is no right and wrong only choice and consequence and need and thought and evaluation and feeling.
2) that I own nothing not even the breath that I breathe but it is all given to me from above and all I do have is who I am.
With these I can set aside two whole areas of distraction and focus more on what matters.
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked I shall return there
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD."
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
Judgement
"all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
What a statement. What a quote.
When did you first hear it? How did you feel? What memories does it provoke in you now? What's the context of the passage? Was it used fairly, manipulatively or encouragingly?
For me the quote fills me with depression. It is the archetype of harsh judgemental thinking – a philosophy of beating down another and exerting total control. For me it is steeped in unreasonable judgement. It is used as a proof text to establish a problem that I am not certain really exists objectively outside of human ego – the problem that we are with total certainty deserve to be utterly annihilated in complete pain betrayed by a so called loving God in the most grotesque way imaginable. Then having convinced us that we are only fit for the rubbish heap we are offered a way out if we yield our God created freedom to a controlling task master who is unconcerned for our real wellbeing. At least that’s the way I extrapolate the attitude and logic of many "Christians".
I look at the whole context now and wonder what it says about the writer and their ability to relate to judgement. I wonder what it says about me.
Apparently mercy triumphs over judgement. And yet the Christianity I encountered was steeped in judgement. I think that passage says more about the one who wrote it and those who quote it than it says about the Divine. I think it reveals more about the hearts of men not the heart of God.
What a statement. What a quote.
When did you first hear it? How did you feel? What memories does it provoke in you now? What's the context of the passage? Was it used fairly, manipulatively or encouragingly?
For me the quote fills me with depression. It is the archetype of harsh judgemental thinking – a philosophy of beating down another and exerting total control. For me it is steeped in unreasonable judgement. It is used as a proof text to establish a problem that I am not certain really exists objectively outside of human ego – the problem that we are with total certainty deserve to be utterly annihilated in complete pain betrayed by a so called loving God in the most grotesque way imaginable. Then having convinced us that we are only fit for the rubbish heap we are offered a way out if we yield our God created freedom to a controlling task master who is unconcerned for our real wellbeing. At least that’s the way I extrapolate the attitude and logic of many "Christians".
I look at the whole context now and wonder what it says about the writer and their ability to relate to judgement. I wonder what it says about me.
Apparently mercy triumphs over judgement. And yet the Christianity I encountered was steeped in judgement. I think that passage says more about the one who wrote it and those who quote it than it says about the Divine. I think it reveals more about the hearts of men not the heart of God.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
It's not enough to be good
I was raised (and strongly conditioned) to be a good boy. I was told to not to hurt others, etc etc etc. I was told to be holy as God was holy.
However it all seems a little unfair when I'm not allowed to kill the firstborn to get my own way and He is. Come on guys what sort of God do we have? Someone worthy of emulating as a role model or not?
Maybe it's time to get smart as well as good?
However it all seems a little unfair when I'm not allowed to kill the firstborn to get my own way and He is. Come on guys what sort of God do we have? Someone worthy of emulating as a role model or not?
Maybe it's time to get smart as well as good?
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
The Birth of Ego
This one is careering around the empty space in my head banging against my skull in the totally off-hand clueless manner as many of my thoughts. But this one answers a long standing question of mine - "Why did God create the sinful nature?". Well here the theory.
Inside we have a compelling desire to create. Something real. If we don't we feel bad. If we do we feel good. To create something good we have to spend lots of energy from our total budget. Self preservation informs us that we are spending too much. So our flexible brains come up with the idea that we can pretend to create. That way we feel good about what we've created and we don't have to spend much valuable budget on actually doing anything. The part of our brain that comes up with that as a solution persuades the creative part to ignore the fact that the pretend construction isn't real – well largely. I don't think the creative part of the brain is ever totally convinced but it is largely silenced. So far so good. The creative compulsion is largely satisfied, at least to the order of magnitude where the good feelings of completion outweigh the bad feelings of awareness and honesty.
There is one big problem. The Other. They don't share our brain so to protect the fragile system of things we have to persuade them that our construction is real.
I think we now have enough of the theory to extrapolate the process to explain the world we see around us.
Inside we have a compelling desire to create. Something real. If we don't we feel bad. If we do we feel good. To create something good we have to spend lots of energy from our total budget. Self preservation informs us that we are spending too much. So our flexible brains come up with the idea that we can pretend to create. That way we feel good about what we've created and we don't have to spend much valuable budget on actually doing anything. The part of our brain that comes up with that as a solution persuades the creative part to ignore the fact that the pretend construction isn't real – well largely. I don't think the creative part of the brain is ever totally convinced but it is largely silenced. So far so good. The creative compulsion is largely satisfied, at least to the order of magnitude where the good feelings of completion outweigh the bad feelings of awareness and honesty.
There is one big problem. The Other. They don't share our brain so to protect the fragile system of things we have to persuade them that our construction is real.
I think we now have enough of the theory to extrapolate the process to explain the world we see around us.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Where is your life going once you’ve defeated your inner theological demons?
The theological journey I was on is over. I needed to find a place of being where I wasn’t stressed out by the metaphysical. I am now in a place of communion with God unhindered by the Charismatic Conservative Evangelical theological system I was immersed in for the first 35 years of my life.
The comments of those still in that system no longer bother me. I don’t need to argue anymore. I know what I believe and I believe that that belief is acceptable to the great infinite and eternal.
I see the struggle of those around me trying to make sense of it all and I’ve seen a couple of people enter into a different kind of awareness on this. Eddie of Grace Unzipped is one such person. Steve of Free Thinking Faith is someone who I suspect is close. Jeff and Dorsey I don’t think have the same demons to defeat and are on a different journey. Bruce of YBMT? I think is ahead of me, as are some of the commenters here.
One thing that propelled me to this place was the compelling desire born out of pondering the above question.
So what is your answer and what is your question?
The comments of those still in that system no longer bother me. I don’t need to argue anymore. I know what I believe and I believe that that belief is acceptable to the great infinite and eternal.
I see the struggle of those around me trying to make sense of it all and I’ve seen a couple of people enter into a different kind of awareness on this. Eddie of Grace Unzipped is one such person. Steve of Free Thinking Faith is someone who I suspect is close. Jeff and Dorsey I don’t think have the same demons to defeat and are on a different journey. Bruce of YBMT? I think is ahead of me, as are some of the commenters here.
One thing that propelled me to this place was the compelling desire born out of pondering the above question.
So what is your answer and what is your question?
Monday, February 06, 2006
Total Heresy?
I've said this before and let me say it again. Jesus did not need to die for our sins out of any need of God but merely because our own lack of imagination rendered us unable grasp God's love for us.
I think the spiral dynamics model provides a clue as why the idea of Penal Substitution has gained so much momentum. The key is the breadth of awareness in my love. At the first stage (quests 1-3) my love is all about me – Egocentric. At the second stage I barter with you and have a sense of equality in our relationship - Ethnocentric. At the third stage I love as I want connection with you - Worldcentric. At the forth stage I love because it is who I am and it is what I do – Spiritcentric. I love love at this level.
Most of church exists at quest four – Search for Ultimate Peace – Order. In the main the churches loves in a bartering relationship – we may see evidence of this on a weekly basis.
So for me it is not surprising that a church that is principally ordered around bartering relationships projects that level of awareness onto God.
What absolutely astounds me is that Jesus loved us so much that he dies unnecessarily just to penetrate our limited quest 4 perspectives just so we could know the Father. That my friends is the real meaning of the cross.
I think the spiral dynamics model provides a clue as why the idea of Penal Substitution has gained so much momentum. The key is the breadth of awareness in my love. At the first stage (quests 1-3) my love is all about me – Egocentric. At the second stage I barter with you and have a sense of equality in our relationship - Ethnocentric. At the third stage I love as I want connection with you - Worldcentric. At the forth stage I love because it is who I am and it is what I do – Spiritcentric. I love love at this level.
Most of church exists at quest four – Search for Ultimate Peace – Order. In the main the churches loves in a bartering relationship – we may see evidence of this on a weekly basis.
So for me it is not surprising that a church that is principally ordered around bartering relationships projects that level of awareness onto God.
What absolutely astounds me is that Jesus loved us so much that he dies unnecessarily just to penetrate our limited quest 4 perspectives just so we could know the Father. That my friends is the real meaning of the cross.
A change of scenery
Life has been changing a lot for me. A new girlfriend. Some new focuses.
I’m not going to sign off, but I have come to an end of what I needed from interacting here. I have grown by being stretched of the process of writing and engaging with the opinions of others. I have broken through my theological limiting beliefs and have a new perspective on it all.
So that means that my focus of contribution has changed. I am more engaged with those immediately around me. And for the moment I have give up many fond attachments in order to give my best to the most important areas of life. For me this year that means:
1) ensuring that I have a clear vision and plan for the upbringing of my two boys,
2) cultivating friendship and healing in the wounds of my divorce,
3) learning to make money by trading,
4) and fully engaging and committing to having a passionate relationship.
This year is a year to grow in masculinity, spirituality and love. To give what I am on this earth to give and expand into the person who can achieve all this and more.
I have three weeks of intense personal development lined up, and some tough goals in between. For the first time in my life I am setting myself real challenges. And I am already confident that I will meet them.
My girlfriend, in the words of a mutual friend looks ridiculously amazing, she is so loving, so growing and inspires me to be more than I am. She, just by her very presence, sets me a high standard to live by. I love that profoundly.
So that means unfortunately I won’t be contributing here in the way I have. I know that I’ll be missed in the same way that I felt loss at others to had to leave this space, but I take with me into the world many gifts I was given here by other bloggers. So thank you to all. Especially Jeff, Dorsey, Eddie and Bruce. There are many others who have stretched me, and you know who you are.
Acceptance and peace to you all
DM
I’m not going to sign off, but I have come to an end of what I needed from interacting here. I have grown by being stretched of the process of writing and engaging with the opinions of others. I have broken through my theological limiting beliefs and have a new perspective on it all.
So that means that my focus of contribution has changed. I am more engaged with those immediately around me. And for the moment I have give up many fond attachments in order to give my best to the most important areas of life. For me this year that means:
1) ensuring that I have a clear vision and plan for the upbringing of my two boys,
2) cultivating friendship and healing in the wounds of my divorce,
3) learning to make money by trading,
4) and fully engaging and committing to having a passionate relationship.
This year is a year to grow in masculinity, spirituality and love. To give what I am on this earth to give and expand into the person who can achieve all this and more.
I have three weeks of intense personal development lined up, and some tough goals in between. For the first time in my life I am setting myself real challenges. And I am already confident that I will meet them.
My girlfriend, in the words of a mutual friend looks ridiculously amazing, she is so loving, so growing and inspires me to be more than I am. She, just by her very presence, sets me a high standard to live by. I love that profoundly.
So that means unfortunately I won’t be contributing here in the way I have. I know that I’ll be missed in the same way that I felt loss at others to had to leave this space, but I take with me into the world many gifts I was given here by other bloggers. So thank you to all. Especially Jeff, Dorsey, Eddie and Bruce. There are many others who have stretched me, and you know who you are.
Acceptance and peace to you all
DM
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